Flying lessons

Rated: G

Spoilers: none

Summary: Tom gives Chakotay some flying lessons. And a little bit more...

Disclaimer: Paramount owns Star Trek and its characters. Story is all mine! BDC 2010

"All right, pull her into a stop." Tom instructed.

Chakotay pulled back the throttle and the Delta Flyer came to an abrupt halt.

"Whoa, easy on the thrusters!"

"You said to stop."

"Yeah, easy! She's got to be treated with respect!"

"Try to be a little clearer next time."

"I was clear! It's you, thinking about her all the time!" Tom rolled his eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Chakotay shot at him.

"When you're out there in space, you can't be thinking about her all the time. We don't want a repeat of events from last week. You crashing another shuttle and with us only seconds to spare to beam you out safely."

"Paris, watch it!"

"Watch what? You two? Believe me, I've done that! You two couldn't be more obvious. Only not to each other, apparently."

"Mr. Paris, don't make me throw you in the brig for mouthing off to a Senior Officer." He raised his voice a little more.

"You're unbelievable!" Tom hit the console just as Captain Janeway walked in.

"What is all this?" she asked, hands on her hips and an eyebrow raised.

"I'm trying to teach him how to fly without crashing all the time."

"And mouthing off."

"I don't see anything other than you two acting like a couple of eight-year-old girls. God help you both if this is how you carry on out there instead off in a holo-program."

The two men started bickering at each other again, which made Janeway's headache even worse.

"Hey, hey!" she yelled and stepped up between them. "I don't know who's fault this is, sort it out! Or I'll fly this damn thing myself from now on!"

They both looked at her with widened eyes. Was she serious?

"Aye Captain." They both answered.

"Good! Now finish this lesson, I need you at the helm, Mr. Paris. Commander, meet me in my ready room when you're done." She turned and left the two men to their business.

Tom looked at Chakotay who was staring at the Captain as she walked out of the shuttle. When she was out of sight, he caught Tom shaking his head and smiling a half crooked smile.

"What?"

"Permission to speak freely?"

Chakotay thought for a moment, but he was too curious in what Tom had to say, so he nodded.

"Chakotay, you're a fool if you let that woman go!"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"You obviously care about the Captain. If you won't admit it to me, at least admit it to yourself."

"She's our Captain, I'm her First Officer."

"It's more than that. I've seen the way you look at her."

"In what way is that?"

"Like someone who wishes he could throw the whole Starfleet Protocol on personal relationships between Senior Officers out an airlock." Tom shrugged and made a gesture like he was handling a slingshot. Chakotay sighed and shook his head.

"Even if that were possible... " he whispered, but Tom had heard.

"We're in the middle of the Delta Quadrant! Who would know?" Tom kept going.

"The crew."

"You're missing the point. Who are we to expect you to put your lives on hold."

Chakotay thought for a moment. Maybe Tom was right. But was he right about Kathryn?

"I just don't know Tom."

"Ah! I give up!" He threw his hands in the air dramatically and turned around in his chair.

"I don't know if she feels the same way about me." Chakotay finally admitted. The biggest grin appeared on Tom's face and he had to concentrate hard to hold it in when he turned to face Chakotay again.

"If you doubt that, just look into her eyes, see the way she looks at you. You'll never doubt yourself again." Tom knew he was right. He had seen it so many times before. On the bridge, in the ready room, in sickbay when they stood at each other's bedside.

Chakotay went silent now, trying to imagine some of the moments when they were alone. If even Tom had seen it, how could he be mistaken the things he had seen or even felt.

"What if she... rejects me, because of that damn protocol. You know how highly she thinks of Starfleet rules and regulations."

"Don't tell me a big tough guy like you is afraid of rejection. Besides, haven't you learned from her in all these years working side by side?" Tom raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Learned what?"

"Not taking 'no' for an answer." he stated.

Chakotay couldn't hold back the smile that appeared on his face. He slapped his knee and stood up.

"You know, Tom, sometimes it can be a good thing to let you speak freely."

"It is?" he frowned.

"Yes."

"You're kidding, right?"

"No, but remember to ask for it first, or the brig will be a frequently visited place." He passed Tom and patted him on the shoulder. "Let's go Lieutenant, we're needed on the bridge."

"Aye sir! Computer, end program."

The End

BDC 2010