Disclaimer: See first chapter.

Lizzy74656

Chapter 2 - The Farce.

Two days later one member of the crew discovered the full extent of the new story account and the consequences of accessing and reading the stories whilst on-duty. All the stories were now stored and filed within the ship computer's mainframe, with read-only access. If a crew member tried to continue reading – even via a PADD – when they should have returned to their duty station, the computer would note this and put up a warning on the PADD, if this did not deter, then the crew members allocation of replicator rations would be withheld for a day or week. Trouble was there was one member who could – and did – override this consequence, but an addition had been added especially for this persons benefit.

=/\=Commander. Report to my Ready Room=/\=

Chakotay didn't acknowledge her summons, but just left his command chair and went to her current place of residence and pushed the door chime.

"Enter," she ground out. He did so and found her at the replicator, where she appeared to be threatening the machine. "Computer, recycle," she ordered, waiting whilst the mug and its contents disappeared. "Now; coffee, black, hot!" emphasising each word. A new mug duly appeared and she took a sip and gagged yet again. Unnoticed by the outraged Captain, her XO was valiantly trying to keep a straight face. "Here, Commander you taste this and tell me I'm not going crazy," she ordered, holding out to him the offending mug. He stepped forward, sniffed and then took a sip.

"Peppermint Tea!" he said mildly. "Nice," he added, earning himself her famous death glare.

"You heard me, I ordered coffee. Coffee, Commander; Not, tea of any flavour," sitting down dejectedly. "That is all, this confounded machine that is masquerading as a replicator has been giving me for the last hour."

"I see," he said, sipping from the mug of tea, he walked over and checked some of the PADD's littering her desk and noted the two with stories, along with the computer warning clearly displayed across one of them. He quietly picked them up, keeping the display hidden from her. "Sounds like a job for engineering or Ops, to deal with what is obviously a computer glitch," he suggested mildly. "Thanks for the tea," saluting her with the offending mug and left via the corridor exit.

Once inside his office he locked the door, finished the tea and recycled the empty mug, his smile growing as he recalled her expression at tasting said tea; then unable to contain his mirth any longer he roared with laughter.

=/\=

A few hours later B'Elanna asked for entry into his office, where he was working on the daily departmental reports.

"You seem very cheerful," she commented, his grin widened. "Engineering reports," she said putting the PADD's down on his tidy desk.

"Something up, B'Elanna?" he asked, when she didn't move to leave, a frown creasing her ridged forehead.

"It is most strange!" His interested expression encouraged her to continue. "For the last hour I've been going over the Captain's replicator and although I – or anyone else – can get the right response the Captain keeps getting tea. I wasn't aware there were so many different varieties of tea!" her expression puzzled. "I've left Harry going over the computer's programming to see if this glitch is there."

"I'm sure he'll come up... Trumps!" he said trying to keep his face straight.

"Chakotay!" she admonished him.

"Sorry, B'Elanna; it's just remembering her reaction when she took a sip of said 'tea' that was supposed to be coffee!" he explained, his grin spreading across his face.

"Yeah! I'm sure. But seriously Chakotay, we both know that a coffee-less Captain is a very angry one; and not exactly a pretty sight."

"True. Nothing I can do about it," he said apologetically. Torres frowned at him, but like Ayala knew when not to push him for information he wasn't willing to give. Something she knew the Captain needed to learn – even after all the years they'd been travelling together. Why was it though, that she – Janeway – appeared to refuse to see what was staring her right in the face or more precisely at her left side. Torres smiled at her friend and invited him to have lunch with her and Tom later, he graciously accepted.

=/\=

'Fire & Ice, a story of two elements that are the opposite of each other and yet found they worked well together. Both were aware that their passions could destroy the other if given free reign, so they kept their desires under control. But to all who observed them it was obvious that the pair had deep feelings for each other and all hoped that they would, given time and encouragement act upon those feelings.'

"Have you read that story called Fire and Ice?"

"Sure, I have; very intriguing. I wonder who wrote it."

"I suppose we'll never really know, will we?"

Chakotay softly smiled to himself at the overheard comments as he sat in the Mess Hall with Ayala one afternoon.

"At least they're not talking about those J/C stories," the security Lieutenant noted.

"I believe it is listed as a J/C story," he said and showed his companion the PADD information.

"That's probably why I haven't read it yet. I've been avoiding those particular stories."

"Oh! Why is that, Lieutenant?" his tone teasing.

"I think you know why, Commander!" he bantered back and they grinned at each other. "As to those C/P NC17 stories; you and him together. Never!"

"He and I agree with you."

"He asked you then?" Chakotay nodded in reply. "Better get back on duty, before a certain Commander can put me on report," he teased, getting to his feet and leaving.

"I wonder what the Captain thinks of this Fire and Ice?" noted a soft voice, which Chakotay's alert ears picked up as he too left for his duty shift on the Bridge.

As he rode the turbo-lift up to deck one, he wondered that too. Since the incident with the coffee/tea – if not before – he had not sort out her company except when his duties demanded of him to be in her presence. Remembering what had happened earlier in the week.

Kim had informed her, having thoroughly gone over the replicator's inventory that the computer was only following its programmed protocols. What the young man hadn't told her was that these protocols were new and part of the new story account. Harry had spoken to both Commanders' whose command codes controlled that account.

"You did the right thing, Ensign Kim," Tuvok the Vulcan said calmly.

"Thanks, I think!" he responded, standing in the Chief Security Officer's office.

"Something wrong, Harry?" Chakotay softly probed.

"Well we all know how much the Captain likes her coffee and without it, she can be quite a, handful," he said choosing his words with care.

"Indeed," agreed the stoic Vulcan.

"Let us deal with the fallout. Dismissed Ensign."

"Aye, Commander. Better you than me," he added sourly as he left.

The two commanders looked at each other after the door had closed firmly shut and sighed.

"Too late to back out now," noted one.

"Indeed!"

=/\=

The said caffeine less Captain was currently in Sickbay at the Doctor's request or orders – depending on whose view-point you took. He was attempting to do a full scale medical examination on the fiery headed woman, but she refused to stand still or even sit down.

"CAPTAIN!" he finally shouted at her exasperated, halting her from striding around his domain. "Now perhaps I can take some clear readings," he admonished the startled woman. She stared at him as he'd never used that tone with her before, whilst he used his tricorder to scan her. "Lack of caffeine, that's good. Body fluids are a bit low, nutritional needs are requiring a boost; I'll give you a supplement shot for that, but you really need to take in some edible food and drink," he informed her calmly. "No coffee of course. Oh I forgot the computer will only give you tea," he added off-handily.

"I seem to have quite a choice," she said through gritted teeth.

"Actually, ounce for ounce tea has more caffeine than coffee; you just get it in smaller diluted doses," he informed her. "You are free to go, Captain."

She almost ran out, but as the Starfleet trained Commanding Officer that she was, she controlled her anger and walked out with dignity. It was in the turbo-lift making for the Bridge that her thoughts turned to one of the stories, she'd been reading lately. A J/C story, but not like the others in the same grouping, it was intriguing.

The strong aroma of her favourite brew hit her nose as she exited the turbo-lift onto the Bridge. There in the command centre stood her XO holding a mug; the steam that rose from it was mesmerising as she walked towards him, her eyes fixed on the steaming mug and not him.

"Complements of the crew, Captain," he said holding out the steaming mug to her. She took it and cautiously breathed in the strong aroma and then took a tentative sip. Yes it was coffee and not tea in any shape or form, she drank some more and then realised they were waiting for a response from her.

"Thank you," swallowing her mouth full first. "You have the Bridge, Commander," she said quickly and disappeared into her Ready Room.

"I wonder why we bother!" noted Tom sadly, turning back to his console. Chakotay and Tuvok shared a knowing look with each other, before the Amerindian re-took his command chair and settled down to an uneventful duty shift once again.

=/\=

In her Ready Room, Janeway savoured every mouth full of that mug of coffee, whilst she read the story – Fire and Ice.

'Jay was amused by the fact that Selas – whose name meant bright flame – was angry at that moment. What Jay didn't understand was the reason; maybe it had something to do with Selas' name, who knew. But right now was not the time to ask!'

"Computer who is the author of Fire and ice?" she asked. There was no response to her query, so she asked again – same response – silence. "Computer, acknowledge my query," she ordered.

#Please state query#

"I have already done so. Fire and ice. Who wrote it?"

#Please state query#

Janeway wondered if she should scream to relieve some of the tension that was building up in her over these so-called computer glitches and her lack of coffee related caffeine recently.

"That would be most unbecoming of a Starfleet Captain," she softly admonished herself, taking a deep breath to calm her rolling emotions and frustrations. "Maintaining proper protocol is good for the crew's morale and makes for effective working practises," she told herself sternly. "Especially within the command structure," she noted firmly; although she voiced this last with conviction her facial expression said otherwise. 'Then why do I feel so miserable?' she silently asked herself, looking into the bottom of her now empty coffee mug.

=/\=

'Selas realised that things with Jay were not progressing as one would have hoped. And yet fire could melt ice, so why wasn't that happening? If anything the ice was getting harder and not melting to the fire's passions. Selas knew that each of them had elements of both fire and ice in their make-up, yet it was becoming obvious that Jay was ice and Selas was fire. Who would win at this stage was open to debate.'

The latest instalment of Fire and Ice was intriguing and open to interpretation as to what it meant. The fact that the two main characters had names but no gender was a puzzle.

"Almost as if the writer doesn't want to reveal the whole game," said Harry Kim as he shared lunch with his friends, Tom and B'Elanna.

"You could be right," she said carefully watching her other friend enter the Mess Hall area alone. He looked around as if searching for something and then not seeing it came and joined the three friends.

"Chakotay?" she said concerned. He smiled warmly his dark eyes loosing their sadness.

"Pull up a chair," Tom invited cheerfully and called to Neelix for the dish of the day for him.

"There we go, Commander. Your favourite," Neelix said, putting a plate of Angla'bosque in front of the male.

"Thank you," he said softly and tucked into the meal.

"Something wrong, Chakotay?" Tom asked puzzled by the man's demeanour, voicing the other's silent concern.

"Should there be?" he asked, between mouthfuls.

"No! You just seem sad," he said struggling for words. Chakotay looked round at their varying expressions and almost sighed, yet he just smiled confidently and commented that Neelix had surpassed himself with the stew, breaking the silence of the others, to add their comments on the fare for that day.

=/\=

/You are lost, My Friend/ she greeted him, within his dream world.

He didn't respond for she had voiced how he felt.

"Where do I go from here?" he asked quietly.

/Where do you want to be?/ she countered.

"Not where most think I should be," he responded with growing conviction.

/Where is that?/ she queried her tone mild, but her expression slightly mocking. He grinned at her, recalling all the times when she'd advised him and he'd gone against her.

"The place you have been warning me not to go," he said, sincerely.

/I'm pleased/ her tone also sincere. /The Fire and Ice?/ she queried. /Where will that go?/

"To its natural end," he said with deep conviction.

/That should be interesting/ she grinned. /Be settled in yourself, My Friend and do not stray from the path you have chosen/

"Will that mean you'll not nag me?" he teased amused. She declined to dignify his retort with an answer and left him.

He returned to himself, feeling more secure in his feelings about where his life was going. Thus he packed away his medicine bundle and retired to his bed, to sleep deep and dreamlessly, thus preparing him for the days ahead.

=/\=

It was happening again, she fumed, storming into the Mess Hall and made a demand of the resident Chef in just one word.

"Coffee."

"I'm sorry, Captain, I'm out of that substance at the moment," he politely informed her. "You'll just have to use your replicator rations," he advised. Instead of going to said replicator she stormed back out of the area.

"This can't go on," Torres snapped, almost getting out of her seat at the table she sat at with her husband.

"B'Elanna! Sit down," Tom commanded, his tone halting her anger. "We've all, more-or-less worked out what is going on. Let her do her own menial workings," he said, his tone not just for her, but all those present.

"She is a scientist, Maquis," Harry added.

"Sure she is, Starfleet!" her tone implying otherwise.

In a quiet corner both commanders sat together and silently listened to the angry rumblings among the crew present. The human of the pair breathed deeply and looked as if he was going to rise, but the Vulcan stopped him with a soft vocal sound.

"Patience."

"For how long?" the other asked, deep brown eyes worried.

"For as long as it takes," was the calm reply. As it turned out they didn't have to wait much longer, as her voice made a demand over the ship's airwaves, her tone uncompromising.

=/\=Commander Chakotay and Lieutenant Commander Tuvok; Report to me at once=/\=

Neither male said anything, but calmly got to their feet and left the now silent Mess Hall.

No-one said a word; they either left for their own duty shifts or carried on eating, worried and silent, hoping for the best with the command team.

=/\=

In her Ready Room, the three members of that command team silently appraised each other. Both males stood together, facing the fiery red-headed female who stood on the upper level hands on hips surveying them both.

"I hope you have an explanation!" she finally demanded of them. Neither male responded, they just silently stood there, faces neutral. What she was not aware of, was that both had prepared for this moment and knew it was in the best interests of all involved that she came to her own conclusions about things, especially Fire and Ice.

"I want some answers, gentlemen!" she snapped at them. Still no response; certainly not vocally or even in their body language; not that she noticed. "Well this is a fine discussion; is it not?" her tone still demanding, causing one of the male's to move his eyes sideways to his companion, but she'd moved her hand in that moment, to pinch the bridge of her nose so missed this subtle sign. "First the computer refuses to answer me and now you two. What is going on?" standing once more hands on hips, glaring at them both. "I might as well be talking to myself for all the response I'm getting from you," she noted coldly.

That tone cemented in the mind of one of the two commanders what type of 'Ice' he was now facing and that no amount of 'Fire' would ever melt it. That thought saddened him at first – tuning out her cold demands – and yet the more he thought about it the more sense it made.

"Dismissed," she told them after she'd finished her say; they left as silently as they'd arrived, via the corridor door out of her Ready Room.

In that corridor, the Vulcan quietly touched his companion's shoulder, offering a physical comfort that at the start of their journey would not have been forthcoming or acceptable behaviour on his part. The tattooed male responded with a silent nod of thanks and walked away to his office.

=/\=

'Selas' fire had burned its last flickering flame of hope towards Jay. That is not to say the fire of passion had gone out, it had only changed direction. Selas would support Jay and be there in times of emotional and physical need. The hope of returned passions is all that had died that day. The fire would burn again, just not for that Ice.'

"Ice is ice, is it not?" queried a crewman having read the latest instalment of Fire and ice.

"Depends on which ice you mean."

"What's that supposed to mean, mister-know-it-all-Paris!"

"Ice has been used with regard to diamonds," he said carefully. "One substance that cannot be damaged or destroyed by fire," he added quietly. For the second time that day the Mess Hall fell silent and no-one said a word as they went about their business.

=/\=

'The scientist in the Captain finally worked it out; but it took 'Jay' a lot longer and by then the fire's full warmth had been removed from Jay's petite presence. The diamond hard stance Jay held on protocol had all but frozen out that fire of passion; a passion that was now no longer Jay's to claim at anytime, now or in the future. Even the long standing friendship with the other member of the command team suffered. It wouldn't be until Jay found a way to reverse time that it might be put right; or would it?'

=/\=

Janeway stared at the story on the PADD for she had been sure a member of the crew had written the story Fire and Ice, but this final piece seemed to say otherwise. Shaken by what the story had been telling her, she just sat very still in her quarters, a full jug of coffee untouched sitting on the table in front of her. Kathryn called to mind another story she'd been told about 'An Angry Warrior' and who'd told it and why.

"Computer, location of Command...of Chakotay," she amended.

#Commander Chakotay is in holodeck two# it informed her. For a moment she debated whether to call him to her or not and then decided she would go to him.

Dressed in casual wear she walked thoughtfully to his stated location and asked for entry. It surprised her that the computer granted her entry by name and locked the doors afterwards.

"Hello, Kathryn," spoke a voice she knew well, she looked up at him, her blue eyes clouded and misted by tears. He touched her lips with a commanding finger, silencing her words. Taking her hand in his he quietly led her to the edge of a frozen lake. He put around her shoulders a thick winter coat, similar to the one he wore and held her close to his warm torso.

"Watch," he said softly, pointing out a pair of skaters moving towards them. Music sounded around them and the ice dancers danced in perfect harmony with each other, their passion a fire that burned brightly as they danced. When the music ended, the pair skated over and introduced themselves.

"Hello. I'm Jayne Torvill and this is my partner Christopher Dean," the woman said, who was dressed as a blue/white princess.

"The dance you have just seen is part of a piece called Fire and Ice," said the male, dressed in a fiery coloured costume. Janeway stared at them and then looked at Chakotay.

"Is there any questions you'd like to ask?" it was the female who spoke.

"I'm not sure," Kathryn said, turning to look at the woman, who smiled politely.

"Commander Chakotay?" queried the male, a smile playing across his face.

"Are you two married?" he asked calmly, almost as if he knew the answer.

"Yes," Jayne grinned. "But not to each other," Chris added and laughed at the expression that graced, Janeway's startled face.

"But, you dance as if..."

"Would you dance again?" Chakotay asked quietly.

"What dance would you like to see?" Chris responded.

"You chose," he said.

The pair looked at each other and smiled knowingly. Their costumes changed and the music started. 'Let's Face the Music and Dance' and dance they did in beautiful harmony, gliding across the ice effortlessly.

"Who are they?" she whispered to him as they watched.

"They are Ice Dance Champions of Great Britain, Olympic, World, European and the Commonwealth. You could say they re-invented Ice dance," he informed her knowledgeably. When the music ended the pair glided off out of sight.

"Quiet," he admonished softly and taking her hand again, he led her to a log cabin. Within a fire burned brightly, the table laid out for three, she noted and the smell of coffee assailed her nose. It was then she noticed a figure sitting near the fire his Vulcan harp in his hand, his dark fingers playing across the fine strings, stirring the air with a melody that was very familiar to her. She felt tears threaten recalling the first time she'd heard that tune and what it stood for.

Chakotay had taken her coat as well as removing his own and then saw to the pot bubbling over the fire. "Shall we eat?" he suggested, moving the pot from the fire to the table.

Soon the three of them had eaten their fill, the two males drinking tea, leaving her with the coffee. A companionable silence had accompanied their meal and Janeway was a little reluctant to break it even now, but she knew there were some things that needed to be said, that she needed to say.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said the things I did and you both have every right to relieve me of command," her voice contrite.

"Do you really believe it is that simple, Kathryn?" She was startled to realise that it was Tuvok who had spoken, when she would've expected it to be Chakotay to demand that of her.

"Obviously you did," noted Chakotay softly. A response she would have thought to have come from the Vulcan. She looked from one to the other clearly confused.

"No we haven't changed. Although I suppose it would be quite simple to do, as we currently inhabit the holodeck." This time she wasn't sure as to which of them had spoken.

"Don't demand!" was the hard word response, before she could open her mouth to utter a word of her own.

"What do you want?" she asked instead, feeling out of her depth.

"Nothing." That response caused her head to snap up, as she'd been looking down at the table rather than face them as she'd done earlier in the week in her Ready Room, when ordering them to tell her what she wanted to know.

"We are not just part of your command team, but your friends also," stated one calmly.

"Friendships are a two way avenue, not a one way street," noted the other.

"To dance we need to be in prefect harmony not only with our dancing partner but with the music too," she added, understanding dawning as to why Chakotay had chosen the Ice dance couple he had.

"A threefold cord cannot quickly be torn in two. You are not alone, Kathryn."

She sighed acknowledging the sentiment with a nod, feeling drained and tired emotionally.

"Time for Starfleet Captains to be in bed for some well earned sleep; and no coffee," both emphasised the last phrase together.

"Aye, aye, Commanders," she smiled, giving them a mock salute.

"Computer, transport the Captain site-to-site from this location to the bed in her quarters," ordered one. "Energise!" the other added, before she could protest. Silence surrounded the pair for a moment once she'd vanished from their presence.

"Let us hope the lesson has been learnt."

"We can live in hope; because that is all we have."

"Indeed."

=/\=

So the Earth satellite proved to be more than a 'toy'. Hopefully it opened the eyes of one fiery headed Captain to the idea that Ice didn't have to become diamond hard to survive in the Delta Quadrant, nor fully melt to the passions of Fire; but to learn to dance – ice dance.