Author's Note: I had to go back and make a very minor change to Chapter Two (if you went back and read it, you probably wouldn't even notice). I had to extend how long the away mission was for the sake of later chapters. It'll all make sense later. I didn't plan too well at first, my apologies.
Chapter Three
With their tricorders in hand, the away team disembarked the shuttle. At first glance, the planet had appeared completely barren from up above, but now that they landed and had a chance to explore more, they realized that that wasn't necessarily true. Dry, low lying shrubs littered the clay-like soil that stretched in all directions around them. Above them, small, puffy clouds provided some semblance of shade, but it was definitely warmer than they were used to. The desert-like planet barely looked like it could sustain life. Yet, someone was definitely here and needed their help or else they wouldn't be here. As soon as he looked around, Chakotay was immediately hit with an overwhelming wave of homesickness. If he didn't know they were millions of lightyears from Earth, he could have sworn he was home. The sensation briefly made him feel sick to his stomach. It was a feeling he hadn't felt in years, and it hit him like a bag of bricks, nearly knocking him over in the process. He hadn't felt this way in years, but there was something about this planet that made him crave going home more than anything else.
As Tom exited the shuttle, he glanced over at Chakotay, who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. Tom did a double take to make sure what he saw was correct. Sure enough, Chakotay had spaced out as his own thoughts completely consumed him. It wasn't like the First Officer to act like this. When it came to away missions, Chakotay tended to be all business, especially when he was the one in charge. He had to be the one to grab the bull by the horns and give orders. This was something completely out of character for him.
"Commander, are you okay?" he asked. His voice brought Chakotay back to reality.
"I'm fine," he insisted as he squared his shoulders and held his head high. All of a sudden, he went from a man lost in his own thoughts to a man ready to take charge. He quickly banished all thoughts of home from his mind and mentally berated himself for allowing nostalgia to consume him. He needed to be on his top game and focus right now. They were on a rescue mission, and he was the one calling the shots. "Harry, how far are we from the distress signal?" Harry carefully examined the information on his tricorder.
"The last distress call we got was about two and a half kilometers away. It appears that the plasma storm over the region is dispersing. It should be gone by the time we get there."
"Good. Lead the way, Ensign." Using his tricorder to navigate and monitor their surroundings, Harry took point as he lead the away team in the direction of the distress call. Seven, Tom and Chakotay all fell into step behind Harry with their own tricorders out to examine their surroundings, although there wasn't much to see around here. All around, all they could see was desert. With any luck, their tricorders would pick up more information.
Overhead, the clouds began to disperse as they day stretched on, leaving nothing but unbearable heat. Sweat began to pour down Chakotay's back, leaving him feeling sticky and gross. Starfleet uniforms weren't made to stand such heat, but there was nothing they could do about it but endure the heat and hope they eventually came across some shade. Despite the fact that the heat was near stifling, the fresh air was almost refreshing. The air of Voyager was synthetic, and while it did its job of keeping everyone on board alive, it didn't compare to being outside and in the fresh air. There were so few opportunities for enjoying moments like this. Even when the holodeck tried to replicate fresh air, it just wasn't the same. As much as he loved space, Chakotay missed spending long periods of time outdoors even more. He was determined to enjoy this away mission while he could. It seemed like an easy enough away mission, and the landscape was definitely something he could enjoy. He was grateful that Tuvok had given up this mission and sent him instead. In a way, it was the perfect away mission for him.
The heat continued to grow worse as the day continued, and it began to slow the away team down. None of them were used to the heat, which Seven estimated to be around 35 degrees Celsius. It would have been excruciating heat to deal with in the first place, but it was only made worse by their thick uniforms that they had to keep wearing. Out of fear of overheating, they all began to slow down their pace in hopes that it would cool them off. It should have taken no more than forty five minutes to get to the distress signal, but it took them over an hour instead. They trudged through the unyielding heat, trying to preserve their water while they could. There was no way of knowing when they'd come across fresh water or be able to get back to shuttle to restock supplies. Because of that, they would have to make sure their water lasted all day.
With his eyes still glued to his tricorder, Harry slowed down and eventually stopped. After a few moments, he looked up and whipped his head around to take in their surroundings. The flat desert surrounded them. Harry wiped away the sweat on his forehead and sighed. With the exception of the away team, his tricorder wasn't picking up any signs of life. There had to be someone around here somewhere.
"This is it," he announced. "This is where the distress signal last came from." They all looked around. There was nothing around as far as the eye could see except for the looming desert. While Chakotay first thought the desert was nostalgic, now he found it frustrating. If the distress signal really came from this location, then there should be something here: a lifeform, a ship, some debris, but there was nothing.
"Are you sure?" he demanded. This didn't make any sense. Never before in his career had he come to the aid of a distress signal only to find absolutely nothing there. His tricorder told him that there weren't even signs of any sort of technology around here. There was nothing nearby that could have even given off the signal. If he hadn't seen the coordinates with his own eyes, he would have sworn they were in the wrong place.
"Yes, Sir," Harry affirmed. "Check for yourself." Chakotay hadn't meant to sound like he doubted Harry's conclusions. He knew communication was Harry's area of expertise, and if he said that this was where the signal originated from, then he believed him.
"That doesn't make any sense," Tom blurted out. "There should be something here." He shaded his eyes with his hand in an attempt to see better, but it didn't help. There was absolutely nothing.
"Perhaps the interference in the atmosphere has caused the calculations to be incorrect," Seven suggested. It was the only logical explanation. Even so, their calculations wouldn't be this far off, and there should be some sort of sign of life around here. With the exception of the plants, it looked like a barren wasteland. She typed hurriedly on her own tricorder to adjust the coordinates to account for the interference in the atmosphere. Even with those adjustments, they were still in the right place. This was the exact spot where the distress call had originated from.
"Let's split up," Chakotay directed. "Seven, you and Harry head east while Tom and I go west. Go about a kilometer and a half before looping back. We'll meet back right here." The away team agreed to the plan. "Keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Someone had to have sent out that distress signal, and we're going to find them. Look for footprints, any signs of debris. Even if it seems small and insignificant, it could be the key to figuring out what's going on here." While Chakotay didn't like the away team separating when they didn't know what was going on, he knew it meant that they would be able to cover more ground this way. They were all highly capable of taking care of themselves, something they'd all proven time and time again. An hour or so of being apart wouldn't be the end of the world. Hopefully when covered more ground they would be able to find whoever sent the distress call and help them.
Secretly, Seven had hoped to go with Chakotay, but she knew that that wasn't going to happen. In the past they had been on countless away missions, but things were different now, especially after the intimate nature of last night. Right now, they were in clear violation of Starfleet protocol just by being on the same mission. They would have to put their feelings to the side and act professionally at all times, no matter what happened. When they started exploring their feelings for each other, she had insisted that it never interfere with their professional lives. The two of them going off alone to look for the origins of the distress signal definitely went against her mandate. They had to focus on the task at hand. Besides, if they were to prevent Harry from becoming even more suspicious, they needed to keep their distance from each other. There had been too many close calls already in the past twenty-four hours. They needed to be more careful.
Eyes alert for any signs of life or wreckage, Harry walked alongside Seven. Both of them kept their tricorders out as they scanned the surrounding area. With the help of the tricorders, they should be able to detect any living creatures, but nothing came up on either device. Seven switched between looking at her tricorder and scanning the land around them. Even with the help of her optical implant, she couldn't pick up any signs of life or debris. Harry's tricorder was equally inconclusive. That didn't deter either of them from looking though. They were sent here with a task, and if there was any sign of life, they would certainly find it. Somewhere out there, someone needed their help. They were desperate enough to send a distress signal out into the oblivion that was space without knowing who would show up to help them. Seven could conclude that whoever sent out the distress call was desperate, but she had to admit that it baffled her that they weren't here awaiting their assistance. She knew that if Voyager had sent out such a desperate distress call, it would have stayed right there and waited for help.
As they searched, Seven tried to think of something to say to Harry. A certain uneasiness had settled over them. Not only did the discomfort stem from their inability to find whoever sent out the distress call, but she hypothesized that it came from his unexpected visit to Chakotay's quarters the previous evening. It would be foolish to ignore the discomfort, but she was unsure what to say to him. Her mind whirled as she tried to think of what to say. She needed to address Harry's visit last night, but she also knew she needed to be tactful about it. She knew she had a habit of being too blunt, or at least that's what Chakotay and the Doctor told her. In an effort to curb that problem, she knew she had to be careful not only about what she said but how she said it. Once it came to her, however, she found another problem. She didn't know how to bring the subject up. They were both walking in silence and trying to concentrate on their tricorders. It seemed almost wrong to break the silence, but she knew it was necessary. This may be their only chance alone to discuss the matter.
Seven finally blurted out, "Harry, I would like to thank you for your...discretion after your unexpected visit to Commander Chakotay's quarters last night." Seven mentally berated herself. So much for being sensitive about bringing this up. Caught off guard, Harry stumbled over a rock and nearly fell and dropped his tricorder. Thankfully, at the last moment he caught his balance and didn't drop the machine in his hand. He coughed uncomfortably and tried to think of something to say.
"I, uhh, umm," he stammered as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously, which he instantly regretted, as now his hand was covered with a layer of sweat that he wiped off on his pants. "When I came by, it just looked like two officers enjoying a home cooked meal." Confusion flashed across Seven's face. That isn't what happened. He'd clearly seen everything, and it wouldn't be hard for him to draw his own conclusions. Anyone with eyes could have figured out what was going on. Suddenly, it dawned on her. Harry was saying that he understood the intimate nature of what he'd walked in on and was going to keep it to himself. She had no way of knowing that he already told Tom, and he had no intention of telling her. It was obvious that this was already a stressful experience for her, and he didn't want to make it worse.
"I appreciate your handling of this delicate situation," she stated with a curt nod. Despite the fact that she was thanking him, Seven sounded formal and almost unappreciative. She was grateful though. As long as Harry kept things under wraps, she and Chakotay would be able to proceed with their relationship as they originally planned. Not that they really had a plan to begin with. At least now, rumors would not spread like wildfire across the ship. For the moment, they had dodge a bullet.
Just like Harry and Seven, Tom and Chakotay were having no luck finding any sort of signs of life or the origins of the distress call. The unrelenting sun beat down on them, making each step feel like torture. They both did their best to make it seem like they were fine. Tom continuously wiped away the sweat from his brown with his sleeve. Mentally, he cursed these Starfleet uniforms. While they definitely had their perks in cooler environments, he felt like he was being boiled alive right now.
"This doesn't make any sense," Chakotay muttered as he glared at his tricorder. His voice temporary chased away all of Tom's thoughts and mental complaints about the heat. Chakotay felt his frustration level rising. "There should be some sign here. Even if it's not the origins of the distress signal, there should be some signs; footprints or something."
"There's no sign of anything, Commander," Tom said, although he knew he was just pointing out the obvious. "Sensors aren't picking up any signs of life or any technology that could have given off the distress call." He looked up in surprise. "There's no way a distress call could have been sent out." As much as he hated to admit it, Chakotay knew Tom was right. There would be some sort of sign somewhere around here had the distress call been sent out from here. There was nothing though, and that unnerved him the most. It would appear that someone went through great lengths to destroy all evidence of life in the vicinity, as if they didn't want to be found. If they didn't want to be found, though, why would they send out the distress call in the first place? Neither man could figure out the logic behind this.
When Seven and Harry hit the one and a half kilometer mark, they began to alter their course to return to the rendezvous location. Rather than double back on their tracks, they formed a large arc in an attempt to cover more ground with the hopes of finding whoever sent out that distress call. Despite their best efforts, they couldn't find a single sign of life or the distress call. When they returned to the rendezvous location, they found Chakotay and Tom already waiting for them. Based on the dejected and frustrated expressions on their faces, it was easy to conclude that they hadn't found anything either.
"Were you successful?" Seven asked as she and Harry joined them. The team stood in a tight circle to discuss what they had discovered.
"No." Chakotay's voice had an edge to it. Seven didn't need to be familiar with Chakotay and his usual mannerisms to know that he was angry with their current situation. "How about you?"
"We found no signs of life or the origins of the distress call," Seven replied.
"If I hadn't heard the distress call for myself, I'd say that it was impossible for it to exist," Tom added. "There should be some sort of sign around here."
"What are you implying?" Seven asked. Letting out a sigh, Tom shrugged and shook his head.
"I don't know," he admitted. "I'm just thinking aloud." He had no idea what to make of this situation. In an attempt to take the attention off of him, he turned to Chakotay. "Commander, what do you think?" Unfortunately, Chakotay seemed just as lost and confused as the rest of his team.
"I don't know, but I'd like to get to the bottom of it. Clearly, someone was in trouble if they sent out a distress call. And until we're told otherwise, we are going to treat this mission accordingly." Despite his assurances, he had no idea how to proceed. Never before had he encountered something like this on an away mission. Normally it was pretty straight forward when they arrived as to what the problem was. Even if they couldn't figure it out right away, there were still signs as to where the call came from and how they could help. Here, there wasn't anything for them to work with. Essentially they were working blind.
Chakotay's mind whirled at a millions miles a minute as he attempted to think of their next steps. Right now, their main priority was to find the origins of the distress call and lend aid in whatever way was necessary. Despite the fact that they had been unsuccessful so far, he wasn't ready to throw in the towel quite yet. The day was still young. Besides, they had only covered a very small fraction of the surrounding area. He would hate to return to Voyager only to find out that if they had looked just a little harder then they would have found who needed help. It would mean that they had failed such a simple away mission.
"Let's fan out again," he finally decided. "This time, we'll meet back at the shuttle at 1800 hours to make camp for the night. If you come across any signs of life or the distress call, call for help right away. Understood?" A chorus of "Yes, Sir"s and "Aye, Commander"s went up as the away team agreed to the new directions. "Tom, you'll come with me. Seven, Harry, we'll see you back at the shuttle." Seven and Harry turned to leave. Chakotay's gaze lingered on her for a second or two before he realized that he was staring. If they were going to be successful in finding this distress call, they needed to get going.
Not only did the day seem to drag on and on for Harry, the environment around was starting to all look the same. All he saw when he looked around was flat land littered with dry, dead looking plants. The sky stretched above them in all directions. It was the epitome of big sky country here. It was enough to drive anyone crazy. Between the never ending expanse that stretched out in all directions around them and the fact that they still had no luck finding any signs of life or the distress call, Harry was starting to feel restless.
"There's nothing here," he snapped. "We might as well turn back."
"I concur. If we are going to make it back to the shuttle on time, then we should head back." It was like music to Harry's ears. That was the best news he'd heard since leaving Voyager. He put away his tricorder and started walking in the direction of the shuttle. Seven kept her tricorder out as she continued to scan for life signs. He felt that she was grasping at straws. He didn't tell her that though. She was always by the book, and he knew she would continue to scan for signs of life until they got back to the shuttle. It was how she was. Free of his tricorder, Harry carelessly swung his hands at his side as he fell into step next to Seven.
"I hope Chakotay and Tom were more successful."
"I fail to see what hope has to do with anything," Seven commented dryly. Harry sighed. He should have just kept his mouth shut. He should have expected such a comment out of her. When he thought about it, he couldn't figure out what Chakotay saw in her. At first blush, she was definitely a bombshell, but she still apparently struggled with basic human interactions. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out what they did together, although based on his experience last night, it involved something with water, which only added to his curiosity and confusion. Everything about Seven felt confusing to him.
"Let's just head back to the shuttle," Harry muttered. It had been a long day, and he was tired. The prospect of making camp for the night definitely sounded appealing to him. While it wouldn't be as comfortable as his bed back on Voyager, it was definitely better than aimlessly wandering around the desert. With any hope, nightfall would also bring about a significant drop in temperature. One could only dream.
Having just as much luck as Seven and Harry, or lack thereof, Chakotay and Tom were heading back towards the shuttle to make camp. In the back of his mind, Tom wondered if they should just head back to Voyager and tell the Captain that they tried their best. If someone here really did need their help, you would think that they would be waiting right where they sent the message from, anxiously awaiting help. Tom kept his eyes glued to his tricorder as they walked. There was still no signs of any life nearby, but something did catch his attention.
"Commander." Chakotay stopped walking and turned around. For a fleeting moment, he thought that Tom's tricorder had finally picked up whoever sent out the distress call. It was the most hopeful he'd felt in hours. When he saw Tom's face, however, he knew that that wasn't the case. "I'm picking up signs of water about half a kilometer due east." While stopping to get water would make them late to the rendezvous at the shuttle, he knew that water was important. There was water on the shuttle, but if they could find some on the planet, that would be better. It would allow them to save the water to give to whoever sent out that distress call, if they ever found them that is.
"Lead the way," he consented. They could be late to the shuttle, it wasn't the end of the world. Besides, the water would help them cool off under the torturous heat. If anything, it would be irresponsible not to stop.
A small spring bubbled excitedly from beneath the clay ground. It was tucked in a small collection of rocks, which formed a sort of bowl for the water sit in. Had they not been looking for it, they would have never found it. It seemed out of place in the middle of the desert, but neither Chakotay nor Tom were complaining. They were both covered in sweat and dust from searching the desert all day. Unable to resist, both shed their heavy uniform shirts and long sleeved grey undershirts, revealing much lighter t-shirts underneath. Chakotay took it one step further and removed that shirt as well. Sweat plastered the fabric to his torso like a second skin. As soon as he removed it, he felt significantly better. The faint breeze he'd been unable to previously detect under all those thick layers trickled across his flesh, instantly cooling him down. Sighing contently, he crouched down on his hunches next to the water, cupped his hands in the water and poured it over the back of his neck. Tom scanned the water and determined it was safe to drink before dipping his hand into the clear liquid and bringing it to his lips. Feeling significantly cooler, Chakotay cupped his hands in the water again, this time bringing it to his lips. The water was cool and sweet and tasted like heaven.
"We should fill one of our canteens with water to bring back," he suggested. Tom wasn't paying attention. Having drank his fill of water as well, the lieutenant was carefully scanning a nearby bush with his tricorder. "What is it?" Chakotay asked as he got to his feet and stood over Tom.
"There's some sort of fruit," Tom replied. He plucked one off the bush. About the size of a walnut, the fruit was a deep earthy green with smooth skin. It hung in small bunches scattered throughout the dry, almost dead looking bush. This landscape had previously appeared uninhabitable. Like most deserts, however, there was plenty here to help a person survive, if you knew how to look. Tentatively, Tom brought it to his lips and took a small bite. Almost immediately, his face scrunched up with disgust. Unable to resist, he spit it out. This caused Chakotay to laugh.
"What, doesn't meet your high culinary standards?" he teased.
"The skin is bitter," Tom replied. He carefully peeled off the skin with his fingernail, revealing the deep red flesh underneath. Once enough had been removed, he took another bite. This time, he didn't make a face. Without the skin, the fruit tasted sweet and refreshing. It almost melted in his mouth. "Here, try one." He plucked another one off the bush and tossed it to Chakotay, who caught it with ease. "Just don't eat the skin."
"Oh trust me, I'm not going to make that mistake." He produced a knife and sliced open the fruit with a flick of his wrist. Red juice flowed freely down his hand as he took a bite. It definitely tasted better than the rations waiting for them back at camp and most of the food on Voyager. It would be smart to supplement the food they already had with this fruit. Chakotay ate the entire fruit and carelessly tossed the bitter skin to the ground. "Fill up your canteen with the fruit while I get us some water to take back to camp. We need to get going or else we're going to be making camp in the dark."
"Aye, Commander." Tom removed his canteen and began to fill it with as much fruit as he could. He was glad he found this fruit. The rations on the shuttle were disgusting, and at least now they had something with flavor that they could eat. It would also stretch their rations further.
By the time Chakotay and Tom arrived back at the shuttle, Seven and Harry were already there. Seven stood outside the shuttle, which stood open. In her hand was her PADD, which she analyzed with extreme dedication to see if there was any information about this planet in their database. So far, she was unsuccessful. While the planet did appear on all the star charts she came across, there was no information about the planet or who lived on it. Even her Borg knowledge couldn't help her here. The Collective had never encountered this planet or whoever lived here. Of course, it was possible that whoever inhabited the planet recently settled here. There should be some sort of record though, but she couldn't find anything.
"What did you find?" Chakotay asked.
"Negative," Seven replied formally without looking up from her PADD. "There are no traces of life or anything that could have sent the distress call. Additionally, there is no information in any records nor anything known to the Borg Collective."
"So when you say nothing, you really mean nothing," Tom commented.
"Of course that is what I meant. I always say what I mean." Tom sighed. He at least hoped that Seven would be able to find something. She was the most knowledgeable about this area, so if she didn't know what was going on, it was definitely a bad sign.
Inside the shuttle, Harry dug around in search of the equipment they needed to set up camp. There was a small pile of supplies near the hatch to the shuttle, but he was still missing some important equipment. Try as he might, he simply couldn't find the tents. They were supposed to be stashed away in their designated compartment. It was one of the reasons Harry enjoyed Voyager and Starfleet so much, everything always had a place, and when you needed something, you always knew exactly where to find it. He didn't even need to think about it, he simply needed to open the compartment, and there would be whatever he needed. This time, however, that wasn't the case. The tents weren't where they were supposed to be. When Harry didn't find the tents where they were supposed to be, he began to search elsewhere in the shuttle. While it seemed unlikely, he thought that perhaps Tom had accidentally put the tents in the wrong place. He knew the Lieutenant was living in a constant state of exhaustion, courtesy of his infant daughter. In the back of his mind, Harry knew that that was impossible, Tom always kept the shuttle well-stocked and impeccably organized no matter how tired he may be, which was shocking giving the fact that his quarters were usually a mess. Tom wouldn't have messed up something like this. There was only so much space in the small craft to store things. Each compartment and drawer Harry opened revealed no tents. They were undoubtedly gone.
When Harry heard Tom's voice outside the shuttle, he called out, "Tom, where did you put the tents?" He saw Tom carry the tents onto the shuttle as they prepared to depart with his own eyes, but he didn't know where he put them. Now that Tom had returned, he could at least put an end to this mystery, and they could start making camp.
"The same place they always are," Tom replied as he entered the shuttle. This shouldn't be so hard. Tents were always stored in the same place, regardless of what shuttle they used or who was on the away team, and that is exactly where he put the tents when he prepped the shuttle.
"Well, they're not there."
"What do you mean they're not there?"
"Exactly what I said. They're not there. The tents are gone." Tom sighed with frustration and clenched his jaw while he tried to think of a plausible explanation.
"Well I put them where they're supposed to." Figuring Harry wasn't looking hard enough or in the right place, Tom yanked open the hatch to the compartment he'd put the tents in. In all honesty, he fully expected to find the tents right there. He was already thinking of the snide remark he'd say to Harry for being so reckless and not looking hard enough. When Tom opened the compartment, he was surprised to see that the tents weren't there. The expression on his face spoke volumes.
"You want to tell me again the tents are right where they're supposed to be?" Harry asked smugly as he crossed his arms over his chest. Tom spun around.
"I put them right there!" he exclaimed. "That's where the tents are supposed to go, and that's where I put them. You better not be playing a prank on me, Harry, because after the long day I've had, I'm not in the mood." Harry rolled his eyes. He was just as tired as Tom, and if he wanted to pull a prank on Tom, he wouldn't do it like this. Besides, an away mission wasn't the time or place to pull a stunt like that. He saved moments like that for his down time on Voyager, where he had B'Elanna to help him.
While Tom and Harry bickered about where the tents could have gone, Seven and Chakotay both examined the inconclusive results from their search for the distress call. She returned her PADD to her canteen. She could stare at the information all day, but it wouldn't change the fact that there was nothing for her to see. There was no information about what was going on here. She had something else to talk to Chakotay about anyway.
"Commander, may I speak to you in private?" she requested politely. Surprised, Chakotay looked up from his tricorder. After the mishap on the shuttle that morning and with Harry the night before, he got the distinct feeling that Seven was trying to put some distance between them to prevent any suspicions from Harry and Tom.
"Of course." He gestured towards the expanse of desert that surrounded them, indicating that they should take a short walk away from the shuttle so they could talk without the prying ears of Harry and Tom, although they appeared to be in their own little world right now. One look at Seven's face was all Chakotay needed to know that something was bothering her. He knew her well enough at this point. The way her brow furrowed and how her lips were pressed into a fine line spoke volumes. He could read her like a book.
As they walked away, Chakotay couldn't help but brush his fingers along the small of Seven's back. It was a fleeting touch, something both of them barely felt, but it still sent shockwaves through them. As soon as he touched her back, he dropped his hand. He knew that that had been wildly inappropriate. They were on an away mission, and he had to honor her request that their personal relationship not interfere with their professional responsibilities. It had been a subconscious touch though, something he didn't even realize he was doing until it was done. He'd done it in the privacy of his quarters a million times, but he knew here wasn't the time or place for such actions.
"What's wrong?" he asked once they were far enough away from the shuttle to have a private conversation.
"I have been carefully contemplating the sleeping arrangements for this away mission." Slightly amused, Chakotay raised an eyebrow with intrigue and curiosity. He managed to hide his smile, as he didn't think Seven would find this particularly amusing. With everything going on, the sleeping arrangements had been the furthest thing from his mind. He was far more concerned with finding whoever sent out that distress call. Her mind worked differently though, and he knew he shouldn't be surprised that she had already carefully analyzed the possible sleeping arrangements for the night.
"Oh really?" Seven nodded curtly. He could think of a sleeping arrangement that would make him feel very pleased, but he knew better than suggest it. There was no way Seven would agree to it. It would be smart just to keep it to himself. Even if he suggested it as a joke, he knew she wouldn't find it amusing.
"Affirmative. I think it would be prudent that you and I do not share a tent. It would only cause Ensign Kim to become more suspicious of our relationship, which would be unwise."
"I agree." Chakotay paused for a moment as he tried to think of a plausible solution to the problem. "You know, the tents are big enough that Harry, Tom and I can share one tent, and you can have a tent to yourself." It would be a tight fit, but they would make it work. They'd slept in more confined conditions in the past. She shook her head.
"I hardly think that that would be necessary. There is no need for me to have a tent to myself. I can share a tent with Lieutenant Paris or Ensign Kim."
"Oh I'm sure B'Elanna would love it if you shared a tent with your husband," he commented sarcastically with a roll of his eyes and small laugh. He knew better than to get B'Elanna angry, and one sure-fire way to do that would be to put Tom in a tent for several nights with Seven. The sarcasm was lost on her.
"If you do not think Lieutenant Paris would be a sufficient tent-mate, then I can share a tent with Ensign Kim," she suggested. Chakotay wasn't exactly thrilled with that sleeping arrangement either. It was no secret that Harry had had a huge crush on Seven when she first joined Voyager. While that had been several years ago, he still didn't like the idea of the two of them sharing a tent. Unfortunately, there was no way to win in this situation. Seven was the only woman on an away mission, and since she refused to share a tent with him or have a tent to herself, she would have to share a tent with either Tom or Harry. It was only for a few nights, and Chakotay knew nothing would happen, but that didn't change the fact that he didn't like this situation very much.
"Yes, but given your unusual sleep habits and the fact that you will need to regenerate, wouldn't you rather do that in private?" There was a hint of desperation in his voice as he tried to think of some reason for Seven to have a tent to herself. They stopped walking.
"Are you jealous?" she asked as she turned to face him properly. He scoffed. There was no way he was jealous. He was simply thinking about her comfort on this away mission. Here she was, surrounded by men on an extended away mission, and he wanted to make sure her needs were taken care of. Of course, he felt the same way about Harry and Tom's comfort, or at least that's what he told himself.
"No," Chakotay quickly assured. Seven wasn't buying it for a second. She looked skeptical. For a fraction of a second, amusement also flashed across her face. This only made him more flustered as he tried to think of a way to regain his composure. There was no fooling her. He sighed. "Okay, maybe just a little bit," he relented begrudgingly. His fingers brushed along her arm for a split second. As soon as he did, he remembered where they were and the fact that they had to act professionally. "But I also want to make sure you're comfortable."
"It is not my intent to make you jealous, but I do find the notion flattering. I do not think it necessary to have a tent to myself. I am sure it will be fine. It is only for a few nights." Chakotay knew it was going to be fine, but that didn't make him feel any better about the situation. Despite their distance from the shuttle, she dropped her voice. "Besides, I am starting to see the benefits of sharing quarters with someone else." A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She was flirting with him, and it made his heart flutter with excitement and flattery. It also left Chakotay feeling even more flustered, but he also found it highly amusing. It was the human side of her that she very rarely showed to others.
"Well, it's my hope that these sleeping arrangements are vastly different."
"I assure you that they are, Commander."
"Commander!" Tom's voice caught both of their attention. Just like that, the flirtatious moment they were sharing was gone. Completely caught up in the moment, he hadn't realized how far away from the shuttle they'd walked. "We have a problem."
"Harry and I searched the entire shuttle, the tents are gone," Tom explained to Chakotay. The foursome stood clustered around the entrance to the shuttle trying to figure out what was going on here. Tom motioned helplessly in the direction of the compartment where he knew he had put the tents. Just like Harry, he'd torn apart the entire shuttle, but the tents weren't there. "I put them on board myself, Sir. I can't explain it." Sighing, Chakotay pinched the bridge of his nose with frustration. This was supposed to be an easy away mission, but it was starting to get more and more difficult. Just when he thought things couldn't get worse, they did.
"I believe you," he assured. After all these years, he knew that Tom could properly prepare for an away mission. There was no reason to doubt his claim. "I'm not going to get bent out of shape over some missing tents though, we have more pressing matters on this mission."
"But what are we going to do for camp?" Tom asked. Frustration filled his voice. He was angry with himself for somehow losing the tents. He knew he'd put them on the shuttle. It was impossible for them to just disappear like this.
"As long as no more plasma storms appear, we should be fine," Chakotay replied.
"The caves should provide adequate protection," Seven added. "I would suggest that we make camp close to them just in case."
"I agree. We'll make camp for the night near the caves. Grab what you need off the shuttle, and let's get started." With his orders still hanging in the air, Chakotay boarded the shuttle to grab his bag.
"Wait, so we're going to just sleep under the stars?" Harry spluttered as he scrambled after Chakotay. His voice spoke volumes about his feelings about this. It hadn't been intention to sound insubordinate, he just couldn't believe that everyone else here was fine with sleeping out in the open. It seemed dangerous. Seven and Tom followed the rest of the away team into the shuttle to grab their possessions as well.
"Come on, Harry, where's your sense of adventure?" Tom teased as he clapped his best friend on the back and handed him his bag.
"I lost it after dragging myself all over this damn desert searching for whoever called us here," Harry replied bitterly as he snatched his bag and stalked off in the direction of the caves. Never one to rough it, the idea of sleeping under the stars didn't appeal to him at all.
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