21. Live Fast and Prosper

" – and so I told them, I think you've mistaken me for someone else - clicked my mobile emitter and dropped the disguise. You should have seen the looks on their faces! It was brilliant!"

The Doctor hugged himself and wagged his head from side to side, grinning at the memory in a way that not even Seven's most disapproving glare could prevent. He had been telling her, over nutritional supplements in the mess hall, exactly how he had taken part in the Captain's scheme to out-gambit a trio of confidence artists posing as Starfleet officers. Being a hologram, it had been an easy matter for the Doctor to transform into a replica of their leader Dala and convince her accomplices to show him where the loot was hidden. As usual, the Doctor was basking in his own cleverness; also as usual, Seven did not approve.

"That was a dangerous endeavour, Doctor. What if they had attacked you?"

"Oh, they did. I'm invulnerable, remember? One of the pleasanter effects of being made of photons and forcefields."

"Your mobile emitter is not." The very idea of the Doctor's program being damaged, lost or stolen had her agitated and sounding sharper than ever.

"What if they had recognized you as an impostor?"

"Why would they? I was identical to Dala in every respect."

"Your characteristic gestures might have given you away."

"What do you mean?" asked the Doctor, puzzled.

"Whenever you feel particularly pleased with yourself, Doctor, you fold your arms and tilt your head. I have observed this on many occasions. It is typical for you."

For a moment, the Doctor looked taken aback. He blinked, his mouth hanging slightly open. Then he smiled in a diffident, embarrassed way, ducking his head.

"Ah … I do that, don't I? You're right. But hey, maybe Dala does it too."

"Perhaps."

"I had no idea you observe me so closely, Seven."

Now it was her turn to be embarrassed. She had his body language memorized: there was the hand to the forehead when he was unhappy; the eye-rolling when he was annoyed; the sweeping arm gestures when he was carried away by his own singing; the endless variations in his smiles. And even now, he still surprised her sometimes.

"I posess superior visual acuity, Doctor. Due to the ocular implant you installed."

"Hmm … visual acuity, is it?" The embarrassed smile turned to a sly smirk. His eyes flicked towards the galley counter, where Neelix was handing out servings of tarra nut soufflé with a more-than-usually jovial attitude. "Well, Seven, how would you like to put that to the test? Mr. Neelix and Ensign Paris introduced me to a fascinating game the other day."

Seven knew that tone; it meant he had lit on something he thought would be beneficial to her somehow, and would coax her until she complied. Better to save them both the trouble. "What is this game?"

The Doctor held up a finger and stood up. "Wait and see."

He went to the galley counter, said something to Neelix that made the Talaxian chuckle, and came back with three stainless steel mugs and a single tarra nut. He placed them all on the table in front of Seven, a Neelix-esque twinkle in his hazel eyes.

"Now, I'm going to hide the nut under one of these, whirl them around, and wager anything you like that you won't be able to find the nut again."

"Is that all?" said Seven, unable to disguise her contempt.

"Oh, it's a lot more difficult than you might think." The Doctor placed the nut underneath the middle mug. "Name your terms, Lucky Seven."

She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Neelix was watching them, suppressed amusement in every curve of his spotted face.

"If I win, Doctor, you will … monitor the children during my next duty shift." Harmless and convenient – he was fond of them, and would no doubt impart some very useful medical knowledge as well.

"And if I win … " He paused a little too long, frowning at the three mugs, then looked abruptly up to meet her eyes. "If I win, you'll join me for the next shore leave. You work too hard, Seven."

"Agreed."

"All right. Now, watch." The Doctor began swirling the upside-down mugs around on the table. "Round and round they go … but be careful, my holographic hand is faster than your ocular implant! And here we are … where's the nut?"

Seven paused, sensing the Doctor's eyes on her even though hers were fixed on the mugs. She remembered the sound of his voice when he'd said, You work too hard, Seven. That gentle concern he always showed her. He must have noticed the fatigue she had tried so hard to disguise out of pride, the stress of caring for four very different children (sometimes five, counting Naomi) in addition to all her official duties.

Where was the nut?

"I do not know, Doctor," she said.

"Try, won't you? You're allowed one guess."

"This one?" She turned over the leftmost mug. It was empty.

The Doctor responded with the same gesture she had pointed out only moments ago. This time, however, the smugness was tinged with affection for the woman watching him across the table.

"Better luck next time, my dear."

Seven, wo did not believe she needed such an unreliable thing as luck, picked up her empty lunch tray and went to recycle it. Since she had to walk past the galley counter to reach the recycler, this put her within conversation range of a delighted Neelix.

"Out-gambitted him, eh, Seven?" he said, shading his mouth with one hand in a conspiratorial way.

"To what are you referring, Mr. Neelix?" She locked her hands behind her back and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, c'mon. He's an amateur, even I could see it." Neelix winked. "I know your game. You just go down to Astrometrics and scan for the nicest shore leave planet in the sector."

Seven winked back somberly, uncurling her left hand to reveal the tarra nut. "I will."