Maquis - Act 16
Scene 1
Ayala and Chakotay were ready to leave the Space Station. They had just finished haggling for essential supplies. Chakotay decided not to land on the planet Athena nearby as they were fighting a bitter civil war.
They returned to the ship to find an armed guard waiting for them. Their commanding officer approached Chakotay to explain the situation to avoid an armed confrontation.
"Captain we have to search your ship now for the enemy spies. We will need you to return to orbit around Athena until we complete our investigations.
After two weeks of waiting, every member of the crew was going stir crazy. The Militia had impounded the Val Jean until they completed their investigations. They believed that all aliens were enemy spies until they found proof of their innocence.
The male members of the crew had started their own poker marathon which was in its fourth day. There had already been two fist fights. The first one involved Bendera and Hogan who accused each other of cheating. The cause of the second fight between Carlson and Chell was racism. Carlson claimed that he didn't trust Chell because his skin was blue. The previous day Hogan had collapsed after drinking a mysterious alien drink. The Doctor tested the substance and discovered that it was pure alcohol ethanoyl
Before the poker had begun, the female members of the crew asked them if they could join the game. The men refused arguing that they couldn't relax and be themselves if women were in the room,
Kathryn wanted to have one last try to persuade them but waited until Chakotay or Ayala left the Poker game. She was in luck!
"Chakotay, don't you think it would boost the crew's morale if we all played cards together."
She leant against the doorway provocatively and batted her eyelids.
"Kathryn you're shameless. I'm certainly not immune to your feminine charms but the others want to relax in male company."
She wondered whether she should have a tantrum - it worked for Seska.
"It's not fair. I'm pretty sure your decision is sexist and brands all of you as misogynists."
He walked away laughing, "Still not playing."
Kathryn went back to the Mess hall and slumped in one of the chairs. The other female members of the crew were sitting around the table drinking coffee. She had a sudden brainwave.
"Let's have a slumber party. We'll throw some pillows on the floor. Pool all the alcohol and junk food together. We could even play some games like truth or dare."
Jor and Astra looked puzzled, "What is a slumber party?" asked Astra.
"I was never invited to any," confessed B'Elanna.
"It's an overnight party where guests wear nightclothes and socialize in a friend's bedroom. Our party will involve gossip, games, alcohol and junk food, "
Now it was Jor's turn to be confused, "You eat rubbish from the trash?"
B'Elanna laughed, "Actually that isn't a bad description,"
She explained that junk food was food with extra sugar and calories.
"We'll use my room as the bedroom. The party will start at twenty-one hundred hours," declared Kathryn.
Scene 2
As she had some time to spare, Kathryn went to visit Tom . He was out of bed and moving around with the help of a walking cane.
"Captain Janeway, can't you find me something useful to do? The Doc is so fed up of my whining that he's inventing jobs for me to do and he's running out of imagination."
"I'm sorry Tom but the crew is in the same predicament. We're stuck here until the Athenians come to the conclusion that we're not spies.
He moaned, "I don't think they programmed the Doc with any small talk."
"Didn't you get an invite to the poker game?"
"You forget Captain, the Maquis hate me more than the Starfleet crew."
"You do have a talent for upsetting the people around you!"
"It must be my charm and winning personality."
"Come to the slumber party in my room at 21:00 hours, if you can cope with being the only man in a room full of women."
"I always wanted to find out what happened at a sleepover but I never got an invite, being a man."
"Captain, Mr Paris is still recovering from his injuries. I hope you won't be returning him to me in an inebriated condition?"
"I'm sorry Doctor, I never make promises that I can't keep." She winked at Tom as she walked out.
Scene 3
The poker game had paused to allow the players to eat and soak up some of the alcohol. Chakotay found Kathryn in her room.
"I hear you're having a slumber party, can I come?"
Kathryn examined him, "You're drunk, I thought you were teetotal."
"I decided to try alcohol to see if I like it and I've decided that I do," replied Chakotay.
"No, you can't come, it's a girls only night," she wondered how she was going to explain Tom Paris?
Chakotay grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close to him.
"Are you sure I can't persuade you to change your mind?"
All at once Kathryn found it difficult to breathe, she pushed him away so she could think clearly.
"Let's find you something to eat. Tomorrow you will discover the hangover - then we'll see if your so playful.."
Scene 4 - The Party
B'Elanna was the first one to arrive, "I asked Seska if she wanted to come but she decided to have an early night."
"Her loss," said Kathryn.
She took the bottle of bloodwine from B'Elanna and added it to the table of neon coloured bottles.
"Is that Andorian ale?" asked B'Elanna, trying to make conversation.
"Mariah donated it, she was saving it for a special occasion."
Jor and Mariah arrived together. They had arms full of pillows which they scattered over the floor and sat down. Kathryn opened one of the bottles and poured everyone a drink.
Astra was the last one to arrive. She'd made biscuits and cakes for everyone. She blushed when everyone praised her baking skills.
Kathryn decided to break the ice with a game of truth or dare. Everyone sat on the floor while B'Elanna spun the bottle. After the first spin the bottle pointed at Astra.
"Who do you think is the sexiest man onboard? asked B'Elanna. She enjoyed seeing the other woman's' embarrassment.
"That would be me," said a male voice from the door.
Kathryn stood up to welcome him, "Tom, I'm glad you came. You know Mariah, Jor and B'Elanna. Let me introduce Astra, who joined the crew a couple of weeks ago. Don't be fooled by her size and stature she killed three Kazon guards by herself."
Tom went to perch on the bed. He thought that sitting on the floor, amongst the women might be a little forward until he got to know them better.
"Right who's turn is it now?" asked Kathryn.
She poured out another drink and handed it around. They all drank it in one go as it was the foulest tasting liquid.
Kathryn set the bottle in motion again. B'Elanna was the next victim.
"Truth or dare?" asked Jor.
"Dare," asserted B'Elanna . As she was half Klingon, she wasn't scared of a human drinking game.
Jor was contemplating her options. She'd always been a little scared of B'Elanna. When Seska and B'Elanna were together, they were loud, bitchy and opinionated
"I dare you to kiss the first man who leaves the poker game. We'll hide nearby so we can watch you."
Kathryn wondered whether she should veto the dare. She decided that the men were drunk already so they wouldn't remember it anyway.
Tom whispered to her, "You don't have to do it, it's just a silly drinking game."
Everyone thought it was hilarious when they couldn't stand up by themselves
B'Elanna shook her head, "I have to accept the challenge - I'm Klingon.
Scene 5
All the women tried to sneak around the corner. with a clear view of the poker room door. Unfortunately they weren't that quiet so the men knew they were coming.
"I think the ladies are playing truth or dare, go outside at your peril," warned Ayala.
Ayala was feeling mischievous. "I'll tease them a little." He opened the door and stuck his stuck head out. He looked around then shut the door quickly again after he heard them laughing loudly nearby.
When he sat down again Chakotay groaned, "I have to go to the bathroom - wish me luck."
He took a deep breath and opened the door. After he scanned his surroundings he was feeling brave so he made his move. Just as Chakotay turned the corner B'Elanna rushed at him and attacked him with a kiss. His shock turned to lust as the kiss continued.
Kathryn coughed loudly, "I think the dare has been accomplished."
The couple showed no sign that they heard her. They separated abruptly when they heard an ear splitting scream. Seska was standing in the corridor looking horrified.
"You bitch, you knew I was still in love with him," she ran back towards the bunk rooms crying.
B'Elanna wiped her mouth subconsciously and walked off with the other ladies. Mariah, Jor and Astra had been on the receiving end of Seska's bullying so they couldn't stop smiling.
Kathryn grabbed the blood wine when they returned to her bunk. She poured a drink for everyone and gave B'Elanna a double.
Everyone finally sat down eager to continue the game. Tom joined them on the cushions. He'd stayed in the room when the other went to watch B'Elanna. He didn't understand why the thought of B'Elanna kissing another man made him feel sick.
Kathryn set the bottle in motion again, it stopped directly in front of her.
"Truth or dare?" asked B'Elanna.
Kathryn thought it would be dangerous for her to accept a dare so she went with the alternative.
"Truth, I would prefer Tom to ask the question."
"Why did Chakotay take you with him on his ship? You should have been mortal enemies."
Everyone stopped what they were doing and waited for Kathryn's reply. She was angry with Tom as she couldn't believe he'd been so insensitive.
"The Captain is an honorable man and knew that I wouldn't survive if he'd left me with the Caretaker."
In the poker room everyone was trying to find out why Chakotay had returned from the bathroom red faced. He refused to explain despite their best efforts.
Ayala grilled his oldest friend, "What was the dare, did you find out?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't see any of the women" replied Chakotay innocently
"What happened to your lips?" asked Hogan.
"I think I'm allergic to one to one of the drinks. We're playing Russian Roulette drinking some of those bottles."
Ayala gave up hoping that when Chakotay would confess when he was extremely drunk.
Eventually the crew started to towards their bunks. Most of them were either tired or worried about collapsing through alcohol poisoning. Kathryn was the last woman standing so she was clearing up the mess.
She didn't notice Chakotay standing in the doorway until he coughed.
"Oh I'm sorry Captain I didn't see you - How was your evening?
"Entertaining although I think there will be some repercussions tomorrow."
"I'm sorry, I didn't know that you would be the first one to emerge from the room. It was bad luck that Seska saw you kissing B'Elanna ."
He started to walk towards her menacingly, "I think you should accept one more dare."
"I thought that you had already fraternised with the female crew once tonight. Aren't you tired?" asked Kathryn
"I have one female in mind that I'd like to fraternise with and it wasn't Seska or B'Elanna."
Kathryn walked backwards trying to keep some distance between them.
"Chakotay we've both had a lot to drink and I made the mistake of drinking Klingon bloodwine. It would be a mistake to do anything tonight that we'll regret in the morning."
"Who said that I would regret anything tomorrow?"
Her back was against the wall, she had nowhere else to go. He grinned as he took her in his arms and kissed her passionately. It made the kiss with B'Elanna look like a chaste peck on the cheek.
"I will not let you take him away from me - he's mine," shouted Seska as she fired her weapon.