Naked Truth

by Joan Powers

Summary: When the Voyager crew is infected by a virus that relaxes inhibitions, chaos results. Janeway/Chakotay

Genre: Romance, humor

Timeline: Season 2, after Tuvix (episode 140) and before Resolutions (episode 141)

Rating: T

A/N: I always wondered why Star Trek and STNG pursued this theme (in Naked Time and The Naked Now) so early in their runs before we got to know the characters better. Timing is everything. ST: Voyager also provided some interesting insights in Persistence of Vison that I wanted to play with.

Thanks to Tracy and SuzJ1 for their input and support!

Janeway hated to admit it, but she was hiding in her ready room. Although she'd never been a coward, she wasn't prepared to face the crew. She was still reviewing status reports, mulling over the chaos of the past day. Not only were there ship repairs to complete, and multiple crew issues to resolve; there was also her own shameful behavior.

Her cheeks were flushed. She needed to employ damage control, though she had no idea where to start. She was horrified that she'd walked away from her duties as captain at such a critical juncture. But at least she could attribute that to the effects of the virus.

The fact that Paris had witnessed her kissing a subordinate was another matter. That was complicated.

If only they'd just had sex.

That in itself would've been challenging to move past, but she could've justified it. An itch to scratch. Most people could relate to that. The crew could've bought into that story. Paris had already been spreading rumors.

But what the two of them had actually done…

There was no reset button for that.

XXXX

(The day before)

Captain Janeway returned to the bridge, outraged by the behavior she'd just witnessed. The turbolift had opened before her, revealing a couple entwined in a passionate embrace. What made the situation even worse was that they ignored her staunch reprimand and then started removing their clothing as if she wasn't there. She'd contacted security immediately to send the couple to the brig to cool off.

The nerve.

She'd never seen such outrageous behavior. This was unacceptable.

She plunked down into her captain's seat. Turning to Chakotay, who was seated beside her, she said, "You're not going to believe this. I just saw Dell and Dorton acting very inappropriately in the turbolift."

His eyebrows rose for those crew members had exemplary service records.

Grabbing his forearm, she said, "Tell me some good news. What have you heard from the away team?"

"They returned a few hours ago. It's not good. Ambient temperatures are frigid. Mining would be nearly impossible under those conditions. The team encountered a primitive village that was in bad shape. The buildings were falling apart. No signs of life. Bodies of natives were discovered lying in the snow. Curiously, most were lacking proper outdoor clothing."

She sighed. "Great. Another dead end. Let me think about this."

She'd been planning on restocking critical minerals on this planet. Preliminary scans had looked favorable.

"Mr. Paris, set a course for the next promising system that we discussed earlier."

"Aye, captain."

Paris bent over his control panel to input instructions. Then he frowned.

"Now what?" Janeway asked, her irritation growing.

"My controls aren't responding."

Harry Kim's voice came over the speakers, broadcasting to the entire ship.

"I see you've noticed that I've taken control of the ship's navigation system. Now you all have to pay attention to me!"

"What the hell?" Janeway snarled.

"Captain, weren't Harry and Dell on the away team?" Chakotay pointed out.

"So?" Then she understood. That was one of the exhibitionists in the turbolift. Putting two and two together, she said, "Maybe they were exposed to something on that planet." She tapped her combadge. "Doctor, quarantine the away team until further notice. Do a thorough work up and let me know what you find out."

Remembering her experience with the couple in the turbolift, she added. "Security, round up Harry Kim, Crewman Dell, Ensign Simmons, and Crewman Mendez, and promptly escort them to Sickbay. Try to avoid close contact."

Nodding towards Chakotay, she said, "Why don't you help them out? They're going to need it."

"Aye, Captain." He rose to assist.

Communicating with engineering, she said, "B'Elanna, do what you can to override whatever Harry's done to the navigation system. We need to stop wasting time and prioritize finding another source of minerals."

"Yes, Captain," was her response.

This was ridiculous. Why were some members of the crew behaving like five-year-olds? Was this behavior confined to the away team members?

About thirty minutes later, Neelix's panicked voice came over the speakers. "Captain?"

"Yes, Neelix."

"Something's happening in the Mess Hall!"

She wasn't in the mood to play games. "Can you be more specific?"

"Um…Lieutenant Russell is singing, rather loudly and off-key. A rather…colorful song, I might say. Two crewmen are screaming at each other. Now they've started a fist fight. And one of the Delaney sisters is standing on top of a table, taking off her clothing piece by piece while others are screaming and pounding on the tables."

"Good heavens! What is this? Red Alert! Security! Report to the Mess Hall immediately. Break this up."

She rose. "I'll be in my Ready room. Tuvok, you have the bridge."

Once she escaped, she sat behind her desk, rubbing her temples. Her head was pounding. What was going on? Had the away team been exposed to something that was altering their behavior and now it was spreading to the rest of the crew? Or was yet another alien entity broadcasting electromagnetic radiation that interfered with their brainwaves?

With that in mind, she instructed Paris to scan for forms of radiation. The results were negative. Then she contacted the Doctor.

His face appeared on her screen. "It's not good, Captain."

Of course, it wasn't. It was going to be one of those days. "Just tell me."

"The away team members that I've been able to examine have been infected with a virus. I wasn't able to detect it upon their initial return. I suspect it was dormant at that point and the levels were too low for our sensors to pick up. The mode of transmission appears to be touch and it is spreading like wildfire."

A sinking feeling filled her. "So I hear."

"The warmer temperatures of the ship are stimulating the virus to replicate incredibly fast. At this rate, the entire crew could be infected within hours. As you may have noticed, the virus lowers people's inhibitions."

She rolled her eyes. After all she'd heard, was it really necessary to state the obvious? "Options?"

"This virus resembles one found in the computer database. Variants were encountered by both Enterprise and Enterprise-D. I'm using that as a starting point to develop an antidote."

"Draft as many people as you need to assist you. This is our highest priority," she said.

After ending the transmission, she stood, with the idea of going down to Sickbay to assist with the investigation and utilize her skills as a former science officer.

Yet, after taking a few steps, she changed her mind. Suddenly the tension gathering at the base of her neck was dissipating. Her headache was fading. After a few deep breaths, she was no longer feeling as if a lead weight was strapped to her shoulders.

She no longer cared about the infection.

Or her ship.

It was as if it were all happening to someone else.

She was feeling good.

Really good.

Feeling very relaxed and decadent, she sank onto the floor by her couch. She wasn't worried about appearances. She felt free, like she could do whatever she wanted.

If only a certain someone was here with her. That would be perfect. Or maybe she'd need to go looking for him.

The chimes to her ready room rang.

"Enter"

As if on cue, Chakotay appeared. It had to be a sign from the universe. She was thrilled to see him. She giggled and a huge smile appeared on her face.

"What are you doing on the floor?" he asked. His tone wasn't that of second-in-command. Instead, it was teasing, almost flirty.

She answered in kind. "Join me."

He sat down beside her, his knee brushing against her leg.

"Do you think I'm mean?" Her face pouted slightly.

She unzipped his jacket and yanked out the tail of his undershirt, then ran her fingers beneath against his flesh, enjoying the sensation.

"Of course not." He clasped her other hand, intertwining his fingers with hers. "You're the captain. You're firm with the crew. That's your job. That's how you keep everyone safe."

He was running his thumb over her palm. It felt nice. She didn't want him to stop.

"Do you think I'm attractive?" It was intoxicating to be so close to him. To touch his bronze skin. To breathe in his musky scent. To see his smile reach his brown eyes.

"Are you kidding? Kathryn, you're beautiful."

His look of adoration was touching. She leaned closer, resting her head near his shoulder.

"You're pretty damned handsome yourself."

Being so close, they didn't have far to move to kiss each other. With a slight adjustment, their lips met then parted, allowing their tongues to touch.

Although they heard the door chimes signal, neither moved to break off the kiss.

'Captain-" Tom said. The couple paid no attention to him, completely enraptured with each other.

He called over his shoulder to the bridge. "It's too late. The captain and Chakotay have already been infected."

They continued kissing, as he left.

Voices intermittently issued from the speakers.

"Captain, B'Elanna lost her temper and took out a control panel in engineering. If we don't get this fixed, our engines will go offline. Captain?"

"Commander, Harry has barricaded himself in the transporter room. He's also armed with a phaser and refuses to leave. Requesting backup."

"In case you were wondering what you can do for Harry Kim, you can lobby the captain for a well-deserved promotion! Promote Harry Kim! Promote Harry Kim!"

They ignored it, considering it unimportant background noise.

When they finally broke apart for air, Janeway asked, "What did you see a few weeks ago? When the Botha were blasting us with psionic energy?"

She'd been worried about him. He'd been through so much with Seska and the Kazon. She'd been terrified when he'd gone rogue and tried to deal with the Kazon on his own. As furious as she was that he'd disobeyed regulations, she also couldn't bear the thought of losing him. The fact that his DNA had been taken against his wishes to father a half Cardassasian child had to be weighing heavily upon him. Yet he hadn't spoken about it, he was such a private man. What little she'd known had come from his loyal friend, B'Elanna.

She wanted to hear his thoughts, to understand his feelings. She longed to comfort him.

The two of them rearranged themselves on the floor so she was seated between his legs with her back resting against his chest. She could feel his chest rise and fall.

"My father."

His answer wasn't what she had anticipated.

"What happened? What did you see?"

One of his hands gripped her midriff while the other caressed her cheek.

"We've never been on the best of terms. Unfortunately, he died before I could make up with him."

"I'm so sorry." She patted his thigh as she pressed closer to him. It was hard for her to imagine. She'd always had such a loving relationship with her parents. "What did he say?"

"Just the usual. How disappointed he was with me."

"He'd be proud of you now." Janeway insisted.

"Why? I'm an outlaw stuck in the middle of nowhere."

She pivoted to hold his gaze. "No, you're not. You're second-in-command on a federation starship. You're my right-hand man. I couldn't do any of this without you."

His lips twisted in amusement. "Don't be absurd. You're a very capable woman."

"No, it's the truth. You don't know how much I depend on you."

She moved to capture his lips again. She adored kissing this man.

"I'm declaring this Harry Kim appreciation week. Starting now! The Mess Hall will serve only my favorite foods."

"Whoever has stolen all the leola root, I will find you!"

She wasn't sure if she'd like the answer, but she felt compelled to ask. "What about Seska?" She hated to admit that she was jealous.

"What about her? We were together for a brief time before Voyager. I cared for her, but she wasn't the love of my life. She used me. Even stole my DNA to impregnate herself with my child. It makes me sick."

"I'm so sorry." She was so glad that damned barrier she'd erected was gone so she could hold him. She placed gentle kisses along the base of his neck.

"It's humiliating."

It bothered her that he was feeling down. She insisted. "But it's not your fault. Everyone knows that. At least everyone who really knows you."

"Between Seska and Tuvok, I couldn't even tell who was loyal on my own ship."

"Don't be ridiculous. Just because you believe the best in people doesn't mean you're a fool. That says more about who you are. That you have high ideals. That's one of your many attributes that I admire."

They kissed again.

It felt like a crime that she'd waited so long to kiss this man. She wanted to get as close to him as possible, both physically and emotionally.

"What did you see that day?" he asked.

"My fiancé, Mark."

He couldn't quite look her in the eyes. "I'm sure you miss him."

"He accused me of loving someone else. Of not missing him enough."

He'd attacked the holonovel character although that man had never been real. Yet the sentiment behind it had been.

"Why?"

"Because…" She was testing out the words. She hadn't allowed her traitorous thoughts to coalesce because that would mean she'd have to act on them. And she hadn't been ready to do that. Being captain of a starship there was far too much at stake.

Yet at this moment, that didn't bother her. She wanted to express what her heart was telling her. "Because he was right. While I care about Mark, I don't love him as deeply as I thought I did."

Feelings for another man were developing within her. And the nature of these feelings was far more intense than they'd been with her fiancé. Mark was a good man, but he'd been comfortable. Like a pair of well-worn shoes. The steady predictable glow of charcoal embers. This burgeoning love felt more like fireworks. Powerful and difficult to control.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You have so many responsibilities."

She admired that Chakotay was trying to make her feel better. Even when it came to her being with another man.

She held his face between her hands. "I think…while I love Mark and a part of me always will, it's not the same as what I'm feeling right now."

"For who?" he asked cautiously.

"For you, silly."

He finally allowed himself to smile. "I'm glad to hear you say that. I've been so angry for most of my life but being with you gives me peace."

"I don't even want to think about spending a day without you."

Their kisses became more passionate.

"Captain! Neelix and Tom are fighting in the med lab. Someone's going to get hurt! Security! Help!"

"In case you're wondering, Harry Kim's favorite color is yellow. His favorite food is…"

Janeway ignored Kes' plea and Harry's list of favorites. Someone else would take care of that.

She'd forgotten how intoxicating love could be.

XXX

They woke up coughing, nearly gagging. The air was hazy with a tangy antiseptic smell. She and Chakotay had fallen asleep on the floor of her ready room in each other's arms.

As more of the fumes hit their lungs, reality set in.

"The ship!" She sprang up as he joined her.

The Doctor must've discovered a cure and used the ventilation system to disperse it.

"You check on the mess hall. I'll take the bridge."

XXX

Still seated at her desk, Janeway wondered what she was going to do about Chakotay. She had fond memories of her afternoon with him. All that romantic talk. The kissing and hugging. It had been wonderful.

But what had she been thinking?

That's just it. She hadn't been thinking. She'd only been feeling.

As captain of a starship, she didn't have that luxury.

Had the virus caused or enhanced those feelings? Would she have felt the same had she been isolated with Lieutenant Paris?

No.

As inconvenient as her feelings for Chakotay were, they were decidedly real. The virus had only brought them to the surface. She'd meant every word she said to him.

She'd confessed that she loved him more than her fiancé, something she hadn't even acknowledged to herself. But once she'd said it, she knew it to be true.

What was she going to do? She couldn't be romantically involved with her second-in-command. It was against regulations.

But how do you stuff the genie back into the bottle? Was it even possible?

Thank goodness the Doctor had discovered a cure before nightfall. After their nap, she and Chakotay had planned to have a romantic picnic in her quarters and then have sex all night. She felt ashamed that a part of her was disappointed those plans hadn't come to fruition.

So far, she'd managed to avoid Chakotay. So much damage had been done yesterday that dividing and conquering had been the best strategy. But they couldn't avoid each other forever.

The ship was a mess. Emotions had been running high. There'd been a lot of fist fights. The Mess Hall was in shambles. Sickbay was damaged and filled with crewmembers covered with cuts and bruises. Thankfully, engineering had been restored and the warp engines were safe. A mortified Harry Kim had reestablished navigation controls to the bridge.

There'd been a lot of sexual activity in public places. She prayed crew members had been vigilant in keeping up with their contraceptive implants or there could be lots of babies on board in nine months.

Her face burned as she realized how easily she could've been one of them had the Doctor not rescued them sooner.

Her thoughts switched back to Chakotay. She couldn't justify yesterday as a meaningless drunken interlude. It had all been real. They'd shared intimate thoughts and emotions. They'd confessed to feelings that they couldn't take back.

They needed to talk in a non-public forum. Somewhere away from this fishbowl. Then it came to her. She could take him along on the away mission to the next planet, accomplishing two goals at once. The survey (and procurement) of critical minerals. And having a potentially difficult conversation away from prying eyes and unauthorized betting pools.

That would give them a chance to work things out.

Little did she know that they'd contract another more serious virus on the away mission and then spend seventeen days in stasis before they could even begin that conversation.

THE END