RATING: PG-13

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is set sometime in the late fifth season. Sorry, no action yet! I have big plans for this story, and it needs a lot of intro/character focus in the beginning. The real story begins next chapter, I promise!!

DISCLAIMER: Paramount owns all thing Trek, including Voyager, etc.

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Naomi Wildman lay on her stomach, chin resting on her fists and feet swinging in the air, and stared hard at the Qadis-kat board in front of her. On the other side of the board, Neelix watched her with undisguised amusement.

"Your move."

Unexpectedly, Naomi heaved a deep sigh and pulled herself into a sitting position. "I'm tired of playing."

Neelix's spotted face broke into a teasing grin. "What's the matter, you don't like to lose?"

"It's not that, Neelix. I'm just tired of this. We've played five games already today." She started pulling the pieces off the board.

Neelix's gaze turned troubled. "Are you okay? You seem a little…sad, or something."

"I'm bored."

"Bored?" Neelix smiled again as they stood up and stretched. "Well, we could go to the holodeck. I know a wonderful new Trevis and Flotter holonovel that…"

"We did that earlier," Naomi interrupted, shaking her head. "We've done everything."

Neelix regarded her thoughtfully. She was right. They had done just about everything she was interested in: Qadis-kat, Trevis and Flotter, even baked a chocolate cake. There wasn't too much a child could do aboard the ship…and it had been rather boring lately. Nothing eventful had happened in months. He had noticed signs of restlessness in most of the crew, even in Captain Janeway herself, though she tried hard not to show it, for their sake. It was this region of space. He had lost track of the days since they had even encountered an alien ship. None of the star systems they passed were inhabited…the most exciting thing that happened was the nebula they came across a few days ago. A shuttle had been sent out to survey it and collect samples, then they had moved on. Now they were moving again, leaving parsec after parsec of uninhabited space behind them. And if they couldn't resupply soon… he shook his head sadly.

"Neelix?"

"Oh! Yes?" He snapped out of his reverie.

"Could we go to the holodeck and play captain?" A mischievous grin spread across her young face.

"Of course, of course! A very good idea, indeed! Come on, let's see if the holodecks are open…" He led her out of his quarters towards the turbolift.

Naomi loved to run simulations of Voyager and play the captain. She hadn't done it for a few days, so Neelix hoped it would ward off the girl's boredom for at least a few more hours.

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The turbolift deposited Captain Janeway onto the bridge. "Good morning, everyone," she called as cheerfully as she could. Everyone visibly started at the greeting and turned to look at her. She just smiled. "Report."

As usual, Chakotay was already out of his seat to meet her at the railing. "All systems check, heading on course at warp six."

She nodded. "Thank you. You have the bridge." With that, she disappeared into her ready room.

The moment the doors slid closed behind her, Kathryn's shoulders slumped. She let out a long, deep sigh and ordered black coffee from the replicator in a harsher tone than normal. This stress was getting to be too much.

She let the aroma and flavor of the hot coffee soothe her tense nerves as she drank down her first cup of the day. Glancing over a few tardy systems reports on her desk, she wondered if she should chew out these departments for the late reports. Everyone had been on edge lately, and she was no exception. But she would mention it, nevertheless. A little downtime was no excuse for relaxing deadlines.

Her door chimed. "Come," she called absently, taking another sip of her coffee.

When Chakotay stepped into the ready room, she looked up expectantly. "Yes?"

"Something else for you to look at," he said, holding up a PADD.

Frowning, she took it and began scrolling through it, complaining, "This is getting out of hand. I had three reports come in late this morning. A little downtime and this ship…" Her eyes met his, eyebrows raised in surprise. "A party?"

Chakotay sat down across from her and grinned. "Neelix says we need a little excitement since everyone seems a little…bored, lately."

"You can say that again," Kathryn muttered, and waved off his curious look. The last she thing she wanted was a lecture on keeping up spirits. "Well, I think it's a wonderful idea." She entered her authorization, handed the PADD across the desk to him, and sat back, cradling her coffee cup in her hands. He just stood there, looking at her with thoughtful consideration, and she asked with underlying irritation, "Anything else? Or do you just enjoy staring at me?"

Chakotay grinned, choosing to let the second question pass. "Actually…I'm wondering whether I should ask you to come to the party."

"Naturally I'll be there," Kathryn replied quickly, taking a sip of her coffee.

"No, I meant—" He hesitated, noticing how she was carefully avoiding his gaze, choosing instead to peruse a nearby PADD. She knew exactly what he meant. Damn the woman, she was making this unnecessarily difficult. "Would you mind an escort?"

"Who do have in mind?" she asked calmly, picking up the PADD and scrolling through it.

Chakotay let out a sigh of frustration and placed his palms on her desk, leaning closer to her. He was not in the mood for games, but two could play at this one. "Guess."

She the PADD on the desk and leaned back in her chair, regarding some spot on the wall past his head with painstaking consideration. "Tom will naturally 'escort' B'Elanna, Harry…probably with Megan Delaney. Tuvok…" She grinned. "Oh, Chakotay, how thoughtful. A nice stoic Vulcan who won't try anything…"

"Dammit, Kathryn," he almost growled, "I'm asking you to go with me!" He had enough of this.

Her smile turned positively wicked. "Oh, naturally. I don't know what's the matter with me. Not enough coffee this morning, I guess." With that, she threw a casual, "Coffee, black," to the replicator across the room.

Chakotay obligingly straightened up and got the cup for her.

"Oh, thank you," she murmured.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Will you go with me?" He hoped he didn't sound as completely aggravated as he felt. Maybe this wasn't worth the effort…

"Oh." She looked genuinely surprised. "Why, yes, I suppose so." Her eyes sparkled when they met his through the steam of her coffee as she sipped it.

He grinned, nodding, and turned to leave. The ready room doors swooshed closed behind him, and he felt like collapsing against the bulkhead. Kathryn could drain all the energy out of him faster than a dampening field around the warp core.

"Commander, is anything wrong?"

Chakotay looked at Tuvok and just shook his head as he proceeded to his chair. He caught Tom's eye as the pilot turned back to the conn. "You have something to say, Paris?"

"No, no, sir." Tom was grinning with all his might at the console in front of him. She must have given him a hell of a time about the party…

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As the doors closed after Chakotay, Kathryn sank back in her chair with a soft sigh. She had surprised herself a few minutes ago. What had possessed her to act like such an outrageous flirt? She never teased him so much. Maybe the fact that she had gotten three hours of sleep last night had something to do with it. She wasn't feeling quite like herself this morning...but more coffee should remedy that.

She turned back to Tuvok's security report after replicating yet another cup of black coffee.

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The Doctor sat down in the chair and leaned back, placing his feet up on his desk. He turned slightly and punched in a code on the wall terminal behind him. As the soothing strains of a classical nocturne filled sickbay, he relaxed with a sigh of relief.

He had spent the day toiling away in sickbay, doing exactly nothing. Tidying up when there was nothing to tidy, reorganizing trays of equipment already in perfect order from days of nonuse. His only patient had been Lieutenant Paris at 0300 hours, complaining of a fractured rib. Obviously the lack of excitement in the past weeks encouraged finding other means of…excitement.

Maybe he should deactivate himself. He couldn't remember the last time he had done that. Then he wouldn't have to sit around like this, bored to the core of his holomatrix.

The Doctor was just about to address the computer when the sickbay doors opened and Seven walked straight into his office.

"Computer, pause music. Ah, Seven, what can I do for you? I believe your next maintenance exam is scheduled for next week."

"I wish to see you about a personal matter, Doctor." She looked uncomfortable.

The Doctor stood up and rounded the desk to stand beside her. "Yes?"

"I. . .I have been evaluating my status, and I believe my. . .individuality has become a point of grievance among the crew."

"Does this have anything to do with what happened in the mess hall yesterday?"

Seven tilted her head ever so slightly. "Despite what Captain Janeway has led me to believe, I have realized there is such a thing as too much individuality."

"I'm not sure what you mean."

She let out a soft sigh and squared her shoulders, looking him directly in the eye. "I am referring to my appearance and my demeanor."

The Doctor smiled. "You deemed them 'irrelevant' long ago. Borg perfection lost its charm?"

"No. I merely wish to more adequately integrate myself with Voyager's crew. I believe a more. . .standard uniform, and perhaps more intensive social lessons would expedite that end."

"A uniform?" The Doctor took in her burgundy form-fitting catsuit with a surprised glance. "Are you sure your body has adapted -- "

"I'm sure I will be fine," she interrupted, then shifted her stance rather awkwardly. "I thought you were the appropriate person to approach in this manner. You have expressed an unconditional desire to assist me in my exploration of humanity."

And so has Captain Janeway. Far back in his holographic mind the Doctor felt a prick of… regret? Yes, that was it. As much as he hated to admit it, giving Seven a Starfleet issue uniform wasn't exactly at the top of his 'to do' list. In fact, he rather enjoyed her usual suit, the way the light played off the generous curves of her figure…aesthetically pleasing, in her own terms. Stop it. He came out of his reverie with a shake of his head.

"Doctor?"

"Ah, yes, you. . . a uniform?" he asked, a little over-brightly. "I suppose that can be arranged. As for the social lessons, why don't we schedule them daily instead of weekly?"

She lifted an eyebrow. "I suppose I did specify 'more intensive.'"

"If you would prefer -- "

"No, Doctor," she amended hastily, then added, "Daily lessons will. . .suffice."

The Doctor smiled in satisfaction and leaned back against his desk. When Seven just stood there, his expression turned inquisitive.

"There is another matter," she explained slowly.

The Doctor just stood and waited. She seemed unusually uncomfortable today, visibly awkward as she broached topics of conversation. He decided not to mention it. It wasn't abnormal, just odd for Seven. But she had stopped, averting her eyes and fidgeting uneasily. "Yes?" he probed gently.

Sevens hands curled into fists and she forced herself to look him squarely in the eyes. Apprehension is irrelevant, she told herself firmly. "I wish to ask you to accompany me to the party Mr. Neelix is organizing for the crew."

The Doctor blinked in complete surprise. The last thing he had expected was an invitation to a party. But he was pleased that she had taken the initiative, and of course that she had chosen him as an escort.

Seven took his hesitation as sign of dismissal. "I -- forgive me, Doctor. It was foolish of me to ask. . ."

"No, Seven!" He caught her arm she turned to leave. "I would love to go with you."

"You would?"

"Yes. In fact, I was going to ask you, but I'm glad came to me. You've made extraordinary progress in your social skills." He paused. "I noticed you seemed. . .nervous."

"Apprehension is irrelevant," she informed him matter-of-factly.

"Maybe. But it is a human emotion, and I must say you handled it remarkably." He grinned at her proudly.

She eyed him for a moment, deciding if he was patronizing her or merely being kind. She decided on the latter, and let a small smile slide across her lips as she relaxed, gently pulling her arm from his grasp.

"Thank you, Doctor. I will return to my duties."

The Doctor watched her go, then sat back behind his desk with a contented sigh. So that was why she seemed tense lately. "Computer, resume." He leaned back in his chair and picked up a PADD, humming lightly along with the music. He was in high spirits.

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0900 hours found Kathryn closeted in her quarters yet again, surrounded by PADDs from every department. She tossed aside report after report, unable to concentrate on any of them. Finally she got up and started pacing restlessly, cup of coffee in hand. She swore it was the only thing that kept her going at times like these.

Another day gone by, uneventful. She had discussed the state of their supplies with Neelix that afternoon, and decided she would have to expand replicator rations sometime soon. The food reserves were fast approaching critical depletion, too fast. If it got much worse they would have to alter course to restock somewhere. But where? Sensors showed no inhabited planets for another six light-years, at least.

She sighed and rubbed her forehead. The first pangs of a headache had come, and it looked like yet another sleepless night had arrived. The Doctor would be on her case soon, to cut down on the coffee, to go to bed earlier, to eat more. . . damnit, she had too much to worry about. If he started one of his lectures she might just have to delete his vocal subroutines. . . Ah, Kathryn, get a hold of yourself.

She had turned down Chakotay's offer of dinner yet again, with the excuse that she had work to do. He had given her one of his disapproving frowns, and offered to help. "A working dinner," he offered. And again she told him no. That made him suspicious, but she didn't care. She didn't want to talk to him about everything that was worrying her, and she knew if she was alone with him the words would come tumbling out. She would probably break down in front of him, and that was out of the question.

Kathryn blinked back the stinging of tears behind her eyes and pressed the back of her hand against her forehead, dropping back onto the sofa. All right, its time get to work. This crew needs you in one piece. And with that, a small semblance of control returned to her. She sighed deeply and got back to work.