"Coming up on a planet, Captain. Class C."
"Frostbite, anyone?" she mused.
Chakotay smiled a little. "Does sound like something Neelix would concoct, doesn't it?" he agreed. But he didn't look at her. The previous night's events were still alive and well in him, as were the remains of thoughts. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable. Again.
While it may not have been apparent to anyone else in the galaxy, Chakotay saw it. Recognized it. In the six years he had served as her first officer and closest friend, he had gotten to know her inside out, upside down, backwards, and sideways. He could detect the smallest hint of anger, of sadness, or cockiness she might show.
"I think I'll pass on eating it, thanks," she said, grinning. The commander was suddenly glad the Neelix wasn't on the Bridge at present. Insult the cook and you might be eating Emergency rations for the next six years. He shuddered at the very thought.
"The atmosphere appears to have a bountiful supply of Cerillium gas," Tuvok informed her.
"Cerillium?" she repeated, brow raising. "Nobody fire a phaser down there..."
"We should harvest it, it would put the Engine efficiency up by near thirty percent."
"Agreed...Tom, Chakotay. Let's go." She stood.
Chakotay nodded and stood without hesitation, watching Tom and his Captain enter the Turbo lift, and followed. "Deck twelve."
In the Delta Flyer, Tom sat at the Helm, Janeway at the equivalent of Ops, and Chakotay placed himself in the tactical position. A longshot on this mission, but they had to be prepared.
"Up, up, and away we go," Tom said as he piloted his own shuttle out of the docking bay and toward the icy almost completely white planet.
"It's beautiful," She murmerred, talking more to herself evidently. They entered the orbit and immediately fluff white clouds surrounded them, having a tint of blue in them as well. The cerillium. "Tom?"
"It's alright, Captain. While we may not be able to see anything anymore, sensors are still operational. We can get out of here any time we want to," the helmsman informed her.
Chakotay tapped a few things in on the panel in front of him, and the shuttle began collecting the useful gas. A peaceful away mission. This was how he liked things. Most of the time. Though he had to admit, without the danger they would probably get very, very bored.
He watched Janeway lean back in her chair, staring out of the window almost dreamily, looking as if she might fall asleep. "Tired, Captain?" he prodded.
"Hmm?" She turned to look at him, then smiled slightly. "No, I was just thinking. You know I grew up in Indiana. Well, obviously we got a good amount of snow during the winter months. But then I moved to California, you know, for the academy in San Fransisco. No snow there. I kinda missed it, atually." She sighed.
"Well there's plenty of it below us if you'd like a snowball souvenier, Captain," Tom said, not looking up.
"That's quite alright," she said, shaking her head with a smile. "If I want to freeze to death I'll do it in the comfort of the holodeck." She frowned suddenly. "That didn't actually make any sense."
"No. But that's okay," Chakotay teased her. "We love you anyway."
"But don't tell B'Elanna or she'll skin me alive."
The Captain and Commander both laughed at this. "I don't doubt it," she said.
Several minutes of collecting Cerillium passd, and that's when things really started to go wrong.
The shuttle jolted. "What was that?" Janeway asked, dreamy look evaporating as she looked down at her own sensors.
"I'm not sure, Captain...But whatever it is, it's damaged the engines. We're losing altittude!" To compliment him there was a dropping sensation in Chakotay's stomach, and the Flyer started to shake. The clouds around them were visibly pushed out of the way, and they were falling. Much, much too fast.
"We've got to reduce speed!" she shouted over the noise.
"The decent stabalizers are shot, Captain. I can't do a thing!"
Chakotay frowned. This was bad.