"No reason." (Kim & Tuvok)

/

Monterey, 2359

"One more game, Daddy?" asked Harry, looking up at his father with pleading eyes.

The Go board between them formed an intricate pattern, white and black stones alternating as each tried to surround the other. To Harry, it was the site of an epic battle, every stone a starship; he could almost see the flash of weapons fire and feel the chair rocking under him.

"It's getting late," the enemy commander said mildly, pushing up his glasses. "Hadn't you better go to bed?"

"But I almost won!" Harry bounced in his chair. "I know I did. If you'll just let me try again … "

"You know," said John Kim, picking up the stones with careful hands and sorting them into two bags, "Winning is not the only point of this game, son."

"Then what else is there?"

/

Shi'Kahr, 2315

"It is an exercise in logic," said Tuvok, "A chance to cultivate your mind."

The Kal'toh projector between them formed an intricate pattern, the silver pieces caught halfway between order and chaos. To Tuvok, however, it seemed that chaos would predominate, as his son inserted a piece into exactly the wrong place. The pattern flashed blue and rearranged itself. Sek frowned. "Must everything be an exercise in logic to you, Father?"

"What objective would you prefer?"

For a moment, the small boy's face wore an expression that reminded Tuvok uncannily of his own father; the patient resignation of a teacher whose student has failed yet again to understand a simple concept. He shook his head.

"Your turn," was all he said.

/

U.S.S. Voyager, 2378

"Kal'toh," said Tuvok, as the silver pieces came together into a perfect helix.

"Dang it!" Harry's hand came down on the mess hall table in mock frustration, but he was still smiling from ear to ear. "Okay, Commander. One more round?"

"Another one?" Tom drawled, watching from the next table over. "C'mon, Harry. You know you're gonna lose."

"I don't know that," Harry retorted, "And if I do, so what?"

"So, why do you keep doing this to yourself?"

"I don't know." Harry shrugged."No reason. I just like it."

"Seriously?"

"I agree with Mr. Kim," said Tuvok solemnly, causing both humans to turn around in surprise. "Sometimes the objective of a game is the game itself."

Tom wandered away with a good-natured "If you say so," but the two players exchanged a knowing look over the projector as it reset..

Ignoring every empty chair around them, they focused on the game.