Disclaimer 1#: I do not own any of the rights to these characters. They are the property of Paramount. I hope they don't mind me borrowing them.
Disclaimer 2#: This is my first story on this website. I apologise for any Trek inconsistencies but welcome comments.
Disclaimer 3#: The story is set out of time (but obviously after Seven joined). It is not meant to be any particular season.
Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager was standing by the window of her ready room watching the stars zip by as they cruised at warp 6. It had been 8 weeks since Voyager had had any contact with a sentient being. As she looked out at the vast expanse of the Delta Quadrant, she decided that whatever boredom she was feeling must be 10 times worse for the crew. Her guilt at stranding them in this merciless quadrant cancelled out most of her boredom. The auburn haired captain knew she should order shoreleave be taken by all crewmembers at the next M-class planet, preferably one with friendly inhabitants or at least ones that didn't want to use them as prey.
"Captain to the Bridge." Chakotays voice startled her out of her deep musings. She tapped her commbadge.
"On my way Commander." She crossed the room setting the coffee she had been nursing on her desk and then proceeding to enter the bridge through the connecting door.
"Report". Janeway gracefully lowered herself into her command chair, recently vacated by Chakotay. Her first officer looked at her momentarily captived by the decadence of his Captains poise. Her long auburn hair, held in place by a grip, glowed and her azure eyes radiated warmth. He felt familiar longings rise up inside of him but quickly squashed them. It was no good he was not the object of her desire. He knew this even if she did not realise he did. Yes, Chakotay thought to himself, her crush was someone very different from him.
"Good news Captain, long range scanners have detected an M-class planet only 4 hours away at current speeds."
Janeway felt a smile tug at her lips, she regarded her pilot Tom Paris.
"Set a course, Tom"
"Aye, aye Captain, course laid in." He grinned at her, clearly looking forward to his shoreleave. He would no doubt be spending it with B'Elanna. The captain briefly wondered who she would spend her shoreleave with, before deciding that she would remain on the ship so all her senior officers could have their well deserved break. As usual her mind flicked to Seven whenever she thought about her crew. Seven would surely want to stay on the ship too. Her humanity was limited and the Borg certainly don't have holidays. Seven would be lost without her astrometics bay. You mean YOU would be lost without her. She sent that thought scurrying away, she didn't need to think about the ramification of those feelings.
"I'll be in my ready room Commander." The Captain rose and swiftly crossed the bridge, leaving the bridge crew to their happy shoreleave planning. She again took up her position at the window. Janeway sighed softly as she couldn't help thinking that something was missing.