Seven could feel Kathryn beginning to awake in her arms. Cuddling in a spoon position gave Seven's hands free reign on the her lovers body. She slowly began to caress Kathryn's breast and was pleased when she felt the nipple pebble from her attention. As she felt Kathryn's body move against hers in pleasure Seven kissed her temple and whispered, "Good morning."

Kathryn smiled and snuggled deeper in to the curve of Seven's body. Rubbing her rear against Seven's mons caused both women to moan softly. "Hello darling" the captain replied. "Are you feeling rested?"

"mmm" Seven replied in agreement. "You?"

"Oh yea, this is the most rested I have felt in Seven years. Which is hard to believe since I have gotten almost no sleep." She chuckled, "but I am not complaining."

"I am glad you are not feeling disappointed in our camping trip. I am sad it is almost over."

Kathryn nodded in agreement. "We still have tonight and then we will have another rotation of leave before we are back in space." Kathryn turned in Seven's arms so they were face to face. "This has been the most wonderful few days of my life."

Seven gave her a playful kiss on the nose. "I concur."

The women continued to smile into each others eyes. "How long will you need to regenerate?"

"I will need to start tomorrow afternoon and continue through the night." Kathryn frowned at this news. "I will miss sharing our last night however it is the only way I will be ready for duty. I am sure you know how the captain hates for me to show up for my shift unprepared."

"She is a real task master that one." Kathryn replied in a unhappy voice. Seven rolled on to her back and adjusted Kathryn's head on to her chest.

"Do not speak despairingly of my captain. And as you said we still have all day and tonight." Before she could say anything more Chakotay's voice came over the captain's communicator.

"Sorry to bother you Captain. I was wondering if I could have a few moments of your time this morning."

Janeway knew that Chakotay wouldn't disturb her unless he felt it was important so she immediately acquiesced to his request. She held up a 2 fingers to Seven and raised her eyebrows in question. Seven nodded. "Would you like to meet me here in about 2 hours Commander?"

"Thank you Captain I will see you then."

Kathryn closed her eyes and waited to see how Seven would respond to the interruption to their private time. In the past her lovers convinced her that they understood her priorities. She was disappointed every time. Even Mark so dependable and unassuming got disgruntled every time a call came during her off duty hours. "Now it begins" She thought.

Seven stroked Kathryn's hair. "Why are you suddenly so tense Kathryn. Do you think there is something wrong with the crew or ship?"

"No" she replied.

"I see. You are disappointed that our time is being encroached upon. I am sure the commander would not have interrupted if he did not feel it was important."

"It is disappointing." Kathryn responded.

"We will need to be flexible. You are the captain. Some times our time together will be interrupted. I am surprised you did not prepare yourself for this."

Janeway laughed out right. "You are a treasure my darling. I was tense because I thought you would be upset. I was preparing to defend my need to respond to duty."

Seven's expression was quizzical as she responded. "That is illogical. Why would you be required to defend yourself for doing your job?"

Seven's confusion was genuine and Kathryn loved her all the more for it. The younger woman continued.

"It is disappointing but it is your responsibility to respond to your crew." Then she quickly flipped the captain on to her back. She looked in to Kathryn's eyes with a hungry expression "We do have two hours before you are needed." She then proceeded to show her captain how one could efficiently take advantage of two hours.

When the commander arrived at their campsite he found the two women happily drinking tea and talking. Seven got up when he arrived. She nodded to Chakotay and started to move away.

"Wait Seven this concerns you too."

Seven cocked her eyebrow shaped implant in surprise and sat back down.

Chakotay continued. "The crew is having a luau tonight and I think it is important that you both attend."

Janeway shook her head in confusion. "Why?"

"Many members of the crew seem to be concerned about how your relationship with Seven will affect your relationship with them."

Janeway's body stiffened as if she had been slapped. Her voice was a cross between hurt and angry. "I truly thought they trusted me. I thought they new I would never let my relationship interfere with my responsibilities as their captain."

Chakotay shook his head vigorously. "No, it is not your work ethic that is the problem. It is more personal then that."

"Personal what do you mean."

Chakotay was hesitant as he tried to find the words he needed to continue. "We are a different kind of crew. You know that your relationship with them is closer then it would be back in the AQ. How many captains get genuine gifts from the crew on her birthday. Not the official stuff that one would get back home, real gifts. Crewman Johnson used a weeks rations for the materials to make you the display case in your ready room. It would actually have been cheaper to replicate it. The silver pendant of Voyager that the engineering team got for you on tunas. They designed it for you and found a craftsman to make it personally. You know all the other examples."

Janeway put her head in her hands. "Gifts more fit for a girlfriend or mother."

Chakotay nodded glad that she was getting his point without too much help from him. "And if you are mother.." He left the sentence unfinished.

Janeway closed her eyes "..then you are father. We need to attend the party together. That way the crew will see that Mom and Dad are still getting along?"

Seven was listening with rapt attention. She considered this an excellent lesson in the dynamic of human interaction.

Janeway continued. "They aren't children Chakotay. And as we have never presented ourselves as a couple I don't think this is necessary."

Chakotay looked at Janeway intently. "Oh yes it is Kathryn. Not only do they need to see that you and I get along they need to see that Seven and I do as well. And there is one other piece."

"Oh please. Let me guess. Nelix is grand-dad and we have to show the love with him as well."

Both Seven and Chakotay lips quivered a little but they didn't dare smile. "No, Kathryn over the years you have become more accessible to the crew. They come to you for advice, play you in pool and sometimes just chat with you in the hallway. There is still a line that defines officer and crew but it is very different then it used to be. They need to see that you will still be the same in off time. They need to see that you are still available on a personal level. Our crew isn't stupid they know there will be changes but they need you to help them figure out where the new line is."

Janeway nodded understanding but not liking the situation presented to her. "Well Seven are you up to a luau?"

"Yes Kathryn." Seven's lips were twitching as she held back a full blown smile. "As the new Stepmother I will need to make a good impression."

Janeway had a stunned look on her face and then along with the Commander burst out laughing.

"Oh my, Janeway said between chuckles. I am going to have a lot of explaining to do when we get home. Our command techniques are going to be the talk of Starfleet."

The three spent a pleasant half hour chatting and drinking tea before Chakotay look his leave. Party is in about an hour but you might want to be fashionably late."

Seven looked puzzled. "Why would we want to be late?"

Chakotay grinned. Well I don't know if you want to be but you might need to be."

"Why?"

Chakotay's grin got even bigger. "Well I would advise that the captain take you to the nearest dermal regenerator to get rid of those little purple marks on your neck."

Seven blushed as he Continued. "I know the kids really wont want to think about what Mommy was doing that caused that."

He winked at Kathryn and took off before she could find the phaser that she was clearly looking for.