June 19, 2378 0545 Chakotay's Quarters
Chakotay stared at the ceiling as he'd been doing for he didn't know how long. He couldn't sleep, part of it was he'd slept a lot of yesterday trying to recover from his bachelor party and the fight with Kathryn, but mostly he couldn't sleep because he was so keyed up about tomorrow.
He wasn't sure he wanted to get up either, as he felt that this would probably be the second longest day of his life. The longest day would be tomorrow, his wedding day. He wondered now what had possessed him to agree to a late afternoon wedding. He knew that Kathryn probably needed some time to get her hair and makeup done the exact way she'd want it, but surely a late morning ceremony would have given her enough time. Oh well, it was all settled and even though he and Kathryn were both off duty, thanks to Tuvok insisting they and other key members of the wedding party take a few days off before the wedding, he did have a few things to do today. He was to meet with Tom Paris and Terpe in the morning, when the ships entered orbit of Tépekan. The three of them were to put the finishing touches on the reception and the honeymoon plans, then he and Kathryn were to meet with Terpe's sister Marinkté before the wedding rehearsal. After the wedding rehearsal, the wedding party would have a dinner at a restaurant Pakrité had recommended.
Chakotay finally decided to find out exactly what time it was, and then if it wasn't too early, he'd get up, take a shower and get his day started.
"Computer, what time is it?" he asked.
"The time is 0547," the computer replied.
'Ok,' he said to himself as he pushed the covers aside, 'that's not too awfully early,' and he began to walk to the bathroom. He had just pulled the T-shirt he'd worn to bed over his head and tossed it towards the recycler when he heard a decidedly female voice say, "Well maybe Q doesn't understand what Kathryn sees in you, but I believe I'm beginning to get it," the female Q ran her eyes over Chakotay's form as though she were appraising him.
"What the hell do you think you're doing Q? Get out!" Chakotay yelled at the beautiful omnipotent being.
"Ah ah ah, temper, temper," the lady Q admonished. "If you make me angry I might not give you your wedding gifts," she added.
Chakotay was feeling a bit foolish, standing in his bathroom in only his boxers arguing with an omnipotent being, but he couldn't think of much else to do. He was fairly certain a call to security would be pointless, so he decided to try a different approach. He'd try humoring her and maybe the experience would end quicker and with less dire results than some Q encounters.
"And just what wedding gifts would those be?" he asked trying to sound disinterested.
"Well first, let's get you more properly dressed," the lady Q said as she snapped her fingers. Chakotay suddenly found he was dressed in his uniform and he felt as though he'd just stepped out of the sonic shower.
"No, that's a little too formal," the lady Q said as she snapped her fingers and Chakotay found himself in the casual attire he wore on New Earth.
"Yes, I think that's best," lady Q said.
"Here are your wedding presents," lady Q said as she snapped her fingers again. With a bright flash Maliya and Taya appeared before him.
His sister and niece immediately ran into his arms and showered him with kisses, as he hugged them with all his strength. The three of them said each other's names over and over, as though they couldn't stop saying them. Tears of joy ran freely down the faces of the small, reunited family.
The lady Q began to feel she was being ignored, and she was after all the instigator of this reunion, "Well, well isn't this a touching scene?" she said to gain their attention.
"I don't know that I understand your motivation in bring my sister and niece to me today, but I don't really care. All I can say is thank you, Q. I'm genuinely grateful to you," Chakotay said as he stood with one arm draped around Maliya's shoulders and his other around Taya's.
"I couldn't let Q steal the show by bringing Kathryn's mother and sister to the wedding, besides things would have been out of balance then. Men, they never understand things like that," lady Q said in a long-suffering tone.
"Q brought Kathryn's mother and sister here?" Chakotay asked with a mixture of joy for his fiancée and trepidation for himself. 'Will her family approve of me? Can I handle three Janeway women at the same time?' These thoughts flitted through his mind.
Meanwhile in Kathryn's Quarters
"Come now Kathy, you mustn't sleep the day away, why Chuckles is already wide awake next door," Q said, as he roused Kathryn from her sleep.
"What, what?" Kathryn said in her early morning confusion.
"Q! What are you doing here?" she demanded once she got her wits about her.
"I've come to bring your wedding gifts. Though why I should, considering you're marrying that big oaf Chuckles, I just don't know," Q added.
"Well, you're a bit early, our wedding day isn't until tomorrow," Kathryn said.
"Well if you want to get picky I can tell your mother and Phoebe to wait-" Q began.
"My mother and Phoebe!" Kathryn exclaimed, throwing back her covers and scrambling to stand up beside her bed.
"Ah, so now you're not going to be so picky about when I bring your wedding presents," Q observed.
"Why are you doing this, Q?" she asked with a hint of suspicion.
"Oh, are you going to look a gift horse in the mouth, Kathy?" Q asked.
"As though you were Greek, Q. You don't exactly have a sparkling reputation," she replied sarcastically.
"You wound me. Besides this was Junior's idea. His mother and I just decided to help him out," Q answered.
Before Kathryn could even think of anything else to say,Q continued, "Well as fetching as that night gown is, I don't think you should greet your mother in it. Let's see," Q put his thumb to his mouth as he thought, and then snapped his fingers. Kathryn stood before him in her captain's uniform with her long again hair up in the bun of steel.
"No, a bit too Starfleet," Q said then snapped his fingers again. This time Kathryn was wearing the blue dress she'd worn on New Earth and her hair was in a ponytail held with her favorite barrette.
"Yes, that looks about right," Q commented as Kathryn, a bit stunned by all the quick changes, stood mutely.
Then with another snap of his fingers and the usual accompanying bright light, Kathryn's mother and sister appeared. Q was probably the only one who knew which of the three women let out the loud squeals, but he didn't really care. His mission was over and his plan was to be off until the actual wedding.
"Enjoy yourself Kathy, they go back tomorrow after the reception," and with that said he snapped his fingers and disappeared, barely noticed at all by the mother and daughters who clung to each other laughing and crying.
Picking up where we left off in Chakotay's quarters
"Well, I don't know if he's done it yet, but that was the plan," the lady Q said. Just then loud squeals of delight could be heard thru the bulkhead.
"Ah, I suspect he's just brought them in," the lady Q remarked.
"Well, I've things to do and places to be. Oh, your presents go back tomorrow evening after the wedding reception," lady Q told Chakotay, reminding him in a way of Cinderella's Godmother.
"Uh, Q?" Chakotay began.
"Yes, what is it?" lady Q answered, a bit irritated with Chakotay for interrupting her departure.
"Will they remember what happened?" he asked.
"What? Oh, yes of course they will remember what happened. There's no reason to prevent them from remembering. It's not like we're violating any space-time continuum laws or anything like that, we've just translocated a few humans 20,000 light years or so for a couple of days. No big deal," Q said in a matter of fact manner and then snapped her fingers and was gone.
Two of the translocated humans looked at Chakotay for a moment and then broke out laughing.
"You have an omnipotent being for a friend and you're still stuck out here?" Taya asked her uncle incredulously.
"I wouldn't exactly say we're friends, more like acquaintances, or maybe from her point of view I'm one of her pet humans," Chakotay replied wryly.
Chakotay went into his bedroom and picked up his communicator from his bedside table. He smiled at his sister and niece as he activated the communicator, "Chakotay to Janeway".
"Janeway here," came the immediate reply, "Did Q bring you a surprise too?" she asked.
"Yes, want to meet them?" he asked in a joyful voice.
"Yes, we'll be over in a minute. OK?" she asked.
"Can't wait," he replied and grinned at his sister and niece.
"Come on, let's meet them out in the living room," Chakotay said as he gently herded his sister and niece into the next room.
They no sooner walked into the living area than Kathryn and her mother and sister came through the door to his quarters.
"Good Morning!" Kathryn called out happily. "Chakotay, I'd like you to meet my mother Gretchen Janeway," Kathryn said, as she indicated the older of the two women who resembled her.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Janeway," Chakotay said as he extended his hand in greeting.
"No, you simply must call me Gretchen and I don't think a handshake will do. Give me a hug," Gretchen corrected and instructed him.
At first Chakotay felt a bit awkward hugging the tiny but formidable woman he'd just met, but somehow Gretchen Janeway made him relax despite himself.
"And this is my sister, Phoebe," Kathryn added, as her mother released Chakotay from her embrace.
As Chakotay was mouthing a please to meet you, Phoebe also claimed a hug from her soon to be brother-in-law.
Chakotay released Phoebe and stepped back to his sister's side, and then began making introductions of his family to Kathryn.
"Kathryn, this is my sister Maliya and my niece Taya," he informed her and the three women hugged each other in welcome, and then finally the future in-laws introduced themselves to each other.
Maliya decided that, as they were in her brother's quarters, she should act as hostess, or at least remind her brother of his duties as host.
"Well brother, aren't you going to offer your guests something to eat and a place to sit down?" Maliya asked.
"Oh yes, excuse my manners. Its not every day I get visitors from the Alpha quadrant. Can I get some breakfast for everyone and some coffee?" Chakotay asked.
"Did someone say coffee?" asked Q Jr. as he popped into existence in front of the group, pouring steaming coffee out of a carafe into a coffee cup which he handed to Kathryn. Not knowing what else to do, she thanked him. Magically another cup appeared in his hand, which he filled, then looked at the cup with a slight frown, until sugar and cream appeared in midair and began being added to the cup. When a goodly amount of sugar and cream had been added to the second cup, he handed it to Chakotay.
"Q, I suppose we should have expected you," Chakotay said as he accepted the offered cup of coffee, he smiled despite himself when he took a sip and realized the young Q had gotten his preference for coffee exactly right.
Cups continued to magically appear and Q Jr. continued pouring for the rest of the group.
"Yeah, well bringing gifts for Aunt Kathy's wedding was my idea, although my parents did take the best ideas for themselves," the young Q explained, sounding just a little peeved.
"However, I am in charge of food, beverages and weather," the young Q beamed. "There'll be plenty of coffee and chocolate on this ship from now on, and NO more Leola root, " Q Jr. said with a smile.
"And the weather will be perfect for the wedding ceremony tomorrow, I promise. No rain, not too hot, not too cold and just the mildest of breezes," he added.
"Well, enjoy your breakfast," the young Q said as he swept his hand towards the dining table in Chakotay's quarters which then suddenly was set with six place settings and was furthermore practically groaning with breakfast items.
"I'm going to go visit Icheb," Q Jr. announced.
"Oh, and Uncle Chak," Q Jr. added.
Chakotay balked a bit at Q Jr. calling him Uncle and shortening his name, but considering Q called Kathryn 'Aunt Kathy', he supposed he could learn to live with it.
"Yes, Q," replied Chakotay, his voice betraying that he was finding it a bit hard to be tolerant.
"You sure have a lot of beautiful women in your family," the young Q observed.
Chakotay smiled broadly at the omnipotent boy, "You're right about that."
With that Q Jr. snapped his fingers and was gone.
"Well come on, let's eat, then we can go meet the rest of the family," Chakotay suggested.
"The rest of the family?" inquired Phoebe.
"B'Elanna, Tom and Miral," answered Chakotay.
At Phoebe's puzzled look Chakotay began to explain, "B'Elanna Torres is the Chief Engineer of Voyager, she's also," Chakotay paused a moment to consider his choice of words, "the sister my heart chose. Tom Paris, Admiral Paris' son is her husband and Miral is her baby daughter," he finished explaining.
He turned just in time to see his sister and niece smile warmly at him.
"Oh Tio, me encantaria conocerlos," Taya said enthusiastically.
"What did she say?" Gretchen asked.
"That it would please her to meet them," Chakotay translated for the now slightly embarrassed young woman.
"You know Kathryn, we better replicate some comm. badges for our visitors, because while Taya and Maliya both do speak Standard," Chakotay emphasized the last words and looked at Taya as though to mildly reprimand her for speaking Spanish, "The Tépeans don't and even after six and half years Neelix's Standard is still pretty confused. I think a universal translator's a good idea, don't you?" he asked.
"Yes, I'll replicate them. Why don't you see to it that everyone gets what they want for breakfast?" Kathryn said as she went to Chakotay's replicator.
With that, the family sat down to breakfast, and the soon to be married couple were teased endlessly by their sisters, who found they had a shared passion for embarrassing their older sibling. Several times Gretchen or Taya had to rein Phoebe or Maliya in a bit.
Maliya was delighted to see the way Taya took to Gretchen and vice versa. Taya had taken her grandmother's death very hard and her treatment at the hands of the Cardassians hadn't helped matters any. It seemed that, in Gretchen, Taya had found a surrogate grandmother and that pleased Maliya greatly.
After breakfast, Chakotay moved the women out to the living area to continue talking, and soon they began talking about the plans for the wedding. Chakotay let out a very soft sigh, but Kathryn heard it.
"Oh no, we've hit upon Chakotay's least favorite subject - wedding details," Kathryn said with a laugh.
"Hey, you've got to admit I've been pretty good natured about it," Chakotay said in his own defense.
"Yes, you have. Say, by the way did you finish all the gifts you were making for the wedding party?" she asked.
"Yes, oh and now that Gretchen and Phoebe and Maliya and Taya are here, I can give them their gifts too," Chakotay said, as he practically leapt up from where he'd been sitting on the couch to go get the jewelry he'd made for the four women.
He came back with 4 small flat boxes, which he carefully inspected to make sure he gave each to the appropriate woman. "Go ahead, open them," he said anxiously.
"Oh Chakotay, they're beautiful," Maliya said as she held the necklace and earrings he had made for her. The other women had similar words of praise for the handmade jewelry. When Maliya examined Taya's set, she could see that her brother had inherited their mother's artistic way with heishi. The two sets were similar to each other, but different in a way that somehow suggested the relationship between the wearers. When she looked at Gretchen and Phoebe's sets, she could see the same interrelatedness there too.
"I'm glad you like them," Chakotay said.
The women continued talking about the jewelry and the wedding, until Chakotay decided he could take it no more.
"I hate to break things up, but if we're going to see B'Elanna and Tom and Miral, before Tom and I have to meet with Terpe, we better be going," Chakotay said interrupting the women's chatter about the wedding.
"Do you want to come along?" he asked Kathryn and her mother and sister.
"No, darling I think it would be pretty overwhelming for B'Elanna to have the six of us barge in on her this morning. Besides I've got lots of things to discuss with Mom and Phoebe. Oh, and send Maliya and Taya back to us when you and Tom head off for your little meeting with Terpe, OK?" Kathryn requested and then reached up to place a tender kiss on Chakotay's cheek.
"OK, will do," he smiled down at her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips, then turned and ushered his sister and niece out the door of his quarters.
On his way to Tom and B'Elanna's, Chakotay decided to ask his sister a favor.
"Maliya, I'd like to ask you to do something for me tomorrow," he said as they entered the turbolift and ordered deck nine.
"What dear brother? I'll do anything I can for you on your wedding day," she promised.
"Well, I made a fetish necklace for Kathryn and I'd like you to give it to her, as a gift from the family, OK?" he asked.
"Oh, of course Chakotay, I only wish I could have made something for her myself and for you too," Maliya answered.
"Yes," Taya agreed, "we should have at least made Uncle a vest for his wedding," the young woman lamented.
"Well don't worry about it. We're the only three who will be at the wedding who know anything about the ways of our people, so no one will think it strange that I'm not wearing the traditional vest, " Chakotay assured the women just as they reached the Paris-Torres Quarters.
June 19, 2378 0747 Paris-Torres Quarters
Tom was just finishing his breakfast and was debating whether to wake B'Elanna or not when the chime to their quarters sounded.
'Geesh, Chakotay's awful early,' Tom thought as he walked toward the living area.
He called out to B'Elanna, "Hey Honey we've got company. I think it's your overeager brother," Tom warned her.
"Come in," Tom called out.
"Chak-," Tom started then stopped as he saw the two beautiful women with his 'brother-in-law'.
"Well as long as you're staring at them, let me introduce you. This is my sister Maliya," Chakotay said as he indicated the older of the two Native American women standing just inside the door of the quarters. "And this is my niece Taya," Chakotay said indicating the younger woman.
"The fellow doing the imitation of a flycatcher is my best man Tom Paris," Chakotay said teasing Tom.
As the two women shook hands with Tom and exchanged greetings, Chakotay looked around for his 'other sister'.
"Where's B'Elanna?" he asked.
"Just getting up. You know I do have to nurse Miral in the middle of the night," B'Elanna said as she came into the room in a robe cradling the baby she'd just mentioned.
"Uh, sorry I guess I wasn't thinking. It's just that I wanted to get to spend some time with you and Maliya and Taya before Tom and I leave to meet Terpe," Chakotay started to explain.
B'Elanna held up her hand to stop him. "Look why don't you introduce us and explain how they got here and we'll worry about how you're going to make this up to me later, OK?" she said with a smile.
"Uh, yeah. This is Maliya and this is Taya and Q brought them here," Chakotay told B'Elanna.
"I didn't think he was all that fond of you," B'Elanna replied.
"Uh, not that Q the other one, the lady Q," Chakotay corrected B'Elanna.
"Oh yes, that Q was rather fond of you, and I think for obvious reasons," B'Elanna said with a tone of sisterly disapproval.
"Q, the other Q that is, brought Kathryn's mother and sister. The four of them are here until the end of the wedding reception," Chakotay explained further ignoring the jibe B'Elanna had made.
"Well, lets make the most of the time they are here," B'Elanna said, as she herded her 'brother', 'sister' and 'niece' into her living area.
"Can I get anyone something for breakfast," Tom asked remembering to be the good host.
"No thank you Tom, we had a wonderful feast thanks to the boy Q," Maliya responded.
"Q Jr. was here too?" B'Elanna asked, sounding as though she hoped she'd heard wrong.
"Yeah, don't worry of the three of them he's the closest to being civilized, besides he's off visiting Icheb," Chakotay answered with a grin. "
"Bringing our family here as a gift for our wedding was Q Jr.'s idea but his parents 'borrowed' it. He said he's now in charge of food, beverages and the weather," Chakotay added in further defense of the younger Q.
"I meant to ask earlier Uncle, what is Leola root?" Taya asked as she tried to get a better look at the baby in her new 'aunt's' arms.
"Leola root is the single best source of vitamins and minerals in the Delta quadrant AND the worst tasting stuff you can imagine. Why do you ask?" Tom answered as he brought breakfast to B'Elanna.
When Chakotay shot Tom a look he added, "Hey I'm her Uncle too aren't I?"
B'Elanna let Taya hold Miral so she could eat her breakfast.
"Huh, I hadn't thought of that, but I guess you are. And to answer your question to Taya, Q Jr. claims to have rid Voyager of all Leola root." Chakotay replied.
"Well hallelujah, praise the Lord and pass the ammunition," Tom said enthusiastically.
"Don't mind him, he's a fighter pilot," Chakotay said in a stage whisper to Maliya and Taya.
"Oh, so we have two living brain donors in one family," Maliya kidded.
"Hey I represent that remark," Tom and Chakotay said in unison, they looked at each other, slapped one another on the back and roared with laughter until Miral woke up crying.
"Oh great, you two look what you've done," B'Elanna scolded.
"Here, let me see if I can put things right," Chakotay said as he reached out his big hands to pick Miral up from Taya.
"Let him give it a try. He was very good with my children when they were babies. I think it's his voice," Maliya said, as Chakotay held Miral in his large hands, rocking her and singing to her in his native language.
"Besides Aunt B'Elanna, he needs the practice. After all this time next year he will probably have a little one of his own to soothe," Taya added with a teasing smile.
"Not next year, the year after. We have to wait a full year after we stopped the contraceptive boosters until it's considered safe to conceive a child," Chakotay explained.
Having soothed Miral back to sleep in a matter of minutes, he started to hand the sleeping child back to her mother, but B'Elanna shook her head and pointed to Maliya, who gladly took the baby.
"Bridge to Commander Chakotay," Tuvok's voice interrupted.
"Yes, Tuvok?" Chakotay replied.
"You wished to be informed when we entered orbit of Tépekan," Tuvok replied.
"Yes, thank you Tuvok," Chakotay replied.
"Well Tom, I think that's our cue to go meet with Terpe," he said.
"Will you be gone long, brother?" Maliya asked.
"No, we were planning to be back by lunch, but I think we'll try to be even faster than that. When I explain to Terpe about your being here, he'll understand my wanting to get back quickly," Chakotay replied.
"Well, don't rush on our account. Kathryn wanted us to spend some time with her, and I for one am having fun visiting with my new sister and niece," Maliya said as smiled at the baby in her arms.
Tom kissed B'Elanna and the baby, and Chakotay gave all the women a quick kiss, then kissed Miral's head.
"B'Elanna, you take care of getting Maliya and Taya to Kathryn for me, OK?" Chakotay asked.
"Yes, OK now go do whatever it is you guys have to do and stop worrying," B'Elanna said, and his sisters and niece all shared a laugh at his expense.
June 19, 2378 0830 A mountain resort on Tépekan
Chakotay, Tom and Terpe were making their way along a trail from the beam down site to the resort Terpe had recommended for the wedding reception. He had also recommended a cabin near the resort to Chakotay as a possible honeymoon spot. As the men walked through the pine trees and took in the beauty of the mountains and the wildlife in the area, Chakotay filled Terpe in about his family's sudden appearance in the Delta Quadrant.
"So these Q people just made your family appear here?" Terpe asked incredulously, as he and Chakotay and Tom approached a very large log structure.
"Yes, the Q are capricious, sometimes they do things that are quite magnanimous and other times things that are thoughtlessly cruel," Chakotay said.
"But these particular Q seem to have improved after becoming parents," he added.
"I wonder if someone will be saying that about you and Kathryn a few years from now," Tom said slyly.
"What," Chakotay asked with a grin, "that we are capricious or that we've improved after becoming parents?"
The three men all grinned at each other as they reached the door to the lodge.
"So what do you think of this area, Chakotay?" Terpe asked as he opened the door for the other two men.
"It's beautiful, but before I book the cabin I have to be sure Kathryn will like it. My bride to be is not the roughing it sort." Chakotay said with a smile, as he remembered their conversations on New Earth.
The resort managers showed them around, and Chakotay and Tom became convinced that the Lodge's ballroom would be perfect for the reception. Tom volunteered to work with the Lodge's staff to get all the details of the reception nailed down for tomorrow.
Terpe and the resort manager took Chakotay to see the cabin they thought would make a nice honeymoon suite. As Chakotay wandered through the "cabin" he realized this was the perfect place for him and Kathryn. The bathroom had an enormous bathtub and there was a hot tub on the deck outside the bedroom that would please her. A large canopy bed dominated the bedroom that he hoped would please them both. There was a large kitchen with every imaginable cooking device and plenty of pots, pans and dishes that intrigued him.
As Chakotay was checking out the kitchen, the resort manager asked him, "Do you or your wife to be enjoy cooking, Mr. Chakotay?"
Chakotay paused to think that question over, "Well, she hates to cook and I, well I don't particularly like to cook," he paused and smiled, "unless I'm cooking for her," he concluded.
"Well, then we will make sure the refrigeration unit and pantry are fully stocked for you," the manager said.
"OK, but if you don't mind I'd like to have someone from my ship bring down a replicator, it's a device that can make foods and beverages for us based on what we program into it. That way Kathryn can have her coffee. Kathryn without coffee is not something I want to deal with!' Chakotay said with a laugh.
"Well if you're satisfied with this cabin then I think we're done here and you can go back to your ship and visit with your family," Terpe said.
"All right, I'll make arrangements for payment and then I'll go back to Voyager and then I'll see you at the rehearsal this afternoon?" Chakotay asked Terpe.
Terpe nodded and Chakotay went off with the resort manager to make arrangements to pay for his honeymoon suite.
June 19, 2378 1100 Messhall
The wedding party, minus the groom, and the alpha quadrant visitors had all met in the mess hall for lunch. Kathryn's bridesmaids gathered round her. Marla Gilmore asked, "Are you sure you don't want your sister or Chakotay's sister or niece to take some of our places in the ceremony?"
"No, they already have parts in the wedding. They are the family. Besides Chakotay wouldn't have anyone to add to his groomsmen so it's not fair. No, we will go with what we planned. I'm sure Phoebe and Maliya and Taya will understand," Kathryn replied looking towards her sister and her future in-laws.
"Of course we do," Phoebe said and Maliya and Taya nodded their heads and laughed as though they had a secret.
Just then Chakotay entered the Mess hall and headed straight for Kathryn's side.
"Ah there you are, I was beginning to think you'd gotten cold feet a day early," Kathryn teased as Chakotay placed a kiss on her cheek and took his seat.
"No," Chakotay chuckled a bit "I was just taking care of some last minute details including figuring out who's going to stay on board during the ceremony," he said.
"Oh no, you mean some of your crew will have to miss the wedding?" Gretchen asked.
"Just a few, we'll have a skeleton crew of volunteers," Chakotay answered.
"Why, Uncle Chak?" Q Jr. asked, as he suddenly materialized behind his 'aunt' and 'uncle'.
"Q, someone has to stay on board to make sure nothing goes wrong with the ship, and to beam everyone else up after the reception," Kathryn explained.
"No they don't, I can make sure nothing happens to the ship, and then I can put the crew back on the ship after the wedding," the young omnipotent being explained.
"Well," Kathryn began but was quickly interrupted.
"Please Aunt Kathy, let me do this one more thing for you, OK?" Q Jr. pleaded.
"Junior, don't plead with a mortal it's unseemly," the lady Q said as she materialized in the mess hall.
"You know Kathryn, I almost envy you," the lady Q said as her eyes raked over Chakotay.
"Why's that Q?" Kathryn asked as she tried to hold her temper.
"Well, unlike the males of the Q continuum, the human male is a domestic animal which, if treated with firmness and kindness, can be trained to do most things," the lady Q said.
Given the number of eyes that rolled in the mess hall one might have thought there was some sort of epidemic going on.
"Are you just going to sit there and take that?" Q asked Chakotay, as he suddenly appeared in his trademark flash of light.
"I was wondering when you'd show up," Chakotay said, and then added, "And yes I'm just going to sit here and take what your better half said, after all, there is no use denying that human beings are animals. We just happen to be sentient animals and as such we are imminently trainable. As to the firmness and kindness, it's much appreciated". Chakotay enjoyed watching the elder Qs fume when their condescension didn't provoke him.
"Hem, I'll have to add that to the list," Kathryn said as she placed a hand around the base of Chakotay's neck and then rubbed her thumb across his cheek and ear before lightly kissing him.
"Add what to what list?" Chakotay asked a bit distracted.
"Add your wonderful way of dealing with the Q to the list of reasons why I love you," she answered.
"I hope it's a long list," Chakotay said, as he looked into the eyes of the woman he loved.
"Yes, it's a very long list," Kathryn replied as everyone in the room, the Qs included, suddenly felt they were intruding.
"Well, I've got places to be, things to do, people to annoy," Q Jr. said as he snapped his fingers and disappeared.
"Yes, well we should be going too," the lady Q snapped her fingers and she and Q disappeared.
"Hey, I wasn't ready to leave," Q's disembodied voice said.
"Too bad, Q because we're going and don't argue with me," the lady Q's disembodied voice could be heard to say.
Chakotay laughed, and then Q reappeared in front of him.
"Oh, you're laughing now, but just you wait. Kathy, will be leading you around like a bull with a ring in his nose in no time," Q said as he sneered into Chakotay's face.
"Q!" bellowed the lady Q. "Leave your pet humans alone and get your sorry excuse for a persona home to the continuum. You can visit them tomorrow at the wedding reception," she said and Q disappeared again.
"Well, at least with the Qs dropping by occasionally life must never be dull," ventured Phoebe.
"Oh yes it's always interesting. Of course you know what the Chinese say about interesting times," Kathryn said and many heads around the room nodded in acknowledgement.
After the luncheon Chakotay and Kathryn found themselves torn, each wanted to spend time with their families, but they both wanted to spend some time together alone too. Finally they decided just to spend the time with their families, reasoning that they had the rest of their lives to spend together. The day progressed faster than Chakotay would have thought possible, what with the wedding rehearsal and a rehearsal dinner too.
The rehearsal had seemed a bit strange to Chakotay, as the priestess had merely told them what would happen at each stage and where people would stand. She'd actually spent more time with the bridesmaids and groomsmen explaining how to place the cords in the bride and groom's hands. She'd also spent a considerable amount of time with Phoebe Janeway though Chakotay didn't know what they had talked about as he'd been distracted by Naomi who wanted to be sure she had her part of the ceremony right.
The wedding rehearsal dinner turned out to be a very special social gathering thanks to Seven of Nine, Naomi and Neelix. Seven had overheard one of the bridesmaids say that because of seating arrangements only the best man, matron of honor and the immediate family of the bride and groom ever got to spend any time with the bride and groom. Seven asked Kathryn if this was true and Kathryn agreed with that assessment. Seven asked if Kathryn would mind if she devised a way to improve the chances of the rest of the wedding party to have some time with the bride and groom. Kathryn was a bit hesitant and asked Seven to consult with others and certainly with her and Chakotay before implementing the plan.
After studying the situation, Seven suggested that they have a multi course meal and that everyone except the bride and groom be reseated after every course. Neelix helped with planning the courses of the meals and Naomi helped Seven with decisions about whether to break up certain "subunits" as Seven called them. It was Naomi who suggested stacking different place cards on top of each other so that at the end of a course, the cards could be easily changed and you could see who should sit where. When Kathryn and Chakotay were given the plan they approved with one minor addition, Chakotay suggested each person be told at the beginning of the dinner the progression of tables they'd be sitting at through the dinner so the change of courses didn't become too chaotic.
The rehearsal dinner was a smashing success thanks to Seven and Naomi's work and to Q Jr. for his assistance to Neelix's normal fare. Far too soon Chakotay found himself bidding goodnight to his sister and niece and to Kathryn's mother and sister as they escorted the women to their visitor's quarters. He then walked Kathryn to her quarters and they went inside to say good night to each other.
"Spirits, do you realize this is the last time I have to do this?" Chakotay asked animatedly.
"Do what?" Kathryn asked a bit confused.
"Say goodnight and then go to my quarters," he answered.
"Tomorrow night when I say good night, I'll just turn out the lights and hold you closer to me than I ever have before," Chakotay explained to her.
"Oh Chakotay," Kathryn said as she lowered her head to rest on his shoulder. He held her close and breathed in the scent of her hair. After awhile he pushed her back a bit from him so he could look into her eyes.
"Well, I let you go now and I guess I won't see you until the wedding ceremony," he said with a tinge of regret.
"Yes, I will meet you in the glade at 1500," she said then reached up on tiptoe to give him one more kiss.
As Chakotay walked back to his quarters he wondered how he could bear the wait until tomorrow, he also wondered if sleep would be possible at all.