Disclaimer: CBS/Paramount own Voyager, Deep Space Nine and the characters established on the shows. The original characters and story are mine.

Author's note: I apologize for the long wait and the brevity of this chapter. I recently lost a beloved family member and haven't felt like writing. This chapter is my way of getting back in the game. Thanks for your patience.

Icheb was smiling at Naomi, he was surprised she didn't know their Captain was married to a fellow Starfleet officer. "She is, they met when they served together on Deep Space Nine, years ago."

Naomi was squinting at him, trying to determine if he had deliberately kept their Captain's marital status from her, or if he felt it was not worth mentioning. "May I ask, what's his rank?"

"He is a full Commander, same rank as mine." The others at the table were quiet, eager to see how the scene played out.

Naomi threw her hands out, palms down, as if signaling an attempt to stop a charging dog. "Let me see if I understand this, our Captain, the very same Captain who read us the riot act for fraternization, is married to someone who is lower in rank than she is?"

Icheb could tell the others were enjoying Naomi's fit of pique, "Right.

"Hmmm, well, okay, interesting. Who is he, and where are we taking him?"

"He is the CMO of Deep Space Nine, Julian Bashir and we are taking him to his new posting, like I said. He's to be the new director of Cold Station 12."

"Impressive, isn't that a fairly prestigious assignment, heading up a historical base like CS12?"

Voyager's EMH answered Naomi, "Indeed, it is. It's one of the top four or five medical postings in Starfleet."

Naomi was puzzled, "If he isn't a Captain, how did he get the posting?"

Icheb explained, "He's a Commander now, but is getting a promotion to Captain concurrent with his new posting."

"How long have the Captain and her husband been married?"

"Seven or eight years, I think. They met when she was a counselor stationed on DS9."

Naomi practically shouted, "She was a counselor? Are you kidding me? How did she become a Captain? Why and when did she switch to the command track?"

Icheb was smiling at Naomi, "She was, and as to the particulars of Captain Dax' career, do you really want to spend our last evening with our family discussing something we can discuss anytime back on the Lindbergh?"

Naomi realized she was squandering precious time spent with the Voyager family discussing trivial matters about her current Captain. "Of course, you're right Icheb. Sorry everyone, it just surprised me to learn Captain Dax is married, not to mention she was a counselor."

Commander Harry Kim chuckled, "We noticed." In an attempt to change the subject, "So, how long will the Lindbergh be at DS9? The last time I was there, a Ferengi bartender tried to sell me something, and Tom had to rescue me. I was fresh out of the Academy. That was right before we left for the Badlands to pursue Chakotay's Maquis ship."

Icheb replied, "I'll be wary of Ferengi bartenders. I think we are going to be at the station for several days. The Lindbergh is going to get some maintenance work done as well. A nice easy mission will be a welcome change of pace for us."

Harry cautioned Icheb, "Don't get too complacent, anything can happen on what one would expect to be a routine mission. Captain Janeway once told me, 'We're Starfleet officers, weird is part of the job.'"