# Chapter 2 – Chakotay's Revelation

Chakotay surveyed the group assembled in the mess hall for lunch and quickly spotted Kellin with Neelix and some others by the bar next to the kitchen. She was speaking and appeared to be holding the group in rapt attention. That was like her. Always ready with a good story. He moved over to the small group and Kellin stopped and turned to greet him.

"I think we're finally ready," he said to Kellin and nodded to Neelix and the others. "The Captain has given her enthusiastic approval. We can convert those three hydroponics rooms on deck four into quarters. The conduits that run in the bulkhead over that area will provide ample power to the alcoves in Seven's and Icheb's new quarters, and the whole crop from all three rooms can be relocated into the cargo bay."

Kellin displayed one of her smiles that Chakotay loved. To his great relief, in the past month since the incident with the Tracer, they had established a good working relationship and even a friendship of sorts. Unfortunately, there was still an invisible barrier between them. They didn't speak of it, but it was there. He kept telling himself to take one day at a time.

"I told you Commander Chakotay would figure it out," Neelix said and slapped Chakotay on the back.

"Thank you," Kellin replied, and then including Neelix as well, "thank you both. I think we'll all be happier out of that cargo bay."

"We can make the switch first thing tomorrow," Chakotay continued. "I'm sure Neelix will be able to rustle up some volunteers to help with the move."

"I'm way ahead of you Commander," Neelix replied jovially. "Just let me know the time and we'll all be there."

"Let's say eight o'clock then. We'll start by clearing out the plants and hydroponics units."

Kellin glanced at the timepiece in the mess hall's kitchen and stood. "I have to get back to my security detail," she said "I'll have to finish my story later." She said goodbye to the group and starting for the door, but then turned back. "Now that it's our official last night in the cargo bay, Seven and I plan to host that dinner in celebration. We'll do all the cooking, Neelix. I expect all of you to be there."

"I wouldn't miss it," Neelix said and Chakotay nodded.

Chakotay watched wistfully as Kellin moved off and out of the mess hall. She was back to the confident, self-assured person he had fallen in love with. And yet, the spark between them just simply was not there. Captain Janeway had annulled their marriage, at Kellin's request. One day at a time, Chakotay reminded himself, one day at a time.

"Some stew Commander?" Neelix asked.

Chakotay turned and shook his head. "Not today Neelix, I think I'm going to use some of my replicator rations." He moved off to the replicator and ordered a plate of lasagna. Comfort food, and he needed it today. He was pleased that Kellin had reintegrating so easily back into Voyager's day to day activities, but was melancholy as the closeness they once shared with each other wasn't developing as he had hoped it would. He picked up his tray and turned to again scan the mess hall in hopes of finding a friendly face. He found it sitting alone in the far corner and moved purposefully towards the table.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked.

Seven of Nine motioned to the open place across from her. Chakotay placed his plate down and sat heavily into his seat. He paused briefly, to offer thanks to the gods for providing him another meal and another day.

"Comfort food?" Seven questioned. "Is there something going on?"

Chakotay shook his head and cut off a corner of the lasagna with his fork and put it in his mouth. He closed his eyes for a moment and savored the taste. He sensed Seven was still waiting for an explanation, so swallowed and reopened his eyes. "She's the same, and yet different. I'm beginning to lose hope. She is showing no signs that she's interested in becoming anything more than friends." Before Seven could respond, another thought occurred to Chakotay that he'd been meaning to speak to Seven about. "By the way, I've noticed how excited you and Icheb have become to finally get your own quarters. We should have had more sense during the past seven years and done this long ago. I'm sorry. If there's ever anything you want or need, please come speak to me. I really don't want to commit an oversight like that again."

"There was no oversight," Seven responded. "Icheb and I never suggested a move."

Chakotay wasn't letting himself off that easily. As First Officer, he should have known better. He cut off another forkful of lasagna. "I'm serious, I'm relying on you to keep me in line," he said and put the lasagna in his mouth.

"Well then, now that you mention it," Seven said, "I've been appalled at the lack of recognition my astrodynamics team has been receiving in the First Officer's reports to the Captain."

"Really?" Chakotay replied dubiously. In fact, the astrodynamics team, under Seven's leadership, was constantly showing up in his reports. If it wasn't cutting off a few weeks here or there as they charted Voyager's path home, it was the discovery of another interesting astronomical phenomena in their local neighborhood. Over the years, Chakotay had become quite impressed with Seven and the utility of the astrodynamics lab she created. "And what do you suggest?"

"Some have suggested you double our replicator rations for the next several periods to make up for the oversight," Seven replied, "we all need some comfort food once in a while, after all." She grinned at Chakotay's reaction and returned to eating her own lunch.

"I'll take that under advisement," he replied, and they both ate in a casual and relaxed silence for a time. As Chakotay reflected, he realized he also felt a bit of guilt that he had originally been against trying to integrate Seven of Nine into Voyager's crew when she first arrived. Now he couldn't imagine Voyager without her and was thankful to have her as a friend, particularly during this confusing time with Kellin.

"As for Kellin," Seven said, breaking the silence. "Perhaps in time her feelings for you will return."

"I'm not so sure anymore. We fell in love… twice. I think waiting for it to happen a third time is asking too much." He sighed. It was hard to think about it. The wound was too fresh. He had chastised himself only this morning for dwelling on it so much, but he couldn't help it. To have his relationship with Kellin, his marriage with her, snatched away so suddenly. Chakotay looked at his half eaten lasagna and found he had lost his appetite. "What are your thoughts on marriage Seven?"

Seven coughed on something she was eating, but then raised her hand to indicate she was fine. "I'm sorry, just a moment." Seven cleared her throat as Chakotay idly pushed the uneaten lasagna around on his plate.

"I've actually been conducting some research on the subject of marriage," Seven eventually replied. "In most cataloged sentient species in the Federation database with two or more sexes, there is a ritualistic bond between individuals translated to marriage commonly practiced in nearly all."

"I've heard with the Breen, marriages can consist of dozens of individuals with an alpha male and an alpha female in a sort of pack," Chakotay commented.

"Yes. There are a wide variety of arrangements that are considered a marriage and recognized as such in Federation law. With such disparate definitions, however, in cases where species of varying backgrounds interact, a qualifier is often used to distinguish between the different conventions, such as a Vulcan marriage or a Denobulan marriage."

Chakotay chuckled. "You don't want to mix those up. They are quite different marriages with very different expectations."

"And legal obligations," Seven added. "In most cases, marriage was originally instituted to encourage procreation and the raising of offspring. Many consider the bonds that are formed to be a lasting commitment, a way for the individuals to grow together both physically and emotionally. In many species, marriage holds a religious or spiritual significance as well."

"I agree," Chakotay replied. "There is a definite physical, emotional, and spiritual significance to marriage."

"For humans, the significance of each of those factors have waxed and waned over the centuries, but marriage as a foundational unit has endured," Seven added.

"Ramuran beliefs are very similar. I thought my marriage with Kellin were all those things."

"Technically, with the Captain's annulment and if Earth tradition is to be followed, the marriage between you and Kellin was thus never valid."

Chakotay flinched. He knew Seven would never say anything to purposefully hurt him, but nonetheless, that did hurt. She sure had a way of saying things bluntly.

"For what it's worth," Seven quickly added, "I too find merit in marriage."

"I guess we were just not meant to be."

"A curious choice of words, 'meant to be'," Seven commented. "As part of my research, I've been considering this notion of 'true love', or the postulation that there is but one perfect match for each of us."

"Oh?"

"It seems preposterous to suppose this to be the case. Of all the sentient beings that populate the Galaxy, a particular individual will meet but a tiny fraction, and of those they meet, the same individual will only get to know an even smaller fraction. Consider you and Kellin. The chances that you would have even met were astronomically small given your respective births half a galaxy apart, let alone fall in love. To think that she was your true love would constrain you to a very low probability of happiness. It seems to me more likely that there are chances for love between all individuals, with some perhaps more likely than others, and that we are at the mercy of who we encounter and those mutual probabilities."

Chakotay was dumbfounded, but interested. The thought of Seven researching 'true love' intrigued him. "I believe there are forces beyond what our tricorders can measure that guide us in our lives," he finally managed. "Perhaps it is this that enables us to find our true love."

"I see no evidence of these supernatural forces," Seven countered.

"A lack of evidence is not evidence to the contrary. So what else has your research turned up?"

"Not research, but observations of human behavior," Seven continued. "I've studied the specimens here on Voyager and have noticed that individuals appear to fall in a compatibility spectrum of how well they get along with others. I think this translates directly to how well they would match up with others in a relationship. From those who would make a good match with just about everyone, to those who would be difficult to match with anyone."

Chakotay laughed again. "You make it sound like a laboratory experiment. Can you give me examples?"

"I can. Consider Lieutenant Ayala. He is an individual who would make a good match with many partners. In fact, he is apparently the romantic interest of a number of women on Voyager. By all accounts, he is a good listener, is very devoted to his friends, and is well liked by most everyone."

"You know this by personal experience?" Chakotay asked with a bit of surprise.

Seven appeared to ignore Chakotay's surprise. "No, I have only interacted with Lieutenant Ayala on a few occasions, but in this case I'm going by what I've observed and heard from others."

"How about at the other end of your compatibility spectrum?"

"I would say that I fall in that category. My Borg past is a severe handicap and can be quite intimidating to others. In the past seven years I have made but a few friends, you and Kellin being my closest friends. Further, although I've tried to expunge myself of these tendencies, my ideas and goals of perfection also severely limit my choices."

Chakotay found himself shaking his head. "I think your reasoning is flawed."

"Oh?" Seven bristled.

"First off, you have more friends on Voyager than you give yourself credit for. You do get along with everyone in your own way. I also have no doubt there is someone out there who is a perfect match for you, he just doesn't know it yet. And you would accept him flaws and all. As for your compatibility spectrum and how it equates to predicting relationships, it is an incomplete representation. There is also the notion of motivation. I've known Ayala a long time; he was my first officer on the Val Jean. He does get along with everyone, but lacks motivation to act. He's been that way for as long as I've known him. Jenny Dehlaney is one of those women with a romantic interest in him."

Seven raised her eyebrows.

"I'm the First Officer and I have eyes and ears."

Seven looked away and smirked.

"Anyway, I happen to know Ayala is interested in her as well, but he has yet to tell her so. If he waits too long, he will miss his opportunity. I'm sure there are those at the other end of your spectrum who, regardless of how they limit their choices, when they do find that one person who they are compatible with, they don't hesitate." Chakotay reflected further and added, "besides, I'm one of those who thinks, despite the odds, despite the barriers, despite the past, there are certain people who are just meant to be together."

Across the table, Seven had fallen silent. She was obviously turning something over in her head. As Chakotay looked, it was as if a veil was lifted from his vision and he was seeing her for the first time. His mind flashed back to the night the Tracer had invaded their meal together in his quarters. He had just finished telling Kellin and Seven about a dream he had the night before. In the dream, he was presented with alternative futures, or rather, alternative presents. How his life might have unfolded given different decisions and different circumstances. He had told them how in many of the alternatives, it had been he and Seven who were apparently together. Kellin had joked about that, and they had all laughed. But now, sitting across from Seven, he couldn't help but wonder. How easy their conversations had been these past few weeks during these lunches together. He truly looked forward to talking with her and just being with her. Was the guiding force in the universe telling him something? She was intelligent and charming and engaging and beautiful and … He felt his pulse suddenly quicken. He heard again the words he had just spoken and turned their meaning around. Had he just been preaching to himself?

And then, perhaps because she sensed he was staring, she looked up from her plate and into his eyes. There was a definite connection that jolted Chakotay and he suddenly stood up. He felt certain she could see on his face the thoughts that were going through his mind. "Ah…" he stammered.

"Chakotay?"

"I apologize," he said, trying to regain his composure. He picked up his plate. "I have to get going. I'm due on the bridge for my shift. Please excuse me."

"See you tonight then?"

Chakotay thoughts were a tempest and he had to organize them to think more clearly. Tonight? What was she implying? It took him a moment to remember. Of course, the dinner in the cargo bay. "See you then," he managed and turned to go and deposit the plate back in the replicator for recycling. Had she noticed him staring? Had she sensed his feelings?

He tried to walk casually out of the mess hall but suspected he failed miserably. What were his feelings towards Seven? They had snuck up on him and revealed themselves suddenly, and now he was reluctant to probe those feelings, afraid at what he might find. Wasn't he still in love with Kellin? But in response, another part of Chakotay's mind reminded him that the Kellin he was in love with no longer existed. She had apparently been erased along with her memories over a month ago. But what would Seven think of him if she knew? He wasn't sure, and he valued her and their friendship too much to risk finding out.

As he made his way to the bridge, however, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the vision of Seven's clear blue eyes looking at him from across the table out of his mind.