It
"Captain, may I bring something to your attent—"
"Not you too, Harry. Before you go any further, let me say this once: it wouldn't be right."
"It wouldn't?"
"No. Because whatever everybody thinks, nothing is going to happen."
"It would improve crew morale though."
"Not that way! I am asking you, Ensign, why is everybody around me so keen to forget about rules and regulations? Why?"
"Actually, I don't think that is the case. Commander Tuvok did ask me to—"
"Tuvok put you up to this?"
"It does come under his authority."
"How dare he?"
"I'm not sure I quite—"
"So he sent you instead? Wait until I give him a dressing down. He probably thought I would be more gentle with you."
"I sincerely do hope so, Captain. Maybe it's a bad time to talk about it. I'll come back later."
"Oh no, Ensign. You won't get off the hook that easily. Let's have it right now in the open. Who else knows about it?"
"Well, B'Elanna said something a few weeks back, but I didn't find anything wrong with it when I checked. Seven mentioned it more recently, and the Doctor. I think Ensign Wildman and even Naomi have been a bit frustrated and Dalby too."
"The whole crew, basically. That's great."
"It's a problem that is affecting the entire ship, yes."
"I didn't realise."
"It's no big deal though. Just a matter of acknowledging the situation, in my opinion."
"Chakotay has been telling me the same thing. There is no hiding the facts from any of you but I thank you for bringing your concern to my attention. The time is ripe. Open a ship-wide channel."
~Ship-wide communication from the captain. Please listen up. I've been made aware that my feelings towards Commander Chakotay are now the object of too many conversations on this ship. Why this is of interest to anybody other than me and the Commander totally escapes me but I can assure you that in no circumstances will this private matter interfere with our duties to get you home. End of communiqué.~
"Are you all right, Kim? You look pale."
"I am really happy for you and the Commander, although your announcement is hardly going to solve the lack of bandwidth on the Pathfinder communications system, which was all I wanted to talk to you about."
"…"
"I think I'll take my leave now, ma'am."
My greatest thanks to Devovere for the extra quick beta once again.