Chapter Two

Unable to transport out of Chakotay's quarters, Seven had to leave out the front door with him. Usually they were far more careful on their dates, but their options were limited right now. As she entered the corridor, her heart pounded in her chest. If anyone saw her leaving his quarters, especially at this hour, it would certainly cause the rumor mill to start up. This was usually how couples were found out on Voyager, leaving each other's' quarters after a night together. All it took was one person to see them for everyone else to find out. Discretion used to be of the utmost importance in their relationship, but now they were growing comfortable with each other, and with comfort came recklessness. She knew it was only a matter of time until someone figured it out, but right now she wanted to enjoy the secretiveness that their relationship enjoyed. Since nobody knew what was going on between them, they had the freedom to act however they wanted. They could set the pace of their relationship and not worry about what everyone else thought. As soon as the rest of the crew found out about their close relationship, then the stares and whispers would start up all over again. The crew had finally grown accustomed to her presence on Voyager and stopped staring at her. When her relationship with Chakotay finally came out in the open, it would all start up again, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for that.

Chakotay didn't appear to be as nervous about being caught as Seven. It was the middle of the night. Anyone who was awake was at their post, which left them free to move around without fear of being caught. He did have some slight concerns though. While he wasn't worried about the crew finding out, he was worried about the Captain finding out this way. He wanted to tell her with Seven, not have her hear a rumor and confront them. After so many years together on Voyager, her finding out that way seemed like some sort of betrayal. He owed her more than that.

Seven let out a breath of relief and visibly relaxed when she saw that the corridor was completely abandoned. With the exception of the night crew, everyone else was still asleep in their quarters, which left them free to walk down the corridor to the turbolift without anyone seeing them. This gave the two of them the ability to leave his quarters unseen. They were lucky this time. Had she left his quarters at the start of the new shift, then she most certainly would have been seen. In a way, being summoned to the bridge in the middle of the night was a blessing in disguise. Their secret safe, for now. Of course, there was still the minor issue with Harry's visit last night, but Seven wasn't going to worry about that right now. Instead, she was more focused on getting to the turbolift with Chakotay without being seen by any crew members and figuring out what could be so important that the Captain summoned them out of bed in the middle of the night. This was a rare occurrence, so it had to be important.

When Chakotay and Seven got to the turbolift, they were no longer afforded the luxury of being alone. While it had been nice while it lasted, they did enjoy a whole evening of being alone. The turbolift had barely started to move when it slowed to a stop, and Tuvok joined them, although he didn't appear to be in a very social mood, as usual. He simply stared at the doors, waiting for them to open when they got to the bridge. When Seven closely examined him, she realized that he looked tired, as if he hadn't even gone to sleep. Dark circles formed under his eyes, and they had a semi-glazed over appearance. Clearly he hadn't even gone to bed in the first place. It was safe for Seven to assume that he knew whatever was going on that summoned them to the bridge. What confused her was why Tuvok seemed to know but Chakotay didn't. He was First Officer after all. It would be logical for the Captain to confide in him on issues pertaining to the ship, although she did have a close relationship with Tuvok as well. There must be some sort of reasoning behind the Captain's decision. In a way, Seven was grateful that the Captain hadn't summoned Chakotay to the bridge to handle the mysterious issue. Had she done so, their romantic night together would have been cut tragically short.

As the turbolift started up again, Chakotay awkwardly adjusted his uniform while Seven patted her hair to make sure she had pinned it back into place appropriately. To the unknowing eye, they looked like two members of the Senior Staff who had been summoned from their beds in the middle of the night for some sort of mysterious reason. Both carefully calculated their actions to make sure neither of them seemed suspicious. This was especially important around Tuvok, who tended to be more perceptive than other members of the crew. He didn't suspect a thing, or at least as far as Chakotay and Seven could tell. He seemed all around unconcerned with their actions. In fact, he barely acknowledged that he wasn't alone.

At night, the bridge ran on a minimal crew, which meant it was more or less deserted when Chakotay, Seven and Tuvok arrived. Three crew members monitored everything going on on the bridge. One sat at the con while two stood in the background where Tuvok and Harry usually stood. It felt strange to Chakotay see other members of the crew standing there. He was so used to seeing the usual crew members from the day shift working. Very rarely did he ever come on the bridge at night. Usually if he did, it was a Red Alert, and everyone was scrambling to their stations. These precious few hours at night were his only time to unwind from a long, stressful day. It had to be important though, or else the Captain wouldn't have called them here at this hour in the first place.

On the opposite end of the bridge, the door to the briefing room was open, indicating that they were to report there, not to the actual bridge. The light was on and various voices floated across the nearly silent bridge. Normally it was a central hub full of people and noise. It was a nice change of pace. Chakotay could see the appeal that came with working the night shift. Normally he and Kathryn weren't around, which meant they had more freedom and relaxed standards. On the other hand, they were expected to work and make decisions without the input of the Captain and First Officer. In a way, they had more responsibility and pressure than those who worked the day shift. If something went wrong during the day shift, either he or Kathryn were there to make decisions. At night, however, the crew had to decide for themselves if the issue was important enough to wake the Captain. It was far more pressure. It was apparent that the appearance of the First Officer caused quite a stir. As soon as he entered the bridge, everyone stood a little straighter and seemed more serious. It was part of Chakotay's job that he disliked. Everyone thought that they had to be serious around him. While he did report directly to the Captain and had nearly as much authority on Voyager as she did, he also understood that nobody on this ship was perfect. They had complaints, flaws and wanted to be able to relax. While the Senior Staff was capable of relaxing around him and the Captain, other crew members didn't act that way around him. Chakotay nodded at each member of the crew on the bridge.

"Commander," each crew member greeted formally as he crossed the bridge to the briefing room with Tuvok and Seven hot on his heels.

In the briefing room, Harry's knowing gaze wasn't lost one Chakotay as he took a seat next to Kathryn. The smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted over, instantly tempting him. While the few hours of sleep he'd gotten were perhaps the best he'd had in weeks, he still felt exhausted. It took everything in his power not to close his eyes and go back to sleep right here. Based on how everyone else around the table looked, he wasn't the only one who felt that way. The coffee was too much to resist. Chakotay got himself a cup before sitting back down. Across the table, Seven caught his eye, but it was a fleeting exchange. As soon as their eyes met, they both quickly glanced away. Both of them knew they had to be careful, especially around the Captain. She could read both of them like a book. All it would take if for one of them to drop their guard for a half a second, and she would pick up on it. Then, it would all be over for them.

With her favorite mug clutched firmly in her hand, Kathryn took a seat to Chakotay's right. They instinctively sat that way, just like they sat on the bridge. Neither of them realized it anymore, it was simply how they sat and usually stood, with him on her left. In the past, they've inadvertently switched positions, with him sitting on her right, but it felt awkward and uncomfortable. They would turn the wrong way to talk to each other and stumble through the most basic of conversations. After making that mistake a handful of times, they silently corrected it whenever they were together. If one happened to be on the designated wrong side, they automatically moved to correct the situation without even realizing it. It was simply how they were. After so many years together leading the crew members of Voyager, Kathryn and Chakotay could work together seamlessly. It was one of the reasons the ship ran so smoothly all the time.

As soon as everyone settled around the large conference table, B'Elanna burst into the briefing room. Her jaw was firmly set, and her body language spoke volumes. Her eyes looked almost wild, and her movement was hasty and erratic. It was clear that she was running on barely any sleep, and she didn't look pleased about being summoned in the middle of the night. As she was a new mother, the lack of sleep and perceived irritability was to be expected, although it was made worse by B'Elanna's already testy personality.

"Tom's on his way," she snapped as she threw herself down on the nearest chair and spun it around to face the Captain. "We'd just gotten Miral to fall asleep when you're announcement woke us up." Not only did she look like she was in a bad mood, she sounded like it as well. Just when everyone thought it was impossible for B'Elanna to be even grouchier, motherhood apparently made that possible. It also brought out her softer side, but that wasn't happening right now. Sympathy flashed across Kathryn's face. She had no way of knowing that, but she still felt bad. She knew Miral kept her parents up at all hours, which was common for all infants. Everyone on board knew that Miral was especially loud. That third Klingon lung really helped her project. It was a miracle Tom and B'Elanna got any sleep at all.

"Normally I'd wait until morning to call you down until morning, but this is important." Kathryn sounded just as exhausted. It was easy to tell that she'd probably been up for several hours, trying to deal with whatever the situation was that caused them to be pulled from their beds in the middle of the night. Chakotay doubted she even went to bed at all. Unfortunately, he knew that it was a lot more common than Kathryn would like to admit. Sleepless nights were a part of the job. She nodded at Tuvok, signaling for him to take over.

"At approximately 2300 hours, we intercepted a distress call. We were able to triangulate its origins on a nearby class M planet, and we altered our course to lend aid," Tuvok explained from his seat on the opposite side of Kathryn.

"Well what does the distress call say?" B'Elanna asked.

"That's part of the problem," Kathryn replied, taking over the conversation from Tuvok. "All we could make out is the word 'help'. When we tried to respond, we were unable to send a return message." That didn't settle well with Chakotay. Normally when they intercept a distress call, they're able to send some sort of message to say that help was on the way.

"There appears to be some sort of interference in the planet's atmosphere that makes it impossible to send a return message," Tuvok explained. "It is probable that that same interference has made it impossible to hear the entire distress call from the planet or use the transporter to help. Tests are being run to see if we can rectify the situation and inform whoever sent the distress call that we are on our way."

"So we don't even know what the entire distress call says," Harry clarified. "And we can't send a return message. We don't know what they need or how we can help." He was saying what everyone else was thinking. None of them liked the sound of this. It just didn't feel right.

"Regardless, it's still a distress call," Kathryn asserted. "And we're going to answer it."

Tom finally joined the Senior Staff. He looked just as exhausted as B'Elanna. He immediately grabbed a cup and filled it to the brim with coffee, hoping the caffeine would be enough to wake him up just a little bit, not that he'd gotten any real sleep in the first place. Coffee in hand, he trailed his fingers along the back of B'Elanna's chair before plunking down next to her. The second he sat down, he thought he was going to fall asleep right then and there. What he wouldn't give for a few hours of blissful, uninterrupted sleep. That was a fantasy that he wouldn't get any time soon though, and he knew it. B'Elanna leaned over and quickly filled her husband in on what he missed. He nodded understandingly. He had the same trepidations that Harry did, although he was too tired to voice them. Harry had spoken his mind, and that was good enough for him.

"Tuvok, I want you, Tom, Harry and Seven to prepare to take a shuttle to the planet as soon as we get close enough," Kathryn directed. While she understood why Harry was hesitant about this away mission, she couldn't in good consciousness ignore the distress call. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if something were to happen and Voyager had been able to lend aid. They had to do what they could to help.

"This is not going to be a typical away mission," Tuvok explained. "The interference created by the atmosphere means we will be out of communication with Voyager for the duration of our mission, which will most likely last several days. We will be on our own for the entire time. We must be prepared for whatever is waiting for us, including bringing supplies to aid whoever."

"You will rendezvous with Voyager in approximately six days," Kathryn added. "That will have to be enough time to help."

"How can we be prepared to help if we don't know what they need?" Tom interjected.

"We are just going to have to bring a little bit of everything and hope we have brought sufficient supplies," Tuvok replied. "Be prepared to depart at 0800 hours." It was currently four in the morning, which meant the away team had four hours to prepare for their mission and make sure they had whatever supplies they needed to help. Once the senior staff was dismissed, they scattered to their respective quarters so the away team could prepare for its mission.

While Seven left to prepare for her away mission in her own quarters, Chakotay returned to his quarters alone. After spending the evening and almost the entire night with Seven keeping him company, his quarters felt unbearably empty. There was something about having Seven here with him that gave this place new life, no matter how serious she acted. After last night, he was hooked. He couldn't wait for their next date. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be for a while with Seven going on this away mission. It was a prestigious away mission, and he was happy for her. On the other hand, he selfishly wished she wasn't going so they could spend more evenings together. It would be alright though. He could survive a few days without her.

No longer feeling tired the least bit tired, Chakotay decided against crawling back in bed. Besides, he had to be up in a few hours to report to the bridge anyway. As soon as he changed, got into bed and managed to fall asleep, he'd only have to wake up again anyway. It wasn't worth the effort. Instead, he replicated a fresh cup of coffee and grabbed the report Harry had dropped off the night before. As he crossed his quarters with his PADD in hand, he glanced over at his bedroom. The sheets and blankets were strewn all over, along with the clothes he had been wearing last night. Memories of last night came flooding back, causing him to smile. Chakotay knew he had to focus. In a few hours, he was expected to be on the bridge and reporting to the Captain. He needed to be ready for that.

As soon as he sat down to read it, however, Chakotay found himself once again distracted with thoughts of Seven and last night. While last night had been a success, it still didn't got the way he planned. Never in his wildest dreams could he ever imagine what had happened, not so quickly after they started dating. It left him feeling confused. Was this a sign that their relationship was moving to the next level? Where did their relationship even stand? These were probably things they should have discussed before having sex, but there had been no time. They both got caught up in the moment, and now it left him feeling confused. He could only assume that Seven was equally as confused, although she was better at hiding her thoughts and emotions. To make matters worse, now they had to wait a few days to talk about it. This away mission couldn't have come at a worse time. There was so much they needed to talk about, but now they would be forced to wait several days. It would be the longest few days of Chakotay's life.

Chakotay banished the thoughts from his mind and instead focused on how wonderful the entire experience had been. It had been too long since he'd shared the company of a woman like that, not since Seska at least. There was something different about Seven though. It was far more tender, more intimate. Now that he got a taste of her, he couldn't get enough. Add to that the feeling of waking up next to a warm body, and he was hooked. Hopefully, this would become a more common phenomenon, although it all depended on Seven's feelings. She had a tendency to overanalyze everything, which could prevent an evening like this from happening again for a while. Chakotay determined that it would be well worth the wait.

At 0700 on the dot, Chakotay appeared in the Captain's ready room. Although they'd just seen each other a few hours earlier, he knew she would want to debrief. It was their usual morning routine. They always met for coffee and went over the plans for the day. Sometimes it only took a few minutes before the conversation shifted to small talk and cordial exchanges. Other times, there was so much for them to talk about, that they spent over an hour discussing everything important for the day. Every day was different. It was something Chakotay looked forward to every morning. Not only did he admire the Captain for her leadership ability in this difficult situation, but he came to regard her as his closest friend. He felt that he could confide in her when it came to anything. The closeness between the two of them definitely helped their working relationship. They were open and honest with each other at all times. Today he had a feeling that there would be no time for personal exchanges though. Given the distress call and the impending departure of the away team, Chakotay had a feeling they had a lot to talk about today.

Waiting in the ready room was a fresh pot of coffee and two mugs, as was their routine. Without waiting for an invitation, Chakotay prepared two cups of coffee, one for him and one for the Captain. After all these years, he knew how she took her coffee without even asking. With both cups of coffee prepared, he took a seat on the couch along the wall below the panoramic window that gave them a view of space. No sooner had he sat down did Kathryn appear and took a seat next to him. He handed her her cup, and she took a long drink.

"You look like you haven't slept in days," Chakotay pointed out. While he had been rather blunt, he was also concerned. It was essential for the Captain to get enough sleep to make sure she made the best decisions possible. When people didn't get enough sleep, they tended to be irrational and reckless.

"You really know how to compliment a woman," Kathryn teased with a laugh. "But no, I didn't sleep at all last night." She eyed him. "How about you?" Memories of waking up next to Seven immediately flooded his mind. He almost came clear right then and there, but he knew Seven wouldn't be happy. This was something they needed to talk to Kathryn about together. For now, he would have to keep this secret to himself, no matter how much he wanted to come clean. It killed him though. He couldn't remember the last time he kept a secret from Kathryn.

"I got a few hours of sleep, but I didn't go back to bed after our meeting this morning. It seemed pointless."

"You need a vacation," Kathryn pointed out.

"I'll take one as soon as you do."

"You're going to be waiting for a while then." Chakotay took a long drink of coffee. This was already his third cup today, although that was hardly surprising. He usually lived on coffee, it was the only thing that kept him going during the day. If he gave it up, he simply wouldn't be able to function.

It didn't take long for the conversation to shift from the usual pleasantries to more important matters, specifically the impending departure of the away team. There was so much for them to talk about in regards to this mission, they couldn't afford any small talk.

"Captain, I do have some hesitations about the away team you've assembled," Chakotay admitted. After so many years together, he knew it was better to come clean and not beat around the bush. In fact, Kathryn seemed to appreciate it more.

"I figured you would," she commented dryly before taking a long drink of coffee. "Okay, Commander, tell me why this mission is a terrible idea," she said with an unamused sigh. The least she could do was listen to her First Officer's hesitations, although she doubted she would change her mind.

"Besides the fact that the away team will be unable to communicate with Voyager, which is highly unsafe and reckless and that we don't know who or what is calling for help, this will be Seven of Nine's longest away mission-"

"Seven is capable of taking care of herself," she assured. "Besides, she has been asking to go on longer away missions for a while now. I think it'll be a chance for her to show what she's capable of." Chakotay still didn't feel satisfied with Seven's safety on this mission. It was only a few days, but there was the communication issue that still made him feel uneasy. If something were to go wrong, there would be no way for any help to be summoned. There were so many things that could go wrong here, and he didn't like it at all.

"This is also Tom's first mission away since Miral's birth," he added. If he just ended the conversation with his fears about Seven's safety, then it might arouse suspicions from Kathryn. "Are you sure he's ready?"

"Tom's more than capable of going on a short away mission, just like B'Elanna is capable of taking care of Miral for a few days on her own. I wouldn't ask this of them unless I thought they were ready." Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. Are you sure this is about Tom and B'Elanna or just about Seven?" Chakotay's heart skipped a beat. He thought he'd been more careful about the subject.

"I just want to make sure the best away team possible is assembled for the mission and that everyone involved will have their heads in the game for the duration." Kathryn wasn't buying it.

Never one to beat around the bush herself, she stated, "I've noticed that you've been spending more time with Seven during your off hours."

"I, I like to spend time with many crew members," Chakotay sputtered. His mind whirled at a million miles a second as he tried to think of a way to talk himself out of this. He was far too tired to deal with this today. "Including Seven of Nine. It builds morale amongst the crew, which is important, especially on such a long journey home." She wasn't buying it. All he had to do was look at her for a second to know that. He didn't blame her, his explanation was pathetic at best. She had her suspicions about her Commander, but before she could pursue the matter, her door beeped, indicating someone was there. "Enter."

Tuvok entered the ready room, which confused Kathryn and Chakotay because he was supposed to leave within the hour on his away mission. There was a lot of preparation that went into this away mission. Not only did each member need to prepare an overnight bag, but basic supplies had to be gathered along with the supplies they thought the senders of the distress call would need. It was a lot of work, and this was the last place Tuvok should be right now. At the moment, however, he didn't look like he was ready to leave.

"Captain. Commander." He nodded politely as he greeted each of his commanding officers.

"Tuvok, I thought you were getting ready to leave," Kathryn said as she got to her feet to refill her coffee. Before walking away, she looked to Chakotay with an inquisitive look, silently asking him if he wanted a refill as well. He handed over his cup. At this point in their relationship, they could have entire conversations together without speaking a word. It was one of the reasons they worked so well together. They instinctively knew what the other needed.

"I was, Captain." Always formal, Tuvok stood with his arms behind his back at attention. "But upon reflection, I realized that I am not the logical choice to lead this away mission." The admission caught both Kathryn and Chakotay off guard. Very rarely, if ever, did Tuvok speak up this way, it went against his Vulcan nature. On the other hand, his mind was controlled by logic. It was why Kathryn relied on his judgement so heavily. Kathryn handed Chakotay his new cup of coffee, which he graciously accepted. "The planet is littered with plasma storms, which will make maneuvering the shuttle significantly more difficult, even with Lieutenant Paris at the helm. There should be a second expert pilot on the shuttle. While I feel that I am a competent pilot, I do feel that Commander Chakotay would be the logical choice for this mission." The admission surprised Chakotay as he took a drink of his coffee. He hadn't been expecting to go on this away mission. He looked to Kathryn, who appeared to be carefully thinking over the suggestion. It made sense. She knew Tuvok was a strong pilot, but Chakotay was even better. With the amount of plasma storms across the planet, it made sense to her.

"I agree." She turned to Chakotay. "Commander, you're to lead the away team." He got to his feet.

"Captain, I-"

"Not now, Commander. You have an away mission to prepare for." Her gaze was firm, but there was a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips and a knowing sparkle in her eyes. She knew. There was no doubt in his mind that she knew and was letting it slide despite the fact that it went against Starfleet regulations. Chakotay sighed. Now wasn't the time to argue with the Captain. It wasn't going to work anyway. Arguing with the Captain rarely if ever worked, so it wasn't even worth the effort.

"Aye, Captain," he relented with a sigh. This wasn't how he saw his day going. He was hoping for an easy day on the bridge and hopefully an early night, although that never happened. Now, he had only a few minutes to prepare for an extended away mission while functioning on almost no sleep.

When Seven appeared in the shuttle bay, the sight of Chakotay preparing for the away mission shocked her. A bag sat at his feet as he read over a report on his PADD. The sight caught her off guard. She expected him to be on the bridge, fulfilling his duties as First Officer. Here he was though. It appeared that he was preparing to leave on the away mission. Her heart fluttered at the prospect of spending more time with Chakotay. The excitement quickly subsided as logic overtook her, and she realized how improper this was.

"Commander," she greeted as she sidled up next to him. Her voice was terse. Chakotay instantly knew that she was displeased. He didn't have to be close with her to know that. Anyone with eyes could tell. "Are you seeing the away team off?"

"No, the Captain has asked me to take Tuvok's place leading the away team," he replied as he put down the report he was reading and went to look over the control panel. He absent mindedly began to press buttons to prepare the shuttle for its impending departure. "They both felt that I would be better suited to guide the shuttle. The planet is riddled with plasma storms. It's not going to be an easy trip." Seven shifted in an attempt to wedge herself between Chakotay and the control panel. This resulted in her body being pressed up against his. The close proximity between wasn't lost on either of them. It took everything in Chakotay's power not to stroke her side or take her by the hand. They were out in the open, they had to be careful.

"Are you sure that's prudent given our relationship?" she questioned softly. His eyes flitted up from the control panel. For a moment, his dark eyes made contact with her enticing grey ones. Normally he would compliment her on how beautiful she was, but right now, he could tell that it wasn't the time or place.

"What do you mean?"

"Isn't it against Starfleet regulations to let couples go on away missions together? It is unwise and creates a conflict of interest." Chakotay looked up.

"Technically speaking, neither of us is a member of Starfleet, so we don't have to worry about that," he pointed out.

"You're First Officer of a Starfleet vessel, which makes you a member of Starfleet. Therefore, it is against regulations for both of us to be on an away mission together." Chakotay moved to another control panel. Seven was hot on his heels and attempted to keep him focused on the her and the pressing issue at hand, not whatever was on the control panels. Once again, she attempted to move between him and the panel. He took half a step backwards, but they were still pressed right up against each other as they talked. In the background, the door opened, and Tom and Harry re-entered the shuttle bay after leaving to grab some last minute medical supplies from sickbay. As soon as they saw what seemed like an intimate conversation between Chakotay and Seven, they immediately made a beeline for the shuttle, but it wasn't before they openly stared at the couple for a second longer than necessary. It didn't take a genius to figure out that they were standing closer than they should have been. Had they simply been crew members on a ship, they wouldn't have been practically standing on top of each other while exchanging an urgent, hushed conversation. Caught up in their conversation, Chakotay and Seven ignored them.

Chakotay stopped what he was doing and asked, "What is the status of our relationship?" It was something they had never really talked about. The question caught her off guard.

"Well, after ten successful dates and the intimate nature of last night, I would like to think that we are in a committed relationship," Seven replied. Despite her attempt to seem collected, she was obviously flustered. This was something they hadn't yet discussed, and now wasn't the time to talk about it. "Although I haven't been able to conduct more further research with Neelix." With her answer still hanging in the air, Seven turned sharply on her heels and stalked to the shuttle. It took a moment for her words to sink in.

"Wait...Neelix?" Chakotay called as he jogged after her. "Seven, you mean Neelix?" He couldn't believe it. All the research she'd carefully done. He never expected it all to come from Neelix. Now that he thought about it, it didn't necessarily surprise him, but it still caught him off guard. It felt strange now that he thought about it. As hard as he'd worked to keep this relationship a secret, Seven was spilling everything to Neelix and getting advice from him.

In the shuttle, Tom sat at the con, preparing for takeoff while Harry stowed away their small bags with their personal effects. Every compartment and available space on this shuttle was filled to the brim with not only the supplies they would need over the course of the next few days but also the supplies they thought they would need to help whoever sent out the distress call. There wasn't an extra inch of space anywhere on board.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Harry asked. He tried to discreetly look out the back of the shuttle to see if he could catch sight of Chakotay and Seven but to no avail. They were standing just out of sight.

"Normally I'd say they're talking about the away mission, but after what you told me last night, my money's on something steamy and sexy," Tom replied.

"You don't know that," Harry commented as he firmly closed the hatch to the compartment holding their bags. He sat down behind Tom. "They could be talking about the mission." Tom spun around in his chair.

"This is why we need to get you a woman, Harry. You've been alone for too long." Harry rolled his eyes. He knew his friend was right though. It had been far too long since he'd been on a date, and the pickings were slim on the ship. Tom had been lucky to find someone compatible in B'Elanna, and apparently now Chakotay was lucky with Seven. If they could find someone special, Harry felt confident that he could as well. Sooner or later he'd find someone, either on Voyager or when they got back to Earth.

Further conversation between Tom and Harry was cut off by Seven boarding the shuttle. She stowed her bag in the same compartment where they had put theirs before making sure her portable regenerator was on board. While she was fine right now, she would need to regenerate in the next day or two. The thought made her nervous. Regeneration was a private affair for her, and the thought of doing it on a strange planet during an away mission slightly unsettled her. Her biggest fear was how Chakotay would react. This would be another big step in their relationship. To her, it was almost more intimate than how they had spent last night. For the duration of her regeneration, she would be completely incapacitated and no use to the away team if something went wrong. Regeneration was necessary though. The Captain ordered her on this away mission, and she couldn't say no. Besides, she had been waiting for a chance to go on an extended away mission for a while now. This was her opportunity to prove her worth to the Captain and the crew. She would adapt. She always did.

Once on board the shuttle, Chakotay took a seat next to Tom. While he technically had seniority over the pilot, the First Officer was perfectly comfortable giving him control over piloting the craft. He was here to offer help if necessary. This flight could go smoothly or be fraught with peril from the plasma storms all across the shuttle closed as the away team prepared for their mission.

"We're going to be gone for a few days, did everyone remember to pack their teddy bears and nightlights?" Chakotay teased as he swiveled his chair around around began to punch several buttons on the panel in front of him.

Before anyone could respond to the sarcastic comment, the Captain's voice came over the comm system, "Janeway to Shuttle Cochran. Prepare to disembark."

"Aye, Captain," Chakotay said.

"We'll see you in a few days, Commander." The bay door opened, revealing the never ending expanse that was space. Tom took control of the craft, and it jetted forward into the dark abyss. Chakotay carefully monitored the control panel in front of him and did his best to banish all thoughts of Seven, despite the fact she sat just a few feet behind him. Right now, he needed to focus.

"We'll enter the planet's atmosphere in approximately half an hour, Commander," Tom announced. "Fortunately, the area surrounding the distress call looks like it's free of all plasma storms right now."

"Plasma storms can form quickly," Seven interjected. Her voice reminded Chakotay how close they were sitting to each other. "It would be wise to be prepared, just in case."

"I agree," Chakotay said. "Harry, monitor the conditions near the distress call and its surrounding areas. If it looks like a plasma storm is going to form, I'd rather play it safe and land a few kilometers away. We can walk if necessary."

"Aye, sir." Harry immediately turned his attention to monitoring the weather conditions on the planet as they approached it.

After so many years working together on the bridge, Tom and Chakotay seemed to work in unison as they navigated the shuttle towards the planet. While Tom controlled the shuttle, Chakotay carefully kept an eye on not only the conditions on the planet but also of the shuttle. So far, everything was fine as they began the descent.

"We're about to enter the atmosphere," Tom announced. No sooner did they enter the atmosphere did Harry's console began to beep loudly, drawing the attention of everyone in the small vessel.

"Commander, a small plasma storm has just formed directly over the area of the distress signal," he informed.

"Lieutenant, I want you to land as as close to the origins of the distress signal as you can without putting us in danger," he ordered.

"Aye, Sir." Tom scanned the controls in front of him. His brow furrowed as he read the information in front of him. "It's going to be a bumpy ride. I'll do my best to keep it smooth."

"Just land us safety," Chakotay directed.

"Aye, Sir." Seven got to her feet and stood between Tom and Chakotay to get a better view of going on. At the moment, she felt completely useless. Everyone else had a job to complete, and she was just there, waiting for her next orders.

The shuttle began to tremble as it entered the lower atmosphere. Without warning, it jumped and lurched to the forward, nearly knocking everyone out of their seats. Seven stumbled forward so she was standing between Tom and Chakotay. Before the crew could recover, the shuttle jumped to the left, which sent Seven tumbling across Chakotay's lap. For a moment, both of them froze as they tried to figure out the best course of action and how to react. He instinctively took her hand and put his other hand on the small of her back as she scrambled to her feet. Their touch lingered for a second longer than it should have, which wasn't lost on Tom and Harry. Out of respect, they kept any comments to themselves. It was obvious that both of them were flustered.

"I apologize, Commander," Seven said stiffly as she tucked away a strand of hair that had come loose. Chakotay waved off the comment but refused to look at her. Tom had never seen his Commander like this before. He actually looked embarrassed. While it would have been a humiliating experience regardless of Chakotay and Seven's relationship, Tom knew that it was made worse by the fact that they were attempting to seem like there was nothing on between them. It wasn't working though. The faintest hint of a blush crept across Chakotay's cheeks. Luckily, his dark skin helped hide it, but only a little.

The shuttle continued to shake as it broke through the clouds, revealing the desert-like planet below. The land was almost completely flat, the exception of what looked like a small collection of caves in the distance. It didn't look at all hospitable, but there was no denying that there had been a distress call that came from nearby, which was why they were here.

"Land near those caves," Chakotay ordered Tom. The caves would provide the perfect refuge from any plasma storms that popped up while they were here.

"Aye, Sir." Now that they had broken through the clouds, it was smooth sailing. The shuttle came about and settled comfortably in the middle of the desert near the caves. They had arrived, but there was no sign of any people or any distress call as far as the eye could see. They were essentially alone.