Prompt: June Carter - "No it does not work itself out. People work it out for you and you think it works itself out." - 'Walk The Line'

Reaching up Chakotay rubbed at the stiff muscles in his neck. Whoever said things work themselves out definitely had never tried to run a ship. Granted, he wasn't exactly in charge of Voyager, but as first officer he was going to have a lot of responsibility - especially when it came to getting his Maquis integrated into the crew.

Nope, whoever came up with that saying definitely wasn't the one in charge of anything. They had people above them who worked things out and they just thought things worked themselves out.

"I'm not sure I'm comfortable having Gerron Ral as a part of the crew. He's kind of young, isn't he?"

Chakotay sighed at the captain's comment. He knew this had been coming but he wasn't about to give in. He had been promised a spot with the Voyager crew would be granted to each of his crew, and he was determined to see that happen.

"Gerron has been a valuable member of my crew for two years."

"Two years! You recruited a sixteen year old into your cause."

"Well, if you go off the age he originally passed himself off as, he would be twenty-one now," Chakotay commented lightly.

"This isn't a joking matter, Commander."

"I know. I was just trying to lighten the mood. We've been at this for quite awhile. As for Gerron, he was determined to go after the Cardassians. If I hadn't recruited him, he would have found another way and probably wound up dead. I didn't want that on my conscious."

"But you're asking me to take a chance of having the death of an eighteen year old on my conscious. He might not be a kid, but he should be in school, maybe in the academy, learning."

"Which isn't exactly possible right now," Chakotay pointed out. "And you're right, Gerron has a lot to learn but he's a quick study. He's learned quite a bit in the two years he's been with me, and he'll continue to learn here on Voyager."

Janeway sighed. Her new first officer made a logical argument and she couldn't very well coddle the young man now that he'd been a part of the Maquis for two years. "I won't allow him to be a part of an away team right away. Voyager isn't %100 safe, but it's safer than exploring some alien ship or world."

"Fine," Chakotay conceded.

"What department do you think he'll work out in."

"Gerron's always been a bit reserved. I think he's going to have a rough time adjusting to this new arrangement at first so I'd like to place him somewhere that there isn't a lot of pressure. Stellar Cartography perhaps. Later on, once he's adjusted, then perhaps we can give him a chance to try other departments. Give him a chance to learn things hands on, as the academy isn't exactly an option."

Janeway nodded. Voyager wasn't an ideal learning environment but they couldn't exactly be choosy right now.