Prompt: Admiral Beasley - "You're very good. I chose you to be the best but you're even better than I hoped." - 'Earth Star Voyager'
Looking around the messhall, Chakotay was glad to see the familiar faces of his crew from the Val Jean. Yes, there were a few missing but two days ago he had been sure he would show up in the Cargo Bay to find quite a few of his former Maquis deciding to stay on 'New Eath', he couldn't help but feel relieved. This wasn't what they had signed up for but he was grateful for their loyalty.
Voyager's first officer also noted that he didn't see Tuvok hanging around. He was sure that once the security chief caught wind of this gathering he had called, that the Vulcan would be checking it out in fear of a Maquis mutiny.
Getting to his feet, Chakotay hit the glass gently with his spoon. Archaic though it may be, the tactic served it's purpose as the chatter died down and all eyes turned toward them.
"I thank-you all for coming tonight," Chakotay said, his gaze moving around the room from B'Elanna sitting at his side, to Gerron, Dalby and Henley sitting at the table in the corner of the room.
"I know I said I had arranged this gathering as a chance for old comrades to catch up with one another as Voyager isn't quite as intimate as the Val Jean was," Chakotay said, as he continued. There were a few murmurs of amusement at those words even as he went on. "However, I also have another reason for gathering you here together and that is to express my gratitude to each and every one of you."
"Yes, we may have had some rough patches mingling with the Starfleet crew at first," Chakotay said, his gaze finding B'Elanna and several others who had been involved in fights with Starfleet crew members in those early days. "I also know that adjusting to Starfleet procedures was easier for some than it was others," he continued, as he looked toward the table in the corner and then found Chell sitting with another group. "But not only did you all do it, but given the opportunity to leave the ship, you all did me proud by choosing to stay. To choose to stick it out, head home and face whatever lies ahead for us in the Alpha Quadrant."
"When I recruited each of you for the Val Jean, I knew I was recruiting people who would give me their best. Who were loyal to the cause and would be loyal to the ship. That loyalty was tested when we got stranded in the Delta Quadrant, and despite some grumbling, you all stuck by me. I told Captain Janeway when we merged the two crews that she was getting the best the Maquis had to offer and that you would rise to the challenge. You have all performed better than I could have hoped."
Holding his glass high Chakotay finished his speech. "To the best crew a Captain could ask for."