Male / Male Fan Fiction

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#003333" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="041d4c00dduajq.png"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="95" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 46 WIDTH="91"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="46" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="91" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div>             Crossing the</div> <div> Nebula </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="159" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 49 ><NOBR><div> Male / Male</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="71"><div> -- Send the Stories or</div> <div> Links --</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 33 WIDTH="71"><div> <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Stories by Other Alternative/Slash Fan F"><U><IMG SRC="07320180.png" border=0 width="32" height="24" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="71"><div> Previous Page</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 33 WIDTH="71"><div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Table of Contents"><U><IMG SRC="07320180.png" border=0 width="32" height="24" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="71"><div> Table of Contents</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Teleport Instructions:</B></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Wing0a7300a800f0ffffff00.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Click on white rectangles above to go to a specific page.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Wing0a7300a800f0ffffff00.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Hold your mouse over a rectangle to see the topic.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Wing0a7300a800f0ffffff00.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Notice that the page you're currently viewing has a "halo" and is highlighted in yellow.</div> <div> Click <A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Me"><U>HERE</U></A> to give me quick and easy Feedback on this site.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#990033" FACE="Jokerman" ><B>Crossing the Nebula</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" >     |   </FONT>  <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Crossing the Nebula"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <B>Male / Male Fan Fiction</B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Male / Male Fan Fiction</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Command Performance </div> <div> By "Emma Woodhouse"</div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/emma_woodhouse_2000/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.geocities.com/emma_woodhouse_"><U>http://www.geocities.com/emma_woodhouse_2000/</U></A></div> <div> ***********************************************************************</div> <div> Command Performance  by "Emma Woodhouse"  Part 1 of 6</div> <div> VOY  Chakotay/Paris  NC-17</div> <div> Disclaimer:  Once again, the characters belong to Paramount.  So</div> <div> does the ship, equipment, goods and supplies, down to the tiniest</div> <div> sprout in the Airponics Bay.  I made up a few characters, including</div> <div> the Avarans, and the Late Great Miriam O'Rourke, and the plot and</div> <div> dialog are certainly my own, copyright 1996 by "Emma Woodhouse".</div> <div> Warning:  If it's Woodhouse, it must be slash.  One of these days,</div> <div> I'll write a m/f, just to prove I can do it, but not today, boys</div> <div> and girls.</div> <div> Intro:  When I first began reading alt.startrek.creative, and the</div> <div> archives, C/P was almost all there was in the way of Voyager slash.</div> <div> Seeing a Need (and considering the concept as Cute as All Get-Out),</div> <div> I began writing P/K.  While still a devotee of P/K, I felt the Call</div> <div> to try C/P.  Why?  Because, like Mount Everest, it's there.  The</div> <div> astute and careful reader of my Works will note that I've been</div> <div> tinkering with backstory again.  Hey, this is a different</div> <div> timestream.</div> <bR> <div>                        Command Performance</div> <div>                        by "Emma Woodhouse"</div> <div>                              Part I</div> <div>      "I just don't get it, everything seemed to be going well."</div> <div>      Chakotay sighed.  He'd been trying to meditate, but it just</div> <div> didn't seem to be possible, not with the younger man pacing the</div> <div> room like that.  He opened his eyes.  Of all the people to be</div> <div> sharing a cell with.</div> <div>      Paris saw that he was finally getting the Commander's</div> <div> attention, and sat down on one of the wooden bunks.  They were in</div> <div> a stone cell, with no amenities, no window, only a bucket of water</div> <div> on a rickety table and a foul chamber pot in the corner.  "Didn't</div> <div> you think things were going pretty well?"</div> <div>      "So it seemed," Chakotay admitted.  "But I don't really have</div> <div> a lot of experience negotiating with monarchies, and I couldn't</div> <div> quite get a handle on His Majesty."</div> <div>      "I don't think it was the majestic kid at all," Paris argued.</div> <div> "He was listening and nodding, and when he learned how much</div> <div> duranium we were willing to trade for a few tiny vials of that</div> <div> serum, he perked right up.  No, I think it was the old guy standing</div> <div> behind him.  The guy in brown with the funny hat."</div> <div>      "The vizier," Chakotay supplied.</div> <div>      "That's the one.  Everything was going fine until he started</div> <div> whispering in the king's ear.  And now look at us."</div> <div>      "These people are fairly primitive," Chakotay told him,</div> <div> uncrossing his legs and stretching.  "They think the vizier is a</div> <div> magician."</div> <div>      Paris was interested.  "And is he?"</div> <div>      Chakotay looked at the pilot with surprise.  "Well, how would</div> <div> I know?"</div> <div>      "Can't you ask your spirit guide or something?  Surely it</div> <div> would know."</div> <div>      Chakotay sighed.  He never could tell whether Paris was being</div> <div> serious or not; it was one of the things that annoyed him most</div> <div> about the man.  "I don't have a direct comm link to the universe of</div> <div> magic, Paris, whatever you might think."  Not many people on the</div> <div> ship really understood Chakotay's spiritual life.  They all seemed</div> <div> to think it was either bunkum or pure magic.</div> <div>      "Well, shit."  Paris fell silent and stared moodily at the</div> <div> floor.</div> <div>      Chakotay went back to his interrupted meditation.  But it was</div> <div> not to be.  A few short minutes later, there was a creaking at the</div> <div> door, and then the door swung open.  The two men were instantly on</div> <div> their feet.</div> <div>      Expecting the surly guard who had brought them here, they were</div> <div> surprised at the tiny woman who slipped into the cell.  She put her</div> <div> finger to her lips and gestured for them to follow her.</div> <div>      Paris looked inquiringly at the Commander, who shrugged his</div> <div> shoulders.  Might as well, he indicated, and the two followed the</div> <div> woman out into the dim corridor.</div> <div>      The woman was well dressed, in a silky gown with fur trim, and</div> <div> Chakotay recognized her after a moment.  She'd been in the audience</div> <div> chamber earlier, with the older woman whom he knew to be the Queen</div> <div> Mother.  He wondered what was going on.</div> <div>      Farther down the corridor, the three passed the guard station.</div> <div> Two guards were slumped in their chairs, snoring heavily.  Paris</div> <div> paused for a moment and sniffed their breath.  Aha, he thought so -</div> <div> drugged.  This was definitely strange.</div> <div>      Now they were out the door, into a dark muddy alley, and their</div> <div> little escort urged them into a carriage, some sort of primitive</div> <div> motorized contraption, and then they were moving.</div> <div>      The windows were covered.  Where were they going?  The woman</div> <div> threw back her hood, and looked at the two men.  She was young, and</div> <div> rather pretty.  These Avarans were very human-looking humanoids,</div> <div> small, darkhaired and copper-skinned, they could probably pass</div> <div> easily for humans on the streets of Earth itself.</div> <div>      Chakotay said, "Would you mind telling us what's going on?"</div> <div>      The woman thought for a moment, and then said, "They were</div> <div> going to kill you, you know."</div> <div>      "Oh?" Paris asked, "and who are they?"</div> <div>      "The king's men, of course.  The vizier frightened him.  He's</div> <div> not really a bad boy."</div> <div>      "Boy?" Chakotay challenged.  "He's almost a man.  What</div> <div> frightened him?"</div> <div>      The woman looked at him speculatively.  "Boy or man, he's</div> <div> still quite superstitious.  It grieves Madam, her late husband's</div> <div> influence, of course."</div> <div>      "Okay," Paris interrupted.  "So they were going to kill us,</div> <div> and I take it that you and - Madam - aren't?  Who are you, by the</div> <div> way?"</div> <div>      "I am Lady Faliva, lady in waiting to the Queen Mother, whom</div> <div> you should call Her Highness when you meet."  She frowned at Paris</div> <div> reprovingly.</div> <div>      "Oh, I'll be sure and remember that."  Paris tried not to</div> <div> sound sarcastic, and gave Faliva an ingratiating smile.  He</div> <div> thought, hey, if we're dealing with the women now, things are</div> <div> looking up.  He felt confident in his ability to sweet talk the</div> <div> ladies.</div> <div>      "Madam Her Highness does not believe in omens and portents,</div> <div> and your tale of the sickness oppressing your ship moved her.  Your</div> <div> sick Captain is a woman?"</div> <div>      "Yes, she is," Chakotay told her.  "Many high ranking officers</div> <div> in our fleet are women."</div> <div>      "Very interesting."  Faliva thought for a moment and then</div> <div> brought out a bottle.  She poured a liquid into two small glasses</div> <div> and handed them to the two men.  They looked at her inquiringly.</div> <div> "You must drink it," she told them.</div> <div>      Paris looked to Chakotay for guidance.  "Bottoms up, I guess,"</div> <div> Chakotay said.  He wasn't surprised when he soon became drowsy, and</div> <div> saw that Paris was nodding off as well.</div> <div>      Another cell?  Chakotay sat up and looked around.  Well, it</div> <div> was a better cell, anyway, with plastered walls and a window, and</div> <div> a privacy niche for the sanitary facilities.</div> <div>      Actual mattresses on the bunks.  But what happened to his</div> <div> uniform?  And why was he wearing this robe thing?  He examined his</div> <div> new garment, and it reminded him of a beach coverup.  A very short</div> <div> beach coverup.  And - oh dear, nothing else.  Chakotay belted the</div> <div> robe tighter, feeling insecure.</div> <div>      Paris was sprawled on the other bunk, similarly attired.</div> <div> Chakotay thought about shaking him awake, and then thought, oh, let</div> <div> him sleep.  He's less annoying when he's asleep.</div> <div>      Asleep, the pilot looked different.  Younger, somehow, with</div> <div> his hair tousled and his defenses down.  Not so cynical and</div> <div> sarcastic.  But now he was frowning, and starting to move</div> <div> restlessly.  He mumbled something, and then said clearly, "No!"  He</div> <div> was shaking his head, seeming to be fighting something, or denying</div> <div> something.  "No!  NO!"</div> <div>      Chakotay went quickly to his side, and grasped his shoulder.</div> <div> "Paris!  Wake up. You're dreaming, wake up!"</div> <div>      He was taken by surprise when the younger man sat up suddenly,</div> <div> grabbing him by the throat.  He was looking into wide, terrified</div> <div> blue eyes, and the surprisingly strong hands tightened on his</div> <div> windpipe, and then Paris said, "Oh!" and let him go.</div> <div>      Chakotay sat back on his heels, and said, "Are you awake now?"</div> <div>      Paris nodded, looking embarrassed.  "Yeah.  I'm awake.</div> <div> Sorry."  Then he noticed his odd attire, which had fallen open in</div> <div> his struggles, and belted it back up, looking even more</div> <div> embarrassed.  "What the hell?"</div> <div>      "Don't ask me, I just woke up myself.  We seem to have been</div> <div> promoted to a better class of cell, but I can't say I'm crazy about</div> <div> the uniform of the day."</div> <div>      "Oh, Commander, it's You!" Paris said admiringly, and Chakotay</div> <div> knew the lieutenant was back to his old self again.</div> <div>      Then the door opened, and Lady Faliva was back with them.</div> <div> Today she was in some kind of muslin thing, yards and yards of it,</div> <div> and she smiled at the two men.  "Good morning."</div> <div>      "Good morning to you," Paris said amiably, remembering his</div> <div> resolution to charm their new hosts.  "How are you today?"</div> <div>      She smiled at him, and gestured for the servant who followed</div> <div> her to put the tray he carried on the table.  "Perfectly fine," she</div> <div> told them.  "And I think we are well on our way to getting you</div> <div> gentlemen the serum you are seeking, and then you may return to</div> <div> your ship, and tend to your ailing."</div> <div>      "Hey, that's great!" Paris said sincerely.  Before they had</div> <div> left the ship, Harry had been diagnosed with the virus, and he had</div> <div> thought that B'Elanna was looking a bit wrung out too.  "We'd</div> <div> really be grateful."</div> <div>      Faliva smiled.  It was an odd smile, seeming to hide secrets.</div> <div> "I hope you enjoy your breakfast.  In a few hours, I will take you</div> <div> to Madam Her Highness, who wishes to discuss the terms of your</div> <div> release."</div> <div>      As she turned to go, Chakotay stopped her.  "Uh - m'lady?</div> <div> What about our uniforms?"</div> <div>      "All in good time," she told him with a smile, and whisked out</div> <div> of the room.  Paris thought he heard a giggle as she moved down the</div> <div> hall.</div> <div>      The breakfast had been demolished, and the two officers had</div> <div> given up on speculating on what Faliva meant about 'terms of your</div> <div> release', so Paris went back to pacing, and Chakotay again tried to</div> <div> meditate.  And soon guards came to fetch them, and they were taken</div> <div> to see Madam Her Highness.</div> <div>      The Queen Mother was a handsome woman of early middle age,</div> <div> sumptuously dressed, and attended by several dozen of her ladies in</div> <div> a bright, airy hall.</div> <div>      As the men entered, she gestured regally for them to approach</div> <div> her.  "Welcome to my summer palace," she told them, and Chakotay</div> <div> thought it was a definite improvement on the gloomy pile presided</div> <div> over by her superstitious son.  Here there were large windows,</div> <div> stretching from low window seats up to the high ceiling.  The</div> <div> commander wished they had their uniforms back, because some of the</div> <div> younger women were eying him and Paris with a little too personal</div> <div> an interest to suit him.</div> <div>      And now they were at the foot of the dais, where Madam Her</div> <div> Highness gestured for them to sit, and stools were produced by</div> <div> silent servants.  The Queen Mother was dressed in muslin for the</div> <div> day, and her highest ranking ladies sat around her, and a small</div> <div> page boy sat at her feet.</div> <div>      "Tell me how we can assist you," Madam commanded.</div> <div>      Chakotay told her of the indigenous Delta quadrant virus that</div> <div> was wreaking such havoc on his crew, infecting even his Captain,</div> <div> and how their scout Neelix had told them that on a planet called</div> <div> Avara they could find the cure for their woes.  Paris listened</div> <div> silently, thinking Chakotay was doing quite a good job, stating</div> <div> their case like a tribal story, a mythic quest.  The ladies seemed</div> <div> to like it.</div> <div>      And they did.  Madam listened intently, absently stroking the</div> <div> hair of her young page, and when Chakotay finished, she clapped her</div> <div> hands with delight, and said, "We will help you.  You shall have</div> <div> your serum.  You have only to entertain us, and then you may</div> <div> leave."</div> <div>      Faliva spoke up excitedly.  "I want the one with the strange</div> <div> blue eyes!"</div> <div>      And another young lady said, "And I want the one with the</div> <div> painted face!"</div> <div>      Chakotay sat up straight, appalled, but the Queen Mother</div> <div> clapped her hands and frowned sternly at the younger women.  "These</div> <div> are aliens, not Avarans," she told them impressively, "Do not</div> <div> blaspheme."</div> <div>      The young ladies subsided into hurt silence, and Chakotay</div> <div> relaxed for a moment.  Too soon.  Because then the Queen Mother</div> <div> turned to them with a smile, and said, "They will please each other</div> <div> for us."</div> <div>      Chakotay's jaw had dropped, and he didn't appear to be capable</div> <div> of saying anything any time soon, so Paris cleared his throat and</div> <div> said, "Uh - 'scuse me?  Your Highness?  We will what?"</div> <div>      "You will please each other."</div> <div>      "And, just how are we to do that?"</div> <div>      "Sexually, of course."  She seemed surprised by the question.</div> <div> "You know how, surely."</div> <div>      "Oh, surely," Paris said faintly.  "But - uh, where?"</div> <div>      "Right here.  You may begin any time."  She waved her hand,</div> <div> signaling for the entertainment to begin.</div> <div>      Paris saw that Chakotay was getting angry, he remembered that</div> <div> anger from the few weeks he'd spent with the Maquis, and knew that</div> <div> Chakotay's rare anger meant big trouble.  So he said hurriedly,</div> <div> "Uh, Your Highness, may I have permission to - confer with my</div> <div> colleague for a moment?"</div> <div>      A flash of irritation crossed her face, but she waved</div> <div> permission, and Paris dragged Chakotay off to the corner.  Chakotay</div> <div> said, "Look, Paris, if you think I'm going to take this kind of</div> <div> blackmail - "</div> <div>      Paris gave him a quick shake, he was getting angry himself.</div> <div> "This seems to me to be a pretty lousy time for you to be taking a</div> <div> stand on principle, Commander," he snapped.  "She's going to let us</div> <div> GO, unless you make her mad and she decides to turn us back over to</div> <div> her son, who wants to kill us.  Now, Doc said we've got a week to</div> <div> get back with that serum, and maybe you're willing to die rather</div> <div> than give these ladies a sex show, but I'm not willing for you to</div> <div> kill the Captain, or Harry and B'Elanna either."</div> <div>      Chakotay closed his eyes for a moment.  The Captain -  He took</div> <div> a deep breath.  "But, Paris," he said reluctantly, "I - wouldn't</div> <div> even know where to begin!"</div> <div>      Paris laughed, and the sound of that derisive laugh stiffened</div> <div> his spine.  "See what you've missed out on by avoiding Federation</div> <div> prison, Commander?  I, on the other hand, know lots of things I</div> <div> never wanted to know."</div> <div>      Chakotay looked at the younger man in surprise, and thought</div> <div> that for a moment he saw a flash of pain in those knowing blue</div> <div> eyes.</div> <div>      "Look," Paris went on, "you want to save the Captain?"</div> <div>      Chakotay nodded.</div> <div>      "Okay.  Just follow my lead."</div> <div>      And Paris dragged his commander out to the middle of the room.</div> <div> "Right here and now, eh?"</div> <div>      The Queen Mother nodded, and the small conversation groups</div> <div> broke up as the ladies of the court moved their chairs to face the</div> <div> center of the room.  Paris removed Chakotay's robe, and the</div> <div> commander was embarrassed by the murmur of approving comment that</div> <div> swept the room.  Then Paris removed his own robe, to another round</div> <div> of comment.  Chakotay supposed that to these tiny people, they</div> <div> would both look quite imposing.</div> <div>      He spoke through gritted teeth.  "Paris, I really don't think</div> <div> I can do this.  Physically, I mean.  Not with all these people - "</div> <div>      Paris gave him a look of sympathetic understanding, and ran</div> <div> his fingers lightly over Chakotay's chest.  "Oh, yes, you can.  You</div> <div> may think you can't, but you won't be able to help it."  And then</div> <div> the young man knelt quickly in front of his commander and began to</div> <div> lick his thighs.</div> <div>      Chakotay tried not to look at the women watching with avid</div> <div> interest, tried to stare off into space, tried not to think about</div> <div> anything.  And especially tried to pretend it was anyone but Paris</div> <div> kneeling in front of him.</div> <div>      As Paris slowly bathed Chakotay's balls with his tongue, the</div> <div> Commander began to get an erection.  Now he knew what Paris meant,</div> <div> he really wasn't able to help it.  Paris was running his tongue up</div> <div> and down the erect penis now, and Chakotay saw that Faliva was</div> <div> leaning forward, licking her lips, intently watching the show.  He</div> <div> closed his eyes, devoutly wishing the floor would open up and</div> <div> swallow them.  Wasn't Paris dying of embarrassment, too?</div> <div>      "Paris," he whispered.</div> <div>      "Hmm?"</div> <div>      "How can you stand it?"</div> <div>      Paris sat back on his heels, looking up at Chakotay.  "Just</div> <div> don't think about it," he said softly, so that only the commander</div> <div> could hear him.  As he spoke, he continued to fondle Chakotay's</div> <div> genitals, and his touch was undeniably exciting.  "Look, just close</div> <div> your eyes and pretend I'm someone else.  I could make some</div> <div> impertinent suggestions, but I'll leave the exact identity up to</div> <div> you."</div> <div>      "You seem pretty cool about it all," Chakotay said with a</div> <div> touch of resentment.</div> <div>      "Hey, you're in luck today, Commander," Paris said, and there</div> <div> was a world of bitterness in his voice.  "You just happened to get</div> <div> an away team assignment with the only whore on Voyager.  So you're</div> <div> in good hands.  Just 'close your eyes and think of England'."  And</div> <div> he bowed his head and sucked Chakotay's penis into his mouth.</div> <div>      Chakotay let out a strangled cry, and closing his eyes</div> <div> couldn't block out the appreciative murmur that ran around the</div> <div> room.  Pretend it's someone else, he told himself, and began</div> <div> pretending fiercely, something about a temperate planet and a Star</div> <div> Fleet emergency shelter.</div> <div>      To keep from falling, he leaned over and gripped the shoulders</div> <div> in front of him, and it was difficult to integrate those hard</div> <div> muscles into his fantasy, but he wasn't thinking about much of</div> <div> anything right now.  The warm, wet mouth was moving faster now,</div> <div> along his entire length, and he was so close, he was almost there-</div> <div>      And suddenly the mouth was removed.  He gave a gasp of</div> <div> disappointment, and looked down.  Paris had pressed his cheek</div> <div> against his thighs, and was caressing the commander's hips and ass.</div> <div> In an undertone, the lieutenant said, "The ladies want a show,</div> <div> Commander, don't come too fast."  Chakotay wanted to shout with</div> <div> frustration, and then he jumped in surprise, as he felt a finger</div> <div> slide into his anus.</div> <div>      "Paris!" he hissed.</div> <div>      "Get used to it," Paris said indifferently, "because that's</div> <div> where we're going next."</div> <div>      "If you think for one minute - "</div> <div>      "Serum, virus, Janeway, Torres, Kim ..."  Paris recited</div> <div> softly.  And then he was licked Chakotay's erection again, and the</div> <div> commander was incapable of responding.</div> <div>      Chakotay seized that golden head in both hands, he was going</div> <div> to finish this right now, and Paris seemed to have the same idea,</div> <div> he was sucking now, sucking hard.  And then Chakotay felt the great</div> <div> surge of release starting, and he began to spurt into the young</div> <div> man's mouth.</div> <div>      Paris broke his hold with one efficient movement, standing</div> <div> suddenly and taking firm hold on Chakotay's penis, directing the</div> <div> ejaculation onto his own genitals.  He pulled the commander against</div> <div> his chest, pressing his now erect penis against Chakotay's, and</div> <div> held his senior until his convulsions subsided.  Then he reached</div> <div> between them and smeared his penis thoroughly with semen.</div> <div>      "What the hell?" Chakotay said.</div> <div>      Paris spoke into his ear.  "You'll be glad I thought of</div> <div> lubrication once I start fucking you in the ass."</div> <div> End of Part I</div> <div>        </div> <bR> <div> Command Performance, Part 2 of 6</div> <div> VOY  Chakotay/Paris  NC-17</div> <bR> <bR> <div>                        Command Performance</div> <div>                        by "Emma Woodhouse"</div> <bR> <div>                              Part II</div> <bR> <div>      The whole thing had a bizarre air of unreality about it,</div> <div> Chakotay thought.  Surely it wasn't true that he was standing naked</div> <div> in front of an audience of enthusiastic women, arguing with Paris</div> <div> about whether or not Paris was going to fuck him in the ass!</div> <div>      Paris had his arms around the commander, stroking his back and</div> <div> ass sensuously, as they conversed in heated whispers.</div> <div>      "Surely we've given them enough 'entertainment' for one day,"</div> <div> Chakotay insisted.</div> <div>      "I don't think so," Paris murmured into his ear.  "Look at</div> <div> them.  They don't think we're finished yet."</div> <div>      And Chakotay looked at the Queen Mother's court, and had to</div> <div> admit that they did seem to be waiting patiently for act two.  Lady</div> <div> Faliva was staring at them intently, with her hand between her</div> <div> legs, and her fingers moving busily.  And several other women also</div> <div> seemed to find something of great interest under their skirts.</div> <div> Chakotay sighed.  "I suppose you've got a point."</div> <div>      "Look," Paris went on, "the Queen Mother said we were to</div> <div> please each other.  Now, if you don't want me to fuck you, you'd</div> <div> better start sucking."</div> <div>      "Dammit, Paris, I told you - "</div> <div>      "Right.  You haven't a clue."  Chakotay thought he heard</div> <div> something almost like contempt in the pilot's voice.  "When we get</div> <div> back to the ship, Commander, you might want to take up genealogy,</div> <div> because I swear you've got a Puritan in your family tree</div> <div> somewhere!"</div> <div>      "All right, already!  What am I supposed to do?"</div> <div>      "That's the spirit!  Just get on your hands and knees and</div> <div> leave it to me."  But when Chakotay started to pull away, Paris</div> <div> pulled him back to his chest and fastened his lips onto his</div> <div> commander's mouth.  Chakotay tried to protest, but couldn't say</div> <div> much with that tongue in his mouth.  The kiss seemed to go on and</div> <div> on, and there was a hubbub of approving comment, as Chakotay</div> <div> thought to himself that he'd never in his life been kissed like</div> <div> this.</div> <div>      Finally Paris released him, and both men were panting now.</div> <div> "Go on," Paris gasped.  "I'll make this as painless as possible."</div> <div>      Chakotay got down on his hands and knees, thinking to himself,</div> <div> there was no way he was going to be able to pretend that this was</div> <div> the someone else he'd been picturing earlier.  Oh well, he thought,</div> <div> let's get this over with.</div> <div>      He sensed Paris on his knees behind him, and didn't know what</div> <div> to expect, but certainly didn't expect the soft caresses he was</div> <div> receiving on his ass and thighs.  A finger was circling his anus,</div> <div> an odd sensation, causing a flutter in the pit of his stomach, and</div> <div> he was being stroked gently, as the finger occasionally slipped in</div> <div> and out of his tight hole.</div> <div>      Chakotay didn't want to admit, even to himself, that this felt</div> <div> good, so he whispered, "Why don't you just get it over with?"</div> <div>      "Because if I just pushed right in, it would hurt like hell,"</div> <div> Paris answered irritably.  "And I'm speaking from experience, so</div> <div> stop second-guessing me.  Try to relax."</div> <div>      Try to relax.  Right.  Chakotay tried to disassociate himself</div> <div> from his surroundings and circumstances, but couldn't help fixating</div> <div> on all the things he disliked about Paris, his attitude, his smart</div> <div> mouth, his dissembling with the Captain on that spy thing.  He'd</div> <div> never liked Paris, not from the first moment they met.  But then he</div> <div> realized what Paris had just said, about speaking from experience,</div> <div> and thought that however much he disliked the man, he certainly</div> <div> wouldn't have wished that on anyone.</div> <div>      And he had to admit, the guy seemed to know what he was doing.</div> <div>      Paris was thinking resentfully, of course, I have to do all</div> <div> the work.  So he can tell himself that he didn't do anything, he</div> <div> just took it, and didn't like it, oh no, he didn't like a bit of</div> <div> it.  For a moment, he was tempted to stop being careful, to just</div> <div> slam into his disapproving elder and give him a taste of prison</div> <div> life.  But then he had a better idea, and reached between</div> <div> Chakotay's legs and began caressing his penis with one hand, while</div> <div> he continued his careful stretching of the tight entry with the</div> <div> other.  A much better idea.  Make the bastard enjoy it.</div> <div>      Chakotay gasped.  He couldn't believe he was getting another</div> <div> erection, so soon after that massive orgasm.  The experienced</div> <div> fingers were dancing lightly on his penis, up and down so</div> <div> deliciously.  And further back, he felt more fingers inside his</div> <div> anus, stretching gently and then retreating, returning again and</div> <div> again.  A strange feeling, something he'd never felt before, almost</div> <div> but not quite painful.  But somehow undeniably exciting.</div> <div>      Paris felt Chakotay shiver, and thought spitefully, good!</div> <div> This will give you something to discuss with your damn spirit</div> <div> guide!  And he began to push his shaft slowly into the commander's</div> <div> flesh.  Slowly advancing and retreating, over and over, until he</div> <div> was all the way in.  Then he paused for a moment.  He ran his hands</div> <div> over Chakotay's shoulders, back and hips, sensual stroking, and</div> <div> almost laughed to hear the commander's soft moan.</div> <div>      Oh, no, you don't like this a bit, do you?  SIR?  He looked up</div> <div> momentarily and caught sight of their appreciative, fascinated</div> <div> audience, and bit his lip to keep from grinning at them.  Well, he</div> <div> always liked exciting the ladies, and he had to say that these</div> <div> ladies were certainly excited.</div> <div>      And then Paris thought, Jesus, what's the matter with me?  Was</div> <div> he actually enjoying tormenting the man?  Was he no better than</div> <div> they were?  He was remembering now, that horrible first time in the</div> <div> exercise yard, and the scalding humiliation of being used in front</div> <div> of witnesses, back before it became so routine he just didn't care</div> <div> anymore, out of sheer self-preservation.</div> <div>      For the first time, he felt a sense of fellow-feeling for the</div> <div> commander.  After today, he would be the only man on the ship with</div> <div> a sense of what Paris had gone through, and wasn't it crazy that it</div> <div> would be Chakotay, of all people?  Paris leaned forward, and kissed</div> <div> the commander on the back, whispering, "Hang in there, Commander,</div> <div> we'll get through this," and reached around to take Chakotay's</div> <div> erection in his hand.  Maybe if he got him really turned on, he'd</div> <div> tune out the surroundings.</div> <div>      Chakotay was dizzy with desire now, wondering if he was going</div> <div> to come or pass out, as Paris masturbated him roughly while pumping</div> <div> into him from behind.  He could hardly breathe, he was more aroused</div> <div> than he'd ever been in his life, he'd lost all connection to</div> <div> anything but the touch, the touch, that wonderful touch.</div> <div>      But then he looked up, at the court ladies on the dais, and</div> <div> almost choked.  The Queen Mother's skirts were raised now, and her</div> <div> little page boy was kneeling between her knees, with his face</div> <div> buried between her thighs.</div> <div>      For a moment, Chakotay was sure he was going to vomit.</div> <div>      Paris was leaning over his commander with his eyes closed,</div> <div> gasping as he explored that deliciously tight channel, and oh god,</div> <div> this felt good, it was the best, oh, it was perfect!</div> <div>      He tightened his grip on Chakotay's erection, and heard his</div> <div> loud groan, and thought joyfully, he likes it, I'm pleasing him!</div> <div> He was thrusting faster now, almost there, oh, this was so</div> <div> beautiful.</div> <div>      Chakotay had swallowed his bile and for the moment all thought</div> <div> of the little boy was lost, as he felt the tighter grip, the faster</div> <div> movement, the pressure and the pleasure and the thundering beat,</div> <div> and then he was crying out, crying aloud as he began to jerk and</div> <div> spurt in Paris' hand, and he heard a triumphant scream behind him</div> <div> as Paris began shooting into his body.</div> <div>      Paris threw his arms around the older man and held on tightly,</div> <div> and finally they were both spent.  They held their positions for a</div> <div> few moments, panting, and then Paris raised Chakotay up and spun</div> <div> him around.  "I knew you could do it," he whispered, pulling him</div> <div> close and kissing him roughly.</div> <div>      For a moment, Chakotay thought he saw affectionate approval in</div> <div> the young man's eyes, but then they were too close for anything</div> <div> else to register but the kisses, and they just couldn't seem to</div> <div> stop.</div> <div>      It was as if they were magnetized, Paris thought, as soon as</div> <div> his lips got about an inch from the commander's, they just had to</div> <div> return, and he kissed Chakotay again and again, long and short,</div> <div> hard and soft, and damned if Chakotay wasn't kissing him back.</div> <div> They leaned against one another, holding each other up, on their</div> <div> knees in the crowded room, kissing and kissing, like they were</div> <div> never going to stop.</div> <div>      And then they heard the strange thundering sound, and looked</div> <div> up, and all the ladies were stamping their feet in Avaran applause.</div> <div> Paris grinned at Chakotay, and whispered, "Aaaand, cut!  Run down</div> <div> the curtain, hopefully, and exeunt omnes."</div> <div>      "What?" Chakotay whispered back.</div> <div>      "I mean I think we're through."</div> <div>      Paris picked up their robes, handed one to Chakotay, and the</div> <div> two men stood up, the pilot delivering a flamboyant bow to the</div> <div> audience before shrugging back into his robe.  And Chakotay thought</div> <div> with real amusement, if gall were latinum, this guy would be a</div> <div> billionaire!</div> <div>      The Queen Mother gestured them to approach, smiling.  "Lady</div> <div> Faliva will see to your belongings, and the serum will be delivered</div> <div> to you shortly.  Thank you, gentlemen, for a most interesting</div> <div> afternoon."</div> <div>      Paris interrupted before Chakotay could say anything, a few</div> <div> effusive words of thanks for the Queen Mother's assistance to</div> <div> unfortunate travellers, and then Lady Faliva took them back to</div> <div> their cell.</div> <div>      Their uniforms were already there, along with their comm</div> <div> badges and tricorders, last seen in the king's gloomy castle.</div> <div> Faliva had the servants bring hot water, so that the guests might</div> <div> clean themselves, and then she departed, returning a few moments</div> <div> later.  With her was the pretty little page boy, carrying three</div> <div> large vials of liquid, and Paris immediately seized one and ran a</div> <div> tricorder over it.  "This is the goods, all right," he told</div> <div> Chakotay with satisfaction.</div> <div>      But Chakotay was looking at the little boy, thinking that if</div> <div> he were human he wouldn't be a day over seven.  Faliva said, "I'll</div> <div> leave you gentlemen to clean up, we'll be leaving shortly."</div> <div>      Chakotay was pressing his lips tightly together, praying not</div> <div> to disgrace himself, and was glad that Faliva and the boy were well</div> <div> down the hall before he dashed to the toilet and threw up.</div> <div>      Paris was feeling proud of himself, and turned to Chakotay,</div> <div> saying, "Hey, mission accomplished - " and then saw the commander</div> <div> leaning over the toilet, and his good mood vanished.</div> <div>      He told himself that his feelings were NOT hurt, no, he was</div> <div> insulted.  Hell, he'd fucked plenty of people in his life, and none</div> <div> of them had felt the need to puke afterwards.</div> <div>      Chakotay was wondering what kind of viper's nest they'd</div> <div> stumbled into that they would allow their children to be abused</div> <div> like that, when he felt Paris leaning over him, and heard a light,</div> <div> contemptuous voice.  "Next time you're talking to the spirits of</div> <div> your ancestors, ask them to bless the Caretaker."</div> <div>      "Huh?"</div> <div>      "You wouldn't have lasted a week in prison.  Shit, you only</div> <div> had to take one man, and I didn't even draw blood.  Count your</div> <div> blessings, Commander."</div> <div>      Chakotay felt too tired and confused to even want to try to</div> <div> argue or explain.  "Right," he said wearily, and the two men washed</div> <div> and got dressed with no further conversation.</div> <bR> <div>      At Chakotay's request, the Queen Mother's carriage took them</div> <div> out of the capitol, and left them on a deserted stretch of road.</div> <div> Once the carriage had moved away, he activated his comm badge and</div> <div> energized the shuttle's transporters, and now they were back in the</div> <div> shuttle they had hidden in the woods.</div> <div>      "Let's get out of here," Chakotay said, and Paris immediately</div> <div> powered up and they were on their way.</div> <div>      Chakotay sat down in the co-pilot's chair, and felt the</div> <div> silence stretch out uncomfortably.  Finally, he said, "I'm sure not</div> <div> looking forward to making the log entries for this mission."</div> <div>      Paris shrugged.  "Hey, you're the away team commander.  I</div> <div> won't tell if you won't."  They were out of the gravity well now,</div> <div> and Paris set course for Voyager.</div> <div>      Was Paris suggesting that the First Officer submit an</div> <div> incomplete report?  Chakotay said, "Hey, maybe you don't have any</div> <div> problem falsifying reports - ", and then saw the pilot's knuckles</div> <div> go white as he gripped the edge of the console, and thought,</div> <div> whoops, open mouth, insert foot.</div> <div>      Chakotay was about to apologize, to say he didn't quite mean</div> <div> it that way, but before he could say anything, Paris said lightly,</div> <div> "Jeez, Commander, you're more Star Fleet than Star Fleet!  How</div> <div> could you stand to leave?"</div> <div>      And Chakotay had to stand up and blunder to the back of the</div> <div> shuttle, to keep from smashing his fist right into that mocking</div> <div> mouth.</div> <div>      'How could I stand to leave?' he asked himself, pacing a tight</div> <div> circle in the rear of the shuttle.  God, it had been like an</div> <div> amputation, he'd worked so hard, all his life, he was up for</div> <div> command, and then the damn treaty was published, and there was his</div> <div> home, his HOME!, in Cardassian territory, and what choice did he</div> <div> have?</div> <div>      And what would a guy like Paris know about hard work anyway,</div> <div> guys like him never had to do a day's work in their lives.  He'd</div> <div> seen enough like him in Star Fleet, skating through life on charm,</div> <div> looks, and family connections.  And Paris was worse than most,</div> <div> pissing away a career because he just didn't care.  What would he</div> <div> know about the agony of that decision?</div> <div>      Paris was making sensor log entries, thinking to himself, the</div> <div> goddamn prig!  Carrying on like it was some kind of friggin' Fate</div> <div> Worse Than Death!  He shouldn't have been so careful not to hurt</div> <div> him, Chakotay probably wanted it to hurt, then he could tell</div> <div> himself that Paris couldn't do anything right.  Well, fuck him.</div> <div> Though, come to think of it, he already had.</div> <div>      And quite nicely, too, and you'd think a guy would be</div> <div> grateful, but oh, no, there he was acting like he'd just had to</div> <div> accomodate the whole Cleveland gang.  But what would Chakotay know</div> <div> about stuff like that?  No, he'd never get his hands dirty, he'd</div> <div> sure never get his ass dirty, and he'd never had to make nice to</div> <div> some horrible old man just to buy a little protection.</div> <div>      Chakotay sat down crosslegged on the floor, and tried to</div> <div> meditate, tried to find his animal guide.  But his mood would not</div> <div> allow it, all he saw was a grey muzzle poking out through the</div> <div> leaves, and then she ran away, deep into the forest, whining in</div> <div> fear.</div> <div>      He sighed and opened his eyes.  The shuttle was crowded, full</div> <div> of all the duranium they had planned to trade for the serum, and he</div> <div> supposed B'Elanna would be glad to have it back.  Though he wasn't</div> <div> quite sure what to tell her about what they HAD traded for the</div> <div> serum.  Oh, hell.</div> <div>      He walked up to the front of the shuttle, running his hand</div> <div> lightly over the containers of duranium, and Paris watched him with</div> <div> an unfathomable look on his face.  Chakotay sat down again in the</div> <div> co-pilot's seat, and Paris said, "I know.  Welcome to the secret</div> <div> fraternity of whores."</div> <div>      Chakotay looked at him sharply, but there was no sarcasm in</div> <div> the pilot's voice.  He sounded so - matter of fact.</div> <div>      But then they heard a beeping sound, and Paris turned eagerly</div> <div> to the communicator.  "Paris to Voyager."</div> <div>      "Voyager here."  It was Tuvok's voice.  And even through the</div> <div> vacuum of space, Chakotay thought the Vulcan sounded dead weary.</div> <div> Things must be pretty bad.</div> <div>      The First Officer leaned forward eagerly.  "We've got the</div> <div> serum, Tuvok, how are things there?"  He grinned at Paris; they had</div> <div> done it, after all.</div> <div>      "No fatalities yet, Commander, but the crew is down to sixteen</div> <div> unaffected individuals.  It has been - difficult.  We will be</div> <div> gratified to see you."</div> <div>      "We'll be there in an hour.  Chakotay out."</div> <div>      And Paris said exuberantly, "Ta-taa!"</div> <div>      An hour later, Paris keyed the communicator again.  "Open up</div> <div> the shuttlebay, because this dogsled is pulling into Nome!"</div> <div>      The two men exited the shuttlecraft, to eerie silence.  "We're</div> <div> on our way to Sickbay, Tuvok," Chakotay said.</div> <div>      And over the communicator, Tuvok said with heartfelt</div> <div> sincerity, "Welcome home, gentlemen."</div> <bR> <div>      They heard the murmur before they got to Sickbay, and rounding</div> <div> the corner, they saw the stretchers lining the hall.  Nicoletti and</div> <div> Chell appeared to be the stretcher bearers.  "Cargo Bay Two is the</div> <div> main ward," the lieutenant told them.  "After the Doctor assesses</div> <div> them, we'll take them over there."</div> <div>      In silence, Chakotay and Paris entered Sickbay.  The Doctor</div> <div> was moving as briskly as ever, but Kes looked ready to drop.</div> <div> "Well, THERE you are!" the Doctor said.  "What took you so long?"</div> <div> He took two of the vials from Paris, and said, "Get that one to the</div> <div> pharmaceutics replicator," and Paris said smartly, "Oh, yes SIR!"</div> <div>      Chakotay went over to biobed two to see the Captain.  She'd</div> <div> lost weight, just in the few days they had been gone.  Her eyes</div> <div> were closed, and she was very pale.  He took her hand, and said</div> <div> softly, "Captain?"</div> <div>      The Doctor bustled up. "She's not conscious, Commander.  Now,</div> <div> get out from underfoot, please.  Mister Tuvok will be glad of some</div> <div> assistance on the bridge, I'm sure.  But you won't need a pilot, we</div> <div> won't be leaving orbit until we have more of the crew functional,</div> <div> so I'm commandeering Mister Paris."</div> <div>      "Okay," Chakotay said absently.  The Doctor sounded like he</div> <div> thought he was in command of the ship, and since virtually the</div> <div> whole ship was a hospital at the moment, perhaps he was.</div> <div>      He went over to the pharm-replicator, where Paris was biting</div> <div> his lip with concentration, adjusting the settings.</div> <div>      "How long will that take?" Chakotay asked.</div> <div>      Paris looked up.  "Quite a while.  The replication has to be</div> <div> exact to the subatomic level.  Doc's starting the worse cases on</div> <div> the other vials, and in a few hours we'll be ready to go with</div> <div> this."</div> <div>      "Good.  You're assigned to Medical till we're over the worst</div> <div> of this."  The pilot nodded; he'd had enough medical training to</div> <div> make himself useful.</div> <div>      Chakotay turned to go, but then turned back. "Oh, and Paris?"</div> <div> Paris looked up, and his defensive wariness made the commander feel</div> <div> obscurely guilty.  "Good work."</div> <div>      And the First Officer went off to take command of the stricken</div> <div> ship, carrying with him the memory of the astonishment in those</div> <div> crystal blue eyes.</div> <bR> <div> End of Part II</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Command Performance, Part 3 of 6</div> <div> VOY  Chakotay/Paris  NC-17</div> <bR> <div>                        Command Performance</div> <div>                        by "Emma Woodhouse"</div> <bR> <div>                             Part III</div> <bR> <div>      Paris sagged, wondering why there were two B'Elannas in the</div> <div> bed, when he felt a hand under his arm.  "Sir?  You've got to get</div> <div> some sleep."  He turned, and there was Crewman Geron, tugging him</div> <div> over to a cot in the corner.</div> <div>      How long had he been working in the cargo bay?  Paris couldn't</div> <div> remember.  Most of the crew were lined up in here, with some in</div> <div> Holodeck Two, and a few in Sickbay.  There wasn't enough modern</div> <div> medical equipment to go around, so they were back to Florence</div> <div> Nightingale era technology, Paris thought, confusing his eras</div> <div> slightly.  IVs and bed pans.  Before today, or yesterday, he</div> <div> supposed, he didn't even know what a bed pan was.  Now if he never</div> <div> saw another of the filthy things, it would be too soon.</div> <div>      Geron was pushing him down.  "Get some sleep, Lieutenant," the</div> <div> teenage Bajoran said, emboldened by his new position as chief</div> <div> orderly of Cargo Bay Two.  "And that's an order."</div> <div>      Geron wasn't particularly disturbed by any of this.  After the</div> <div> refugee camps, it would take a lot to bother him.  And he wasn't</div> <div> going to let the ship's pilot work himself into the grave.</div> <div>      Paris subsided onto the cot, already half asleep.  God, they</div> <div> had almost lost B'Elanna, she'd almost left them.  He didn't like</div> <div> it when people left, it wasn't right, wasn't fair.</div> <bR> <div>      ...The beautiful woman sitting on Tommy's bed wasn't talking</div> <div> to him.  She was talking to his teddy bear.  She often did that</div> <div> when she had something difficult or unpleasant to say, when she</div> <div> couldn't look Tommy in the eye.</div> <div>      "It's not that I don't want to take Tommy with me," she was</div> <div> telling Edward Bear, who listened impassively.  "But I can't.  He'd</div> <div> never let me go if I took his son, don't you see?  He'd follow us</div> <div> to the end of the galaxy."</div> <div>      Edward Bear said nothing.  Neither did Tommy.</div> <div>      "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, truly I am."  She bowed her head,</div> <div> and the long golden hair trailed across the stuffed toy in her lap.</div> <div> "Maybe if you explain it to him when he's a little older, he'll</div> <div> understand then.  Oh, Mister Bear, I'm sorry to be so weak.  But I</div> <div> have to save myself."</div> <div>      The beautiful woman stood up then, and tucked the bear under</div> <div> the covers.  She still didn't talk to Tommy, didn't look him in the</div> <div> eye.</div> <div>      He never saw her again.  She had never even kissed him</div> <div> goodbye...</div> <bR> <div>      Chakotay had taken a brief nap in the ready room, some time</div> <div> ago.  It was enough to go on.  Tuvok had the bridge now, and the</div> <div> First Officer was touring the ship, the weird, silent, echoing</div> <div> ship.  He had stopped in the mess hall and got a mug of coffee, and</div> <div> sipped it as he walked, finding it almost palatable.</div> <div>      Neelix had remained at his post, cooking for the diminished</div> <div> crew.  He had been surprised at the crew's reaction to a simple</div> <div> little thing like Waasi, he'd caught it when everyone else did, and</div> <div> his nose felt stuffy for a few days, but that was all.</div> <div>      Chakotay wasn't surprised.  Too many of his ancestors had been</div> <div> killed by a simple case of measles for him to be surprised at what</div> <div> a disease could do to those who didn't have the inborn antibodies.</div> <div>      The serum was working.  He was so relieved.  He had wondered,</div> <div> for a few awful hours, if the traditional Delta quadrant cure would</div> <div> work on Alpha quadrant humanoids.  But it did.</div> <div>      In Sickbay, he actually spoke a few words to the Captain,</div> <div> before the Doctor hustled him away, demanding rest for his</div> <div> patients.  Kes had finally collapsed, and was sleeping on a blanket</div> <div> in the corner.</div> <div>      And in the cargo bay, Paris was asleep on a cot by the door.</div> <div> Crewman Geron tried to snap to attention, but Chakotay waved him</div> <div> back to ease.</div> <div>      He walked along the rows of cots, thinking it was the first</div> <div> time in months he'd seen so many of the crew in the same place at</div> <div> one time.  Rank hath its privileges, but not here.  The patients</div> <div> were lined up in order of appearance, just as they had been brought</div> <div> in when finally felled by the disease.</div> <div>      Chakotay scanned the rows, feeling a momentary amazement that</div> <div> they had experienced no fatalities.  Everyone was going to pull</div> <div> through.  He thought back to the Queen Mother's Summer Palace, and</div> <div> for the first time felt a twinge of pride.  He had saved all these</div> <div> people.  He and Paris.</div> <div>      As he turned to go, his eyes fell on Paris, asleep beside the</div> <div> door.  Paris moved restlessly, murmured, "Mama - ?"  Lord, Chakotay</div> <div> thought, how old is the guy?  What, almost thirty, and crying for</div> <div> his mama?</div> <div>      But then he felt a cold chill - he'd been in so many battles</div> <div> since he joined the Maquis, so many well-nigh hopeless battles</div> <div> where you had to take casualties because you didn't have the</div> <div> equipment and all you had was 'cannon fodder'.  Chakotay knew,</div> <div> better than any Star Fleet officer, how many men died calling for</div> <div> their mothers, and he turned to Geron with sudden concern.</div> <div>      "Has Lieutenant Paris caught the virus?"</div> <div>      Geron was surprised.  "Oh, no, Commander.  All of us still</div> <div> standing were immunized first thing once you got that serum.  No,</div> <div> he's just wiped out.  Why?"</div> <div>      "Just thought he looked a little pale."</div> <div>      Geron grinned at him.  "Well, shit, sir, I mean, begging your</div> <div> pardon, but so do you.  Hell, I saw Tuvok in the mess hall, and HE</div> <div> looks a little pale!"</div> <div>      Chakotay chuckled.  "I suppose you're right.  Well, the worst</div> <div> is behind us, crewman."</div> <div>      "Yes, SIR!"  Geron was glad to hear it.  If Chakotay said the</div> <div> worst was over, it must be so.</div> <bR> <div>      And the First Officer was right.  Within a few days, some of</div> <div> the less affected of the crew were back to working half shifts, and</div> <div> one of these days they'd be able to leave orbit and get back on</div> <div> their way.</div> <div>      The Captain was improving, had relocated to her quarters, and</div> <div> was starting to make restless noises about returning to duty.  So</div> <div> far, the Doctor's dire threats had kept her off the bridge, but any</div> <div> day now -</div> <div>      Chakotay sat in the mess hall, staring blankly at the PADD.</div> <div> He still hadn't completed the away team report, still hadn't quite</div> <div> figured out how to word it, and kept remembering Paris saying, "I</div> <div> won't tell if you won't."</div> <div>      It was tempting, really tempting, to just leave that part out.</div> <div>      Paris was leaving, and detoured over to the commander, and</div> <div> Chakotay thought, 'Uh-oh'.  Because once Paris had recovered from</div> <div> his exhaustion, he was back to his old self, only more so, more</div> <div> aggravating than ever.</div> <div>      "Still puzzling over the log?"  Paris asked.</div> <div>      Chakotay nodded, expressionless.</div> <div>      Paris smiled at him.  "Don't forget to put in there how good</div> <div> I was," he said, in a softly venomous voice, "and how much you</div> <div> liked it."</div> <div>      And he left, not waiting for a reply.</div> <div>      What's with this guy?  Does he want to get pounded into the</div> <div> ground?  Because that was sure Chakotay's instinct these days, to</div> <div> just deck the guy, knock him to the ground, rip off his clothes -</div> <div>      Whoa.  Back up a minute.  Rip off - ?  Oh, hell!</div> <bR> <div>      The next morning, Chakotay escorted the Captain to the mess</div> <div> hall.  She walked slowly, still looked quite pale and thin, but her</div> <div> eyes were sparkling, glad to be upright and moving again.</div> <div>      Chakotay had solved the log issue by turning in an incomplete</div> <div> report, and telling the Captain the report was incomplete.  The</div> <div> narrative took the away team to the King's prison, and their rescue</div> <div> by the Queen Mother's party, noting that the Queen Mother had</div> <div> supplied the needed serum.  His report ended, "Further information</div> <div> available upon request.  However, Captain, it is my strong desire</div> <div> and recommendation that you do not request any further details."</div> <div>      Captain Janeway was puzzled and intrigued.  She was so tempted</div> <div> to ask, but this was the first time her First Officer had ever</div> <div> asked her NOT to ask about anything, so perhaps she should respect</div> <div> that.  It must be something quite personal.  The Captain wondered,</div> <div> though, what this Queen Mother looked like.</div> <div>      In the mess hall, Neelix was dishing up scrambled eggs, and</div> <div> Torres and Kim were also ambulatory, being mother-henned by</div> <div> Lieutenant Paris.  "Every bite!  I want those plates clean!" he</div> <div> told the two convalescents.  "I've been working for days to</div> <div> convince Neelix to leave the leola root out of the recipe, and we</div> <div> have to encourage him."</div> <div>      And the two officers agreed that Neelix should be encouraged</div> <div> to eschew leola root.</div> <bR> <div>      Two days later, Chakotay finally had some time to himself.</div> <div> Maybe one of the holodecks would be free.  Holodeck two was in use</div> <div> and locked, but holodeck one was open.  Chakotay entered.</div> <div>      There was a program running.  It was one of the park settings,</div> <div> with trees and grass, birds chirping, and a stream glinting in the</div> <div> distance.  Well, if someone was already using the holodeck -</div> <div> Chakotay started to turn to leave.</div> <div>      But then someone came around the bend of the dirt path.  It</div> <div> was Paris.  Wearing only shorts and sandals, the young man shone</div> <div> like gold in the artificial sun.</div> <div>      "Sorry," Chakotay said shortly.  "I thought the holodeck was</div> <div> free."</div> <div>      "Oh, it is," Paris said.  "Doesn't cost a thing.  Are you sure</div> <div> you weren't looking for me, Commander?"  He gave Chakotay a</div> <div> sidelong look, deliberately provocative.</div> <div>      That did it.  Chakotay finally snapped.  He grabbed the smart</div> <div> ass by the arm and slammed him against a tree.  He meant to punch</div> <div> him - didn't he? -</div> <div>      - but somehow wound up kissing him instead.</div> <div>      Well, this is one way to get the guy to shut up, Chakotay</div> <div> thought, kissing Paris bruisingly hard, and again, and again.  He</div> <div> held the golden head in both hands, pressing his body up against</div> <div> the pilot, pinning him to the tree, and his lips forced open that</div> <div> aggravating mouth, and captured the silky tongue.</div> <div>      Paris was moving, seemed to be struggling, but was making no</div> <div> real effort to get away.  His hands were on the commander's ass,</div> <div> pressing it closer to him, feeling that powerful erection, rubbing</div> <div> against it.</div> <div>      They were on the ground now, and Chakotay held Paris beneath</div> <div> him, as if he were trying to escape, and Paris was writhing</div> <div> purposefully, and both men were gasping.  Paris slid a hand between</div> <div> them, between the commander's legs, and grasped tightly,</div> <div> thrillingly, and finally Chakotay realized what was going on, and</div> <div> wrenched his mouth from those delicious lips, staring into that</div> <div> beautiful, irritating face.</div> <div>      Paris was smiling dreamily, not a mocking smile, but his hand</div> <div> was working its will on his senior, there was no stopping it now,</div> <div> and Chakotay gasped, "Oh, dammit, you SLUT!"  And he couldn't hold</div> <div> back the powerful orgasm taking possession of his body.</div> <div>      He rolled off the younger man, thinking, wondering, what's</div> <div> gotten into me, and looked at his uniform with dismay.  He</div> <div> certainly had no intention of walking down the hall with that great</div> <div> big stain on the front of his jumpsuit, so he called, "Computer,</div> <div> arch," and the holodeck arch appeared.</div> <div>      Not looking at Paris, Chakotay stood and walked to the arch,</div> <div> calling for a replicator, and requesting a new uniform.  The</div> <div> holodeck's replicator was now revealed on the wall, and it</div> <div> shimmered briefly before a fresh uniform appeared.</div> <div>      Chakotay wearily removed his stained garments, but as he</div> <div> reached for the new clothes, two arms came around him from behind,</div> <div> and lips caressed the back of his neck.</div> <div>      "I'm sorry," Paris said softly.  "Don't be mad at me."</div> <div>      Chakotay froze.  "I'm not mad at you," he said, though of</div> <div> course he was, "it's just - I don't understand you, what do you</div> <div> want?"</div> <div>      The lips moved over his shoulders, while the hands stroked his</div> <div> chest and abdomen.  "What do I want?  I could show you - "</div> <div>      As if hypnotized, Chakotay turned, and Paris gently stroked</div> <div> his face.  "Computer, privacy lock," Paris said, and took the</div> <div> commander's hand and led him into the woods.</div> <div>      Near the stream, he pushed Chakotay down onto the grass, and</div> <div> slipped out of his shorts and lay down beside him.  Slowly now,</div> <div> their lips met, and then their arms came around each other.</div> <div> Chakotay caressed the young man, thinking how beautiful he was, how</div> <div> gentle he was being, and still, what's going on?  He kissed Paris</div> <div> on the ear, and then whispered, "Why are we doing this?"</div> <div>      And Paris whispered back, "Why not?"</div> <div>      It made sense at the time.</div> <div>      Paris was drowning in those huge dark eyes, thinking, he must</div> <div> like me, a little bit, or he wouldn't want me.  Surely he wouldn't.</div> <div> He kissed the commander gently, enjoying touching him, especially</div> <div> enjoying pleasing him.  Chakotay was already getting hard again,</div> <div> which made Paris feel very talented.</div> <div>      Chakotay had given up.  He'd gone crazy, that's all, and might</div> <div> as well enjoy it.  He stroked Paris' erection, remembered the</div> <div> Summer Palace, and said softly, "Tom?  Would you do that to me</div> <div> again?"</div> <div>      Paris was thrilled, thinking, he called me Tom!  He likes me!</div> <div> He laughed, and said, "All you had to do was ask,"  reaching around</div> <div> to stroke Chakotay's ass.</div> <div>      And now Chakotay was on his hands and knees, being entered</div> <div> from behind, thinking - out of my mind.  But that's where he wanted</div> <div> to be.  Out of control and in total surrender to physical</div> <div> sensation.  Somewhere he'd never been before.</div> <div>      The pressure and the fullness, so unfamiliar, and the</div> <div> shivering with desire as he felt the younger man advance and</div> <div> retreat, and now the talented, experienced hand had claimed his</div> <div> erection, and he hissed with pleasure at the touch.</div> <div>      The two men came powerfully together on the artificial turf,</div> <div> and Chakotay lay peacefully on the ground, with Paris lying panting</div> <div> on his back.</div> <div>      Paris kissed him gently on the back of the neck, and then</div> <div> retreated silently, and Chakotay was alone.  Wondering what in the</div> <div> galaxy he'd gotten himself into.</div> <div>      Eventually, he got to his feet, and went to look for his newly</div> <div> replicated uniform.</div> <div>      Paris hurried down the corridor, heading for his quarters,</div> <div> glad he'd gotten away before the next part, when lovers lie in one</div> <div> another's arms and nestle and murmur - murmur words, words that</div> <div> express thoughts, thoughts that he didn't want to hear.  Because he</div> <div> knew from bitter experience that it was possible to want without</div> <div> liking, and if he heard it, then he wouldn't be able to pretend</div> <div> anymore.</div> <bR> <div>      It was an uneventful day on the bridge, and Chakotay was</div> <div> trying, trying hard, not to stare at the back of the pilot's head,</div> <div> knowing now the silken softness of the skin below the ear, and how</div> <div> it felt against his lips.</div> <div>      Once, when Captain Janeway went down to the Conn to discuss</div> <div> some sensor readings, her hand rested briefly on the red-clad</div> <div> shoulder, and Chakotay remembered the feel of those hard shoulders,</div> <div> and wanted to scream with jealousy.</div> <div>      Still crazy, apparently.</div> <div>      He thought to himself, middle-aged fool, and suddenly realized</div> <div> what his Academy roommate had been talking about.</div> <div>      Orvis Petrie had been a wild one.  Chakotay never understood</div> <div> how the man managed to graduate, since he never seemed to study.</div> <div> And he always seemed to be creeping past the sensors to spend most</div> <div> of the night somewhere else.  It didn't matter much to Chakotay,</div> <div> wasn't his business.</div> <div>      But once, he'd said something to Orvis about the possibility</div> <div> of being caught, and Orvis had clapped him on the shoulder, and</div> <div> said, "It's all part of my plan, Chak.  Get the nonsense out of the</div> <div> old system.  Because young fools get forgiven.  You mark my words,</div> <div> Chak, young fools and old fools, people forgive them.  But the</div> <div> middle-aged fools never get forgiven."</div> <div>      Chakotay had just snorted at this advice.  He just wasn't</div> <div> going to be a fool, it was as simple as that.  He had a plan and he</div> <div> was sticking to it, and he wasn't going to let any irrational</div> <div> cravings get in the way.</div> <div>      As for Orvis, he'd had a brief yet spectacularly eventful</div> <div> career in Star Fleet, finally becoming involved in a highly public</div> <div> affair with his Captain's wife, and leaving Star Fleet to start a</div> <div> successful career as a novelist.</div> <div>      And here was Chakotay, who had subordinated his passions all</div> <div> his life, first to his Star Fleet career, then to the Maquis cause,</div> <div> and he couldn't stop thinking about the beautiful, carnal and</div> <div> willful young man who seemed to want to play some sort of strange</div> <div> game with him.</div> <bR> <div>      Chakotay sat crosslegged in his quarters, trying to empty his</div> <div> mind of the nonsense that had possessed it lately, trying to coax</div> <div> out his spirit guide.</div> <div>      But he felt only the empty whisper of the wind, and it told</div> <div> him nothing.</div> <div>      Chakotay thought back.  To others he had wanted.  His wife,</div> <div> who had said he hadn't wanted her enough.  Not as much as he wanted</div> <div> a ship to command.  She was tired, she told him, of waiting to</div> <div> start a family, to take a vacation, to have his undivided</div> <div> attention.  She thought she should do some other things.  And she</div> <div> was gone.</div> <div>      Lt. Sarah Feeny, when he was First Officer on the Hector.  He</div> <div> thought about her too much, and knew it would be a clear case of</div> <div> fraternization, and he was still married then.  Chakotay knew what</div> <div> "personal entanglements" could do to a career, and carefully</div> <div> researched, and managed to wangle himself a lateral transfer, out</div> <div> of harm's way.</div> <div>      The Captain.  He'd called her Kathryn on New Earth, and for</div> <div> once in his life he'd been willing to give up the planning, to live</div> <div> for the moment, to surrender to feelings.  But she was too much</div> <div> like him, and this time she was the one with the plan, the one</div> <div> subordinating desire to duty, and he'd told himself to be patient,</div> <div> to let her take her own time.  And now here they were back on</div> <div> Voyager, and what had he gotten from that experience?  Only a</div> <div> painful knowledge, finally, of what his wife had been feeling.</div> <div>      And Seska.  Seska, who came the closest to coming too close.</div> <div> He was a Maquis then, a reckless thing to be, and he was feeling</div> <div> reckless when he bedded his friend and fellow rebel.  But she</div> <div> seemed to want more from him, much more than simple friendship, or</div> <div> even the love he was willing to give her.  It disturbed him, even</div> <div> then, that she seemed to want possession of his entire mind - of</div> <div> course, now he understood why.</div> <div>      But even back then, not knowing that she was a plant and a</div> <div> spy, her possessiveness had alarmed him, and he had told her firmly</div> <div> that it wouldn't work, and had reestablished a non-sexual, friendly</div> <div> relationship.</div> <div>      It had seemed easy, all his life, to concentrate on his goals.</div> <div> Why was it so hard all of a sudden?</div> <div>      Chakotay tried to find answers in studying his role models.</div> <div> Men who, like him, had to choose to leave a cherished mother</div> <div> country to defend their homes.  But as he read the lives and</div> <div> letters of Washington and Lee, he thought with frustration that the</div> <div> men seemed to have no libidos whatsoever.  Of course, until</div> <div> recently, he'd thought the same of himself, and was relieved to</div> <div> have such control.  Then too, those were more reticent times, and</div> <div> perhaps those men too had wrestled with inconvenient desires.  Kind</div> <div> of hard to imagine, but perhaps.</div> <bR> <div>      "Computer, locate Lt. Paris."</div> <div>      "Lt. Paris is on deck four, compartment D-42."</div> <div>      So Paris was in his quarters.  Go and talk to him.  Try to</div> <div> figure out what his game is, what he wants.</div> <div>      Chakotay exited the turbolift, and approached the door to</div> <div> Paris' quarters, wondering what exactly he wanted - a calm and</div> <div> clear discussion or a wild and confusing physical encounter.</div> <div>      He buzzed at the door and was invited to enter.</div> <div>      As the door opened, he was surrounded by music.  The lights</div> <div> were dim, and Paris was lying on the sofa, hands laced behind his</div> <div> head, feet crossed at the ankles.  And the music - Chakotay smiled,</div> <div> recognizing it immediately, the soaring silver tones of the late,</div> <div> great Miriam O'Rourke, once heard, never forgotten.</div> <div>      But why was Paris looking so sad?  When la O'Rourke was</div> <div> singing joyfully that tra-la it was May, the lusty month of May, in</div> <div> her signature role of Guenevere, and one of Chakotay's favorites.</div> <div>      Paris saw who had entered, and said hastily, "Commander!</div> <div> Computer, music off."  And the incomparable voice was abruptly</div> <div> silenced.</div> <div>      Paris swung his legs off the sofa and sat up, as Chakotay</div> <div> said, "Hey, you didn't have to turn off the music, I've always been</div> <div> a big O'Rourkite."</div> <div>      The response was a toneless, "Oh, really?" and the face a</div> <div> featureless mask.</div> <div>      Chakotay said with an awkward attempt at levity, "Hey, you</div> <div> don't have to be such a mysterious bastard, do you?"</div> <div>      He never saw the fist coming.  That must have been how Paris</div> <div> was able to deck him, and knock him out so cleanly.</div> <div>      The next thing he knew, he was flat on his back on the floor,</div> <div> and Captain Janeway was bending over him.</div> <div>      "Captain?"</div> <div>      Janeway sighed, and settled back on her heels.  "You want to</div> <div> tell me why my Conning Officer just turned himself in to the brig</div> <div> and called me to tell me you needed medical assistance in his</div> <div> quarters?"</div> <bR> <div> End of Part III</div> <bR> <div>    </div> <bR> <div> Command Performance, Part 4 of 6</div> <div> VOY  Chakotay/Paris  NC-17</div> <bR> <bR> <div>                        Command Performance</div> <div>                        by "Emma Woodhouse"</div> <bR> <div>                              Part IV</div> <bR> <div>      Captain Janeway was running a medical scanner over the First</div> <div> Officer, and as he tried to sit up, she firmly pushed him back</div> <div> down.  "Doctor?" she said, over her shoulder.</div> <div>      Chakotay saw now that the Doctor was also with them, on the</div> <div> computer viewscreen.</div> <div>      "According to these readings, there is no concussion," the</div> <div> Doctor said.  "He should have no more than a nasty headache."</div> <div>      "Thank you, Doctor," the Captain said.  "Now, if you'll excuse</div> <div> us?"</div> <div>      "Of course."  And the screen went blank.</div> <div>      Chakotay sat up and Janeway helped him to a chair.  He felt</div> <div> his head queasily - that guy could really pack a punch!  He looked</div> <div> up to see the Captain watching him.  "I'm waiting," she said.</div> <div>      Chakotay sighed.  "Captain, I wish I knew!  The guy just blew</div> <div> up - it came out of nowhere.  I had just told him to stop being</div> <div> such a mysterious bastard - "  He broke off, seeing her eyes widen.</div> <div> "Oh, come on, Captain, don't tell me that PARIS would get fighting</div> <div> mad over a mild vulgarity!"</div> <div>      There was a thoughtful silence, and then Janeway said, "I</div> <div> suppose it would depend on the vulgarity."</div> <div>      "What?"</div> <div>      Janeway stood and went to the replicator, getting two coffees</div> <div> on her account.  She handed one to Chakotay and sat down.  "I</div> <div> taught a seminar in exploration science at the Academy one year.</div> <div> It was Tom's freshman year, and I remember hearing that he got into</div> <div> a lot of fights.  Seems that quite a few people were commenting</div> <div> that Tom bore very little resemblance to his father."</div> <div>      Chakotay stared at her in astonishment.  "Are you saying that</div> <div> Paris really IS a bastard?"</div> <div>      She quelled him with an angry glance.  "Pure malicious gossip</div> <div> without an ounce of truth to it!  Tom is every bit as stubborn as</div> <div> any Paris who ever lived.  But he gets his looks from his mother -</div> <div> anyone who'd ever seen Miriam would realize that."</div> <div>      "Mir - !"  Chakotay choked and tried again.  "Miriam O'Rourke?</div> <div> The Missouri Skylark?  Was Paris' mother?!"</div> <div>      "Didn't you know?"  As Chakotay shook his head, Janeway said,</div> <div> "Well, I suppose little boys don't pay a lot of attention to the</div> <div> entertainment news."</div> <div>      Chakotay was having a memory flashback, to a young ensign</div> <div> going with a group from his ship to see Miriam O'Rourke in Camelot</div> <div> - he'd dreamed about her for months afterwards.  What a crush he'd</div> <div> had!  And now he wondered why he'd never noticed the resemblance</div> <div> before.</div> <div>      He brought himself back to the present, realizing that the</div> <div> Captain was still talking.</div> <div>      " - on all the interview shows, saying she was accepting the</div> <div> role of a lifetime, the role of Star Fleet wife."  Janeway rolled</div> <div> her eyes.  "I thought it was very romantic at the time, of course</div> <div> I was only about ten.  But I guess that when the cameras stopped</div> <div> rolling, the role of a lifetime got tedious.  She left Gene when</div> <div> Tom was about five.  And left Tom behind."</div> <div>      Chakotay felt awful.   "Honestly, Captain, if I'd known any of</div> <div> this stuff, I would have thought of something else to call him!"</div> <div>      "I'm sure it wasn't deliberate, Commander," Janeway assured</div> <div> him.  "Well, what do we do now?"</div> <div>      "Better get down to the brig, I suppose."</div> <div>      In the turbolift, Janeway said, "You know, I always admired</div> <div> Gene Paris as a Star Fleet officer, but I never knew much about his</div> <div> personal life.  Didn't care much for what I did know."</div> <div>      "What do you mean?"</div> <div>      "Well, he hardly ever mentioned his son.  But he did say</div> <div> something once that - really bothered me.  He said that any son of</div> <div> Miriam's was bound to be a weakling, but he'd done his best to turn</div> <div> him into a Paris, to toughen him up."</div> <div>      Chakotay made a face.  "Actually, that sounds kind of</div> <div> ominous."</div> <div>      "I thought so, too."</div> <bR> <div>      In the brig, Crewman Ayalla wondered what to do.  He wasn't</div> <div> used to people checking themselves in to the brig, they were</div> <div> supposed to be arrested and brought here by Security.  But he'd</div> <div> called the Security Officer, and Mister Tuvok had told him to just</div> <div> leave the Lieutenant alone, that the Captain was handling it.</div> <div>      So Lieutenant Paris sat in the cell, though the force field</div> <div> was off.  He was sitting back, hugging his knees and staring off</div> <div> into space.  Ayalla thought it was all very weird.</div> <bR> <div>      .... Life had gotten very strange, Tommy thought, sitting in</div> <div> the groundcar and swinging his legs.  But then Daddy gave him a</div> <div> Look, so he sat still.  Just going anywhere with Daddy was strange,</div> <div> he didn't usually do much of the childcare stuff.  Right now, Daddy</div> <div> was just staring out the window.</div> <div>      Mama was gone, and this time it wasn't on tour, this time they</div> <div> said it was for good.  But nobody was talking about it.  And Nana</div> <div> Paris moved in, and Tommy really liked Nana P - she told him space</div> <div> stories and played games with him.</div> <div>      She'd been angry this morning, but not at him.  "Gene, don't</div> <div> do this!" she'd hissed, but Daddy had just said, "Mother, I have to</div> <div> know," and taken Tommy to the doctor.</div> <div>      The doctor seemed disapproving, too, though Tommy didn't know</div> <div> why, but he'd drawn blood and told Tommy that he was a very brave</div> <div> boy.</div> <div>      Then the doctor and Daddy had huddled over a computer screen,</div> <div> and the doctor had said that There Was No Question About It, and</div> <div> Daddy had just snorted and said, "All right, then."</div> <div>      Now Tommy looked up and saw that Daddy was looking at him.</div> <div> Daddy said grudgingly, "Well, you're mine, all right."</div> <div>      And Tommy was glad to hear it, despite the tone of voice.</div> <div> He'd been kind of nervous since Mama left, wondering if he was</div> <div> going to have to leave too.  But it was nice to know that he</div> <div> belonged somewhere, with someone.  That was a good thing.</div> <div>      Wasn't it?....</div> <bR> <div>      The door to the brig opened, and Crewman Ayalla sprang to his</div> <div> feet.  "Captain!" he said with relief, as the Captain entered with</div> <div> the First Officer.</div> <div>      "That will be all, Crewman," she told him, and he left the</div> <div> brig slowly, wondering if he'd ever find out what had gone on.</div> <div>      The two senior officers approached the cell, where Lieutenant</div> <div> Paris stood waiting for them, his face unreadable.  Finally,</div> <div> Chakotay said, "You don't have to be here, you're not on report."</div> <div>      "Yes I am," Paris said.  "I put myself on report, sir."</div> <div>      "And as First Officer, I dismissed it.  If you put yourself on</div> <div> report again, I will dismiss it again."</div> <div>      Paris stepped out of the cell, looking confused.</div> <div>      Janeway said softly, "Just go on back to your quarters, Tom.</div> <div> We'll talk later."</div> <div>      He started to leave, but turned back at the door.  Looking at</div> <div> Chakotay, he said defiantly, "It's not true, you know."</div> <div>      "What?"</div> <div>      "That stuff about my mother.  It's not true."</div> <div>      "I'm sure it isn't," Chakotay said.</div> <div>      "I KNOW it isn't," Paris insisted.  "And the blood tests</div> <div> proved it!"</div> <div>      Janeway gasped.  "Oh, Tom!  Did that stupid Academy gossip</div> <div> cause you to go get blood tests?"</div> <div>      "Of course not," Paris answered.  "I already knew it wasn't</div> <div> true.  I'd been tested a long time ago.  Right after Mama left."</div> <div>      "Right after - "  There was a long pause.  Then Janeway said</div> <div> carefully, "Tom, who had you tested?"</div> <div>      "My father."</div> <div>      She took a step backward, her eyes huge.  Then she waved at</div> <div> him, and he left.</div> <div>      Janeway stood in shocked silence for so long that Chakotay</div> <div> started to worry about her.  "Captain?"</div> <div>      She pulled herself together, and asked, "What kind of a man</div> <div> would take a little boy for a paternity test right after he'd been</div> <div> abandoned by his mother?"</div> <div>      And Chakotay had no answer for her.</div> <bR> <div>      It took a long time for Chakotay to get to sleep that night.</div> <div> And then his sleep was interrupted.  He woke up suddenly in the</div> <div> darkness, to a feel of a long warm body next to his, and a raging</div> <div> hard-on being caressed gently by practiced fingers, while lips</div> <div> roamed his throat and chest.  He threw his arms around the naked</div> <div> intruder, and rolled over, pinning him down.  "Computer, quarter</div> <div> lights."</div> <div>      The dim light showed him a beautiful face alight with</div> <div> mischief, as Paris asked, "Are you still mad at me?"</div> <div>      "How did you get in here?"</div> <div>      "Hey, locks only keep out honest people."</div> <div>      "What do you want?"</div> <div>      "Isn't it obvious?"  Paris squirmed purposefully beneath him,</div> <div> and he could feel the erection rubbing his belly.  And strong hands</div> <div> were gently stroking his hips, pulling him down, and Chakotay</div> <div> groaned in surrender, before feasting on those tempting lips.</div> <div>      The two men lay in the bed, arms around one another, kissing</div> <div> wildly, tongues meeting, and Paris whispered, "Doesn't this feel</div> <div> good?"</div> <div>      It really did.</div> <div>      Chakotay was lost now, lost in stroking the beautiful body</div> <div> beneath him, tasting the skin, slightly salty now with sweat, and</div> <div> he roamed all over his mysterious lover, not understanding him.</div> <div>      He stopped for a moment to look deeply into the blue eyes,</div> <div> wondering what he would see there.  But what he saw was nothing</div> <div> more complicated than desire, and he knew that he was probably</div> <div> showing the same.</div> <div>      Pressed close together, Chakotay reached between them, and</div> <div> took Paris' erection into his hand, and felt a hand fasten around</div> <div> his own.  They were both panting now, moving urgently against one</div> <div> another, not kissing now, because they had to keep the connection</div> <div> with the other man's eyes.</div> <div>      And Chakotay felt a thrill of pure power to see the younger</div> <div> man throw back his head, closing his eyes and shouting incoherently</div> <div> as he began to spurt his release against Chakotay's body.  And then</div> <div> Chakotay was lost too.</div> <div>      Finally spent, they lay together in each other's arms, kissing</div> <div> gently until they fell asleep.</div> <bR> <div>       When the alarm woke him the next day, Chakotay sat up with a</div> <div> start.  He was alone.  Had it been a dream, he thought hopefully,</div> <div> but the state of the sheets told him that it had not been a dream.</div> <div> He rose and prepared for work, worried.</div> <div>      Because he'd given someone else a hold over him, someone he</div> <div> neither understood nor trusted.</div> <bR> <div>      "Hey, I just forgot, is all," Tom protested.</div> <div>      Harry shook his head.  "Don't tell me, tell her.  That's if</div> <div> she'll ever speak to you again.  She says she won't, but then</div> <div> you've got a way with words."</div> <div>      Tom tried to look worried at the prospect of Megan Delany</div> <div> never speaking to him again.  But then he saw the First Officer</div> <div> enter the mess hall, and his mind wandered.</div> <div>      Chakotay glanced over at the table where Tom was breakfasting</div> <div> with Harry, and their eyes met.  Tom delicately licked his lips,</div> <div> and Chakotay hastily looked away.</div> <div>      Tom bit the inside of his lip, trying not to smile.  Hey, he</div> <div> thought, don't tease the man too much, or next time he'll just kick</div> <div> you right out.</div> <div>      Next time?  Tom was surprised at the thought.  Wasn't it just</div> <div> a payback, a way to get under the guy's skin?  Tom was shocked to</div> <div> realize that he didn't just want to get under the First Officer's</div> <div> skin, he wanted to stay there.  Next time?  Damn right there'd be</div> <div> a next time!  He'd just have to be careful, not push him too far.</div> <div>      He tried to snap back to the here and now, and listen to</div> <div> Harry.</div> <div>      " - probably the most tolerant woman on this ship, Tom," Harry</div> <div> was saying, "and if she won't put up with you, who will?  You can't</div> <div> just go around standing people up and think they're going to take</div> <div> it forever."</div> <div>      Tom sighed.  "Oh, well.  Maybe I'll just give up, Harry.  Do</div> <div> you think I'd make a good monk?"</div> <div>      "No!"  But Harry couldn't help laughing.  "I think you'd make</div> <div> a pretty lousy monk, Tom."</div> <bR> <div>      But it appeared to the women aboard Voyager that Lieutenant</div> <div> Paris had indeed taken some sort of monastic vows.  Megan Delany</div> <div> consulted in hushed whispers with Sue Nicolleti, and Sue said, "No,</div> <div> I haven't seen him around much lately.  He used to be such a pest."</div> <div>      Megan just sighed and went back to work.  She hadn't</div> <div> considered Tom a pest at all.  She wondered who he was after now,</div> <div> but according to the latest gossip in the women's locker room, no</div> <div> one else knew the answer either.</div> <bR> <div>      Voyager's First Officer could have told them, though of course</div> <div> he never would.  Several nights after the brig incident, he woke up</div> <div> to find that he had company again.</div> <div>      Tom lay beside him, on his side, propped up on his elbow,</div> <div> stroking the commander's chest and looking thoughtful.</div> <div>      "What?"  Chakotay asked.</div> <div>      "Oh," Tom said lazily, "I've just been wondering what you</div> <div> would feel like inside me."</div> <div>      Trying to control his breathing, Chakotay answered, "I suppose</div> <div> there's one way to find out."</div> <div>      Tom's eyes flashed for an instant, and then he was on his</div> <div> stomach, saying, "Oh, let's!"</div> <div>      Chakotay sat up, and moved behind the younger man.  He stroked</div> <div> the smooth pale back hesitantly.  He'd never done this before.  Tom</div> <div> was reaching back, handing him something - it was a tube of</div> <div> lubricant.  "Oh,"  he said.  "I guess - yeah, right."</div> <div>      "Just do like I did you," Tom told him, and closed his eyes</div> <div> with a happy sigh.</div> <div>      Chakotay began to caress the tender ass, gently feeling the</div> <div> anus, unable to really believe that he was doing this, but so</div> <div> aroused he knew it was impossible to stop.  He remembered the</div> <div> stretching that Tom had done for him, and copied it, feeling the</div> <div> young man shiver with desire.</div> <div>      And then he was pushing his way in, harder than he'd ever been</div> <div> in his life, and this was so tight, he thought he would come</div> <div> immediately.  He managed to control himself, and when he was all</div> <div> the way in, he stopped for a moment to lie on Tom's back and feel</div> <div> the unfamiliar connection.  He thought uneasily that this could</div> <div> quickly become addictive.</div> <div>      "How's that?" he whispered.</div> <div>      Tom sighed and said, "Oh, it's perfect!"</div> <div>      Chakotay felt rather proud of himself, remembering Tom's</div> <div> reputation, and knowing that his own background really was rather</div> <div> puritanical.  But then he was beyond thinking, given over</div> <div> completely to physical sensation.  And when he came, he couldn't</div> <div> deny that it was the most intense orgasm of his life.</div> <div>      Panting, he rolled Tom over and pulled him into his arms,</div> <div> kissing him deeply while he masturbated him, enjoying the sensation</div> <div> of the man writhing in his arms, whimpering eagerly until he came</div> <div> screaming.</div> <bR> <div>      During the day, Chakotay tried to come up with some sort of</div> <div> reconciliation with himself, some understanding of what was going</div> <div> on.  But it proved to be impossible.  Paris never spoke of it,</div> <div> seldom showed by more than the quickest glance that he even</div> <div> remembered what had happened in the night.</div> <div>      Chakotay usually prided himself on his self-awareness, on his</div> <div> own ability to examine himself and his motives.  But in this</div> <div> instance, he really didn't want to know.  Avoiding the subject</div> <div> entirely, he compartmentalized.</div> <div>      During the day, there was Lieutenant Paris, excellent pilot,</div> <div> merest acquaintance, who did his job, and shared meals with Torres</div> <div> and Kim, barely conversing with the First Officer.</div> <div>      But at night, there was Tom, and that was altogether</div> <div> different.  Tom was someone Chakotay never saw during the day, but</div> <div> welcomed eagerly at night, a vibrant young lover who took and gave</div> <div> pleasure with abandon, and with an astonishing openness and</div> <div> vulnerability.</div> <div>      Chakotay was with Tom now, entering his body, and this was one</div> <div> of his favorite things.  Tom lay on his back, smiling up at his</div> <div> lover, his legs around Chakotay's neck.</div> <div>      And Chakotay brought him right to the brink of orgasm, and</div> <div> stopped.  This was what he loved the most, bringing Tom to this</div> <div> point, and then holding him here for as long as possible.  His hand</div> <div> held the young man's erection firmly, but he wasn't going to let</div> <div> him go just yet, and Tom quivered beneath him, as their eyes</div> <div> remained locked together.</div> <div>      For a timeless period, they held their place, Chakotay loving</div> <div> the openness in the wide blue eyes, the wordless yearning, as he</div> <div> occupied the beautiful body.  And then Tom moaned, and they were</div> <div> moving again, and went shouting together over the brink, and lay</div> <div> gasping in one another's arms.</div> <div>      "You're mine!" Chakotay growled softly, and Tom echoed</div> <div> happily, "Yours."</div> <bR> <div>      The staff meeting was discussing the Captain's suggestion</div> <div> about revising the traditional Star Fleet fraternization policy, in</div> <div> light of their unusual circumstances.  Neelix and Kes listened to</div> <div> such arcana in bemused silence.  Torres caught Kim's eye, and gave</div> <div> a skyward look, and he bit his lip to suppress a giggle.</div> <div>      Kim thought it was rather amusing to hear the ivory tower</div> <div> discussion on deck one, knowing that belowdecks, the crew had</div> <div> resolved most of these questions to their own satisfaction.</div> <div>      Captain Janeway had thrown open for discussion the possibility</div> <div> of simply junking the fraternization prohibition altogether, as</div> <div> long as personal relationships were not allowed to interfere with</div> <div> the work environment.</div> <div>      "After all," she said, "we've been out for almost two years</div> <div> now, with the prospect of many more to come.  I don't feel like I</div> <div> can tell someone, 'You can't fall in love with that person, because</div> <div> they're enlisted', or an officer, or whatever. We need new rules.</div> <div> Or at least a relaxation of the rules we've got."</div> <div>      Tuvok was nodding gravely.  "Indeed.  Human attraction is not</div> <div> likely to be governed by rank.  And you would scarcely wish to be</div> <div> put in the position of having to assign mates."</div> <div>      A small explosion from the end of the table signalled Harry</div> <div> trying to stifle a laugh.  He was wondering who the Captain would</div> <div> assign to him.</div> <div>      Harry tried to catch Tom's eye, knowing that Tom's own</div> <div> adventures had never taken rank into consideration, but Tom was</div> <div> listening to the discussion with a politely blank face.</div> <div>      "I don't know, Captain," Chakotay said doubtfully.  "I mean</div> <div> about throwing out the policy altogether.  That could leave us open</div> <div> to some wildly inappropriate matches."</div> <div>      The First Officer was thinking about a turbulent and</div> <div> occasionally violent triangle that was currently roiling the</div> <div> Stellar Cartography staff.  And he had no idea how his comment</div> <div> would affect an insecure young man who had been trying desperately</div> <div> to pretend that he was loved.</div> <bR> <div> End of Part IV</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Command Performance, Part 5 of 6</div> <div> VOY  Chakotay/Paris  NC-17</div> <bR> <bR> <div>                        Command Performance</div> <div>                        by "Emma Woodhouse"</div> <bR> <div>                              Part V</div> <bR> <div>      Was Tom gone?  It had been a week now since he'd visited</div> <div> Chakotay's quarters, and the Commander didn't understand it.  Of</div> <div> course, he'd never understood why Tom had started the whole</div> <div> business in the first place.  He supposed there were a lot of</div> <div> things he didn't understand.  He slumped in his chair on the bridge</div> <div> and brooded.</div> <div>      Captain Janeway wondered about her First Officer's mood.  He'd</div> <div> been subject to strange mood swings ever since the epidemic.  Ever</div> <div> since he'd gone to Avara, and, as near as Janeway could tell, had</div> <div> seduced the Queen Mother to get the vital serum.</div> <div>      She was starting to wonder if she should demand that he</div> <div> complete the away mission report.  Or maybe she should just ask</div> <div> Lieutenant Paris.</div> <div>      The shift was over.  Tom sighed with relief.  Maybe he'd get</div> <div> used to this eventually, flying the ship with Chakotay sitting</div> <div> behind him; he kept wanting to turn around, kept thinking he felt</div> <div> eyes on his back.</div> <div>      He headed off to the mess hall with Harry, lost in thought.</div> <bR> <div>      "Voyager to Paris - come in Paris."</div> <div>      Tom jumped.  He'd gotten through the chow line, had a seat,</div> <div> and eating half his meal, without realizing what he was doing.</div> <div>      Harry was staring at him.  "Where have you been?"</div> <div>      Tom laughed uncomfortably, "Oh, just cruising the galaxy, I</div> <div> guess."</div> <div>      "See anything interesting out there?"</div> <div>      "Not really."</div> <div>      "Come on, Tom, what's gotten into you lately?"</div> <div>      "Nothing!"  And Tom thought - literally!</div> <div>      Harry shrugged.  "Well, have it your way.  But you've really</div> <div> been acting weird."</div> <div>      "I have?"</div> <div>      "Didn't you know that?"</div> <div>      Tom stood up suddenly.  "I'm not hungry," he said, and left in</div> <div> a hurry.</div> <div>      He entered his quarters and flopped face down on the sofa,</div> <div> abandoning himself to his miserable thoughts.</div> <div>      Chakotay's right, he thought - I AM a slut.  Why else would I</div> <div> have kept throwing myself at a guy who won't even talk to me when</div> <div> I've got my clothes on?</div> <div>      He was hearing a voice now, from the distant past - "You</div> <div> miserable, worthless little piece of screwed-up shit - " - and</div> <div> sighed, and said aloud, "Right."</div> <bR> <div>      "Captain, I think we've lost the probe."</div> <div>      Janeway sighed.  She turned toward Ops, and asked, "What do</div> <div> you mean, lost?"</div> <div>      "It's not responding to remote command," Ensign Kim amplified.</div> <div>      "But it's still there?"</div> <div>      "Yes, it's still there.  Just not doing what it's told."</div> <div>      Voyager was in the process of scanning an asteroid belt for</div> <div> useful minerals, and had sent a probe to gather more detailed</div> <div> information.  "Well, we need the information, and we need the</div> <div> probe, too.  I guess we'll just have to go and get it.  Mister</div> <div> Rollins, take the Conn.  Mister Paris, you'll pilot the shuttle.</div> <div> Could get bumpy, judging by the interference.  Commander," she</div> <div> turned to Chakotay, "you want to man the tractor beam?"</div> <div>      "Yes, ma'am," Chakotay responded, knowing he was probably</div> <div> their best tractor operator, a talent that had come in handy in</div> <div> various underhanded maneuvers against the Cardassians.  It wasn't</div> <div> until he was in the turbolift on the way to the shuttlebay that he</div> <div> realized that this would put him on an away mission alone with</div> <div> Paris.</div> <div>      For the first time since -</div> <div>      Chakotay quickly shut down that train of thought.</div> <div>      Paris was staring straight ahead, the very model of cool</div> <div> professionalism.  Chakotay wanted to throttle him, wanted to shout,</div> <div> "You son of a bitch, what have you done with Tom?"</div> <div>      Three weeks now, and his lover had never returned.</div> <bR> <div>      The Captain was right.  It was a bumpy ride, and a difficult</div> <div> retrieval.  But Chakotay was surprised to realize how well the two</div> <div> men worked together.  Paris seemed to know which direction Chakotay</div> <div> would want him to maneuver before he did, and after a few</div> <div> frustrating attempts, Chakotay finally made the successful grab,</div> <div> and the probe was recovered.  They set course back for the ship.</div> <div>      With their mission accomplished, Chakotay had time to brood</div> <div> now, about the mystery of Tom Paris.  And it seemed incredible to</div> <div> him now that he had let things go on for so long without getting</div> <div> any answers.</div> <div>      So when the shuttle set down in the shuttlebay, he blocked the</div> <div> aisle, preventing the pilot from leaving.  Paris looked at him and</div> <div> raised his eyebrows, saying nothing.</div> <div>      "Tell me something," Chakotay demanded, and he couldn't keep</div> <div> the anger out of his voice.  "Now that it's over, just tell me what</div> <div> it was about.  I just want to know - why?"</div> <div>      Paris managed not to flinch, though he wanted to, both at the</div> <div> angry tone, and at the words - 'now that it's over'.  Over, he</div> <div> thought bleakly, and then smiled vindictively at the older man.</div> <div> "What was it about?  It was about payback, Commander."</div> <div>      He was pleased to see that he'd scored a direct hit.  Chakotay</div> <div> looked stunned, and stepped aside to let him pass.</div> <div>      After the pilot had left, Chakotay slumped back down into a</div> <div> seat, wishing he hadn't asked.  Because it was bad enough to be a</div> <div> dupe and a middle-aged fool.  But far worse was the knowledge that</div> <div> Tom, his exciting, generous young lover, the Tom he was still</div> <div> missing and mourning, that Tom had never even existed.</div> <bR> <div>      Unable to sleep, Chakotay sat at his computer terminal,</div> <div> reading a short biography of Miriam O'Rourke.  Between the lines of</div> <div> the authorized hagiography, he thought he was getting a sense of</div> <div> the real Miriam, the woman who left her son behind, who linked up</div> <div> with ever more important men in the entertainment industry, until</div> <div> her untimely death in a bizarre space accident while touring.  He</div> <div> was starting to hate her - shallow, self-centered, with only two</div> <div> things going for her: that unique voice, and the ability to create</div> <div> fictional characters that people would fall in love with.</div> <div>      She must have been in her mid-forties when Chakotay saw her on</div> <div> stage, but so convincingly did she create the young queen that he</div> <div> easily believed her to be twenty and naive, bewildered by her</div> <div> royalty, needing someone to take care of her.</div> <div>      The ability to create fictional characters -  Chakotay sighed</div> <div> and switched off the computer.  Runs in the family, he thought.</div> <bR> <div>      Tom was having trouble sleeping too.  He kept hearing a voice,</div> <div> replayed from memory, a soft possessive growl - "You're mine!"</div> <div>      Paris, you idiot - don't you know better than to believe what</div> <div> people say right after they've fucked you?</div> <div>      He had just wanted so badly to believe it, to believe that he</div> <div> finally belonged somewhere again.  It had been so long.  Years</div> <div> since he'd lost his precarious footing and become an outcast,</div> <div> belonging nowhere, to no one.</div> <div>      All his life, he'd tried so hard to belong, had put up with so</div> <div> much without a word of complaint, trying to prove that he was a</div> <div> real Paris, and not a weakling like Mama, that he could be as tough</div> <div> as anyone.</div> <div>      And it had been gone in a moment, when the discharge was</div> <div> announced, and Dad had just turned and walked away, never to be</div> <div> seen again, as if everything he had done, everything he had lived</div> <div> through up to that point was simply erased.</div> <div>      It had all been for nothing.</div> <bR> <div>      "You wanted to see me, Captain?"</div> <div>      Janeway looked up from her desk, and nodded.  "Yes,</div> <div> Commander," she said formally.  "Please take a seat."</div> <div>      Chakotay sat, and the silence stretched out uncomfortably.</div> <div> Finally Janeway spoke.</div> <div>      "Commander, I have tried to follow your recommendation, and</div> <div> not request a fuller accounting of your away mission to Avara."</div> <div> She noted with interest that he almost flinched.  "But I don't feel</div> <div> that I can do that anymore.  Something is obviously bothering you,</div> <div> has bothered you since then, disturbed you deeply."</div> <div>      Still he said nothing.</div> <div>      She softened her voice.  "It's becoming quite noticable,</div> <div> Chakotay.  Didn't you know?"</div> <div>      No, he hadn't known.  He looked down at his hands folded in</div> <div> his lap.</div> <div>      "If we had a ship's counselor, I'd send you there.  I don't</div> <div> know how to help you, I don't even know if I can help you.  But if</div> <div> you would just tell me what happened, I'd have a better idea of</div> <div> what to do."</div> <div>      Chakotay nodded.  He cleared his throat and tried to start.</div> <div> Then he stood up and began to pace.  "I told you about being</div> <div> imprisoned by the King, and then the Queen Mother's people breaking</div> <div> us out of the prison?"</div> <div>      "Yes, and that the Queen Mother provided the serum.  But you</div> <div> brought back all the duranium.  So what did you give her for the</div> <div> serum?"</div> <div>      Chakotay made a strange noise.  It might have been a laugh.</div> <div> "We gave her and the ladies of her court a sex show, Captain."</div> <div>      Janeway sat back and stared at him.  She hadn't known what to</div> <div> expect, but she hadn't expected this.  "Oh, Chakotay!  A - with</div> <div> whom?  Did some of these ladies - "</div> <div>      Chakotay interrupted her, exasperated.  "With EACH OTHER!"</div> <div>      "W - "  Janeway stood up.  "I need some coffee.  Would you</div> <div> like some?"  Chakotay nodded, and they moved silently to the upper</div> <div> level of the Ready Room.</div> <div>      Janeway ordered the coffee, wondering what to do.  She knew</div> <div> how this must have affected her proud First Officer, but hadn't the</div> <div> slightest idea what to do about it.  She turned and handed him a</div> <div> cup.  "Chakotay, I don't know what to say," she admitted.</div> <div>      He chuckled weakly.  "Sorry you asked?"</div> <div>      There was a long pause for thought.  "No.  I don't think so.</div> <div> It's better to know.  But I just don't know what to do.  If we were</div> <div> back in Federation territory, one of you could transfer, I suppose.</div> <div> But I need both my First Officer and my best pilot on the bridge."</div> <div>      "I know that, Captain.  It's just something I have to deal</div> <div> with, I guess."</div> <div>      Janeway sighed sympathetically.  "And the two of you disliking</div> <div> one another so much - I don't suppose this helped at all."</div> <div>      Chakotay said honestly, "I would say it made things much</div> <div> worse, Captain."  Because now I'm obsessed with the man, I think</div> <div> about him all the time, want him all the time -</div> <div>      He squared his shoulders and looked up.  "I'll just have to</div> <div> make more of an effort, Captain.  Thank you for bringing my</div> <div> dereliction to my attention."</div> <div>      She looked into his eyes, and saw that the confidences were</div> <div> over.  "Very well, Commander.  But if you need to talk to anyone,</div> <div> you know I'm always here."</div> <bR> <div>      Conversation in a chow line:</div> <div>      "Morning, Paris.  How's everything?"  ( - and why don't you</div> <div> kneel down right here and suck me off? - let me fuck that pretty</div> <div> face in front of all these people, just like you did before - )</div> <div>      "Oh, just fine.  You?"  ( - want to show you just how abject</div> <div> a surrender can be, lying face down on the floor, drawing up my</div> <div> knees and raising my ass, begging you to take me, use me, take your</div> <div> pleasure in my worthless body - )</div> <div>      "Fine."  ( - hold you in my arms as you sleep, watching the</div> <div> sweet smile on your face, feeling my semen sticky on your thighs,</div> <div> and remembering how you threw back your head and screamed and</div> <div> sobbed as I came deep inside your perfect, precious body - )</div> <bR> <div>      Sandrine's.  Tom headed back to the pool table with a pitcher</div> <div> of beer, and watched Harry take his shot.  The kid was getting</div> <div> better.  "Not too awful there, Harry."</div> <div>      "Oh, stop it - I'm blushing!"</div> <div>      No one was waiting for the table, so they were taking their</div> <div> time, not playing a serious game, just something to go with the</div> <div> beer.</div> <div>      "Hey, Tom, Megan was talking to me the other day."</div> <div>      "Yeah?"</div> <div>      "She's wondering who you're with these days."</div> <div>      Tom pretended to look puzzled.  "Who I'm with?  Depends on the</div> <div> time of day, doesn't it?  When I'm on watch there's you and the</div> <div> Captain and Chakotay and Tuvok - "</div> <div>      "Very funny.  She meant romantically."</div> <div>      "And what did you say?"</div> <div>      "What do you think I said?  That I don't know!  Because I</div> <div> don't."</div> <div>      "Jeez, Harry, cut a guy some slack!  What rule says I've</div> <div> always got to be in the middle of some romance?"</div> <div>      Harry thought about it for a minute.  "Precedents?"</div> <div>      Tom rolled his eyes.  "What a reputation to have!"</div> <div>      "Really, Tom.  You mean there's nobody right now?  Is that why</div> <div> you've been acting so strange?"</div> <div>      "Strange?  What do you mean?"  Tom thought for a minute and</div> <div> added, "And I think I resent the implication that I'm some kind of</div> <div> sex addict or something."</div> <div>      "Sorry.  I mean strange like - well, not like yourself.  When</div> <div> was the last time you told a joke?"</div> <div>      "Oh, so that's my personality?  The court jester sex addict?"</div> <div>      "Boy, you're touchy lately."</div> <div>      They continued their game in offended silence for a few</div> <div> minutes.  Then Harry said, "But really, Tom.  Why don't you ask</div> <div> Megan out?  She really likes you."</div> <div>      Tom looked up at Harry in surprise.  "Harry, you can't just go</div> <div> around grabbing people just because they're available.  They start</div> <div> thinking you really care about them."</div> <div>      It was Harry's turn to look surprised.</div> <div>      Tom said, "Didn't you know that?"</div> <div>      "Well, yes, I knew that, but I didn't know that you did."</div> <div>      Tom turned back to the pool table, muttering, "I must have</div> <div> read it somewhere."</div> <div>      He looked down at the game, thinking - I read it in a pair of</div> <div> deep, dark eyes.  Eyes that I could have sworn were filled with</div> <div> tenderness and love, until I woke up and saw them filled with anger</div> <div> and hate  - 'now that it's over' - like I'm just some worthless</div> <div> piece of trash -  and I'd been so sure -</div> <div>      His next shot went wild.</div> <bR> <div>      Chakotay walked down the dirt trail, feeling none of the peace</div> <div> that he usually experienced in this place.  The chilly wind, which</div> <div> had once felt briskly exhilarating, now felt desolate, and he</div> <div> shivered.</div> <div>      He walked alone, today, wondering where his companion was.</div> <div> She usually walked this trail with him, padding along by his side,</div> <div> and her cryptic comments amused him, teased him like puzzles.  But</div> <div> lately, she had merely exasperated him, and it must have showed.</div> <div>      He smelled wood smoke, and that was unusual for this place.</div> <div> But then he came to the clearing, and found a small camp fire, with</div> <div> a man sitting beside it.</div> <div>      Kolopak turned and said casually, "Oh, Chakotay.  There you</div> <div> are."</div> <div>      Chakotay sat down beside the old man.  "Hello, Father."</div> <div>      "You weren't expecting me."</div> <div>      "Not really."</div> <div>      "Because you haven't been seeking me."</div> <div>      Chakotay said nothing.  It was true.  He hadn't sought</div> <div> Kolopak's counsel.  Didn't think it would do any good.</div> <div>      "You're alone today,"  Kolopak added.</div> <div>      Chakotay nodded.  "I don't know where she is."</div> <div>      Kolopak sighed.  "She's about to wash her paws of you,</div> <div> Chakotay."</div> <div>      That surprised him.  Did spirit guides ever just give up?</div> <div> "Why?"</div> <div>      "You don't listen to her."</div> <div>      "I don't understand her!"</div> <div>      "Do you want to?"</div> <div>      Another silence.</div> <div>      "So here I am," Kolopak added, with a twinkle in his eye.</div> <div> "Because I can be just as stubborn as you."</div> <div>      "Stubborn?"</div> <div>      "Yes, stubborn!  Too stubborn to listen, to understand, to ask</div> <div> the right questions."</div> <div>      After a long pause, Chakotay said, "Okay.  I'm listening."</div> <div>      "Are you?  Are you really?  Then listen carefully, son,</div> <div> because this you need to hear."</div> <div>      Chakotay leaned forward, to hear the important advice.</div> <div>      "Get a life, Chakotay!"</div> <div>      He sat back, disappointed.  "I have a life," he protested</div> <div> foolishly.</div> <div>      "So?  And when are you going to start living it?  When you get</div> <div> accepted to the Academy - no wait, when you get your commission.</div> <div> No, when you get a ship to command.  No wait, when the Cardassians</div> <div> are defeated.  When you get back to the Alpha Quadrant?  In SEVENTY</div> <div> YEARS, Chakotay, then will you start living your life?  Or will</div> <div> your life be over before you've even started to live it?"</div> <div>      "Look," Chakotay protested, "I have responsibilities, an</div> <div> important job, a lost crew - "</div> <div>      "So did I have responsibilities.  But I didn't drive your</div> <div> mother away with my preoccupied self-importance, now did I?"</div> <div>      "If this is about Clara - "</div> <div>      "No!  This is not about Clara, about the past.  This is about</div> <div> the present.  And the future."</div> <div>      Chakotay sighed.  Now he got it.  The last thing in the world</div> <div> he wanted to discuss with Kolopak.  "This is about Tom."</div> <div>      "About Tom.  And about you."</div> <div>      "Well, what am I suppose to do about it?" Chakotay cried out,</div> <div> anguished.</div> <div>      "How should I know?  But you see, don't you, that you must do</div> <div> something?"</div> <div>      Chakotay nodded wearily.  "But what do you do - " he paused</div> <div> and took a deep breath.  God, this was painful!  "What do you do</div> <div> when you love someone who hates you?  When they only made you fall</div> <div> in love with them as some sort of revenge, some sort of joke?"</div> <div>      Kolopak looked surprised.  "Is that what happened?"  Chakotay</div> <div> nodded, and his father said, "Are you sure?"</div> <div>      "Yes, I'm sure!  Dammit, he said so!"</div> <div>      Kolopak nodded thoughtfully.  "And of course he always tells</div> <div> the truth."  Chakotay looked up sharply at this, and Kolopak went</div> <div> on, "And of course he's never been hurt, so would not understand or</div> <div> care about the consequences of hurting another."</div> <div>      "I don't know," Chakotay whispered.</div> <div>      Kolopak looked up, and said briskly, "Well, then, it's simple,</div> <div> isn't it?"</div> <div>      "It is?"</div> <div>      "You must either stop loving him, or make him stop hating</div> <div> you."</div> <div>      "And how would I do either of those things?"</div> <div>      Kolopak shrugged.  "You figure it out.  But one thing's</div> <div> certain.  You won't accomplish either sitting on the floor of your</div> <div> quarters talking to a figment of your imagination."</div> <div>      Chakotay raised his head.  Outside the window, the stars of</div> <div> the Delta Quadrant streamed past anonymously.</div> <bR> <div> End Part V</div> <bR> <bR> <div> For archiving purposes only.   ;)</div> <bR> <div>                               -Taffy</div> <bR> <bR> <div> *******************************************************************************</div> <bR> <div> "Trying to define yourself is like </div> <div> trying to bite your own teeth."</div> <bR> <div>                -Alan Watts</div> <bR> <div> ---------- Forwarded message ----------</div> <div> Date: Fri, 8 Nov 1996 11:42:41 -0500</div> <div> From: Taffy </div> <div> Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative</div> <div> Subject: Command Performance, Part 6/6, VOY C/P NC-17 (fwd)</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Command Performance, Part 6 of 6</div> <div> VOY  Chakotay/Paris  NC-17</div> <bR> <bR> <div>                        Command Performance</div> <div>                        by "Emma Woodhouse"</div> <bR> <div>                              Part VI</div> <bR> <div>      "Computer, locate Lieutenant Paris."</div> <div>      "Lieutenant Paris is in the mess hall."</div> <div>      Chakotay looked at the time.  After eleven, he saw with</div> <div> surprise.  He must have been meditating for hours before he met</div> <div> Kolopak.  Well, that's good - the mess hall would probably be</div> <div> deserted now.</div> <div>      As he entered the mess hall, Chakotay saw that he was right.</div> <div> The room was on dimmed after-hours lighting, and the only person</div> <div> there was the man sitting over by the window.</div> <div>      He hadn't heard the door.  Chakotay stood for a moment</div> <div> watching him.</div> <div>      Tom sat in the last row of tables, facing the window, leaning</div> <div> back against the table.  His feet were propped up on the wall, and</div> <div> he was staring moodily out the window.  Chakotay had never seen him</div> <div> looking like that, so forlorn.  He wondered, is this the face he</div> <div> wears when no one is looking?</div> <div>      All the way here, he'd been lecturing himself, don't shout at</div> <div> the man, and don't grab him either.  Keep your voice down, let's</div> <div> try to figure this out.  But now he saw that the instinct he would</div> <div> have to fight the hardest was the one telling him to sweep this</div> <div> young man into his arms and cherish and protect him.</div> <div>      Tom must have heard something, because he turned around.  Now</div> <div> his face was arranged in more familiar lines, as he said, "Good</div> <div> evening.  Commander."</div> <div>      Oh, shit, the smart ass was back.</div> <div>      Chakotay advanced into the room, saying, "I'd like to talk to</div> <div> you."</div> <div>      Tom chuckled.  "Well, they say talk is cheap.  So you've come</div> <div> to the right guy."</div> <div>      Chakotay sat down on the bench beside Tom, pondering the last</div> <div> remark.  Then he turned to the younger man, and said, "Payback for</div> <div> what?" as if the conversation of several weeks ago was only minutes</div> <div> old.</div> <div>      Tom shrugged.  "You know."</div> <div>      "Actually, I don't."</div> <div>      "Maybe I just wanted to prove that you could want me, that it</div> <div> wasn't so totally disgusting."</div> <div>      "What the hell are you talking about?"  Chakotay was honestly</div> <div> bewildered.</div> <div>      Tom turned to give him an angry glare.  "Shit, no wonder</div> <div> you're still single and unattached.  Do you usually puke after sex?</div> <div> Some people would tend to take offense at that."</div> <div>      After a moment, Chakotay realized what he was talking about -</div> <div> the Summer Palace.  He exclaimed, "That wasn't about you!"</div> <div>      "Yeah.  Right."  Tom turned back to stare out the window.</div> <div>      "No.  Really.  It was the Queen Mother and the page, don't you</div> <div> remember?"</div> <div>      "Remember what?"</div> <div>      "Didn't you see what she had that kid doing?"</div> <div>      Tom snarled, "I think I was a bit preoccupied at the time."</div> <div>      So Chakotay told him, the Queen Mother with her skirts up, and</div> <div> the little boy with his face buried between her thighs - he was</div> <div> feeling a bit squeamish as he described it, but when he looked at</div> <div> Tom, Tom merely looked puzzled.</div> <div>      "So?" Tom asked, in a matter of fact tone.  "So what?  Maybe</div> <div> she thought he needed to be toughened up."</div> <div>      This was such a non sequitur that Chakotay had trouble parsing</div> <div> it.  Then he noticed that Tom's fists were clenched, and his eyes</div> <div> were closed.</div> <div>      Tom said rapidly, "Shutupshutupshutupshutup."  But he didn't</div> <div> seem to be talking to Chakotay.  Then he stood and headed for the</div> <div> door.</div> <div>      Chakotay grabbed his arm before he made it out the door, and</div> <div> swung him around, "Tom, what on earth - "</div> <div>      But Tom's eyes were wide with panic, and his voice was high</div> <div> and childish, as he said, "We don't talk about Family Stuff to</div> <div> Outsiders, Outsiders would never understand - " as if he were</div> <div> reciting a lesson.</div> <div>      And he broke free from Chakotay's hold and was gone.</div> <div>      Chakotay stood petrified in the door of the mess hall.  He was</div> <div> trying to think, trying to remember - why did that sound familiar?</div> <div>      And then he had it.  Captain Janeway saying "he said that any</div> <div> son of Miriam's was bound to be a weakling, but he'd done his best</div> <div> to make a Paris out of him, tried to toughen him up."</div> <div>      Oh, shit!  Chakotay took off down the hall.</div> <bR> <div>      Tom hurried down the hall, wondering where he could go, where</div> <div> he could hide.  He was mentally cursing himself as he went, how</div> <div> close he'd come to betraying the family, just because a guy was</div> <div> strong and gorgeous and looked concerned.</div> <div>      Maybe he really was a weakling, just like Mama, and the Paris</div> <div> part just didn't take.</div> <div>      Where could he go?  Somewhere where there were people, that</div> <div> would be the safest.  He asked the computer, and his Sandrine's</div> <div> program was still running, so someone was still awake, and he'd be</div> <div> safe there.</div> <bR> <div>      Captain Janeway was sipping wine, talking with Harry.  She</div> <div> liked Harry, he was almost a surrogate son, and right now they were</div> <div> talking about science and exploration, and she was telling him</div> <div> humorous stories about some of her ensign pratfalls.</div> <div>      But then the doors swung open, and Tom entered the bar,</div> <div> looking wild.  He saw them, and took a deep breath.  "Captain," he</div> <div> said, trying to be casual and in control.  "Good evening."</div> <div>      And the doors swung open again, and Chakotay stormed in,</div> <div> looking even wilder.  "Stop running away from me!" he shouted.</div> <div>      Tom began to back away.  Janeway said, "Commander - " but</div> <div> neither man was paying attention to her.</div> <div>      "And don't give me any of that Outsider crap, either,"</div> <div> Chakotay continued, advancing on Tom.  "I'm not an Outsider,</div> <div> goddammit, I LOVE YOU!"</div> <div>      Tom's knees buckled, and he fell to the ground.  Chakotay was</div> <div> quickly beside him, and pulled the young man into his arms.  He</div> <div> looked over Tom's head to Janeway and Kim, directing his eyes to</div> <div> the door in an unmistakable request that they leave.</div> <div>      Janeway and Kim had jumped to their feet, and Janeway said</div> <div> softly, "If you're sure you can handle - "</div> <div>      But he wasn't listening to her.  Pressing Tom's head to his</div> <div> heart, he was murmuring, "It's okay, you don't have to tell me</div> <div> anything, there now, honey, everything is okay now, you're with</div> <div> me."</div> <div>      And Tom's arms came around him and clutched him tightly.</div> <div>      The Captain and the ensign exchanged surprised looks, and</div> <div> quietly tiptoed out.</div> <div>      Tom's face was buried in the Commander's chest, and his mind</div> <div> was whirling.  He said he loves me?  In public, with our clothes</div> <div> on?  Does that mean he means it?  But he wouldn't love me if he</div> <div> knew.</div> <div>      He raised his face to look at Chakotay, and now he was being</div> <div> kissed, and had to kiss back.  But he was feeling guilty, letting</div> <div> Chakotay's emotions sweep away his better judgment, sure he would</div> <div> regret it one day.  So he pulled away, and said softly, "Chakotay,</div> <div> don't.  You don't know about me, you wouldn't like me if you did."</div> <div>      "Says you!" Chakotay said roughly, and reached for him again.</div> <div> Tom backed up, not wanting to, but feeling as if he should.</div> <div>      "No, really.  I've done a lot of stuff you would disapprove</div> <div> of, and I couldn't stand it, seeing you disappointed and disgusted</div> <div> with me - "</div> <div>      Now Chakotay grabbed him and pulled him back into his arms.</div> <div> "Don't worry about it," he said.  "I'm a whore too, remember?"</div> <div>      Tom couldn't help chuckling weakly at that, but protested, "I</div> <div> think I started younger than you did - " but was cut off by</div> <div> Chakotay's mouth on his.</div> <div>      Chakotay thought, as he had once before, this is one way to</div> <div> get the guy to shut up.</div> <div>      For a long time the two men knelt on the floor in Sandrine's,</div> <div> kissing one another blindly, and now their hands began to roam each</div> <div> other's bodies -</div> <div>      - and an outraged female voice said, "Mousieur Tom!  This is</div> <div> a respectable establishment!"</div> <div>      Sandrine was glaring at them, hands on her hips, and Tom</div> <div> started to say, "Computer, delete - "</div> <div>      But Chakotay stood and jerked Tom to his feet, saying, "You're</div> <div> coming with me."</div> <bR> <div>      As soon as the door to his quarters closed behind them,</div> <div> Chakotay began undressing the younger man.  Tom helped him out,</div> <div> almost frantic to get shed of his clothes.  When he was naked, he</div> <div> pressed himself against his lover and wrapped his arms around him,</div> <div> kissing him hard on the lips.  Then he tore himself away and turned</div> <div> around, dropping to his hands and knees on the floor.</div> <div>      Chakotay was unzipping his jumpsuit, and said, "Tom, the</div> <div> bedroom - "</div> <div>      But Tom insisted, "Right here!  Now!"</div> <div>      And suddenly it had to be now, no time to undress, no time to</div> <div> move to the bedroom, barely time to push some saliva into Tom's</div> <div> body before he was pushing into him.</div> <div>      Pushing fast and pushing hard, and he was all the way in, and</div> <div> Tom threw back his head, groaning, "Oh yes!"</div> <div>      How could he have done without this for so long?  An act which</div> <div> felt so good and gave such pleasure?  Chakotay was lost now, in his</div> <div> lover's body, and Tom was pushing back against him, every bit as</div> <div> eager, and all Chakotay could think was - mine, mine - this man is</div> <div> mine!</div> <div>      In a haze of pleasure, he reached for Tom's erection, and Tom</div> <div> was shouting now, but there were no words, and then they were</div> <div> panting on the floor, and Chakotay was kissing Tom's ear.</div> <div>      Tom said softly, "Doin' good.  You didn't puke that time."</div> <div>      To which Chakotay responded, "Come to bed, smart ass."</div> <bR> <div>      The two men lay together in the big bed, the stars streaking</div> <div> outside the window.  They stroked one another gently, and now</div> <div> Chakotay could see the love in Tom's eyes.  But he also saw fear,</div> <div> and uncertainty.</div> <div>      "Okay," he said roughly.  "Let's get some rules straight."</div> <div>      Tom nodded, worried.</div> <div>      "First rule.  None of this sneaking in here in the middle of</div> <div> the night several times a week."  He kissed Tom's lips, hard, and</div> <div> went on, "This is your bed now.  Right here.  Every night.  Got</div> <div> that?"</div> <div>      Tom said softly, "Yessir."</div> <div>      "Second rule.  Any pajamas you've got, throw them out.  You</div> <div> don't wear pajamas anymore.  Got that?"</div> <div>      "Yessir."  Tom's eyes were shining now.</div> <div>      "Third rule.  I don't share.  The Delany sisters will just</div> <div> have to get along without you.  Got that?"</div> <div>      "Yessir."</div> <div>      Chakotay rolled over, pinning Tom beneath him.  "Now say</div> <div> you're mine."</div> <div>      Tom laughed breathlessly, and said, "You're mine."</div> <div>      "Very funny.  Say it!"  Chakotay reached down, and took Tom's</div> <div> penis in his hand, sliding his hand up and down, and then he</div> <div> stopped, causing Tom to moan in protest.  "Say it!"</div> <div>      "I'm yours."</div> <div>      "Really?"</div> <div>      "I'm yours!"  Tom was moving beneath the heavier man, now</div> <div> desperately aroused, and repeated, "Yours, yours!"</div> <div>      "Say you belong to me."</div> <div>      "I belong to you!  Chakotay, please!"</div> <div>      Now both men were moving, kissing, and they were beyond words.</div> <bR> <div>      Chakotay woke up in the middle of the night.  He watched his</div> <div> lover's sleeping face, feeling almost dizzy.  Like he'd just</div> <div> stepped off a cliff, and didn't know yet whether he was falling or</div> <div> flying.  But the great thing about stepping off a cliff is that</div> <div> there's no going back.</div> <div>      He lightly stroked Tom's lips, enjoying the tiny smile.  He</div> <div> couldn't help worrying about Tom, now that he acknowledged that he</div> <div> loved him.</div> <div>      He knew enough now to see why Tom was so insecure, however</div> <div> much he tried to hide it, and wondered if Tom would ever become</div> <div> secure enough to rebel against being dominated.  He rather hoped</div> <div> so.  But in the meantime, it seemed to make Tom feel safe, to be</div> <div> ordered about, so Chakotay would certainly oblige.</div> <div>      He had surprised himself tonight - never before had he snapped</div> <div> out orders like that, or pinned someone down and demanded that they</div> <div> admit his ownership of them.  But Tom seemed to like it.  And</div> <div> Chakotay had to admit - he sort of liked it too.</div> <bR> <div>      B'Elanna leaned over the table, smiling in disbelief and</div> <div> pushing her eggs away uneaten.  "I'd say you were making this up,</div> <div> Star Fleet, if I didn't know your imagination isn't quite that</div> <div> twisted."</div> <div>      Harry shrugged.  "Hey, what can I say?  Was I hallucinating?"</div> <div>      "That would almost make more sense."</div> <div>      The doors to the mess hall opened then, and the First Officer</div> <div> and Conning Officer entered.  The two young officers watched them</div> <div> speculatively.  As the newcomers filled their trays and walked</div> <div> toward them, it seemed to Harry that Tom was looking suspiciously</div> <div> docile.  He bit his lip, wondering if Chakotay knew what he was in</div> <div> for.</div> <div>      "Morning," Tom said with a sunny smile, as he and Chakotay sat</div> <div> down at Harry and B'Elanna's table.  Side by side.</div> <div>      After a few awkward attempts at small talk, B'Elanna retrieved</div> <div> her eggs and tried again to eat them, watching Tom and Chakotay out</div> <div> of the corner of her eye.</div> <div>      After a few minutes, Tom said mournfully, "I have to throw</div> <div> away all my pajamas."</div> <div>      Chakotay gave him a sharp look, but said nothing.</div> <div>      B'Elanna choked on her juice, and said, "Uh - really?  Why?"</div> <div>      "I've been ordered to," Tom said meekly.  After a moment, he</div> <div> gave a tragic sigh, and added, "I'm really going to miss the fuzzy</div> <div> blue ones.  The ones with the feet."</div> <div>      B'Elanna said, "Gee.  That's too bad - " wondering what on</div> <div> earth was going on.</div> <div>      But Harry finally lost it and exploded with laughter.  When he</div> <div> could talk again, he said, "B'Elanna, do you really believe that</div> <div> Tom owns a pair of pajamas with FEET?"</div> <div>      Tom said, "Oh!  Well, that's all right then."</div> <div>      Chakotay said ominously, "Look here, you - "</div> <div>      But Tom stood up.  "Gotta run, people, got some reports to</div> <div> write."</div> <div>      As he left the table, he moved around behind the Commander,</div> <div> and suddenly pulled him back, and leaned over and planted a</div> <div> passionate kiss on his mouth.  Before Chakotay could regain his</div> <div> balance, Tom had left.</div> <div>      Chakotay caught the eye of the two others at the table, daring</div> <div> them to say anything, and finished his breakfast in silence.</div> <bR> <div>      Captain Janeway was watching bridge conditions with interest,</div> <div> wondering if she should haul her First Officer into her Ready Room</div> <div> and demand an explanation.  Maybe when he was in a better mood.</div> <div>      Lieutenant Paris had reported for duty looking so angelic you</div> <div> could almost see the halo.  A few minutes later, Chakotay entered</div> <div> the bridge, trailing a thundercloud with him.  He glowered at the</div> <div> back of the Conning Officer for a moment, and then opened the</div> <div> terminal between him and the Captain, and tried to concentrate on</div> <div> administrative detail.</div> <div>      After a while, the peace was broken when Chakotay made a</div> <div> choking sound.  Janeway leaned over to see what he was reading.  It</div> <div> was a report chit.</div> <div>      Let's see.  Name of Complainant:  Paris, Lt.  Name of Accused:</div> <div> Paris, Lt.  Oh, dear, why was Tom putting himself on report again?</div> <div>      Description of offense: Public Display of Affection.</div> <div>      Janeway glanced over at Chakotay, who was biting his lip so</div> <div> hard she was afraid he was going to draw blood.</div> <div>      The Captain couldn't help herself, she just had to read on.</div> <div> Recommended punishment: twelve hours extra duties.  Nature of</div> <div> duties - gracious!  Janeway felt her face growing warm as she read</div> <div> the graphic, indeed pornographic, description of the extra duties</div> <div> that Lieutenant Paris seemed to feel his offense warranted.</div> <div>      Chakotay was dealing with the report, marking the space for</div> <div> 'guilty'.  Janeway tapped him on the wrist, and he looked up and</div> <div> whispered, "This isn't going into the ship's Punishment Log,</div> <div> Captain, just - my personal files."</div> <div>      Then he turned back to the report chit, and under recommended</div> <div> punishment, noted, "Concur."</div> <bR> <div>      The mess hall was buzzing at lunchtime.  A garbled version of</div> <div> the breakfast encounter had made its way throughout the ship, and</div> <div> the Maquis were outraged.</div> <div>      As soon as Chakotay had sat down at a table with his tray,</div> <div> Dalby and Geron had joined him.  He looked up in surprise.  "Hey,</div> <div> what's up?"</div> <div>      Dalby sat across from him and leaned forward.  "Is it true,</div> <div> Commander?  It's all over the ship that Lieutenant Paris is back to</div> <div> being disrespectful to you.  I know he's the Captain's pet, but we</div> <div> can't let him get away - "</div> <div>      Chakotay raised a hand, stopping Dalby's tirade.  "Listen,</div> <div> crewman.  It's handled."</div> <div>      "Yes, but - "</div> <div>      "I said, it's handled."</div> <div>      And now Tom was joining them with his tray.  He sat down</div> <div> beside Chakotay, saying politely, "Commander.  Gentlemen.  Good</div> <div> afternoon."</div> <div>      "Afternoon," Dalby said, nonplussed.  And then he noticed how</div> <div> close to Chakotay Paris was sitting.  And then the Commander's hand</div> <div> moved down to rest possessively on Paris' thigh.</div> <div>      "Well," he said awkwardly, "all right then, Commander."  And</div> <div> he and Geron moved on.</div> <div>      Tom said softly, "Aren't I being good?"</div> <div>      Chakotay turned to look at him, and wanted to shout with joy.</div> <div> It was Tom!  His sweet generous young lover!  In the middle of the</div> <div> day, in the middle of the mess hall, here he was!</div> <div>      He couldn't help it.  He grabbed Tom's hair and pulled him</div> <div> back, fastening his lips over Tom's mouth.</div> <bR> <div>      Captain Janeway sat in her Ready Room, dealing with all the</div> <div> boring administrivia.  Fuel consumption report.  Check.  Crew</div> <div> rations utilization.  Check.  Report chit -</div> <div>      Report chit?</div> <div>      Why had this come to her, instead of going through the First</div> <div> Officer?  She read it carefully.</div> <div>      Name of Complainant:  Chakotay, Cmdr.  Name of Accused:</div> <div> Chakotay, Cmdr.  Description of Offense:  Public Display of</div> <div> Affection.</div> <div>      Janeway couldn't help thinking that this voyage had just</div> <div> gotten significantly more interesting.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>                              </div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>