How much had he heard?

Kathryn's panicked thoughts were interrupted as Cat made frenzied shoves against her shoulders. Down! she demanded even as Janeway turned away from the wall panel.

The captain was forced to set the frantic girl down or risk having her hair pulled again. Cat ran for the new arrival and threw her arms around his leg.

Well, now I know that's not just for me, Janeway thought in irony. She tried to contain her expression, masking her furious blush behind a solid look of captainly dignity, but failed completely. Fortunately, Chakotay wasn't looking at her. His attention was taken completely by Cat. Good thing, she thought, though she wondered if he might have enjoyed the spectacle. She suspected that he had been waiting to catch her off guard in hopes of gauging her reaction for quite some time.

Chakotay spoke first. This is quite a reception! He tried to pry Cat's fingers from his leg.

And Samantha told me that I was the only one to receive such attention, she replied, the ironic twist from her thoughts carrying into her voice. But it appeared that he needed her help more than her irony. Cat, let go of the commander. Come on, your fingernails are too sharp for this kind of game.

Cat just laughed and held on tighter, enjoying her control of the situation.

This calls for desperate measures. Chakotay tickled her, but Cat stubbornly held on, though her laughter grew to shrieks. You can't hold out forever, Catryn. Face it, I've got you. Give up, my girl. Gotcha! He wrapped his hands around her tiny waist the minute she released his uniform. Still hollering loud enough to alert security, Cat let him lift her into the air, twisting her head over heals until she was so high she could reach out and touch the ceiling. Her fingertips grazed the panels, then he flipped her down over his shoulder, around the back of his neck, then to a stop in the crook of his arm. Cat reached out to give an appreciative, childish pat to the soft ends of his cropped hair, then leaned in for an affectionate nose rub.

Kathryn broke into a wide smile. She had kept admirable control of herself through this entire ritual, but the nose rub was her downfall. It had been a signature welcoming between Chakotay and Cat since soon after Cat's birth, and she would never tire of watching this oddly heartwarming tradition. The difference in size of the two gave it a comical edge, but nobody dared to laugh at them. The truth was, most of the crew, including the captain, was mildly jealous of the strong bond that had surprisingly developed between them. Although, Janeway reflected, it shouldn't have surprised anybody. Chakotay was certainly the gentlest man on the ship.

He was also a man with a mission. How did you find me? Janeway queried next, her hands on her hips in annoyance.

Chakotay released Cat, and she immediately imitated the captain's pose. The commander glanced from one to the other, obviously amused. Did I interrupt something, ladies? he asked in a tone so polite that it could do nothing but aggravate the captain further.

Yes, Kathryn said bluntly, clearly aggravated. Unless it's a disaster of universal proportions and the ship is about to be destroyed by irrefutably evil beings, I'm unavailable.

Commander Chakotay shook his head, fighting down a smile. Not to disappoint that ego of yours, Captain, but I'm not looking for you.

Oh. She was taken aback, but recovered quickly. Her next suggestion matched his previous question in politeness. Then shouldn't you be on the Bridge?

It's in Tuvok's capable hands. I was on my way to Engineering to check with B'Elanna on those new nacelle conduits they installed last week. His eyes darted quickly in the direction of the computer wall panel, taking in its recent unorthodox use. Does Tuvok know you're playing around with the internal sensors again?

No, and he better not find out, either. Reprimanding the captain might make him uncomfortable.

That would be unfortunate, he agreed amiably.

It would. So what are you doing down here? She eyed him coyly. This is hardly the fastest way to Engineering.

Chakotay nodded at Cat, who had patiently stood and watched the adults with avid interest. I promised Cat to take her with me to Engineering the next time I went. She wants to see the warp core.

Kathryn's expression went from coy to indignant. You can't have her! She's mine for at least another two hours.

Do you plan to fight me for her?

I will if I have to, she promised mildly.

He shook his head and chuckled softly. I've heard that tone before. He turned to talk to Cat. Well, Captain Janeway has spoken. Maybe we can plan -

But as usual, Cat had a mind of her own to make up. She grabbed Chakotay's fingers and pulled. Neering! she demanded. Do too in da neering on. Mantha Jane come too! She pointed at Janeway, then with a happy laugh, ran away down the corridor.

Now look what you've done, Kathryn stated in mock anger. She started after the giggling girl.

Mantha Jane? he teased her in response, only a step behind.

She thinks my first name is Samantha. At his laugh, she added, I was trying to teach her mother's name to her. Can I help it if we all call each other by last names and she's never heard her mother's first name before? Janeway caught Cat's hand and redirected her towards a turbolift that would carry them to the engineering deck.

Chakotay took hold of Cat's other hand. By an unspoken agreement he and Kathryn swung the toddler into the air, then plopped her back onto her feet, only to swing her forward again. Cat hollered in delight.

If it will help, I can start calling you Kathryn more often, he joked.

Don't you dare! But she grinned at him over the child swinging wildly between them.

Definitely not on the Bridge, he noted thoughtfully, then continued, But surely every place else is fair ground.

You know, Chakotay, sometimes you really irritate me.

You know, Kathryn, I think you really like me when I do.

They entered the lift and their combined laughter rang in the empty corridor.

Just as they reached Engineering, Chakotay whirled Cat into his arms again so she wouldn't be tempted to roam into any dangerous places. Kathryn had quickly composed her expression to a typical mask of command as they exited the lift, but two steps into the crowded hallway her eyes glazed and a hand went to her mouth in sudden consternation.

Chakotay glanced at her. What is it?

She looked up at him, her hand still on her mouth. I suddenly remembered something I need to do - you go on, I'll be with you in a moment - I'm eager to see how Torres managed to implement those conduits. They were barely within acceptable size standards when we bought them; it should be a true feat of engineering skill just to get them connected to the nacelles' systems.

His eyes expressed curiosity and perhaps a little suspicion as well, but after a moment of consideration he accepted her statement. At least, he kept his thoughts to himself in the crowded area. You know B'Elanna - her solution will be creative as much as interesting. We'll wait for you. He hoisted Cat further into his embrace, settling her securely near his shoulder, then gave Janeway a quick smile and disappeared through the department's entrance.

Kathryn let her features fall into relieved embarrassment. She was glad he hadn't asked what was suddenly so important. She would have told him, but she would have felt stupid in the telling. She hastily turned and retreated to a generally ignored dead-end corridor near Engineering, and with a touch of guilt in her voice, she said, Computer, return internal sensor controls to original format.

The impromptu party had already started when Janeway entered Engineering. The department was crowded with personnel assigned to maintain the ship's engines and related systems, but work had stalled completely while everybody gathered to surround the commander and Cat. She heard the final greetings as any remaining crew surged out of the jeffries tubes to join the group.

Hi, Catlyn!

Hey, there, little Catrina.

Oh, look, Cat's here!

Janeway had to wriggle between Harry Kim and Ensign Pktash just to see what was happening.

B'Elanna Torres stood in front of Chakotay as the commander held Cat against his chest. Cat leaned forward, a grin on her face, and her hands placed on each side of B'Elanna's head.

Listen to this, everybody - you'll love this! B'Elanna put her hands in an identical position beside Cat's ears, her hands nearly covering the child's entire skull, and she leaned forward until their foreheads touched. Klingon ridges met Katarian spikes in a bizarre gesture of affection. Now Cat, let's growl. Ready - Grrrrrr!

Grrrrr! Cat answered in a voice surprisingly deep and mature for such a young person. It almost matched the lieutenant's in volume. She was grinning so wide a line of drool slid down her chin and her teeth clenched in her version of a fierce Klingon scowl.

Laughter erupted throughout Engineering.

That's my Cat, you little animal! B'Elanna laughed along with the others, completely enchanted with the tiny Katarian girl. She lifted her hands palms out so Cat could slap her with her own small palms, and a second growl came from deep in her throat. They all laughed again, and Cat smiled broadly, thrilled down to her toes at all the attention.

Chakotay cocked an eyebrow at his former Maquis engineer. Well, now we know where she got the nickname `Cat.' She can't help purring like a feline - B'Elanna's been growling to her since she was born.

Torres tossed her hair back from her eyes and gave him a saucy look. And who's been rubbing noses with her for just as long?

The first officer's mouth pursed in a perfect expression of pinched pride. What are you saying, Torres? That you want me to rub noses with you?

The crowd roared again, and B'Elanna's yell of, You wish, Chakotay! was almost lost in the noise.

Janeway snorted a laugh, unable to hold herself back. It wasn't often that she managed to infiltrate a group of crewmembers during one of the ship's many spontaneous gatherings. No matter what she did, no matter how she acted, some members of the crew simply couldn't forget that she was the captain. Even with her efforts to become more than just a commanding officer to the crew, the wall of command still separated her from a great many of the individuals serving under her. But if she was quiet and unobtrusive, and remained inconspicuously in the back of the group, she occasionally succeeded in joining them for some fun.

But that didn't always work. Without warning, while people were still laughing and Harry Kim was extolling the virtues of the young girl he'd single-handedly saved from the Vidiians, someone with a bigger sense of Starfleet decorum than timing yelled, Captain on deck!

The party instantly disintegrated as every crewmember seemed to grow roots through the deck plates.

Sometimes life really isn't fair, Janeway groused to herself. She recalled her earlier assessment to Cat as she felt the gazes of twelve people turned on her. She grudgingly moved forward, all the while wishing she could remove her rank the way she did her uniform.

Suddenly she heard Chakotay grunt. And all this time I thought I left acting-senior-officer-on-duty Tuvok on the Bridge while first-officer-acting-captain Chakotay did an inspection tour of Engineering.

Despite Chakotay's speech, as cute as it might have been, all twenty four eyes still riveted to Janeway. The final call was hers. For a moment she considered telling them to carry on, yet she didn't want to be the cause of the sudden halt in the festivities.

Her instincts took control. She gave a deprecatory shrug of her shoulders. Don't look at me. I'm just the baby-sitter.

Chapter 1 || Contents || Chapter 3