For the Good of the Ship

For the Good of the Ship

TITLE: For the Good of the Ship
AUTHOR: Matteabrit
SUMMARY: Chakotay’s away missions are of great importance to Voyager. This stems from a conversation on the JanewayChakotay group and it took off from there. Set during Season 7, I guess you could call it my “Endgame explanation of sorts.” I will admit that this is also slightly different for me.
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: Characters – theirs; story – mine.

Thanks to JoJo for the quick read!

***

He looked nervous, standing there in front of her desk, and she knew just by his stance what it was he needed to ask of her.

"What's her name?" she asked.

He looked relieved that he didn't have to actually say the words. "Katiba," he replied. "She's the daughter of Trader Masruk."

Kathryn smiled. "I know who she is, Commander. Quite an attractive woman isn't she." She paused for a moment in reflection. "And it would certainly help our business with Masruk if his only daughter is pleased."

Chakotay grinned. "I'll make sure she is, Captain."

"Oh, I have no doubt about that," she replied. "Perform to your usual high standards and we should get what we need no problem. How long do you think you'll be away?"

"Hard to say, possibly a couple of days, if she wants me that long."

Kathryn nodded. The scenario was a familiar one. Several times now they had been forced to accept that Chakotay's sexuality was a powerful bargaining tool. By sexually pleasing a particular woman on the planet they were visiting he had managed to get Voyager the supplies they needed when it had looked as though the deal might be difficult to make. All Kathryn had to do was introduce her first officer and a female close to the head trader was usually asking for him. It worked out beneficial for all, and Chakotay usually brought back with him a few extra tricks for his captain.

"I'll see that the doctor approves the contact," Kathryn nodded. Though the deal with Masruk was appearing to go smoothly, it never hurt for Chakotay to accept the offer of a beautiful woman, especially if her father wanted her to "have a bit of fun." So far Kathryn had only had to put in two stipulations to each request; one that Chakotay not be forced into a permanent union with the female in question, and two, that he report to her quarters immediately after the doctor check him out on his return to Voyager.

When Chakotay had first begun these liaisons Kathryn had been horrified to discover just how jealous she felt about Chakotay sleeping with these alien women. When he had come home from the first assignation they had argued over it until she had finally confessed how she felt. Their own sexual relationship had begun shortly thereafter and, for the sake of the ship, Kathryn had learned not to be possessive. When Chakotay had come to her after one assignment he had shown her a sexual position native to the planet they had just visited. Since then both had come to view his assignments as something extra to spark up their sex life.

The Doctor signed off on the approval for the contact and Chakotay was gone for three days. When he arrived back he was exhausted. Despite that though he went to Kathryn's quarters and they made love throughout the night. As a thank you, she let him take the day off and delegated his usual duties to others. Masruk's daughter was happy and Voyager's cargo bays were consequently filled with needed supplies. Kathryn herself oversaw the operation.

It was late in the day and Kathryn was finishing up reports in her ready room when the Doctor came to see her. He looked more serious than usual and that alone gave Kathryn cause for concern. The fact that he donned his mobile emitter and came to see her was another cause. Usually she would be summoned to sickbay.

"I'm afraid I must report a medical case to you, Captain," he told her, holding out a padd for her to view.

She took the padd and began to read through the details on it, her breath catching in her throat as she did so. "A sexually transmitted disease?" she murmured, horrified.

"I can only conclude that it was transmitted during the commander's latest... visit. The good news, however, is that it is curable."

"Is it possible that he can pass it on?" she asked, eyes wide. Her mind swung back to the previous night's activities. Despite his tiredness Chakotay had been a ferocious and attentive lover.

"Actually no, so you're perfectly safe there, Captain," the EMH replied in a knowing tone. "This one can be transmitted only from female to male."

"This one? You mean there were others?" she asked, alarmed.

"No." He laughed a little, and Kathryn thought it most inappropriate that he did. "I meant as in generally. There are some diseases that flow both ways. Male to female and vice versa. This one does not."

Kathryn slowly began to take it all in. She herself was most likely unaffected, but Chakotay most definitely was and that was going to be a problem. Not just for her sex life either.

"Tell me, Doctor. If he cannot transmit it, can he...?"

"Absolutely not!" he interrupted. "I've told him he needs to rest up thoroughly and I will not sign off on any 'away missions' until he is one hundred percent fit again."

"And how long might that be?" Kathryn asked. Never mind her own personal life the future of the ship could be at stake here.

"I'd say about six to eight months. If he was willing to accept a prescription of Borg nanoprobes into his system then it might take a lot less time." The Doctor shrugged. "But the commander does not care for that particular course of action."

The doctor's words reverberated in Kathryn's head as she began the walk back to her quarters. Six to eight months was a long time. What could she do with Chakotay in the meantime? Mating women was something he was good at and, while he might have been good at telling one end of a crew schedule from the other, there was little else to keep him on the bridge. His appointment as First Officer had only been to keep the Maquis part of her crew happy. Now Kathryn was stuck.

Another part of the doctor’s comments sunk in. Borg nanoprobes would help but he refused to accept a treatment using them. Kathryn grinned wickedly as she entered her rooms and kicked off her boots. More than one way to skin a cat, her aunt would say, and there was certainly more than one way to have her first officer back on his feet in no time. She’d give him the one thing she knew he’d be powerless to resist. A woman. And when Chakotay was better she would be able to put him back to work and back in her own bed.

“Janeway to Seven of Nine?”

“Yes, Captain?”

FINIS

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