B'Elanna slid into the seat next to Tom and Harry wondering why they looked so flustered. "What's going on," she asked as she lifted her fork. "And what *is this?" She nudged a dark red clumpy glop of her supposed food around the tray."
"You mean you don't know?" Harry asked incredulously.
"I'm in *no mood, Starfleet" B'Elanna pointed her fork at the Ensign dangerously. "And I'm guessing you're not referring to the food."
"Uhh," Tom caught her hand and made her lower her utensil. "Chakotay has invited the Captain to dinner with us."
"Great. That's just great," B'Elanna pushed some more of the food around as Paris sighed.
"It can't be all *that bad," Harry leaned forward and whispered. "I mean, we spend most of our days with her on the bridge and the rest of Voyager. Right?" When no one responded he continued, "Look, she *has been trying to integrate herself more with the crew, we should try to be a little more open as well."
"Harry," Tom shook his head, "it just won't work."
"You don't know that!" Harry was upset. He had an incredible amount of respect for all high ranking Starfleet personnel, especially Captain Janeway who was trying with her entire heart and soul to get them closer to home. "Remember Sandrines?"
B'Elanna tossed her napkin onto the table. "Well I for one am not going to stay. How could Chakotay do this? Everyone on this ship is ready to explode. I am tired of skirting around people and I do not want to have to skirt around a *Captain, tonight, as well," B'Elanna started to stand but Tom's statement stopped her.
"Too late, they just walked in," he watched B'Elanna sit down stiffly as they all turned to look at Chakotay walking into the Mess Hall with the Captain by his side.
Harry was the first to greet them, "Captain . . . Commander . . ."
"We're not too late, are we?" Chakotay looked at the trays sitting in front of the crew members. No one said anything for a second or two, before the Captain spoke up.
"I hope I'm not intruding. Chakotay," Kathryn indicated her Commanding Officer, "invited me here for a change of pace and a calming dinner away from work."
"No, no, not at all," Tom Paris spoke up to cover their awkwardness. "Here Captain, take a seat. You too, Chakotay," he rose to stand. "I'll go get whatever Neelix has concocted for you two," Tom slapped Harry on the back with the statement and walked off.
Harry sighed nervously. 'Great,' his mind screamed in thought, 'I'm stuck with my two commanding officers, an absent ex-con and a frustrated Klingon . . . what *do I say now?'
"So, Captain," Harry started and could barely swallow due to nerves.
"Yes, Mr. Kim?" Kathryn tried to be polite. She was ready to die . . . . sure, she too had been in the lower ranks for a while before becoming a Captain but she had, until late, been spoiled with upper rank attention and protocol-guided situations. She barely knew what to say in a regular social encounter. 'So much for first contact, Kathryn,' her thoughts mocked her.
B'Elanna chewed slowly and waited for Harry to continue. Everyone at the table waited and the silence seemed to weigh heavily on the Ensign's shoulders. 'Just say something,' he told himself and blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "How long *is your hair, anyhow?"
CONTINUED IN PART 3!
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