"Never, ever, *ever*, get a redhead angry," Paris said as his cue hit the eightball into the side pocket. "I win, 'Old Man,'" he used B'Elanna's nickname for Chakotay. "What gives, you had the advantage three times and didn't take it."
"I guess you could say I've got other things on my mind, 'Helm-boy'," Chakotay used one of his own.
"Oh? Like food fights?" Tom took the blue chalk and worked on his cue as B'Elanna reset the balls.
"I can't believe the nerve of those two," Neelix said. The Talaxian had slipped into the holodeck with the other crew members without an invitation - as was customary for him.
"Not only that," Chakotay casually leaned his body against the table and took a deep breath, "but with each report I get each day there seem to be more and more disturbances happening among the crew. And here I thought only Maquis let their passions get the better of them. Whatever happened to that ingrained Starfleet mannerism among the ranks?"
"I'll tell you what's happening, Chakotay," B'Elanna poured herself a drink, "we're all sick of each other."
"I'm well aware of that B'Elanna but the Captain can't just drop us off for a vacation every time something goes wrong. There aren't any adequate planet-side locations nearby anyhow. And to boot, we're in a hostile, unknown area of space - we have to watch our backs."
"But constantly?" B'Elanna exclaimed and shook her head. "There has to be something," she whispered.
"Excuse me," the Talaxian waved his hands slightly and edged between Paris and Chakotay, patting B'Elanna on the shoulder as he went, "but I suppose by 'planet-side' you mean a 'getting-away' of sorts?"
"Uh, yeah," Paris smiled, "shoreleave - is what we're referring to."
"Well," the Talaxian loved holding the attention of his friends, "I can't offer you the location of a close-by planet for that, but there is a sort of space-sight that could provide the crew with some . . . entertainment?"
"A hub?" Paris questioned, his excitement growing.
"Why yes, Mr. Paris," he continued, "In fact I've spent some time there and I think it would hold up to the Captain's protocols . . .er, well *some of the Captain's protocols."
"'Some?'" Chakotay questioned but was silent as B'Elanna grabbed his arm.
"Chakotay, you have to convince her to go there," she pleaded.
"B'Elanna . . ." he started.
"If you don't this crew is going to go insane and there will be a mutiny," she growled.
"I can't just *tell Kathryn to take her ship somewhere," he argued.
"'Kathryn'?" Paris raised his eyebrows. "Well if you're already on a first name basis with our Captain I'd say there was a pretty good chance you could. Or does the Captain not know you call her . . . 'Kathryn'."
Chakotay looked around at the members of his party who were edging in on him space wise, even Neelix who stated, "It would be good for crew morale!"
He sighed, "I recognize defeat when I see it . . . . I'll talk to her."
CONTINUED IN PART 5!
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