Disclaimers: All bow to Paramount and pay homage...I think that’s enough.
I’m just playin’ with ‘em (which is more than TPTB did!). The Ruanians and
the Lynox are a figments of my imagination--they are not meant to resemble
any species from canon.
Dedication: To Noelle--HAPPY BIRTHDAY! This is a birthday
challenge--hope you like it! Here’s the challenge: First time, either Tom is
dating B’Elanna or Chakotay is dating Seven at the start of the story (sorry,
I took a little liberty here...I just couldn’t write it with them together!
There is a reference to a relationship though.), a cat, jogging, a fire, lotsa
kissing, happy ending.
Special thanks to Cassatt, who was willing to beta this story for me. She is
absolutely wonderful! However, all mistakes are my own...unfortunately.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Captain, I have a ship on long-range sensors.” Harry announced, as he
studied the operations panel in front of him. “It appears to be adrift.”

“Any life signs, Mr. Kim?” Captain Janeway asked.

“Yes, but very faint,” the ensign replied.

“Lieutenant Paris,” Janeway ordered, “change course to intercept that
vessel, warp 7.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Paris responded, his fingers gliding gracefully over the
navigation panel as he entered the course corrections.

“Tom, how long until we reach their location?” Janeway asked, her voice
tinged with concern, reflecting how she felt for the crew of the damaged
vessel.

“3 hours, 20 minutes at Warp 7,” Tom said solemnly. “Do you think we’ll get
there in time?”

“I don’t know, Tom,” Janeway sighed, “and we don’t dare go any faster until
B’Elanna finishes the final repairs to the warp drive.” Kathryn sat in her
chair, frustrated by their inability to get to the wreckage faster. “Mr.
Tuvok,” she inquired, “do you have any information on the vessel?”

“No, ma’am,” Tuvok responded. “It appears to be a freighter of unknown
origin.”

“Are there any other ships closer than us?” she asked.

“Negative. I’ve scanned the area and there are no ships in the vicinity. It
appears that we are its only hope for rescue,” Tuvok replied neutrally as he
continued to analyze the computer readouts.

“I sure hope we make it in time,” Janeway murmured, her words echoing the
thoughts of the entire bridge crew.

**********

Three hours later....

Chakotay and the away team were assembled in transporter room 2, waiting
for orders to board the alien vessel. The commander was emotionally on
edge. Seven had politely and professionally ended their 9-month relationship
just last night. It wasn’t his idea, but he knew it was for the best. Still, he
was upset that it hadn’t work out. ‘Some things just aren’t meant to be,” he
mused. ‘That’s what I get for starting to care....just more heartache.’
Chakotay’s melancholy thoughts were interrupted when the captain hailed.

“Janeway to Chakotay.”

“Chakotay here.”

“Is the away team ready to beam onto the vessel?” Janeway asked.

“Yes, Captain. We’re waiting for your signal,” Chakotay replied. “How soon?”

“We’ll drop out of warp in approximately 2 minutes. We’ll be able to beam
you aboard at that time,” Janeway informed her First Officer. “Good luck
and report back to me as soon as you know anything. Janeway out.”

**********

“Chakotay,” Tom gasped, “they’re all dead.” The pilot blanched as he viewed
the grisly scene before him.

“It looks like they were boarded by pirates of some sort,” Chakotay
speculated, “and they don’t appear to be the type to take hostages.”
Chakotay’s stomach churned as they found the 10th body, and they hadn’t
even discovered the source of the faint life signs. “I think we need to split
up. Tom and I will continue to track the life signs. Greg, Harry--see if you
can find the bridge. The first thing you need to do is try and tap into their
computer system,” Chakotay stated. “I want to learn the identity of these
victims so we can notify their families. Plus, I would like to discover who did
this, so we can be prepared in case we encounter them later on.”

“Aye, sir,” Greg and Harry responded in unison, their expressions reflecting
their determination to find out who caused of this brutality.

“If you run into any trouble, comm us immediately,” Chakotay ordered.

“Don’t worry, Commander. You’ll be the first one I call,” Ayala said,
reassuring his former captain, as Harry and Greg turned and headed down
the main corridor in search of the bridge.

**********

“I think the life signs are coming from in here,” Tom said as he studied the
jumbled tricorder readouts. Tom and Chakotay entered the room, visually
searching the area for any sign of life. Tom spotted movement in the
darkened corner of the room, behind an overstuffed chair. “I think there is
someone or something alive over there,” Tom whispered, catching Chakotay’s
attention.

Chakotay walked carefully to the corner of the room, phaser draw as a
precaution. As he peered around the chair, he heard a mournful meow and
two sets of piercing green eyes glaring expectantly at him. “Tom, what do
you know about cats?” Chakotay questioned quietly, as he backed away slowly
from the corner, trying not to spook the obviously frightened animals.

“Not much.” Tom replied, as he crept up behind the commander, forcing the
older man to stop his retreat. Tom leaned over Chakotay’s shoulder, gently
touching him, trying to get a better look at the creatures. “Do they look
friendly?” he asked cautiously.

“So far, but I don’t want to push it,” Chakotay replied hesitantly. “Maybe we
should comm the Doc to get a tranquilizer or something.”

“That might be a good idea...,” Tom said, nodding his head in agreement.
Suddenly, the animals began to move forward, making their way out into the
center of the room.

“Uh oh, here they come.” Chakotay stated, tensing at the sudden change in
the animal’s behavior.

Tom felt Chakotay stiffen slightly as the two creatures came into view.
They were similar to bobcats in appearance with brownish coats, short tails
and tufted ears, but more the size of domesticated cats that many humans
have as pets. Their fur was accented with various-sized black spots,
scattered randomly, each animal having its own distinct markings. Their
coats seemed to glow under the dim lights of the room, causing the two men
to wonder whether they should be afraid or not.

“This is kind of eerie,” Tom whispered into Chakotay’s ear, tightly squeezing
the older man’s biceps. “What do you think we should do?”

Tom’s question was answered by a loud, friendly-sounding meow. The next
thing they knew, Chakotay had an armful of cat. “What the...,” Chakotay
exclaimed in surprise, not knowing whether to drop the animal or pull it in
for a hug. Once again, the decision was made for him, as the cat leaned
closer to the older man, nuzzling against his neck, purring in contentment.
Chakotay instinctively drew it into a gentle embrace.

Startled by the sudden turn of events, Tom moved out from behind
Chakotay, just in time to receive his own bundle of fur in his arms. Both men
silently stood in place, dumbfounded, wondering how the animals had
accepted their presence so easily. Each man was concentrating on the animal
in their arms, petting and soothing them, enjoying the feeling of warmth
emanating from their tiny bodies. Their peace was soon interrupted.

“Kim to Chakotay.”

The commander had to shuffle his bundle slightly in order to reach his comm
badge. “Chakotay, here,” he responded after only a moment’s delay.

“We were able to access the main computer and are downloading their data
into Voyager’s databanks as we speak,” Harry explained.

“That’s good news,” Chakotay said. “When you’re finished, beam back over to
Voyager. We’ll meet you there.”

“Have you been able to locate the life signs yet?” Harry asked.

“Yes, we have,” Chakotay replied. “It appears that the only survivors of the
attack are two animals--cats to be specific. I’m assuming that they were
pets of one of the crew.”

“Do you need help containing them for transport?” Harry questioned.

“No, it appears that they have adequately contained us,” Chakotay joked,
sharing a smile with Tom.

“I don’t understand...,” Harry began tentatively.

“Never mind, Harry,” Chakotay said. “Tom and I will explain everything when
we return to Voyager. Chakotay out.”

**********

“So, Doc,” Tom inquired expectantly after the hologram finished the scan of
the animal in his arms, “are the kitties going to be okay?”

“They’re fine, Mr. Paris,” the doctor responded tersely, “and so are you, if
that matters. You two are very lucky that you’re not injured or infected in
some way. Did you do the proper scans before handling them to see if they
were harmful to humans?”

“No, we...,” Tom began, but was cut off by the doctor in full lecture mode.

“Just as I thought...and it would have been all my fault if I wasn’t able to
cure the dreaded disease that you two may have contracted,” the doctor
admonished.

“Doctor, please,” Chakotay interrupted. He was in no mood to listen to the
rants of the holodoctor. “What can you tell us about them?”

The doctor sighed, clearly annoyed that the commander interrupted his
lecture, but told the men what he knew. “Mr. Paris is holding a female of
this species. Commander, you have a male. I’m getting strange readings
from them, but I don’t believe it is a contagion,” he said as he studied the
readouts on his medical tricorder. “It seems that they have some sort of
telepathic or empathic abilities, but I’m not sure of the extent. It will take
some time to research this further. I’ll find a couple of cages...”

“No way, Doc,” Tom protested. “You can’t you use these two as test subjects.
Right, Chakotay?”

“Doctor,” Chakotay began, sounding more professional than he felt, “since
they are no threat to us, I don’t think it will be necessary to waste
resources and do any further testing. Besides, we’ll be returning them to
their rightful owners soon enough.”

The doctor reluctantly agreed and allowed the two men to exit sickbay with
the cats bundled safely in their arms. They proceeded to the captain’s
ready room to report on what they found. Captain Janeway had already
contacted the Ruanian government as soon as their identities were
discovered. The Ruanians were grateful to Voyager for their rescue effort
and they invited them to their planet. A makeshift morgue was established
and Voyager began towing the damaged vessel to the Ruanian home world.
They would enter orbit in 16 hours. The Ruanian authorities informed them
that they would wait to claim the ship and lay their dead to rest at that
time. That also meant that in 16 hours, the Ruanian authorities would claim
the animals that Tom and Chakotay found alive on the ship.

After their report, Janeway allowed the two men to take the animals back
to their respective quarters. They were placed in charge of the cats’
well-being and protection until the animals could be returned to the
Ruanians. Neither man complained about the assignment, evidenced by the
smiles on their faces as they exited the ready room.

**********

“Tom,” Chakotay reasoned, “We can’t keep these animals on Voyager. The
captain will never allow it. They need to be returned to the Ruanian
authorities as planned.”

“But Chakotay,” Tom pleaded, “Zellie’s already lost one loved one on that
ship, and now you’re going to rip her away from another. That’s not right!”
Tom was desperate to convince his commanding officer to keep the animals
on board. He had lost his heart to the furry creature the minute he’d heard
her purr in his arms. ‘Purr’ may not be the right word.....more like the sound
of a well-tuned engine of a ‘57 Chevy.....definitely music to the pilot’s ear.

“Tom, be careful about befriending that animal and naming her. You’ve
become too attached and it will only break your heart when you have to
return her,” Chakotay argued, trying to get the younger man to face the
reality of their situation. “We will rendezvous with them in 16 hours. You’d
better get used to the idea. You’ll have to say good-bye soon enough.”

“Good-bye? No way, Commander. You’re full of crap if you think I’m going to
give her up!” Tom stated heatedly, on the verge of tears at the thought of
having to turn Zellie over to the Ruanian authorities.

“Lieutenant,” Chakotay cautioned, emotionally distraught himself, “you’re out
of line.”

“I’m sorry, Chakotay,” Tom apologized sincerely. “I know I shouldn’t be this
upset, but I can’t help it! I feel....so much!” Tom knew he was overreacting,
but he was unable to control the strong feelings he was experiencing.

“Tom, I know you love having Zellie here.....I do too,” Chakotay began, trying
to prevent his own emotional outburst, “but we just can’t afford the rations
needed to care for two more life-forms.” Just then, Boxer jumped into the
commander’s arms and began nuzzling the older man’s neck. Chakotay had
broken his own rule about not getting attached. He had picked out Boxer’s
name before they had even returned to Voyager and felt just as deeply
about the animal that had befriended him as Tom did about Zellie. This
situation was certainly a case of ‘do as I say, not as I do,’ but at least Tom
didn’t know that, which allowed the older man to save face and carry on with
their unusual discussion. Chakotay continued to rationally detail the reasons
why the cats couldn’t remain on board.

Then, Tom began his counter-point arguments. “She won’t need many extra
rations,” Tom explained as patiently as he could. “I’ll eat Neelix’ food every
day, and I’ll use my own rations for her food. She won’t be a burden, I
promise.”

But before Tom could go any further, Chakotay interjected. “I can’t ask the
captain to allow this...it just wouldn’t be right,” Chakotay replied, more to
himself than to Tom, as he petted his new-found friend, reveling in the purr
which reminded him of how much he would miss Boxer when he was gone.

At that point, Tom finally saw that the commander’s own heart was breaking.
“Are you seriously going to tell me that you’ll let the authorities take Boxer
from your arms without a fight?” Tom asked, demanding an honest answer.

Chakotay was lost in a rush of emotion when the pilot’s question caught his
attention. “How do you know his name?” Chakotay asked incredulously.

“You’ve been cooing his name to him over and over for hours--it doesn’t take
a genius to figure it out,” Tom said teasingly.

“Damn it,” Chakotay muttered under his breath. Tom was right. There was
no way that he would allow the Ruanian authorities to take Boxer without a
fight. The animal had found his way into the stoic commander’s heart the
minute he jumped into his arms, only seconds before Zellie had stolen Tom’s
heart.

“Well?” Tom challenged. “Are we going to fight to keep them or not?”

“Yes. Let’s fight for them, Tom. What should we do?” Chakotay asked,
looking to the younger man for a way out of this unexpectedly emotional
situation. With that, the two men began plotting for a way to convince the
captain and the Ruanians that Zellie and Boxer belonged on Voyager.

**********

Harry and Greg stared at their two friends across the mess hall. It wasn’t
unusual for Tom and Chakotay to sit together, but it was unusual for them to
sit alone at an isolated table, engaged in an obviously private conversation.

Earlier, Greg had tried to wave the pair over to the table that he shared
with Harry. Their reaction was what puzzled the former Maquis. Tom and
Chakotay completely ignored the gesture and made a beeline to the most
secluded table in the room. The two cats remained at their feet the entire
time.

“What do you make of that?” Greg questioned his companion, concern evident
in his voice.

“That’s really weird,” Harry responded. “I know that Tom and Chakotay are
friends, but they’ve never acted like this before...so unreserved...so
demonstrative with each other.”

“Do you think something happened to them on the away mission?” Greg asked
anxiously.

“I don’t know, but let’s keep an eye on them for a while,” Harry answered, as
he watched Greg nod his head in agreement. “If this keeps up, though, we’ll
have to tell the captain.”

“You’ll get no argument from me,” Greg confirmed. “I know that Chakotay
was very upset yesterday after Seven broke up with him, but this doesn’t
explain why he is acting this way.” Suddenly, it dawned on him what he was
seeing. “Do you think Tom and Chakotay have gotten together...you
know...intimately?”

“What?” Harry replied skeptically. Tom had always been interested in the
commander and had wanted to date him since they first met. However, it
was common knowledge that Chakotay was heterosexual. Still, the more
Harry watched the two interact, the more he was convinced that Greg was
probably right. “Greg, has Chakotay ever been with a man that you know
of?”

“Not to my knowledge,” Greg answered, more puzzled than ever. “I actually
talked to him about this when you and I started dating. He knew that I was
bisexual and asked me some questions about it--you know, the typical stuff.
But he was still dating Seven at the time and I didn’t think any more about
it. To me, it was just a conversation between buddies over too many glasses
of beer.”

“Well, I know for a fact that Tom has been interested in Chakotay for a long
time now, and he’s displaying all of the signs of ‘Tom in love’,” Harry confided
to his lover. “But this is so unlike them. Chakotay would never behave this
way in public. There’s more to this story than meets the eye.”

“I agree, and I think we should try to find out what that is right now,” Greg
declared as he stood up and reached for Harry’s hand. “Let’s go talk to
them.”

“Lead the way!”

**********

“Captain, I don’t know what else to say,” Harry said, worried over the
behavior of his friends. “As I said, it was really strange. As soon as we
approached their table, they stopped talking and glared at us.”

“But it was the cats behavior that concerned us the most,” Greg interjected.
“They immediately hopped into their laps and actually growled at us. Have
you ever heard a cat growl? It was the scariest thing I’ve heard!”

“I think those animals are controlling them, Captain,” Harry concluded, his
face reflecting concern over the fate of his friends.

“You may be right, gentlemen,” Janeway determined. “I’ll call the Ruanian
Prime Minister to find out more about these animals. In the meantime,
Harry, see if you can identify the species from their ship’s data. Let’s find
out what we can before we confront Tom and Chakotay.”

“Yes, Captain,” Harry replied anxiously. “I’ll get right on it.”

**********

Tom and Chakotay headed back to the younger man’s cabin, hand-in-hand,
with Zellie and Boxer at their feet. Neither man was aware of their own
display, but several crew members turned and stared as the men passed by.
They had never seen the commander with a man, let alone so demonstrative.
The rumor mill started churning, and news of their new ‘relationship’ was all
over the ship by the time the two men entered Tom’s cabin.

“So it’s settled,” Chakotay stated, as the men moved to sit down on the
couch. Zellie and Boxer purred contentedly and headed over to their
make-shift bed in the corner of the room. “We try the direct approach with
Kathryn, and if that doesn’t work, we guilt her by using her love of pets.”

“Yeah, we need to compare Zellie and Boxer to her own dogs,” Tom explained
conspiratorially. “She’ll melt like butter.”

Chakotay smiled, nodding in agreement. ‘How can she not agree to such a
simple argument,’ Chakotay thought to himself, unable to fathom that the
captain might not approve.

The older man sat at the end of the couch, pulled Tom to sit by his side and
reached his arm around the younger man’s shoulders. “Mmmm,” Chakotay
sighed, “this feels good.”

Tom had to agree. There was no place in the world that he would rather be
than in the arms of this ex-Maquis warrior. He felt happy and content for
the first time in his life. Tom looked up into the face of the man he desired
and began to drown in the emotion he found in the other man’s dark brown
eyes. ‘How did this happen,’ Tom thought abstractly, but was unable to
verbalize it as the older man leaned in for a tender kiss. Tom shifted his
body to gain better access to Chakotay’s warm, full lips.

The simple exploration of each other’s mouths continued for several minutes,
only breaking apart briefly to catch their breaths. It was Chakotay that
finally vocalized Tom’s earlier thought. “Do we know what we’re doing,
Tommy?” Chakotay whispered as he moved his kisses down the pilot’s long,
lean neck.

“Probably not, but I’m really enjoying it,” the pilot replied, his head flung
back, exposing more of his neck to the commander’s gentle assault. “I’ve
wanted this for a long time,” Tom admitted honestly.

“But, Tom,” Chakotay murmured between kisses, “I’ve never been with a
man...but I really want to be with you....I have for a while now. Now that
Seven and I are no longer dating, there is nothing to stand in the way.”
Chakotay continued to kiss his way from Tom’s neck to his ear.

Suddenly, Chakotay’s admission hit home, and Tom tenderly pushed the older
man away. “Chakotay, this isn’t right,” Tom said, trying to snap himself out
of the emotional reverie he found himself in. “I feel strange...kind of like...I
have no worries,” Tom stammered, finding himself unable to articulate his
concerns.

“Tom, I don’t understand. What’s wrong with that?” Chakotay questioned.

“There’s nothing wrong, I suppose, if you’re someone else. But it’s me!” Tom
replied adamantly. “I always have some sort of baggage to deal with when I
get close to someone...”

Zellie could feel her master’s distress and quickly went over to Tom and
jumped onto his lap, meowing with concern. Boxer was close behind and took
his position in Chakotay’s lap.

“You know, you’re right,” Chakotay stated, with awareness finally dawning on
him. “I do feel funny...like I have no concerns in the world. I usually hide my
emotions. I have a reputation to maintain. But lately I haven’t even
tried...haven’t felt the need to control them. This is definitely not my
normal behavior. Maybe we should separate for a while and think this thing
through.”

“That might be best, as much as I don’t want to do it,” Tom conceded
reluctantly.

Chakotay got up off the couch with Boxer in his arms and headed towards
the door. “Why don’t we meet up at 0700 in the mess hall and have
breakfast. That’ll give us a couple of hours before we reach the Ruanian
homeworld to talk about what we are going to say to Kathryn.”

“That sounds good. See you then,” Tom said, as he leaned in to give the older
man a brief, loving kiss. “Damn, I don’t want you to go,” Tom murmured
softly.

“I don’t either, but our sudden change in behavior is really starting to scare
me,” Chakotay confessed, seeing the concern mirrored in the younger man’s
eyes.

“Let’s talk in the morning, Cha. Maybe things will be clearer then.”

“I sure hope so. Good night, Tom. Zellie.”

“Good night, you two,” replied Tom as Chakotay turned and headed out the
door. The doors swished shut, separating the two men for the evening until
Tom heard a mournful howl coming from the corridor. He ran out of his
cabin and into the hallway, only to find Chakotay stopped in his tracks, trying
to soothe his severely distressed companion.

“Tom, I don’t know what’s wrong with Boxer. He started howling like this as
soon as the doors closed,” Chakotay explained emotionally. “What should I
do?”

“Come back inside and let’s see if we can calm him down,” Tom decided.

Chakotay quickly reentered the cabin. Boxer immediately calmed down and
jumped out of his master’s arms, heading to be reunited with Zellie. “Of
course, Tom,” Chakotay declared, “they shouldn’t be separated. They’re
mates!”

“And they obviously don’t want to be apart,” Tom said as he finished the
other man’s thoughts. “They can stay with me for the evening. I don’t
mind.”

“Okay, that sounds good,” Chakotay agreed. “But how about another kiss?”
he suggested.

“Well...I suppose if I have to...,” Tom said jokingly, as the older man pulled
him into a strong embrace. This kiss was prolonged this time, since Boxer
was no longer in Chakotay’s arms.

Chakotay reluctantly ended the kiss. “I’d better get going,” Chakotay
conceded as he turned to leave the cabin. “Call me if there’s a problem.”

“Sure will,” Tom replied with a smile.

Chakotay once again left the cabin and headed to his own quarters. He had
just reached the turbolift when his comm badge sounded. “Paris to
Chakotay!”

“Chakotay, here.”

“Get back here right now!” Tom said desperately, as he tried to shout above
the howls of two emotionally distraught animals.

“I’ll be right there, Tom,” Chakotay acknowledged as he turned and sprinted
down the corridor.

**********

Boxer and Zellie ended their tirade the second that Chakotay reentered the
cabin.

“Tom, we have to talk to the captain!”

“No kidding,” Tom replied, now knowing that the animals were exerting
tremendous influence over their actions.

“Chakotay to Janeway.”

“Janeway, here,” she responded, “Glad you commed. I was just about to
contact you...”

Chakotay interrupted her. “We have a problem...with Zellie and Boxer.”

“That’s what I want to talk to you and Tom about. Why don’t you two come
to my ready room and we’ll discuss it.”

“We’ll be right there,” Chakotay confirmed as the two men picked up their
charges and headed for deck one.

**********

“Gentlemen, it seems that you are being emotionally controlled by these two
animals,” Janeway stated matter-of-factly, glancing at Harry and Greg for
confirmation.

“Tell us something we don’t already know, Kathryn,” Chakotay replied tersely,
immediately regretting the tone of his voice.

“I know you’re upset, but I want you to hear what Harry found out,” the
captain responded calmly, attempting to reassure the two worried men.

Harry had finished his research and told the group what little he knew.
Zellie and Boxer were from a breed called the Lynox, a peaceful animal
whose main purpose is to provide companionship to their masters through
the use of their empathic abilities. They bond with those that are
compatible with them and assist their masters in breaking down emotional
barriers that have been erected due to some sort of trauma or hurt.

“That would definitely explain the feelings that I had earlier,” Tom
explained. “I haven’t felt that way since I was a little kid...like I had no
worries at all.”

“I had the same reaction as Tom. I felt at peace and gave up control for the
first time in a long while,” Chakotay admitted.

“It is curious that I am not sensing any empathic or telepathic abilities from
the Lynox,” Tuvok stated. “The links must be directed only at the master.”

“Is this link dangerous to us?” Tom asked, directing his gaze at the doctor.

“Not that I can detect,” the doctor replied as he scanned the foursome once
again. “It doesn’t appear that any brain function or neural pathways are
being altered.”

“What did you find out from the Ruanian Prime Minister?” Tuvok inquired.

“Nothing yet. I wasn’t able to talk to him directly, but in his response to my
message, he assured me that there was no problem and that we would talk
when we arrived,” Janeway explained. “I have no reason not to believe him.”

“That’s good news,” replied Chakotay. “Any suggestions on what to do until
we reach the Ruanian homeworld?”

“I guess you take care of the animals as planned,” Kathryn replied.

“But they won’t let us separate them, nor will they allow Tom and I to be
apart,” Chakotay sighed, unsure of what he was feeling.

“Well, I guess you and Tom will be stuck together until tomorrow at 0900
hours,” the captain said coyly. “I think you’ll be able to find a way to cope!”

Chakotay didn’t like the mischievous look in Kathryn’s eyes, but he chose to
ignore it for the time being. “Looks like we don’t have a choice, Tom. We
may as well make the best of it,” Chakotay said with a wink to his younger
companion that only Tom could see.

“Yep, we’ll have to make do, Chakotay,” Tom responded, smiling as he thought
of the things they could do to pass the time.

**********

Upon their return to the pilot’s cabin, Tom and Chakotay made sure that the
animals were given water, fed and made comfortable, including the
installation of the litter boxes.

“Well, I guess we should get some sleep, Cha,” Tom said. “Why don’t you
take the bed and I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“No, Tom. This is your cabin. You should have the bed,” Chakotay insisted.

“We could both share the bed,” Tom volunteered with a smile.

“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Chakotay asked skeptically.

“No, probably not, but I had to ask!” Tom chuckled as he went to the closet
to retrieve a blanket and a pillow for the older man.

The men took turns using the bathroom and changing into sleep pants.
Chakotay took his place on the couch, while Tom crawled into his own bed.
Tom ordered the lights to 10%.

“Goodnight, Cha,” the younger man called out.

“Goodnight, Tommy,” responded Chakotay tenderly. “Sweet dreams.”

**********

Chakotay had just begun to relax when he looked up and saw a glowing
presence looming down over him. “Boxer! You’ll scare me to death doing
that,” he exclaimed as he reached up to pull the animal into his arms. Boxer
meowed mournfully into his ear and no amount of comforting would soothe
him. Chakotay could hear the same noises from Tom’s bedroom.

“Chakotay, you may as well come in here,” Tom hollered to the older man in
the outer room. “It looks like we won’t get any sleep unless you do.”

Chakotay rose from the couch and padded to the bedroom, slipping quickly
onto the right side of the bed, where Tom lifted the covers and made room
for him. As soon as the two men were comfortable, Zellie and Boxer jumped
off the bed and headed for their resting spot in the other room.

“No sense fighting the inevitable,” Chakotay laughed. “It seems we are
powerless over them.”

“Guess we know who rules the roost!” Tom quipped, as he rolled to his side
facing the older man. Chakotay quickly followed suit and the two men stared
at each other in the near-darkness.

Chakotay reached out and pulled the blonde into an embrace. “I’m happier
here anyway,” the older man admitted. “I love holding you in my arms,
Tommy.”

“I love being held by you,” Tom responded, nuzzling his face against
Chakotay’s bare shoulder. After a few moments, Tom propped himself up on
his elbow. “Cha, I don’t want this to end,” he whispered dejectedly.

“I don’t either, Tom,” Chakotay replied. “I just wish I knew whether my
feelings for you are real. I hate the thought that this could all be an
illusion.” Chakotay felt that he was falling in love with the younger man, but
his rational side couldn’t shake the feeling that he was headed for a big
emotional fall if their new-found companions were returned to their
homeworld. Would Tom continue to love him without the Zellie and Boxer’s
influence? He wasn’t so sure. He leaned down and kissed Tom tentatively on
the lips, just to keep the connection between the two of them for a few
more minutes.

Tom shifted slightly to have better access to Chakotay’s mouth. He began
kissing the older man in earnest, searching with his tongue, finding passage
into the warm, hot recesses of Chakotay’s mouth. Tom moaned when the
normally reserved commander responded energetically to his ministrations.
They became locked in a struggle between maintaining control and giving into
their more baser needs. Tom was quickly approaching the point of no return.
“Chakotay,” he murmured, “are you sure you want to do this...with me?”

“Yes.....oh, yes,” Chakotay groaned. “Please, Tom. Show me what to do!”

“First, we take our clothes off,” Tom said teasingly, as he quickly slid out of
his sleepwear.

“That much I can figure out!” Chakotay responded, as he lifted his hips to
remove his own sleep pants. Tom, eager to get started, pulled them off the
rest of the way and tossed them aside.

Tom rolled on top of the bronze-skinned man, reestablishing contact with his
soon-to-be lover’s mouth. Once he was in position, Tom broke away from the
kiss and sat up, straddling Chakotay’s upper thighs. Tom was now in perfect
tutoring position. He reached down and grasped the older man’s firm
erection. Tom began moving his hand up and down the length of the
commander’s thick cock, eliciting pleasurable groans from the man trapped
beneath him. Chakotay instinctively raised his hand and placed it around
Tom’s swollen member, matching the younger man’s actions stroke for
stroke. “Chakotay,” Tom gasped, “you’re a quick learner!”

“My hand and I ... are well-trained...in this aspect,” Chakotay stammered
breathlessly as each man continued to pleasure the other. “Gods,
Tom.....more, faster!” Chakotay croaked as he tried to move his hips to
counter the motion of the other man’s hand. Tom clenched his legs together,
tighter, trying to keep the older man in place and trying to avoid being
bucked off onto the floor. As they neared completion, Chakotay pulled Tom
down into a deep, soulful kiss that acted as the catalyst needed to bring
both men to a quick and satisfying climax.

After taking a few moments to recover, Tom leaned over to the nightstand
to retrieve a towel he kept there. He continued to straddle Chakotay as he
cleaned the traces of their lovemaking off their bodies. Tom noticed that
the older man was pensive. “Are you okay?” Tom asked hesitantly.

“I’m fine. It’s just...,” Chakotay said, choking on the words. “I don’t want
this to end, Tom. Please promise me that you’ll give this ‘thing’ we have a
try...no matter what happens.”

“I absolutely, positively promise that I will do what it takes to make us
work,” Tom assured the older man. “I have been interested in you for quite a
while, and this is definitely a dream come true for me. But you have to be
honest with yourself, Cha. You’ve never been with a man. Is this just a
fluke? A grand experiment?”

“I don’t think so,” Chakotay replied. “I’ve been interested in you too, even
though I hadn’t realized it at the time. What we had tonight was wonderful,
and the more I’m with you, the more I realize that I could spend the rest of
my life being with you.”

“If you say that tomorrow after our meeting with the prime minister, I’ll
believe you,” Tom said softly. “Until then, let’s enjoy this time together.”

“Sounds good,” Chakotay responded as he rolled to his side facing Tom. The
pilot shifted position and curled up inside the big man’s embrace. With sleep
quickly descending upon them, Chakotay whispered, “Thank you for tonight,
Tommy.”

“Here’s hoping for many more,” Tom said as he drifted off to sleep.

**********

“Tom, are you awake?” Chakotay asked quietly.

“Yeah, I’ve been awake for a while now,” Tom replied. “What time is it?”

“0530 hours,” Chakotay responded.

“You can’t sleep either, huh?” Tom asked.

“No, not really. I’m feeling pretty restless,” Chakotay admitted. “I thought
I’d go jogging at the gym. Do you want to come with me?”

“That sounds like a good idea. Let’s see if we can get our King and Queen to
agree, since we seem to be under their command,” Tom joked as he ordered
the lights to 75% and hopped out of bed. “Zellie...Boxer...time to get up,”
Tom called as he changed into his workout clothes. There was no sign of
activity from the other room.

Chakotay slid into his clothes he wore the evening before. “We need to stop
at my cabin, so I can change,” Chakotay said. “Are our Highnesses ready?”

Tom stepped into the living area to check on their two charges. Both were
awake, but neither were inclined to move out of their warm, soft bed. “Let’s
go kitties,” Tom said to the pair, clapping his hands to help them awaken.
The only response was a disinterested stare. “Chakotay, I don’t think
they’re interested in going,” Tom said skeptically.

“Well, I’m going to go, and I want you to come along too. They’ll have to
decide on their own what to do,” Chakotay said forcefully, covering up for
the uneasiness he felt leaving the two animals alone.

“I guess so...,” Tom replied, not convinced that leaving them alone was the
best thing. “I won’t be able to stand it if they cry the whole time.”

“It’ll be okay, Tom. Let’s open a comm link at your computer,” Chakotay
stated. “We should be able to listen in on them while we’re gone. If they
start crying, we’ll come right home.”

Tom liked the sound of that...home...but decided not to point it out to the
older man. “Let’s get going then,” Tom agreed and the two men headed out
the door.

Once outside the doors, the two men stood and waited to hear signs of
distress from inside. They heard no sounds from the occupants. “That’s
very strange,” Chakotay observed. “Why couldn’t we leave last night but we
can now?”

“I don’t know, Cha. Hopefully the Prime Minister will be able to explain,”
Tom said, leaning over to give his lover a gentle kiss.

“It’ll be nice to finally have some questions answered,” Chakotay replied,
turning the kiss into a hug.

The two men turned and headed towards Chakotay’s cabin and the gym,
speculating along the way on the odd behavior of their two new companions.

**********

Tom reentered his cabin alone after their early morning workout, wondering
how the cats were going to react. Chakotay decided to take a quick shower
and dress in his own cabin before coming over to Tom’s place for breakfast.
Judging by their behavior, Chakotay’s absence was no problem.

Tom was greeted by a joyful meow from Zellie, welcoming him home. She
got up from the spot where she lay, arching her back and stretching her long
legs in one slow, fluid motion. When she was through, she yawned deeply and
strolled over to where Tom stood. “Good morning, sleepyhead,” Tom said
lightheartedly, as he reached down and picked her up. He took a minute to
scratch her neck and belly, eliciting a loud, comforting purr from deep within
her. He leaned over and nuzzled her face and neck, giving her kisses and a
big hug.

After a couple more minutes of love and attention, Tom put Zellie down on
the floor and walked over to where Boxer was laying. He knelt down and
moved his hand in a petting motion from head to tail, causing the animal to
revel in his own morning stretch. Boxer rubbed his face against Tom’s hand,
nipping gently at his fingers, showing his appreciation for the man’s
attentiveness. “Chakotay will be home soon, Boxer,” Tom said reassuringly.
“Then we’ll have breakfast.”

Tom stood up and ordered the computer to give Chakotay access to the door,
so he could let himself in when he returned. Tom took a quick shower and
got dressed. When he reentered the main living area, he found Chakotay
sitting on the couch holding Boxer in his arms. Zellie was perched on the
back of the sofa with her face at the side of his head. “What a beautiful
sight,” Tom remarked sincerely. “I could get used to this.”

“Me too,” Chakotay agreed as he stood up and walked to his new lover. “I
missed you, Tom,” he said as he leaned in to give the blonde-haired man a
gentle kiss. Boxer squirmed in his arms and Chakotay released his grasp,
allowing the animal to jump down to the floor. Boxer hopped onto the couch
and laid on the cushion where Chakotay was previously sitting. Zellie
dropped down to sit by her mate. Chakotay grabbed Tom and pulled him into
a deeper hug and kiss. Their passion was interrupted as Tom’s stomach
growled from hunger. “Guess that’s our cue to get something to eat!”
Chakotay joked as he gave one last squeeze and pinched Tom on his butt
cheek.

“Stop that!” Tom shouted in mocked horror. “Not in front of the kitties!”

“I think the kitties got an eyeful and earful last night, so I don’t think we
need to worry,” Chakotay chuckled as he rubbed the spot where he pinched
the younger man.

Tom smiled and headed toward the replicator. “We’ll do more of that later,”
he said, “after we eat.”

Chakotay grinned, showing his sumptuous dimples as he followed Tom to the
replicator. “We should probably feed Zellie and Boxer first,” he said. “Is
the replicator programmed for their food yet?”

“Yeah, I did it last night based on the information Harry retrieved from
their ship,” Tom replied as he replicated new bowls of water and food,
placing them in their new designated spot by the dining table. The animals
needed no invitation as they jumped from their resting place and headed
towards their meal.

After a short discussion, Tom replicated bagels and juice for their
breakfast, along with a cup of tea for Chakotay and a cup of coffee for
himself. They enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, engaged in occasional small talk,
but mostly remained silent just enjoying each other’s presence. Too soon, it
was time to head for the meeting in the captain’s briefing room.

“We’d better get going,” Chakotay said reluctantly as he cleared the dishes
from the table and deposited them into the recycler. “We don’t want to be
late.”

“I don’t want them to go away, Cha. What if they take Zellie and Boxer from
us?” Tom asked wistfully.

“I don’t know, Tommy. I want them to stay as much as you do. I guess we’ll
have to play it by ear,” Chakotay replied soberly. “Let’s just pray that our
worst fears won’t happen.”

The two men motioned for the cats to follow them and the foursome exited
the cabin, walking down the corridor together towards their fate.

**********

“Prime Minister, I would like to introduce you to Commander Chakotay and
Lieutenant Paris, the ones I spoke to you about a few hours ago,” Janeway
stated informatively. She also introduced Harry and Greg who were the
other two members of the away team.

“This is indeed a privilege and an honor to meet you, sirs,” the Prime Minister
proclaimed.

“It is a pleasure to meet you. Welcome aboard,” Chakotay responded
politely, with the others echoing his welcome.

“Your captain has told me about the efforts that you made to rescue our
fallen comrades after their encounter with the pirates,” the Minister said
solemnly. “You have our heartfelt gratitude and thanks. If there is anything
we can do for you, please let us know.”

“We appreciate your generous offer and we will let you know if we need
anything,” Janeway stated, “but right now we would like a little information,
if you don’t mind. Why don’t we have a seat.” Everyone agreed and took
their seats around the table. Boxer and Zellie promptly jumped onto their
master’s laps to give comfort, aware that the men were anxious over the
proceedings.

“So it’s true,” the Minister said in awe. “When your captain told me that the
two Lynox you found had bonded to you, I was shocked. I’ve never heard of
this happening to an off-worlder.” The Minister smiled warmly at the
animals, clearly respectful of their presence.

“We’re a little confused over the two Lynox’ behavior,” Janeway began. “It
seems that they have not only bonded with each man, but are controlling
their emotions also.”

“Captain, you must be mistaken,” the Minister contended. “It is very typical
that the Lynox will aid in the relationship between two mates, however they
do not control emotions.”

“But we were not mates, at least not at first,” Chakotay responded meekly,
affording a quick glance towards Tom, noticing a rosy blush on the younger
man’s face.

“Really? That does seem strange, but the Lynox are never wrong about
people’s feelings for one another,” the Minister stated. “It is obvious to me
that you were ‘feeling’ your attraction, regardless of whether you were
aware of it. The animals picked up on that and were attracted to it,
resulting in the bond that you are experiencing.”

“Minister, it’s hard to believe that their emotions weren’t amplified or
manipulated in some way. Chakotay and Tom exhibited very strange
behavior,” Harry explained. “It was as if they couldn’t focus on anyone but
themselves.”

“That is very odd indeed,” the Minister conceded, as he paused to consider
the situation. “Do you still have that problem?” he asked Tom.

“Not anymore,” Tom admitted. “Actually, I feel pretty normal now.”

“Me too,” Chakotay agreed. “It’s like everything is back to normal, except...”

“Except what,” the Minister prodded.

“Except that I’m in love,” Chakotay concluded, as he reached over to grasp
Tom’s hand.

“But are they really in love if the Lynox are the cause of their emotional
response?” Janeway asked.

“The Lynox are not causing any emotional response. They are simply
breaking down the barriers preventing the emotion from surfacing,” the
Minister clarified. “What you two have is the real thing.....what’s in your
heart.”

“But what if we decide that we are no longer in love,” Tom asked hesitantly.

“If you truly believe in your heart that you are not in love, then the Lynox
will respect that,” the Minister stated. “They only assist their masters in
dealing with their true emotions. They do not try to change them. It only
becomes a problem when you are not being truthful to yourselves.”

“That’s probably why we were having such problems early on,” Chakotay said
thoughtfully to Tom. “We were fighting our attraction, which resulted in
them fighting harder for us to see the truth.”

“Yes, and being empaths, the Lynox saw it and responded to it as they were
meant to do,” the minister agreed.

“But what will happen when they return to your planet?” Greg inquired. “Will
the bond be broken and will they choose other masters?”

“They cannot return to our planet,” the Minister declared adamantly. “The
bond can only be broken by death. If the Lynox return with me, I’m afraid
that time, along with the great distance will break the bond unnaturally,
resulting in their premature death.”

Chakotay and Tom gasped at the words and gathered the animals in a
protective embrace. They looked expectantly at Captain Janeway.

“You mean that they’ll die from a broken heart?” Tom gasped.

“Yes.”

“Well, that settles it,” Janeway decided without any further thought.
“Zellie and Boxer, welcome to your new home.”

**********

Kathryn gave the men the next two days off, so they could adjust to their
new living arrangements. They moved into bigger quarters and spent the
rest of the day arranging their personal belongings and taking care of Boxer
and Zellie. In the evening, they booked a couple hours of holodeck time to
relax.

“Cha, this is wonderful,” Tom said sincerely, as he snuggled against the
bigger man’s body, watching the two Lynox play in front of the fireplace.

“I’m glad you like it, Tommy. This was my grandfather’s cabin in the
mountains on Dorvan V,” Chakotay explained. “I loved spending summers
here, especially sitting by the fire on cool nights, roasting marshmallows and
making s’mores.”

“I think we’ll enjoy many more nights here, if I have my way,” Tom chuckled,
as he gave the older man a gentle squeeze.

The two men sat quietly, enjoying the moment. Chakotay reflected on the
events of the past 36 hours. He remember the conversation he had with
Tom the previous evening. “Tom,” Chakotay began earnestly, “will you spend
the rest of your life with me?”

“Chakotay....are you sure?” Tom asked incredulously.

“Yes, I’m sure. You said that if I said those words after our meeting with
the prime minister that you’d believe me,” Chakotay reminded Tom. “Do you
believe that I love you?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Do you love me?” Chakotay asked fervently.

“More than you know.” Tom replied solemnly.

“Then will you marry me, Tom?”

“Yes, Cha. Oh, yes!”

**********

Epilogue: one month later

“What do you mean they’re pregnant!” the captain exclaimed.

“I mean that they are going to have babies,” the doctor calmly explained.

“Don’t be obtuse! I know what you mean!” Janeway said in a huff. She was
not happy with the thought of more little ones on the ship. “How are we
going to take care of them?”

“They have their parents, and they should be able to fend for themselves
about 6 weeks after birth,” the doctor replied.

“How many are we talking about?” Janeway questioned.

“My readings show five babies, 2 males and 3 females,” the doctor answered.
They’ll arrive in about 12 weeks.”

“Chakotay and Tom seem ecstatic about the news,” she mused as she
watched them across sickbay. She was overjoyed that they had found each
other, even if it was in a very unconventional way. Zellie and Boxer had
become an integral part of the two mens’ lives and the lives of the rest of
the Voyager crew. Everyone would be overjoyed by the news, so why was she
so apprehensive?

**********

18 weeks later:

“Chakotay, this is wonderful!” Tom exclaimed. “We have homes for 4 of the
5 kittens.”

“I can’t believe how fast they bonded,” Chakotay said, amazed at what they’d
witnessed.

Ever since their birth, there had been a constant stream of visitors to the
Chakotay-Paris household. When the kittens were about 5 weeks old, they
had begun to pick their masters.

Harry and Greg had been chosen by the middle kitten, a female with an
abundance of curiosity and no fear. The minute the men had sat on the
couch, she’d climbed up Greg’s leg and proceeded to walk up his torso, around
his neck and shoulders. Then she’d continued her tour down Harry’s body
and back onto the floor. After her inspection, she’d hopped between the
two men and purred contentedly. That is when they knew that they had
been chosen.

B’Elanna had been chosen by the oldest, a male that seemed to bark more
than meow and had a copious amount of aggressive tendencies. He was a
great match for the half-Klingon. The smile on her face said everything as
she’d walked out the door with the little Lynox in hand.

The baby of the litter, a female, had picked Naomi Wildman. The youngest
was the most playful and made a perfect companion for the young girl. Most
likely the two of them would embark on many holodeck adventures together.

The fourth one born had bonded with Tuvok of all people. This male had
demonstrated independent thought and a generous dose of aloofness...ideal
for the reserved Vulcan. It appeared that Tuvok had finally found a
companion who would understand his true self without having to verbalize his
needs. Tom and Chakotay couldn’t have been happier for their friend.

The only one left to bond was the second one born. Many of the crew had
visited, but she could not find a match. That is, until Kathryn Janeway
walked in. The captain had avoided the household for the past couple of
weeks, mainly because she was a little jealous of the two men’s happiness.
She really wanted a companion of her own, but she didn’t think that she
would be chosen, given her tendency to push away from relationships. As she
entered the cabin, the remaining kitten let out a loud, joyful meow and raced
towards the woman in charge. Kathryn scooped her into her arms and gave
the kitten a warm hug. Without further ado, the captain smiled peacefully,
turned and left the cabin, holding the precious bundle tightly in her arms.

“I guess that’s it,” Tom said sadly.

“Yeah, it seems quiet without the five of them around,” Chakotay agreed.

“Boxer and Zellie don’t seem too upset,” Tom noticed.

“They probably can feel the kitten’s presence and know they’re happy,”
Chakotay explained reasonably.

“You’re probably right, Cha.,” Tom replied. “Are you happy.....being here with
me?”

“You know it, babe,” Chakotay responded with a vigorous hug.

“Show me,” Tom challenged as the two men headed for the bedroom.

**********

Zellie and Boxer sat on the couch together, content, as their masters made
love in the other room.

[Are you sad that the children are gone, my love? It’s always hardest on the
mother when the children leave home.]

{You’re right, dear, but I can feel how happy they are so it’ll be alright in
time. Besides we have our work cut out for us right here.}

[Don’t I know it! My brown-eyes is starting to internalize his feelings again
and is not listening to his heart.]

{And my blue-eyes is putting up those emotional barriers, just like when we
met.}

[I feel trouble brewing once more. These lovers are going to be nothing but
trouble for a very long time, aren’t they.]

{Yes, I think so. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.}

[Let’s get some sleep. I have a feeling that tomorrow is going to be another
emotional day, but one I wouldn’t miss for all the riches in the world.]

[{Purr...}]


THE END

Copyright March 2002