Star Trek: Voyager: Distant Shores by Marco Palmieri (editor)

Author:Marco Palmieri (editor)
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science Fiction, Star Trek, Fiction
ISBN: 9780743492539
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 2005-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

Chakotay said a silent prayer of thanks when he discovered that Tuvok had been selected as master of ceremonies for the event, knowing full well that whatever his personal, albeit suppressed, feelings about Chakotay, the Vulcan would keep a tight rein on the proceedings. But even when Tom was recounting the infamous, oft-repeated, and mostly apocryphal story of the transporter malfunction that had left Chakotay facing Admiral Nimembeh wearing nothing but his combadge, which definitely got the biggest laugh of the night, Chakotay could barely force his mind to stay focused on the present moment.

He wanted to take her hand and lead her back to his cabin. He wanted to hear her relate every thought that had entered her head from the moment she had realized that she wanted to take this step until the moment she had given him her gift. He wanted to apologize for not taking her in his arms then and there and showing her exactly how much he appreciated the courage of her gesture. He wanted to see and know and cherish every part of her that she so carefully guarded from others, and assure her with words and gentle caresses that she had chosen well. He was a man, standing at the gates of a fiery paradise, anxious to be consumed.

Standing completely unengaged in conversation with the Doctor, he watched, fascinated, as across the room, she took her first bite of the Jibelian fudge cake that Neelix had prepared as the culmination of the evening’s feast. When she licked her lips appreciatively he couldn’t stop himself from imagining equally delicious and far more tantalizing places her tongue might soon be exploring….

“Commander Chakotay, are you unwell?” the Doctor’s voice knifed into his head, scattering the image and demanding his attention.

“I beg your pardon,” he heard himself say. “I’m fine. Just a little distracted.”

“Your pupils are dilated by nearly a millimeter, and blood flow has increased to your facial capillaries,” the Doctor continued.

“I think I’ve had a little too much Anterian cider this evening,” he replied.

“I would recommend several glasses of water before you retire this evening, Commander, and perhaps a light analgesic,” the Doctor offered conspiratorially, simultaneously creating a short subroutine that would add Public Intoxication, Dos and Don’ts to his list of Seven of Nine’s social lessons.

“Thank you, Doctor,” Chakotay replied, his eyes wandering again about the room, finding her now in conversation with Ensign Kim. “I think I’ll take that suggestion right now, if you’ll excuse me.”

But Chakotay never made it across the room. As he was looking for an opening to the right of Tuvok, who was headed straight for him, to add his stiff congratulations to the chorus of those he had already endured, Neelix flanked him at port, offering him a slice of birthday cake. A small contingent of his Maquis crewmates, countered to starboard, obviously hoping he had taken their account of his first attempt to escape a Cardassian scouting party that left him covered in refuse and face to face with a Peroghian pig-lizard in the friendly spirit that it was meant.

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