As the transporter beam released them, Tom glared directly at the
transporter operator, and ordered,

"Beam us to the Captain's quarters now."

"Uh...uh... Yes, sir," the embarrassed crewman stuttered, staring
blatantly at the naked Captain and Tom.  Tom kept Kathryn covered as
much as possible, but there was absolutely no denying what had happened.

There were one or two gasps, a twitter or two, but Tom had done the best
he could in the situation.  They appeared in the middle of her living
room.  Only then did Tom dare to look down.  He was somewhat surprised
to see Kat start to laugh and at the same time start to cry.

"Kat," he said, gently stroking her face and sitting up.   He pulled her
into his arms as she started to cry in earnest.

"Oh God, Tom.  How am I gonna live that down?  How are those people ever
going to respect me again?  Will Chakotay be able to deal with this?
What have I done?"

"Sh, Kat.  It's okay.  Like I said, they gotta know you're human, and
don't worry about Chakotay, he'll be okay with this."

The ship shuddered, and they both stiffened.

"We have to get to the bridge," Kat ordered and Tom let her go as she
jumped to her feet.  He went to the console and ordered that he be
beamed to his cabin so he could get dressed as well.  He called a
warning to Kat, and she, in complete control of herself, said they would
talk later.

***

Chakotay was thrilled when he heard the lift doors open and a familiar
voice of Kathryn Janeway call for a status report.  He moved out of the
helmsman chair when he saw Tom standing beside him.

"Everything okay?" he asked Tom.

"We'll talk, but don't believe anything until you hear our version of
it," Tom said, as he quickly sat at the helm.

"That doesn't sound good," Chakotay said, as he moved back to the first
officer's seat.  He looked at Kathryn and noticed she wasn't looking at
him intentionally.

"Don't be mad at Tom," she said quietly.  "Tom whatever you have to do
to get us out of here."

***

They sat in Kathryn's ready room.  Chakotay was staring out the
viewport.  Tom sat on the couch and Kathryn was nervously sipping a cup
of coffee.

"So you two made love to protect the others?"

"Chakotay, Tom did it to protect me from them, and yes, the others, but
Harry said they had ripped Tuvok's mind apart when they had scanned
him."

Chakotay nodded, and then turned to his Captain.  He stared at her for a
minute, and then drew a deep breath.

"Kathryn, we've had our time, just you and me.  It didn't work.  But, a
couple of weeks ago, Tom suggested that we invite you to join us.  I had
to think about it for a while, but I came to agree with him.  I have no
objections to you being with us, or with Tom or with me.  I think, with
some basic ground rules, this could be a viable situation."

"Chakotay, please," Kathryn said with some anger in her voice.  "If I
won't get involved with you or with anyone else in this crew, what makes
you think I'd become involved in this type of relationship."

"Because, Kat, we care about you," Tom said gently.  "And you can't lie
to me.  You enjoyed that today."

"And also because you are a healthy human being with all the usual needs
and desires.  If it's both Tom and I, you have a choice, we're command
personnel so the chain of command won't be compromised and because
Kathryn Janeway, you cannot continue for another sixty-five years
without someone to lean on."

"All we're asking Kat, is that you think about it.  Okay?"

"I can already tell you my answer, Mr. Paris, and that is an unequivocal
no."

***

Three weeks later, Tom went to the brig.  It was the first time he had
seen both Harry and Tuvok since they had been put off the ship.  The doc
had been able to repair some of the damage that had been done to Tuvok's
brain, but he would never be the brilliant officer again, and another
side effect was his rigid control had been stripped away.

Vorick had shaken his head sadly when he had been told.

"I grieve for him."

"You grieve for him?" Chakotay echoed in disbelief.

"Yes, Commander, I grieve.  There is no greater degradation to a Vulcan
than to loose control of his emotions."

Tom didn't know what to expect, but he certainly wasn't expecting what
he saw.  Harry was leaning over, pressed against a wall, Tuvok standing
behind him, his trousers at his feet.  Tom backed away.

"For years, I have held my needs in check.  And now I can't.  Your ass
is so tight.  You taste so sweet.  I can't get enough of you."

Tom listened strangely turned on by listening in on them.  He heard
Harry's inarticulate cry and then Tuvok order.

"Get your hands back on the wall.  You'll come when I say and not a
moment before."

Tom stumbled backwards as memories overcame him.  He left the brig,
blindly moving through the halls.  That had been too close to Auckland.
He found himself at Chakotay's office doors and saw the indicator
announcing Chak was in there.  He rang the chime, the door opened, and
Tom stumbled in the door.

***

Chakotay looked up when the chime sounded and was surprised to see Tom
come in.  It only took a nanosecond before he realized something was
wrong.  He came around the edge of his deck and caught Tom in his arms.

"What's wrong?  What happened?"

"Harry and Tuvok.  I went down to see them and...oh spirits, Chak.  It's
Auckland.  He's locked in there with an out of control Vulcan who's into
pain and domination."

Chakotay nodded and understood what was wrong.  He had taken a look at a
couple of the surveillance logs and knew what was happening, but he knew
something Tom didn't.

"Tom, we gave Harry a chance to move to another cell, and he refused.
He wants to be with Tuvok."

"Chak, he's hurting him."

"I know, but Harry has chosen to stay."

"How?  How can he chose something like that?"

"Some people like it, Tom.  You like to be dominated, Harry likes
pain."  Chakotay watched sadly as Tom pulled away from him.

***

Tom went down to the brig again.  He had to get this straight in his own
mind.  He had to talk to Harry.  It was almost funny, a month before
this he thought he hated Harry Kim, and now, he wanted to protect him.
Tom Paris, you are a basket case.

He stepped in front of their cell. Keeping a straight face, looking at
both of them.  Harry was stretched out on the bunk regenerating a bite
mark on his shoulder.  Tuvok growled at him from a corner.

"Hey Tom!  How's it hanging , flyboy?" Harry asked with a dark laugh.
Tom had never seen this Harry.  He was used to clean, crisp Star Fleet
do-gooder, not this street wise, bad boy.

"Harry," he replied evenly.

"I saw you the other day.  What are you doing?  Coming down for another
show?"

"I came to check on you and make sure everything is okay."

"That's a fucking joke, Paris.  Yeah, we got off the planet you dumped
us on, and we're back on Voyager.  Could life be any fucking better?
Yeah, life is good, Paris, really good."

Tom looked at Tuvok.  Gone was the serene face.  Now there was a show of
emotions that Tom had never seen.  The dark brown eyes blazed with an
intensity he never wanted to face without a force field between them.

"You want Tuvok to do you?" Harry asked lewdly.  "What's the matter,
ain't Chakotay's cock big enough for you anymore?  Drop the force field
Tom, he'll do you.  But I gotta warn you."  Harry held his arms out and
then turned his back towards Tom, and Tom winced at the bite marks.  "He
bites."

***

Chakotay and Tom had just returned to their quarters after having dinner
on the holodeck when their chime sounded.  Chakotay released Tom from
his arms, despite the groan Tom had made when they were once more
interrupted.

"We need to get you a DND button, Chak," Tom said, as he moved a
respectful distance from Chakotay.

"DND?"

"Do Not Disturb."

Chakotay laughed as he called entry, momentarily considering that idea.
They were both surprised to see Kathryn standing at their doorway.

"Captain, is there a problem?"

"None," she said in a strange tone of voice, as she came into their
quarters.  Chakotay looked over at Tom and got a noncommittal shrug in
response.  Something was up, but Chakotay couldn't put his finger on it.

"How can we help you, Captain?" Tom asked, as Kathryn wandered around
their quarters, touching stuff.

Kathryn Janeway smiled a smile that set Chakotay's teeth on edge.  "I
came to talk about your offer."

That caught him off guard.  She had said no, and when Kathryn Janeway
said no, she usually meant it.  Chakotay watched a little shocked as
Kathryn walked up to Tom and kissed him.  Then he was even more
surprised when Tom pulled back, with a sharp cry.  Tom touched his lip
and Chakotay could see blood.

"Ow, Kat watch the teeth," Tom said, moving back slightly.

"What's wrong, Tom?  I thought you liked it rough."

"Kathryn, what's wrong?" Chakotay asked, knowing instinctively something
was very wrong.  Kathryn turned to him and with an odd expression on her
face, she moved towards him.  It took control not to back away from
her.  "Kathryn?"

"Yes, Commander," she responded, and licked her lips as she moved even
closer.  Chakotay was surprised when her small hand closed over his
cock, but he kept eye contact up.  "Ready for another run at it?"

Chakotay jumped as she squeezed him through his pants to the point it
hurt.  Instinctively, he grabbed her wrist and removed it from his
person.  Kathryn laughed gleefully and that was when he smelled the
alcohol.

"You've been drinking," he said, tossing a glance at Tom.  Tom nodded in
understanding.

"Yes, I have.  I was sitting alone in my quarters, drinking when I
thought about your offer, and I've changed my mind.  I want to join in.
I want to feel you.  I want to feel your strength. I want to be between
you.  I want to do this."

Tom and Chakotay both looked at each other.  This was not the Kathryn
they had expected, but maybe because of her drinking they were just
seeing a different side of her.  They had expected a little more romance
to be involved and a gentler woman to join them instead of this
aggressive person.  Chakotay had never seen her like this, but maybe it
was Tom that had brought out this behavior.

"Okay," Chakotay said carefully.  "Then, maybe we should sit down and
discuss it."  He released Kathryn's hand and gestured toward the couch.

"No, let's just get down to it.  Come on, Maquis.  I've wanted you for a
long time."  Chakotay was suddenly having to defend himself from Kathryn
Janeway.

She came at him like an angry cat in heat.  He was totally stunned.  It
took a moment before he got his hands on her and trapped her against his
chest.

"Kathryn, what is going on?" he asked, as she struggled in his arms.  He
wasn't surprised when Tom pulled out a tricorder and aimed it at her.

"Let me go.  You made an offer.  I'm just taking you up on it.  Come on,
Chakotay, aren't you big enough to take me?  Or do you want it like the
last time."

"What are you talking about?  Kathryn, we've never made love."

"Her brain scan is wrong," Tom said, moving closer.

"What?" Chakotay asked.

"Sure we did, back on the planet.  You remember, don't you, Maquis?"
That was when it hit Chakotay like a brick.

"Oh, shit," he said, as he held Kathryn Janeway close to himself.

"Tuvok," he and Tom said at the same time.

"Kat," Tom said, moving closer to her.  "Have you and Tuvok ever
bonded?"

Kathryn Janeway laughed an evil laugh that sent shivers up both men's
spines.  "No, but we linked so the command structure was stronger," she
said evilly.  "Surprise!"

"Paris to EMH," Tom said, slapping his comm badge.

"EMH here, Lieutenant Commander."

"I think the Captain is being influenced by Tuvok, is there anyway to
shield Tuvok?"

"Hm, what an interesting hypothesis.  No, Lieutenant, it is more or less
then same circumstance as what you went through with Tuvok.  Without the
aid of another Vulcan or trained telepath, if a link was formed, the
Captain will be open to any thoughts that Tuvok wishes to share with
her."

"Great.  Start working on a dampener field."

"Right away.  EMH out."

"No," Kathryn screamed, as she struggled mightily against Chakotay's
hold.  "You won't keep us boxed up in the brig for the rest of our
lives.  One way or another, we'll get out of this trap, and you'll pay
Chakotay.  You will pay for everything you've done to me."

Chakotay took the only course of action he could see at the moment.  He
pushed the semi-possessed body of Kathryn Janeway away from him and when
she turned to attack him, a well placed blow to her chin took her down.
He caught her slumping form.

"I think we can safely say that Kathryn should be removed from command,"
Tom said, as he hit his chest and called for a site to site transport.

***

The next stop was the brig.  Chakotay and Tom both stood outside the
force field.  Harry cackled gleefully.

"Problem, gentlemen?" he asked.

"Let her go, Tuvok," Chakotay said sternly.  The grin Tuvok graced him
with was enough to make him shiver.

"I don't think so, Chakotay," Tuvok said.

"You know I've removed her from command and she's sedated.  We can keep
you from using her.

"And how long will the crew put up with the precious Captain being kept
under sedation?  How long before they demand an explanation?  And then
what will you do, Maquis?  Will you officially take command of the
ship?  Throw us off on another planet?  Airlock us?"

Chakotay knew the scenario.  He might take control of the ship, but with
Kathryn in sickbay, people would balk.  He could put Tuvok off again,
but that would also cause a stir.  Announce that Tuvok had taken over
Kathryn's mind.  If he made that announcement, no one would ever trust
her again.

"For your information, I have bonded with Kathryn.  Her state of
inebriation made it quite easy.  If you put me off, I will break that
bond, and I can assure you the consequences to Kathryn Janeway will be
devastating."

Chakotay stared at Tuvok for a moment, and then nodded and left the
brig.  He turned to the security guard.

"Flood the brig with a sedative.  I want those two out for several
hours."

"Yes, sir."

***

Vorick came into sickbay.  He looked between Chakotay, the unconscious
Captain and the Doctor.

"How may I be of assistance?"

They outlined what was going on.

"I believe one of the reasons it was easy for Tuvok to link with the
Captain is because she is lonely, and was willing to let him in for the
companionship.  Perhaps if she had someone else she could bond with,
share with, it would make it easier to break the link.  However with
Tuvok in his present condition, and with a strong bond in place, it
would be at best difficult to break Tuvok's bond."

"What would be the effects to Kathryn if Tuvok were to just break his
bond," Tom asked.

"Humans have never dealt with the breaking of a bond well, even when
they were prepared for it.  If Tuvok were to just remove his presence
from her mind, it would damage the Captain, both mentally and
physically."

"Can you tell us whether we are dealing with a full bond, or if Tuvok is
just linked?" Chakotay asked.

Vorick lifted an eyebrow, and then nodded.  "Considering the
circumstances, I would be willing to do this."

Chakotay watched, with both dread and hope as Vorick melded with the
Captain.  Memories flooding back over him.  He looked at Tom and saw he
was a little pale.
Then Vorick stepped back, and looked up.

"Tuvok has a full bond with the Captain.  Even more importantly, he is
flooding her with his illogical emotions.  The Captain cannot be allowed
to regain command of this ship."

"Unless we break this bond."

"That in and of itself is dangerous."

***

"Options, people.  I need options now," Chakotay said pacing the ready
room.

"I go back to my original suggestions, Chak."

Chakotay nodded.  He had also come to that conclusion, but the idea of
taking Kathryn to bed with them in her present state was...frightening.

"Maybe a level ten force field could at least dampen the bond enough
that you can get Kathryn to break it."

Chakotay looked at the Doctor.  "It will impede the bond to some
degree."

Chakotay turned to Vorick.  "It will help, but the Captain must have the
strength to fight Tuvok off."

Later, with just he, Tom and the EMH present, he put his hands
together.  "This is my idea.  We, being Tom and I, give Kathryn someone
else to lean on.  We keep Harry and Tuvok sedated and under a class ten
force field until she has at least stabilized and then we get her input
and come up with a long term solution."

"That would be a stop gap measure at best, Commander," the EMH said with
disdain.

"Got a better idea?" Tom asked shortly.

"No, not at this time, but I have several theories."

"Good, you work on those theories and we'll proceed with my plan."

***

Kathryn Janeway slowly fought her way to consciousness.  She looked
around and saw the concerned faces of both Chakotay and Tom.  Chakotay
helped her sit up, and Tom handed her a glass of water.  She glanced
around and realized she was in sickbay.

"What's going on?" she asked quietly, trying to remember what was going
on.

Chakotay sat on the edge of the biobed.  "Kathryn, we have a serious
problem."

Kathryn could feel the hum of the engines, there were no warning lights
flashing, no one else in sickbay, but her jaw ached.  "And that would
be?"

"I've had to remove you as Captain, Kathryn.  Tuvok has bonded with
you."

She almost jumped out of her skin.  No one knew about her link with
Tuvok.  No one and how had he bonded with her?  What in the hell was
going on?  "What? How? When?"

When you got drunk in your quarters the other night," Tom said gently.

"Then why can't I feel him?"

"He's heavily sedated.  What do you remember, Kathryn?"  Chakotay asked.

"I was in my quarters and yes, I had a few drinks.  I needed to relax."

"Kathryn, you were drunk.  We did a blood scan," Tom said with a smile.

"I was not!" She replied indignantly, getting off the biobed.  Chakotay
stayed close by her side, and it was a good thing, because she felt
woozy.  He reached out and took her arm, and led her to Doctor's office
where they sat down.  She and Chakotay in two chairs and Tom standing
behind Chakotay, leaning against the glass wall.

"Then what, Kathryn?"

"Then, I..." she tried to remember, and then parts came back. "I started
thinking about you and Tom."

"And then..."

"Nothing.  I woke up here."

Chakotay sighed.  He clasped his hands in front of him.  "Kathryn, you
did come to our quarters, but you were being aggressive and we knew
something was wrong.  Tom did a quick scan and that's when we found
out.  I've talked to the senior staff, including Vorick, and it is a
full bond.  Tuvok is threatening to forcibly break the bond if we don't
let him out."

"Don't you dare let him out," she ordered.  "We'll just have to figure
out how to break the bond."

"Vorick has assured us that will hurt you.  Physically and mentally."

"Then you'll have to lock me up as well."

"Kathryn, I can't just lock you up. Besides there is another
alternative."

"Well, spill it Chakotay," she demanded.  She wasn't in the mood to play
20 questions with him.  If Tuvok was using her, she'd space him herself
unless he let her go.

"Vorick thinks you can break the link yourself if we can make it weak.
It won't be easy, and he wasn't trained to do it, but he's studying some
of the information in the data banks."

"Then let's go."

"Kathryn, think for a moment, when did Tuvok establish the full bond
with you?"

She thought for a moment and then realized when it was.  She was not
going to admit to that even if it meant her sanity.  "I don't know."

"Well, we do," Chakotay said with a gentle smile.  "I ordered Vorick to
do a meld with you when you were unconscious."

"That is against regulations."

"This entire situation is against regs, Kat," Tom said, from where he
was leaning against the wall.  "We had to know what was going on."

Okay, she thought to herself, she probably would have done the same
thing.  She met Chakotay's eyes and tried not to blush.  "So you know
when it was."

"Yes, so these are the plans we have devised: 1.  Keep Tuvok sedated
until we get to the Alpha; 2. Put him off and hope you survive him
breaking the bond; or 3. You start to lean on and trust us, build some
strength up in that relationship and then we, with Vorick's help, help
you get away from Tuvok."

Kathryn Janeway was mad, mad enough to take the Vulcan on bare handed.
She considered her options, taping her fingers nervously on the table
top.  "How much do you know."

"Enough to know we were your main focus when Tuvok took control of your
mind."

She was blushing and she knew it.  With all the technology out there,
she really wished they had come up with a way to stop blushing.  "Let me
think about it.  What about stasis?"

"Another option, but you know as well as we do that putting someone in
stasis for that long is dangerous," Chakotay said.

"So is sedating them for the rest of their lives."

"True."

"Not that we are particularly concerned about that side effect," Tom
said with a smile.

Kathryn caught the look from Chakotay aimed at Tom.  She knew that look,
it meant Chakotay wasn't happy.  She'd been on the receiving end of it
once or twice.

"Chakotay, I told you before, I will not become involved with you and
Tom."  She had to get this under control and a pity fuck was not
something she was about to accept.

"Why?" he asked gently.

"Because...because," she blew out a breath.  Chakotay knew her too well
and if she lied, he would know it.  "Chakotay, I don't feel right
intruding on your relationship with Tom."

"So it isn't an objection regarding the type of relationship?"

"No!" she cried.  "I may not be "mainstream", but I'm not some ignorant
prude.  Love is love."

"What if I told you that Tom and I aren't...equally matched," Chakotay
asked quietly.

"What do you mean by that?"

Tom moved forward, and crouched quietly beside her.  "Kat, Chak said you
two didn't make it because you were both too dominant in the bedroom. Is
that true?"

"Well, yes.  I can't just stop being Captain.  Chakotay is also...  You
already know this.  Why are you asking me these questions?"

"Because, Kat, we both enjoyed today.  Why not give it a chance?"

"Because I said no."

"You said no," Chakotay interrupted, "because you think this is out of
pity or that it would ruin the command structure or some other excuse.
Kathryn, I wouldn't have come to you with this if it were out of pity or
for any other reason, except for one.  Tom and I care about you.  We
want to help you get our crews back to the Alpha.  We want to help you
get away from Tuvok, so you can be the captain again, and so you are as
complete as we are."  And with those words, he leaned forward in his
chair and gently kissed Kathryn Janeway.

She forgot how warm and soft his lips were.  She forgot about the
strength he exuded.  She tentatively returned the kiss, and then met
those dark brown eyes.

"Chakotay," she whispered.

"Kathryn, you have a choice.  We want to help you in any way we can, but
if you continue to be stubborn, we will be forced to take action.  And I
don't want to be responsible for hurting you.  I don't want Tuvok to win
again.  Let us help you, Kathryn."

Tom moved over and he also kissed her.  Then he winked and smiled at
her.  "You know how I feel about you.  Not even for the Delaney twins
could I have gotten it up on an alien space craft with who knows how
many of them watching us."

Damn, she was blushing again!
 

TBC