"I Object!"
Today was a special day on board
Voyager, for they were about
to hold their first wedding since
being stuck out here in the Delta
Quadrant. It had been almost five
and a half years, and thought the
crew were paring off, the two people
who were now currently standing
before the Captain, preparing to
exchange vows were the first to make
it official.
Both crew members decided to wear
there dress uniforms, and
both Tom and B'Elanna looked sharp
as they stood hand and hand with a
nervous smile on their faces as
they faced the Captain. Janeway
looked like a proud mother giving
two of her fledglings away as well
as an honored Captain who got to
perform the wedding. She went
through the typical lines as duty
called for and had only one more
line before the vows.
"Before our couple takes their vows,
joining them forever in
holy matrimony, anyone who has cause
as to why these two should not
be joined, speak now or forever
hold their peace." Janeway was only
going to hold for a few heartbeats,
since this was a formality, and
as she looked like she was going
to move forth.a voice rang out.
"I object!"
A murmur broke out among the guest
as everyone turned to see
who had spoken up, and many gasped
as they saw it was Chakotay, the
First Officer, stepping forward,
dressed in his dress uniform,
looking like a man on a mission.
B'Elanna looked astonished, and was
wondering as to what her
friend had to say and if it had
anything to do with why he declined
to give her way, and then she noticed
Tom looked flustered as her
husband to be stepped forward to
meet Chakotay half way.
"Tay, this `isn't' the time," Tom
growled out, his cheeks
flushed with anger and embarrassment.
"We discussed this already." he
hissed as quietly as he could.
"Oh, and when will be the right time,
when you're married and
celebrating your anniversary? I
don't think so! And no.you discussed
this.not `we', for I still happen
to love you, damn it! And as much
as I love B'Elanna, and wish to
see here happy, I'm not standing by
quietly and let her take the man
I love.that simple!" he stated in
defiance, and folded his arms around
his strong chest, looking like
an unmovable force of nature.
Tom looked back at B'Elanna a bit
embarrassed, since he never
mentioned to her that he and Chakotay
were still an item.it never
came up, "Just a second," he laughed
nervously, and then tried to
pull Chakotay to the side, but he
wasn't going to be moved. "Tay.?"
"Don't Tay me! I know you care for
her, Tom, but I can't stop
the way I feel. It's not that I
don't understand the baby needing a
father and all," Chakotay replied,
his eyes softening as to why he
let this matter get so far.
Before Tom could reply, and while
others looked on puzzled,
another voice rang out, "Yes, the
baby does need a father!"
Tom and Chakotay turned to see Harry
Kim stand up from the
group and make his way forward,
a look determination filling his
face, as Seven, who was sitting
next to him looks puzzled, along with
everyone else.
"Harry, Please." Tom started to say,
thinking that the young
man was coming to his aid, but was
stopped short when Harry moved
passed him and up to B'Elanna who
was looking rather flushed
herself. Tom did a double
take to make sure he was seeing clearly,
and then looked dumbfounded at Chakotay
and then back at B'Elanna.
"A baby needs a father.their `real'
father," Harry stated
directly to B'Elanna.
"Harry." B'Elanna started, feeling put on the spot.
"Don't Harry me! I know things didn't
go smoothly for us, but
I won't be quiet any longer." He
turned to Tom, "I'm sorry, Tom. But.
well, the Doctor confirmed it.the
baby's mine. It happened briefly
when you two were separated." he
added quickly seeing the flare up on
Tom's face and realization in his
friend's eyes.
"B'Elanna!" Chakotay gasped. "You.you
knew this?" It was bad
enough he though he was losing his
love to a woman who was having
Tom's child, but using the child
to entrap Tom.?
"Wait a second!" she roared, seeing
everyone looking at her,
and she was no on the offensive.
"Yes, I knew Harry was the father,
but.well, Tom and I have a lot in
common, and we wanted a family,
something `you' weren't going to
give him," she shot back at Chakotay
heatedly. Then she turned toward
Harry, "And if I recall, you told me
you and Seven were now an inseparable
item.Hmm?" Then she turned
toward Tom, her anger lessened feeling
her guilt, "I.I would of told
you.but.I thought you.wanted to
marry me," she replied, her words
becoming more and more child like.
"Mr. Kim am I hearing correctly.
Lieutenant Torres's child is
also yours," Seven asked as she
approached the group, that was
totally ignoring the Captain and
everyone else.
Harry turned to face Seven of Nine,
"Yes, I'm sorry, I didn't
say anything sooner, but B'Elanna
told me she wanted to keep it
quite, and thought I protested."
"Not very loudly," Torres growled out.
"Is that what you want Tom.a family?"
Chakotay asked, as he
turned the young blond to face him,
the look of hurt, anger and
confusion filling his blue eyes.
"Why didn't you just say something?"
Tom looked back at Chakotay, his
confusion only building and
shrugged, as he continued to follow
the conversation around him.
"Mr. Kim, I do not think it is advisable
for you and me to
see each other anymore. I find your
lack of." she looked lost for the
word.
"Honor," B'Elanna interjected.
"Honor, unacceptable. Though," she
said looking at
B'Elanna, "Under the circumstance,
it may be enough for the
Lieutenant here."
Harry grabbed B'Elanna as she started
to lung for the former
Borg woman, cursing in Klingon.
Seven arched her brow, and looked
passed the group, "Captain,
if your dinner invitation is still
open, I accept."
The entire group turned to face Janeway
who was doing
her `who me' look of innocence,
"Ah.yes it is," she said clearly,
after gathering her self. Then she
looked at Harry, "I made it before
I knew you two were going out together,"
she added for clarification.
"That is correct," Seven stated.
"2100hrs, till later
Captain," she stated and turned
and left.
"Look, Tom." B'Elanna said, feeling
the guilt filling her
even more. "I." she sighed.
"Excuse me," Janeway said loudly.
"But perhaps you all would
like to discuss this.privetly,"
she said, eyeing the crew that was
standing toward the back of the
room whispering. Janeway took the
lead and moved passed the now silent
gathering and herded out the
rest of the crew out. Then she turned
to everyone."Sorry," said, not
knowing what else could be said,
but she knew there wasn't going to
be a wedding. "If you need me.?"
"Captain," Chakotay said, not responding
the `I'm going to
discuss this fiasco with you later
look' in Janeway's eyes, and
gestured for her to move back in
the room. Then he looked at
Tom. "Tom, I love you. If I had
even a clue that you wanted to
marry." suddenly he was losing his
nerve, thinking that perhaps Tom
simply didn't want to marry him
and that's why he never said
anything.
"Tay.I do love you, I thought.I thought
you wouldn't want.I
mean, I haven't exactly been faithful."
he stuttered his emotions
overwhelming and confused.
"Sit down," Janeway interjected.
"All four of you, sit." She
waited till they all took a seat.
"I'm not too happy about how today
has gone, but what is done is done.
At least this didn't happen on
duty.but.it shouldn't have happened
at all. Now, before I but out,
I'd like a clear picture here. Tom,
you cheated on Chakotay.here.how
long have you two," she pointed,
"been together?" she asked, not
realizing they were together at
all.
"Two years," Tom and Chakotay replied.
Janeway did a quick impression of
a fish, and then decided to
move on, chiding her self for not
knowing about this aspect on her
ship. "Okay.you cheated on Chakotay
with B'Elanna, after two year? Um.
two years, and B'Elanna, I know
how long you and Tom were.supposedly
going together." she took a breath,
"You cheated on Tom with Harry.
Harry, you interfered with Tom and
B'Elanna's relations ship before
or after Seven?"
Harry looked guilty, "Ah.during the beginning of it."
"Hmm," she said, placing her hands
on her hips, feeling like
a mother that found her children
being naughty. She then looked at
Chakotay, "So.who did you sleep
with?"
Chakotay looked pale, "Ah.you know
who," he replied in a
rasp, his throat going dry.
Tom looked at Chakotay with disbelief,
"You.slept with the
Captain?"
"Hey, it was after you told me that
you we were through since
you were and I quote, `doing
the right thing, and marrying
B'Elanna'," Chakotay retorted.
"Commander, how could you come to me." Janeway started.
"Whoa!" Chakotay replied as he stood
up. "I was not cheating
on Tom! He broke it off with me.yes,
I still wanted him.still do, but.
but." his mind whirled, and his
eyes narrowed, "and you never
mentioned the dinner invitation
with Seven.hmm?" it was his turn for
holding his hands on his hips. Seeing
he got Janeway off her high
horse, he continued, "But none of
this matters, for what matters is
what's going to happen now," he
says looking at Tom and the others.
"You were only marrying me.because
you thought you were the
baby's father?" B'Elanna asked with
some hurt.
"I'm sorry, B'El.but.yes." Tom replied,
feeling like a heel,
and then looking at Chakotay with
a whole new light. "You see, I do
want a family.I." his words failed
him.
"B'Elanna, I don't know about
marriage, but I want to be our
child's father. At least, let me
be there for her.and you?" Harry
asked, taking the young woman's
hand into his.
"I think you all need to have a long
talk with each other,"
Janeway added. "So, if you don't
mind," she said, a light flush
filling her cheeks, "I have a dinner
to prepare for," she smiled
awkwardly, and left the group to
work things out for themselves.
***********
Today was a special day on board
Voyager, for they were about
to hold their first wedding since
being stuck out here in the Delta
Quadrant. It had been almost six
years, and thought the crew were
paring off, the two people who were
now currently standing before the
Captain, preparing to exchange vows
were the first to make it
official.
Both crewmembers decided to wear
their dress uniform, and
both looked sharp as they stood
hand and hand with a nervous smile on
their face as they faced the Captain.
Janeway looked like a proud
mother giving two of her fledglings
away as well as an honored
Captain who got to perform the wedding.
She stepped forward looking
at the loving couple and then over
their shoulders to the crew, and
gave a light smirk.
"Due to some difficulties last time
we tried something like
this, I thought it best to get the
delicate question out of the way.
If there is anyone that thinks these
two should not be married in
holy matrimony, speak now or forever
hold their peace." Janeway
surveyed the crowd, and all was
quiet, accept for a few giggles from
the Delaney sisters. Just as she
was about to continue.
"I object!"
Janeway looked up to see Neelix rushing
forward then looked
at the wedding party.
Tom looked surprised and looked at
his husband to be
Chakotay, who looked equally baffled.
"Ah, Tom.I swear.I didn't."
"Well, I know I sure as hell didn't,"
Tom added, as he
watched Neelix approach them both.
"Mr. Neelix.why.are `you' objecting?"
Janeway asked, not able
to fathom this one.
"They can't get married without their
rings," he protested
and held out the two specially made
wedding bands. Then looked at
Chakotay, "You forgot them," he
replied easily and handed them over
and took a seat.
Tom and Chakotay looked at each other,
then over to their
best man, and best friend, Harry
Kim and B'Elanna Torres, holding the
ring barer, little Kimmy Torres-Kim,
and all four of them busted up
laughing.
"Well, I guess than its all right
if I proceed then," Janeway
laughed, and when all simmered down,
she proceeded in marrying
Chakotay and Tom, the first married
couple on Voyager, and most
likely the last if this was going
to be the norm.
The End.