Disclaimers and notes in part 1.
(honeymoon over 9, bowling match 21)
Begin "Of Gamblers and Champions"
SD 7607.07
Delta Quadrant
U.S.S. Voyager
Bridge


     It had been a boring couple of days, and there was
nothing anyone was able to do to relieve the boredom.
Crewmembers were literally sprawled out on the bridge, and
while there were three people learning how to do different
abilities than they had before in their lives, most of them
were bored out of their minds.  It was worse than the Void
which they had been in for two months.
     "I bet that the senior staff could beat anyone in any
game.  That's why they're the senior staff," Ensign Harry Kim
was bragging to another ensign, Ensign Sherry Kavner.
     She shook her head from the helm.  "Nah- uh," she
retorted back.  She was not a member of the senior staff, and
was confident that any nine members of the crew could beat
the senior staff in any game.  "I could put together a team
that could beat the senior staff and beat them so badly,
they'd go the rest of the way home in embarrassment."
     "Would you like to put a bet on that?" Harry asked,
definitely not thinking in his right mind.
     "Yeah, I would.  Say, one hundred replicator rations to
the winning team?"
     Harry nodded.  "Perfect.  A game of bowling?  Isn't that
the game you mentioned before?"
     Sherry nodded.  "Yep.  Two teams to each side, each of
five, minimum.  That way all senior staff members get to do
it if they want, and at least ten other crewmembers get to
prove my point."
     Harry smiled.  "You're on.  Let the games begin."
     "When?" Sherry asked, smirking back at him.
     "Two weeks from today, Holodeck 1.  I'll make the
reservations."
     Sherry nodded, then sat back in her chair.


SD 7607.07
Delta Quadrant
U.S.S. Voyager
Briefing Room


     "You did what?" Captain Janeway's voice reverberated
angrily throughout the room.
     Harry gulped.  "I, uh, got challenged by Sherry Kavner
to a bowling match, senior staff against other crewmen.  And
then I, uh, kind of accepted on behalf of you all."
     Eight faces stared back at him.  "You did what?" the
Doctor asked, a little indignant.
     "I, uh, made a bet.  And if you all don't help me, I'll
have to forfeit."
     "What would be so wrong with that?" Tuvok asked.
     Harry thought for a moment.  "She insulted the senior
staff.  I have to prove her wrong.  If I forfeit, she'll
think that we can't do it and that there's something wrong
with us."
     Janeway considered it.  "Fine.  Nobody makes a fool out
of the senior staff and gets away with it.  Was that it for
the morning?"  Everybody nodded, and so she did as well.
"Good.  We'll have a practice tomorrow, Holodeck 2, at 0600
hours.  I expect everyone but B'Elanna and Tom to be there.
Dismissed."
     Everybody started filing out of the room, but Tuvok
lingered behind.  "Captain," he began after everyone but the
two of them were gone.  "I do not wish to do this.  I have
nothing to prove and do not believe that you do, either.
However, I respect your decision to go through with it."
     "But?" Janeway asked her old friend.
     "But I do not have a need to do so.  It's not logical
that I should have to prove anything."
     "So you're asking permission to forego this game?" she
asked, finally arriving at the conclusion to which he was
just getting to.
     "Precisely," he replied.
     Janeway thought for a moment, then decided.  "Fine.
Permission granted.  Harry did say he only needed ten members
of the senior staff, which seems to have been growing with
each passing moment."
     Tuvok nodded.  "Thank you, Captain."
     "If there's anything else?"
     "No, nothing."
     "Dismissed," Janeway said.  Tuvok nodded and left, and
she walked to the replicator for some coffee.


SD 7607.08
Delta Quadrant
U.S.S. Voyager
Holodeck 2


     The scene was set, a picture perfect scene.  That is, if
one considered a bowling alley to be picture perfect.  Which
Dana Scully did not.
     She had only been bowling a few times, having no time
for such recreation.  Instead, she had spent her time
studying, preferring to spend her time reading, or playing a
less boring sport.  Which was why she was surprised to be
standing there in a holographic bowling alley with
holographic rental shoes on her feet.
     "Dana, you're early.  And I thought I was going to be
the first one here," Captain Kathryn Janeway's voice echoed
through the empty alleys from behind her.
     Dana turned.  "Guess I beat you to it.  Look, I've even
picked out my shoes and got a ball all ready," she said,
pointing to her feet.
     Janeway smiled.  "Great.  Maybe you can help me do this.
I've never bowled before."  She looked around, as if suddenly
remembering something.  "Didn't Harry say that there were
people in this program, the ones that ran the alley?  Where
are they?"
     Dana shrugged.  "I didn't activate them yet.  Harry also
said that Tom was the one who programed this one, and I
didn't want to see how annoying these were if they were Tom's
creation."  They both laughed.
     "I think Tom modelled these people after some who ran a
bowling alley back on Earth.  But I must admit, that Sandrine
of his is really annoying.  She can't even remember my name,"
Janeway said with a smile.
     They both laughed again.  "If you want to activate them
and find out how annoying they really are, I'll get you your
shoes.  What size are you?" Dana asked.
     "Uh, eight."
     Dana smiled.  "Coming right up."  She stepped behind the
counter, and retrieved the shoes, then gave them to the
captain.
     "Here you go, Captain."
     Janeway threw her hands up in the air.  "Please, call me
Kathryn on our off hours.  If I can call you Dana, you can
most certainly call me by my first name."
     "All right, Cap- Kathryn."
     Kathryn smiled, then activated the holograms that went
with the program.
     Soon the entire senior staff was filing into the bowling
alley and getting set up.
     "Hey, Scully," Mulder said, creeping up and grabbing her
from behind.  She turned in his arms and kissed him.
     "Hey, yourself.  You know, you really should start
calling me Dana casually.  Everyone else does," she murmured
into his lips.
     He nodded, breaking off the kiss.  "Yeah, I'll try.  But
no promises.  You'll always be my Scully."
     "Your Scully?" she asked, looking up at him.
     "My Scully," he replied, hugging her closer to him.
     They kissed again, then went to go get Mulder some
shoes.
     Kathryn watched this from where she sat in the chair
area.  She was a little envious of what those two had.  Sure,
Chakotay was nice, but ever since the kisses that they had
shared at Tom and B'Elanna's wedding reception, he had been
aloof and distant.  It was like he was avoiding her.  Most of
the time they didn't have shared shifts on the bridge, but
once in a while they did, and when that happened, the whole
bridge crew could feel the tension between them.  There was
no more good natured bickering and bantering, just silence
and the occasional necessary word.  She missed it, and didn't
know how to repair the damage done.  Maybe she'd ask Dana
later for advice.
     The doors opened up to reveal the last member of the
senior staff to arrive.  Kathryn looked up, and smiled at
Chakotay, who was just entering, but he just went right on
past her to get his shoes.  Her face fell.
     The senior staff was busy talking to each other
excitedly.  Even Seven and Harry were talking civilly, which
for the past few weeks was rare.  Kathryn sighed.  It was
going to be a long day.


SD 7607.08
Delta Quadrant
U.S.S. Voyager
Holodeck 2


     "All right, I've made the teams up.  Team One will be
Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay, Tom, B'Elanna, and
Neelix.  Team Two will be the Doctor, Dana, Mulder, Seven,
and I.  Any questions?" Harry asked.
     Everybody shook their heads.  "Good.  Let's start
bowling then," he said.
     The teams split up, then went to the different alleys.
Kathryn cautiously went on the lane and picked up the ball.
The computer in front of her said she was first, so she
stepped onto the wooden platform and tried to remember what
she had seen when she watched others bowl.
     Kathryn walked up to the line she remembered as the foul
line, and threw the ball.  It bounced a few feet, then rolled
slowly into the gutter and down the lane.  She heard laughter
behind her, and turned.  Chakotay was laughing hysterically.
     "Excuse me, Commander, but what do you find so funny?"
she asked, her hands on her hips.
     "Your throw.  It <b>bounced</b>, Captain," he launched
immediately into hysterics, and she got even angrier.
     "I <b>know</b> it bounced, thank you very much," she
replied, then picked up the ball from the return and ran with
it this time to the line.  She threw it with all her might.
This time it rolled straight to the center of the pins, and
knocked them all down.  She glanced smugly at Chakotay.
     "Ha.  Ten pins.  Beat that."
     He glared at her.  "Fine.  I will."
     Her eyes narrowed, and she watched carefully as he
picked up his ball and walked to the line in five steps.
Then he threw the ball slowly.  It looked like it was about
to go into the gutter, when it hooked swiftly and hit the
first pine, creating a domino effect to knock the rest down.
Chakotay turned to her and grinned.
     "I did."
     Kathryn frowned, then walked away to talk with Tom's
holograms.


SD 7607.08
Delta Quadrant
U.S.S. Voyager
Holodeck 1


     It was getting late, and the senior staff was almost
finished with their practice.  Most of them had never bowled
in their lives, and so the few experienced bowlers had to
help and give them some tips.  It was grueling, especially
for the captain, who had been in a contest of sorts with the
commander, who was winning by far.
     Tom and B'Elanna still had the rest of the day and
tomorrow for their honeymoon, so they had been missing,
leaving Kathryn alone with Chakotay and Neelix.  Neelix
sensed that there was something going on between the two
commanding officers, but he thankfully didn't press the
issue.  Instead, he concentrated all his efforts on the
foreign game of bowling.
     Dana wasn't having much luck knocking down the pins, but
with Mulder's help she was getting better.  Mulder seemed to
have been born bowling, because he was the best on the team,
excluding the Doctor.  Harry had been bowling with Tom on the
Holodeck on many occasions, but even he admired Mulder's
skill and asked for some tips.
     Seven felt like she was the only one who hadn't a clue
as to what was going on.  Even the others who had never
bowled before had seen someone bowl at least once, and Neelix
had been reading up on the game in his spare time.  Seven,
though, had no spare time, and so she didn't know what to do.
Copying the others on her first try, she had picked up the
ball and just tossed it casually down the lane, watching it
fall into the gutter and roll slowly down to the other end.
Harry had been watching, and with his help, Seven was now
able to stop the ball from going into the gutter everytime.
     The Doctor had watched all the others bowl with
difficulty, but he had just smiled when his turn came.  In
between patients and teaching Dana the skill of twenty-fourth
century medicine, he had programmed himself to be a perfect
bowler.  He knew it was cheating a little bit, but the Doctor
was a perfectionist, and whenever he got the chance to
improve himself he used it.
     All in all, it was a long day, and everyone felt like
ending it as soon as possible.  Everyone was also a little
mad at Harry for getting them into this, and a little jealous
of Tuvok for getting out of it.  Harry, sensing that they
were angry at him, decided that it was in his best interest
to stop practice early.
     He clapped his hands, and everyone stopped bowling and
turned to him.  "Uh, look, I think that you guys have worked
very hard, and that we've made lots of progress.  So, I think
that we'll end early today.  How about a practice tomorrow,
at 1900 hours?  Tom and B'Elanna will be able to make it
then, so is that okay?" he asked, and everyone nodded.
"Good.  I guess we're done."
     The senior staff started getting their shoes, and
picking their stuff up, and left.


SD 7607.09
Delta Quadrant
U.S.S. Voyager
Corridor


     "Hey, Dana, wait up.  Can I talk to you privately for a
second?" Kathryn Janeway called to her new friend as she ran
up the corridor.
     Dana looked at Mulder.  He shrugged his reply, and she
nodded.  "Sure, what about?"
     Mulder walked ahead of them, first giving Dana a little
kiss on the cheek.  Kathryn watched him leave, then glanced
behind them to make sure no one was within earshot.
     "It's Chakotay," she whispered softly, lowering her
head.
     "What about?  Is he okay?" Dana was immmediately
worried.
     Kathryn shook her head.  "No, no, he's fine," she
replied with a small smile.  "I should have been more
specific.  It's my relationship with him that I'm worried
about."
     Dana looked closely at the captain.  "What's the matter
with your relationship with him?  I thought everything was
fine."
     Kathryn hesitated for a minute before answering.
"That's because you're not on the bridge at the same time the
both of us are.  He's not. . .he's not talking to me.  It's
like he's avoiding me, and when I actually try to hold a
civil conversation with him he turns bitter."
     "How long has this been going on?"
     Kathryn thought for a moment.  "Since Tom and B'Elanna's
wedding reception," she answered truthfully.
     "Is there something that might have happened then that
could have changed his attitude with you?" Dana asked.
     Kathryn didn't reply.  "Well?" Dana prompted.
     The captain bit her lip.  She didn't have to tell if she
didn't want to, but she felt she could trust Dana.  "Promise
you won't tell anyone?"  Dana nodded, and Kathryn elaborated.
"Chakotay and I kind of had a make out session at the
reception.  We were acting like adolescents.  Nobody saw us,
I think, but could it be that he's embarrassed?"
     "It's a strong possibility.  Why don't you go talk to
him?  I think that's the best possible solution, providing
the circumstances."
     Kathryn nodded.  "I think I will.  Thank you, Dana.  You
were a big help."
     "I'm glad I could help.  Good luck.  And remember to
know what you want when you go to talk to him."
     Kathryn nodded and walked away.  Dana smiled to herself
and went to meet Mulder in his quarters.


SD 7607.09
Delta Quadrant
U.S.S. Voyager
Chakotay's Quarters


     Chakotay sat on the couch in his quarters, unable to get
Kathryn out of his mind.  He knew that the night of Tom and
B'Elanna's wedding reception they had both been drunk, and
she probably wouldn't even have kissed him at all if she had
been sober.  Hell, he probably wouldn't have kissed her if he
had been sober.  But neither of them were, and it happened,
and they had crossed the line.  He was sure that she
regretted it though, even if he didn't.
     The door chimed.  Chakotay didn't want to see anyone
right now, especially if it were Kathryn.  He didn't know how
to act around her anymore, not since that night.
     The door chimed again.  His visitor was persistent.  It
probably was Kathryn.  He slouched lower on the couch,
knowing that if it was the captain, she'd eventually use her
command codes to override the lock on the door and enter.
     The doors slid open, and in she stepped.  Chakotay
sighed.  "What do you want, Kathryn?"
     Her face crumpled for a second, then went back to it's
usual stoney expression.  "I just wanted to talk, Chakotay.
Is that so much to ask?"
     "It is if you want to talk to me about what I think you
want to talk to me about," Chakotay replied, getting off the
couch and moving towards the replicator.  "Since you're going
to stay until you get what you want anyway, sit.  Can I get
you anything?"
     She nodded.  "Coffee, black, thanks."
     He replicated it, handed it to her, and sat down next to
her on the couch.  She took a sip.
     "You know what I want to talk about, Chakotay," she
started, looking down into her cup.
     He stopped looking at his hands and glanced up at her.
"Another 'let's define parameters' conversation?"
     Kathryn shook her head.  "I want to know where we stand
now, and where we want to go," she replied slowly.
     Chakotay stifled a laugh.  "'We'?  I don't think it
matters what I want, Kathryn.  You're just going to keep
pushing me away, no matter what."
     She stared into his eyes.  "Is that what you want?" she
asked seriously.
     He stared back.  "No.  Is it what you want?" he asked
back, equally as serious.  They started to lean in closer to
each other.
     "No," she replied, leaning in as close as possible to
close the gap between them.  Their lips met in a passionate
kiss, and they threw their arms up to embrace each other.
     They pulled away from each other and grinned.  "Come
on," Chakotay said, getting up off the couch.  "We're going
to be late for bowling practice.  And you need all the
practice you can get."
     "That's for sure," Kathryn replied, linking arms with
him and walking out of his quarters.


SD 7607.09
Delta Quadrant
U.S.S. Voyager
Holodeck 1


     The assembled senior staff gathered in the holodeck once
again to practice their bowling.  This time was much better
than their previous attempts.  Everyone was helping everyone,
and it seemed Tom and B'Elanna had gone on a few bowling
dates before, so they didn't need any help.
     Everyone was smiling, except for Seven of Nine, who
seemed to be coming close to smiling.  The Doctor noticed
that every once in a while, after Harry told her a stupid
joke, the corners of her lips would twitch up.  She would
quell it immediately, though, and the Doctor wondered why she
was so afraid of smiling.
     Practice passed quickly, and everyone was sorry to see
their good time fly by so fast.  All ten had some free time,
so they all decided to go to a program which Tom had just
created.
     "Computer, replace running program with Paris-
Gamma2475," Tom said once everyone agreed to try it out.  The
setting immediately changed to an old fifties diner.
     Seven looked down at herself.  Instead of her usual
skintight blue and grey outfit, she was wearing a periwinkle
dress styled in the form of the time.  She looked around at
everyone else.  The captain, Lieutenant Torres, and Scully
were wearing similiar outfits, in different colors suiting
their skin, eye, and hair colors.  Harry, Lieutenant Paris,
and Commander Chakotay were wearing white t-shirts, with
black leather pants and black leather jackets.  The Doctor
was wearing chains, and was looking like he was kind of happy
about the effect it had, while Chakotay looked like he was
about to strangle Tom for creating the damned program.
     Janeway must've also seen this.  "Relax, Chakotay.  Not
many men can pull off that look, but it works for you.  I
like it," she said, walking behind and around him.
     Chakotay smiled.  "Is that so?"  She nodded.  "Well,
then maybe I should model this look around more often.
Perhaps when I'm on duty?"
     Kathryn smiled back.  "Oh, well, you wouldn't want to
distract me while I'm busy giving orders to save our lives,
would you?  And besides, imagine what Tuvok would say!"
     Everyone laughed, but noted the two officers flirtation
to confront them about it later.  It seems that all was right
in the world that had been created by alien circumstances.


SD 7607.21
Delta Quadrant
U.S.S. Voyager
Holodeck 1


     The two weeks were up, and each team had practiced their
little hearts out.  Everyone was tired of the game, and Harry
thought it would be good if he never saw another bowling
alley in his entire life ever again.
     Sherry came over to him.  "Harry, your team is looking a
little weak today.  Are you sure you just don't want to
forfeit?"
     "No way.  We worked hard for this, and everyone's game
improved.  We're not going to give up now.  But, you might
want to."
     "No way," Sherry said, shaking hands with him.  "May the
best team win."
     Harry shook her hand vigorously, then walked back over
to his team and started to get things organized.  "All right,
the Science Freaks will be bowling against their Team One.
They came up with original names, didn't they?"  Everybody
laughed, and he continued.  "And the Meds will be bowling
against Team Two.  Everybody ready?  All right, let's
huddle."  Everyone put their hands in the middle of the
circle of senior staff, and yelled, "Go Senior Staffers!"
     The team split up into subteams, and took to the lanes.
The Science Freaks, who were made up of Janeway, Chakotay,
B'Elanna, Tom and Neelix, moved to lanes three and four,
while the Meds, who were made up of Dana, Mulder, Seven,
Harry, and the Doctor, were on five and six.
     Team One was made up of Sherry Kavner, Jeri Nivene,
Isabel Reddicliffe, Carrie Grant, and Annabel Curry.  Team
Two was made up of Sam and Naomi Wildman, Meghan and Jenny
Delaney, and Jackie Drummond.
     "Let the games begin!" the holographic owner of the
holographic bowling alley yelled, excited at the competition.


SD 7607.21
Delta Quadrant
U.S.S. Voyager
Holodeck 1


     Seven was nervous.  The Science Freaks and Team One had
finished their games up early, and were now watching the Meds
and Team Two finish their game.  Everyone else on her team
and the other team were done, but since she was the last and
the slowest, she still had one more frame to go.  Harry had
been coaching her throughout the entire game, and for that
she was having the best game of her life, but the Science
Freaks and Team One had tied, and the Meds and Team Two were
close.  She needed nine pins for her team to tie Team Two,
and ten to beat them.  Any less and the senior staff would
lose.
     Seven took a deep breath, and threw the ball, trying to
block out all the watchers around her.  She then turned her
back away from the pins, unable to see her big failure.  She
was sure that it was going to be a gutterball.  Gasps went up
from both sides, and she turned, wanting to know what they
were gasping about.
     The ball had knocked down eight pins, leaving the two on
the far right hand corner standing.  She sighed, knowing that
those were the two pins she usually missed on the spares.  If
she could only hit the one to the left, she could get it to
hit the one on the right.  Of course, should she get the
angle wrong, she would only hit one.  And then she could miss
both totally.  The ball return spit her ball back up, and she
hefted it over her shoulder.
     Then the guards came up, and the pins sat there, mocking
her.  She then took the ball and, aiming carefully, threw it.
The ball rolled slowly down the lane, and Seven watched it
carefully, standing right where she was.  She wanted to see
it this time.
     The ball hit the first pin, then knocked into the second
one, keeping them both down.  A cheer went up from the
watching senior staff, and they all moved to crowd Seven and
congratulate her.
     Seven turned around, and there was Harry.  His facial
expression was one of joy, and Seven of Nine couldn't help
but share the same expression.  She had helped her team win
the match, and she couldn't have been happier.  A radiant
smile spread over her face.  Harry swept her up into a great
big bear hug.
     "You did it," he said, pressing his face next to her.
She hugged back and her smile widened.
     "We did it, Harry," she replied.  She pulled back from
the hug and smiled again at him, and he kissed her
impulsively.  She returned the kiss passionately, then broke
from it and smiled at him.  He smiled back, and they turned
their attention back to the celebration going on around them.
The entire senior staff was having fits of happiness, and so
nobody had noticed their brief moments of intimacy.
     Nobody, that is, but a very observant doctor and a
mentally disturbed teenager.