Conversation at an End
By Dana Quell

The sun was setting.  Or at least, it would have been setting, had 
Kathryn Janeway really been on Earth, instead of hiding out in a 
simulation of it.
     Hiding out.  It was an appropriate term for what she was doing.
Ever since her confrontation with Chakotay a week ago, she had been 
avoiding him like she would the Black Plague.  She now ran the ship 
from her quarters, or from the holodeck, much like she had in the Void.  
He had seen just as keen on avoiding her, so they never really met 
accidentally.  And Kathryn was becoming more and more withdrawn, 
isolating herself from the rest of the crew and retreating to her mind, 
and memories of what used to be.
     So now she was here, on the holodeck, in Maestro Da Vinci's 
workroom.  Da Vinci, the hologram, himself wasn't there, having gone 
to another city in Italy for the week.  Really, though, Kathryn had 
programmed him out.  She had wanted some peace and quiet.
     The scene in front of her was very stirring, but Kathryn paid it 
no mind.  Her thoughts were millions of miles away, dwelling on what-if 
situations, situations that, had things not been what they were, would 
have been preposterous.  Admitting to herself on the holodeck a few 
weeks ago her true feelings for Chakotay had been stupid.  She couldn't 
act on them, and she couldn't tell him, because then he would want to 
act on them.  So instead she kept them inside, revealing them to no 
one.  And in doing that, she wrecked her relationships with him anyway.  
She remembered an old cliche and smiled bitterly.  Damned if you do and 
damned if you don't.  That certainly described Kathryn's predicament.
     The doors to the holodeck opened, breaking her reveries.  She 
turned, and saw the man who was behind her thoughts.
     "Damn," she muttered.  "I should have put privacy locks on the 
doors."
     Chakotay heard her.  "You did.  I overrid them."
     Kathryn turned from her view.  "You what?" she asked angrily, 
jumping from her seat.
     "I overrid them," he repeated simply.
     "How dare you-" she began.  He cut her off.
     "Kathryn, I came to apologize."  She shut up and folded her arms 
across her chest as he continued.  "I'm sorry for the other day.  I 
didn't mean to hurt you.  But it scared me that something was the 
matter and you weren't going to tell me about it."
     "It was non of your business," she stated.
     Chakotay shook his head.  "It is my business when it affects the 
way we work together."
     "You are the one who became bitter and withdrawn," she pointed 
out.
     "Only after you became bitter and withdrawn," he replied.  "But 
I'm apologizing for that, too.  Will you forgive me?"
     She tilted her head to one side and thought about it for a while.  
"Only if you forgive me first."
     "Done."  Chakotay smiled.  He was glad that the rift between them 
was sealed, and was sure that the bridge crew would be happy as well, 
if only to save themselves from being thrown out of airlocks.
     "Good.  Now if there was anything else, Chakotay?"
     He shifted nervously on his feet.  "Well, now that everything's 
forgiven, maybe now you'll tell me what was bothering you?"
     She shook her head, much in the same manner she had when Tom 
Paris had suggested that she play the part of Queen Arachnia to save 
the ship.  "No, I"m sorry Chakotay.  I can't tell you just now.  
Perhaps someday, but not now."
     Chakotay nodded slowly.  Someday.  He could settle for someday; 
after all, wasn't that what he had been settling for a lot lately?
     Kathryn must have seen his mild disappointment.  "How about a 
game of velocity?" she suggested.
     He brightened visibly.  "Computer, begin game of velocity in 
twenty seconds."
     The computer beeped it's reply as they both got ready and 
listened to the countdown.

End.
Finis.
That's it, no more Conversation stories!  It's done!