NB from Author: Sorry this has taken sometime to up-date, the creative juices dried for a while. My stories do tend to write themselves for the most part. Thank you for your patience and enjoy.

Disclaimer: See Chapters One & Two.

Chapter Thirteen

Golden Friends

Chakotay sat in his office with Rozene curled up on his lap, quietly contemplating what had just taken place a few minutes ago. Tom Paris had arrived with his usual Conn report and had asked if the Commander was feeling well in himself, no pathogens or the like. The human male hadn't been the only one to bring up a question about his general health in a concerned manner since they'd left the Trading Ring and Rigellian space behind them. He sighed softly as he stroked the little dragon's eye ridges; one eye opened and looked at him with a mixture of green and amber flowing across the facet lens.

"What am I to do?" he softly mused. A rumbling purr was his only answer, making him smile sadly. "Better get down to Sickbay, since some seem to think I….." his voice and thoughts stalled. /Bed/ he said commandingly. The little dragon knew better than to argue with that firm tone; thus she uncurled off his lap, flew onto his desk and then vanished. He secured his computer console and left also.

=/\=

The EMH was not surprised at seeing him enter his domain just that it had taken this long.

"You were expecting me?" amused, sitting down on the nearest bio-bed.

"In a manner of speaking," using his tricorder to scan the male's torso. "I have had many discreetly come and ask about your state of health, or rather your state of mind, especially since we left Rigellian space two days ago. It even came up at the last senior staff meeting," he revealed.

"Before I arrived obviously," re-calling the fact that everyone had been present, making him wonder if he'd mis-heard the time; the Doctor's comments meant that it had been called earlier to discuss him. That was not a comfortable thought or feeling, he reflected sadly. "I can't keep up this pretence, anymore."

The Doctor put his tricorder away and looked at the dejected man thoughtfully a moment. "Commander; go and get some sleep, now." Chakotay stared at him confused. "Leave this with me."

Something in the Medic's tone reassured him. He nodded his understanding and went to his quarters where Rozene greeted him warmly, happy to have him share his bed with her.

=/\=

Meanwhile the Doctor compiled a report as he awaited the arrival of Lt. Cmdr. Tuvok, escorting the Captain to Sickbay, having sent a pre-arranged signal to the Security Chief. When they arrived the EMH was ready asking the female to take a seat.

"Doctor; there is nothing wrong with me," she snapped at him, yet she reluctantly complied with his firm request, since neither male showed any signs of relenting or following her orders. Neither the Vulcan nor the Medic said a word as the latter did his tests, checking and re-checking his readings not just of her physical health, but her mental state. That evaluation had the woman sitting in silence, at first strangely unconcerned, but as the EMH carried out a standard psychological test, one she'd not had since first entering Starfleet, she became worried. "Doctor?" she questioned quietly.

"Hmm; your coffee drinking habits will be your undoing," he quipped sternly as he administered a loaded hypo-spray into her neck.

"It is as we suspected?" the Vulcan asked.

"Yes; plus the fact that there are traces of subliminal suggestive instructions," he added startling his patient. "Now, Captain I'd like you to read this," he said handing her one of his earlier prepared PADD's.

Puzzled she read the data, feeling the device vibrating in her hand. At first the pictures and then words didn't make a lot of sense, but slowly she felt her head clear for what could be the first time in weeks, possibly since that event on Rigel Prime and the hooded figure with the oh-so-familiar voice.

"How do you feel?" he quietly asked her.

"Clearer headed," she admitted before looking up at him. "This is not good news, Doctor," handing back the PADD. "How long have you known?"

"We suspected something, ever since we left Rigel Prime," said Tuvok calmly.

"Without a complete metabolic medical scan – something you would not have agreed to before now, we couldn't be sure," the Medic added.

"Your actions towards Cmdr. Chakotay gave us further evidence. Lack of concern as to his absences from the Bridge during your duty shifts," noted Tuvok. "Ignoring questions from the crew about him, almost dismissing them as something trivial," he added. Janeway frowned deeply concerned by this news. The Doctor gave her a second PADD to read. In view of what she'd just been told, she carefully read the contents twice to make sure she understood it. Slowly her expression changed realising she'd missed all the obvious signs, in her XO and friend.

"Captain, please understand, whilst you still had traces of the Lovers potion in your system, coupled with the subliminal suggestive instructions, the two combined would have prevented you from reading or listening to even the most basic of medical reports on the man's health. The last senior briefing notwithstanding," he added.

"That doesn't make it any easier to live with, Doctor," she admitted. "She is on board, isn't she?"

"Yes. If Mr. Paris had not found him that day he'd collapsed in his office he could have died."

"The link between them is strong; so strong that even distance could not break it," noted the Vulcan, his dark eyes conveying what his voice did not; reminding her that he also could sense the little dragon's emotions.

"What could?" Both male's expressions told her that was one question she should not have needed to ask. "I see!" and she did. Only death could ever sever the link and that was a too unpleasant thought to contemplate. "They're both in quarters?" she asked, the EMH nodded. "Will she obey anyone else?"

"She comes for her check-ups when I call her."

"Good. Is there anything she can't transport through?" sliding off the bio-bed.

"Force fields," Tuvok informed her. "When at the Trading Ring, I lowered the aft shields so she could re-join Cmdr. Chakotay," he admitted, confirming her earlier thought about her friend hearing the little dragon's spoken thoughts and feelings. She outlined what she had in mind and although neither was too happy about her plan, they knew she was within her rights as Captain of their vessel.

=/\=

A little while later Chakotay received her call to report to her Ready Room. Rozene softly chatted at him as they rode the turbo-lift asking if she should go too, when the Doctor requested that the little dragon report to him in Sickbay.

"I'll manage, Little one; you go to the Doctor," he told her softly. He knew she wasn't happy about it, but vanished just as the lift reached deck one. Breathing deeply as he stepped out and made his way down the corridor to her office, steeling himself for the inevitable confrontation to come. The call to enter came quickly as if its occupant wanted to get this over with too. Janeway stood looking out the view-ports thus she had her back to him, therefore he could not judge her mood effectively, although how she stood gave him some inkling before she spoke:

"I thought we had no secrets between us," she said mildly, not turning around. Chakotay said nothing his mouth tightening; for what, could he say, he thought, especially after what she had said before they finally left Rigel Prime."It has come to my notice that there might be." Still he said nothing, standing with his hands clenched behind him, in order to keep a tight rein on his temper. "Chakotay; I know she's back on board," she said softly; now she did turn to look at him. "Why did you not say?" she asked quietly puzzled.

"You made it perfectly clear what would happen to her, if she did," he snapped his tone hard and angry.

That startled her, for she had not really considered the depth of his feelings towards the little dragon; she was about to say something in her own defence about 'that' speech, when her door chime to the Bridge sounded; annoyed she called:

"Enter!" the Vulcan stepped in and informed her calmly that the senior crew were now assembled in the Mess Hall. "Thank you," stepping down from the upper level, preparing to leave with the dark male. "We'd better not keep them waiting," indicating that Chakotay join her. Puzzled he left with the pair and on the short journey down to deck two, she ordered him not to say anything; her tone telling him she would not tolerate disobedience in any form.

=/\=

The scene in the Mess Hall was upsetting whether they were telepathic or not. The EMH stood near the tables with the rest of the senior staff seated around it, with the notable exception of Seven – as usual; a birdcage sat on the table near him, from where sounds of deep distress emanated and echoed around the area, made by the small red/gold winged reptilian creature trapped within the sparking bars.

"It does not sound very happy. Can't you let it out?" asked Neelix the Talaxian his tone unhappy and worried.

"I don't have that authority," said the Senior Medic, clearly upset by the creatures' obvious distress. Just as Janeway and her two male companions entered the area, two others arrived from the opposite doorway.

"Ensign, Icheb! What are you both doing here?" she asked puzzled.

"SOS, Mayday! Help! Sounded rather urgent!" the young male Icheb explained. Before she could respond to that, Tuvok spoke firmly cancelling the force-field shaped birdcage from around the creature; it flew in a direct line straight to his shoulder and chattered angrily at the female Captain.

"Ermm! Captain; why do I get this distinct impression that you are being told off?" asked Paris mildly, noting that Chakotay had moved away from the woman. The winged reptilian creature crooned in the elder Vulcan's ear and then flew to sit on Vorik's head, which looked quite comical as it peered over his forehead at him.

"Nice to meet you too," he agreed mildly, standing in his usual pose and ignoring his fellows grins of amusement. Icheb held out his arm in the manner of a hawker and the little creature landed on it chattering softly.

"You are welcome," he acknowledged gently.

"Am I missing something here?" Torres wanted to know.

"She is telepathic. Not in words as such, but images and sounds," the young Borg male said as the creature flew over to Seven and sat on her shoulder inspecting her eye piece gently.

"No, it does not hurt. Thank you for asking," she said softly amused. Red/gold colour flashing in the lighting as she flew back to the table and looked quizzically at the people sat there. Harry Kim put out a tentative finger and rubbed her eye ridges; the resulting gurgling purr surprised them.

"She looks like a miniature dragon," he noted still stroking the creature her facet eyes now a perfect amber in colour, the purring deepening.

"Watch it doesn't bite," Paris warned and got snapped at himself. "Hey! Cheeky!" Suddenly she half flew into the air and disappeared. "Where did she go?" he asked startled, even more so when a PADD suddenly dropped down out of thin air to land in front of him, the little dragon followed a moment later and then moved away. "This is my latest Conn report," having picked the device up. "How did she know?" looking to the Doctor, whilst the creature inspected Neelix.

"She does not belong to me," he stated, as the little dragon moved to sit in front of Lt. Torres. Softly at first, having tried to take a closer look at the females ridged forehead, she whistled. Slowly the whistles got more tuneful. B'Elanna was wary as she eyed the creature sitting there, whistling a way, feeling anger rise in her as she realised something.

"You mean to tell me, that it was you making all those noises in my engines!"

"Lieutenant; she had to slow Voyager down somehow," Tuvok said mildly.

"The Trading Ring Master did say, we had the most finely tuned engines he had ever inspected," Vorik reminded her.

"I'd still like to know who and why. I'll break his neck," she ground out, dark eyes flashing angrily.

"Who does she belong too?" Neelix asked, hoping to keep the peace. Janeway silently nodded to the male standing at the view-ports thus he whistled and the little dragon flew to him. The purr she uttered was deep and profound, rubbing her muzzle against his cheek as she sat on his shoulder.

"I believe, Commander; she only makes that sound for you," noted the younger Vulcan, his voice breaking the spell the purr had seem to cast on everyone.

"So all that talking to yourself," pausing a moment. "You were talking to her?!"

"Yes, Tom," he acknowledged, his tone quiet.

"I think we'd better be introduced to your little friend properly, Chakotay," Janeway suggested smiling at him taking a seat at the table and encouraging him to do the same. Again the creature vanished and then reappeared with an apple in her front paws, holding out the fruit to Janeway. "You've been raiding Neelix's kitchen again, haven't you?" she teased taking the apple and thus revealing the Talaxian's fruit thief.

"No; you may not!" he scolded, preventing her from making off to get something else. She sat looking at him head to one side her facet eyes turning green/amber.

"Is she upset?" Kim asked. "I know that amber usually means anxious."

"Strange as it may seem, she's very happy. I'm not sure why her mood colours are different, they just are."

"Maybe it's just you who is different. Ouch!" sucking his finger where she'd playfully nipped at him. "Now that does tell me she's yours, Commander."

"She chooses her own friends, Tom," amused by the little dragon's antics especially towards B'Elanna who still eyed the creature warily. "Who do you think returned a half completed Conn report before I saw it properly?" he revealed softly. The creature whistled happily at the pilot's astonished expression.

"Does she have a name, Commander?"

"Yes, Neelix. It is Rozene."

"Suits her!" noted Seven. "It does mean Rose." No-one spoke as they watched her preening herself. She whistled a question on noting their collective scrutiny. It made them all smile having understood her.

"How did you meet her?" Kim asked softly.

"Long story! An interesting one, though," and began to explain.

Janeway and Torres just observed and listened to what Chakotay said as he explained how he'd met his little reptilian friend. As they listened it was becoming more and more obvious by his description of events that he had been on the planet for longer than three days, which left some puzzling questions, that they were unsure how to give a voice too. Especially when he'd finished speaking with Rozene sitting dozing on his shoulder her tail wrapped around his upper arm.

Seven handed over a PADD telling him that at one point the rift had opened wide.

"It allowed me to scan through to the other side and this is what I saw hovering in space," she informed him.

Rozene whistled excitedly, doing airborne cartwheels above his head, whilst he stared at the image on the PADD. He called mentally to her, thus she returned to his shoulder and crooned in his ear her facet eyes whirling a rainbow of colours. Janeway enquired if he was alright, concerned by his silence, yet he nodded to her question. Carefully he looked up and asked a question of the pilot that left them even more puzzled.

"Tom, does the name Bendon mean anything to you?" He muttered the name under his breath a couple of times, searching his memory for the name, then his face lit up.

"Bendon! Admiral Paul Bendon?" Chakotay nodded confirmation. "Sure; he was the leader of a deep space three ship colonisation expedition to the Rukkabat system in the Sagittarius constellation," he said softly still puzzled by the request and the resulting information, frowning at the man seated opposite.

"Any members of the science team come to mind?"

"Science team? Hmm! Only a female named Woo; I think that was her name. Why do ask? As far as I know they never reached their destination."

"Simple I met their descendants on that planet."

Everyone tried to ask questions all at once, until Kathryn Janeway called for order; noting that he kept the image he'd viewed hidden from them. When quiet had descended she asked the obvious question.

"How do you know this, Chakotay?" puzzled. "We didn't meet anyone and you weren't on the planet long enough to do that sort of research. Even if there were people there," she noted.

"From your perspective, no," he closed his dark eyes a moment as if gathering his thoughts. Rozene chirped at him; he smiled at her and then directed his next comment to Neelix. "Those eggs you picked up before I appeared; ever thought about what happened to them?"

"Well, yes; I suppose," he confirmed as puzzled as the others as to why he'd not answered the Captain's questions directly.

"Once they'd hatched the Fire Lizards flew around rather puzzled until hunger drove them off to find some food. Congratulations, Neelix looks like you impressed the lot, thus you would have had seven young Fire Lizards in your kitchen clamouring for food and attention," grinning a little at the picture he'd presented. "If you're wondering how?" his voice quiet; "I saw you drop those eggs twice."

Stunned silence greeted his revelation, but slowly Paris realised something.

"Your quantum signature was out. That's why the transporters couldn't get a lock. You were out of phase with our time. Question is how much?" his expression inviting the older male to elaborate.

"Eight days. I was on the planet eight days," watching the pilot's expressive face.

"Time travel! How?" asked Kim. Chakotay handed over the PADD. "How big is this?"

"I'd estimate it is about as long as one of Voyager's warp nacelles," Seven said.

"He is the smallest of his kind; genetically engineered from the native Fire Lizards by Dr. Woo."

"Dare I ask how big the largest is?" Tom asked carefully, having looked at the image of the white dragon hovering against the blackness of deep space.

"The gold queens are about the general size of a jumbo jet 727 series in length and wing-span. Bronze males are only slightly smaller than the queens; with blues, browns and greens close behind," he informed casually as the PADD was passed around them. "Whites and reds are rare, unusual," he added. "I wouldn't ask why they were created, that would take too long to explain and I'm not sure I understood it all myself."

Rozene had also been following the PADD around; she settled on Icheb's shoulder the last to receive it. She reached over and pressed some buttons.

"Hey!" Icheb scolded angrily, causing her to fly to Chakotay's shoulder chattering and hissing annoyed.

"Seven do you have this data stored anywhere else?"

"No. Why?" she asked moving to stand next to him as he fiddled with the PADD.

"That creature, just deleted it," annoyed, handing the device to Seven.

"Seven! Leave it; it's a part of our history that didn't happen, at least not here in our time frame," Janeway said. "I think it had better stay that way."

"When you altered your shield frequency, it not only protected you from the tissue decay, but also prevented you from seeing those people," he informed them. "You could have in effect been standing nose-to-nose with them and not even known they were there."

"They could see us, though!?" Chakotay nodded to Tom's statement. "Why you? I mean no disrespect, Chakotay. Just why you?" puzzled.

"I'm not sure myself. Even one of their landowners and dragon rider wasn't sure as to why I could hear all dragons on the planet. Including the one whose rider was injured by A'Gerin's phaser fire," pausing at the painful memory. Rozene's colourful eyes showed dark brown her demeanour sad. He breathed deeply, grateful that no-one spoke. "A rider can survive the death of his dragon, in much the same way as we'd accept the death and mourn the passing of a family member; but a dragon loosing its human partner..." he paused, closing his eyes at the remembered pain, feeling tears forming. Rozene mewed sadly.

"Chakotay?" Kathryn questioned, but said no more, recalling what Tuvok and the EMH had silently said in Sickbay about the Commander's link to his little reptilian friend.

"The breaking of the telepathic link between rider and dragon, which starts at hatching, is very... painful. The dragon chooses to fly into between and is never seen or heard of again."

"Between?" questioned Neelix quietly.

"It is a place of airless nothing, cold and dark; A point between two places. These creatures," stroking the little red's eye ridges. "Can transport themselves almost anywhere and sometimes any when; the place between is called just that, Between; They can only survive there for about four to five heartbeats, roughly three to four minutes or less."

"So if these dragons go between..." looking to him, her face expressing her thoughts clearly, but she decides to voice it also. "It dies."

For many minutes they sat in silence contemplating that thought, all of them recalling what had happened to A'Gerin and the little creatures that had surrounded him in space before they'd all vanished.

"When I sent those torpedoes to destroy the beacon and the rift, I was linked unknowingly to the white dragon, so the co-ordinates are still not mine to remember," he revealed quietly.

"Thus when the rift closed your link with him was severed also," noted Tuvok, his quiet calm voice giving the proceedings an air of rationale to the actions of their First Officer at that time. "Seeing the White dragon again has revealed to you why you became so traumatised with the shock," he added carefully as if he was processing the shock of that time also. Torres found herself looking round at Vorik, who nodded at her unspoken question. She then returned her eyes back to her friend taking in the little dragons' soft whirling eyes and then looking at his face and his dark eyes, letting the soft talk of the others wash over her ears as they spoke about the events to do with the Rigellian's. In certain lights she noticed that his dark brown eyes were at times soft amber in colour, which Rozene reflected; she knew when he was in pain emotional or physical his eyes were often black and wide which she was sure Rozene would reflect as blue, in various shades depending on the depth of the pain. Thus the little dragon in effect gave a visual representation of his moods and inner emotions and yet they were her own as well. That worried her for a moment because she knew he was a very private individual and yet she realised unless you knew what to look for his privacy was still his.

She became aware that the little creature was studying her with soft whirling rainbow eyes; it moved from Chakotay's shoulder and sat on the table in front of her, quietly watching uttering soft gentle rumbles and clicks. Her friend smiled his dark eyes bright, his expression telling her that the little creature would not hurt her anymore than he would, she thought. Slowly she let Rozene closer, by moving to sit up closer to the table.

"Why didn't she join us when we left Rigel Prime?" Neelix asked, as they all watched B'Elanna's interaction with the red/gold reptilian creature.

"She was laying eggs, apparently," his grin widening at the emotions he was picking up from Rozene. "Rigel Prime now has its own set of miniature dragons," smiling as soft whistles emanated from his little friend.

"I didn't think it was possible for Rozene and Azure to mate!"

"It wouldn't have been had not the flowers known as Lovers been involved. On their planet of origin Fire Lizards hate Lovers as it makes them sneeze, it also made them easier for A'Gerin to round up and cage," pausing at the remembered combined pain of the entrapped creatures. "But the plants had also been cultivated on Rigel Prime and it had an unusual effect on Rozene and Azure, making them both fertile to mate just the once," noting that Rozene was crooning as she gazed at B'Elanna.

"That time must have been quite emotional!" noted Vorik quietly.

"That is an understatement, Vorik," he quipped, breathing deep. "She and Azure were very strong in their urgings, which happened at the time Da'Kin interrupted that trial."

"Thus you would not have been affected by his subtle subliminal instructions. Where was Princess Della?"

"On board Raoul's ship, Golden Bird," he revealed. "Not that he knew that at the time. I felt it best to keep him in the dark about her whereabouts, plus the fact I was not sure if the transport had worked, anyway." Rozene's crooning became a gentle purr and then she asked him a question that made him smile. "No I don't think so," he said.

"Chakotay?" Paris asked puzzled, by the antics of the little dragon towards his wife and the males' wide grin.

"Doctor, I think you'd better give your assistant your medical tricorder," he suggested.

Once the instrument was handed over the pilot scanned his wife and did a double take at the results, before whispering into B'Elanna's ear what he'd discovered. Her response was startled disbelieve, giving her friend and his little dragon a wary look.

"Lieutenants?" Janeway asked, but neither pilot-cum-medical assistant nor chief said a word. "Chakotay?"

"If they don't want to say anything, neither will I," he said and encouraged Rozene to re-join him. "And nor will you, little lady," he admonished, once she was sitting back on his shoulder. The couple opposite him smiled gratefully and yet they knew something had to be said. Torres took Tom's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze as she smiled at him, her eyes bright. Paris took a deep breath and then spoke:

"B'Elanna is... pregnant," he revealed, still in shock at the thought of becoming a father. Rozene flew cartwheels in the air whistling excitedly as the others took in this news, whilst the Doctor retrieved his tricorder and scanned the female himself and confirmed the prognosis'.

"About two month's gestation," he said.

"Congratulations," Janeway beamed. Rozene had moved to sit on Tom's shoulder and crooned at the half Klingon, her facet eyes whirling a mixture of green, white and amber.

"She wants to know how many eggs you'll be laying?" trying valiantly to keep his voice and expression under control, especially as Torres glared at him.

"There will only be one child," Tom said quietly and stroked the little dragons' chin. She purred and rubbed her muzzle against B'Elanna's cheek as the two were very close together, before returning to her friend and uttering her special purr for him.

"Well, time we got back to our normal routine," Janeway said, breaking the comfortable silence.

"What's normal in the Delta Quadrant!" Kim quipped, beating his friend to uttering and smiling at the couple.

"Indeed," noted Tuvok, both he and Seven quirking an eyebrow.

"Chakotay, Rozene can be where you are, except..."

"...the Bridge!" he finished for her and smiled with her. "Understood," he acknowledged. With that they all returned to their normal duties, with B'Elanna reluctantly leaving with the Doctor for a full medical evaluation of her current medical condition and to assess the health of her child.

=/\=

Seven found herself in step with Chakotay as he walked to his office to finish up some reports and crew evaluations.

"Something on your mind, Seven?" he asked letting her join him inside his office, whilst Rozene sought out her basket and curled up into it, feeling relaxed in the presence of the ex-Borg drone. When the blonde female didn't answer him, but continued to look uncertainly out the view-ports, he decided to give her some space, thus he went to his replicator and ordered some liquid refreshment. A small bowl of cloudy apple juice he put on his desk for Rozene, she quietly whistled a thank you having flown up from her basket. Her response didn't disturb his guest, thus he had to call her name, making her jump as she'd obviously forgotten where she was, staring at him startled.

"Have a seat, Seven and start at the beginning," he said encouraging her to sit on the view-port lounger and handed her a cup of green tea, whilst he sat down beside her; not to close that it invaded the young woman's personal space, sensing she still needed some moments to gather her thoughts, he sipped his own tea as he waited patiently for her to say why she was there.

Seven watched him feeling her cheeks blush slightly as he observed her waiting quietly for her to say something, taking a tentative sip of the drink he'd given her, trying to order her thoughts. The little dragon flew over and sat on her tense lap, rumbling contentedly, her eyes whirling amber, white and green. Seven felt herself relax and sit more fully on the lounger instead of just perching on it.

"I'm curious," she began softly. "Rozene is obviously a fully grown member of her species and yet she linked with you," her eyebrow lifting silently asking him to explain. The gesture made him smile behind his mug; dark eyes twinkling with soft amusement, even Rozene appeared to giggle.

"The only plausible explanation I can offer is that she was so badly traumatised by the harassment of her fellow Fire Lizards," an indignant whistle had him amending the name. "Sorry, miniature dragons, that it was if she'd returned to her egg; thus when I landed on top of her in need of urgent assistance, it was if she'd been re-born – hatched."

"And your hearing the other dragons?" her curiosity making her bold. He sighed, putting his mug down and stared out of the view-ports over her shoulder, as if seeking inspiration in the moving stars. Finally his eyes sought hers.

"To be honest I'm not really sure," he sighed turning away from her. "It's something I don't really have an answer for myself, let alone anyone else, Seven," he admitted quietly. She sensed he wanted to give her a satisfying answer as she stroked the little dragon's eye ridges, feeling her purr in response.

"Maybe that neural link still embedded in your spine might be one reason," she tentatively offered.

"It might," he sighed, his hand rubbing the back of his neck, turning his head to smile softly at her. "There may also be another reason, but it will have to wait until after our duty shifts. If you're willing to explore another possibility that is?" he asked unsure if he'd pushed things.

"That would be... acceptable!" she acknowledged, feeling herself blush again under his gentle scrutiny. A soft snore had them both grinning. "How do I?" indicating her sleep companion.

"Just stand up!" he said and stood himself. When Seven didn't move he whistled commandingly, waking the little dragon so that she flew to his shoulder and anchored herself by wrapping her tail around his upper arm, her eyes still sleepy looking if not a little indignant at giving up a nice sleeping place. "I'll call you when I'm done here."

"Understood," she hesitated a moment having stood up. She held out her mug to him. "Thank you."

"You are welcome," Chakotay said taking the mug and watched her leave. Rozene whistled as she too watched the young woman vanish through the door; it's closing off the sight behind her retreating figure. He smiled at the question his little friend asked as he turned to his desk and the reports awaiting him there.

"We'll have to wait and see," he said quietly. Her special purr reverberated around the room and through him, leaving him in no doubt about her feelings.

=/\=

It has been interesting to share, investigate and research things with a like minded individual; it has been one of the better things to come out of their meeting the Rigellian Free Trader, A'Gerin. That name still evokes pain on a personal level and with my little companion. The crew for the most part have accepted her, there was some unpleasantness surrounding certain members of the crew; but it was proved that Rozene couldn't keep a secret to save her life – as proved to be the case almost literally at one point.

B'Elanna's pregnancy is progressing and affecting her temper tantrums. When do not most things upset that Klingon! I hope it all goes well for her and Tom. Another baby on Voyager!

I'm not sure where things will go from here, especially after our enforced stay for a time with the Ventu, I'm just glade that all turned out well for all involved, for now.

Where will the future take the Ventu and even the miniature dragons on Rigel Prime?

Long life and prosper, my little friends!

=/\=

October 2015

NB: I'm not sure if they'll be anymore chapters maybe an Epilogue, we'll see.