Title: Acting the Part
Author: Leone
Rating: R
Codes: C/P
Archive: Cha_Club, TPD, Paris Nights, CPSG. Anywhere else, ask
Feedback: [email protected]
Disclaimer: Everything Star Trek belongs to Paramount, not me.
This story along with any other characters belongs to me, though.
Oh, and I'm not making any money on this.
Summary: How clueless was Chakotay *really* during the 'Jonas
incident' in season two?
Dedicated to Isabelle S, partly for coming up with the title and partly
because it's her fault I wrote this damned thing in the first place.
Here's a hint. *Never* tell her about a story idea that's bouncing
around your mind. She'll suck you into writing it.
Oh, and Isabelle? I trust that this makes up for the fact that EH12
isn't finished yet. I *was* going to work on that when you
blindsided me and had me writing this one. Now that it's done, feel
free to go back to your regular nagging for more EH *g*
*******************************************************
Tom was silent for a long moment while he digested what the
captain had just told him. Finally, he looked at her. "Let me get this
straight," he said quietly. "You have proof that there's someone on
board who sends information to Seska, but you haven't been able to
find out who it is by 'conventional' means." He waited for
Janeway's nod before continuing. "So you want me to flush out the
spy by acting as a malcontent?"
"Yes, that was the idea," Janeway replied.
"Why me?" Tom asked, then frowned and added, "And why isn't
Commander Chakotay present?"
"We chose you because no one would find it difficult to believe that
you are a malcontent, considering your past and the problems you
had with the crew in the beginning of our journey," Tuvok answered.
"As for the Commander, he isn't here because he hasn't been
informed of the situation."
Tom frowned slightly. "Why not?" he asked. "I mean, he *is* the
First Officer. Shouldn't he know about this?"
"Normally, yes. But we think the spy is an ex-Maquis, and I don't
want to put him in a situation where he has to choose between his
loyalty to his former crew and his loyalty to this ship," Janeway
answered. "Besides, he isn't that good an actor."
"I see," Tom said.
Janeway sent him a quizzical look when she heard the odd tone of
his voice. Seeing nothing amiss in Tom's face, she shrugged it off as
her imagination, "Basically this is a suicide mission. I won't order
you to do it, but will you?" she asked.
Tom sighed deeply before he answered. "Captain, I'm flattered that
you trust me to be able to do this," he said. Seeing the first signs of
relief on her face, he added, "There is just one problem."
Janeway frowned. "What is that?"
Tom looked her straight in the eye. "I can't do this unless you allow
me to tell my lover," he replied. He held up a hand to forestall her
protest. "Captain, I've never kept *anything* secret from my lover
and I'm not about to start now." He ran a hand through his hair.
"He's always been able to see right through my act, and I'm not
about to hurt him by lying."
"Who is he?" Janeway asked, surprised that Tom obviously had a
male lover.
"I can't tell you, Captain. We decided to keep it quiet for the time
being," Tom answered. Guessing what she was worried about, he
added, "Don't worry, I *know* that he isn't Seska's spy. He
couldn't be. And he won't tell anyone if I ask him not to."
Janeway considered Tom's words. *Someone that couldn't be
Seska's spy and who won't reveal Tom's act. Hmm. It *has* to
Harry Kim,* she thought, then refocused on her pilot. "All right,
Tom, you can tell your lover. Just be sure that he keeps it secret. And
don't tell anyone else," she said.
"Thank you, Captain," Tom said seriously. "And don't worry, no
one else will know," he promised. Inwardly, he was amused,
knowing what conclusion Janeway had reached regarding the
identity of his lover.
Janeway nodded, knowing that Tom would never break a promise to
her. "Good. Dismissed."
Tom rose from his chair and left the captain's quarters, heading for
his own. Inside his own cabin, he went into the bedroom and
undressed. When he was naked, he went into the bathroom and,
despite the late hour, took a quick shower. Then he returned to his
bedroom, put on some casual clothes and left his quarters. His lover
was expecting him.
*****
Tom sat on the couch in his lover's quarters. He'd just told the other
man what Janeway wanted him to do and why. He'd finished by
mentioning that she didn't want Chakotay to know.
"So you just disobeyed the Captain's order."
Tom chuckled. "No, I didn't."
Chakotay lifted an eyebrow. "You just said that Janeway told you
not to tell me."
"Actually, she said not to tell *the Commander*," Tom said
innocently. "She gave me permission to tell my lover." Tom grinned.
"Of course, she thinks that *Harry* is my lover."
Chakotay blinked in surprise. Then he frowned at Tom. "You told
her that Harry Kim is your lover?"
"No," Tom replied with a sigh. "I told her that I *know* that my
lover isn't Seska's spy, and that if I ask him to, he won't tell anyone
that my future behavior is an act to flush out the spy."
Chakotay's frown deepened. "Then why would she think that Harry
is your lover?"
Tom considered it for a moment. "Maybe it's because I told her that
I've never kept anything secret from my lover and am not about to
start now," he said, then added, "And then there's the fact that Harry
is the perfect Starfleet ensign, and there's no way in *hell* that he
could be Seska's spy."
Chakotay considered Tom's words for a moment, then nodded. It
made sense. Then he looked questioningly at Tom. "So, what do we
do?"
Tom sighed softly. "Well, for one thing, you'll have to act like you
don't know."
"Are you sure I can do that?" Chakotay asked sarcastically. "After
all, you told me that Janeway doesn't think I can act convincingly."
Tom snorted. "Well, Janeway also thinks that you wanted to kill me
when you saw me on the bridge after we got pulled here by the
Caretaker," he reminded his lover. "And the way you act towards me
in public has the Starfleet crew convinced that you hate me," he
added.
"I don't give you that impression, do I?" worried his lover.
Tom smiled gently. "No, you don't," he reassured the other man. "I
know why you act the way you do in public."
Chakotay sighed in relief. He and Tom had agreed that the deception
was necessary, but sometimes he still worried that Tom would
believe the act.
Guessing his lover's thoughts, Tom moved closer and wrapped his
arms around the older man. Then he bent down and captured
Chakotay's lips in a gentle kiss.
At first the kiss was gentle and reassuring. It didn't take long,
however, before Chakotay parted his lips for Tom's tongue and the
kiss deepened and turned passionate, making both men forget all
about everything but each other.
The two men would move to the bedroom and make love, then sleep
in each other's arms. They would wake early the next morning and
plan their acting while they had breakfast in Chakotay's quarters.
When they were done eating and planning, Tom would sneak back to
his own quarters, and the two of them would start their deception.
For months Tom would be undercover to flush out Seska's spy, and
Chakotay would be acting the part of the clueless commander.
The End