It was the middle of Voyager's night, and Sickbay was empty, so Kes walked into the doctor's office and found him working at his computer. "Doctor, may I speak with you for a minute? It's about the supplies and manual that we're putting together for Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay."
"Of course you may, Kes. What is it you wish to discuss?"
"Something's been bothering me about it. I think there are some other things that need to be added. Both to the supplies and to the manual."
The doctor looked as if he was unpleasantly surprised by her words, and his voice, when he answered her, had a pompous tone that she hadn't heard directed at her in more than a year. "I don't know what you could possibly mean. The kit we've prepared for tomorrow's transport includes supplies and instructions for every medical emergency they could reasonably expect to encounter."
"Except one."
"Really. And what might that one be?"
Kes swallowed once, but her certainty that she was right was stronger than her nervousness at broaching this subject. "We haven't included any information on childbirth in the manual and we haven't included any contraceptives for the captain in the supplies."
Both eyebrows went up at her words. "I hardly think that's necessary. Unless you are trying to tell me that you think they have managed to conduct a clandestine sexual relationship without everyone on this vessel instantly knowing about it."
"No, actually, I'm not saying that at all. It is clear, however, that they do care a great deal about each other."
"They both care a great deal about the entire crew."
"Of course they do. That's not what I mean. Haven't you ever noticed the way each of them looks at the other when they think no one will see? There's a great deal of emotion there."
The doctor leaned back in his chair with his fingers steepled in front of him, looking pensive. "I do recall that Commander Chakotay seemed excessively distraught when the captain broke her leg last month. I told him there were no complications and the injury was not a cause for alarm, but he didn't seem to believe me." There was a trace of injured pride in his voice. "And the captain does seem to spend a great deal of time in sickbay whenever the commander is injured. I always assumed that their concern was for the smooth running of the ship, but I suppose you could be right about them having some personal affection for each other, above and beyond their mutual professional admiration."
"I'm sure I'm right. And if I understand my studies on human psychology correctly, doesn't that type of affection between two people sometimes turn to love?"
"It has been known to, once or twice."
Kes missed the sarcasm in his tone, hearing only the confirmation of her suppositions. "Then don't we have a responsibility to provide all the medical supplies they might need in the future, even if they don't need them right now?"
"I suppose we do, although I'm glad I won't have to be present when the captain examines the kit and finds these inclusions." He turned to the computer. "I will add the texts on childbirth to the manual. While I'm doing that, will you please prepare the seristone for the hypospray?"
"Of course, Doctor. How many doses?"
He paused for a moment, calculating. "Two hundred fifty, I think. That's just over a twenty year supply. Given the captain's current age, that should be plenty."
"Yes, Doctor." Kes rose to go into the lab, privately marveling again at the wonder of a species whose females were fertile for so much of their lives. His voice saying her name stopped her.
"Yes, Doctor?"
"Thank you."
She smiled at him. Sometimes he sounded just like her father. "Any time, Doctor."