“Please... do not proceed, Chakotay,” Seven whispered.

“I can’t go on.”

Chakotay loomed on the platform above the warp core, staring into the glowing blue inferno with a tormented look on his face.

Janeway, Torres, and the engineering crew looked on worriedly. Seven was trying her best to talk him out of it.

“Suicide is no answer, Chakotay!” Seven pleaded. “You will never induce a female to orgasm through self-destruction.”

Behind her, she could see Janeway and Torres wince, and she knew she’d said the wrong thing.

Chakotay turned tear-filled eyes towards her. “You faked it? You always faked it?”

Seven of Nine looked guilty. “I regret telling you that. I had no idea you would react so strongly...”

“My whole life has been a lie,“ he whispered brokenly. Then, with renewed hope, he called, “B’Elanna! You knew Seska. Tell me honestly... did I ever... did she ever say...” The look on Torres’s face told it all for him, and tears began streaming down his face. He turned desperately to Janeway.

“Kathryn! Did you ever--” He broke off suddenly, confused. “Oh, I’m thinking of your hologram... you and I never--”

There was a stormy expression on Janeway’s face. “Indeed, we did not.” Her voice was hard as rock.

“I hope he doesn’t do it,” Torres murmered to Janeway.

“I don’t give a damn either way,” Janeway spat, wondering just when he’d used this ‘hologram.’

“I have nothing left. I‘m inadequate!” he yelled to the skies, as the engineering staff looked on in embarassment and discomfort. He took a step closer to the edge.

“Oh, Christ, he’s gonna do it,” Torres whispered.

“Why do you care so much?” Janeway demanded quietly.

“Do you know how long it’ll take to clean up the warp core if he throws himself onto it?” Torres shot back.

“Good point.”

“Chakotay, I must tell you something,” Seven said softly. She had slowly climbed up the ladder to the top level of engineering. “I--I used to experiment with a hologram of you.”

“You did?”

“And... and he induced me to climax quite frequently.” Her face was bright red as the words came out.

“Really?” Chakotay said, suddenly hopeful.

“Yes,” Seven forged on. “And, in a way, he is you, in body if not... if not in spirit.”

Chakotay smiled a little. “That... that almost makes me feel good inside.” He thought a second. “Maybe I’ll come down after all.”

“Damn,” Janeway cursed, and handed five rations over to Torres. Torres grinned smugly.

Seven, relieved that he had chosen not to terminate himself, reached out a hand to grasp his. Suddenly, she lost her footing and tumbled into the warp core. She only screamed briefly before her body dissolved into black ash,

“Shit. That’s going to take all day to clean up,” Torres huffed.

“Chakotay-- why don’t you jump in there after her? You may still catch her!” Janeway called out.

Torres elbowed her. “Bet’s over. You lost.”

“Seven owed me 50 rations. I was hoping to salvage something,” Janeway muttered. Shaking her head, she turned and left engineering.

Chakotay stood forgotten on the platform. But his mind was elsewhere.

“Seven’s dead... that’s a pity. I’ll never get a babe that hot again. But I can make a woman orgasm! I can start searching for a test subject right now!”

Strangely, none of the women on the ship would have him.