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The Littlest Book on the Shelf

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"Do you think I don’t recognize all of the obvious things between Janeway and Chakotay? Oh, but I do—but they have to be handled exquisitely. She’s the captain of the ship, she’s got to be that first. But I think, like everything else in life, we can see some slips here. Why should she not slip? I’ve encouraged them, also—let’s see the fade drop every now and then. I think we need more one-on-one together, alone, so we can see that.

At this point, I think it would be quite acceptable to see them more alone, and  what happens then, when they’re alone. What kind of tenderness, what kind of tension, what kind of stammering? What kind of touch that doesn’t complete itself, but longs to? Those sorts of things. And then let’s see them completely united on the bridge, and then let’s see them not united in private, and what happens then. But let’s make sure that their allegiance is to one another, absolutely. There should be a lot of that tension, and you’re going to see more of it. It’s terribly important to me, this relationship. And I adore [Robert Beltran] on a personal level. There is absolutely nothing about that man that I do not like. There’s a loveliness to his nature that I respond to completely. He truly is my anchor, in many ways, and I think vice versa. So we must maintain that” | Kate Mulgrew (1997)

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"Well, it seems to me that the best relationships - the ones that last - are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is… suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with." -Dana Scully, The X-Files

Janeway: I think we need to... define some parameters to our relationship.
Chakotay: I'm not sure I can 'define parameters'. But I can tell you a story, an ancient legend among my people. It's about an angry warrior who lived his life in conflict with the rest of his tribe. A man who couldn't find peace, even with the help of his spirit guide. For years he struggled with his discontent. The only satisfaction he ever got came when he was in battle. This made him a hero among his tribe, but the warrior still longed for peace within himself. One day, he and his war party were captured by a neighboring tribe led by a woman warrior. She called on him to join her because her tribe was too small and weak to defend itself from all its enemies. The woman warrior was brave, and beautiful. And very wise. The angry warrior swore to himself that he would stay by her side, doing whatever he could to make her burden lighter. From that point on, her needs would come first. And in that way, the warrior began to know the true meaning of peace.
Janeway: Is that really an ancient legend?
Chakotay: No... but that made it easier to say.

If Thou Must Love Me...

If thou must love me... (Sonnet 14)

Elizabeth Barrett Browning, 1806 - 1861

If thou must love me, let it be for nought Except for love’s sake only. Do not say, “I love her for her smile—her look—her way Of speaking gently,—for a trick of thought That falls in well with mine, and certes brought A sense of pleasant ease on such a day”— For these things in themselves, Belovèd, may Be changed, or change for thee—and love, so wrought, May be unwrought so. Neither love me for Thine own dear pity’s wiping my cheeks dry: A creature might forget to weep, who bore Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby! But love me for love’s sake, that evermore Thou mayst love on, through love’s eternity.