I do not own the characters.
"Ah Admiral Cain, there you are," exclaimed the freckled faced Talaxian. He clambered aboard without permission on the partially rebuilt raptor. He had a platter of quesadillas.
"You're not planning to leave us?" asked Neelix, rhetorically. He knew she wasn't leaving but you never knew.
Cain looked up from reading the technical manual and eyed him.
"Lt. Torres I didn't know you were working here as well."
"Neelix, you know very well that I'm helping the Admiral rebuild her ship," said B'Elanna.
"Well then ladies, have you both forgotten the dinner party?" asked Neelix. "Admiral we missed you at the last one."
Actually, it had been a couple times, Cain had attended one of them but had not been since. Neelix had these dinner parties at the end of the work week.
"No, I haven't, I am trying to work," said Cain as she turned the next page from the manual.
Neelix knew that were plenty of single people aboard Voyager. Most couples usually went out but the singles had no where to go other than the mess hall and then get drunk at 10-Forward. He thought it would be a great way to have the singles enjoy a meal together as a group and if they should choose to get drunk later together, so much the better. Since, implementing his dinner party, he had seen a few singles pair off, which made him happy. Moreover it was a way to show case his latest culinary delights.
"Are you keeping Ms. Torres from her time off?" squinted Neelix as he set aside the platter. "As morale officer I must insist you stop and desist, you're overworking yourself and your subordinate."
"Neelix, please stop," said B'Elanna. "No one is twisting my arm."
"Ms. Torres, it's alright. Someone has to speak up," huffed Neelix, as he crossed his arms. "Don't worry, I not afraid." He faced the tall brunette.
"Neelix I'm not in the mood."
This concerned Neelix and others. Guinan was the first to observe that Cain had become quiet and distant, and she had spoken to Neelix about it. He went to B'Elanna; she remarked that she had not been sparring with her either.
"Admiral, this evening, we're having a special dinner party. Instead, of a sit down dinner we're having a Mexican fiesta, there will be music, and of course a piñata."
"And the food is to die for," emphasized Neelix. "You wouldn't believe how I made the burritos and tacos."
That worried Cain at times. Some of his cooking had been too spicy for her. She thought Federation cuisine had a tendency towards spiciness. However, Janeway and Tuvok had enlightened her that it was Neelix's cooking.
"In fact, I brought some quesadillas, these are the spicy ones and the others are my favorite - extra-spicy. Originally they were bland so I added hot peppers," explained Neelix. "These have habaneros, they're the red ones. They make my eyes cry. The green ones, jalapeños, are milder."
Cain knew Neelix meant well, however she did not want to experience the burning sensation. She was unaccustomed to eating capsicums.
"This will be good for you. You don't know this but you need to go. You need to get out and have fun," said Neelix as he blocked Cain from a test equipment rack. Cain looked dubiously at the quesadillas. Cain knew he was a ship's cook and 'morale officer'. She wondered if was becoming a match-maker.
"Admiral don't make a scene," sighed Neelix. "Do I have to carry you over my shoulder in front everyone?"
Not that Neelix could but he looked squarely at her with his small beady eyes and his arms crossed. Cain started to smile at Neelix's ludicrous threat. He had a way to get under her skin but in a good way.
"OK. Neelix, I'll go," conceded Cain. The greasy quesadillas were starting to make her hungry.