Title: Game of Cunning
Time line: Before 'Homestead' and 'End game'
Summary: Voyager docks at a space station to make repairs. Seven meets a fellow ex-drone and Neelix becomes a local celebrity, but is everything as it seems?
Disclaimer: As with everyone who uses this website, I do not own Voyager, the Voyager characters or anything to do with Voyager , I just write stories about them. (I don't even own the box sets, they belong to my parents.)
Please note: In this fanfic, Seven is more human than in the series. It is before Neelix leaves and they return to Earth, but because this is a fanfic, there is more time between the rest of the series and those two episodes, therefore meaning Seven has regained more humanity.
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My story begins in the Delta quadrant. Voyager has been flung into the furthest corners of the universe by a powerful entity known only as 'The Caretaker.' After destroying the technology that had brought them to this un-explored place, Captain Katherine Janeway and her crew have been attempting to cross the un-imaginably vast region of space that separates them from Earth, for the past seven years. Meeting strange new species, studying amazing anomalies, seeing things no human has ever seen before, Voyager sets a course for Earth, never loses hope, never gives up, and never stops believing they will get home.
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Chapter 1 – The Cobalian Space Station
Stardate 18358-75/ 0300 hours/ The Mess Hall
"Neelix to the bridge," Janeway's voice sounded clearly over the comm.
"On my way Captain, is everything OK?" Neelix asked, carefully putting down the saucepan he was holding, and pulling off his yellow apron over his head.
"Yes, everything is fine, I'll explain everything when you get here."
As he walked down the corridor, Neelix wondered what he was needed for. The Captain rarely called him to the bridge. It must be pretty important if she wasn't willing to discuss it over the comm, and it couldn't wait until the staff briefing at 0600 hours.
As he stepped off the turbo lift, Janeway turned, "Neelix, there's someone here I think you'd be interested to meet." She smiled at her friend as he looked at her with curiosity in his bright golden eyes.
Neelix glanced towards the viewscreen to see a friendly looking talaxian looking back at him. "Neelix, this is Mr Lextrim. He runs the space station near the Cobalian nebula."
Mr Lextrim looked at Neelix with disbelief written all over his furry face. "Neelix? You are Neelix?"
"You've heard of our ambassador?" Janeway asked with a slight smile.
"Heard of him? Why, he's famous. Reports of his marvellous dishes are told here every time a new ship docks. His leeola root soup is somewhat of a legend." Lextrim exclaimed. "Captain Janeway, I would be delighted if you and your crew were to come to my station to make repairs and stay as long as you want. And Neelix, when you arrive, you will be my guest for dinner."
"I'd be delighted Mr Lextrim" Neelix grinned.
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Stardate 18358-75/ 0500 hours/ The Mess Hall
Tom, Harry and a heavily pregnant B'Elanna strolled into the mess hall laughing.
"I tell you, if the holodeck safeties had been off-line, then Tom here would be boiling in a lake of molten lava." Harry said, patting Tom on the back.
B'Elanna laughed out loud. "How on earth did you manage to fall into the volcano?"
"Ah, I didn't fall, I was pushed." Tom corrected her quickly.
"Not according to the Delaney sisters," Harry chuckled as they took seats at their usual table.
"When do you speak to the Delaney sisters?" asked Tom.
"There's a lot of things you don't know about me." Harry looked up to see Neelix coming towards them with a plate, filled with a slimy looking, blue substance.
"Neelix, what is that?" B'Elanna asked eyeing the food suspiciously.
"It's an old dish I used to make for special occasions. I call it Talaxian supreme."
"It looks worse than that hair pasta you once made." Tom joked.
"I've been digging out some of my old recipes for when we dock at the station."
"Oh yes, your a local celebrity aren't you? I guess we'd better get our autographs now, before you're in high demand."
B'Elanna giggled.
"On Talax, it's customary to take a dish with you when you're invited to dinner, and I just can't decide what to take to Mr Lextrim's. I thought you might be able to help."
"Well I'm not an expert on Talaxian foods, but I think I feel brave enough to try some 'Talaxian Supreme.' Dish some out for us" Harry suggested.
"Speak for yourself," B'Elanna retorted. "Neelix, I'll have the left overs from yesterdays lunch."
"I'll have the same" piped up Tom.
"Coming right up."
As soon as Neelix was out of earshot, B'Elanna added, "I've got a baby to look after here you know."
Smirking, Harry tool a bite of the blue food Neelix had placed in front of him.
"Well," demanded Tom after a moment, "what's the verdict?"
"Mmm," Harry grunted nodding vigorously.
"It's nice?"
Harry swallowed. "It's delicious."
Seven of nine had just entered the mess hall and had seen the three sitting together. She headed over to their table.
"Hello Seven, take a seat," B'Elanna offered, indicating the spare chair.
"Thank you," Seven accepted as she sat down.
"What brings you in here?" asked Harry, surprised at Seven's un-characteristic appearance.
"The doctor suggested I begin a regular eating routine. I..." Seven faltered. "I didn't want to eat alone."
"That's understandable," Tom replied.
"So you'll be eating with us on a regular basis then?" questioned Harry.
"If it doesn't inconvenience you."
"Of course not," B'Elanna replied, "but I thought you would be eating with Commander Chakotay."
"He's on duty." Seven's eyes were downcast.
"Oh, well you're welcome to join us whenever you want."
"Thank you." She looked up with a smile just in time to see Nelix walking up with Tom and B'Elanna's orders.
"Oh, hello Seven, what a pleasure to see you in here."
"I require ..." Seven paused while she pondered the best way to phrase her request. "I would like some lunch please" Seven finally announced.
"Why of course," Neelix answered, "What would you like?"
Seven thought for a moment more, then said, "whatever Tom and B'Elanna are having."
"Yes, of course" Neelix trotted off to fetch her meal.
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Stardate 18358-75/ 0600 hours/ The briefing room
The senior staff were in the middle of a staff briefing. Captain Janeway was at the head of the table, Chakotay and Seven were sat next to each other on her right, Tuvok was on her left, next to him was B'Elanna, next to Tom. Neelix and Harry were at the end and the Doctor was sitting at the bottom of the table.
"That's the personnel problem on deck six sorted," Janeway was saying, "Now all that remains is the matter of the Cobalian space station. It isn't often we run into a friendly place to get supplies and do repairs, so I've taken up Mr Lextrim on his offer, and as B'Elanna estimates all repairs will be complete in two days, I've decided to give the entire crew shore leave."
"I'll start working up rotating shifts of when people can leave." Chakotay suggested.
"Good idea, and Tuvok, I'd like extra security measures in place just in case"
"Aye Captain" Tuvok nodded.
"Okay, any more issues?" Janeway looked round at her senior staff. "No? Then you're dismissed."
Outside, Tom and B'Elanna caught up with Harry. "Hey, do you want to head down to the holodeck? We were thinking of watching a movie."
"Okay," He looked back to where Seven and Chakotay were standing, arm in arm. "Maybe we should invite them."
Tom and B'Elanna agreed and Seven and Chakotay accepted.
"So," Tom began as they started down the corridor, "Are you two officially 'an item'?"
"Tom!" B'Elanna scolded, slapping his stomach with the back of her hand.
Kathryn watched as her senior staff walked off laughing and smiled to herself. 'What a crew.' She thought. 'What a crew.'
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OK, so you've reached the end of the first chapter of my first ever fanfic. What do you think?
Please review, it makes me feel better and gives you a chance to tell me if I'm rubbish and should give up now.
I also welcome suggestions. You can become a character in the story if you want, (but not too many of you.)
Anyway, I'd better be going now. I'll try to update soon. :)