1337 ZULU
Engineering Deck
B'Elanna couldn't believe it. How in the world would she explain to the Captain that the fuel coils were burning out since that encounter with the Janyius, the race of aliens who had thought that Voyager was trying to take the precious metals from their planet while all they were doing was answering a distress call a boy had accidentally sent. Apparently the coils had been damaged in that incident, but she hadn't thought that it was serious. She had been wrong, and now she was going to have to answer to the Captain.
B'Elanna blew out her breath, and stood up. She would just have to explain to the Captain that the other repairs had been more serious, and she had thought the coils could have waited. All she had to do now was try to find a way to replace them. That was one of the myriads of problems about being in the Delta Quadrant. There was no port you could go to and have normally replaceable parts be installed in the ship. Here, nothing was replaceable. You had to salvage everything, and sometimes that wasn't even good enough. B'Elanna looked glanced at her watch. "Great", she muttered. She had 15 minutes to go and take a shower, eat dinner, and then be present at the senior staff meeting. She considered her options: it would take her approximately 4 minutes to get to her quarters, another 5 to take a shower, and then 3 more to reach the briefing room. She could just wait to eat dinner afterwards, even though she didn't think that would be possible. Hell, even meals were sometimes irreplaceable.
1400 ZULU
Staff Meeting
Janeway looked at every one of her senior officers, and she knew she couldn't have asked for a better crew. The whole group of them all had different backgrounds and talents, but they always managed to work well with each other. While she knew that Tom and Chakotay weren't exactly the best of friends, they had overcome numerous differences just to be able to work together. The one thing that she had thought that had helped them resolve their animosity was B'Elanna. Chakotay and B'Elanna were extremely close, ever since they had been in the maquis together. They both knew each other's weaknesses and strengths, moods and memories. Apparently Tom knew of this, and thus came to the conclusion that if he wanted to get involved with B'Elanna, he'd have to get to know her best friend. When B'Elanna made the decision to get to know Tom better, at first Chakotay thought that the Doctor had messed with her Klingon physiology. But when he realized that she was serious about it, and even more shocking that Tom was too, he knew that he had to accept his friend's decision. While they still sometimes have disagreemants, there is also the unspoken truce regarding B'Elanna.
"Ok guys, time for progress reports", the Captain said, with just a little bit of challenge in her voice. "Tuvok, you first".
Tuvok nodded his head in acknowledgment, and then glanced at his PADD. "Captain, most of the ship's systems are performing adequately, but I have noticed a deficiency in warp speed. I believe that Engineering is experiencing a problem, and I took the liberty to try to detect the malfunction. I have come to the conclusion that either the rejectors are not balanced, or the fuel coils are not working properly".
At that instance, every pair of eyes turned to B'Elanna and stared. Throughout all of Tuvok's report, she had been tapping the arm rest, but now she had a death grip on it, her knuckles white, and a grimace on her face. She looked up at the Captain, and saw her lift her eyebrows in question. B'Elanna shifted in her chair and cleared her throat. "Umm, yes, we do have a problem with the fuel coils. I believe that they were damaged in that squeamish we had with the Janyius 4 days ago. I didn't think the problem was so severe, so I went ahead and did other repairs that I thought were more urgent, and not until today have I realized that the damage is much more substantial than what I had first assumed".
Silence. B'Elanna looked up at Janeway, and knew right there that the Captain was not impressed. And could she blame her? She was the Chief of Engineering, and now the Captain probably thought that she ran a 3 ring circus instead of a Starfleet regulated Engineering department. Man, had she screwed up this time. "Lieutenant, I don't understand. Didn't you say in your report that everything was taken care of, and that repairs would be completed within 3 days?"
"Yes, Captain, I did. But like I said, I just didn't realize the extent of the problem". B'Elanna took a deep breath before looking at Janeway. The Captain stared hard at her for a moment longer, and then nodded. "Understood. How long will it take to repair?"
"That's the problem", B'Elanna began, thinking of her earlier thoughts of the inconveniencies of this quadrant. "We'll need to completely replace the coils. I'm estimating that we have another 10 days before they go completely out. Till then, we can manage up to warp 6 without any problems".
"Ok. Any suggestions as to how to resolve this?" the Captain asked.
Seven looked up at her, and then at B'Elanna. One of the things that totally confused her about the half Klingon was her rather hostile attitude toward people when she herself couldn't fix a problem while others could. This attitude, according to Seven, was completely inefficient when trying to solve problems. This, Seven thought, was probably why she got along with the Doctor better than with any human, half or not. "Captain", Seven said," in my recent scanning in Astrometrics, I have detected an inhabited planet that has comparable, but not as advanced, technology as Starfleet. We can get there in 3 days if we go to warp 6, as Lt. Torres has advised".
The Captain thought for a moment. "Good. We'll immediately set the course for this planet. Now, for the rest of the reports. Doctor?" the Captain asked. While the Doctor went on about the new slide show he was preparing that was, by the way, beneficial to every crewmember, and therefore everyone should be required to attend, B'Elanna thought about this new planet they would try to negotiate with. She knew that she should be in charge of the team to acquire the coils, but for some odd reason she had a bad feeling about this. The hairs on the back of her neck were actually prickling. 'Probably because of lack of food', she tried to assure herself. But still...
"Anyone else?" the Captain asked? Everyone shook their heads, already thinking about this new planet they would visit, if all goes well, in 3 days. "Very well. Dismissed. Lt Torres, please stay for a moment."
B'Elanna nodded her head, and then looked at Tom. He gave her an encouraging smile, his eyes full with sympathy, and then walked out behind Neelix. After everyone had exited the room, Janeway turned from the window and walked up to B'Elanna. She didn't want to be too hard on the Lt, but she had to make it clear that she would have to make up for this incident. "Lt, I have never regretted my decision to make you Chief of Engineering, and I hope I never will. However, I want you to know that mistakes like this can be avoided, and must be avoided at all costs". She paused and looked at the younger woman. "I'm going to put you in charge of finding new warp coils, attaining them, and installing them. Do you think you can do this, Lt?" she asked, with a glint of challenge in her eye.
B'Elanna let out a breath she wasn't aware of holding. She knew that she could do this. In fact, she had done it numerous times when she was with the maquis. "Yes, Captain, I can. I won't let you down".
Janeway smiled. She had every ounce of confidence in her Chief of Engineering. In fact, one other person who had experience in this kind of thing would probably be more than willing to help out. Janeway looked at B'Elanna, and gave her one of her most winning smiles. "And I know just the person who would love to help you".
1545 ZULU
Deck 5
Neelix was ecstatic. He had always wanted to help with anything on Voyager, but never before has one of his assignments been so challenging. To go to a planet he has never been to, negotiate by using his well honed skills he had acquired in his many years as, what he liked to call, a professional barterer, and to top it all off, to actually work alongside B'Elanna. Neelix smiled gleefully to himself again, thinking that maybe he would celebrate this by serving the crew his new recipe of zucchini and blood pie casserole. He was sure it would be a big hit with everyone, including B'Elanna.
Neelix stopped for a moment. B'Elanna. He just realized then that on this mission he could prove to her that he could, in fact, be just as tough and willing as Chakotay or Tuvok. Yes, he thought, he could show her his courage, and impress her with his knowledge of things such as negotiating and being a middleman. Why, then maybe she would talk to other crew members about his prowess in the field, and his expertise in getting what was needed, no matter the cost.
Neelix surged forward with a new purpose, surprising more than a few Ensigns when they saw the small man all but waddle to the Mess Hall.
1900 ZULU
Lt. Torres' Quarters
B'Elanna all but threw herself on her bed. She was exhausted. After the staff meeting, she had went back to Engineering for 4 more hours, trying to squeeze as much power from a couple of power grids that were practically insisting that it was due time for them to retire. After that wrestling match, she had went to the Mess Hall to talk with Neelix about the mission and what it would curtail, and maybe even get something to eat. When she had gotten there, Neelix practically shoved a plate full of something he was trying to pass off as food. When she had smelled it, she politely refused and said that she was actually looking forward to some pancakes with maple syrup. Neelix had been happy to oblige. But right when she thought that she could start eating in peace, Neelix rushed over to her table, dropped down on the opposite chair, and started telling her different stories about his salvaging ship and his many excursions on it. A couple of times she had had the almost uncontrollable urge to laugh when he would shamelessly dramatize his acts of heroism, but she knew that he would be truly hurt, so she oohed and awed at all the right times. When she finally got away, she went right to her quarters, and there she was, sprawled on her bed.
She wasn't at all upset about Neelix coming with her. In fact, she was actually looking forward to it. This would be the perfect time to to understand him better. She sometimes felt bad because she didn't think that she was particularly nice to him sometimes, while he was always trying to help her out and lift her spirits up. Well, all that could change within the next week or so, she thought. But then a sobering thought barged in. Nothing could go wrong with this mission. Nothing. She had to prove herself to the Captain that she was very capable in all matters. She would just have to banish those thoughts of uneasiness she had had earlier, grab the bull by the horns, and get the job done. Yes, she thought, this would all have to go perfectly, and she couldn't screw it up in any way, shape or form. While she would still be nice to Neelix and make sure he didn't feel that he was in the way when she was taking care of business, this would not be a bonding experience for either of them. They were to get the job done as quickly as possible, and she would have to tell him that. She knew that he liked to learn of other people's cultures and practices, but he would just have to wait this one out and wait for another time to satisfy that urge.
Just as B'Elanna got up to take a shower, the chimer went off to notify her that someone wanted to see her. "Come in" she said halfheartedly, not really wanting to talk to anyone. When the doors slid open to reveal Tom Paris, she let out a breath and smiled. "Why hello, fly boy. What can I do for you at this late hour?" she asked as she walked over to the door.
"Actually, I was wondering what you could do for me" Tom said as he rested his shoulder on the door frame. Every time he saw B'Elanna, he still couldn't believe his good fortune. She had helped him through so many hard times and had helped him accept and forgive himself for too many things to count. All an all, he thought, she was the greatest thing that had ever happened to him. And tonight he would make up for a fraction of all the things she had helped him with.
"Well, if it has nothing to do with fuel coils or power grids, I'm more than happy to do anything to get my mind off of this whole mess with Engineering. Other than that, I'm game for anything. Whatcha wanna do? I wouldn't mind getting something to eat first because I'm starving" B'Elanna said, thinking of the 3 bites of pancakes she had before getting away from Neelix.
"It has to do with a very sandy surface next to a body of water that is most refreshing on a hot day that a holodeck can do a most impressive replication of", Tom said with a twinkle in his eye.
"In that case, count me in. Just let me go my bikini real fast" she said over her shoulder. Just as she was to the door of her lavatory, Chakotay's voice came over the intercom. "Chakotay to Torres". B'Elanna looked over at Tom before she answered, "Torres here".
"Lt, you might want to get up to the Bridge in the next 5 minutes. We're discussing with the Blithians when would be a good time to set up an appointment to discuss the ship's repairs" Chakotay said, with an impatient note that B'Elanna hadn't missed. "Understood. Torres out". She walked over to Tom who was scowling at the speakers in the ceiling. "Why is it that whenever I want to do something fun, even when he doesn't even know I'm planning it, he always manages to ruin it?" he muttered as she put her arms around him.
"I don't know. Maybe its some kind of radar that can sense trouble before it happens" she said with a smile. He looked down at her and rested his forehead on hers. "Well, I hope you have fun with all that appointment making, because I know I will at the scorching and lonely beach" he mumbled with a frown.
1935 ZULU
Bridge
Chakotay looked over at the turbolift as the doors opened to reveal B'Elanna. He was actually kind of worried about her lately, and when she came in with dark circles under her eyes, his worry was not at all calmed. He had noticed lately that she was working odd hours lately. Too many hours, he thought. As he motioned her over to him, he promised himslef he would have a talk with her and make sure everything was alright.
"Sorry it took so long", B'Elanna said as she rushed to Chakotay's side.
"Don't worry about that right now. We're waiting for the Council to get back to us with a date and time we can meet with them about the fuel coils." B'Elanna looked up at him, perplexed. Chakotay was usually a stickler when it came to punctuality, but here he practically threw promptness out the window. She shook her head, getting the thoughts out. He probably just had other things on his mind and didn't have time to admonish her. Maybe she should talk to him about what was going on lately. He was, after all, her best friend. She could just ask him-
"They're hailing us, Commander", Harry reported. B'Elanna looked over at him, embarrassed that she hadn't aknowledged him since she had come into the Bridge. She gave him a furtive wave just as a Blithian filled the screen.
"Commander, I hope you have not grown impatient with us. I'm sorry for the delay, but you'll be happy to know that we have decided that you and one other member of your crew can meet with a High Councilman tomorrow afternoon. Does that comply with your wishes?" The man smiled, hoping to be helpful. "You'll be meeting with a very distinguished member of the Council, High Councilman Noortvan. I'm sure that he can help you with everything you need. We will schedule a transport at 1400 tomorrow. Goodbye for now", the man said, cutting off any potential objections before he disconnected the link.
Chakotay looked down at B'Elanna, who still had her mouth hanging open, appalled at the abruptness of the discussion. "Well, I guess you and I are going to Blithia tomorrow, Lieutenant. Get a good night's rest, and meet me at the Mess Hall at 0900 to discuss everything", the Commander ordered.
B'Elanna nodded, standing to attention to ask to leave, when something just hit her. "Oh no, what about Neelix?"
Chakotay looked at her, puzzled, for a few moments before it dawned on him. "I forgot too", he said, with a pained expression on his face. "I guess I'll have to give him the bad news tonight before his shift is over". Chakotay winced again, not looking forward to talking to Neelix. Though he could be a bit annoying sometimes, he was always very sincere and helped out whenever he could.
B'Elanna cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. "Sir, permission to talk to Neelix about this? I feel that I should give him the bad news". B'Elanna smirked, adding, "Maybe he'll feel better if I eat some of the stuff he had made for dinner tonight. For some reason, he was particularly enthusiastic when he offered me a plateful. I think he's still under the impression that I like Klingon food".
Chakotay grinned, "Well, at least I'll know that you won't die because of the food, what with your cast iron stomach and all. But just think, you'll be doing it all in the name of compassion for humanity".
"Yes, I'll keep reminding myself that when I'm in Sick Bay, having the Doctor telling me that I should be more careful the next time I try to eat battery acid".
2200 ZULU
Mess Hall
B'Elanna cleared her throat before entering the Mess Hall. As of right now, she had no idea how she was going to tell Neelix. She walked through the doors, and was hit with the most dreadful smell. In fact, it almost smelled like-
"Blood Worm Pie, Lieutenant! Can you believe it? I never knew that Starfleet had this in its database, but when I was looking up the recipe for coconut crème pie, I stumbled across this. And what a coincidence that you just now walked through the doors!" Neelix exclaimed. He was quite pleased with the results, though it did leave a nasty odor that permeated the air. His eyes were actually tearing up from it, but he refused to show weakness in front of B'Elanna. He certainly didn't want to reveal to her how this, uh, cuisine disgusted him. Why, how embarrassing for B'Elanna to know that he was repulsed by this Klingon fare.
B'Elanna stared at the platter for a moment, pushing down the nausea. "Oh Neelix, you didn't. How very nice of you", she managed, before looking at him and smiling. "Actually, I just ate with Tom a little while ago. Maybe you can just store it till a rainy day", she said, with a weak laugh, making a mental note to get rid of the pie after Neelix went to his quarters. That wouldn't be considered a waste to the ship's resources, would it? If it was, the Captain would have her rear end, that is, after she would get a good laugh from it.
"Oh, I'll just put it in the fridge until you feel like having it, ok?", Neelix replied, heading toward the back of the Mess Hall, platter well in front of him.
B'Elanna sat down at one of the tables waiting for Neelix. How was she going to do this? Next time, she thought, just let her superiors do the squirming. She looked up to see Neelix coming out of the pantry, wiping his hands off. "Umm, actually, I was hoping to talk to you about the mission real fast", she said, shifting in her seat. "There's been a complication. And, well, I need to talk it over with you real fast", she finished lamely.
Neelix looked at her for a moment, worried. "Ok. Would you like any coffee first?"
"Oh, that's ok, but thank you." She cleared her throat, then gestured toward the chair opposite to her. Neelix dropped into it, wondering what was wrong. "Well, Chakotay and I have talked to the Blithians, and we've set up a time to meet with them. But they put down only one stipulation, and that was that Chakotay and one other crew member would accompany him to the planet. Seeing as how I'm Chief of Engineering, I've already been elected to be the one to go with the Commander." She glanced up, looking for any reaction.
Neelix tried to hide his disappointment, but did poorly. "Well, I can understand that. So, is there any other way I can help you with this mission? Perhaps I can look up the customs of this planet for you, if the Blithians would send us some files", he said, hoping she would say yes.
B'Elanna breathed a sigh of relief. She knew that Neelix was disappointed, but at least he wasn't mad. "You know, I haven't even thought of that. It's a wonderful idea. I'll talk to Chakotay, and we'll see if they'll oblige us, though I don't know why they wouldn't". B'Elanna was genuinely happy with the suggestion. Now not only would Neelix not feel left out, but he can help them to understand the way of life and traditions of the Blithians.
"Well, once you've talked to the Commander, you'll find me here in the Mess." Neelix got up, already excited about this new project. As he walked B'Elanna to the doors, he wondered where he kept his nice navy blue PADD Kess had given to him. It would be nice to do his research on that particular one. Not only did it bring back good memories, but it also was much easier to find than your ordinary PADD.
B'Elanna turned to Neelix when they reached the doors and touched his arm. "Thanks for understanding and not getting upset", she said. "I'm sure there will be another time when we can go on an away mission together. And probably something that's not as hectic as this one", she said as she walked out the doors backwards.
Neelix smiled, touched. "Hey, nothing gets me mad or upset B'Elanna, unless someone messes with my kitchen. Then we might have a slight problem", he chuckled, not noticing the look of fret passing over the Lieutenant's as she thought about the nasty platter in the refrigerator, just waiting to be thrown away.
0920 ZULU
Mess Hall
"So how did our favorite Talaxian take the news?", Chakotay inquired.
B'Elanna looked up from her pancakes and glanced to her right where Neelix was serving breakfast to a couple of Ensigns. He was very cordial to her and Chakotay this morning when they came in to have their meeting and grab a bite to eat. In fact, if she hadn't known better, she would have bet that he was still going on the away mission, what with all his animated chatter with everyone about the intricate system the Blithians had for courtship, and don't even get him started on the Blithians cuisine. Apparently he was content with examining the Blithians culture, and she was truly happy that he was satisfied with it. She was also thankful to the Blithians for allowing them the information of their society.
"He was very understanding. You know, I'm just happy that he still has something to do with this mission." B'Elanna took another bite of her pancakes, and then pushed the plate away.
"Well, lets get started on our meeting, shall we?", Chakotay suggested. "We have a lot to cover, and not too much time to do it. First off, I have a feeling that if High Councilman Noortvan does agree to let us search for the fuel coils, we'll have to do it ourselves, with no help from him. I was reading a news report from Blithia, and it looks like there's a lot of political satire going on. Frankly, I'm surprised that we're meeting with someone so high up. I'm kind of uneasy about it, actually. I've been thinking that maybe this Noortvan character won't be so happy for having to deal with such a menial task that customs could have dealt with." Chakotay took a sip of his coffee, and winced. Why does coffee get cold so fast? "Anyway, we need to step lightly, and stick together throughout this whole thing. Agreed?"
B'Elanna nodded her head. So maybe she wasn't wrong when she got uneasy about this mission. At least Chakotay and her had the same feelings about it. "I totally agree. I've already found out that the fuel coils can be replaced by a part called power manifolds. From what I understand, its relatively easy to get them on Blithia, so hopefully it won't take too long to get this over and done with." B'Elanna tapped her foot, thinking. Maybe it would be best to go to a dealer, and pay cold cash for it. The Captain had said that she wanted to try to trade something for the parts, but B'Elanna didn't know if that would pan out.
Chakotay cleared his throat. "Well, lets get started. Go ahead and get everything you need together to stay for a night. The Blithians sent over a message that they would like us to enjoy their hospitality, so be prepared for just about anything. And you might want to talk to Neelix and see if he knows how we should repay them for their kindness. And any bloopers we might want to avoid while eating there." Chakotay stood up and turned around, then hesitated. He turned back to B'Elanna, who was still seated. "I just don't have a good feeling about this B'Elanna. There's too many unanswered questions about the whole meeting arrangement itself, and then we have to deal with what they say about our problem. It just doesn't add up. Listen, I really did mean it that we need to stick closely together, ok?", Chakotay said, his forehead creased with worry.
B'Elanna stood up. "I agree with you. I was uneasy about this mission from the get-go, and I don't know why. Its like a sixth sense or something." She sighed, pushing her hair away from her forehead. "I guess its just you and me, maquis."
