The Root of Evil

Author: Riz
Summary: Tuvok undergoes Tom's rebellious attitude towards Neelix's dish.
A/N: My first upload to ! A short mess hall scene and one of the shortest things I have ever written. Consider it a short taste of flavor before I share my bigger works.

Disclaimer: 'Star trek: Voyager' is a registered trademark of Paramount Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended. This fanfiction written by 'Riz Cross' falls under the fair use clause of copyright law. No profit is made from its production or distribution.

The reluctant Tom Paris toyed with his silvery titanium spork as he beheld Neelix's dish. It was the Talaxian's new pride. 'Delta mollusk'. Coiled up, spineless, slimy slug-like creatures. Spiced with uncomplimentary spices, and a thick leola root broth that was as healthy as it was revolting.

Leola root. Again and again.

Making a face at Harry, who sat opposite of him, the young pilot impaled the sticky mollusk with his spork in one barbaric motion. Lifting the slime up to level it with his unlowered gaze.

Tom had grown impatient with Neelix's cooking. He had been tolerating enough of these daily yucky dishes.

The agitated blond let the mollusk slide down his high-risen spork. It fell. With a loud, rebellious splat it had hit the thick broth that splattered into every direction, and formed a tiny pool of goo in a one-yard radius around him.

Tuvok awkwardly dropped his cup of Vulcan tea onto the table as the thick slimy broth hit his nose with a full spread of peanut colored drops. His beverage spilt, running easily along the table he had been sitting at with his captain. Disturbed from his peaceful meeting, he slowly sat up. Glaring unforbearingly to his left as he discovered the object of his agitation. Tom Paris.

The helmsman was holding back a chuckle, obviously restrained by his primary dismay.

The Vulcan male lifted an agonizing brow. His patience with this man growing thinner by the day.

Tuvok glanced back at his captain. The thick drops were slowly running down the side of his nose now, reaching the end of his wide nostrils. Leaving a wake of yellowish slime behind.

A snort. Right in front of him.

Captain Janeway laughing at him? Unlikely.

Yet there it came. A loud burst of laughter as she nearly doubled over and tears of laughter shot up in her eyes.

The helmsman gazed upon the happening, dumbfounded for a moment. But he soon joined her in comical laughter. Chuckles, chortles and gasps for air soon echoing through the entire mess hall.

"..-You! ..-You should've seen!-" Tom was unable to construe a complete sentence for the older man with the interfering of his own loud laughs.

The dark-skinned Vulcan darted his eyes between his two colleagues a little awkwardly. Humor was a peculiar human trait. Even his captain experienced the sensation that he did not.

Neelix had stalled stirring the leola root broth. Ah, good to see that Mr. Vulcan was making friends!