When they stepped into the mess hall, Neelix, moral officer of the U.S.S. Voyager met them at the door. "How can I help you today, Commander?"
"Warm tea and a Talaxion Corpaso stew." Torri answered, forgetting that she wasn't a commander on this ship.
Chakotay smiled at this. "Coffee, two sugars." And they went to sit near the spacewalk window.
Torri noticed Chakotay looking at her. "I see the question trying to form behind your eyes. What is it?"
"What is Talaxion Corpaso stew?"
"Talaxion snails and turtlefish and whatever else is sitting, unused, around the kitchen." Chakotay made a face of disgust and more questioning. "What is wrong with alien cuisine, it was one of my pass times before the war."
"Hardly anyone on this ship is adventurous enough to try my cooking." Neelix answered for her as he placed her stew on the table.
"Why don't you join us, Neelix?" Chakotay asked. "Pull up a chair. I'm sure if someone needs you, they can find you." Neelix was about to decline when Torri perked up, mouth full of turtlefish.
"Please, do. You seem like someone I can stand for a time." She swallowed. "Besides, I need information and I'm sure you're wondering who I am." She sipped at her tea.
"I guess I could stay for a moment." He pulled a chair over. "First off, where are you from?"
"Earth in the alpha quadrant. This ship, Voyager? saved my life."
"Why are you in the delta quadrant?" suddenly, Neelix was very interested…as was everyone in ear shot of their table.
"War. My ship was sent to follow a Borg cube to its home and destroy the queen. Without her, order would fall into chaos. They would have destroyed themselves if we had succeeded. But we failed. Their order kept us from getting too close. The moment we entered Borg space…" she paused and slammed her hand down on the table. Everyone jumped. "… 'We are the Borg, your consciousness will be added to our own, you will be assimilated, resistance is futile.' I'm the only one, out of nine, to get away." Her amber eyes flashed to the door a millisecond before it opened to admit Captain Janeway. "The only one." Janeway walked over to them, after getting her coffee, black, from the replicator.
"Commander Torri is quite the adventurist." Neelix told her. "She was just telling us about her conflicts with the Borg."
"May I join you?"
"Please." Torri had finished her stew while Neelix intrigued the Captain. "Ask another question, I'll be happy to answer."
Before anyone could spit one out, B-Elanna ran in. Out of breath, she asked, "Is it you?"
Torri looked at her for a seconded, smiled, and replied. "Yes…I am me. Are you, you?" when the chief engineer began to look offended, Torri continued. "You'll have to be more specific if you ask someone a question like that."
"Are you really Commander Torri Camron of the Maquis? Are you really the youngest of commanders in all of Earth's history?"
"She's not that young, B-Elanna." Chakotay stated.
"No, she'd be a little over forty by now. But when she left the Alpha Quadrant, twenty-five years ago, she was only eighteen."
"So, you heard of the top secret, for captain's eyes only, document that stated me the youngest commander of the war ship Crusher." A tiny smirk played over her lips as others leaned in.
"Heard of it? They sang of you all throughout the Maquis. You are a legend!"
"I never heard of her." Chakotay argued. "and I was a captain."
At this point, Torri was astounded. "You were Maquis?"
"In their hearts, they still are." Captain Janeway whispered to her. "Come to my ready room when you're done here." She smiled as she said her good-byes. B-Elanna quickly took her seat.
"We had thought your whole crew died." B-Elanna bombarded. "Everyone thought you would renounce your rank. I didn't. I hoped you'd knock their heads together."
"I am still a commander of the Maquis. I only haven't a ship to command. And I did knock their heads together…several times." Torri commented with little enthusiasm. "but my crew did die in a way. They are Borg now." She turned to the less excited of the group, Chakotay. "What of the Maquis back home?"
"They're dead. Killed or captured. We are all that remains."
"You sound as if all is lost." Torri leaned toward him, her hand resting atop his. "Three will suffice in resurrecting the Maquis. Eleven if I can retrieve my crew. If you are willing to help in the training process." She pulled away suddenly. "Of course, I will need a captain if I cannot." She turned to the very eager B-Elanna. "and an engineer." She stood, "now if someone would be so kind as to escort me to the Captain's ready room. My presence has been requested."