Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek: Voyager...:( Ah, well, I can still play with it's characters...:)
Read & Review!^^
Chapter 4: YOU tell B'Elanna…I'll be in Hiding…
~)0(~
Fluttering about the Mess Hall, Neelix was swiftly cooking up a storm in his anxious wait for news; as the Ship's Morale Officer, his job was to care and cater to the Crew. Right now, he was determined to keep up their spirits, despite the uncertainty they faced with the new Maltaran threat.
The Talaxian was also anxious for the smiling faces of his favourite pair of pranksters to appear in his Mess Hall, for the most part, their antics greatly helped him in his role; but mostly, he was concerned, as he knew both Tom and Harry had been beamed aboard nearly six hours ago. And yet, he had heard no news, nothing…
He saw his favourite person –who never seemed to reciprocate the feeling, or any feeling at all, for that matter- enter the Mess, and bustled over. "Ah, Mr Vulcan! How can I help you today? I have some lovely plomeek soup…?" he asked, excessively cheerfully; to which Tuvok raised an eyebrow, before answering, "No thank you, Mr Neelix. Is something bothering you, your greeting was 40% less enthusiastic than yesterday's…?"
"Oh, uh…Mr Tuvok, may I ask you something…?" he said, moving the Vulcan to a free table. He received another raised eyebrow, "Would this concern Ensign Kim and Lieutenant Paris, by any chance?"
"Ah! Perceptive as ever, I see! Yes…is something wrong? I haven't seen either of them, but I was told they were beamed aboard under fire." Smiled the ever-cheerful Neelix, fidgeting his hands with nervous energy; to which the Chief of Security replied, "They were beamed aboard under fire, you are correct. However, there were…complications, as to which I am also unaware; the only personnel aboard who know exact details of the situation are Commander Chakotay and Captain Janeway.
I suggest you ask one of them for more details, although, I suspect we will be briefed shortly on the situation. And, Mr Neelix…I have changed my mind…your Plomeek Soup sounds…palatable…"
"Right away, Mr Vulcan!" beamed the Talaxian and bustled off, not noticing the faintest hints of a smile twitching at the corner of the Security Chief's lips…
~)0(~
Silence hung in the air.
Finally it was broken by the sound of the Captain's quizzical voice, "What would give them that impression…?" She frowned. Mr Paris answered that for her, "Well, apparently on their crazy planet, they mistook the way we got along so well and didn't complain about sharing a room together for-…oh, well…okay, now I can see their point…but- I mean-…"
"Got you there Tom," smiled the Ensign, sitting up again and swinging his legs of the edge of the bed; a menacing glance from the Doctor halted any further movement. "Still, it was strange…we didn't even notice until about the third day there, during Peace Talks between the Maltarans and Libra'ans; when the High-Tresham, Pyron, asked us if we were bound…or wanted children…
We were understandably confused, not having any idea what he was talking about, but smiled back in that What-are-you-talking-about? Way, as anyone would. He kind of got incensed, so we agreed to go through with some customary thing or other in order to re-gain his trust.
He said it was an Ancient Ritual all who travels the walks of life together must undertake to be considered honourable. To be honest, I was kind of against it, but Tom…well, you know Tom…couldn't keep his mouth shut and spent the next day and a half wheedling me into it…I only gave in so he would shut up and give me a moment's peace!"
Lieutenant Paris snorted, "Pah! You make it sound like I was some annoying little brother, pestering you until you gave in and took me out for ice-cream! For your information, once I finished pestering you, you were more than willing to go along with the Ceremony-thingy, so it's half your fault too!"
"My fault?" said the startled Ensign, "How is this my fault? You were all pro-strange creepy ritual, and you know B'Lanna convinced the crew to vote me "Most Likely to find Bad Things in the Dark"! How did you think entering into something unknown with a bunch of vague, platitude-spouting aliens, was a good idea?"
"Hey! To be fair-" started Tom, before another voice joined the verbal battle…
"Gentleman…or should I say children?...tone it down a little, please. I just want to know, What Happened?" Janeway said, sighing and rolling her eyes at the ceiling, rubbing her forehead to assuage the oncoming headache.
Luckily, the Doctor happened to be psychic, and administered an analgesic via Hypospray, to the side of her neck; she grimaced at the hiss, but smiled at the relief it offered. "Now, you two need to calm down and give the facts. Just the Facts, got it?"
"Fine…" whined the Helmsman, "Alright, so after I tricke- uh, persuaded Harry to go through with their ceremony so they would continue to let us mediate their Peace Talks; we were taken to these caverns, below their main city. It was a mixture of nature and their technology, which is pretty advanced, to say the least…
Their soil is different, due to the differing levels of solar radiation their planet receives over countless centuries and the reaction of the minerals in it to the light levels; so the layers we witnessed up the walls of the caverns looked less like walls and more like horizontal rainbows…
I know Harry took some scans discreetly, if you want to look…Anyway, so, we were in this weird place and crystals started shooting out from the rocks all around us, I have to admit, it did freak me out a little. When we finally got to this Altar thingy, there were lots of them there…Maltarans everywhere!
And-…"
Suddenly the babies started to cry, Harry shot off the bed and over to their temporary crib, lifting out the little girl and making hushing sounds at the boy, as Tom took his time to haul himself off the Bio-bed.
"Hey, hey, little guy…it's okay…shhh!" The helmsmen cooed at the child, much to the amusement of a certain Captain and Doctor…
~)0(~
Her duties were quite clear and documented for the day; therefore, she felt minor irritation when she received the command from Chakotay, but, as always…realized Resistance was Futile, and so, went to deliver the message.
Passing many other personnel in the corridors, she avoided personal contact; she still felt uncomfortable being around hu-… other humans…but she would adapt, it was her nature.
Striding to the Sick Bay doors, she waited impatiently as the doors swished open to reveal the Doctor, Captain, Lieutenant Paris and Ensign Kim, the two latter holding…infants? Nevermind, she was here to perform a duty, and that she would do to peak efficiency. "Captain, Commander Chakotay has sent me here to deliver a message: 'Run for your lives, B'Elanna is coming and she's been in a foul mood all day long, even Vorak has admitted to having 'Concern for his own personal safety'. I have not been able to dissuade her from coming, prepare yourselves…'
Is this sufficient warning, Captain, or would you have me adjust my route so as to stall her? I calculate she will arrive in approximately 27 seconds."
"Thank you, Seven, but I don't think it will be necessary." Smiled Janeway, watching the door.
~)0(~
"Tom, Harry…B'Elanna's coming, and she's not happy," the soft voice broke through their thoughts, Tom began pale considerably; Harry smiled sympathetically, "Nice knowing you…"
TBC...
Thanks for Reading!^^
Please Review!^^
======================REVIEW=======