4_
Stardate 57927.6
December 4, 2380
"Pathfinder to Voyager, this is Lieutenant Commander Barclay."
Reg was punctual. It was a quality that was almost Borg like.
Icheb pressed a button on the console to open the channel.
"This is USS Voyager. Hello, Reg."
The large view screen of the astrometric lab switched to the Pathfinder channel. The smiling face of Reg appeared.
"Hello, Icheb. How are you?"
"I'm very busy at the moment. My Starfleet training is nearly finished. I will have my final exams soon."
He had started his Starfleet training nearly four years ago. Tuvok, as a formal Starfleet Academy teacher, had supervised his education. Icheb learned fast and he always exceeded the expectations of all his instructors.
"Have you already decided which color your future Starfleet uniform will have?"
"The decision is quite difficult. I'm very interested in astrometry and other sciences, but Lieutenant Torres thinks I will be a great enrichment to the engineering crew and Captain Janeway says I have all the good qualities of a commanding officer. Maybe I should invent a fourth uniform color."
Reg laughed.
"Well, I must say that I wouldn't swap my golden uniform for anything. Commander La Forge was also always convinced that I was a great enrichment to the engineering crew of the Enterprise. But I don't want to influence your decision. But may I give you a good advice – choose the work you enjoy most."
"Joy is irrelevant," Icheb said bemused. "I want to be useful for the ship and the crew."
"Yes, yes, but …" Reg was searching for a good response, but then the doors of the astrometric lab opened. Seven came in with a PADD in her hand.
"Ah, Seven," Reg said. He seemed to be glad not to have to continue the discussion with Icheb.
"Commander," Seven replied. Then she turned to Icheb.
"Have you told him?" she asked the young Brunali boy.
"Not yet. We were talking about my Starfleet training."
Reg was looking curiously at the two former Borg.
"Has something happened?" he asked.
"Something will happen soon," Icheb replied. "We will pass the border of the Delta Quadrant."
"That is … that is great," Reg said enthusiastically. "May I be the first from the Alpha Quadrant to congratulate you? Then you will be in the Beta Quadrant soon. Oh, it seems so much nearer to home …"
"Commander," Seven said quickly.
Icheb was glad that she had stopped Reg's enthusiastic rant, but he couldn't conceal a small grin.
"Have you got the data I asked you for?" Seven asked the still beaming Reg.
Icheb knew she wanted to conceal that she had ordered a Christmas present for the Doctor. He once had made the whole ship knowing that B'Elanna Torres was pregnant within hours. Obviously Seven doesn't wanted that the Doctor knew his present before he got it. But Icheb was cleverer than she expected. He pretended not to know the content of the data which was now transmitted by the MIDAS phalanx.
"Transmission complete," flashed on the small screen under Seven's hands.
"I'm sure you will like it," Reg said.
"Thank you, Commander," Seven said smiling at Reg.
"It's always an honor for me to help the crew of the Voyager." He smiled back at her. "Till next week then. And Icheb …" he added looking at him "Good luck!"