=/\=
Icheb knew Seven meant well, but sometimes her lessons could be extremely trying. Whenever she went into full "Borg" mode, Icheb had to rely on the patience he'd been forced to develop when he was First's underling. Tom Paris had dubbed this behavior of Seven's as "Borg perfectionism," after she took issue to the fact he had not requested certain details when he came to her regarding a projected flight path. Voyager was taking what Tom called "pretty much a straight line heading" through a nebula, and all he wanted to know was if the more refined equipment in Astrometrics had detected obstructions in their path which his instruments at the helm had failed to pick up. Seven had taken exception to the fact he hadn't wanted her to identify the exact composition of the gases in the area as they were passing through. Icheb understood completely why Tom really didn't need to know anything about which elements they would encounter. Seven, of course, had another opinion.
This was one of those "perfectionist" days, too. When Icheb explained, "The Starfleet manual allows for a variance of point three," Seven wasn't satisfied.
"That's only a guideline. You can do better," Seven admonished, as she moved quickly from one warp control panel to another. Icheb shook his head slightly. Would any of his Starfleet superior officers ever be as picky as Seven of Nine? Doubtful.
Icheb's musings were interrupted by a growled, "I don't remember giving you permission to work up here." The lift carrying the chief engineer to the upper level of Engineering, where Seven and Icheb were working, was still on the ascent as she spoke.
Icheb turned towards Lieutenant Torres and said, penitently, "I'm sorry, Lieutenant."
An unapologetic Seven shrugged her shoulders. "I'm helping Icheb study warp mechanics."
Once the lift had stopped, the lieutenant stepped off and began to walk down the stairs. "You should have notified me. It's a busy day, and I . . ." Uncharacteristically, Lieutenant Torres stumbled off the final step and fell into Seven's arms.
"I'm fine," Lieutenant Torres assured them as she stood and brushed herself off. Clearly, she was not, however, as she grabbed her head and admitted she was feeling a bit woozy.
Although Icheb only had a standard tricorder available, he quickly switched it to read vital signs and ran it over the lieutenant. The reading shocked him. "I'm detecting another life-sign."
"Where?" Seven asked, looking around.
"Inside Lieutenant Torres. It could be a parasite."
Icheb handed Seven the tricorder. After she looked at the readout, her eyes opened wide, and she hit her combadge to contact the Doctor.
:::Go ahead.::: The EMH responded.
"I'll be accompanying Lieutenant Torres to Sickbay."
:::What's wrong?:::
As she looked down on the chief engineer, Seven replied, "I believe she's pregnant."
Lieutenant Torres looked as shocked as Icheb felt. Not a parasite after all, he thought with chagrin. He would have to be more detail-oriented in the future. Obviously, "Borg perfectionism" did have its place.
=/\=
When Icheb went into the mess hall for his mid-morning nutritional supplement snack, Neelix was working in the kitchen. When he saw the young former Borg, he greeted him, as he usually did, with, "Icheb! Wonderful to see you! How are things going?"
"Very well," Icheb replied.
Since no one else was in the mess hall at that hour, Icheb had a chance to speak with the chef/morale officer/ambassador for several minutes. Conversing with Neelix was always easy for Icheb, sometimes too easy. He often shared things with Neelix he hadn't planned on revealing. Icheb wasn't sure exactly how it happened, but just as Icheb was about to leave, he said to Neelix, "I have a delicate question for you. Normally, I ask Tom about this type of thing, but this time, I need to ask you. It concerns single-cell sexual reproduction."
"Oh, well, I'll answer it if I can."
"Neelix, I was wondering. How do Talaxians reproduce? I couldn't find anything in our data system about your people when I checked a little while ago."
Neelix was somewhat flustered, but he answered, "I never thought I needed to add that sort of information into the computer, since I'm the only Talaxian on board. The Doctor has all the information he needs about me from his physical exams." Neelix paused, but the expectant look on the young former Borg's face encouraged him to continue. "Truthfully, the process is basically the same as all the humanoids on Voyager. The couple gets very close, and the male and the female . . . um." He paused, looking quite a bit more uncomfortable. "Let me clarify that. The one exception was my dear Kes. The Ocampa . . . well, the female has something called an Elogium, and starts to eat dirt and bugs, and . . . um . . . how detailed do you want this explanation to be, anyway, Icheb? Can't Seven answer your question?"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be intrusive, Neelix. If you don't want to tell me, that's okay. I do know the basic male and female process, which leads to procreation and gestation. I didn't want to ask the Doctor my question, though, because he would probably want to know if I wished to become involved with someone."
"Ah, you're right. I'm sure he would. The subject has always been of great interest to him. May I ask what brought on this question of yours?"
So Icheb told Neelix what happened in Engineering.
Since he'd arrived on Voyager almost a year ago, Icheb had learned that Neelix often became enthused about unusual events, but he'd never known anyone to be so thrilled to hear about a crewmate's error before.
=/\=
A couple of days later, Icheb was working with Seven when Lieutenant Paris came to Astrometrics. "I want to thank you both for helping B'Elanna when she fainted," he said.
"I'm glad it wasn't a parasite," Seven replied, glancing in Icheb's direction. He sighed. Thanks to her eidetic memory, she would never forget his mistake. He hoped she wouldn't remind him of it too frequently. Why did he always seem to have misunderstandings like this with Lieutenant Torres? She was an officer any cadet would want to impress!
Tom didn't laugh. "Well, you probably don't know this, but there may be some problems with the pregnancy."
The jokes stopped immediately. "I'm sorry to hear that," Seven said earnestly.
"The Doctor suggested a treatment for the baby, but his findings are very confusing . . . at least to me," Tom admitted. He looked plaintively at Icheb. "You have some expertise in genetics. Do you mind taking a look at this?"
"Of course not," Icheb said, taking the proffered PADD.
While Icheb copied the data from the PADD into his console, Seven tried to reassure Tom. "Whatever the problem is, I have no doubt the Doctor will solve it."
"I hope you're right." Icheb thought Tom sounded worried.
After a couple of minutes, as Icheb watched the data reel by on the viewscreen of his console, he frowned. He opened a second screen, allowing him to convert the mathematical symbols to images of the baby's proposed DNA strand. After comparing the data screens, Icheb announced, "Lieutenant Paris, your confusion is understandable. There's a computational error."
Tom's spirits soared, but Seven said worriedly, "It's not like the Doctor to make a mistake like this."
"I didn't think that was possible," Tom agreed. "Unless . . . there's some sort of glitch in his program."
"I'll run a diagnostic," Seven informed him and turned to her own console to examine the EMH program.
Although Icheb immediately began to think of ways to fix the Doctor's computational error, Icheb said, "Please tell Lieutenant Torres, if there's anything I can do . . ."
"I'll let her know," Tom said sincerely. "Thanks."
After a very short time, Seven straightened her back and leaned away from her console. "It appears to be more than a glitch. I believe the Doctor's program has been tampered with."
Tom quickly slapped his chest to activate his combadge. "B'Elanna, this is Tom. Respond." When there was no response, he called out, "Computer, locate Lieutenant Torres!"
:::Lieutenant Torres is in Sickbay.:::
He couldn't think of a reason either Lieutenant Torres or the Doctor would fail to answer Tom's first comm request, so Icheb was not surprised when Seven announced a few seconds later, "Someone's blocked communications to Sickbay."
Tom gritted his teeth and asked Seven if she could deactivate the Doctor.
Seven tried, but finally she was forced to admit, "Access to his program has been restricted."
The helmsman did not look surprised to hear this, either. "Keep trying. Paris to Tuvok."
:::Go ahead.:::
"Meet me in Sickbay."
=/\=
As fast as gossip usually traveled around the ship, today Icheb heard nothing about what had happened in Sickbay. Icheb surmised that Commander Tuvok instructed his security team not to discuss the incident with anyone. Even Naomi didn't have any idea what Icheb was talking about when he asked her if she'd heard any rumors lately. The only hint he had that everything had turned out all right was the look on the couple's face when they appeared in the mess hall later that evening. Tom announced to everyone who was present, "If you've heard any rumors to the effect that there's going to be another baby on board Voyager - they're all true! Not that anyone could possibly have heard anything from anyone in here . . ." Tom stared at Neelix when he said the last part, which caused the Talaxian's cheeks to assume an orange glow. Gaining his composure, Neelix congratulated the couple in his usual effusive way, as if he hadn't already done so when he offered them to Tom on the day the pregnancy was discovered.
Icheb had already examined the information Tom had given him in greater detail. He'd quickly realized that the changes to "treat" whatever was supposedly wrong with the baby were, in fact, designed to remove her Klingon genes. This did not appear to be a wise idea to Icheb. If anything, the baby's Klingon inheritance would be to her benefit, making her stronger physically. If all the changes indicated on the PADD were made, Icheb believed several enzymes essential for digestion would not be manufactured in the baby's body. It was unlikely the Doctor had recommended these changes, but if his program had been tampered with . . .
Wasn't Lieutenant Torres happy to be part Klingon?
Icheb realized he didn't know as much about Klingon culture as he did that of humans. So far, most of his Starfleet training had emphasized the founding races of the Federation. He resolved to look more into the Klingons when he had the chance. He also wondered how difficult it might be for for people who are not wholly of one species to accept all the characteristics of both of their heritages. He'd heard Lieutenant Torres had a tendency to lose her temper easily, and she blamed her "Klingon side" whenever it happened. While Icheb and Seven had both been Borg, their dual heritages had been imposed upon them mechanically. It wasn't comparable to what Lieutenant Torres, Naomi, or Aimee Gilmore might face, as children of two different species by genetic code.
The more he thought about it, the more interesting a question it became. While this didn't directly involve the science of genetics, perhaps investigating how people of mixed backgrounds felt about their dual heritage was a worthwhile subject for him to study.
That evening, Icheb went to Seven and asked her if she thought he should return the PADD with the proposed genetic modifications to Tom, or save the device for future use - after completely erasing all the data and copying other files over the genetic inquiry. "Which course of action do you conclude would be the wisest, Icheb?" Seven asked.
"I believe erasure and reuse of the PADD would be best." Seven agreed with this decision, and Icheb complied.
=/\=
The next day, Icheb was giving Naomi a lesson in classifying a nebula by its constituent gases. While Seven was overseeing the lesson, she was not contributing anything to it. This was Icheb's responsibility, and he was doing it well. The lesson was almost over when Lieutenant Torres came into Astrometrics. She spoke briefly to Seven until Naomi had to leave for her next assignment. "A biology lesson with the Doctor! Ugh!"
Once Naomi was gone, Lieutenant Torres addressed them. "I came to thank both of you for your assistance in Engineering, when I got a little dizzy - when you discovered my pregnancy."
"We're glad we were of service to you, Lieutenant," Seven said.
Lieutenant Torres looked up at the Astrometrics view screen, then to the side, and then to the floor - anywhere, but at either of them - before adding, "As for the rest . . . I . . . " She seemed to run out of words to say.
Seven relieved the awkward situation. "Don't worry, Lieutenant. Neither of us will divulge what happened when Lieutenant Paris came to us for help."
"Thank you," Lieutenant Torres answered softly, finally meeting their gazes full on. "I'm glad you found that 'computational error,' Icheb. It's something I should have . . . caught myself."
Icheb didn't know whether he should respond to this, or if he should change the subject. The lieutenant changed it for him. "So, Icheb, if you wish to work on warp mechanics in Engineering, I'm sure it will be helpful to all of us in the future. Just leave me a message before you get there, to warn me when you're coming. You know, it's better if I'm not surprised . . . especially now."
Icheb and Seven both murmured they would certainly do that and they should have done it that time, too. Once their overlapping apologies for overstepping the chief engineer's authority were finished, Seven asked her, "How are you feeling? You haven't experienced any more spells of dizziness?"
"I'm feeling great. And the baby is doing great, too. When I was in Sickbay today, I felt the baby move. It was very exciting."
"Have you picked out a name yet, Lieutenant?" Icheb said.
She sighed deeply. "Oh, no! Not you, too! I've already got such a long list of choices. Should I choose Kathryn? Frella? Taya? Floxia? Marya? Gertrude?"
"Gertrude is the name of Hamlet's mother! Who suggested that name for your baby?" Icheb asked.
"Joe Carey. But he was joking. I hope. Since everyone else seems so interested in making a suggestion, what about you two. Do you have one you want me to add to the list?"
"In my studies, I've discovered an ancient people called the Romans who named their children with numbers, like Septima and Octavia," Icheb offered, glancing towards Seven with a barely suppressed grin.
Even Seven chuckled as Lieutenant Torres said, "Good one, Icheb. I think we'll leave Septima for you to use if you ever have a child. Numbers are more your thing than Tom's or mine." She hesitated, and then added, "but I'll add Octavia to the list. Tom should get a laugh over that one."
Icheb smiled. It was nice to see Lieutenant Torres back to herself again.
The lieutenant began to take her leave from Astrometrics, but just before she reached the door, she swung back into the room. "By the way, I've noticed you call Tom by his name a lot of the time, but I'm always 'Lieutenant Torres.' Why is that, Icheb?"
"He told me once that he's 'Lieutenant Paris' at the helm, and 'Mr. Paris' in Sickbay, because that's what the Doctor calls him. But he told me that if he's off duty, I should call him Tom."
"That makes perfect sense. Why don't you do the same for me? When I'm off duty - which I am right now, you can call me B'Elanna. In Engineering, I'm Lieutenant Torres. In fact, Seven, you might want to do the same. Just one of those 'human social behaviors' you're always studying, you know? There's a time and a place to be formal, and another to be casual."
"Thank you, Lieutenant," Seven said formally, prompting a smile from the chief engineer. "Since I'm presently at my duty station, I prefer formality."
"Ah, of course," the chief engineer said, bemused. Turning to Icheb, she asked, "Shall I call you Cadet here, then?"
"Icheb is fine . . . B'Elanna."
After B'Elanna laughed and left, Icheb turned to Seven. "Shall I be Cadet Icheb to you when I'm on duty?" he asked.
"Unless you plan on calling me Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One whenever we are in here, I'd suggest you continue using the short form of my name."
"Until you're my mother, that is. Unless you still want to be Seven then?"
"Whatever you want to call me when that time comes will be fine with me, Icheb." From the warm expression in her eyes as she looked at him, Icheb decided it didn't really matter. She'd be his mother, and his mentor, no matter how he addressed her.
=/\=