CHAPTER THREE:
At dinner that night, after Harry went off duty, they all settled down to a large meal in the mess hall. Even the Doctor was present.
"I saw the Seeker," B'Elanna said, in between mouthfuls of food. "Is that really the shuttle?"
"Yes." Amelia said proudly. "It is. My father and I redesigned it, when I was about eight. I've been improving it since then, but it's basically the same."
B'Elanna looked thoughtful as she chewed her food. Before she could open her mouth and demand a technical readout, Tom interrupted. "How does she fly?" he asked.
"Like a dream." Amelia said. "You'll have to take her out one day."
"I will." Tom agreed.
"Did the Captain and Commander have all they required?" Tuvok asked.
"Mostly." Amelia told him. "What we didn't have, we could make or find. Unfortunately though, mum's science equipment was damaged in one of the planet's seasonal plasma storms, so she couldn't continue the research until we got replacements."
"There were no readings of plasma storms on the planets surface." Tuvok said.
"As I said, they're seasonal. You wouldn't have been able to pick them up, unless you came in storm season." Amelia replied.
Tuvok nodded, looking as thoughtful as a Vulcan could.
Neelix took the opportunity to ask, "I must say, Amelia, but that is a beautiful necklace."
Amelia's hand automatically went to her neck. "My father made it."
"I had no idea Commander Chakotay was so gifted." The Doctor said.
"He paint's and sculpts too." Amelia said. "And he's also a bit of a carpenter."
"Really?" the Doctor asked.
Amelia smiled. "Mum also paints, but she prefers her garden."
She looked at the faces before her. "They will be so happy to see you again. They missed you so much."
Tom looked embarrassed, and quickly asked a question. "Do you have any brother's or sisters?"
"Yes." Amelia nodded. "I have older twin brothers."
This piece of news was greeted with amazed looks. "I know." Amelia said dryly. "And you don't even live with them!"
This drew a few chuckles from the crew, but Amelia couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed. "I'm sure Mum and Dad would be able to tell you the rest."
Talk then turned to all the places they had been, and the people they had met. For hours they talked, debated and teased one another. Amelia was amazed at how easily the crew accepted her, and made her feel one of them.
As the discussion came to an end, and before to many arguments started, Harry asked, "How about we retire to my ready room? I'm sure Amelia would love to see it."
Everyone agreed, and they made their way to the room. Amelia entered, and found a pleasant room decorated with delicate art, and musical instruments. She thought it was exactly like Harry.
"It's beautiful." She said.
"Thank you." Harry replied.
She made her way to the couch beneath the large viewport, and sat down. The others joined her. "It seems I promised you a story." Tom said, after a moment.
Amelia grinned, and Tom said. "Well, how do I begin? Ah, yes - Once upon a time, there was a large starship known as USS Voyager - "
At dinner that night, after Harry went off duty, they all settled down to a large meal in the mess hall. Even the Doctor was present.
"I saw the Seeker," B'Elanna said, in between mouthfuls of food. "Is that really the shuttle?"
"Yes." Amelia said proudly. "It is. My father and I redesigned it, when I was about eight. I've been improving it since then, but it's basically the same."
B'Elanna looked thoughtful as she chewed her food. Before she could open her mouth and demand a technical readout, Tom interrupted. "How does she fly?" he asked.
"Like a dream." Amelia said. "You'll have to take her out one day."
"I will." Tom agreed.
"Did the Captain and Commander have all they required?" Tuvok asked.
"Mostly." Amelia told him. "What we didn't have, we could make or find. Unfortunately though, mum's science equipment was damaged in one of the planet's seasonal plasma storms, so she couldn't continue the research until we got replacements."
"There were no readings of plasma storms on the planets surface." Tuvok said.
"As I said, they're seasonal. You wouldn't have been able to pick them up, unless you came in storm season." Amelia replied.
Tuvok nodded, looking as thoughtful as a Vulcan could.
Neelix took the opportunity to ask, "I must say, Amelia, but that is a beautiful necklace."
Amelia's hand automatically went to her neck. "My father made it."
"I had no idea Commander Chakotay was so gifted." The Doctor said.
"He paint's and sculpts too." Amelia said. "And he's also a bit of a carpenter."
"Really?" the Doctor asked.
Amelia smiled. "Mum also paints, but she prefers her garden."
She looked at the faces before her. "They will be so happy to see you again. They missed you so much."
Tom looked embarrassed, and quickly asked a question. "Do you have any brother's or sisters?"
"Yes." Amelia nodded. "I have older twin brothers."
This piece of news was greeted with amazed looks. "I know." Amelia said dryly. "And you don't even live with them!"
This drew a few chuckles from the crew, but Amelia couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed. "I'm sure Mum and Dad would be able to tell you the rest."
Talk then turned to all the places they had been, and the people they had met. For hours they talked, debated and teased one another. Amelia was amazed at how easily the crew accepted her, and made her feel one of them.
As the discussion came to an end, and before to many arguments started, Harry asked, "How about we retire to my ready room? I'm sure Amelia would love to see it."
Everyone agreed, and they made their way to the room. Amelia entered, and found a pleasant room decorated with delicate art, and musical instruments. She thought it was exactly like Harry.
"It's beautiful." She said.
"Thank you." Harry replied.
She made her way to the couch beneath the large viewport, and sat down. The others joined her. "It seems I promised you a story." Tom said, after a moment.
Amelia grinned, and Tom said. "Well, how do I begin? Ah, yes - Once upon a time, there was a large starship known as USS Voyager - "