Chapter 4: Dr. Fontana
Tuvok sat by himself in the mess hall, with a hot cup of Vulcan tea cradled in his hands. The mess hall was a much different place from the empty room in which Harry had sat working two nights ago. Now, during the bustle of the day, the echoing space had transformed. It was full; full of light, full of food-smells, full of people, and full of the sounds of laughter and conversation as crewmen gathered to share a meal. Neelix presided over the chaotic proceedings, a whirlwind of good nature, walling in the joyous atmosphere, and clanking pots and pans as he attempted to fix edible dishes from the gleanings Voyager collected from a hodgepodge array of Delta Quadrant planets.
The mess hall doors slid open to admit Harry, who was looking much more like his usual self in a clean, pressed uniform and newly shined boots. The dark circles under his eyes were gone, and the haggard expression had been replaced by a look of youthful enthusiasm. Harry spotted Tuvok and moved purposefully through the crowd in his direction, pausing to order a glass of orange juice from the replicator nearest the door. Harry paused diffidently when he reached Tuvok's solitary table. "Would you mind if I joined you, Sir?"
"Not at all, Ensign, although I must warn you that I am under orders not to assist you in continuing your examination of the nebula. The Doctor was most insistent that you relax." Tuvok took a sip of his tea as Harry's face reddened slightly.
"Actually that wasn't what I came to talk to you about," Harry quickly replied. He continued in a tone that was slightly off from his normal speaking voice. "I thought I could use the time off to brush up on transporter usage. I was hoping you could help me understand the theory and application of site-to-site transport in localized areas. I'm afraid I never quite mastered the concept."
Tuvok briefly considered Harry's request. "I do not believe that is in violation of the Doctor's orders. Site-to-site transport was first preformed by Dr. Fontana."
Tuvok sat by himself in the mess hall, with a hot cup of Vulcan tea cradled in his hands. The mess hall was a much different place from the empty room in which Harry had sat working two nights ago. Now, during the bustle of the day, the echoing space had transformed. It was full; full of light, full of food-smells, full of people, and full of the sounds of laughter and conversation as crewmen gathered to share a meal. Neelix presided over the chaotic proceedings, a whirlwind of good nature, walling in the joyous atmosphere, and clanking pots and pans as he attempted to fix edible dishes from the gleanings Voyager collected from a hodgepodge array of Delta Quadrant planets.
The mess hall doors slid open to admit Harry, who was looking much more like his usual self in a clean, pressed uniform and newly shined boots. The dark circles under his eyes were gone, and the haggard expression had been replaced by a look of youthful enthusiasm. Harry spotted Tuvok and moved purposefully through the crowd in his direction, pausing to order a glass of orange juice from the replicator nearest the door. Harry paused diffidently when he reached Tuvok's solitary table. "Would you mind if I joined you, Sir?"
"Not at all, Ensign, although I must warn you that I am under orders not to assist you in continuing your examination of the nebula. The Doctor was most insistent that you relax." Tuvok took a sip of his tea as Harry's face reddened slightly.
"Actually that wasn't what I came to talk to you about," Harry quickly replied. He continued in a tone that was slightly off from his normal speaking voice. "I thought I could use the time off to brush up on transporter usage. I was hoping you could help me understand the theory and application of site-to-site transport in localized areas. I'm afraid I never quite mastered the concept."
Tuvok briefly considered Harry's request. "I do not believe that is in violation of the Doctor's orders. Site-to-site transport was first preformed by Dr. Fontana."