Dissclaimer: - I do not own Star Trek Voyager or any chacters connected with the show however I do own Tevy.
NB:- THIS STORY HAS BEEN EDITED AND MAY NOT MAKE SENSE UNLESS YOU HAVE READ THE UPDATED PREVIOUS CHAPTERS
Chapter 3:- New Beginnings
Over the next couple of days, remaining with the safe confines of sickbay where in she found peace of mind tempered with the constant comforting presence of the Doctor;Tevy gradually regained her strength,.
Once the remainder of her body armour had been removed, the doctor had once again turn his hands to the art ofa tailor, creating several dresses of various design and occasion for her benifit. Presently she was clad in a green sundress trimmed with black velvet ribbon that fell just shot of her knees fanning out from her waist. Unused to communicating verbally, Tevy had been convinced that she had lost the ability however with the doctor's plainspoken and highly approachable manner in addition to much encouragement she had once again mastered the ability. In consequence she had quite unintentionally grown rather attached to the dear doctor and all his idiosyncrasies.
Contently sitting upon on the sick bed that had become her own, looking through various medical calculations that the doctor had given her earlier to 'exercise the little grey cells', Tevy was oblivious to the new arrival as they entered sickbay. So as you can imagine, it was thus an utter surprise to look up from her texts to be confronted by the doctor and one Talaxian male in middle years.
"Tevy, I would like to introduce you to Neelix our ships ambassador and moral officer"
Neelix bowed touching a finger to his forehead then to his heart. "Knock sumo tish ma, it's a pleasure to meet you "
Tevy starred at him her face paralysed "I'm sorry" she replied her voice squeaking slightly as she shook his outstretched hand.
"It's your planetary greeting, …" stuttered Neelix unsure "I know that you are a telepathic species and I probably got my pronunciation wrong but … um."
"Its fine" Tevy brushed off quickly "As they say on earth it's the thought that counts" she continued flashing him her best smile, in hopes that this would be the end of the coversation.
"Neelix has come to give you a tour of the ship and acquaint you with your new surroundings" interjected the doctor intending to break the awkward silence.
Tevy's face seemed to become drawn with concern, her movements hesitant.
"There's no need to worry" comforted the doctor "Neelix will take good care of you."
"Very well" conceded Tevy masking her apprehension almost instantly, hoping off the bed in mock anticipation "Shall we begin?"
"I can't tell you how excited I am to meet you," rambled Neelix breathlessly as they walked together in the corridor. "I have heard so many stories of your kind but to actually meet one … well it quite takes my breath away. I mean to think of what you have seen."
"Yes" slurred Tevy rolling her eyes.
"But let us not dwell on the past when there is so much at hand in the present. First of all I am going to take you to the mess hall, and then the holodecks, … and then I thought I could introduce you to some of the crew; how does that sound"
"That sounds … lovely," replied Tevy the hesitancy in her voice barley readable as she followed him through a pair of double doors.
"Ahh" cried Neelix attempting to rally Tevy's waining spirit "This is the mess hall. It is where I prepare food for the crew and where they socialise when not on duty"
Like a lightning bolt Naomi Wildman who had been eagerly awaiting a chance to introduce herself to the new arrival, presently trotted over to there position.
"And this" continued Neelix placing a hand upon Naomi's shoulder with a crooked smile "is Naomi Wildman, future captain's assistant"
"Hello, it is a pleasure to welcome you to our ship" interjected Naomi shaking Tevy's hand firmly. "Is it true that your species exists as a hive mind like the Borg?"
"Urm Naomi, I don't think that is the most appropriate ..." began Neelix before being brusquely cut off by Tevy.
"Sort of … but we're more like humans than you think"
"How is that, I am not a telepath?" a worried look crossed her face "Are you reading my thoughts right now?"
Neelix watched in amazement as the girlwho said no more than three words since their departure from sick bay began to laugh, full and loud bending down gracefully on one knee so that she was face to face with Naomi.
"No, I am not" she responded to Naomi's question the laughter still in her voice "Where I'm come from we consider that rude" she continued pulling a mock serious face. "You see we have two ways of thinking just like you have two ways of talking."
Naomi looked at her one eyebrow raised "Humans do not have two ways of talking"
"Of really" question Tevy playfully "So your telling me you never think things in your head that you wouldn't say out loud"
Naomi blushed a bit looking at her toes.
"It's the same with my species, we share only certain things that would be beneficial to our community, place's we've been, people we've met, it's like a giant encyclopaedia. Nobody would care if I think that eggs smell would they, because they're my thoughts, thought by me just for me"
Naomi giggled at this grabbing Tevy's hand as she rose back up to her feet, "You have to come and meet Icheb, you'd really like him and he's probably getting mad at me for running off."
"I'd love to Naomi but I have a prior engagement, Neelix here is showing me around the ship."
"That's alright" comforted Neelix glad to have found a way to make his young charge smile "I'm sure Naomi can show you anywhere you wish, and Icheb could use some company of his own age for a change."
So gently encouraged by Neelix a slightly overwhelmed Tevy was taken to where a young man sat quietly reading some text.
"Icheb this is the girl I was telling you about, Tevy" Neelix informed him smiling once again in his usual friendly manner.
Standing a good foot taller than her, Icheb stood looking down at her with his steadfast amiable gaze.
"I know, why don't you sit here with Icheb, whilst I whip you up some food"beamed Neelix feeling he had finally broken through the girl's barriers.
Although she hated to admit it, this 'tour of the ship' had been quite unsettling, the lack of voices inside her head contrasted with the multitude of broken conversation she was hearing, was beginning to make Tevy feel somewhat claustrophobic.
Icheb studied her carefully as she perched upon her chair beside Naomi who was now preoccupied with her next move in their game of cadiscat. He noticed how Tevy had stratigically pressed her left hand lightlyagainst her cheek so that she may subtly chewed the nail of her index finger.
"How are you finding Voyager?"
"Unsettling" she let out with a sigh, knowing that Icheb being an ex-borg, would understand "It is altogether too quite and yet to loud, and I had grown unacustomedtothe needed of constantirrelevant conversation." her eyes drifted apologetically towardsNeelix"Voyger is much different from the Borg" she continued smiling in embarrassment
"I shortly have to deliver Naomi back to her lessons with the doctor, if the noise is disconcerting you, I take you somewhere more … peaceful." suggested Icheb in his usual mannar.
Returning from the kitchen his arms full of various foods that he had thought Tevy might enjoy Neelix was alarmed to find his charge had vanished from beneath his eyes. He scanned the room desperately only to catch a brief glimpse of her and Icheb as they retreated from the room, and he smiled.
"This is the astrometric's lab, where I work with Seven of Nine" explained Icheb to his newfound companion.
"Seven of Nine?" she asked him her eyes sparkling and relaxed.
"She was a Borg drone until Captain Janeway liberated her from the collective, she has been guiding me in becoming and individual."
Tevy listened to him with curiosity as she wandered around the room, once again amazed at the advancements humanity had taken in the relatively short period since she had last been on earth. Looking up at the view screen she found herself confronted bythe beautiful image of a nebula where the stars sparkled like diamonds in a sea of blue, black and amethyst.
"The Tevshiaunaba nebula" informed Icheb "I have been studying it for weeks, it is truly fascinating." Tevy paused looking over her shoulder and smiled.
"Are you interested in astro physics?" asked Icheb eagerly.
Tevy pulled a face, crinkling her nose as she softly shook her head.
"Starts, galaxies, plants … they're a thing of beauty to me something to marvel upon. I find in studying them everything that was once miraculous is lost."
Icheb listened attentively to her words watching how she twittered around him, constantly moving, her movements long and graceful like the tree's swying in the wind.
"Its like a book" she continued perching before him, straightening the creases in her dress."If you analyse the meaning of each individual word the essence and atmosphere that the author is trying to project is lost"
Icheb looked at her curiously a smile catching the corners of his mouth as he puzzled over her bizarre logic.
"So you dislike calculation and science?"
"I didn't say that" she replied giving him her quirky smile, "I just like to appreciate the wonder of creation"
It was the end of the day and Neelix was tidying the galley before retiring for the evening, when Seven entered the mess hall.
"Hello Seven, what brings you here at this late hour?"
"I had come to collect the new arrival …"
"Tevy" corrected Neelix
Seven sighedobviously frustrated"Tevy; for her regeneration cycle, I was informed by the doctor that she was with you, however it appears he was incorrect"
"I believe she accompanied Icheb to Astrometrics, according to Naomi she found the mess hall 'disconcerting'" Neelix chuckled to himself "If you're lucky they may still be there"
"Very well, good night"
Having collected both her charges from Astrometrics, Seven had informed them in her usual manner that it was now time to regenerate and was thus pleased at their amicable compliance, following her to cargo bay without resistance, with Icheb directing points of interest to Tevy as they passed.
On entering cargo bay two Tevy was surprise at the amount of Borg apparatus present in the room.
"It was transported to Voyager during a brief alliance with the Borg" informed Icheb in response to her curious looks. Surrounded by the familiar apparatus Tevy felt relaxed and was quite content to climb into the alcove beside Icheb.
"Tomorrow" whispered Icheb in a challenging voice "I will demonstrate to you the beauty in calculation"
"You can try" were Tevy's last words before she slipped into the deep dreamless slumber induced by regeneration.
Tevy awoke from her regeneration cycle to find the cargo bay empty, Icheb was gone, Seven was gone. In fact the room was pitch black, barren of any object, the only light emanating from her lone alcove, which stood behind her like a lonecactus in a lifeless dessert.
"Why have you abandoned us?" came an oh so familiar voice.
Stepping forth Tevy stood undaunted starring into the darkness.
"You need us," whispered the Borg Queen as she stepped foreword from the shadows.
"I have terminated our agreement," stated Tevy blandly.
"You wish to remain on Voyager," she commented tilting her head to one side "But Voyager cannot protect you"
"My protection is non of you concern, I merely do not require your services anymore." Tevy replied bluntly her face coldly appraising the Queen as she stood before her.
"However you may try to fight it, deep down inside you know that you belong with us, you are one of us." She murmured as she circled Tevy. "You were just a runaway child when we found you but we nurtured you, made you strong and we know who you are! Can you say the same for Voyager?" she whispered breaking their connection.
Hours later, on waking from his regeneration cycle Icheb found himself confronted by Tevy's troubled figure, which sat huddled upon a console. Although sitting, with her back towards him, Icheb could clearly distinguish the forlorn look upon her face, as she sat leaning her chin heavily against the knee that she clutched tightly to her chest.
"Is your alcove malfunctioning?" questioned Icheb stepping forth his brow furrowed.
For a long while she did not answer, merely sliding her face towards him in a fashion that troubled Icheb, only to be replaced in aninstant by a slow warm smile.
"I require little time to regenerate, that is all"
Icheb walked to her side, unconvinced, however before he had chance to pursue the matter she jumped down lightly from her perch flashing him a devilish smile.
"How ever I am hungry"