5: Neelix


Neelix muffled a Talaxian swear word as he attempted to root out his favourite pan from the back of one of his cupboards. Once his mother's, the pan was almost his most treasured possession, and he used it only on special occasions. As far as Neelix was concerned, outwitting the Borg Queen (yet again) was unquestionably a special occasion, and he was determined to 'whip up' something suitable.

Beaming with satisfaction, he clunked the pan on top of the bar, and then straightened. His smile faded as he came face to face with a morose First Officer.

"Commander? What is it? Nothing's gone wrong? The Captain-?"

Chakotay waved a hand to stop the torrent of questions. "The Captain, Tuvok, and B'Elanna are doing as well as can be expected. The Doctor and Seven are removing most of the implants as we speak."

Neelix's fuzzy eyebrows went up. "Already?"

"No time like the present." Chakotay shuffled, uncharacteristically uncomfortable in his own body.

Neelix looked at him. Chakotay's eyes were ringed in black, giving them the appearance of dark holes in his skull. Even the tattoo seemed faded with exhaustion. "Commander?" he ventured.

Chakotay looked up.

"Do you want something? To eat? Or just to talk?"

The First Officer tried to smile. "Thanks, Neelix, but I'd like to sit in quiet for a while."

"I'm sure the Doctor would prefer it if you rested," Neelix pointed out. "I understand you'll be in command for some time."

Chakotay shot him a glare worthy of the Captain herself. "I'm sure he would," he returned drily, "but I'm not going anywhere until I know those three are out of surgery and resting comfortably."

Especially the Captain, Neelix thought but did not say. The entire ship knew that there was a special bond between Captain and First Officer; something between the friendship Kathryn Janeway shared with Tuvok, and the overt love that bound B'Elanna Torres and Tom Paris together. Further definition was impossible; the Command team's relationship defined easy, neat, attempts at categorisation.

"Have you seen her?"

"What is this, twenty questions? Yes. I saw her yesterday afternoon when she'd rested some. Borg or not, she was still the Captain. Wanted a full report. Wouldn't tell me how she was feeling. 'I'm fine.' I told her once she'd say that if she'd had her legs ripped off, but I was joking. At least, I thought I was. Bloody Borg."

The unusual venom in Chakotay's voice made the little Talaxian flinch, and Chakotay glanced up.

"What is it? I'm not gonna apologise."

Neelix's golden eyes flicked warily over Chakotay's left shoulder, preparing the other man for what came next: the precise, clipped tones of Seven of Nine.

"I would not expect you to, Commander."

Chakotay turned slowly so that he leaned his weight on the arm resting on the bar and faced the former drone. He hesitated, and for a moment Neelix thought that he would, after all, apologise. The hesitation lasted for only a moment, however.

"Seven. How'd it go?"

"The Captain and Lieutenant Torres are out of surgery," Seven told them. "The Doctor has decided to wait until tomorrow before finishing with Commander Tuvok."

Chakotay raised a dark brow. "Problem?"

"The neural block was ineffective in Commander Tuvok's case," Seven observed with her usual detachment. "Therefore, it will longer before the Doctor can remove all of his implants. The Captain and Lieutanent Torres, however, are virtually implant free."

Neelix thought Seven's voice sounded a little softer than was her wont

as she uttered the final sentence, but he couldn't be certain. Not that that's so surprising, he thought. Everyone knew that Captain Janeway was the nearest thing to a mother that the former Borg had, and Neelix had clear memories of the volatile relationship shared by his own sisters- a relationship he often thought was echoed in the prickly interactions between Seven of Nine and B'Elanna Torres.

Even though Seven would never admit it, Neelix knew that the former drone had been deeply touched by B'Elanna's insistence on accompanying the Captain and Tuvok on this particular away mission, and that her concern for the Chief Engineer went almost as deep as her concern for the Captain, or Tuvok.

Neelix looked at the First Officer, whose stiff posture had relaxed at the good news.

"When will they be ready for visitors?" Chakotay asked. His voice was even, but Neelix had seen the flash of thankful emotion in the other man's eyes as Seven spoke.

Seven raised one eyebrow in a characteristic gesture. "The Captain was awake when I left," she observed. "I believe she would appreciate your company, Commander- although I do not think the Doctor would be impressed."

Chakotay flashed Seven a grin that was almost wolfish. "Tell me something I don't already know!" He pushed himself away from the bar and slapped Neelix's pudgy shoulder in a movement more reminiscent of Tom Paris than the usually self-contained First Officer.

"I'm off to sickbay," he announced.

Neelix directed his best toothy grin at Chakotay and Seven's brow remained fixed.

"Uh, Commander?" Neelix shouted just before the other man reached the door.

Neelix saw Chakotay brace his shoulders and turn. A little too quickly.

"Yes?"

Neelix gave Chakotay a wolfish grin of his own. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Chakotay looked quizzical. "I am?"

Neelix, still grinning, reached under the counter to produce a familiar silver flask. Chakotay's own face split in a matching smirk.

"Wouldn't the Doctor shout?" he asked as he reached to take the coffee flask from the little Talaxian.

Neelix smirked and shrugged. "Doesn't he always? What do you think, Seven?"

Seven blinked. "The Doctor will not be happy, but I believe the Captain will benefit." Her impassive face softened a little. "Bring her the coffee, Commander. It- it will help her regain her humanity."

As if afraid of revealing too much, Seven crossed the room towards the replicator and ordered one of her 'nutritional supplements.' She did not turn again.

Neelix nodded at Chakotay. "You'd better go, Commander," he suggested. "I'm sure the Captain will be glad to see you- and the coffee!"

Taking the hint, Chakotay smiled and left.

Neelix stood and watched the former Borg for a long time.

As you might guess, Seven is next up, but my inspiration went rather dry at this point. Hopefully it will restart: I hate leaving stories unfinished... any brainwaves please stick 'em in either reviews or email me at

Thanks for reading so far, and bear with me as I finish this.