"Just because." (Tuvok & Seven)

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"Fascinating, is it not?"

"That depends on your definition."

Tuvok and Seven stood side by side in the quietest (which was to say, the least noisy) corner of the mess hall, watching First Contact Day in full swing.

"Somehow," she said, I doubt that Zefram Cochrane's introduction to Ambassador Solkar involved balloons."

"Or streamers." Tuvok picked a long, curly specimen off his shoulder and eyed it dubiously. "I have never understood the purpose of streamers. They are neither decorative nor useful."

"Perhaps you should ask Mr. Neelix."

Tuvok did not actually roll his eyes as the Talaxian bustled towards them, but even to Seven's unpracticed view, he looked as if he would very much like to do so.

"So this is where you've been hiding!" Neelix exclaimed. "Come on, Mr. Vulcan. Join the party!"

"I was under the impression that I had."

"Oh, you know what I mean! … Ah, well. Never mind." Neelix threw up his spotted hands in mock frustration before turning to Seven. "What about you, Seven dear? Won't you honor your old morale officer with a dance? I know you can box-step, the Doctor told me so."

He stretched out both hands dramatically as a rumba began to play on the jukebox he had replicated for the purpose. It was a good song, but Neelix had to be the least musical life form Seven had ever met who still possessed a sense of hearing. He didn't sing, he caterwauled. She had no interest whatsoever in finding out how he danced.

"No, thank you," she said, in the firmest tone she could muster.

"Really?" Neelix pouted. "Now why would you want to spend the evening next to this curmudgeon," clapping Tuvok on the shoulder and earning a very pointed look in return, "When you could be having fun instead?"

"Because … "

Seven hesitated. It was not like her to be lost for words, but her friendship with Tuvok was something they spoke of so rarely - even to each other - that she had no idea how to explain. Silence was at the heart of it. Was that something the talkative Talaxian could understand?

"Because," Tuvok said, a solid warmth at her side, "Seven and I do not ask each other questions like that."

"Hmm. Fair enough." Neelix deflated a little, like one of the balloons that had drifted down to the floor, but buoyed himself up again soon enough. "It was worth a try, anyhow. I'll leave you to your version of fun!"

He bounced away, shaking his whiskery head. Seven suspected he was thinking the same thing she was: namely, that she would never quite understand people like this..

As she caught Tuvok's eye, however, and saw his right eyebrow rising just the way hers did, she decided she didn't need to. As long as he was there, perhaps parties were not so irrelevant after all.