Day of Honor - Michael Jan Friedman [29]
The lieutenant grunted. The Borg was fast, she'd give her that.
Seven of Nine went on. "It will be several hours before the main deflector can be modified accordingly. I think it would be best if I waited in my alcove in the meantime."
B'Elanna nodded. That was the best idea she'd heard yet. "I think you're right," she told the Borg.
Seven of Nine turned and headed for the exit. The sliding doors parted and then closed behind her, leaving B'Elanna alone with her feelings.
The most immediate one was regret. After all, the captain had taken Seven of Nine under her wing. She had tried to make the Borg feel comfortable on
Voyager, tried to help her remember what it was like to be human.
Not that B'Elanna agreed with any of that. As far as she was concerned, a Borg was a Borg was a Borg. But it wasn't her place to try to good Seven of Nine into a confrontation.
What the hell was I thinking? the lieutenant asked herself. I'm not a brat with a chip on her shoulder any longer. I'm a professional. I should be able to control my emotions.
Next time, she promised herself, she would do a damned sight better-even if she had to have herself gagged and bound to the warp core to do it.
As Neelix directed the packaging and deployment of the various foodstuffs he'd set aside for the Caatati, he saw Captain Janeway walk in with Rahmin at her side. The alien seemed amazed at the size of the cargo hold where all this was taking place.
Obviously, Janeway had discounted Tuvok's concems about Rahmin coming aboard the ship. And rightly so, Neelix thought. He'd seen his share of strangers in his day, and none of them seemed half as much in need of help as the Caatati.
Turning to Ensign Parke, who was shoving half a bale of mbinda grass into a container, the Talaxian said, "I'll be right back."
Parke nodded patiently. "Take your time," she said, her blue eyes sparkling beneath brown hair. "I've got plenty to do until you get back."
Neelix took a look at the other bale of mbinda grass in the ensign's vicinity, as well as the piles of
maqnorra leaves and snorrla bark. "Yes," he said, "I guess you do."
Then he made his way across the hold to join the captain and the Caatati. They seemed pleased to see him-especially Rahmin.
"Things seem to be going well," the alien noted.
"They are," Neelix agreed. "Of course, it's a lot of woirk, but fortunately, we've got a lot of willing hands to help with it."
"And as I've just told Rahmin," Janeway added, "we're generating lots of thorium for him in engineering."
"Ah, yes," said the Talaxian. He had an idea. "Say, wouldn't our guest be interested to see how Lieutenant Torres-" The captain gave him a funny look.
"-is generating those isotopes?" he finished.
"Actually," Janeway replied, "it's a rather mundane procedure. Besides, Lieutenant Torres's time is better spent producing thorium than conducting tours of engineering."
Neelix wondered at the tone of her voice. "But-"
"No buts about it," the captain told him. "Especially when I think Rahmin would be a great deal more intrigued by our airponics bay."
Obviously, the Talaxian concluded, something was going on. He didn't know what it was, but it seemed best to play along with it.
"I imagine that's true," he answered. "The airsonics bay is something you have to see to believe."
"And the Caatati can use all the growing techniques they can get their hands on," Janeway pointed out.
Rahmin nodded. "We certainly can."
"Then we'll make that our next stop," the captain decided. She turned to the Talaxian. "Keep up the good work, Mr. Neelix."
He shrugged. "I'll do my best."
A moment later, Janeway and the Caatati had departed. Neelix stood there, scratching his head. "I don't get it," he muttered.
"Don't get what?" asked Ensign Parke, who had come up beside him.
"Why the captain wouldn't want our friend Rahmin to see engineering," he replied. "After all, it's one of the most interesting parts of the ship. And