The BLTS Archive - The Food series
#2: Ruminations
by Kiff (KiffScott@aol.com)

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Disclaimer: Paramount owns the characters. I'm just along for the
ride.

Archiving: Permission granted to Sileya to archive at TSU. All
others, please ask first.

Feedback: Constructive comments happily accepted.

Spoilers: Small references to the episodes "Jetrel" and "Extreme
Risk."

This is a sequel to "Food for Thought."

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0700 hours....

I must say, breakfast is probably my favorite meal to prepare for
this crew. They enjoy my pancakes especially. And a few are willing
to try my variations on omelettes. A taste for eggs seems common
throughout the galaxy. Which is rather morbid, if one stops to think
about it. Eggs are the beginning of life. We consume that life before
it has a chance to grow.

Now, why am I thinking such gruesome thoughts right now? Surely it
doesn't have anything to do with my conversation last night with Tom.
I had not intended to lecture him as harshly as I did. But he needed
to know just how I feel. He closed himself off from the Captain and
even from Ensign Kim. That's not good. And I feel uneasy about his
relationship with Lieutenant Torres. Her behavior has been disturbing
me lately. The dangerous holodeck programs she was running, with
little or no thought to her own safety. Her refusal to let that
Cardassian hologram help save her life. I understand *exactly* why
she felt the way she did. I went through the same experience with
Jetrel. I need to have a long talk with her soon.

I don't begrudge Tom his friendship with B'Elanna. But I don't want
to see him go back to those dark times when his behavior was
unpredictable and self-serving. He's grown so much since then. And I
have grown so fond of him....

"Good morning, Neelix."

"Good morning, Commander. How about some pancakes and fruit? I still
have some of those Gritunian berries that you liked so much."

He gives me one of those delightful smiles. "I was going to ask if
you had any left. They *are* delicious."

"Coming right up." I flip three large pancakes onto a plate, then
reach into my special cabinet and pull out a small jar of the pink
berries. Chakotay's smile widens as he sees them. "Thanks, Neelix."

"You're more than welcome, Commander. And here is your green tea,
freshly brewed." I hand him a small pot and a ceramic mug. "Enjoy
your breakfast."

"I will."

He takes a seat. Such a good man. Intelligent, kind, honorable. I
will never forget what he did for me. He pulled me away from the
brink and reminded me that I have a purpose here on Voyager. I can
only repay him in small ways. Like the Gritunian berries.

"Neelix, this coffee dispensor is empty!" Crewman Dalby is waving to
me from the other end of the counter. He doesn't look happy. Gamma
shift doesn't agree with him.

I rush into the kitchen and bring out another fresh pot. Dalby glares
at me. "You didn't put anything weird into it this time, did you?"

"No, Mr. Dalby, it's just plain ordinary Terran coffee, freshly
replicated this morning."

He fills his cup, sniffs at it suspiciously. "Guess so." He refuses
my offer of pancakes and throws himself into a chair, rubbing his
temples.

I shrug and move on to my next customer, Harry Kim. Harry wants a
cheese omelette. No onions. Plenty of green pepper. I have some left
over from the pizza I made for Tom. I whip up the eggs quickly and
get them in the pan. Harry waits patiently. I can't control my
curiosity.

"Have you spoken to Mr. Paris since his release, Ensign?"

Harry gets that awful blank look on his face again. The same look
he's had for the past month.

"I'll take that as a 'no.'"

"I don't know where to start with him. I said some terrible things to
him, Neelix. Threw some of his father's words into his face. Accused
him of not finishing what he starts."

"Was it the truth?"

Harry's eyes widen. "Well, I..."

"Was it?"

"Yes. Yes, it was." It hurts Harry to say this.

"You did him a big favor, Mr. Kim. He needed to hear what you had to
say. What he did was inexcusable. Understandable, but inexcusable. He
needs to hear the truth from his friends. He doesn't need anyone
patting him on the head and telling him everything will be all right."

The omelette is done, and I put it onto a plate. "Juice for you this
morning?"

"Grape, if you have it."

"Indeed I do." I pour him a glass. He looks at me thoughtfully.
"Thanks, Neelix."

"Any time."

Harry walks away with his head held just a little higher.

Gamma shift is pouring in now, so I am kept busy for several minutes
serving pancakes and filling juice glasses. Sam Wildman comes in and
lends a hand with the omelettes. She's taken to doing this without my
even asking. She seems to consider it payback for the time I spend
with Naomi. Actually, I should be compensating *her* for every moment
I have with that precious child. Her smile lights up my day. If I am
never to have children of my own, at least I will know something of
what it is to be a father. How many other men can be so blessed?

"Captain, what can I get for you today?"

"Some of those Talaxian corn muffins would be nice." She looks
exhausted. "And I hope the coffee's fresh."

"Oh, it is, Captain." I pick up three muffins and set them on her
plate. "Butter or Yeterbian honey?"

"Honey?" Her face brightens.

I lean toward her conspiratorially. "Don't tell anyone, but I've been
setting this aside just for you." I reach into my cabinet and
retrieve a tiny jar.

She beams at me. "As they say back home, rank does have its
privileges."

"Captain, if you don't mind my saying so, I think you should take
some time off and get some sleep."

"Thank you, Neelix. I may just do that." As she finishes her
sentence, the door opens and Tom Paris comes in. The Captain sees him
and sags visibly. I'm not quite sure what to say, so I don't say
anything.

"He's coming back on duty today, you know."

"It will be good having him back at the conn, Captain. He missed it
dreadfully."

She sighs and picks up her tray. "I only hope he's learned something
from all this."

Tom is coming toward me as the Captain approaches Commander
Chakotay's table. His eyes meet hers. He stops in his tracks; even
from here I can see he is flushing. He waits for her to sit down
before he crosses the last few yards to my counter. Some of the crew
openly stare at him; it's the first time he's been out in public
since his release.

I smile encouragingly at him. "What'll it be, Tom?"

"Omelette, with plenty of cheese and tomatoes. Please."

I relay the order to Sam, who gives Tom a brief smile before going to
work.

"Neelix, I thought a lot about what you said last night."

I'm not quite ready to let him off the hook yet. "And?"

"I wish my own father could have talked to me the way you did."

*That* surprises me. "Tom, I didn't mean...."

He holds up his hand to quiet me, and the words come tumbling out.
"Uh-uh. *My* turn this time. You confronted me, man to man. You
treated me with respect. You didn't sugar-coat anything. My father
was only interested in giving orders, not listening to anything I
might have to say. He tried to shape me into something I could never
be. So I rebelled, and paid the price. Then Captain Janeway came
along and gave me another chance. I was only on parole from the
Federation prison, and I certainly never anticipated being stuck in
the Delta Quadrant. Technically, the Captain could have kept me in
the brig for the entire trip home, but she didn't. She is a *great*
Captain, Neelix. I respect her, even when I disagree with her. And
I'm going to apologize to her today. I don't care about the demotion.
I just want her trust back." He swallows. "And yours, too."

He's bracing his hands against the counter, and I reach out and cover
one of them with my own. "You never lost it."

His eyes stare into mine. Such a bright blue they are. A beautiful
color. And beginning to fill up again. "Thank you."

Sam reaches discreetly around me and places Tom's omelette in front
of him. I know I should let him go on his way, but all of a sudden I
don't want to.

"Neelix!" It's Dalby again. Might have guessed.

I shrug and give Tom a little smile. "Duty calls."

"Wait." He catches hold of my arm, but gently. "Can I stop by later
on and see you, when it's not so busy here?"

"My door is always open to you, Tom."

"Thanks." He gives me one of those odd little slaps that humans seem
to consider affectionate. Then he picks up his tray and looks for a
place to sit. I hold my breath. He sees Harry. Harry looks at him,
smiles ever so slightly, and waves. Tom almost trips over his own
feet in his eagerness to be reunited with his friend. I exhale with
great satisfaction.

"NEELIX!!"

"Coming, Mr. Dalby, coming."  I grab my last pot of coffee and hurry
it over to him.  He sniffs at it again before pouring himself another
cup.  I try not to notice.

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The End

Continued in part three, "Ingredients")