The Other Torres | A Star Trek Fanfiction *Book 1*

Jetrel-Chapter 39

[Sandrine's]

Neelix is dreaming. A shadowy figure like Jetrel but with Neelix's voice is playing pool against him. "It's your turn." said the figure. "There's no open shot." Neelix said. "Why don't you call a safety, Neelix? Isn't that what you always do?" asked the figure. "I'm no coward." said Neelix. "That's not what I've heard." said the figure.

"What are you doing, it's my turn!" said Neelix. "You've lost your chance to play. Now you're going to lose!" said the figure. "Neelix, where did you go? Why did you leave us?" Amanda asked, obviously in Neelix's dream she was a dead Talaxian. "I did what I thought was right." said Neelix. "You were afraid." said Tom, also a dead Talaxian in Neelix's dream but still looks human. "No! I--" Neelix began. 

"Neelix." came a voice from the shadows, she sounded like Kes. "Who are you?" Neelix asked. "It's me, Palaxia." Kes replied stepping out of the shadows. Kes has burnt skin. "Palaxia!" exclaimed Neelix. "Why weren't you here to help us?" she asked. "You! You did this, butcher!" yelled Neelix. He pushes his opponent onto the pool table, and looks into his own frightened face.

[Neelix's quarters]

"Bridge to Neelix." came Janeway's voice, as Neelix woke up sweating. "Here, Captain." Neelix said. "Neelix, I thought you'd like to know, we're approaching Rinax." Janeway said.

[Bridge]

"Neelix?" Amanda asked when they received no reply.

[Neelix' quarters]

"Thank you, Captain. I'll be right there." Neelix said.

[Bridge]

"Entering synchronous orbit, Captain." said Tom. Neelix enters. A grey planet fills the viewscreen. Amanda looked at the planet. "Hard to believe that on clear nights you could look up from Talax and see the shimmering lights of the colony. The night of the Cascade, a bright flash cut across the sky. It was so blinding that people threw themselves to the ground. Then everything stopped, like a moment out of time. Then we all looked up to see where the flash had come from, but the sky seemed oddly empty. Took most of us a few seconds to realise it was because Rinax was gone. Of course, the moon was still there. We just couldn't see it because of that Metreon cloud." Neelix states. 

"Engineering to Bridge. We're ready to begin transporter pre-sequencing, Captain." said B'Elanna. "Acknowledged." Janeway said. "This brings back too many memories, Captain. If you'll excuse me." Neelix said. He leaves. "Of course." said Janeway.

[Engineering]

"I believe I asked for a larger container." said Jetrel. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Doctor, but we're talking about a cloud sample large enough to contain a few subatomic particles, right?" B'Elanna asked. "Yes. But the isotope accounts for just a miniscule fraction of the cloud's total mass. I want to be sure we get enough." Jetrel replied. "Don't worry. We do this all the time. Pre-sequencing complete, Captain. I'm ready to begin transport." said B'Elanna.

"Proceed." said Janeway. "Targeting scanners. Locking on. Energise." said B'Elanna. The container fills with purple-grey mist. "Captain, we have the sample aboard. The containment field is holding." B'Elanna says looking at the cloud. "Well done, Janeway out." Janeway said. "Good luck, Doctor." said B'Elanna.

[Mess hall]

"Neelix? Neelix, are you in here? Neelix?" asked Kes walking in. Neelix is hiding under the serving counter. "I've been looking for you everywhere. Why did you take your comm. badge off?" Kes asked. "I wanted to be alone." Neelix replied. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I was worried. I know how you must feel." Kes said trying to sympathise. "No, you don't know! Not everything. You don't know where I was the night Rinax was destroyed." said Neelix. "On Talax, fighting with the defence forces." said Kes.