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1 By Gun Brooke
“Captain,” the ambassador of Vegasol Prime said, “I trust you have familiarized yourself with our rules of negotiation.” “I have,” Captain Kathryn Janeway muttered with a glance in her own ambassador’s, Neelix, direction. “I don’t see your life partner here,” Ambassador Drest said, raising a thin eyebrow. His olive tinted skin boasted colors reigning from golden to almost green, which, together with his narrow silver-green eyes, gave him a demonic appearance. “This is my wife, the Lady Graynce of Derkosyh. She is a member of our nobility and she will be the arbitrary of our negotiations, as are our law.” Janeway groaned inwardly and managed a polite smile. Of all the times Chakotay had to be indisposed, this was the worst. Chakotay, still suffering from the alien virus he’d contracted in the sector of space they’d just left, was covered with lesions and admitted to sickbay. That’ll teach him to not fraternize so willingly with the next blonde alien that comes his way. “I’m very honored to meet you, my lady. My spouse was detained, but I promise our further interactions will be done in accordance with your laws and customs, Ambassador.” Janeway glared at Neelix. “Isn’t that so, Mr. Neelix?” “Why certainly, Captain,” Neelix beamed a little too brightly, fidgeting with his sleeves. “Your, ahem, spouse, is temporarily on another assignment, but expected back tonight.” What? Janeway bit back the urge to ask the question out loud. “Very well.” She turned her attention back to the ambassador. “When would it be convenient to reconvene, sir?” “Tomorrow morning. We will start the day by breaking morning-bread together.” Obviously there was no margin for improvisations on Vegasol Prime. “Of course. I look forward to it. I mean, my spouse and I do.” Janeway tapped her comm badge. “Janeway to Voyager. Two to beam up.” As they rematerialized in transport room one, Janeway turned quickly to Neelix. “All right, you seem to have the situation under control. Who do you have lined up as my spouse?” Neelix smiled and nervously stroked his sideburns. “I took for granted that you needed the most convincing person, Captain. I sent word to the Delta Flyer to return from the Cardimon Nebula right away.” “The Delta Flyer? Surely you’re not talking about Tom Paris?”
Neelix laughed.
“No, no, no. That’d be a terrible mismatch. Naturally, I’m talking
of Seven of Nine. She’s the perfect match!”
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