HALF A KILO OF BERRIES

RATED G

Based on Coda

Neelix was ecstatic. The little Talaxian’s body twitched sideways, back and forth as was his wont when overly excited, impatiently waiting until his Captain gave him permission to speak.

‘What is it, Neelix,’ inquired Captain Janeway. Seated at her desk in her ready room, half her mind occupied with the viewscreen before her, she scanned the diminishing list of items in ship’s stores. The use of the replicators had been strictly forbidden for many weeks. Voyager had sailed at half impulse for that time, conserving its resources until a suitable planetary system could be found which might yield necessary supplies.

Hunger stalked the ship and morale had never been lower. A few - mostly the former members of the Maquis - had complained, but the rest of the crew maintained their professionalism, stoically bearing the unbearable. Water was plentiful at least, and was used to stretch what little there was to eat. Janeway pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead. Replicators would have to be reactivated in the next few days if they were to survive - even if they drained the diminishing energy stores. This command of hers was turning into a thudding headache.

‘Er…Captain?’ Neelix began again when she didn’t look up.

She raised her head apologetically. ‘Yes? I’m sorry, Neelix, just a little preoccupied.’

‘I know you are, Captain. Sorry, it’s just that, I, ah, haven’t been in the sector of space in many years, but I just remembered. If you will change your heading to these coordinates there should be a yellow dwarf system. The fourth planet, if I remember correctly, what was you Federations refer to as an M-class planet. It’s not inhabited, I assure you - well, aside from the usual animal species of course - but it should have everything we need.’

Janeway scanned the padd he handed her. ‘How far at our current speed?’

‘About a day. Maybe less.’

‘Are you certain, Mr. Neelix? We can’t afford to waste a day.’

He nodded.

‘Very well - I’ll order a course change.’ She looked sternly at him. ‘I’m counting on you, Mr. Neelix.’

‘You won’t regret it, Captain!’

~ ~ ~

Neelix was as good as his word. Voyager extended its landing struts and under the skilled hand of Tom Paris set down on the M-Class planet in an area of gently rolling hills and dark forests. Tuvok remained on board, along with a skeleton crew. An away team led by Commander Chakotay was dispatched immediately with equipment to extract the necessary elements for the engines and dilithium chambers while the Captain and the rest of her senior staff set off to gather foodstuffs. Every empty container available was to be beamed to their coordinates, filled, then beamed back aboard.

‘Over here!’ shouted Neelix.

Scanning with their tricorders and stepping carefully, the Captain, Harry Kim and Kes made their way to the edge of a thick grove of trees. Various fruits hung from branches, dipping and swaying in the breeze. A short distance away amid a small outcropping of rock were thick bushes laden with dimpled, ripe, dark lavender and bright purple berries.

Neelix was beside himself. The bounty he promised had been delivered. The Captain’s beautiful face, which had become lined with weariness the last few weeks, smoothed out into a lovely smile. ‘Everything is edible, Captain,’ he assured her.

‘Federation regulations require us to scan it first, Mr. Neelix,’ she replied, ‘but I’m sure you’re right. Let’s just follow protocol for form’s sake, then we’ll sit down and have ourselves a picnic, shall we?’

‘Captain! Can you believe it!’ exclaimed Harry Kim. He folded his tricorder and reached for one of the luscious purple droplets. He popped it into his mouth. Janeway and Kes, watching him, couldn’t help tittering with laughter as he closed his eyes in ecstasy. His expression went from excitement to blissful gratification. He ate another, then another, soon picking berries by the handful and popping all of them into his mouth. Impulsively seating himself beside the bush, avoiding the usual thorns that were the bane of berry pickers across the universe, he ate and ate and ate.

‘Harry, don’t you want some of these? They’re very good,’ Kes called to him, picking and carefully placing fruits of several varieties in their containers.

Harry’s reply was unintelligible; his mouth was as full as a chipmunk’s, but he shook his head. He would stay where he was.

Captain Janeway had sampled several of the fruits and now came to try the berries. She had eaten several handfuls herself and relished them. Glancing at Harry, who was all but oinking in contentment, hands and mouth stained a brilliant purple from the juice of the luscious berries, she laughed again and came to take a seat beside him. He looked at her, astonished, his mouth a round O. The Captain sported a mouth wreathed with the same color purple as if a child had taken its favorite crayon to it. The mouth twitched with laughter. She put her arm around Harry’s shoulder.

‘Ensign,’ she said, ‘these are the times we have to remember.’

The End.