Fly's Eye View x2 Celestia@innocent.com All right, here it is! The sequel to the ever-popular "Fly's Eye View". I send the main credit for the fact that I actually finished this one to Jenna in my JetCjr7 pond, who insisted that she smelt a sequel, even though it was just the Darvot Fritters that Neelix had burnt the night before. I spent many sleepless nights on this one, peoples, so send me some feedback and tell me that the missed bus on Tuesday was worth it. Also the detention on Wednesday for not working on work during History. (All right, so neither of those things happened.....but they almost did!:) I thank my entire JetC pond, just for being themselves. Jenna, for telling me to write a sequel when the thought hadn't even entered my mind. And Taryn a.k.a. Athenna, who was brave enough to be the first person to read this in its extremely early stages. DiSCLAiMER: Paramount is the teacher, I am the student, and I really love playing with the characters at recess!!! I never thought I'd see these corridors again. I don't know if I *wanted* to, either. But here I am! Golly gee, these humanoids would never survive without us! One month ago, I was aboard this very ship. I completed my assignment, got sucked through a wormhole, and was killed by one of the inhabitants. Speaking of which, I remember my funeral well. It was less of a funeral and more of a celebration of rebirth. And a quick celebration at that! I was reborn, we partied (my mom makes a mean Parvian Roast), and I was given my new assignment by the Elders. Which was when I found out that Kathryn is still a messed up chick who can't pay attention to signposts, and Chakotay adores looking gift horses in the mouth (not literally, of course....how could he stand their bad breath?!). Since it's a rule that you don't work with the same humanoid twice unless absolutely necessary, there are two of us on this job: a dashing but disgustingly snobbish young fly helping Kathryn, and I'm helping Chakotay. So, I just got here, and already I'm following him down these twisty, windy corridors to God knows where, but I'm thinking that He might not know either. Finally, we reach a set of doors which open for us, and we step inside a small room. There's a small raised platform at the far side of the room. He steps onto it, and we just stand there. What sort of stupid entertainment this?! *Sit on his shoulder.* Oh great, an order from the Elders. They usually don't butt in unless it's absolutely necessary. So I fly in and sit on his shoulder, albeit a little apprehensively. He is, after all, the person who killed me last time I was here. He utters something that the Elders don't feel the need to translate, and the girl behind the console nods and starts pressing buttons. AAAAHHHH!!! What's this?! The air around me is sparkling, and I feel the strange sensation of my atoms being torn apart, then rearranged. All in a matter of milliseconds. Okay. Wormholes, I can stand. The corridors, I can stand. Being killed, I can stand. BUT I NEVER WANT TO DO THAT AGAIN!!!! **So, you finally beamed down, eh?** I fly off Chakotay's shoulder and take note of my surroundings. Kathryn's approaching us, having 'beamed' down earlier, and I can just make out the small fly on her shoulder. I also take note of those who beamed down with us, two I know as Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres and one whom I don't know. **Already speaking their lingo? I caught Chakotay's impression of it as transporting.** **Hey, there's nothing wrong with trying to fit in with the crowd.** **Fit in?! Pierre, you're a fly!** **Oh Nicolette! Lighten up!** I stiffen. *Nobody* calls me by that name! It was my name 750 years ago, but after a mere 50 years, I got sick of it. Too flouncy for my liking. I usually go by Juniper now. **NO ONE--** **Yeah, yeah, yeah. Your name's supposed to be Juniper. Sorry. Personally, I think Nicolette's a much prettier name.** Now he's flying in closer, and I back away. Just great. Now, he's beginning to hit on me! Just what I need. **Hmph!** I snub him and fly off, following Chakotay to wherever he's going. **Hey! I'm sorry....what'd I do wrong?** As if he didn't know. Hmph! Men! Kathryn and Chakotay are just up ahead, not holding hands as a couple should be one month into a relationship. According to the report the Elders gave me, they've been having frequent arguments over really, really, really stupid things, and Chakotay is beginning to think that Kathryn doesn't really want this relationship at all, and just wanted him to be happy while on Voyager, in case his next residence is a prison cell. And in the early 1900's they said women had an amazing ability for jumping to conclusions.....Geez! She's got a lot to worry about, Chakotay, and she's been insecure about getting this show on the road for about 5 years! Plus, there's still 4 months to survive through before she gets her crew home, and that includes crossing the Klingon and Romulan borders. She's got a lot to consider without you taking the bait to start an argument every time she says a sarcastic or snide remark! I transmit these thoughts to him so he can ponder over that for a while. He'll think of them as his own thoughts, having no idea that they really came from the fly hovering behind him. *It's not as if I haven't tried to help shoulder the responsibility over the years! Any stress from that is her own damn fault!* I'm taken aback, not only from the forcefulness of his words, but also because of the fact that I can hear him. Usually humanoid thoughts are too chaotic to understand, except for little key words like knowing that awful thing that brought us here is a transpoter. I recover quickly enough to reply: *Just talk to her, Chakotay. Let her allay your fears. You don't know her as well as you'd like to think you do...* I whip around as I hear Pierre slapping his wings together to emulate humanoid applause. **Very nice! Well done, Nicol--I mean, Juniper.** He holds up his hands in a 'just kidding' gesture. I glare at him. **It seems that the crew has split up, as they were all down here for shoreleave. Now, there's a storm brewing and there's too much atmospheric interference to beam them all back. Kathryn's using *my* idea, and is going to set up camp over there, tent and all. They're going to spend the night in there, too, since they had planned to get away for some ol' fashioned camping anyway. So...what'd you say to getting front row seats by the lantern? I'll play you a game of cards.** I look up at the sky. There's definitely a storm brewing, although it doesn't look like a severe one. Kathryn and Chakotay are already beginning to set up the tent that Chakotay brought in a pack on his back. I'm going to need to be in there to hear the conversations, and playing cards isn't the worst way to pass the time....besides, I can probably whip his butt at cards. I simply nod. *~*~*~*~*~*~* **Go fish.** I look up from my hand to Pierre. **Are you just bluffing your way through this entire game?** We've been playing for two hours straight and he hasn't had a single card I've asked for. He gives me a mock hurt look. **You accuse *me* of cheating?! I'm hurt. No, I seriously don't have an Ace. Go fish.** I roll my eyes, shake my head, and pick up a card from the pile. **A two of hearts, and now you're going to ask me...** **Do you have a two?** I growl, slam the card down and cross two of my arms over my chest. It'd gone that way all night. **I win!** **It's about time this game was over.** **What?! You can't say that wasn't fun.** **I can and I will. It wasn't fun.** **You're just saying that because you lost.** **That's not it. Although that's something that hasn't happened since I was a larvae.** I turn my attention back to Kathryn and Chakotay. The entire evening's conversation has been translated for us, as the Elders have determined that any conversation between the two is very important to our job. The conversation hasn't been very juicy, mainly pertaining to what's been happening on Voyager lately, worry over how close to the Romulan border they are, and ship's gossip, but my sixth sense is telling me that the conversation's going to become much better right about..... Now. "Chakotay...we have to talk." "I was hoping we could avoid arguing for a while and have some fun." "We can't avoid this, Chakotay. You don't just hide behind an asteroid when you find one in your way." I can tell that both Pierre and I are using all our mental energy to steer this conversation onto the right path. "Kathryn....I think you're in this relationship for the wrong reason. It was just too sudden, as if you just wanted me to be happy while I'm on Voyager in case all of the Maquis get thrown in prison when we get back." I see him breathe a sigh of relief, as if a heavy weight has just been lifted off his chest. "Is that why you've been in such a snit?" I throw a horrified look at Pierre. We're supposed to influence their thoughts, not put words into their mouths! And certainly not make them say something that they normally wouldn't say under any circumstances! He just gives me a small chuckle. Kathryn suddenly clamps her hands over her mouth, suddenly realizing what she just said. A terrified look appears in her eyes. "I'm sorry!" Chakotay stands up and his voice is louder, more forceful, now. "You know what? Don't be sorry. I have been in a snit. You know why?" I try valiantly to interfere, but it's no use, he keeps pushing me out. I pray to all the fly gods that this will all work out. *PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!!* "I don't know whether we have a relationship or not, Kathryn. Every time things are going well, you pull out! I don't know where I stand! I don't know what I'm doing wrong!" Kathryn lowers her head. "You're not doing anything wrong, Chakotay. You're wonderful. But we're not out of the woods yet, and I'm still the Captain." Chakotay kneels down so he can be face to face with her, and lowers his voice. Don't give me that. You were talking about asteroids earlier? Well, that's the asteroid you've been hiding behind for five years. You're not alone in this, Kathryn, and I've been telling you that practically every day for the past five years. Even the best of Starfleet Captains needs an occasional shoulder to lean on.....or to cry on." I notice Kathryn's face sadden. "You heard about my mother." He simply nods somberly. Her mother? What about her? My report didn't say anything about her mother...I turn to Pierre. **Don't look at me! I don't know anything about this either.** Now there's water on her cheeks and he's sitting next to her with his arm around her shoulders, holding her close. I catch snitches and snatches of chaotic thought and their murmured conversation. *Only 4 months until we reach home...Dioxine Neurosis?...new virus, possibly brought by the Dominion invasion...first victim....I suppose that means there was no cure...she was so glad to know that her eldest daughter was almost home....she used to make the most wonderful caramel brownies...it was just yesterday morning...Phoebe said she tried to fix funeral arrangements for after we get home...* Their conversation and thoughts turn into something less chaotic. "Gods, I'm going to miss her, Chakotay." I sigh. If I had a throat, there'd be a lump in it. If flies could cry, everything below me would get soaked. Speaking of soaked, I notice it isn't storming outside anymore, and apparently Chakotay's just noticed it too. He stands up and holds out a hand to help Kathryn up. She smiles slightly and takes it, then they walk outside, in silence, Pierre and I following behind. Once outside in the bright sunshine, I notice a rosebush. *Chakotay, give her a rose.* He obliges, believing it's his own brilliant idea. Her face brightens immediately, and, to thank him for everything, she kisses him deeply. I hear Pierre fly up to me. **Juniper, now that the assignment's over, can I ask you something?** **Go ahead.** **Well, I've always wanted to know, what is it with you women, anyway? I mean, we men try to impress you, be nice, show that we're risky and daring and fun, but you still shoo me away! Why?** **That's just it, Pierre...most of us don't like men who are constantly showing off. Showing off makes them seem conceited.** **Oh.** A pause. **Well, there's a nice plant over there that has the sweetest nectar I've ever tasted...can you stand me long enough to share a drink?** I stare longingly at Kathryn and Chakotay, who are now sitting by the rosebush, talking. Will I ever be able to let go like that? To stop concentrating on this job so fully, to be less strict, to find time for a life? Maybe. But for today, I'll settle for a drink of sweet nectar. I turn to Pierre. **Sure I can. Race you there!** And life goes on. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*FiNi*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Sleep? What's sleep? Oh, that! Maybe I can get some of that now.... There you go, Jenna! What'd ya think? Was it a better smelling sequel than the burning Darvot fritters? :) And for the rest of you....tell me what you think! PLEASE! Or I'll send the evil monster that lives under my bed to get you.... Just a note that has nothing to do with anything: This story was written on lined paper with a purple pencil crayon.