Janeway, accompanied by Chakotay, Torres and Seven, looks at the displays at the 1st Annual Voyager Science Fair, in particular those conceived by and executed by the children whom the Voyager crew rescued from the Borg in [#136 Collective]. Seven has been looking after the children's education now that they are no longer Borg neo-natal drones and have been severed from the Borg Collective. The group stops in front of the display by Azan and Rebi who have cloned a potato.

Janeway: "Why potatoes?" Seven: "Their first idea was to clone Naomi, but I suggest they start with something smaller." Janeway smiles at the two boys before moving on to the next exhibit.

Torres: "Quite a feat of engineering." Mezoti: "It's a Tairenian ant colony. I infused the soil with a blue ion dye so it'd be easier to see the insects."

Janeway: "They're luminescent." Mezoti: "The drones produce a fluorescent enzyme that's activated by the queen." Janeway: "Drones and queens?" To Seven: "I thought we were trying to get these children away from the Borg."
Seven: "The project was Mezoti's idea. I didn't want to discourage her individuality." She and Chakotay exchange smiles.
Mezoti: "I like bugs." Janeway: "Well done. Let me know before you take up bee-keeping."
Chakotay: "What have we got here?" Naomi is standing behind the model globe of a planet: "It's Ktarus." Torres: "Your father's planet." Naomi: "I've been learning all about it." She turns on a 3D holographic diagrammatic simulation of clouds and weather fronts that move round the sphere. Seven: "Naomi programmed the geophysical and atmospheric conditions." Neelix, who has been talking to Naomi, smiles, proud of her achievement.

Chakotay: "There's quite a storm in those mountains." Naomi: "The Arpasian range is known for high winds and hail." Janeway: "I'll remember to bring my coat."

Janeway, Torres, Chakotay and Seven move onto the last display, which is Icheb's. Janeway: "Now this looks impressive."
Icheb: "It's a high-resolution gravimetric sensor array." Torres: "Ambitious." Icheb: "It'll augment our ability to scan for the neutrino flux associated with wormholes." Chakotay becomes particularly interested. "It could help Voyager find a faster way home." Seven: "The engineering principles are sound."
Janeway: "I expected these projects to be interesting but this is truly exceptional." Icheb: "Thank you, Captain. I'm very interested in astrophysics." Janeway: "Well, you've obviously got a knack for it. Well done." Torres to Icheb: "How did you think of scanning for neutrino fluctuations?" Icheb: "I've been studying Starfleet records."
s Icheb continues to expound to Torres and Chakotay on the sensor array he has constructed, Janeway takes Seven aside. Janeway: "He's a remarkable young man." Seven: "He hopes to earn a permanent posting in Astrometrics one day." Janeway: "I'm afraid that won't be possible." Seven: "Captain, the boy has a unique talent." Janeway: "It's not a question of merit. We've made contact with his parents. I've set a course for their planet."

Seven looks across to where Icheb is absorbed in a technical discussion with Torres and Chakotay.

She is unsettled by the news and the realisation that Icheb's new-found interest will be profoundly affected somehow. Uncertainly she answers: "That's good news."

 

PAGE ARTWORK CREDITS Thanks to Feeble Minds for the animated star background (tweaked by me). Thanks to Icon Bazaar for the animated letter title. Thanks to Dynamic Drive for the floating "Transwarp Conduits" menu code. The Borg cube border is the reduced scan of a Borg Christmas tree decoration someone in the USA sent me in December 2000. Animated .gif of Borg cube in "Transwarp Conduits" menu is on numerous websites. Author unknown. I got it from staga, a site which is now closed.