I have to admit, I never really watched voyager until the summer re-watches here at Ad Astra last year, so I am not as familiar as I could be with the characters, but I am familiar enough with the characters in this story to follow along easily.

First, I like that the story comes full circle. It starts with Neelix talking about the mushroom stew, and then Chakotay has to tell Neelix of his allergy. It's a mark of how much the crew respects Chakotay that Neelix wanted so badly for him to be able to enjoy the soup that he sought out the doctor to find a way to make it for him.

Involving the Traveler character in this story was an inspired move--and then having the Traveler show Chakotay not only what might have been, if things in the present were different, but then also show him one small part of what the future holds, if things remain the same. How many of us wouldn't like to know some small part of what the future holds?

It's a dangerous road to see the future, and especially to only see a part of it, for as some Native American philosophies suggest, there are as many possible futures as there are decisions to be made in a lifetime, and each one of those tiny decisions can change the future. So, I find the idea that the Traveler is so sure of the future a bit disconcerting, but maybe there are forces at work there that we don't understand. A being like him would be able to exist in many different dimensions at once, and would see time differently. I don't know. It's interesting to think about.

I like the story very much, and will look forward to reading more of your stories.