Mr. Neelix Accidentally Gets Drunk while Cooking

Watercolor and pencil.
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Below is a little fanfic I wrote to accompany this illustration.
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Neelix was in the middle of sauteing some leola roots for dinner, merrily flipping the ingredients around the pan and sipping at an electric blue cocktail in a gourd-mug. It was a Saturday and the crew wouldn’t be in the mess hall looking to eat until late in the evening, so this was one of the few chances he had to leisurely enjoy the act of cooking without anyone around making requests.

He had found the Kali-Fal ale tucked into one of the last crates of produce delivered. After asking around the crew and meeting no claim, the decision was made to tuck it away for a little while. The captain had assured Neelix the bottle was his to keep. That had been several weeks ago and he had almost forgot about it until it turned up as he rummaged through the root sack.

He considered the fact that the crew would be allowed to sleep in on Sunday morning, and breakfast wouldn't need preparing until nearly noon. This was as good of a time as any to crack open the ale and prepare a mixed drink he had learned of from a trader on a distant outpost - a Kali-Fal ale float. It would be nice to have a drink and unwind while indulging his favorite pastime.

But while stirring the roots and vegetables, it occurred to him that his face felt rather hot, and the familiar feeling caused him to erupt in a hearty laugh. Suddenly Neelix realized he was a little drunk. Tales had been told on the outposts of how potent the legendary ale could be, and yet he had never expected it to be this fast acting.

Maybe some more ice cream will tone it down, he thought as he added an extra scoop to his gourd-mug and returned to flipping the leola roots around the pan. But a cool dripping sensation down his hand and wrist got his attention, and he looked down to find the ale had become agitated and was foaming vigorously like a miniature blue volcano. He lifted it up and tried to shift it around in his hand to keep it from oozing too much on the floor.

“You truly are the stuff of legends.” he spoke in awe to the Kail-Fal float he held aloft.