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Episode
8-7 - Retrospect
The planet loomed large on the viewscreen. It was an M-class planet; the first they had seen in weeks. More importantly, according to the scans that Seven of Nine had run, this particular planet was rich in dilithium. "A perfect opportunity for a brief, uneventful away mission," B'Elanna Torres mused, as she looked over the topographical maps of the planet "The scans show a large deposit on the northern continent," B'Elanna said, "and lucky for us, close to the surface too. It should be easy to extract enough dilithium to last us for a few months." Next to her, Harry Kim nodded. "I see a clearing not too far from there," Harry said. He indicated a spot on the map. "That looks like a good place to put the Delta Flyer down." "And the weather scans look good too. Sunny, blue skies, a light breeze from the west," B'Elanna said. She settled back in her chair, letting a smile spread across her face. "It feels really good to get out, Harry. As much as I love Voyager, the ship does get claustrophobic after a while. It has been so long..." "Even a boring little mission like this?" Harry teased. "You sure you didn't want to wait for something more exciting?" B'Elanna scowled and then good-naturedly, punched Harry in the arm. "This is good enough for me. For now," she said. "I won't be away from Miral too long." "This is your first away mission since before she was born, isn't it?" Harry asked. "Yes." "You seem like you're doing okay," Harry observed. "No anxiety at all?" B'Elanna shook her head. "Samantha Wildman has promised to take her when Tom goes on duty." She paused, thinking how naturally Sam handled Miral, a skill that B'Elanna, occasionally overwhelmed by her new responsibilities, envied greatly. On occasion, B'Elanna felt more comfortable with a hypospanner than with her own baby, but she brushed away those feelings as best as she could. "I can't think of anyone I'd trust more with Miral, other than the Doctor and Tom. The Captain said she'd check in also." "The Captain seems really taken with Miral," Harry said. He leaned over and flipped a few of the switches. "I'm beginning the descent." "Reversing thrusters," B'Elanna muttered. "And yes, the Captain does enjoy spending time with Miral. All right. We're down to impulse power now." "Entering the atmosphere." "Shields are holding," B'Elanna said. Her fingers flew over the control panel expertly as she ran a variety of scans. "Looks like there might be a little turbulence in our future, but nothing serious." As she spoke, the Delta Flyer shook, nearly knocking Harry out of his seat. "A little turbulence?" he asked amusedly as he regained his balance. B'Elanna grinned back. "Enjoy that, Harry. That's probably the most excitement you're going to experience on this particular away mission." Harry shook his head as he focused on landing the Delta Flyer. "You know," he said, "strange as it might sound, I could use a little less excitement in my life these days." B'Elanna nodded. She knew exactly what he meant. *** "Smooth landing," B'Elanna commented as she went through the post-landing procedures. She carefully cut power to all systems still operating. "Nice job, Harry." "Thanks," Harry said. "Tom isn't the only decent pilot on Voyager, you know." B'Elanna's lips turned upward. "Should I tell my husband you're bucking for his position?" Harry stifled a grin as he opened a small locker in the rear of the Delta Flyer. "Let's keep that between the two of us," Harry said, still in a teasing tone of voice. He pulled out a pair of phasers and quickly ran a check to make sure the power cells had not drained. The tricorder beeped green and Harry let out a sigh of relief. "You really think we need phasers?" B'Elanna asked with a frown. "Scans didn't show anything unusual." "You never know." "Always prepared," B'Elanna said, shaking her head in amusement. "All right, I think we're done here. I've locked down all of the systems. Seven's new encryption code is a beauty, though it's a little like using a torpedo to swat a fly." "You never can be too careful," Harry said sanctimoniously, causing B'Elanna to raise an eyebrow in amusement. Harry opened the Delta Flyer's hatch and he stepped out into the bright sunlight. B'Elanna, blinking, followed with her toolkit. "Wow," she said, looking around. Knee-high grass, gently swaying in the breeze, covered the clearing, the wide expanse of green and yellow dotted with delicate orange and white flowers. Shadowy blue hills edged the horizon. "This is... lovely. Perfect, almost." B'Elanna held out her arms as if trying to embrace the day, the scenery, all of it. She closed her eyes, inhaling the clean, sweet smells of the meadow and feeling the warmth of the sun soft against her face. It occurred to her then that she and Tom had never taken Miral outside. Sure, there had been family outings to the holodeck, trips to the beach or a drive down Route One, but never nature like this. With a pang, B'Elanna considered it might be months - she refused to think in terms of 'years' - before she and Tom would be able to introduce Miral to the great outdoors. They had been so close, so damn close to Earth and now... B'Elanna opened her eyes. Don't think like that, B'Elanna thought. We're going to get home. The Captain has promised us and she has never let us down. This is just another detour. She glanced at Harry, who seemed to be more interested in his tricorder readings than his surroundings. "Well?" B'Elanna asked. She peered over his shoulder to get an idea of what had captured Harry's interest. Harry looked up from his tricorder. "The dilithium is that way. Two kilometers." He pointed towards the hills. "You up for a hike, Maquis?" "If you are, Starfleet," B'Elanna answered, quickly banishing all thoughts of Earth from her mind. She started walking in the direction Harry had indicated. "You know, it might not be a bad idea to start a colony here." She said it casually, almost flippantly, an afterthought more than anything else. "What?" Harry asked, shock evident in his voice. "You'd actually stay here?" "Why not?" B'Elanna shrugged. She glanced down at her tricorder. "It's an M-class planet with a good climate and the resources we need. I'm detecting a river a kilometer to the east and it looks like there might be a forest not too far from here." "So you don't think we're ever getting home." B'Elanna glanced at her friend sideways. She heard the note of dismay in his voice and knew the feeling; many of the crew had been devastated when Voyager had ended up in what Tom referred to as the 'twilight zone'. Truth be told, the idea of settling in one place was very appealing but then again, so was the idea of returning home to the Alpha Quadrant. And B'Elanna knew that she could not be selfish; she had her daughter, her husband. For the others on Voyager, their families were elsewhere; building a new life here in a static universe was not an option for them and never could be. "No," B'Elanna said softly. She put her hand on Harry's arm. "I haven't given up. I was just joking. Not funny, I guess. I got carried away by the fresh air and the scenery." "As long as you aren't serious," Harry said. "I'd hate to go back and have you propose to the Captain that we make our permanent home here. After all we've been through..." "Not a chance," B'Elanna said. She unzipped her jacket and tied it around her waist. "You know, we ought to make the best of this opportunity and see if we can find some food staples to replace Neelix's leola root supply. Chell mentioned to me food supplies have been seriously depleted since Neelix's departure." "Good idea," Harry answered. He paused walking for a moment. "I miss him, you know?" "You're not the only one," B'Elanna said softly. She thought of all the times Neelix had managed to comfort her, to say the right thing. He had helped her through her self-destructive behavior years ago and she was grateful for Neelix's advice when her relationship with Tom was on the rocks. More importantly, Neelix had been her friend and B'Elanna sincerely hoped that Neelix was happy and content in his new life. "Maybe settling down is the answer," Harry said. B'Elanna looked at him in surprise. "Where did that come from? A few minutes ago you were jumping all over me for-" she paused as her tricorder starting beeping. "Harry, I'm picking up humanoid life signs." Harry looked startled. "I didn't pick up any life signs in the Flyer, humanoid or otherwise." "Looks like they are all around us," B'Elanna said. She whirled around, but saw nothing but endless prairie in every direction. "This is strange. They are everywhere." She showed the tricorder to Harry so he could verify the readings. "How is that possible?" Harry asked. He gestured. "There is nothing here but grass." "I know, but..." B'Elanna's voice drifted off as the grass evaporated and was replaced by cobblestones. She whirled around as a wall appeared about one hundred meters to the left of them, followed by a house and then another building. B'Elanna's gaze met Harry's in confusion as a village slowly materialized around them. *** "Well, I guess we're not in the Delta Quadrant anymore," Harry joked lamely as he and B'Elanna stood in the middle of what appeared to be a town square. Buildings, no more than two stories high, rimmed the plaza. Humanoids, with strong ridges across their foreheads, and dressed in bright clothing were staring at the two Voyager crewmembers with fascination. "Hello," B'Elanna ventured. She took a step towards one of the aliens. "I'm Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres of the starship Voyager. This is Ensign Harry Kim. We mean no harm." "Welcome." One of the aliens - a female - stepped forward. She was taller than most of the others, with long silver hair which curled up at the ends. Her long, slender arms were adorned with bracelets that clinked musically as she moved. With the exception of her forehead ridges - shaped like a V over her nose - the alien looked almost completely human. Her slender body was swathed in a blue silky material edged with gold. She smiled at them. "I'm Azuma. We are the Caprijen." "We're sorry for intruding," B'Elanna said. "We didn't realize there was anything or anyone here at all." "It is all right," Azuma said. Her voice was calm, assuring, and B'Elanna liked the woman immediately. "We have cloaking technology which protects us from outsiders. We are a non-violent society and hiding ourselves in this manner is the only way we can protect ourselves. Unfortunately, sometimes our technology fails us, leaving us subject to discovery." Azuma's words intrigued B'Elanna. "Let me get this straight," she said. "Your technology allows you to cloak an entire village and mask life signs too?" Azuma nodded. "Yes, but lately, our equipment has experienced some malfunctions and as a result, the cloak has been less than reliable. We have been unable to find the problem, but our engineers are working diligently to fix it." B'Elanna turned to Harry, her eyes shining. He shook his head. "The Captain won't like it, B'Elanna," he said in a warning tone. B'Elanna knew he was right, but the engineer in her couldn't pass up the opportunity to take a look at this technology. And she felt confident she could convince Harry to see her point of view. "Could you give us a moment?" B'Elanna asked. Azuma nodded. B'Elanna put her hand on Harry's shoulder and steered him away from Azuma. "Think about it, Harry. Coupled with the ablative armor, this cloaking technology could make us almost invincible. I'm sure the Captain wouldn't object." "I wouldn't be so sure of that." "Look, I know technology trades have backfired in the past, but this is different. The Caprijen mean no harm; they just need a way to preserve their way of life. We can help them," B'Elanna said. "Isn't that what we said about the Hirogen?" "The Hirogen wanted to hunt us, Harry. It's not the same thing." Harry heaved a sigh. "All right, but you explain it to the Captain. After all, you do outrank me." B'Elanna heard the note of bitterness in Harry's voice. She knew the fact that her friend hadn't been promoted after over seven years of exemplary - well, mostly exemplary - service rankled at him, even though Harry had never directly said anything to B'Elanna. Some things B'Elanna just knew instinctively. "I'll take the blame," B'Elanna assured him. "And Harry? Your turn will come." "What about the dilithium?" Harry asked. B'Elanna sighed. He had a point; any repairs they undertook would severely cut into the time allocated to extracting the dilithium. And the dilithium was more important than the cloaking technology, even if the Captain did agree with the technology trade. "Just a look then," B'Elanna said. "A quick look. And don't worry about the dilithium." She flashed a smile at Harry, who still looked uncertain. She squeezed his shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Starfleet. Leave it to me." Harry followed B'Elanna back to Azuma, who was now clustered with several other Caprijens. Azuma quickly introduced B'Elanna and Harry to the other aliens, who all eyed the Voyager officers with obvious interest. "Pleased to meet you," B'Elanna said briskly. "Azuma, I'd like to propose a trade. I'll take a look at your malfunctioning equipment, if you could assist us with locating dilithium. We need a six month supply, at the very least." Azuma considered and then said, "One minute." B'Elanna nodded as Azuma turned to huddle with the others. After a few minutes of discussion, some of it loud to carry over to where Harry and B'Elanna were standing, Azuma returned. "Agreed. We will help you mine the dilithium in return for your help in repairing the Keeper," she said. "The Keeper?" B'Elanna asked. "It's..." Azuma hesitated. "It is difficult to explain, but if you help us, we will give you the specifications for the cloaking technology. However, the Keeper acts in conjunction with our cloak. One cannot function without the other." "All right," B'Elanna said. "You have a deal." *** Kathryn Janeway stood next to the windows of her Ready Room, staring out into the vast expanse of space, a mug of coffee in her hand. She pressed her other palm against the window, the glass cool beneath her fingers. Here, staring out at the view that rarely changed, it was so easy to lose all track of time. Janeway appreciated this quiet time to herself; lately, she had found herself desiring a certain sense of serenity, and she knew that her crew, so recently disappointed by their failed attempt to return home, sought the same kind of solace. She recognized the signs of her crew withdrawing from her, even recognized it in her own first officer - The door chimed, startling Janeway out of her thoughts. She blinked. "Come." The doors slid open as Janeway turned around slowly and took a few steps in her visitor's direction. "T'Pel," she said. She put her cup down on the desk and gestured toward an empty chair. "Thank you for coming." T'Pel sat down, neatly folding her hands in her lap. Her intelligent and direct gaze slightly unnerved Janeway. Despite her long friendship with Tuvok, Janeway never really had the chance to get to know T'Pel well and Tuvok had not taken the time to share much about his wife other than the bare minimum information. All of that will have to change now, Janeway thought as she settled behind her desk. The setting seemed oddly formal, but Janeway guessed T'Pel would not particularly care for a casual atmosphere. And there was nothing casual about the reason why Janeway had summoned T'Pel. "I hope you find Voyager comfortable," Janeway said, keeping her tone light, conversational. T'Pel, however, maintained her stiff posture. "Your quarters are comfortable?" "I find the accommodations sufficient for my needs," T'Pel answered in the clipped, emotionless tones so characteristic of Vulcans. "I lack for nothing." Except for your children, your friends, your home, Janeway thought, but of course T'Pel, a very private person, would be too proud to express sentiments such as these like this out-loud. "I
know Tuvok is glad to have you here," Janeway said. Of course,
Tuvok had not said so to her in so many words, but Janeway had
seen her old friend in the mess hall with his wife, had seen the
way he looked at her with a mixture of respect and if the emotion
could be applied to Vulcans, love. "I know he missed you
"As I missed him," T'Pel replied and Janeway knew this was the closest to an admission of love she would ever get from a Vulcan. Janeway lifted her cup of coffee, sipped, and winced at the bitter cold brew. "Would you like something?" Janeway asked, getting up from her chair and heading to the replicator. "My coffee is nothing less than toxic." "No, thank you. I do not require food or drink at this time." Still facing away from the Vulcan, Janeway grinned. The coffee cup materialized and Janeway took a sip. "Ah, better," Janeway said. She smiled. "When we were in the Delta Quadrant, we would do anything, most anything that is, for a good cup of coffee. It seemed, at the time, good company and coffee could make most of our problems disappear." "And now?" T'Pel questioned. Janeway shook her head as she settled into the chair next to T'Pel's. "I'm concerned about the crew's morale," she said. "We were so close to home. Only one light year away and now..." "I understand." "When Neelix was on-board, he served as an unofficial sounding board for many of the crew. He could pick up on any mood and possessed a knack at peeling away the layers to get to the heart of the matter," Janeway said. She sighed. "He was a valuable member of the crew and while I wish him well, I do miss him, T'Pel." T'Pel remained silent, but her dark eyes were alert with anticipation. "I can't be everything to my crew," Janeway confessed. She glanced down into her coffee. "I would like to be, but there are some days..." "I understand," T'Pel said. This time her voice was infused with warmth and for that, Janeway was grateful. "My crew needs someone they can talk to," Janeway went on. "They know they are free to come to me at any time, but many of them don't. Some go to Chakotay, but more of them chose Neelix. Now that Neelix is gone, there's a void. I know it's a lot to ask, but would you be willing to serve as the ship's counselor?" T'Pel tipped her head to the side as if considering the request. Janeway took another sip of coffee, feeling the warm liquid coat the inside of her throat. Her hands shook slightly as she put the mug down on the desk and she wondered when she had become so vulnerable. I can't let this be like the last time, Janeway thought as she contemplated the mug on the corner of the desk. Her last descent into melancholy had occurred nearly two months ago when they had passed through an expanse of space completely devoid of life or scientific phenomena; she had cut herself off from the crew, choosing to dwell in self-pity and regret, even shutting out Chakotay, whom she counted among her closest friends. Janeway lifted her chin defiantly and turned to T'Pel, who was nodding slightly. "I will do it," T'Pel said quietly. "It would be an appropriate position for me and I wish to be of service to the ship." "Thank you," Janeway said. "We - I appreciate it." "Chakotay to the Captain." Janeway detected the note of urgency in Chakotay's voice, the first real sign of emotion she had heard from her first officer in days. Well, you haven't been spending much time with him now, have you? she thought. But she pushed the thought away, knowing their relationship was already better than it had been since Voyager had ended up in this bubble of space. In time, Janeway thought, we'll be back to where we were. And she fervently hoped that they could repair the damage to their relationship sooner, rather than later. "Janeway here. What is it?" "We need you on the Bridge." "On my way." Janeway rose, as did T'Pel. "Thank you," Janeway said. "I'll let Chakotay know about our conversation and he'll inform the crew." T'Pel nodded. Janeway headed for the door and then stepped aside so that T'Pel could exit first. And then with a sharp intake of air, Janeway entered the Bridge. *** "What is it?" Janeway demanded as she marched down the Bridge to where Chakotay was standing. He nodded at the viewscreen; a serene, cloud-covered M-class planet took up much of the screen. A planet, Janeway realized in shock that looked very much like Earth right down to the number of continents sprinkled across its surface. She swallowed hard and turned her attention to her first officer. "We're picking up a distress call," Chakotay said. He turned to Tuvok. "Tuvok has pinpointed it to this location." "Any indication what it is?" Janeway asked, frowning; there was no sign of a ship or anything else out there. "I am scanning all frequencies now," Tuvok said. "I'm detecting no vessel, only a ripple of energy, a continuous burst..." His voice drifted off as he leaned closer to examine the readings on his console. "You sure there's someone out there?" "This isn't usual phenomena," Chakotay said, an edge to his normally crisp tone. "And it's a moving energy wave, spiraling downward towards the planet. The fact that it's emitting a distress call of some kind-" "You think it's a ship? Hail it," Janeway said sharply. "At least let whoever is out there know we heard them." "There is no response," Tuvok said. Janeway took a step towards the viewscreen, eyeing the planet with a mixture of fascination and longing. "I am retrying on all frequencies. Still no response, but the distress signal is a continuous pulse." "They're ignoring us?" Janeway asked in disbelief. "Keep trying, Tuvok." She looked over at Chakotay. "Isn't this the planet where scans indicated large reserves of dilithium?" "It is," Seven of Nine said from her station directly behind the Captain. "This planet was among those Lieutenant Torres and Ensign Kim planned to visit." "The energy wave has dissipated," Tuvok said. He tapped a few keys on his console. "However, I am picking up a life sign on the planet. Captain, it's Sernaix." "Damn. Shields up and go to red alert. Tuvok, are you picking up any Sernaix ships in the vicinity?" Janeway asked. "I am not picking up vessels of any kind, Sernaix or otherwise, on long-range sensors," Tuvok said. His voice was calm, evenly modulated, but Janeway detected the note of unease in her security officer's tone. She knew exactly what he was concerned about; Sernaix ships were seemingly impenetrable to Voyager's scanning technology. The last time they had encountered the Sernaix, the attack had seemingly come out of nowhere and now they had detected a single Sernaix life sign with no indication of another alien ship anywhere in the vicinity. This particular circumstance didn't bode well, Janeway knew, and she shared Tuvok's anxiety. "Continue the scan," Chakotay advised needlessly. "I doubt any of us are eager to see the Sernaix again. Let's try to avoid them if we can." "Captain." Tom Paris whirled around from the helm. "If the Sernaix are down on that planet, B'Elanna and Harry are going to need us." "I agree," Janeway said. She settled herself into her chair. "Set a synchronous orbit around the planet, Mr. Paris. When we're in range, hail the away team." *** "When you said 'hiking', you weren't kidding," Harry said. He tried to keep his panting minimal; lately, he had been hard pressed to find time for exercise programs on the holodeck. Occasionally, he had managed to indulge in a Captain Proton scenario or two, but without Tom Paris - who had embraced fatherhood wholeheartedly - the holodeck lacked its usual panache. As a result, Harry had begun spending his free time practicing his saxophone or playing various strategy games in the mess hall with the Delaney sisters or anyone else who happened to be around at the time. And neither hobby had particularly prepared him for the steep ascent into the cold and damp caves located just beyond the Caprijen village. He was at least relieved to see that B'Elanna was slightly out of breath also as they followed Azuma up the rocky trail. Azuma, on the other hand, appeared to have no problems whatsoever as her breath remained even and controlled. "We
are not far from the Keeper," Azuma told them. The light
from Azuma's lantern played off the walls of the cave, creating
shadows that conjured up memories of imaginary monsters that hid
in closets and beneath beds. Harry knew there was nothing to fear
in these caves, but still, he kept one hand on his The trio turned a corner and suddenly the narrow passageway widened into a large chamber, one illuminated by lanterns hanging every few meters. The walls here were of a beige hue, rather than the gray and black shades of the passageway. "Look." Azuma pointed in the direction of a gray box. It was nondescript looking, to say the least, measuring about three meters wide and four meters tall. "That's the Keeper," Azuma went on proudly. "It has been a part of our people's heritage for almost a thousand years." "That's a long time," B'Elanna said. She pulled out her tricorder. "No wonder it's been acting up. I'm picking irregular spikes in the power flow. Does anyone perform regular maintenance on it?" "Our engineers routinely run diagnostics, however, the latest malfunctions have been difficult to repair." B'Elanna crouched in front of it, examining her tricorder readings. She noted some unusual bursts of energy patterns, some of them powerful enough to burn out fuses, and others so weak, they barely registered on her tricorder. "Anything?" Harry asked her. "I'm noticing..." her voice drifted off as she stared at the gray box in fascination. B'Elanna reached out, touching the smooth metal delicately with the tips of her fingers. "It's unlike anything I've seen before. The technology, it's incredible..." her eyes closed as she swayed. "B'Elanna!" Harry exclaimed as his friend fell back into his arms. *** She was a little girl. As she looked around, B'Elanna recognized the playground immediately. On Kessik, only two blocks from the house where she lived with her parents. The sun was warm against her skin and the grass soft and cool beneath her bare feet. B'Elanna turned around slowly, facing up to the sunlight. And then, two strong hands, lifting her towards the sky. B'Elanna laughed as she flew through the air. Those same strong hands caught her and when she found herself on the ground, B'Elanna looked up. Father. Mother. Both. Smiling down at her. "Again, Daddy," B'Elanna said, clapping her hands together. "Do it again." *** B'Elanna's eyes flew open and she saw Harry and Azuma staring at her. "Are you all right?" Harry asked urgently. "What happened to you?" B'Elanna shook her head, pressing her hand against her forehead. Her mouth felt dry, scratchy. "Water?" she requested. "One
minute," Harry said. He rummaged through his pack to find
the canteen. He poured some of the water into a glass and held
it to B'Elanna's lips. "Careful, B'Elanna gulped down the water, relishing the coolness running down her throat. She closed her eyes, licking her lips. "Want more?" Harry asked. "No, no, I'm fine now," B'Elanna said. She glanced at Azuma. "What the hell happened?" "You experienced a vision," Azuma said. "Yeah," B'Elanna said. She got to her feet and moved away from the box. "I guess you can call it that." "Was it a... pleasant experience?" B'Elanna considered. She had felt completely happy in her 'vision,' as Azuma called it. Free, light-hearted, wonderful, loved. "Yes," B'Elanna said. She smiled. "I was at the playground, near my home on Kessik. My parents, both of them, were there and it... it was a good day. I was four years old again and my father was swinging me up in his arms." Harry crossed his arms against his chest. "So?" he asked. "What is it?" "The only way I can explain it is in this way," Azuma said. "Somehow, the Keeper manages to extricate memories from people and bring them back vividly. In that way, we have the ability to relive the happiest moments of our lives. However, it has never affected an outsider before." "It's got some effect," B'Elanna said. "It was a pretty powerful experience." "Look, I don't like this," Harry said nervously. "Let's figure out what's wrong with this thing and get on with our mission." "Agreed," B'Elanna said, but she kept looking at the box. She wanted to touch it again, but knew that Harry would not like it. But still... *** "Entering orbit now, Captain," Tom announced. "Anything on sensors?" Janeway got up from her chair and stood directly behind her helm officer, her hand resting gently on his shoulder. "Nothing," Tuvok answered. "However, I have pinpointed the Sernaix' location. It appears to be one individual; his life signs are weak. He is approximately one kilometer from the Delta Flyer." "Voyager
to B'Elanna, come in," Janeway said crisply, doing her best
to keep the concern out of her voice. The bridge fell silent as
everyone waited for a response. Janeway noted that her helm officer
seemed especially interested, as he had turned away from the viewscreen
and focused all of his attention on her. "Harry here." Harry's voice sounded scratchy over the commlink. "Sorry about that, Captain. Looks like there's a little bit of interference with the comm signal." Tom let out an audible sigh and turned back to his console, his shoulders visibly relaxing. Janeway stifled a smile; seven years ago, she would have never predicted that Tom Paris would settle down to a life of relative domesticity and stability. Paris' devotion to wife and daughter, the way he looked at them, and the utter peace on his face when he held Miral in his arms struck a nerve with Janeway. Inadvertently, she glanced at Chakotay, and then quickly recovered her composure. "Harry, there's a single Sernaix not too far from your location." Another pause and then Harry, his voice still slightly fuzzy, answered, "Thanks for the warning, Captain. We'll be on the look out." "As soon as you finish the dilithium extraction, return to Voyager," Janeway said. Her voice, steady and calm, belied her nervousness. "Understood. Kim out." Janeway glanced over her shoulder at Chakotay who had moved to stand just behind her. "Do you think it's a coincidence?" she asked softly. "What do you think the Sernaix are up to?" "Your guess is as good as mine," Chakotay answered. He glanced towards the viewscreen. "The Sernaix are nothing, if not unpredictable." "Unpredictability's all part of their charm," Tom said. He flashed a quick smile at the Captain, a small reflection of the ladies' man he used to be. "Makes them irresistible." "That must be it," Janeway said wryly, allowing herself to smile back at her helm officer. "Tuvok, beam the Sernaix directly to sickbay and notify the Doctor. Assign a security detail." "Aye, Captain." "Kathryn..." Chakotay's voice was deliberately low as he leaned close to the captain. She held up a hand, already anticipating his objection. "I won't deny medical aid to anyone in need," she said in an equally quiet voice. "It could be a trap." "Objection
noted," Janeway said. She glanced at Tuvok, who was standing
near the turbolift. "Erect a force field around sickbay.
I don't want to take any chances," she said, raising her
voice so everyone could hear. She headed towards the door and
then turned to face her bridge staff. "Chakotay, Tuvok, you're
with *** B'Elanna enjoyed quiet. She hadn't realized it until this moment when she was alone in the cavern, the door of the box open to reveal the intricate circuitry within. Harry and Azuma had left her to the delicate task of diagnosing the Keeper's problems, while they went to set up the dilithium retrieval operation. The Captain's tone in their recent communication had indicated that there was no time to waste; the Sernaix were nearby, and B'Elanna had no desire to see those blue-skinned, horned creatures again. Harry had been reluctant to leave, but B'Elanna had assured him that she would be fine. "Go. You heard the Captain," she had said. "I can handle this, don't worry." And now that they were gone, B'Elanna was able to examine the Keeper's technology to her heart's content. So rarely did she get the opportunity for exploration; most of the time she reacted to problems, coming up with quick fixes. The chances for in-depth research proved few and far between. Even when B'Elanna did find a free moment or two, she often spent the time helping the other engineers on her staff with their duties. She pulled out a phase link coupler from her kit and squinted at the blinking circuits. A few of the circuits looked like they had fused together, creating lapses in the routing paths. Whoever had last repaired the Keeper had attempted to reroute some of the power flow, but B'Elanna could see that an overload was imminent. She shuffled through the items in her toolkit before settling on an inverse flux capacitor. B'Elanna deftly removed several of the burned out circuits and replaced the wiring. "Let's see if this makes a difference," she said. Her voice sounded unnaturally hollow and loud in the cavern and B'Elanna shivered. Maybe she shouldn't have persuaded Harry to leave... She took a deep breath and resumed working. Time seemed to slip away from B'Elanna as she fused wires together and cut away at the defunct equipment. Her vision blurred and she blinked a few times, trying to focus. Come on, B'Elanna, she muttered to herself. Stick with it. The phase link coupler slipped out of her hand and B'Elanna cursed under her breath. She reached for it, and her boot slipped. As she recovered her balance, she was aware of someone else in the room with her. She turned and gasped. "Daddy?" *** "Report!" Janeway barked as she led the way into sickbay, Chakotay and Tuvok close behind her. The Doctor looked up from his patient. "The Sernaix has several internal injuries. I've stopped the bleeding and repaired some of the tissue damage," the Doctor told the three officers. "However, he has sustained a concussion and cannot be moved at this time." Janeway circled the biobed, keeping her eye on the unconscious alien the whole time. She had never seen a Sernaix up close before and now, as she looked at its lanky body, the blue-tinged skin, the horns, the alien appeared much less intimidating. "Will he live?" Chakotay asked. The Doctor nodded. "Yes." "Good to hear. I'd hate to explain to the Sernaix how one of their people died onboard my ship," Janeway said. "The physiology is interesting," the Doctor said, seemingly unaware of Janeway's last comment. "I've made note of several unique features that I have not seen anywhere else, including some vestigial organs. I am, however, unable to discern what function is performed by these additional viscera." "I'm sure you'll discover their purpose soon enough," the Captain responded, her gaze still fixed on the alien. "Indeed, I hope to," the Doctor said. He lifted a small gray box with a collection of slides within. He pulled out one slide and handed it to the Captain. "What am I looking at?" she asked curiously, holding the slide up to the light. She could make out a cluster of cells tinted purple. She pulled out another slide from the gray box; this one featured another sample, this time tinted blue. "I've taken the liberty of taking some tissue and blood samples," the Doctor said in a low voice. "For research purposes, of course." "Of
course," the Captain said, unable to keep the note of cynicism
out of her voice. She handed the slides back to the Doctor and
turned her attention back to the alien. Janeway noted that despite
its appearance of frailty, the alien was all muscle and bone.
Strong, without doubt, and this observation sent a shiver Their physical and technological superiority posed a serious threat to Voyager and Janeway knew that this was her opportunity to perhaps head off any chances of further attack. She looked up from the alien and back at Chakotay and Tuvok. "Chakotay, contact the Sernaix. Let's set up a meeting. Let them know we have one of their people and we'd like to talk," she said briskly. "Captain," Chakotay said. "I'm not sure I like the idea. We know nothing about the Sernaix." He looked at Tuvok for support, but the Vulcan remained characteristically tight-lipped. It's okay to take sides once in a while, Tuvok, Chakotay thought, feeling fury bubble up inside of him. Even if voicing your opinion means going against the Captain. "This is our chance to learn more," Janeway said evenly. "I can't pass up the chance for a face to face meeting with the Sernaix here on Voyager." Chakotay bristled at the suggestion. "What about the security issues?" He threw the comment out there, knowing Tuvok would have to respond now. Tuvok, still stone-faced, replied, "I will assign extra crew to the security detail." "The Sernaix have fired on us before, with no cause, I may add. We shouldn't invite them onboard without thinking it over carefully," Chakotay argued. Janeway circled around the Doctor and came to stand directly in front of her first officer. "Chakotay, I have thought about it and I've made my decision," she said softly. "You have your orders." Chakotay stared back at her, grim-faced. "I understand, Captain," he told her. "I'll contact the Sernaix." Chakotay turned and walked out of sickbay. Janeway sighed and looked back down at the alien. He looked peaceful, almost tranquil, and she wondered if perhaps all of the animosity between Voyager and the Sernaix wasn't all just a big misunderstanding. She sincerely hoped so. She was aware of the Doctor and Tuvok both staring at her. Janeway cleared her throat. "I'll be on the Bridge," she said. "Contact me if there is any change in the Sernaix's condition." "Aye, Captain," the Doctor nodded. Tuvok fell into step with Janeway as they proceeded out of sickbay and down the corridors towards the turbolift. The security officer's silence unnerved Janeway; she could always count on Tuvok to give her his honest opinion and the fact he had offered nothing at all during her brief discussion with Chakotay sparked her curiosity. "Tuvok," Janeway began. She stopped and leaned one shoulder against the wall. "Am I making a mistake? No, don't answer that. I suppose it wouldn't be the first time and it certainly won't be the last." She sighed. Chakotay's negative attitude towards her suggestion bothered her greatly. She looked up to see Tuvok eyeing her carefully and knew he had picked up on her thoughts. "What do you think?" "He is your first officer," Tuvok said firmly. "His opinion should matter." "I wasn't asking about Chakotay," Janeway said firmly. She sighed and crossed her arms against her chest. "I just want to know what you think." "I am uncertain as to what the best option is for Voyager. We are in an uncharted area of space that defies definition. Once again, we are in a situation where we must make the best of every opportunity as it arises. The Sernaix have displayed hostility to us in the past, however, a meeting may prove beneficial in erasing any tensions between us." "So you agree?" "I said I was uncertain." Janeway sighed and continued walking. So much for a black and white answer. But then, she considered; she wasn't necessarily looking for another course of action, only validation of the decision she had made to invite the Sernaix aboard Voyager. In that case, she thought, you got exactly what you were looking for; a diplomatic non-response from Tuvok and a flat no from Chakotay. Where does that leave you, Kathryn? And she knew the answer to this question, the answer that had motivated her for the last seven years. "I'm doing the best I can, Tuvok," she said, not pausing to let her friend catch up with her. "I promised this crew I would get them home. I'm going to do that, no matter what it takes." *** "B'Elanna?" Harry approached warily as he held the lantern high to illuminate his path. The light threw shadows across the craggy walls of the cave. His Starfleet-regulation boots crunched the gravel beneath his feet and occasionally, he could hear the drip of water and the scampering of some small invisible animal. The damp, chilly air sent shivers down Harry's back and he sincerely could not wait to get out of this cave. "B'Elanna, you here? We're back." Harry glanced at Azuma who followed closely behind. The two of them, along with several other Caprijens, had spent the last three hours mining dilithium. The Caprijens had developed extraction techniques that made the usual tedious process more efficient. All in all, the group had managed to collect enough dilithium to last Voyager for at least nine months. If we're still stuck in this twilight zone nine months from now, Harry thought, and shuddered at the idea. "B'Elanna!" Harry called again. They rounded the corner and entered the large cavern where the Keeper was housed. Azuma stopped short and Harry nearly bumped into her. "Sorry. B'Elanna!" B'Elanna was lying on the ground, the contents of the toolkit scattered at her feet, the front panel on the Keeper still open. Harry looked at Azuma. "What's wrong with her?" he asked, his voice rising to a feverish pitch. He knelt beside his friend. B'Elanna looked peaceful, almost as if she were sleeping. A sheen of perspiration coated her forehead, but her breathing was even. "This is what happened to the others..." "What?" Harry barked. "This has happened before?" He pulled out his tricorder and scanned B'Elanna. "Her life signs are stable, but she's in a coma." "Yes," Azuma nodded. She sighed. "That's one of the problems with the Keeper. It has been adversely affecting its users, drawing them so deeply into their memories that they remain there." "Are you saying B'Elanna is trapped inside her own memories?" Harry asked incredulously. He shook his head. "This is unbelievable. Why didn't you tell us what was going on?" "Like I told you before, this has never affected outsiders before," Azuma said. "You still should have told us!" Harry exclaimed. All of his goodwill towards the Caprijens evaporated as he glanced down at B'Elanna. How would he explain this to Tom? "Especially since she had that previous, whatever you call it, vision?" "I'm sorry," Azuma said, her tone conciliatory. Harry looked up and saw that Azuma appeared genuinely sorry. She twisted her hands nervously in front of her. "If I had known this would happen, I would have never brought you here..." "How do we revive her?" Harry demanded. He placed his fingers against the side of B'Elanna's neck and after a few seconds, pulled them away, satisfied that her pulse was strong and constant. "I- I don't know." Harry stared. "You don't know?" Azuma shrugged. "Usually they wake up when their memories have run out." Harry glanced back down at B'Elanna's prone figure. Who knew when her memories would run out? If she started at infancy, or even at age four as she had mentioned before, it might be years before B'Elanna woke up again. Especially if the memories ran in real time. "You should have told us," Harry repeated. "I would have never agreed to the trade if I had known what was going on here and B'Elanna wouldn't have either." Azuma's lips tightened into a straight line and Harry sighed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you," he said. He turned off his tricorder and reattached it to his uniform. "I'm going to the surface. You stay with B'Elanna." "Where are you going?" Azuma asked frantically. "I'm going back to the Delta Flyer to hail Voyager." *** The boxes sat against the wall, neatly packed and ready to be loaded into the transport. Two sleeping bags were rolled up tightly and rested on top of the cooler. B'Elanna viewed the assortment with disinterest. The annual camping trip for the Torres family, except that her mother would not be joining them this year. Instead, her father's brother and his children - her cousins, whom she barely knew - would be coming along. In a way, B'Elanna was happy to be going - she had felt an urge to get out of the house ever since the fighting had begun again in earnest. It seemed that these days everything was an issue between her parents. Little things such as what B'Elanna should wear to school or what was for dinner were magnified until their voices erupted in anger, echoing throughout the house. B'Elanna
had tried to get away from the loudness; she had locked herself
in the bathroom furthest away from the scene of most of her parents'
quarrels, the kitchen. But still those loud, angry voices carried
through the walls, and B'Elanna, crouched in the bathtub, would
bite down on her lip, wondering when Today though, on their departure morning, both mother and father appeared to be in good moods. "I think that's the last of it, B'Elanna," her father said, nodding at the stack of boxes. He placed one large hand on B'Elanna's thin shoulder. "I don't think we've missed anything." "You've forgotten this," her mother said, coming up behind them. She held out a red sweater. "It gets cold in the mountains, B'Elanna. Take this with you." B'Elanna reluctantly took the sweater; it was nearly summertime and she wanted to be free of heavy clothing, but she also knew that her mother was right. Klingons were unusually susceptible to cold and despite the fact she has half-human, B'Elanna's Klingon side managed to get the upper hand in every instance. "We should be back next Saturday," her father said. His tone was conversational, almost warm. The politeness of his words made it impossible for B'Elanna to believe that her parents had been arguing only the night before. Her mother smiled down at her. "You will have a good time, B'Elanna," she said. Those long fingers, the features of which her mother was most vain, stroked B'Elanna's cheek gently. "You don't want to come?" B'Elanna asked. "Why? You always come." "Not this time," her mother answered, exchanging a cryptic look with her father. "Next summer." "We should go," her father said, his voice sounding unnaturally bright. "It won't be the same without you," B'Elanna insisted. "Not this time, B'Elanna." "We'll be late for the transport," her father said. B'Elanna gazed at the camping supplies and then reluctantly, picked up her sleeping bag roll. Her father picked up the cooler and the other sleeping bag, while her mother lifted the box containing cooking supplies. The three of them walked out to the waiting transport together. After they finished loading up the transport, B'Elanna turned to her mother. "I'll miss you," B'Elanna said. The hoarseness in her throat surprised her, and apparently surprised Miral Torres also. "It's only for a week," her mother said softly. She planted a light kiss on the top of B'Elanna's head. "You won't even think of me, not for a moment, while you are there. You will have so much fun with your cousins. Think about them, not of me." "Let's go," her father said. B'Elanna hugged her mother fiercely and then climbed into the transport, sitting all the way against the back of the seat so that her long legs barely skimmed the floor. As they pulled away from the house, B'Elanna waved to Miral Torres, who stood out on the front lawn, arms crossed against her chest. It was, B'Elanna thought, the first time she had ever seen her mother's proud posture slump. *** When Janeway arrived on the bridge, she saw Chakotay, however grudgingly, had done as she'd asked; the narrow blue face of a Sernaix filled the viewscreen, a scowl spreading across the alien's finely sculpted features. Janeway involuntarily shuddered as she noted the intricate tattooed patterns that covered the Sernaix's face, torso and upper arms. She took a deep breath as she remembered Voyager's last encounter with the Sernaix; she hoped this one would go better and if not... well, she preferred to hope for the best but was ready for the worst. Chakotay turned as Janeway approached. "Meet Adimh Liven of the Crimson Stone," Chakotay said in a low voice. "'Belligerent' doesn't begin to sum up his attitude towards us." Janeway nodded and then faced the alien. "I'm Captain Janeway," she said. "We have one of your men on board. He is severely injured." "He must be returned," Adimh Liven barked. "Prepare him for transport immediately." "Our doctor says his injuries make it impossible for him to be moved without further risk to his health," Janeway said. "We will take care of him and return him to you healthy and in one piece. You have my word." "Why should we trust you?" Liven's eyes narrowed. In the background, Janeway could make out other Sernaix gathering, perhaps in a show of support for their commander. She could see the defiance on their faces. Janeway lifted her chin; she refused to be cowed by the Sernaix. "We have nothing to gain by holding your crewman hostage," Janeway said. She glanced at Chakotay, but his expression revealed neither agreement nor disagreement with her statement. She wondered if Chakotay did want to keep the Sernaix hostage as a bargaining piece. Let's not give them a reason to attack, Chakotay, Janeway thought. I have to assure them of our goodwill, it's our only way out of here. "Captain," Tuvok said. "They are powering up their weapons." Damn, Janeway thought. "So much for good intentions." "Go to red alert," Chakotay advised. "Take us out of range, Mr. Paris," Janeway ordered. She then turned her attention back to Adimh Liven. "Power down your weapons, Adimh. I assure you, we will not hurt - does he have a name?" Liven hesitated before saying, "His name is Lous." "We will not hurt Lous," Janeway said. "But I fear transporting him will cause further harm. Believe me, injuring him further is the last thing I want. However, if you'd like -" she glanced over at Chakotay, who looked uneasy, as if he was anticipating her next action - "you are welcome to come aboard Voyager and examine Lous for yourself. You'll see he's well-cared for." The Sernaix commander remained silent for a long moment and Janeway willed herself to remain calm. She could sense the tension in the members of her bridge crew, from Paris' clenched jaw to Tuvok's alert posture. Calm, Kathryn, Janeway thought. She looked at Chakotay and the firm line of his mouth convinced her to try again. "Consider this an opportunity for us to get to know each other," Janeway plunged ahead. "I believe we can help each other." Liven finally nodded. "Agreed." "They are powering down weapons," Tuvok announced and Paris confirmed the news with a quick scan. Janeway exhaled, feeling all tension dissipating from her muscles. "End red alert," Chakotay said as he stalked back to his chair. "You may beam directly to our transporter room," Janeway said to the Adimh. "Janeway out." The viewscreen went black and Janeway faced her first officer. "You're with me, Commander," she said. Without looking, she knew Tuvok had already departed for the transporter room, and in his efficient way, had probably arranged for the security detail to be present for the Sernaix's arrival. Chakotay nodded. "You have the bridge," Janeway said to Tom Paris for the second time that day. Paris nodded and left his seat as another officer came to take the helm. Janeway led the way to the turbolift, Chakotay close on her heels. As the doors closed on them, Janeway turned to Chakotay. "Do I have your support?" she asked softly. Chakotay shrugged. "You've never asked before. Why raise the question now?" Janeway bit her lip. There were so many ways to answer this question, but the truce, which had only recently developed between the two of them, was still too fragile to allow her to answer in a way that would be meaningful to both of them. Janeway looked resolutely straight ahead. *** It was their usual camping ground, the one they returned to year after year. B'Elanna scrambled out of the transport, landing lightly on her feet. Already, she had seen the perfect place to pitch a tent - over in the far corner of their assigned space, beneath a trio of tall evergreens. Behind her, her father was unloading the transport, with the help of her uncle. The cousins were here too, but B'Elanna wanted to explore. She pushed through the trees, marveling at the softness of the fresh green leaves and the dampness of the ground. She followed a meandering path down to the edge of the river. The water splashed white against the occasional boulder and occasionally, flotsam consisting of leaves, sticks, and mud flowed downstream. B'Elanna took off her shoes and waded into the cold water, nearly yelping as it swirled around her skinny ankles. She had forgotten how chilly mountain water could be, especially this early in the summer. "B'Elanna!" She turned around and saw her father. He waved at her and made his way down to the edge of the river. "Enjoying yourself?" he asked. "Very much," B'Elanna replied. She rubbed her feet against the water-smoothened pebbles. It felt good, but she knew she had to be careful; last year, she had actually slipped and fell, cutting her forehead on a stone. Her mother had been furious with her. "Do you think we can go rafting?" "I think we can arrange that," John Torres said. "Now, come on back to the camp site. We're getting ready for lunch." "Okay," B'Elanna said. She picked up her shoes and slipped her hand into her father's larger one. As they walked, the blues skies of the early afternoon darkened into night and suddenly, B'Elanna was standing outside of her tent, not really sure how she had gotten there. "Daddy?" she ventured. "B'Elanna, there you are," her father said from the shadows. She wanted to ask him if only a few seconds ago they had been walking together from the river, but she felt somehow foolish. Perhaps she had fallen asleep; it seemed to be the only explanation. "I've been looking for you everywhere." "I was at the river," B'Elanna said. Her father frowned. "That was hours ago," he said. B'Elanna blinked. It wasn't hours ago, she wanted to say, only a few minutes, but she remained quiet. Already her limbs felt heavy, as if she had been walking for days and her head... "Daddy," she whispered. She held out a hand, trying to steady herself against the tree trunk, but already the ground was spinning. She looked up and between the towering tips of the evergreens; she could see a dark patch of sky speckled with tiny white dots - stars, glowing so far away in the distance. And they were moving, spinning, circling, and as she fell into the night, B'Elanna was only dimly aware of her father calling for help. *** B'Elanna sat up. She had been lying in a bed, a white sheet covering her to the waist. She felt hot, clammy, and sore, as if she'd been sick. Her muscles ached and as the room came into focus, she noticed Azuma sitting in a straight-back chair at the foot of the bed. "B'Elanna?" Azuma asked cautiously. "How do you feel?" B'Elanna inhaled deeply. The irritating scratchiness in her throat was back. "Water?" B'Elanna requested. Azuma nodded and disappeared into the adjoining room. She returned a few moments later with a glass and B'Elanna drank deeply. She coughed a few times and then looked around. The room she was in was plainly furnished; two windows were on one wall and the far wall had a single door. Furnishings consisted of simply designed wooden pieces - table, chairs, a shelf and the bed in which she was lying. There were no decorations anywhere. "Where am I?" B'Elanna asked hoarsely. "This is my home," Azuma said. She was still crouched at the side of B'Elanna's bed. "How do you feel? Harry has gone to contact Voyager." "I'm feeling..." B'Elanna stopped. The sensations running through her body were not so different than what she had felt while on the Barge of the Dead. "Was it real?" "What?" "I was on a camping trip with my father. I could feel the water around my ankles; feel the damp soil between my toes. It was different than the last time. The first time, I knew it was a memory because the scene appeared out of focus, but this, everything was more clear, so much sharper. Was it real?" Azuma nodded. "Yes, it was." "I was twelve years old," B'Elanna said quietly. "I don't know that I've ever had a memory that vivid before. It was... disconcerting. It was as if I was watching myself, but at the same time, I was myself as I was at that time." "The Keeper has that effect. As I explained to Harry earlier, it has the ability to transcribe memories into reality. It gives us the chance not only to relive certain moments, but also to change them if we so desire." "Change them?" B'Elanna asked. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. "A second chance?" "Yes,"
Azuma said. "The Keeper is a wonderful gift in that sense.
It allows us to take back our regrets, giving us the ability to
alter those events which have caused harm or unhappiness in any
way. Of course, we cannot make the decisions concerning the timeline
lightly, otherwise we run the risk of changing B'Elanna nodded. "I understand that. Temporal mechanics have always been a tricky subject to handle." "Depending on the event in question, we usually convene as a village to discuss what is to be done. Only after all of the issues have been weighed and resolved to the best of our abilities, do we consider approaching the Keeper." "That makes sense." "Would you like some more water?" Azuma asked, looking at B'Elanna's now empty glass. "That would be wonderful, thank you." As Azuma disappeared, B'Elanna rested her chin on her knees. She thought of her father and how that particular camping trip had been their last time together. She remembered the hateful words she had said to him, the words that remained permanently branded in her memory. 'If only I could take those back...' Her vision grew cloudy as she thought of all of the things she wished she could take back. She allowed herself a rueful smile. I suppose that's what happens when you speak first, think later, B'Elanna thought. She lifted her head as she heard Azuma approach. "I have one more question," B'Elanna said as she took the glass from Azuma. "Something strange happened while I was... there. It was like I had jumped forward in time. Morning darkened into night almost without warning." "A time shift," Azuma acknowledged. "On occasion, that has been known to happen. The memory is fast forwarded to another point in time." "That's exactly what happened," B'Elanna said. "It was strange, to say the very least." "Yes, because you were unaware of this phenomena. Often, it takes one to the moment of regret." "So you can effectively jump around in the past?" B'Elanna asked. She sat up straight, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "To any moment you choose?" "Within reason, of course," Azuma said. "And with forethought, of course. Now, you should rest. I can imagine this was a strange experience for you, one you ought not take lightly." With that, Azuma left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Not something to take lightly, B'Elanna thought as she sipped the cool water. But it would be intriguing... *** I could get used to this, Tom Paris thought as he glanced around the bridge. The view from the Captain's chair was certainly different than the view one had at the helm or even at the Ops or Engineering stations. In the past, Tom had often chided Harry for spending his night shifts on the bridge, noting that Harry seemed to be on the fast track for a promotion; Harry had shrugged and offered a simple, "You should try it sometime." But bridge duty, unless under duress, never appealed to Tom. He enjoyed his off shifts, spending much of that free time in the holodeck, tinkering or writing various holoprograms, including the inexplicably popular Fair Haven program. And of course, there was B'Elanna and now, Miral... just thinking of Miral, Tom's lips curved up. Every day, Miral did something new and he found himself incredibly amused and proud to watch each little achievement, from the first smile to the first wave. "Incoming message from the planet," Seven of Nine announced, interrupting Tom's reverie. She pressed a few buttons and a second later, Harry Kim appeared on the viewscreen. Tom grinned at the sight of his friend and stood up. "Hello, Harry," Tom said. "Miss us already?" "Not that," Harry answered uncomfortably. He glanced over his shoulder, perhaps in an effort to avoid eye contact. Tom's thoughts flew immediately to the worst possible scenario. "Is it the Sernaix?" Tom asked. He kept his voice even but the very thought of the Sernaix down on the same planet as his wife and best friend terrified him. He hadn't thought it possible after all they had faced in the Delta Quadrant, but the image of those blue-skinned horned aliens occasionally disrupted his sleep and Tom would wake up sweaty, his heart beating rapidly; only when B'Elanna opened her arms to him, did he feel safe. "No, we haven't seen any sign of the Sernaix," Harry said, relief evident in his voice. Tom felt the tension ease out of his body. "Then why the long face?" Tom asked teasingly, but Harry didn't smile back. "Is the Doctor available?" Harry asked. "He's in sickbay, treating a wounded Sernaix we beamed aboard. What's the matter?" "It's B'Elanna. She's..." Harry paused. "What's happened?" Tom asked, advancing towards the screen. "Harry?" "She's fallen into a coma of some kind. We've been trying to revive her, but to no use. I need the Doctor." "I'll beam down," Tom said. He hit his comm badge. "Paris to the Captain." "Go ahead, Tom," Janeway's voice was scratchy over the commlink. "What is it?" "B'Elanna needs medical attention. Requesting permission-" "Denied," the Captain answered. "Captain!" Tom exclaimed. He paced the length of the bridge, unable to contain his nervous energy. "She needs me." "We'll send the Doctor. I need you on the bridge." Tom bit his lip and then he looked back up at Harry. "The Doctor is on his way, Harry," he said, taking a step closer to the viewscreen. "You will keep me informed, won't you?" "Of course. Kim out." Tom turned back to face his seat but then he caught Seven of Nine's eye. She was looking at him with uncharacteristic warmth and softness. He turned back around; he didn't feel like sitting. "Lieutenant Paris," Seven said softly. "Lieutenant Torres is a strong woman and the Doctor is a capable physician. Whatever the ailment is, I'm sure the Doctor can treat her efficiently." Tom did not respond, but he twisted around slightly to flash her his trademark grin, the one that had melted hearts across the Alpha Quadrant, but there was no heat in his smile. He only prayed Seven of Nine was correct. *** Harry met the Doctor on the outskirts of the Caprijen village. The Doctor had come fully prepared for any possibility with several medkits. Harry heaved up one of the kits and indicated the direction of Azuma's home. "We brought her here after she passed out," Harry said as they walked up the pathway leading to Azuma's front door. The Doctor took in the little red flowers lining either side of the cobblestone pathway and the little iron sculptures of native animals to the left of the door. "Quaint," he commented as Harry opened the door. The Doctor evaluated the interior of the house, evaluating everything from the brightly colored curtains at the windows to the simple wood furniture. "Delightful," the Doctor continued. "Tasteful color, functional furnishings, comfortable in every way." Harry chose not to respond to the Doctor's commentary as he led the way down a short corridor and finally into the small bedroom Azuma had provided for B'Elanna. The two men were surprised to find B'Elanna sitting on the edge of the bed, her eyes unnaturally bright and her cheeks flushed. "Doctor," B'Elanna said. She scowled. "There's nothing wrong with me. You didn't need to come." |