The Greatest Battle By: Amy Michelle Bitter (borgqueena@yahoo.com) © 1997 Star Trek and its characters are property of Paramount, Inc. The rest is mine! (You knew I was going to say that, right?)   “B’Elanna!” Tom shouted. “Watch out!” Tom pushed B’Elanna out of harm’s way and took the brunt of the phaser blast. “Tom!” B’Elanna screamed, and rushed to where he lay on the ground. “Tom,” she said softly, grabbing his hand, “it’s going to be Okay.” “B’Elanna,” Tom whispered, “before I die, I have to tell you...” “Tom, you're not going to die,” she assured him. “I love you, B’Elanna,” he whispered as his eyes rolled back into his head. “Chakotay to Voyager. Away team to beam up. Beam Lieutenant Paris directly to Sickbay, he’s been injured.” *** B’Elanna rushed into Sickbay. “How is he, Doctor?” She asked worriedly. “He’s still unconscious,” the Doctor reported. “His vital signs are very weak. That phaser blast did something to him, but I won’t be able to tell exactly what until he wakes up.” This all started when Voyager came into orbit of Umea, a planet whose two major countries were at war. They were assured that there was a cease fire going on and that they wouldn’t be harmed when they went down to get supplies as long as they stayed away from the border of the two countries.  *Damn it, B’Elanna, this is all your fault!* B’Elanna told herself. *You went too close to the border and now looked what happened!* B’Elanna walked over to the biobed where Tom was laying. He looked so peaceful, as if he were sleeping. There was a phaser burn in his uniform where he had been shot. “Did you mean it, Tom?” She softly asked him. “Do you love me?” How she had hoped to hear those words from him, if only it were under different circumstances. B’Elanna wiped a tear from her eye. She wasn’t going to cry, she promised herself that. She had to be strong for Tom. B’Elanna pulled a chair over to the side of the biobed. She was going to stay there with Tom. *As soon as he wakes up, I’ll tell him I love him, too. If he wakes up…* *** “What happened down there?” Captain Janeway asked. “B’Elanna walked too close to the border,” Chakotay explained. “One of the guards tried to shoot her, but Tom pushed her out of the way and was shot.” “How’s Tom?” Janeway asked. “He’s in a coma, but stabilized.” “How’s B’Elanna taking all of this?” Janeway asked. “Not too well,” Chakotay admitted. *** “Has his condition changed?” Janeway asked. “I’m afraid not,” The Doctor said. “He’s still in a coma. I’m worried about Lieutenant Torres. She hasn’t left his side since he’s been here, other than to go on duty, then she’s right back. She hasn’t slept, she hasn’t even eaten.” Janeway looked at B’Elanna sitting at Tom’s side. She always knew there was something between them. It’s a shame it took a tragedy to bring them together. “B’Elanna,” Captain Janeway said walking over to her. “Yes, Captain?” “B’Elanna, go get some sleep,” Janeway said. “I have to stay here,” B’Elanna said as the tears began to fill her eyes. “I need to stay with Tom.” “B’Elanna, you’ve been here for three days,” Janeway said. “Go get some sleep, that’s an order. I’ll have the Doctor notify you of any changes in Tom’s condition.” “Yes, Captain,” B’Elanna said as she reluctantly left Sickbay. *** B’Elanna examined her face in the mirror in her quarters. “B’Elanna, you look like hell.” She said aloud to herself noticing the dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. B’Elanna sat down on the sofa. She was exhausted, but she couldn’t fall asleep. How could she sleep with Tom in the condition he’s in? Just then her doorbell sounded. “Come in,” B’Elanna said standing up. Harry entered the room carrying a food tray. “I brought you dinner,” he announced. “Any news on Tom?” She asked. “No, sorry,” Harry said. “His condition hasn’t changed.” “Thanks, Harry, but I’m not hungry,” B’Elanna said turning down the dinner. “B’Elanna, you haven’t eaten in three days,” Harry said. “I’m not going anywhere until you eat, Maquis!” “Fine, Star Fleet,” B’Elanna gave in. “What is Neelix’s latest disaster?” “It’s not Neelix’s cooking,” Harry said. “I had some extra replicator rations.” “So what is it?” “Meatloaf,” Harry said. “I programmed the replicator with my mom’s special recipe.” “Harry,” B’Elanna said as she sat down on the couch, “what if Tom doesn’t make it? I can’t go on without him. I love him.” “He’ll make it through this,” Harry reassured her. *** A fully refreshed B’Elanna Torres entered Sickbay. She had gotten a few hours of sleep, which made the dark circles under her eyes vanish. She had her usual seat next to Tom’s bed. *Will he ever wake up?* B’Elanna wondered. Just then Tom’s eyes blinked open and closed quickly, and then again. “Tom?” She asked. “Doctor, he’s waking up!” “B’Elanna?” Tom said softly. “Yes, Tom,” B’Elanna smiled. “I’m here.” “Where am I?” He asked. “You're in Sickbay,” the Doctor interrupted scanning him with a medical tricorder. “Tom,” B’Elanna said, “I have to tell you, that I love you, too. But, if you ever scare me like that again, I’ll kill you myself!” Tom looked up at B’Elanna and smiled. *It’s good to see that smile again,* B’Elanna thought. “I’m detecting serious damage to your spinal cord,” the Doctor reported. “How to you feel?” “I…” Tom began, “I can’t feel my legs.” “What?” B’Elanna asked. The Doctor scanned Tom once more. “It looks like the phaser you were hit with caused more damage then we initially thought. You're paralyzed from the waist down.” “Doctor, you have to do something,” Tom said. “Mr. Paris, I’m not sure that there’s much I can do,” the Doctor said. “I have no idea of the technology of the people who shot you. This might go away in a few days, it may never go away. All I can do is run more tests.” B’Elanna took Tom’s hand in her own. She had been there for him since the moment he was hurt, and she didn’t plan to leave him now. But, they both knew, the greatest battle was just beginning.     =/\= Part Two =/\= “Any luck, Tuvok?” Captain Janeway asked. “No, Captain,” Tuvok said. “They are still not answering our hails.” “Well, keep trying,” Janeway said. “Their phaser did something to Lieutenant Paris, and I intend to find out how to fix it.” *** “How do you feel?” B’Elanna asked Tom as she entered Sickbay. “Much better now that you're here,” Tom smiled. “I can’t wait to get out of this place.” “Getting tired of laying in Sickbay all day?” “That’s an understatement,” Tom said. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to cut visiting hours short today,” the Doctor interrupted. “I have tests to run, and you need your rest, Lieutenant Paris.” “I’ll see you tomorrow, Tom,” B’Elanna said and leaned to kiss him. “I love you," he whispered to her. “I love you, too,” B’Elanna whispered back. Captain Janeway walked into Sickbay the same time B’Elanna was leaving. “Doctor, may I speak with you?” She asked. “Certainly,” The EMH replied and the two walked into his office. “Doctor,” Janeway started, “I’m not having any luck getting in touch with anyone on Umea. They aren’t answering our hails. Without the technology to their phasers, will you still be able to help Tom?” “I don’t know, Captain,” the Doctor replied. “His spinal cord is very weak. If I knew what kind of phaser he was shot with, I would know how to treat him.” *** “Do you think our plan would work?” Harry asked. “It’s worth a try,” Chakotay said. “You understand, we could be charged with kidnapping,” Tuvok chimed in. “That’s a risk were willing to take,” Captain Janeway said. “They won’t answer our hails, we’ll make them talk to us.” “I’ve got a lock on him,” Harry said. “Energize,” Janeway ordered. A man began to materialize in the briefing room. “What?” He asked. “Where am I?” “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship, Voyager. Welcome aboard. You're Mr. Ayr, President of Umea, I presume.” “Yes, I’m Mr. Ayr. Why have you brought me here?” The man asked. “A few days ago, I sent an away team down to your planet. One of my crew members was shot by one of your border guards.” “You were told to stay away from the border,” Mr. Ayr reminded her. “And you told us there was a cease fire in effect,” Chakotay said. “I’m terribly sorry that one of your crew members was injured, Captain,” Mr. Ayr said, “but, what do you want me to do about it?” “We want to understand your technology,” Janeway said. “I want to know why my pilot is lying in Sickbay paralyzed!” “He’s lucky to be alive,” Mr. Ayr said. “The type of phaser he was shot with usually kills instantly. I’ll have one of our best surgeons beam aboard to assist your Doctor.” **** A woman walked into Sickbay and over to the Doctor. “May I help you?” The Doctor asked. “Actually, I came to help you,” The woman said. “I’m Dr. Deneva Vin from Umea. I came to help you with your injured crew member.” The Doctor lead the woman over to the panel on the wall. “As you can see from these readings,” the EMH said, “Lieutenant Paris’ spinal cord is deteriorating.” “Then we’ll just have to replace it,” Deneva said. “What?” The hologram asked. “We’ll replace his spinal cord,” Deneva said. “How do you intend to do that?” The Doctor asked. “You have replicator technology,” Deneva said. “We’ll take a healthy sample of the spinal cord, and replicate a new one.” *** “A complete spinal cord replacement?” Janeway asked. “Will it work?” “The last attempt made by a Star Fleet doctor to perform this surgery, was when Dr. Beverly Crusher replaced the spinal cord of Lieutenant Worf while on the Enterprise. The surgery was successful.” “What are the chances that Tom would survive?” Janeway asked. The hologram looked over at Deneva. “Slim to none,” he answered. "But, Captain,” Dr. Vin said, “if you do nothing, he will only have a few months left anyway, and he will spend those months paralyzed.” “And if he does survive,” Janeway said, “what are the chances he will walk again?” “I’d say the odds are 50/50,” Dr. Vin answered. “Not a very positive outlook,” Janeway said. “It’s up to Tom.” **** “Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Harry asked. “Yes, Harry, I’m sure,” Tom said. “The chances aren’t very good,” Harry said. “Harry,” Tom said, “I’m going to be fine.” “Tom, you don’t have to put on this act for me,” Harry said. “I know how scared you are.” “Yeah, Harry, I’m scared as hell,” Tom said as tears began to cloud his vision, “but I’m not going to spend my last moths of life lying in some bed paralyzed. If there is a chance of me walking again, I’m going to take it.” B’Elanna entered Sickbay. Tom quickly choked back his tears. He had to be strong for B’Elanna. “Hi,” she said as she walked over to where Harry stood by the biobed. “I’m going to go,” Harry said. “I’ll give you two some time.” “Thanks, Harry,” B’Elanna said. “See you after surgery tomorrow, Harry,” Tom called. “Bye, Tom,” Harry said. B’Elanna couldn’t take it anymore, she burst into tears. “Damn you, Tom! What the hell did you think you were doing pushing me out of the way of that phaser shot anyway?!” She yelled at him. “I should be the one lying in that bed paralyzed, not you. Now you may not survive this surgery, and it will be all my fault!” “B’Elanna,” he said as he took her hand in his, “it’s not your fault.” “Yes it is!” She sobbed. “You can’t leave me, Tom. I love you. I can’t go on without you.” “I love you, too,” Tom said as tears began to fill his eyes. “I won’t leave you, ‘Lanna, I promise.” She leaned her head against his chest, and he held her close to him. B’Elanna.” He wrapped his arms around her. The battle was over. The greatest battle that either of them had ever faced was over, and they had won. =/\= THE END =/\= And yes, another happy ending! You were worried for a minute there weren’t you? Sorry, but like I said, I’m a sucker for happy endings!:)