Consequences
by Cat C 

Summary: Every action has its consequence. The crew learns just how true this is. 

Rating: PG-13 

Disclaimer : Paramount and Viacom own the characters from Voyager, although they didn’t often treat them right. The story line belongs to me. I’m not sure how long this will be - I have a general idea but am just coming up with this as I write. Please review and let me know if I should continue. 
 

Chapter 1 

Tom Paris rushed onto the bridge and stumbled slightly on his way down to his station at the conn. 

"You’re late, Ensign." the Captain stated as she frowned at Tom. "This is the second time, this week. You are aware of Starfleet procedures in reporting to your duty station on time, are you not?" 

"Yes, Captain. I’m sorry, it won’t happen again." Tom answered as he took his place at the helm. Chakotay noted that Tom was moving rather stiffly and slowly. ‘I need to have a little chat with Paris when his shift is over.’ Chakotay thought as he looked down at the helm. Tom was usually very conscientious about his duties. 

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Harry Kim watched the interplay between Captain Janeway and Tom Paris. Tom had been very quiet lately and hadn’t shown up at the Sandrine’s program on Holodeck Two in over a week. Harry knew that Tom had gone through a very difficult time after the incident with the Moneans. Even though Tom had his rank reduced to Ensign and spent 30 days in solitary confinement, Harry knew that some members of the crew felt that he had gotten off too easy. 

‘I need to talk with Tom at lunch. Something’s bothering him and I know he doesn’t have very many people he feels comfortable talking to.’ Harry thought back to when they both boarded Voyager at Deep Space 9............ 

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Harry Kim couldn’t understand why the Starfleet crew were so cold and distant to Tom Paris, the observer for this mission. ‘What exactly was a civilian observer doing on the newest Starfleet vessel? Were the rumors about Tom being cashiered out of Starfleet true?’ 

Later, in the mess hall, Tom confirmed all of the rumors that Harry had heard. Even when Tom told him to listen to the advise and stay away from him, Harry refused. He felt like he was back in high school and his parents were telling him who he could hang out with. Harry sensed that underneath the bravado and bluff, Tom genuinely cared about people and deserved a chance. 

Harry was proven right, on the Ocampan home world, when Tom saved him and B’Elanna in the cave. He then went back for Captain Janeway, Tuvok, and Chakotay, the Maquis Captain. He even saved Chakotay’s life although the man’s hard feelings towards Tom were clear. 

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Warning klaxons sounding loudly throughout the bridge, brought Harry out of his reverie. "Red alert! All hands, red alert!!" the Captain shouted. "Ensign Kim, report! What do your sensors show?" 

"A Kazon vessel off starboard, Captain. They’ve fired phasers at us." The bridge shuddered as the Kazon phasers made contact with the ship. 

"Kazon! Aren’t they traveling a little far from home?" Tom asked. 

"Evasive maneuvers, Mr. Paris." The Captain looked to the helm. Tom’s fingers flew over the helm controls and the ship banked sharply to port. "Mr. Tuvok, why didn’t our long range sensors pick them up sooner?" She asked, as she turned to the tactical station. 

"They may have a cloaking device, Captain." Tuvok answered as he rechecked his console. "I don’t believe they are in pursuit." 

"Cancel red alert." The Captain said as she looked to the Ops station. "Damage reports, Mr. Kim." 

"Significant damage to the starboard nacelles. Fires reported in engineering. Injury reports coming in from sickbay." 

"Sickbay to the bridge. Come in please." the Doctor’s voice came over the com system. 

"Yes, Doctor. What are the injuries?" 

"We have about 10 crew members with burns and broken bones. I could use Ensign Paris’s assistance here." 

"He’s on his way, Doctor." the Captain answered as she motioned to Tom to report to sickbay. He rose from the helm and made his way to the turbolift. Again, Chakotay noted that the Ensign was moving slower than usual. 

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‘I hope B’Elanna wasn’t injured.’ Tom thought as the lift headed to sickbay. The doors to sickbay opened and Tom rushed in. There were people on all of the biobeds, sitting on stools, and lying on the floor. The Doctor tossed Tom a tricorder and walked back to the surgical bay. 

"Begin triage, Ensign and treat the burns first." The Doctor seemed to emphasize Tom’s new rank. Tom turned to the nearest biobed and ran the tricorder over Lt. Joe Carey. 

"You have some second degree burns and your left wrist is broken, Lieutenant . I’ll give you something for the pain, now. Can you sit here until I’ve checked the others?" He grabbed a hypo spray and held it to the Lieutenant’s neck. "I’ll be fine, Tom. Go see to the others." 

Tom circled the room, scanning the injured and reassuring the engineers. He didn’t see B’Elanna among the crew and relief flooded through him. He calmly treated the burns and healed the broken bones with an osteoregenerator. 

When the last patient had been treated, Tom joined the Doctor at the surgical bay. Sue Nicoletti lay under a blue medical blanket with the bed’s arch over her torso. "She sustained the most severe injuries since she was closest to the console that exploded. Second and third degree burns on her face, arms, and chest, three broken ribs, and she suffered smoke inhalation as well." "Will she be OK?" Tom asked as he gently touched Sue’s hand. 

"Yes, Ensign. I have her on respiratory support until her lungs are completely healed. She should be able to return to duty in 48 hours. You may return to the bridge now." The Doctor dismissed Tom and walked back into his office. He didn’t notice as Tom slipped an osteoregenerator and hypospray inside his jacket sleeves. 

Tom entered the turbolift and leaned against the back wall with a relieved look on his face. "Deck 6." The doors opened and Tom made his way to his quarters. He slid open the doors on a cabinet in the bathroom and placed the items he ‘borrowed’ from sick bay next to a dermal regenerator and two other hyposprays. 

TBC