Consequences Disclaimer - Paramount and Viacom own the characters from Voyager, although they didn't often treat them right. The story line belongs to me. A special thanks to: My friend and editor of all my stories, Mill3rs. Chapter 10
"Why don't you take a break, Harry. I'll stay here with Mr. Paris and make sure he gets to sickbay for his therapy session." The Captain began to walk Harry towards the door. "Captain?" he responded in a confused voice. "It's OK, Harry, I have some reports to go over. I'll be fine." Janeway gave him a warm smile. Harry noted that The Captain had two PADDS in her hand. "You've done a good job. Get some rest and return about 1800 hours. I've increased Mr. Paris' replicator rations so you both can have dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow morning." "Thank you, Captain. I'll be back tonight." he returned her smile and walked into the corridor. Janeway went over to the replicator on Tom's wall and ordered. "Coffee, black." she inhaled the scent and sat down on the couch. She set one of the PADDS down on the table, sat back and began to read the reports on the other one. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Damn it, Joe! That's the fifth time we've tried to get shield harmonics back online in the past four hours. Something else must be wrong." Sue Nicoletti turned to Joe Carey. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Captain, what's wrong with Tom? He didn't answer my call." B'Elanna tried to enter the room but the Captain walked out into the hallway and the doors closed. "Ensign Paris is off duty for the next 36 hours, Lieutenant. You'll have to handle the repairs without him." Janeway turned to go back into Tom's quarters. "Captain, is Tom in some sort of trouble? Was there another fight?" the concern for Tom was clear in B'Elanna's voice. The Captain put her hand on B'Elanna's arm. "He'll be OK, B'Elanna. There was some trouble but it's being taken care of. I'll let him know you came by." she turned and keyed in the entry code and entered Tom's quarters. Janeway moved quietly to Tom's bedside and looked down on her helmsman. He had not awakened at B'Elanna's visit. ÔHe looks so vulnerable and so young.' She remembered her first run-in with Tom Paris years ago.......
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"Give it back, Tommy! Give it back right now!" a young girl's voice could be heard coming down the stairs from the second floor of Admiral Paris' house. A whirlwind, dressed all in silver and blue, streaked through the foyer and slammed into the petite, red haired, young woman standing by the front window. "Ohmf! Now see what you made me do, Kathleen." the muffled reply came from the small figure now sitting on the floor. The young woman knelt down until she was eye level with the boy. "Are you hurt?" she asked in a quiet voice." looking into his clear blue eyes. A small smile lit up his face, as he pushed his blond hair out of his eyes. "No, Ma' am. I'm OK. Are you hurt?" he asked in a small but formal tone. "No, I'm not hurt. You must be Thomas. My name is Kathryn Janeway and I have an appointment with your father." she gave him a smile. "Yes, the Admiral said one of the cadets from Star Fleet was coming here today." he replied in the same formal tone, so out of place for a five year old. "Tommy was playing pilot and he swiped my starship model." Kathleen stated as she entered the foyer. The model lay on the floor next to Tom. One of the nacelles appeared to be bent. Kathleen picked it up and turned it over in her hands. "Dad is going to be so angry with you now, Tommy." "It was an accident." He looked up at Janeway. "Please don't tell the Admiral that I was running in the house. It's against his rules." the cobalt blue eyes widened in fear as the sound of the study door opening was heard. "You'd better hide, Tommy. You're in big trouble now." the seven year old girl announced. "No, no. I'm not. I'm not. No." the childish voice faded off........
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"No, no. I'm not." the same words returned Janeway's thoughts to the present. Tom was stirring in his bed repeating the words from her memory. He turned from side to side and flung his left arm in front of his face as if to ward off a blow. "No, please. Don't" he pleaded. "Tom, wake up." the Captain called out to him with no response. She gently touched his left shoulder and spoke louder. "Ensign Paris!" Tom's eyes flew open and he bolted up into sitting, his breath coming in jagged gulps of air. His left hand went to his head and he closed his eyes as a wave of dizziness came on. "Captain?" he asked in a confused voice. "What are you doing here?" "I needed a quiet place to work on reports so I told Ensign Kim to take a break. Are you OK?" she helped him to lie back down and reached for the hypospray on the bedside table. "Are you in any pain?" "Not really, just a little dizzy. I guess I sat up too fast." Tom's breathing had evened out but his face was still quite pale. "You were having a bad dream. You were repeating ÔNo, I'm not'. Do you remember what it was about?" "No, ..Captain, I ..don't remember it." Tom quietly answered with an anxious look on his face. He pushed himself into sitting and tossed the blanket, that covered him, to one side. Looking at the chronometer on his wall, he noted. "It's time for me to report to sickbay." He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up slowly. The Captain helped to steady him and walked to the corridor with him. They approached the turbolift and headed for sickbay. "Lt. Torres to Captain Janeway. Captain, I must talk to you. It's quite urgent." B'Elanna's voice came through Janeway's comm badge. "Meet me in my ready room, Lieutenant. Janeway out." When they reached sickbay, Janeway informed the Doctor that she had to leave but would be back when Tom's therapy was finished.
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The chime to the ready room sounded. "Come in." the Captain said as she sat down on her couch. B'Elanna rushed in with a fearful look on her face. "Captain, I know that Tom's been hurt. Please tell me what happened. I went to check on the gel packs in Jefferies tube 63. One of the hyperspanners is missing and there's blood on the bulkhead near the tool kit. Tom was attacked last night, wasn't he? That's why he didn't show up for dinner and why you were in his quarters today." B'Elanna's voice rose in volume. "Please, sit down, B'Elanna." Janeway indicated the end of the couch. "I'll explain what I know so far."
TBC |