Part Six: Selected Truths

Harry, B’Elanna, Chakotay and the Captain burst into the transporter room.

B’Elanna smiled shyly at Tom then pulled him into a fierce embrace. “We were worried about you,” B’Elanna said quietly.

“You were worried about me? I’m not the one that got myself kidnapped.”

“Actually, Tom,” Alex said playfully, “You did manage to get yourself kidnapped…”

Tom smiled slightly, “Yea I guess so, thanks for the rescue by the way,” he said sheepishly.

“Anytime,” Janeway said grinning. “Now, what happened? Why didn’t you transport to the ship with Chakotay and B’Elanna?”

“Alex and I had split up… I couldn’t leave without her.” Or allow Odious to destroy an entire city, he thought but kept it to himself. No reason to tell the Captain about his slight breach of the Prime Directive.

Janeway nodded, “So did you find out what happened? Why Lieutenant Torres and Chakotay were abducted?”

“Apparently B’Elanna intercepted a message from a terrorist group. They had planned to destroy the entire capital city of Dasavion,” Janeway gasped and Tom quickly reassured her, “But the weapon that was meant to do it was destroyed with the ship we were on.”

Janeway nodded, “Well we can’t get involved anymore than we already have but I’ll send a message to Dasavion to warn them about this group,”

“I’m sure they’d appreciate it,” Tom said. “The group is called the Mavaino Alliance.”

Janeway nodded, “Good job,” she smiled. “Both of you.”

Janeway left with Chakotay close behind leaving B’Elanna, Alex and Tom alone.

“Well,” Alex said awkwardly, “I’m going to get some rest,” with that Alex quickly left the transporter room.

“So,” B’Elanna said. “Thanks, you know for coming for us, you took a big risk,”

“B’Elanna,” Tom said suddenly. “I think we need to talk,”

B’Elanna stiffened, “About what?”

“About Alex and what you walked in on…”

B’Elanna laughed defensively, “Its none of my business…”

“I just wanted you to know we aren’t a couple.”

B’Elanna’s eyes snapped to Tom’s searching for honesty she was surprised to find.

“I know we didn’t actually deny the rumors but we just decided that we don’t care what people think… but then I realized that wasn’t completely true because I care what you think… and I just thought you should know.”

B’Elanna tried to look nonchalant, “Well, are you going to go on letting people believe you’re a couple?”

Tom shook his head, “No we’re going to tell them we’re just friends… like we should have from the beginning.”

“But I saw you and Alex…”

“I was helping her with an old back problem, it wasn’t intimate,”

B’Elanna eyed him critically, “Back problem?”

Tom nodded, “Right and I really am sorry for not being honest to you from the beginning,”

B’Elanna thought there was more behind his words than a simple misunderstanding but didn’t push him, “It’s alright,” she said. “Thanks for clearing this up… well, I’d better get back to engineering, will I see you tomorrow at breakfast?”

Tom smiled, “Bright and early.”

B’Elanna returned the smile and they went their separate ways, B’Elanna was ecstatic he wasn’t having an affair with Alex, now if only she could find the courage to tell him how she felt…

* * * *

Tom entered his quarters and wasn’t surprised to see Alex lounging on his couch.

“How’d it go?”

“I told her the truth about us…”

Alex raised an eyebrow.

Tom smiled ruefully, “That we weren’t a couple, not the truth about our pasts. Ah, Alex… about what you said about B’Elanna…”

“Don’t even try to tell me it’s not true.”

“I won’t. I just wanted to tell you that I’m still searching for that courage…”
 
 

The End! Finally!

I plan to make a sequel in which the crew discovers the truth about Tom’s past but I don’t know what to do for the plot yet… Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, e-mail me at Sirap46@hotmail.com!