30 posts tagged “star trek voyager”

Here is a "Star Trek Voyager" story set during Season Five:

"BLIND AMBITION"

CODE: Kim, P/T
RATING: [G]
SUMMARY: Harry Kim discovers a few truths about his friends' Starfleet ambitions. Set after S5's "Disease".

FEEDBACK: Send to cancerjones1941@yahoo.com. - Be my guest. But please, be kind.

DISCLAIMER: Harry Kim, Tom Paris, B'Elanna Torres and all other characters related to Star Trek Voyager belong to Paramount, Viacom and the usual Trek Powers to Be.

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Inside Voyager's Mess Hall, the Talaxian cook placed two trays on the table shared by Harry Kim and B'Elanna Torres. "Here we go," Neelix announced with a flourish, "Rikkorian Quiche. Made from Rikkorian ham, mushrooms from the Airpondics Bay and Bacca leaves. I got the recipe from a restaurant chef, during our shore leave on Rikkor."

Both Harry and B'Elanna stared at the dish on their trays. To the former, it strangely reminded him of an ordinary slice of Quiche Lorraine - much to his relief. "This chef was willing to give you his recipe?" he asked, aware of professional chefs' tendency to jealously guard their recipes.

Neelix replied, "Well, I don't think he really minded. Especially since he knew I wouldn't be around to give him any competition. Besides, I gave him my recipe for Wood Nettle Strips."

"I bet he liked that," B'Elanna murmured.

Neelix's mottled face brightened. "Actually, he enjoyed it very much, when I presented him with a sample of my dish, the following day. Which is probably why he wanted the recipe." He paused, while the others continued to stare at their trays. "Anyway, as you Humans say, 'bon appetite'."

"Yeah," Harry slowly replied. He glanced at B'Elanna, who continued to regard the quiche on her tray with dubious eyes. "Well, here I go." Harry took a deep breath, broke off a piece of quiche with his fork and placed it in his mouth. He chewed.

B'Elanna stared at him. "Well?" she asked. "How is it?"

As Harry chewed his food, he discovered something surprising. Neelix's Rikkorian Quiche tasted a lot like Quiche Lorraine from back home. In other words . . . "Delicious," he declared in a surprised tone. Then he smiled at the Talaxian. "My compliments to the chef."

"Why thank you," Neelix replied happily. "Thank you very much. I thought this would be the perfect dish to serve, after all of those heavy meals we've been eating lately. Excuse me, while I prepare more quiche." He returned to the galley.

B'Elanna leaned forward. "Okay Harry, how is the quiche? Really?"

"It's great!" Harry replied enthusiastically. "Just like it's made back home. Try a bite."

The half-Klingon did as Harry had suggested. And like him, she responded to Neelix's newest culinary effort with enthusiasm. "Hmmm, this is delicicious! I ought to get Tom to try it."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Good luck," he replied sarcastically. "You know how Tom is about Neelix's cooking."

B'Elanna dismissed the suggestion with a wave of her hand. "Maybe he was like that a few years ago, but not anymore. Besides, ever since Neelix stopped serving leeola root, Tom's been a lot more tolerant."

"Tolerant of what?" a third voice asked. The two friends glanced up at the tall, fair-haired man standing before their table.

Harry grinned at his other best friend. "Hi Tom! Didn't think you would make it."

Tom Paris heaved a sigh and placed his tray on the table. "Thanks to the Doc, I nearly didn't. There's nothing more boring than conducting an experiment in cellular construction." He then sat in the empty chair, next to B'Elanna's, before planting a light kiss on her mouth. A surge of envy welled within Harry. Tom's kiss brought back memories of his recently aborted romance with the Varro woman, Tal.

The young Operations Chief shook away his dark thoughts. Tal was now in the past. He should be thankful that he had survived the whole Varro incident with nothing more than an official reprimand, instead of a spell in the brig. Or worse, a demotion. Still, the reprimand meant a black mark on what otherwise could have been a . . .

"Hello? Harry?" Tom's voice brought the younger man back into the present. "Hey, are you in another world, or what?"

Shaking his head, Harry replied, "No . . . uh, no. I was just thinking. About the past."

Blue eyes stared at him. "The past? Oh! You mean Tal. You still miss her?"

Harry shrugged. Yeah. But I was also thinking about my Starfleet record. How this latest incident could affect . . . you know, my career."

Tom reluctantly took a bite of Nelix's new dish. His eyes lit up with appreciation. "Hmmm, not bad," he commented.

"Harry and I thought so, too," B'Elanna added.

"As for your record," Tom continued, "I don't think you have anything to worry about. I mean, we're . . . what? At least 40 to 50,000 light years away from Starfleet Command. I don't think you have to worry about them finding out about your not-so-spotless record, Harry. So relax."

Frustration unexpectedly welled within Harry. There were times when he could not understand Tom's cavalier attitude toward a Starfleet career. Yes, he knew that Admiral Paris had been concerned about Tom adhering to the Paris family's tradition of joining the Command track, and later assuming the ranks of captain and admiral. And he knew that his friend valued flying a starship above commanding one. But Harry sometimes wondered how Tom could be so dismissive about anything so serious as a Starfleet career? Was it because the older man knew that any chance of a higher rank had been destroyed by his actions on the Monean homeworld?

"I'm not worried," Harry insisted, struggling to sound truthful.

Tom gave him a shrewd look. "If you say so, buddy."

Harry clamped down another surge of frustration. He hated when Tom saw through him. "Okay, maybe I am a little worried," he said, changing his mind. "Can you blame me? It's not as if we're seventy years away from home, anymore. Hell, within four years, we've already traveled a good thirty or forty-thousand light years." Harry leaned forward. "We may end up reaching home a lot sooner than we had imagined."

"And the purpose of this conversation?" Tom asked, with a touch of condescension.

Harry bit back a sigh. "What I'm trying to say is that we might end up home a lot sooner. Which means I have every reason to be a little . . . concerned about my service record. Especially after what happened with the Varro. And if that makes me seem a little ambitious, so what? We were all ambitious when we first joined Starfleet. Right?"

Instead of answering immediately, both Tom and B'Elanna exchanged wary glances. "What?" Harry demanded. "Didn't you two have ambitions about joining Starfleet?"

"Well," B'Elanna began uneasily, "I did. It's just . . ."

"What?" Harry stared at the Chief Engineer.

B'Elanna took a deep breath. "Well Harry, my main reason for joining Starfleet was to escape from Kessik IV . . . and my mother." She paused briefly. "We, uh . . . you know that we didn't get along very well. And when a Starfleet Academy recruiter had visited my school . . . Let's just say that Starfleet gave me a good reason to finally leave home. And since I happened to be a good engineer, I signed up for the Engineering track."

Harry stared at his friend in stunned silence. "That's why you had joined Starfleet? But you've always seemed . . . I don't know . . . enthusiastic about being a Starfleet officer."

"I am enthusiastic!" B'Elanna protested. "Well, at least I'm serious about being a good officer. I take pride in my work." She paused. "It's just that I don't have the same enthusiasm like I used to. Or your ambition, Harry. I'm just not a diehard Fleeter at heart."

The young ensign diverted his eyes toward the Chief Helmsman. "What about you, Tom? I know you never had any ambitions to be a starship captain, but you've always wanted to join Starfleet, right?" Harry realized that he was regarding his other friend with hopeful eyes.

It did not take the blue-eyed pilot very long to respond. "Sorry Harry," Tom replied in that soft voice of his. "To be honest, I never wanted to join Starfleet.

This time, Harry found himself feeling flabbergasted. "Wha. . . what? I thought you had at least wanted to fly the best ships in the Fleet?"

Tom sighed. Heavily. "Look, Harry, I love to fly. Really, I do. But, I also love the ocean. You know that. And because of that love, I had wanted to join the Federation Naval Patrol."

Harry reeled from shock by Tom's news. "The . . .?"

"Yeah," Tom continued, "the Federation Naval Patrol. But Dad was against the idea. A Paris always joined Starfleet. And I gave in to his demands and joined. End of story." A bitter note had crept into the helmsman's voice.

Still stunned by Tom's admission, Harry shook his head. "I don't . . . I don't get it! You had seemed happy when the Captain first gave you a field command. I thought you were happy to be a Starfleet officer, again."

"I was happy," Tom replied. "To be given a second chance, Harry. To be trusted again." His voice grew even softer. "And although I had nearly threw away that trust again, a part of me doesn't regret it." He exchanged a private smile with B'Elanna.

Harry had no idea what laid behind his friends' smiles. To be honest, he did not care. He was too busy trying to reconcile his feelings with Tom's words. "Does the Captain know? About your plans to join . . .?"

"Yeah, she knows." Tom's gaze cooled slight. "I had told her about two or three days before she demoted me and tossed me into the brig." He sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if I had not told her, would she have simply given me an official reprimand."

A slight scowl darkened B'Elanna's countenance. "That's not hard to imagine," she muttered.

"B'Elanna!" Harry stared at his friend in outrage. "You're talking about the Captain!"

The half-Klingon rolled her eyes in contempt. "C'mon Starfleet! You have to admit that she's been acting pretty erratic, this year. Mind you, we've all been having a difficult year, but the Captain . . ." She shook her head. "Sometimes I think that she hasn't recovered from her depression. At least not yet."

The word "depression" brought back memories of B'Elanna's state, earlier this year. And Seven's emotional state following One's death . . . along with the Doctor's emotional breakdown and Harry's own malaise over Tal. Even a good number of the crew had been in a bleak mood during the trip through the Void. "I know, but . . ." Harry began.

Two pairs of eyes gazed directly at him. Tom said, "I think I know what you're going to say, Harry. That after what I had done on the Monean homeworld, the Captain only did what she thought was right. And I would be the first to agree."

"Would you?" Harry demanded. "Because you seem a little bitter about it all. Is that why you're now so ambivalent about a Starfleet career? Because of what the Captain did to you?"

A long sigh left Tom's mouth. A sigh filled with frustration that made Harry feel even more naïve. And on edge. "First of all, the reason I might still be a little bitter is because so far, I'm the only Senior staff officer who has served time in the brig and been demoted. Everyone else - including you, Chakotay, Tuvok . . ."

"And me," B'Elanna added.

Tom nodded. ". . . and B'Elanna have all been officially reprimanded. Except for Neelix, who had only spent two weeks cleaning plasma manifolds and Seven, who was force to remain in the cargo bay, when she was not on duty, last year. All I'm saying is that there's a chance that my little admission about my feelings toward Starfleet may have led the Captain to her decision regarding my punishment."

"So, you're saying that this sudden aversion toward a Starfleet career has nothing to do with what happened on Monea?" Harry demanded.

The helmsman gave the younger man a long look. "Harry, my aversion toward Starfleet had began a long time ago. At least a full decade before I had entered the Academy. But like I told you, I gave in to my dad's wishes and joined Starfleet." Tom shrugged. "Aside from my years on Voyager, I've regretted giving in to Dad."

Harry tried not to feel disappointed by Tom's words. Yet, he could not help it. He felt as if he had lost some kind of connection - not only to the sandy-haired pilot, but to the Chief Engineer, as well. Because of this, he felt even more like a third wheel. Who else, aboard Voyager, with whom he could share his feelings about Starfleet? The Captain? She would have understood, but her position and their recent estrangement made her too remote for Harry. He had never been close with Tuvok - aside from their sessions of Kaltoth. And as much as Harry felt comfortable with Chakotay, the latter seemed to regard his ambitions with mild amusement. Both Neelix and Seven, as civilians, would never understand. As for the Doctor - well, Harry had never found the time to form any kind of bond with the EMH. In fact, aside from Tom and B'Elanna, the only other person Harry used to connect with was his old Academy friend, Lyndsay Ballard. And the Hirogen had killed her, last year.

Glancing into his friends' eyes, Harry detected sympathy. And pity. Their expressions made him feel lonelier than ever. It was a feeling that he had grown accustomed to, over the years. Especially during the past year or so. Perhaps Tom had been right. Perhaps he should not concern himself over a Starfleet record, recently tarnished with a reprimand. Especially since four or five decades might pass before Starfleet Command ever laid eyes upon it.

Harry sighed, as he stood up. Tom frowned. "Leaving already, Harry? You haven't even finished your dinner. And for once, it's good."

"I'm almost finished, anyway," Harry replied in a resigned voice. His eyes shifted from the pilot to the engineer. "Besides, I think you two might want to be alone."

B'Elanna responded in her usual acerbic manner, "If we were really that desperate to be alone, Harry, we wouldn't have asked you to join us for dinner." Her voice softened. "But I understand . . . if you need to be alone, right now."

"I don't . . ." Harry hesitated. Then he sighed. Why bother denying the truth? Tom and B'Elanna's revelations had just exacerbated his present moodiness. "Yeah," he finally said. "I guess you're right."

Harry glanced at his two friends, once more. After nearly five years, it still amazed him how both of them seemed to adapt to the Delta Quadrant. Despite all that they had suffered - Tom's alienation from the crew during that first year and his demotion, along with B'Elanna's depression, the Delta Quadrant suited them like water to a duck. Instead of feeling stifled and frustrated like he did, Tom and B'Elanna had flourished. Looking at them now, Harry felt more than ever like a third wheel. He wondered how long this feeling within him would last? During Voyager's entire journey in the Delta Quadrant? And how long will that last?

He bit back a sigh, smiled at his friends and bid them goodnight. As Harry sauntered toward the Mess Hall's doors, Neelix cried out, "Good night, Ensign Kim!" But the twenty-six year-old ensign barely heard him.

THE END

RETROSPECTIVE: Star Trek Voyager (“Bride of Chaotica!”)

One of the aspects of ”STAR TREK VOYAGER” that I have truly enjoyed over the other ”TREK” shows were the holoprograms featured or the episodes centered in the two Holodecks. One such holo program was ”The Adventures of Captain Proton” stories created by Voyager’s Chief Pilot, Tom Paris. Captain Proton was featured in at least four episodes – three in Season Five and one in Season Seven. But without a doubt, my favorite happened to be the third Proton story titled, ”Bride of Chaotica!”.

In short, ”Bride of Chaotica!” began when Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeil) and Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) are enjoying the latest chapter of his Captain Proton program in one of the Holodecks. They are forced to leave it running when spatial distortions trap the ship and disrupt their control over the computer. Voyager’s command staff attempted to discover a way to free the ship from the spatial distortions. Unfortunately, extra-dimensional aliens that exist in a photonic state cross over from their own dimension through a distortion located in the holodeck. They are detected and attacked by Proton’s archenemy, Dr. Chaotica (Martin Rayner), who believes them to be from the Fifth Dimension, and whose holographic (photonic) weaponry - though harmless to humans - is deadly to the aliens. Eventually, the crew discover the war being waged between Chaotica and the Fifth Dimension and must defeat him by playing out their roles as the fictional Captain Proton (played by Tom Paris), his sidekick Buster Kincaid (Harry Kim), and Arachnia, Queen of the Spider People. Paris convinced Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) to take on the latter role.

I might as well be frank. I LOVE ”Bride of Chaotica!”. I adore it. It is one of my favorite ”TREK” episodes of all time. What am I saying? It is my favorite ”TREK” episode of all time. Screenwriters Bryan Fuller (creator of ”DEAD LIKE ME” and ”PUSHING DAISIES”) and Michael Taylor created a first-rate episode filled with imagination, action and humor. Having the characters of Tom Paris’ Captain Proton holoprogram get drawn into a galactic war with an actual group of actual aliens that are photonic was a stroke of genius. And Fuller and Taylor, along with director Allan Kroeker, did an excellent job combining an original story with great characterization.

The cast was excellent, as always. Robbie McNeill and Garrett Wang revived their old magic as Tom and Harry – the two crewmembers who got more out of the Captain Proton holoprogram than anyone. Come to think of it, McNeill also managed to generate strong chemistry with Tim Russ (Lieutenant-Commander Tuvok) and Kate Mulgrew. The latter was superb as Queen Arachnia, although I think she may have been a little guilty of too much mugging, while expressing Janeway’s disregard for the Proton holoprogram. However, I loved her scene with Neelix (Ethan Phillips) that showcased Janeway’s caffine addiction. With that scene, she may have truly earned the nickname - Queen of the Delta Quadrant:

JANEWAY: "Coffee, black."
NEELIX: "I'm sorry, Captain. We've lost another two replicators –"
JANEWAY: "Listen to me very carefully because I'm only going to say this once. Coffee – black."
NEELIX: (To replicator)"Coffee, black. While I've got your attention there are –"
JANEWAY: (Holds up hand)"Coffee first."(drinks/inhales)"...Now, what's the problem?"

And then there is Dr. Chaotica, portrayed with great relish by Martin Rayner. The promise he had shown as a rich and over-the-top character in the Season Five premiere, ”Night” was fulfilled in this episode. The late Nicholas Worth ably supported both Rayner and Janeway as Chaotica’s ruthless, obsequious henchman, Lonzak.

As much as I love ”Bride of Chaotica!”, there is one aspect about it that disturbed me – namely the crew’s reaction to the Captain Proton hologram. It is quite apparent that they view it as nothing more than a childish piece of fiction for those of the immature mind. And it is quite apparent that they also view Tom Paris’ participation in it as childish. And they are not the only ones. I have read some reviews of the episodes. While most tend to sneer at it, along with anything labeled ”STAR TREK VOYAGER”, at least two of them did not. Julia Houston seemed to view the holoprogram not only as Tom Paris’ personal fantasy, but also as an example of his imagination. Like me, she seemed annoyed by the inability of others to appreciate Paris’ imagination . . . and his right to his own fantasy. Now Jim Wright did seem to enjoy the holoprogram and appreciate its uniqueness. But it also seemed that he viewed it as a sign of Paris’ immaturity . . . and as something that the Chief Pilot would have to give up in order to develop as an adult.

Quite frankly, I agree with Julia Houston. I was very annoyed by the other Voyager crewmen’s snobbish reaction to Captain Proton. Okay, perhaps they did not care for it very much. But was there really any need for them to openly sneer at what he considered recreation and fantasy? What law was there that Tom’s pursuit of recreation had to culturally high-brow or meaningful? Janeway, of all people, had no business to sneer. This is a woman who had spent two seasons indulging in her Lambada One holoprogram – a ”Jane Eyre”/”Rebecca” Gothic romance. I must also admit that I was a little put-off by Jim Wright’s assumption that Tom needed to give up the Proton program in order to become more mature as an adult. To me, this attitude seemed like a clear lack of appreciation for Tom’s vivid imagination. Perhaps it was more important to him and other ”VOYAGER” fans that Tom become the stand-up Starfleet officer that Owen Paris and Janeway wanted him to be. Happily, Tom never stuck to his declaration of giving up the Proton program. He and Harry were still using it in early Season Six (see ”Alice”). And a late Season Seven episode called ”Homestead” revealed that Tom had created another B-movie style program called “Invaders from the Ninth Dimension."

Personally, I like the idea that Tom Paris would eventually become that successful holonovelist sometime in his future. But in the VOYAGER relaunch novels, he became a permanent Starfleet officer, achieving the rank of Lieutenant-Commander and Voyager’s new first officer. Ugh. What a waste of a vivid imagination that created the likes of the Proton holoprograms. In real life, I would compare Tom to the likes of George Lucas, Gene Roddenberry, J. Michael Stracynski and the two writers who had created this wonderfully imaginative episode – Fuller and Taylor. A girl can imagine - can’t she?

"WITH HARRY KIM'S COMPLIMENTS"

Part 2

B'Elanna could not sleep that night. Despite the hot shower and her exhausted state. Instead of blessed slumber, she found her thoughts besieged with images of Tom Paris in the shower. Naked.

A sigh escaped B'Elanna's mouth and she shifted to the right side of her body. More images popped into her head. Reddish-blond chest hair, luxuriant and damp. Chest hair that covered a surprisingly muscular chest. Broad shoulders. A pair of legs that looked pale, but long and sturdy. The long and thick piece of flesh between his . . . B'Elanna sighed once more and shifted to her left.

Then she closed her eyes and to her consternation, relived those moments when she had burst into Harry's shower. Within the deep recess of her mind, B'Elanna once again stripped off her uniform, strode toward the bathroom and opened the shower door. There stood Tom with rivulets of water pouring down his body. B'Elanna let out a gasp. Yet, instead of reacting in shock, Tom grabbed her by the waist and dragged her into the shower. He then forced his mouth upon her and began to explore it with a thoroughness that left B'Elanna trembling. Both examined each other's bodies with hands and mouth. And before B'Elanna knew what had happened, Tom slammed her against the wall. He spread her legs and without missing a beat, thrust right into her . . .

B'Elanna's eyes flew open and she sprung into a sitting position. She became aware of the pillow clutched to her chest. And the fact that she now laid flat on her back, with her legs spread wide open. An exasperated sigh left her mouth. Dammit! Will she ever get any sleep? Even more important, will she ever stop thinking of Tom Paris in the shower, naked?

* * * *

On Deck Four, another senior officer dreamed of the same incident from inside Harry Kim's quarters. Unlike the Chief Engineer, Tom Paris seemed to enjoy it very much.

Tom recalled the eye-popping sight of a very naked B'Elanna Torres, standing outside Harry's shower. It had seemed like a dream come true. And in Tom's dream, like B'Elanna's, events took a different course from what actually happened.

In Tom's dream, B'Elanna opened the shower door. The two officers stared at each other in deep shock. And an embarrassed B'Elanna fled from the bathroom. But when Tom ran after her, he did not bother to wrap a towel around his waist. Instead, he caught up with B'Elanna in the living area, drew her into his arms and planted a long and passionate kiss upon her mouth.

Tom briefly stirred in his bed, as his dream continued its erotic course. He and B'Elanna soon found themselves exploring each other's bodies with hands and kisses. Tom drew her down to the floor and continued his exploration of her body. It was not long before B'Elanna hinted that she wanted more than kisses. Tom gently spread her legs and finally entered her. He reveled in every thrust he gave, while B'Elanna inflicted scratches upon his backside. Scratches that mingled pain with pleasure. And when their lovemaking finally ended with an earth-shattering climax, Tom woke up.

It did not take a genius to guess why his sheets were damp. At least Tom knew why and immediately felt embarrassed. And since he had no desire to spend the rest of the night on those sheets, he slipped out of bed, tossed the sheets into the refresher and replicated new ones. Now, if only he could enjoy a good night's sleep without dreaming of B'Elanna. But Tom also realized that he needed to speak with her, as soon as possible.

* * * *

The following morning, Tom headed straight to the Mess Hall for breakfast, hoping that he would also find B'Elanna. He was in luck. Not only was the Chief Engineer in the Mess Hall, she was alone, sitting at a corner table and staring at the stars beyond the viewport.

"B'Elanna?" She nearly jumped out of her seat when Tom called her name. He slid into the seat opposite her, ignoring the irritation that flashed in her eyes. "How are you doing, this morning?" he asked.

B'Elanna replied tersely, "Fine."

"I understand that all of the showers are now working." Dark eyes glanced sharply at Tom. Ooops! Wrong subject to bring up, he thought. Tom immediately tried to correct his faux pas. "Look B'Elanna, about last night . . ."

"As far as I'm concerned, it never happened." B'Elanna's gaze returned to the viewport.

Frustrated, Tom sighed. He hated it when the half-Klingon resorted to her usually "memory laspses" whenever she tried to avoid any particular topic. "It did happen, B'Elanna!" Tom retorted. "Harry gave us permission to use his shower at the same time, without realizing it. And we both saw each other . . . in the flesh. This is the 24th century. We have nothing to be ashamed of. Granted, you've got a great body, but yours is not the first naked one I've ever seen." Tom paused, expecting a response - volcanic or otherwise.

Instead, B'Elanna's dark eyes grew wide. "Great . . . I have a great body?" Her voice registered shock. Surprise. And she seemed a little flattered.

"Uh, yeah," Tom replied softly. "One of the best I've ever . . ." Aware of the possibility of eavesdroppers, Tom bit off his last words. "Never mind. What I'm trying to say is that what happened last night is nothing to get upset over. We're both adults. Surely we can handle seeing each other, naked. We should just accept that it happened and move on."

A crimson flush crept up B'Elanna's face. "Of course. You're right. We should just move on." She took a deep breath. "And by the way, you've got a . . ." Her face became even more flushed.

Tom's eyes widened in anticipation of a compliment. "Yes?"

B'Elanna paused momentarily, before a slight smirk touched her lips. "I was about to say that you've got a pretty decent body, yourself."

"Decent?" Tom frowned. Did she just say 'decent'? "Is that all? Just decent?"

Innocence poured out of B'Elanna's eyes. "Well, to be honest, Tom, you're not exactly Ensign Larson. Or Ensign Murphy. Now, those two are really built. No wonder they're popular . . ."

"Okay, I get the picture," Tom grumbled. "Larson and Murphy. Thanks a lot."

B'Elanna smiled. "My pleasure." Her smile widened, as a pout formed on Tom's lips. "Oh, come on, Tom. There's no need to pout. You still have a nice body, all the same."

"Just nice?" Tom gave B'Elanna the full impact of the Paris orbs. "Considering the way you were staring at me, I figured . . ."

The smile disappeared from B'Elanna's lips. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Look here, Flyboy," she growled, "I don't recall staring at you or anyone else. So, I suggest you stop it right here and get the filth out of your mind."

"What filth?" Tom allowed himself a brief smile.

B'Elanna added pointedly, "I'm already pissed at Harry for what happened. Don't make me add you to my shit list."

Harry. Tom almost forgot about the Operations Chief. Almost. "Speaking of Harry . . ."

"Yes?"

Tom continued, "Do you think he had deliberately set us up, last night?"

B'Elanna shook her head. "Not Starfleet. He might be naïve at times, but not suicidal. Besides, he did seem a bit tired."

At that moment, Neelix approached their table, carrying a pot of coffee. Tom shot a glance at his cup and was relieved to find it already filled with replicated coffee. Which meant he would be spared from the Delta Quadrant variety, thank goodness.

"Hello, you two! Enjoying your morning meal?" Neelix's orange eyes sparkled with life. He seemed to be in a good mood. Almost fey.

Tom stared at him. "What's brightened your morning, Neelix?"

"You two," the Talaxian replied. He offered B'Elanna some coffee, but the latter immediately shook her head. "Seeing you together like this, gives me hope for love."

Tom and B'Elanna exchanged confused looks, before they stared at Neelix. "What are you talking about?" B'Elanna demanded.

"Well, the both of you. Sitting at breakfast together." Neelix sat in the chair next to Tom. "Ensign Kim told me about his little matchmaking scheme for you two. He didn't exactly give me any details, but he told me that by today, you would be a couple. And here you are."

B'Elanna opened her mouth. And judging by her expression, Tom realized that she was about to display that famous temper of hers. He gave her a warning kick to the shin. Dark brown eyes blazed with near rage, as B'Elanna immediately closed her mouth. Tom ignored the look and said to Neelix, "We know all about Harry's little scheme, Neelix. It didn't work out."

"Oh. Too bad." The Talaxian looked disappointed. Then another idea came to him. "I hope you're not to angry at Harry. He was only trying to help."

Tom smiled. "We know. And we're not angry."

"Says you," B'Elanna mumbled. Fortunately, only Tom overheard.

The pilot continued, "In fact, we confronted Harry about it, last night."

"Oh. Oh, well. I guess some of us aren't meant to be." A brief sadness overshadowed his eyes. Tom realized that he was thinking of his aborted relationship with the ship's medical assistant and only Ocampan. Tom gave Neelix a comforting squeeze on the shoulder, before the latter returned to galley.

Once the Talaxian was out of earshot, B'Elanna whirled upon the pilot with blazing eyes. "What the hell was that kick about?"

"To stop you from letting the cat out of the bag," Tom calmly replied.

"The cat? What the hell are you talking about?

Tom explained that the moment Neelix had revealed Harry's matchmaking scheme, he had thought of a way to pay back the young ensign. "And if Neelix knew how we felt, he might tell Harry. Get it?"

Silence ensued. B'Elanna gave Tom a thoughtful stare. "Oh, I see. Not only do you want to teach Harry a lesson, you want to surprise him, as well. And exactly what do you have in mind?"

A cold smile formed on Tom's lips. "Something that involves a shower. Are you game?"

B'Elanna responded with her own cold smile.

* * * *

It was a happy Operations Chief who finally left the Bridge at the end of Alpha shift. After spending three days on double shifts to repair some of the ship's systems, Harry felt more than happy to return to his regular schedule. He glanced forward and spotted Pablo Baytart at the Helm. Usually, Harry and Tom would usually accompany each other off the Bridge, but the latter had spent today's shift giving courses on new flight maneuvers to the other pilots in the Conn Division.

Harry entered the turbolift and ordered the computer to send it to Deck Six. Minutes later, he arrived at his destination and stepped into the corridor. Harry could not wait to reach his quarters and enjoy a nice, long shower. Not a sonic shower, which he usually took in the morning rush; but a long shower with hot water.

Thinking of the shower reminded him of his little matchmaking scheme with Tom and B'Elanna. Much to Harry's disappointment, it had ended in failure. Tom had reproached him over what happened at the beginning of Alpha shift, but Harry feigned surprise and innocence. He wanted to make sure that Tom or B'Elanna did not suspect him of any scheming on his part. Fortunately, both had believed the whole thing had been an accident and nothing more. He considered the pair to be his closest friends, and because of this, he was very familiar with their natures. Both tend to be volatile and vindictive, when crossed.

Right now, all seemed right with the world. Tom and B'Elanna had no idea that he had deliberately set them up. The ship's systems were now fully operational. And that meant he no longer had to work double shifts. Feeling very satisfied, Harry finally reached his quarters.

Once inside, he removed his clothes and headed for the shower. "Computer," he ordered, "initiate the water shower." The computer complied and water immediately poured out of the shower head. Harry closed his eyes to enjoy the sensation of all that wetness sluicing down his body. Then something happened. The water no longer felt refreshing. Instead, it felt . . . thicker. Gritty. Harry opened his eyes and glanced at his arms. They were green. His arms were green! In fact, his entire body . . . Harry quickly examined his chest, legs and feet. All green!

The young ensign let out a bloodcurling scream and fled the shower. In his panic to reach Sick Bay, Harry raced out of his quarters without the benefit of a towel.

* * * *

Just minutes before Harry's flight from his shower, his two best friends hovered in an alcove several feet away from his quarters. Close together. Too close, as far as B'Elanna was concerned.

"Listen Tom, could you please not stand so close to me?" she groused in a low voice. "There's barely any room, here."

Tom heaved an exasperated sigh. "I'm sorry for the lack of space, but we wouldn't be suffering from all this crowding if you hadn't insisted upon hiding here."

"Well, we just can't hover in the corridor outside Starfleet's quarters. People would notice."

Something like a scoff left Tom's mouth. "If you say so. Although something tells me that more than caution is involved."

B'Elanna frowned. She did not care for the insinuation in the pilot's voice. And the laughter. "What are you talking about?" she demanded.

"I'm talking about your hand that's on my butt."

Her cheeks now flaming hot, B'Elanna quickly snatched her hand away. She had no idea that she had been . . .

". . . week's Security report should be ready for your perusal by the end of the day," a familiar voice echoed. B'Elanna immediately recognized Lieutenant Tuvok, the ship's Security Chief.

Seconds later, the Vulcan emerged from around the corner, along with Captain Janeway. Both B'Elanna and Tom pressed further into the alcove. The auburn-haired captain replied, "It looks as if you'll be the first. Chakotay is still waiting for . . ."

The doors to Harry's quarters slid open. A naked figure with green skin burst into the corridor, screaming at the top of his lungs. Harry. "Look at me!" he cried at the two command officers. "Ohmigod! My skin is green! I have to get to Sick Bay!" Then he raced up the corridor before Janeway or Tuvok could speak.

Laughter bubbled within B'Elanna. She had to press her face against Tom's chest, to keep her laughter in check. B'Elanna felt his body shaking with mirth. As for the Captain and Tuvok, both stood in the middle of the corridor and exchanged shocked expressions.

"I believe that was Ensign Kim, who had just . . .," the Vulcan officer began in a reflective tone.

Shaking her head in disbelief, Janeway interrupted. "Yes, I know who that was. I think . . . I think we should keep this little incident out of the official logs. Don't you agree, Tuvok?"

"A very logical decision, Captain." And the pair continued along the corridor, in Harry's wake.

The moment Janeway and Tuvok were out of earshot, B'Elanna and Tom burst into loud laughter. "Oh God!" the former declared breathlessly. "Did you see that? Poor Starfleet! Now that was a moment I'll never forget."

"This ought to teach him not to play matchmaker," Tom said between fits of laughter.

"Oh! Maybe we came down on him a little too hard. You think?" Despite her words, B'Elanna did not feel a smidgen of remorse.

And neither did Tom, it seemed. He took a deep breath. "Are you kidding? After that stunt he had pulled on us? I don't think so. However," he linked his arm with one of B'Elanna's and gently steered her along the corridor, "we better get along. Harry may have realized, by now, that he's in his birthday suit."

The pair walked along the corridor - in the opposite direction of Harry, the Captain and Tuvok. B'Elanna noticed Tom examining his uniform. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"It's nothing. Just a hole in my uniform." Tom paused and smiled at B'Elanna. "Thanks to you."

The Chief Engineer's face grew hot with embarrassment. "Sorry about that. It was the only way I could keep from laughing aloud."

"Uh-huh. If I didn't know any better, I would swear that you got a big thrill out of it. Are you in the habit of biting someone else's chest . . . Chief?"

B'Elanna glared at her companion. Pig! She snatched her arm away from Tom's. "I told you that I . . ." Tom's blue eyes twinkled with mischief. B'Elanna now felt even more embarrassed. Until she reminded herself that two could play games. She gave him a sweet smile. "Maybe I did get a thrill out of it." Tom's eyes now grew wide. "Of course, I got an even bigger thrill from Harry."

Blue eyes narrowed. "Harry?"

"You know, Harry. Fresh-faced kid just over two years out of the Academy, Harry Kim. I must admit that I never realized he was so well-endo . . ."

Tom immediately interrupted. "I think I got the picture!" His face turned red, much to B'Elanna's delight. "Of all the people! Harry Kim!"

B'Elanna allowed herself a small smile. There was nothing, she decided, more enjoyable than deflating a man's ego. Especially one that belonged to Tom Paris. To be honest, on the matter of endowments, Tom had nothing to worry about. Not from Harry or any other man she could think of. But she would be damned if she ever told him.

THE END

Here is a humorous story set during Season 3 of "Star Trek Voyager" about Harry Kim's efforts to act as matchmaker for his two best friends:

"WITH HARRY KIM'S COMPLIMENTS"

RATING: [R] For sexual innuendos.
SUMMARY: Harry Kim decides to play matchmaker with a shower and his two best friends. Set between Season 3's "Alter Ego" and "Coda".
FEEDBACK: cancerjones1941@yahoo.com  - Be my guest. But please, be kind.
DISCLAIMER: Tom, B'Elanna, Harry and all other characters related to Star Trek Voyager belong to Paramount, Viacom and the usual Trek Powers to Be. Dammit!

----------

"WITH HARRY KIM'S COMPLIMENTS"

Part 1

Tom Paris strolled along the corridors of Deck Four, humming to himself. He had just finished a double shift on the Bridge. And at the moment, he looked forward to spending quality time in his quarters. Underneath a nice shower with hot running water. And a meal, along with a long rest, would make a great follow-up.

His quarters loomed ahead. Tom punched in his entry code and walked inside. Ah! Home at last! Without any thought, he began removing his uniform. Once he removed the last stitch of clothing, Tom entered his bathroom and stepped into the shower. "Computer," he ordered, "begin shower with hot water."

Instead of water slucing down his body, Tom heard the computer reply, "Unable to comply. The water system for the shower is malfunctioning."

"WHAT??" Tom cried out in outrage.

The computer dryly responded, "Please restate the question."

"Computer . . ." Tom took a few deep breaths. 'Calm down, Paris. It's just a computer.' Now he felt calm and collected. "Computer, how long has the water shower been down?"

The computer replied, "The ship's water system has malfunctioned since 14:23 hours."

In other words, for the past six hours. Great! Tom heaved an exasperated sigh. So much for a nice, hot shower. It looked as if he would have to settle for a sonic shower. And Tom hated them. "Computer," he continued, "begin sonic shower."

To his surprise, the computer announced, "Unable to comply. The sonic shower is malfunctioning."

What the hell? Now, Tom was in a fix. How in the hell was he supposed to clean himself, with both showers not operating? Maintaining a tight rein on his temper, the pilot asked the computer how long the sonic shower has been malfunctioning. Since 14:23 hours - like the water shower.

Tom left the shower stall and snatched his uniform jacket to activate his combadge. "Paris to Engineering."

"Engineering here." The voice belonged to Ensign Carl Ashmore, one of the engineers under B'Elanna Torres' command. "I gather you're calling about your shower?"

"That's right. What the hell is going on?"

Ashmore explained that the ship's shower systems were malfunctioning. "None of the showers from Decks Two to Five aren't working. Also Decks Eight and Nine. And only the sonic showers from Decks Ten to Fifteen are operating."

"Great!" Tom retorted. "What the hell am I supposed to . . ." He paused, recalling Ashmore's words. That meant the showers on Decks Six and Seven were fully operational. And Tom personally knew one crewman with quarters on Deck Six. "Never mind, Carl. I believe I know how to solve my problem. Paris out." After severing his connection to the engineer, Tom activated his combadge once more. "Paris to Kim." Sounds of grunting reached his ears. What the hell was Harry doing? "Paris to Kim. Harry, can you . . .?"

"I hear you, Tom. What is it?"

Tom asked, "What the hell is going on? Where are you?"

"Jeffries Tube 23C. Working on the internal systems," Harry replied. "What do you need?"

"A shower, buddy. Neither my water or sonic shower is working. Can I use yours? All showers on Decks Six and Seven are operational."

Harry responded through more grunts, "Be . . . my guest."

"Great! Paris out."

The moment he tapped off his combadge, Tom donned a T-shirt and stretched pants. Happy that he would be getting that shower after all, the helmsman strolled out of his quarters, whistling through his teeth.

* * * *

"Hey Starfleet!"

Harry jumped at the sound of B'Elanna's voice and bumped his head against the tube's wall. He had been staring at the panel before him, for the past five minutes, wondering where the hell he went wrong in repairing the conduits that maintained the ship's shower systems.

Rubbing his head, Harry glanced at the tube's entrance and found Voyager's chief engineer in a crouching position. "Hey B'Elanna!" he greeted in a tired voice.

"How long have you been here, Starfleet?"

A heavy sigh left Harry's mouth. "It seems like forever. Damn shower systems! I can't get the damn thing to work properly. Only the showers on Decks Six and Seven are completely operational."

B'Elanna cleared her throat. "Speaking of Deck Six, isn't your shower working?"

Harry saw what was coming. "Yeah, it is. Why?"

"Well, my shift ends in a few mintues," B'Elanna continued. "And systems malfunctions or not, I'm beat. I really need a shower and rest. So . . ."

This was news. B'Elanna leaving her post before the completion of repairs. Harry realized that she must really be beat. As for her using his shower . . . well, there was the problem of Tom. Who knew how long the helmsman might be using his shower? Harry opened his mouth to tell B'Elanna about Tom, but suddenly changed his mind.

"What is it?" B'Elanna asked, frowning at the younger man.

Should he tell B'Elanna? Harry knew he should. But he also remembered what Neelix told him about what happened at the luau, some ten days ago. The Talaxian cook had described the look on Tom's face after Vorik had usurped B'Elanna's time during the party. Harry had been well aware of the attraction between his two best friends. And their frustrating attempts to deny their feelings. Perhaps an accidental meeting in his quarters would help strengthen the bond between the two. And so with matchmaking in mind, Harry set about a course that no sane person in his or her right mind would attempt.

Harry finally answered, "Nothing. Go right ahead, Maquis. Be my guest. It'll be a while before I'm probably off-duty."

B'Elanna flashed her friend a smile. "Thanks, Harry. You're a prince." She crawled away from the tube's entrance.

Smiling himself, Harry sat on his hunches and returned his attention to the console. If only he were a fly on a wall. He would give his right arm to witness the fireworks between the chief engineer and the pilot. Harry had no idea that in the end, he would sacrifice something a lot more important than a limb.

* * * *

A shower at last! B'Elanna could barely wait. Many of the ship's systems had been crashing all day. With the exception of the showers, B'Elanna, the Engineering staff and the Operations division, managed to repair them all.

After nearly pulling a double shift, all she required . . . needed was a refreshing shower and a long rest. Two years ago, B'Elanna would have insisted on remaining on duty until the last repair was completed. But that was two years ago, when she was an inexperienced division head. It took her staff, especially her second-in-command, Joe Carey, to teach her the joys of delegation. She could deal with working during a double shift. But beyond that . . . well, she was a wiser and older woman. Let poor Harry deal with the remaining repairs. Besides, the ship's system was technically a job usually assigned to the Operations Division.

The turbolift halted on Deck Six. B'Elanna stepped out and made her way along the corridor. In fact, she nearly skipped all the way to Harry's quarters. And she did not care if any passing crewman saw her.

Still feeling high over her escape from Engineering, B'Elanna punched in Harry's entry codes and continued inside. The first thing she noticed was the sound of running water. The shower. B'Elanna frowned. Why in the hell was Harry's shower running? Did he . . .? B'Elanna immediately spoke up. "Computer, locate Ensign Kim."

"Ensign Kim is located in Jeffries Tube 23C Alpha," the computer's voice responded. Which only meant one thing - Harry had left his shower running all day, the dumb idiot. Talk about ration credits pouring down the drain. For her friend's generosity, B'Elanna decided to donate a few extra credits to his account. Meanwhile, she might as well take advantage of the running water.
B'Elanna removed her boots and peeled off her uniform. Completely nude, she strode into Harry's bathroom and opened the shower door. A loud cry escaped her mouth. B'Elanna found herself facing Tom Paris - wet, naked and fully frontal.

"B'Elanna?" Tom's blue eyes grew wide with surprise. "What the hell are you doing here?"

To stunned to speak, B'Elanna surrendered to panic and proceeded to slam the shower door, shut. Unfortunately, Tom had decided at that moment to stick out an arm and the door slammed against the protruding limb. "AAAUGH!" The pilot cried out in pain.

"Tom! Are you hurt?" Forgetting about his naked state, a concerned B'Elanna grabbed his arm and began to examine it. She found a purple bruise between his elbow and his wrist. Without thinking, she began to rub it. "Is that better?" she crooned. "Do you need a dermal regenerator?"

The pilot's eyes grew even wider. "Uh, B'Elanna?"

"What?" B'Elanna stared at Tom, who looked very uncomfortable. Almost stiff. What the hell was the matter . . .? For some unexplained reason, her eyes slid downward and noticed Tom's swelling member. Then she remembered. He was naked. Completely. And when she saw him staring at her chest - her bare chest - she realized that she was also naked. "Kahless!" B'Elanna cried out, immediately dropping Tom's arm. "I have to . . . I have to go!" The half-Klingon woman turned on her heels and quickly fled the bathroom.

* * * *

"B'Elanna!"

Tom cried after the fleeing woman. "B'Ela. . ." As he stepped out of the shower, he nearly slipped on the wet floor. Goddammit! "B'Elanna!"

Tom took one step toward the doorway and realized that he was still nude. He reached for a towel and wrapped it around his waist. Then he reached for another towel and scurried into the living area. And just in time. He spotted B'Elanna, shapely bottom included, scampering out of the door. With no clothes on. "B'Elanna, you don't have any . . ."

The half-Klingon stopped in her tracks, noticed the state of her undress with a gasp and bolted back inside. Tom quickly turned away to spare her any further embarrassment. "Uh, B'Elanna? Here's a towel you might want to use," he said, holding out the object.

Growling a quick "thanks," B'Elanna snatched the towel from Tom's hand. "By the way Paris," she added, "what the hell are you doing here?"

Paris? "You haven't called me Paris in over a . . ." The word stuck in Tom's throat as he turned around. And found the towel wrapped around B'Elanna's torso - accentuating every shapely . . . 'Don't go there, Tommy Boy! Just don't!'

"Tom!" B'Elanna added in a sharp voice. "You haven't explained what the hell you're doing here!"

Tom replied, "Taking a shower, of course. Harry gave me permission to use his shower."

"What are you talking about? He gave me permission!" B'Elanna's eyes grew wide. "Oh my God! The big idiot! I bet he planned all this!"

Recalling the fatigue in Harry's voice, Tom doubted it. He suspected that the Operations chief had merely suffered a lapse in memory. Still, who was he to complain when it gave him the opportunity to see B'Elanna Torres in all her glo . . . 'Stop it, Paris!' Tom inwardly reprimanded himself.

"What's wrong?" B'Elanna's voice cut through Tom's thoughts. "Why are you staring at me like . . .?" She paused and glanced at her towel. Red spots tinged her cheeks. "I better get out of here." The chief engineer gathered her belongings.

Tom rushed toward the departing engineer. "B'Elanna! No! Wait! You don't have to leave now. You can . . ." he grabbed her arm, ". . . take the shower, first. Please."

The half-Klingon paused, seemingly unaware of Tom's hand on her bare arm. He noticed that up close, her eyes seemed to focus upon everything, except him. B'Elanna shook her head. "Uh, that's okay. At least my sonic shower is still working."

"Perhaps, but you were obviously in the mood for a water shower. Why else would you be here? Look, I just barely got started on my shower, when you, uh . . ." Tom stumbled a bit. "Well, you know. Just go ahead and use it. Be my guest." He gently steered the engineer toward Harry's bathroom. "Ladies first."

Dark brown eyes grew wide with disbelief. "Ladies?" However, B'Elanna did not reject Tom's offer. She dumped her clothes and boots on a nearby chair and headed for the shower. Once the bathroom door closed behind her, Tom dumped himself unceremoniously on the sofa and sighed. Green or not, Ensign Harry Kim had a lot to answer for.

END OF Part 1

"LOVER MAN"

PART THREE

The Bridge's turbolift doors slid open. Tom Paris emerged from the lift and strode toward the Conn Station to relieve Mariah Henley.

From the Engineering Station, B'Elanna watched the entire exchange from the corners of her eyes. She noticed that Mariah's shoulders stiffened under contact from Paris's hand. And the smirk that appeared on the Chief Helmsman's lips. A red flush tinged Mariah's face, as she walked toward the turbolift.

B'Elanna's console beeped. She glanced down and found a message flashed across her screen. "Keep your eyes on the job, Maquis. Tuvok is watching." B'Elanna's eyes widened at Harry's message. Then she looked up and found a pair of dark eyes that belonged to the Vulcan Tactical Chief. Observing her. The engineer coughed slightly and returned her attention to her work. However, not before she returned Harry's message. "Thanks Starfleet."

Since the day Harry had convinced her not to report Tom's indiscretions to Chakotay, B'Elanna has found herself growing increasingly obsessed with the pilot. She tried to curb this obsession and convince herself that she was wasting her time. After all, she has failed to come across any signs of sexual activity in Cabin Nine-I since that second time. Unfortunately, B'Elanna also continued to be plagued with dreams of her and Paris. Much to her mortification.

There seemed to be one bright light in the horizon. Ever since Paris's troubles on Banea, his circle of female admirers seem to have shrunken to almost non-existent. Like B'Elanna and other crewmen, they had heard about his affair with the wife of a murdered Banean scientist. And his conviction for murder by the Banean government. Paris ended up reliving the entire killing from the victim's viewpoint, thanks to some implanted memory engrams. However, his punishment ended up short-lived. Lieutenant Tuvok managed to exonerate Paris after discovering a murder-and-espionage conspiracy that had allegedly framed the pilot.

Many believed that Tuvok had conjured up evidence to exonerate Paris at Captain Janeway's behest. B'Elanna found that particular theory ludicrous. Tuvok may have been a traitorous spy, but not even he would go that far. She had to admit - most reluctantly - that Paris was innocent.

There still remained another matter regarding the blond helmsman. The identity of his secret lover from Cabin Nine-I. It was a mystery that B'Elanna felt determined to uncover. Who else, besides Paris, had kept her awake with sounds of passion on two separate occasions, during the past several weeks?

While B'Elanna contemplated the question, Paris's combadge chirped, breaking the silence on the Bridge. "Janeway to Paris," the Captain's voice announced. "Have you forgotten about our appointment in my Ready Room?"

This time, B'Elanna openly stared at the pilot. Like everyone else on the Bridge. A crewman in Command Red relieved Paris at the Helm. And the latter made his way to the Captain's Ready Room. The moment he disappeared inside, B'Elanna sent a second message to Harry's station. "What was that about?"

Seconds later, Harry's response flashed across her console. "Have no idea, Maquis. Will ask Tom later."

B'Elanna eventually found herself forced to contemplate upon the meeting inside the Ready Room, between the pilot and the starship captain. She admitted to herself that the meeting could be innocent. But when Paris failed to reappear on the Bridge after ten minutes, B'Elanna became suspicious. Another five minutes passed and yet, Janeway and Paris remained inside the Ready Room. B'Elanna glanced at Harry, who shrugged. Then her eyes rested upon the First Officer. Who casted uneasy glances at the Ready Room's door.

After twenty more minutes passed, those doors finally opened. Tom Paris strode onto the Bridge, wearing a satisfied smile. He tugged at his jacket and relieved the pilot at the Helm. The Captain emerged two minutes later, looking quite happy and unusually bright. One look at the pair and B'Elanna immediately rejected any idea of an innocent meeting. Something had just occurred between Paris and Janeway. Something that had nothing to do with the ship's business or Starfleet protocols.

* * * *

"What?" Harry stared at B'Elanna with disbelief. So did Seska, Henley and Ensign Lang. The five crewman had gathered at a table inside the Mess Hall for dinner, that evening.

The Chief Engineer repeated her speculations about Janeway and Paris. That the two might be involved in an affair. "C'mon Harry! You saw what happened on the Bridge, today! Why would Paris remain in the Captain's Ready Room together for over a half hour? Thirty-five minutes, Harry! And don't tell me that it had something to do with what happened on Banea. That was nearly two weeks ago!"

"The real question should be," Seska added, "why would you care?"

B'Elanna stared at the Bajoran. "What?"

Seska continued, "I can understand why Henley would be upset." The pilot responded with a glare. "But why are you upset, B'Elanna? You don't like Paris. You've barely given him a thought since we arrived in the Delta Quadrant. Why do you care whether or not he's having an affair with Janeway?"

All eyes focused on the half-Klingon. B'Elanna squirmed under their scrutiny. What could she say? That the lovemaking in Cabin Nine-I was keeping her awake? Or that she was having erotic dreams about her and the chief pilot? "I don't like the idea of us suffering, due to some illicit affair between those two," she finally answered.

A brittle laugh escaped the Bajoran's mouth. "Oh B'Elanna! You are so naïve!" The Chief Engineer winced under the latter's derision. "I doubt that 150 crewmen are going to suffer over some tawdry affair Janeway might be having with Paris! Unless she becomes pregnant or something. I may not like the woman very much, but I can't blame her for wanting a little comfort to ease her loneliness."

"Seska's right," Henley added. "After all, Chakotay's romance with her didn't hurt us." She remained stoic under the Bajoran's dark glare. "Of course in the Captain's case, I cannot see why she would even have . . ." Her voice dimmed to a whisper. B'Elanna noticed the slight jealousy in her voice. Obviously, Mariah also became aware of it.

Seska smiled. "What were you about to say, Mariah?"

Fortunately for the ex-Maquis pilot, Harry and Deborah Lang seemed more interested in defending Janeway's honor than in any jealousy on Henley's part. Lang stoutly declared that Captain Janeway would never break Starfleet protocols by fraternizing with someone under her command. "It's against regulations," she added.

"Actually, it's not," Harry corrected. "But it's not encouraged. An intimate relationship between a starship commander and a subordinate might lead to . . . well, certain problems. Problems that might have a bearing on the conduct of any starship."

Seska snorted. "And knowing Janeway, she'd rather die with her ideals intact than enjoy a little pleasure. So much for your theory, B'Elanna."

"Oh yeah?" the Chief Engineer shot back. "Then can someone explain why the Captain and Paris were in the Ready Room for at least a half hour? And why they were smiling, when they left?"

* * * *

"We had tea," Tom explained to his lover, the following afternoon. They laid stretched on the bed, inside Cabin Nine-I, with their naked bodies pressed against each other's. "The Captain had invited me for tea." He leaned toward her and nipped the side of her long neck.

She managed to scoff and moan at the same time, while Tom continued to nuzzle her neck. "You've got to be kidding! Why would . . . ah!" He bit into that sensitive junction where the shoulder and neck met.

"I think the Captain considers me her little reclamation project. We were suppose to have tea after the shift, but the Captain had another matter to deal with. So," Tom's hot tongue flickered across the hollow of her neck, "she rescheduled it for a little earlier." He sat up and lavisciously eyed the stunning body beside him. "If you think something is going on between us, you're mistaken. Captain Janeway is not the type to make out with a subordinate, just several feet away from the Bridge. That's just plain idiocy."

Slender hands trailed up Tom's chest. Her fingers slide through the chest hair. "You seem very defensive about her."

A malicious smile touched Tom's lips. "What's the matter? Jealous?"

Her hands grabbed a handful of chest hair and pulled, causing Tom to wince. "Don't insult me, Paris. I don't take kindly to any disrespect."

Tom jerked her hand away and gave it a hard squeeze. This time, it was her turn to wince. "Let's get something straight," he murmured. "Unless I'm on duty, I am not in the habit of jumping through hoops for anyone. At least of all, for you. I've had enough of that in my life."

"Then why are you here?"

"For a good, fuck. What did you think? Because I'm madly in love with you?" Tom retorted.

She threw back her head and laughed. Out loud. Her laugh immediately died as Tom covered the mound between her legs. He inserted two fingers into her hot flesh. She let out a gasp, as her body jerked automatically. "Gods! I hope you're not in love," she said breathlessly. "What would be the fun in that?"

Smiling, Tom removed his fingers and gently forced her legs apart. Then he took her by surprise by ramming his member into her. She let out a cry and her body arched upward. Tom's thrusts became deeper. Harder. He leaned forward and covered one tantalizing breast with his mouth and began to suckle. And her cries grew louder.

* * * *

Unbeknownst to the occupants inside Cabin Nine-I, a certain chief engineer had slowly made her way to her quarters, two hours earlier than usual. She would have remained in Engineering a bit longer, but a shortage in one of the EPS relay circuits led to a slight electrocution and minor burns.

One of B'Elanna's engineers had beamed her into Sick Bay. There, the Doctor treated her injuries and gave her an anaglesiac for the pain. He also ordered her to return to her quarters for a long rest. B'Elanna's first instinct was to ignore the EMH's order. Unfortunately, he threatened to inform both the Captain and Chakotay if she did not obey.

Feeling slightly dazed from the medication in her bloodstream, B'Elanna eventually stumbled into her quarters. She peeled off her uniform and headed for the bedroom. Just as she was about to sink onto her bed, voices drifted from next door.

"Oh! Oh yes! Oh spirits! Don't . . . don't stop! Don't . . . oooh! Oh yes! Aaa . . . aaah! Yes! Don't . . . oh! Oh To-ooo-omm!" The orgasmic cry snapped B'Elanna out of her fog. She had not heard such a cry in over two weeks. Before Paris's murder conviction on the Banean homeworld. Her eyes closed and she sighed.

Muted laughter reached B'Elanna's ears. Apparently, Paris and his . . . "mate" had finished. She had hoped that news of Paris's affair with that Banean woman would end the illicit trysts in Cabin Nine-I. Harry must have informed Paris about her knowledge of the affair, leading the pilot to use the cabin a few hours earlier. No matter. B'Elanna had finally figured out a way to kill two birds with one stone - learn the identity of Paris's lover and get even with both for keeping her up at nights. Just before Paris and Harry's mission to Banea, she had installed a holovideo monitor in Cabin 9-I.

B'Elanna had forgotten about the monitor - until now. She planned to upload a recording of this afternoon's activity into the ship's computer. Or better yet, transform it into a holoprogram. And finally allow the crew an intimate look of Lover Boy Paris in action. It should be the talk of the ship for months to come.

* * * *

Like many of her plans in life, the one to expose Tom Paris and his lover did not proceed as B'Elanna had expected. The following morning saw more problems in Engineering. More malfunctions with the EPS conduits led to repairs that lasted nearly an entire day. By the time B'Elanna and her staff finished the repairs, she was too exhausted to even think about the video recording.

The following day, Voyager came across an M-class planet that provided the crew an opportunity to stock up on foodstuffs and other supplies. Also, both Chakotay and Seska had a near-fatal encounter with a group of Kazons. The latter continued to weigh on the crew's mind, when Voyager responded to a distress signal from one of their ships. B'Elanna made up part of the Away team that discovered not only a ship filled with dead Kazons, but also Federation technology that was not properly integrated into their system. Someone aboard Voyager had given Federation technology to the Kazon without Janeway's knowledge.

No one had been more surprised than B'Elanna when Tuvok and Chakotay revealed the culprit, the following day. Like many of the other former Maquis, B'Elanna assumed Joe Carey to be guilty. They believed he wanted revenge for being passed over for the position of Chief Engineer. Instead, Seska - one of her closest friends - turned out to be guilty. Even worse, the latter was revealed to be a Cardassian, surgically altered as a Bajoran, in order to infiltrate Chakotay's Maquis cell.

B'Elanna felt humiliated and betrayed. Chakotay might feel even worse, but that knowledge did not lessen her feelings. She tried to alleviate her mood with an evening trip to Sandrine's. But the idea of listening to smug 'Fleeters berate the Maquis for allowing a Cardassian spy in their midst did not appeal to her. She needed something else to relieve her anger.

Then she remembered. Tom and Cabin 9-I. At first, B'Elanna wondered if she wanted to watch a vid of Paris having sex with a crewmember. Witnessing his little bout with Mallory Aiwa had been bad enough. But, dammit! She had to do something! Brooding over Seska's betrayal did not help her mood. So, B'Elanna switched on her computer console, entered a few codes and uploaded the recorded images from the monitor next door. Satisfied that she had completed her task, she played back the images. What she saw nearly sent her into a state of shock. How could Tom Paris end up in an affair with her?

The plans to reveal the recording to the crew became null and void. B'Elanna did not kill her plans out of any feelings toward the lovers on the screen. She simply did not want to embarrass or hurt a friend. And revealing this to the crew would do just that.

* * * *

Tom bent over the pool table and sunk his last ball into a pocket with ease. His opponent groaned. "Your game is really improving, Tommy," Gaunt Gary commented with a sigh. "Maybe just a little too much. When did you learn that maneuver?"

"From watching you," Tom replied. "I only learn from the best." The hologram grimaced.

With the exception of a handful, only holographic characters like Gaunt Gary and Sandrine filled the Marsaille tavern that evening. Although Tom had left the program opened to the entire crew, three crewmen other than himself, had bothered to show up. Ensigns Lang and Ashmore only hung around for an hour, before leaving. Crewman Henley sat in a corner table with a few of the program's characters. It seemed the ex-Maquis preferred their company to his.

Henley and the other Maquis must still be in a state of shock over the revelations about Seska. Tom did not blame them. He felt the same. That she would hand over Federation technology behind Janeway's back did not really surprise him. The shock came from news that Seska had been a Cardassian in disguise. A Cardassian with the Obsidian Order. That meant . . .

The tavern doors opened. B'Elanna Torres strode inside, causing Tom to groan inwardly. She waved at Henley, glanced at Tom and headed toward the pool table. Much to the pilot's dismay.

"We-ell!" Gary proclaimed. "Look who's here! Wanna game with me, honey?" He oogled at the Chief Engineer, who fixed him with a deadly stare. If looks could kill, B'Elanna's glare would have destabilized Gary's matrix by now. "On second thought," the pool player added in a shaky voice, "maybe I had enough for this evening. See you, Tommy." He gave a quick wave and headed for Henley's table.

Torres stared coolly at Tom. "Up for another game, Paris?"

Tom frowned. "You want to play? Against me?" he asked.

"Why not? It's not like you've been beaten before."

A tart smile curled Tom's lips. "Yeah, but I don't see the Captain around, anywhere. And you're not exactly in her league."

"Rack 'em, Flyboy!" Torres snapped back. "And be prepared to have your ass kicked!"

Again, Tom smiled as he set up the balls for another game. Granted, he was not particularly fond of the half-Klingon. However, he had to admit that he found her to be a fascinating personality. And a very beautiful woman. His eyes roamed appreciatively over her slim body. But even better, she was, at best, a mediocre pool player.

Sure enough, the pilot proved to be more than a match for the engineer. The latter managed to sink in a ball or two during the game. But in the end, Tom emerged victorious. "Another game," Torres imperiously demanded.

"Look Torres, why don't we end this evening on a good note? If we play another game, it will only end embarrassingly for you. Trust me."

Dark eyes challenged Tom. "Don't count on it, Paris. I plan to make this next game unpleasant for you. C'mon, rack 'em up!"

Tom gave the engineer a long, cool look. "What's going on, Torres? You usually try to avoid my company. And now you want to shoot pool with me?" He paused, as an idea came to him. An unpleasant one, at that. "Has this something to do with Cabin 9-I?" he asked.

Anger replace