by RvrendJim

---

Lieutenant Tom Paris woke in a cold sweat, feeling more frightened than he'd ever felt in his life. His heart was pounding, his breathing irregular, a sense of dread permeated every fiber of his being. The dream was all ready fading, once vivid details becoming nothing more than nagging impressions in the back of his mind. For a brief moment there had been clarity, an instant where the mysteries of the entire universe had been revealed. Now, all Tom could remember from the dream was that he had kissed Harry Kim.

No. . . he remembered something else. He'd liked it.

Tom tried to dismiss it, shrug it away. He told himself that it was all a dream, and he had no control of his dreams. They took on a life of their own, winding their way down dark and desolate roads that the conscious mind dared not travel. It was an illusion, a fantasy. He knew he could not be held accountable for the visions unleashed in his dreams.

But Tom also knew that sometimes the subconscious prevailed upon the dream state to reveal secrets the conscious mind would never tell, or even admit. Desires crept into the dream, unfettered by logic or reason, free to blossom when they might otherwise have gone unexplored.

It was this that frightened Tom more than anything-- that the images represented a long repressed desire, one that his friendship with Harry and his reputation in general had buried deep within the confines of his mind, only to pounce on him when he was most vulnerable. . . in his dreams.

Intellectually, he had no problem with the notion of having a relationship with another man. Though he had never really considered it, the thought was not entirely unpleasant. . . it would depend on the man, and Harry Kim was certainly a likely candidate: smart, funny, gorgeous. All of the things he would have looked for in a woman he could find in Harry Kim. After all, that's why they were best friends.

But it had been a long time since Tom had been that close to someone. . . a long time since he had really trusted someone, and he didn't want to do anything that might jeopardize that friendship.

Tom sighed. He was due on the bridge in less than an hour. Harry would be there, as always, and while Tom couldn't actually see him from where he was stationed, he knew Harry was there. All it took was a turn of the head, and he could catch a glimpse of Harry's smile.

It was going to be a long day, Tom realized. He would perform routine diagnostics on the thrusters and he would think of Harry Kim. He would make a minor course correction as the ship continued on its long journey back to the Alpha quadrant and he would think of Harry Kim.

He knew the feelings all too well, a crush, harmless, turning into an obsession, dangerous. He also knew there was nothing he could do, but wait for the feelings to run their course. He had been infatuated with women before, and always he had been able to recover. But he had never felt this kind of passion for a man, much less a man like Harry. It was entirely possible that his feelings for Harry would never go away, and this frightened Tom Paris most of all.
---

"Captain, " Ensign Kim said from his station in the rear of the bridge. "Sensors are picking up some kind of electromagnetic distortion, bearing two three three mark seven nine two."

"On screen, " Captain Janeway said.

There was brief flicker on the main viewscreen, and then the distortion appeared. . . a swirling melange of color and light, reds and yellows and blues and whites bleeding into each other with grace.

"Amazing, " Janeway whispered.

Her first officer nodded his agreement. "No work of art forged by mortal hands ever matched the wondrous creations of nature," Chakotay said.

"The configuration is highly organized," Tuvok said. "From these readings, it is difficult to conclude that this is a natural phenomena."

"Are you saying there's some kind of intelligence behind it?" the captain asked.

"A possibility," Tuvok replied. "I recommend we launch a class three probe for further study."

"Do it, " the captain nodded. It was at times like these that Kathryn Janeway completely forgot that it would take seventy-five years for them to get home. Stranded here in the Delta Quadrant, she had seen things that no other human -no other Starfleet captain- had ever seen before. As an explorer and a scientist, there was nothing more exciting.

"Initiating launch sequence," Tuvok said.

Janeway watched the main viewscreen as a small point of light departed from Voyager's underbelly and made its way toward the distortion. The probe darted forward, following the path that would send it into a stationary position. . . but then, at the last second, the probe altered course and disappeared from the main viewer. Janeway looked to her science officer for an explanation. "Lieutenant?"

Tuvok worked his console, showing as much annoyance as his Vulcan logic would allow. "I do not understand. The probe has vanished from our sensors."

"Did the probe's targeting system malfunction?" Chakotay asked.

"I see no evidence of a malfunction," Tuvok replied. "It simply veered off course."

"Terrific," Janeway said. She considered the main viewscreen for a long moment. "Looks like our sensor scans will have to do. However, I would prefer not to leave any Federation technology behind us. Mr. Paris, I'd like you and Harry to take a shuttle and find the probe. If need be, destroy it."

Paris felt a sinking feeling in his gut. Finding the probe could take days, and to be alone with Harry. . . on a shuttle. . . for that long? He didn't think he could handle that. . . not now. Not after last night. He turned to face Janeway. "Captain, may I speak to you in private?"

Janeway gave him a hard look. "In my ready room, Mr. Paris."

Paris followed her into her office. She sat down behind her desk and gestured him into a chair. "What's on your mind, Mr. Paris?" Janeway asked, a trace of annoyance creeping into her voice.

"Captain," Tom said. "I'd like to request that someone else accompany Harry on this mission. . . B'Elanna, or Tuvok."

Janeway frowned. "Are you and Harry having some kind of disagreement I'm not aware of?"

"No, Captain," Tom assured her. "I just think it would be best if another officer went on this mission."

"Tom," Janeway sighed. "You're the best pilot on board. I need you out there. We know so little about this area of space, and I wouldn't want to see even a trace of Starfleet technology fall into the hands of a culture that wasn't prepared for it. Unless you can give me a sufficient reason to assign this mission to someone else. . . you're going. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Captain," Paris nodded, idly wondering if Captain Janeway had any idea that she was sending him on the most dangerous mission of his life.
---

"Shuttle bay," Paris said as he stepped into the turbolift. He could hear Harry's impatient breathing, could smell his hair. . . perfumed slightly, just washed. Tom drew in a deep breath and savored it, imagining what it would be like running his hands through that jet black hair.

"So," Harry started. "What was that all about?"

"What?"

"You know what," Harry said. "Why did you need to speak with Captain Janeway?"

Paris frowned. "It was. . . personal."

"Personal," Harry repeated. He shook his head. "Tom, I'm your best friend. What's so personal that you can't tell me about it?"

Right, Tom thought. You're my best friend and last night I dreamed I was kissing you. Aloud, Tom said, "I'd rather not talk about it, all right, Harry? It's something I need to work out by myself. When the time's right, I'll tell you."

"Fine," Harry snapped. "I don't want to know."

The lift came to a stop and Harry hurried out, stomping down the corridor like an impudent child who had just been told he couldn't have chocolate cake for dinner.

Paris breathed a sigh of relief as he made as his way toward the shuttle bay. If Harry was mad enough, he wouldn't talk to him for the entire mission, and that suited Tom just fine. As long as Harry was mad at him it would make things a lot easier.

Maybe.
---

The shuttle glided through space, following the course the probe should have taken but hadn't. Tom sat in the in the pilot's chair, mesmerized by the sight of the electromagnetic distortion. Harry sat beside him, and from the way he grunted as he worked Tom knew he was still angry.

"Anything?" Tom asked.

"Negative," Harry replied curtly. His hands glided across the control panel as he worked the sensors. "None of the readings make any sense. . . the probe was on course, and then it was. . . gone."

Tom watched him. . . clandestinely, out of the corner of his eye. Whenever Harry was frustrated his lips curled at the corners. . . as they were now, snarling at the conflicting data being received by the shuttles sensor array.

A million images ran through Tom's mind. . . the two of them, in the throes of making love, laying naked on a beach in the holodeck with the surf crashing against their intertwined bodies. . .

Tom tried to shake the mental image. It was crazy. Harry was his best friend. They had shared secrets. . . intimate secrets that neither would have told another living soul. The bond between them was unique, and Tom knew it was selfish of him to even think about risking all they had shared because of one silly dream.

"Tom?"

"What is it, Harry?"

"I lied," Harry said. "I have to know. Why did you have to talk with Captain Janeway? Did I do something? If you're angry, I wish you'd just let me know."

"It's not you," Paris assured him. "I just. . . haven't been sleeping well, and I didn't feel up to this mission. That's all."

"Oh," Harry said. "Bad dreams?"

Paris laughed. He couldn't help it.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Nothing."

"Come on," Harry said. "Tell me. Were they. . . erotic dreams?"

Paris looked at him. "Yes, they were. Okay? You have the holodeck. . . I have my dreams." He saw the wounded look in Harry's eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. Like I said, I haven't been sleeping. I guess I'm in a cranky mood."

"That's all right," Harry said. He pretended to be interested in the sensor readings. "So who was it? Anyone I know?"

"Can we not talk about this?" Tom snapped.

"Okay, okay," Harry said. "I didn't realize it was such a sore spot. I mean, if you can't tell your best friend- "

"That's it," Paris said. "You really want to know who it was? Fine, I'll tell you. It was- "

A warning light flashed on the computer console.

"I have something," Harry said. He checked the readout. "I'm picking up an ionization trail heading two three mark four two eight."

Tom nodded. "Laying in a course. Looks like the probe is heading for a small moon or planetoid."

"The probe must have been pulled in by the gravitational forces," Harry said. "It could have soft landed."

"We'll know in a minute," Tom replied.

Harry studied the plethora of information flooding the on board computer. "This is incredible. . . the planetoid registers as class-M."

"Any sign of the probe?"

"Not in orbit," Harry said. "It probably burned up when it entered the atmosphere."

"But we can't be sure of that," Tom said.

Harry shook his head. "No." He tapped his console. "Scanning the surface. . . I'm picking up something, very faint. It's metallic."

"We can't be that lucky," Tom said.

"No," Harry agreed. "This is too big to be a Federation probe."

"A ship?" Tom asked.

"I can't tell," Harry said. Something is interfering with our sensors." He looked up from his console. "We have to go down there."
---

Rain. Sheets upon sheets of rain. Tom and Harry hadn't gotten more than ten meters from the shuttle when the skies simply opened up and allowed deciliters of water to fall on them as they made their way through the dense foliage that covered the planet's surface.

"Well this is fun," Tom said. It had only taken a few seconds for the rain to soak through his uniform. It was a minute or two before the cold and dampness had worked its way to his bones. Tom hoped that a few minutes more in the rain and he would be so numb that he wouldn't feel anything. . . not the cold, not the rain, not his lust for Harry.

From a few meters ahead of him, Harry sighed. "Will you give it a rest, all ready? I don't like it either, but you don't hear me complaining."

"You just did," Paris smiled.

Harry growled something under his breath as he consulted his tricorder. "I'm picking up something. These readings are very strange, but whatever it is. . . it's just up ahead."

Tom instinctively drew a phaser as he took the lead. "Let's go."

A flicker of lightning illuminated the otherwise pitch black sky, and for a brief moment Paris could actually see where they were headed without the aid of a tricorder. Something very large and very ominous looking lurked just beyond a thick growth of underbrush.

Tom felt a tingle of apprehension run up his spine as they cleared the dense forest. The large metallic object they had first detected in orbit and had detected again with the tricorder was a house. Not terribly attractive, as houses go, but it was definitely a house.

"Anybody home?" Tom asked.

Harry checked the sensor readings on his tricorder. "I'm not picking up any life signs inside." He scanned the area around them. "I'm not picking up lifesigns anywhere. It must be abandoned. Doesn't look like it's been lived in for years."

Tom started for the door.

"Where are you going?" Harry asked.

"You said no one was home," Tom said. "I'm getting out of the rain. You want to stay out here in the monsoon. . . fine. I want to dry off."

Harry frowned uneasily. "Tom, wait. . . " But it was too late; Tom was all ready making his way inside. Harry quickly followed after him, just as eager as Tom was to get out of the rain.

The house consisted of one large room that looked like it hadn't been lived in for ages. What little furniture there was was buried in layers of dust, cobwebs filled all four corners. Harry wondered how long it had been since anything even remotely resembling a humanoid had lived there.

"Look," Tom said, in a mock happy voice. "A fireplace. . . and kindling. Seems dry. Let's see if it burns, shall we?" Tom knelt down and placed several logs on the fireplace then fired his phaser. The logs ignited easily. Tom held his hands near the roaring flames. "Oh, yes," he sighed. "That feels much, much better."

Harry nodded as he moved closer to the fire. "Yes, it does." He looked at Tom. "We're never going to find the probe in the rain. . . and that's assuming it even crashed on the surface."

"I know," Tom said. By now the fire was raging, taking the chill out the air. Tom glanced around the room. There was a bed, which looked to be fairly sturdy, and a small table pushed against the back wall, chairs tucked underneath it. "I guess we'll spend the night here. If we're lucky it will stop raining by morning and the sensors on board the shuttle will be more dependable."

"Agreed," Harry said. He started to take off his uniform top.

"What are you doing?" Tom asked, feeling his heart racing.

"Getting out of these wet clothes," Harry said. "And I suggest you do the same before you catch pneumonia."

Tom smiled. "I guess you really do care about me."

"No," Harry replied. "I just don't want you to get sick on me. Then I'd have to find the probe by myself."

Paris shook his head. "You're so sentimental." He unzipped his uniform top.

By now, Harry had stripped down to his underwear. Tom tried hard not to look, but found it more and more difficult. Harry was well built, something that didn't always show through his uniform. His chest was nearly hairless and, from the way he filled out his undergarments, Tom knew he was hiding something in there.

"I feel like I'm on an Academy training mission, " Harry said.

Tom laughed as he took a chair out from under the table and placed it by the fire. "I don't remember training missions being this awful, " he said. He draped his uniform top over the back of the chair.

"They were," Harry assured him. He stripped off his underwear.

Tom tried not to gasp. He'd seen naked men before, but never before had it stirred the intense emotions that seeing Harry Kim naked had just done.

"We have a long day ahead of us," Harry said as he climbed into bed. "We'd better get some sleep."

"In the bed?" Tom asked. He slipped off his boots and placed them near the fireplace alongside Harry's.

"There's room for both of us," Harry said. "Unless you'd prefer the floor."

Tom pulled off his trousers and draped them over the seat of the chair. "I don't think so, " he said. He peeled off his wet underwear and got into bed. "Well. . . good night, Harry, " Tom said.

"Good night, Tom."

They lay together in the darkness, the smell of burning wood wafting through the small one room house. Tom could feel the warmth radiating from Harry's body, could feel the closeness of him.

Tom sighed inwardly as he felt Harry brush up against him. His skin was so soft, so smooth. . . it was like nothing he had ever felt before. With every breath, Harry's body touched his, awakening senses in him that he never knew existed. At that moment Tom wanted Harry Kim more than anything. He needed to taste him, smell him, touch him.

Tom got out of bed. "I can't. I can't do this. I thought I could, but I can't."

Harry looked at him. "Tom, what the hell is the matter with you? You've been jumpy ever since we left Voyager. That must have been one hell of a woman you dreamt about."

"It wasn't a woman," Tom said.

Harry did his best to hide his surprise. It still showed in his wide eyed stare. "A man? You dreamt about a man?"

"Yes, Harry," Tom said. "There are men and there are women, and since I wasn't dreaming about a woman- "

"I'm sorry," Harry said. "I. . . I didn't know what to say. I just. . . never knew that you- "

"Neither did I," Tom said.

Harry sat up. "Tom," Harry said delicately. "A lot of people think about. . . experimenting. It's nothing to be ashamed of, you know."

Paris sighed as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "Do you really think I'd be this worried if that's all it was? Hell, if I wanted to experiment I'd go to the holodeck and lock the door. It's much deeper than that Harry. . . I think I'm falling in love."

"Who is it?" Harry asked. "Someone I know?" Tom gave him a look. It took Harry a moment before the pieces fell into place, but when they did, they fell hard. Harry sat there for a long moment, afraid to break the quiet stillness of the room. "Tom, I don't know what to say."

"Tell me you feel the same way," Tom whispered.

"Tom, I- "

Before Harry could say any more, Tom moved in close and kissed him, a long, passionate kiss that seemed to last forever. It was better than anything he had ever imagined. Harry hesitated at first but returned the kiss, opening his mouth wide in acceptance. Their tongues met, sending waves of excitement through Tom's body. At that moment he could have swallowed his best friend whole. Feeling Harry so close to him was wonderfully unbearable, but Tom finally managed to pull himself away. He sought out Harry's dark eyes for a response.

"Well?" Tom asked.

"Not bad," Harry admitted. "But you're going to have to do a lot more than that to impress me."

Tom smiled hungrily. "I do love a challenge." All of his fears, all of his anxieties melted away in that single moment.

He kissed Harry again, harder this time, and continued kissing him as he eased his friend -now lover- back down on the bed. Tom was on his side, and he took a moment to admire Harry's nakedness. No dream could compare to the reality. . . Harry was gorgeous. Tom traced the muscles of Harry's chest with the tip of his finger, making his way down, drawing small circles around Harry's nipples.

Harry shuddered, surprised by his friend's gentle touch. He had always assumed Tom was more aggressive when it came to this kind of thing, but he now saw a softness in Tom's eyes that he hadn't seen before. Perhaps it had always been there, and he hadn't noticed. Or perhaps it only existed now. . . now that they were together. Whatever the reason, Harry was more than ready for whatever was about to happen.

Tom continued to kiss him, his strong hands running the length of Harry's body, reaching down, exploring every part of him. Harry's skin was soft and unbelievable smooth to the touch, and just the feel of him had Tom's mind reeling. Tom chewed on Harry's lip, distracting him as he lets his hands slip down his body, moving closer and closer. . . Tom took Harry in hand and stroked him slowly, letting his fingers trace the contours of Harry's penis.

"Oh. . . that feels so good," Harry sighed.

"You feel good," Tom whispered. He continued to kiss him, to stroke him, to fondle him. . . but slowly, delicately. He didn't want the evening to end before it had even started.

Harry responded to his friend's touch with soft, quiet moans, his mind lost in the new sensations. He liked the way Tom's hands felt against him. There was a sureness there, an absolute certainty of purpose. Yet always there was a tenderness. Even as Tom's hands stroked him to the brink of orgasm, there was a gentleness in his caress.

Tom straddled Harry on all fours, hovering over him like a vulture preparing to descend on its prey. Tom began the long journey down Harry's body by kissing him on the neck, huge open mouthed kisses that grew wider and wider as he tried to cover as much surface area as he could. He inched his way down, keeping a slow, steady pace. He wasn't about to rush this. He kissed Harry's shoulder, his chest, his stomach. He didn't want to miss any part of him. He sucked on Harry's nipples, massaging them with his tongue.

Harry groaned with pleasure.

Tom took the cue and continued working his way down, intoxicated by the taste and feel of Harry's delicate skin. It was the most amazing sensation he had ever known. He wanted to know every part of his new lover, every nuance. There was no part of Harry that Tom wanted to ignore. He kissed his thigh, making his way closer and closer until he finally arrived to find Harry still very much excited. Tom sensed Harry's growing impatience and smiled. He'd always enjoyed teasing Harry, and it only seemed right to include it in the love making.

"My, my," Tom said. "Will wonders never cease."

"Please," Harry begged. "Please. . ."

Tom moved in, working his way up and down the length of Harry's manhood, his tongue moving up and around, just grazing the tip, then made his way back down again. Harry shivered with delight.

Tom relished the taste of him, couldn't get enough of it, and just when he knew Harry couldn't take anymore Tom devoured him whole, taking the entire length of Harry's penis into his mouth... which wasn't easy, but he managed.

"Ohhhhhhhhh," Harry gasped.

Tom wrapped his lips around Harry's erection, stroking him off with his mouth, slobbering all over him and loving it. Harry writhed on the bed, running his hands through Tom's hair as his new lover latched on to him and his manhood for all he was worth.

The sounds of Harry's pleasure only made Tom work faster. He continued his ministrations, sucking harder and harder until he was sure Harry was going to explode. When he finally did, Tom lapped it up hungrily.

"That was wonderful," Harry gasped.

But Tom wasn't through yet.

He made his way back up to meet Harry face to face and kissed him, giving him a brief taste of himself. . . and tastes of what was yet to come. Harry smiled, but behind his smile was of an intensity that excited Tom all over again. He saw that Harry wanted it as much as he did, and Tom wasn't about to disappoint him. He eased Harry's legs apart with a gently hand and pushed his knees back. Harry was no contortionist, but he seemed to understand what Tom wanted him to do. Harry grabbed himself behind the knees and held himself wide open, knowing what was about to happen and eager for it to begin. Tom accepted the invitation, and eased his way into Harry's waiting orifice.

Harry gasped as the full length of Tom's manhood slipped inside him.

"Are you all right?" Tom asked tenderly. "I don't want to hurt you."

But Harry only smiled, rolling his head back on the pillow. Tom certainly didn't need any more encouragement. He began a slow, rocking motion, finding his rhythm and keeping it with every thrust.

Harry squirmed on the bed, his body tingling with new sensations. Every part of his being seemed to be alive. He never knew it could be so wonderful making love with another man, though he had no doubt it was because the other man in this case was Tom Paris. There was a connection between them, one long established, and it made their love making that much more intense.

"Oh yes. . ." Harry purred.

Tom put his entire body into it, driving himself deeper and deeper, urged on by Harry's whimpering. As much as he enjoyed making love to him, making his new lover happy excited him even more. The louder Harry moaned, the more intense Tom became. He arched his back, impaling Harry with everything he had, his motions becoming more and more frantic as he reached the peak of insanity. He could feel it coming. Harry felt it, too. They looked at each other -an intense, passionate look- and they held the gaze as Tom arrived at the brink and went spilling over.

Tom wasn't sure if he cried out. His mind was so awash in ecstasy that he couldn't be sure of anything. It could have been a real, it could have been a dream. All Tom knew for sure was that it felt wonderful. Pleasure washed over him like warm water. His head was spinning and he felt dizzy; he'd never come so hard in his life!

Tom looked down and was pleasantly surprised to see that Harry was getting hard again. Tom certainly wasn't about to let it go to waste! He turned himself around, still straddling Harry's body but now with his back to Harry's face. He positioned himself carefully, his legs absorbing most of his body weight. With Harry's hands guiding him, Tom slowly lowered himself onto Harry's penis.

"Oh, Tom. . ." Harry cried. He'd never been inside a man before, and it was tight. . . very tight, and very wonderful. The snug fit sent sparks of pleasure shooting through his mind, taking him to the outermost rim of joy. He put his hands on Tom's waist, lifting him up and plunging him down again, harder and harder, driving himself further and further into his new lover. His body quivered with every motion. It was the most incredible feeling he had ever experienced. He never wanted it to end. At that moment he didn't care about returning to Voyager, didn't care about returning home. He wanted only to stay there with Tom, making love from dawn to dusk.

But Harry was't ignoring him! He reached around, hoping to find Tom ready again. He wasn't disappointed. He took Tom in hand and stroked him, slowly at first, the way Tom had stroked him.

"Oh yes," Tom moaned. "Harry, don't stop!"

Harry smiled, slipping his hand up and down the length of Tom's penis, working faster and faster until their motions were finally in sync. . . the two of them, best friends, new lovers, enjoying each other. Tom lifted himself up and down, his mind lost to all reality. Harry continued to stroke him, loving him completely, body and soul. The end was coming for both of them and both of them sensed it, working each other into an ecstatic frenzy until they both cried out. . . together.

The fire had died down, filling the room with a mellow orange glow. Tom and Harry lay together, holding on to one another, afraid to let go. . . afraid that doing so would break the spell.

"I'll admit it," Harry said. "I am duly impressed."

Tom laughed. "Thank you?"

Now it was Harry's turn to laugh. "No. . . thank you. But next time," he added, "it's my turn to impress you."

Tom propped himself up and gazed into Harry's eyes. "Is there going to be a next time?"

"Oh, there are going to be a lot of next times," Harry said. "You can count on it."

Tom leaned forward, found Harry's eager lips and kissed them, losing himself in the sensation. The hunger he discovered in Harry's kiss surprised him and comforted him, filling him with a contentment he had not known for a long time.

There had been an emptiness in Tom's life, a void he was convinced could never be filled. All of that had been swept away by a single kiss. . . by a single person, Harry Kim. Tom melted into Harry's arms, never wanting him to let go. . . and a somehow, though he had seen many disappointments before, he knew Harry never would.
---

By daybreak the rain had stopped, and early morning sunlight came through the window and spilled onto the floor of the small, one roomed house. Tom got out of bed, careful not to wake Harry who looked absolutely adorable as he lay there sleeping. Tom quietly got dressed and headed outside, hoping to find something suitable for breakfast.

Tom managed to get past front door and then he stopped.

Outside the house, in plain view, was a probe. . . the probe Voyager had launched, the one that had disappeared, the one he and Harry had come looking for. But that wasn't what grabbed Tom's attention. Hovering just above the probe was a swirling melange of color and light, reds and yellows and blues and whites bleeding into each other with grace.

A Voice echoed in the clearing, though it could very well have been in Tom's mind.

"You are a curious species," the Voice said. "You desire much and yet that is precisely what you fear most. Still, given the opportunity, you flourish. I hope last night was everything you wanted it to be."

Tom considered that for a moment, a terrible, awful idea filling his mind "Did you- " he began, but the Voice anticipated the question and responded.

"The disappearance of your primitive sensory device was enough to lure you and your companion here. The rest was up to you. I made him do nothing. Remember this moment, always." And with that, the swirling colors disappeared.

Tom stood there, dumbfounded, staring at the empty air where there alien had been. The captain would want an explanation, and Tom wondered just exactly what he would tell her. Not the truth, that's for sure. She wouldn't believe it. Tom wasn't sure if he believed it. He supposed he could blame it on the rain; that in the thick of the storm, they simply hadn't seen the probe.

It was as good an explanation as any.

"Tom?"

Paris turned around to see Harry standing in the doorway, half dressed, looking irresisitable as he flashed that crooked smile. "What is it, Harry?"

"Is everything all right?"

Tom smiled. "Yes, Harry. Everything is fine."

---

End