The BLTS Archive- The Becoming
by Karen (CP4Karen@aol.com)

---

Disclaimer: Paramount owns them. I imply no copyright  infringement.

c1998 Karen

---

"This is *not* looking good, Commander."

Chakotay had to agree, as much as he hated to agree  with anything
that Tom Paris had to say.  They had  come to this planet for supplies
and were assured that  everything would be fine for both trade and
shore leave  for the crew.  However, none of them had planned on  any
of the crew being included in the trading.

Everything had gone well, the cargo bays were full of  fresh food
stuffs and the crew had begun to visit the  planet in two day shifts.
People were relaxed and happy,  and plans had begun to be made for
exiting the system  in two days time.

Chakotay had even invited Kathryn for dinner in the  main seaport, but
as usual, duty came first.  She pointed  out that one of them should
be in command of the ship  at all times.  At least, she had looked
regretful while  saying it.

Instead, the Commander had found himself wandering the  market and
admiring the wares for sale at the numerous  stalls.  Stopping at a
jeweler's, he was surprised to find  Tom Paris bartering for a small
gold hoop.

"Evening, Commander," Paris said as he placed two credits  in front of
the jeweler.  The man looked pensive and then  smiled, wrapping the
earring and handing it to Tom.

"I think I've just been taken, but it feels so good to get  off the
ship, I don't really care."  Tom tucked the small  packet inside his
front shirt pocket.

Chakotay snorted.  "Who's the lucky girl?"

"Actually, it's for me.  You start buying jewelry for  women and they
start sending out wedding invitations."   A very large grin
accompanied the statement.  The  Commander just shook his head.

"Well, my time is almost up.  I'm supposed to  meet Harry Kim at a
cafe near here before we beam  back."

Tom turned to go and then stopped.

"You want to come?"

"Thanks, but I think I'd put a damper on the meal.   Ensign Kim tends
to get a little nervous around me."

"Don't feel special, Commander.  Harry is nervous  around anyone with
more than one and a half pips."

"Thanks anyway."  Chakotay noticed a man gesturing  to them from a
nearby alley.  "That a friend of yours?"

Tom looked askance.  "Not my type."  A pause to  look behind them.
"He's definitely gesturing to us.   Commander?"

"It won't hurt to see what he wants."  Chakotay started  towards the
man, and after a moment Paris followed.

"Gentlemen, you are from the ship above, yes?"

Tom and Chakotay looked amused.  "Yes, I'm Commander  Chakotay and
this is the ship's senior pilot, Lt. Paris."

The old man beamed.  "Yes, you'll do fine."

Chakotay heard Tom start to say, "Wha-?", before  all went black.

---

Tom and Chakotay woke up and found that they were  sharing a cell in
the cargo hold of a small freighter.   Dark and fetid, the two men had
found nothing of use  to help them escape.

A lone guard appeared twice daily to bring food and  water.
Thankfully, there was a toilet in one corner  and they had been
provided with a blanket.

"I wonder why they're feeding us so well?  I feel a little  like
Hansel and Gretel."

Chakotay looked up and frowned.  "I'm not familiar  with the pair."

Tom gave a wry grin.  "They were two kids who were  taken by an old
witch who tried to fatten them up to eat.   They ended up baking her
instead."

"As long as we're not the ones baking, that's fine.   And as for the
food, I'm not going to question the  practice, I'm just going to eat."
The older man settled  back into the corner next to the barred door.

Tom made another circle of the cell, executing a rather  feline
stretch of arms and back as he did so.  "Well, I'm  going to wonder.
This whole set-up is very weird.  A  starship with old fashioned
prison cells, with bars no less.   Did you see the weapons?
Projectile pistols!"

"I think that we'd better behave for the time being.   Those pistols
may be antiquated, but they're also very  deadly.  I would prefer to
keep all my body parts until  Voyager catches up with us."

"That's another thing.  I hope we're the only ones they  took."  Tom
frowned.  "We've been missing at least  two days, and if they haven't
caught up with us yet....."

Chakotay was worried about that too.  "Unless someone  saw us being
taken, they wouldn't have missed us until  Harry started to look for
you.  Unless he wouldn't normally  worry about you being late??"

Tom grinned.  "I may be sort of relaxed about things like  meeting for
meals, but we were due to beam back to  Voyager in an hour and a half.
That's something I *don't*  slide on.  I would prefer to keep on the
Captain's good side,  thank you."

Chakotay raised his eyebrows.  "I'm surprised.  I thought  you were
her pet project."

"The prodigal son?  Something like that?"  Tom's voice  had taken on a
dangerous tone.  "Look, *Commander*,  you may think I'm worthless, but
one thing I do not fool  around about is the Captain's trust."  Tom
turned and leaned  with his forearms through the bars, staring down
towards  the far entrance of the cargo bay.

The Commander was almost tempted to apologize, but the  whole
Seska-spy affair still rankled a bit too much.  While  Paris may have
brought Voyager back to them, he was still a traitor of the worst
kind.  In Chakotay's eyes, he had no  morals.  He would betray
comrades in a heartbeat to get  what he wanted.  The only people he
seemed to have any allegiance to were the Captain and Harry Kim.

"Whatever you say, Lieutenant."

---

At least a week had passed, some days with nary a word  spoken.  Paris
had taken to doing calisthenics twice daily,  while Chakotay preferred
to meditate.  Whatever it took  to keep from talking.

Then, as Tom was seriously considering asking the  Commander to teach
*him* how to meditate, the guard  returned with a friend with an even
bigger weapon.

They were taken at gun point to a cabin where they had  been able to
shower and shave.  New clothes waited on  the bunks.  Their own
clothing had disappeared while  they were bathing.

"This isn't the most attractive thing I've ever worn."   Tom looked
down at the drab brown shorts and vest  that hung rather loosely on
his lean frame.

"I just hope that the weather is reasonably warm or  we're going to
freeze."

The guard Tom had begun to call 'Bob' entered the cabin.   Ignoring
Paris' breezy greeting, he gestured towards the  door.  "You'll be
leaving the ship now."

"Was it something I said?"

"Paris."

"OK, Commander.  I just hate to think that I've hurt  Bob's feelings."

The guard looked confused and Chakotay had to  stifle a grin.

"This way... now."  The guard poked Tom in the  side with the pistol.

"I think we'd better do as 'Bob' says, Lieutenant."

---

An hour later, both men were beginning to miss  their cell.  They had
been taken into a nearby city  to be handed over to men the others
respectfully  called the 'Overseers'.  When Chakotay had tried to
question their fate, he had been threatened with a  whipping.  All
they could do was wait.

"Commander, there's another group of humanoids  in a pen across the
square.  They look like they're  for sale."

Chakotay crossed to the window and looked over  the younger man's
shoulder.  The group Tom had  been referring to were being led onto a
platform  by a group of beings who looked like a cross between
Cardassian and Kazon.

Gray, stocky, somewhat reptilian and with wildly  braided black hair;
the Overseers clearly commanded  the respect of those waiting for the
auction to begin.   The group of buyers, an eclectic group to say the
least,  were quiet and respectful, almost humble in their attitude
towards those in front of them.  The slaves were clearly  terrified.

"Those Overseers aren't the most attractive creatures  I've ever
seen."

Chakotay was inclined to agree.  However..."I'd keep  that opinion to
yourself or at least keep it quiet."

Tom looked on as one of the Overseers took a whip  to one of the
slower prisoners.  "You may have a point."

Both men turned as the door behind them opened.   Two uniformed guards
entered.  While Chakotay  looked on, one of the guards held a pistol
to Tom's  head while the other looped a length of chain around  his
waist and fastened it. Toms' hands were then placed  in manacles.

The gun remained pointed at Paris' head as the guard  then approached
Chakotay with the other end of the  chain.  The meaning of the weapon
at Tom's head  was clear.

"I'd take it kindly if you'd behave, Commander,"  Tom said with a
grin.  The pistol rapped behind  his left ear and he dropped to his
knees.

"Idiot!  They go onto the block in minutes.  Tindrah  will have our
heads if you decrease their worth!"

The guard moved from behind Chakotay to check  Tom's head.  Convinced
that he would be all right,  the alien pulled Paris to his feet and
towards the door.   Chakotay could do nothing but follow.

---

The noise from the crowd below was growing.  From  the moment that the
two had been led onto the platform,  Tom had become the center of
attention.  It was obvious  that blonds were a rarity in this sector
of space.

Chakotay turned to Tom.  "I've noticed that all the  Overseers and
most of the crowd are wearing those  devices around their necks.
Their version of a universal  translator?"

"Makes sense.  I was wondering how in hell I could  understand them
back in the cell."  Paris looked uneasy.   "I'd feel better if they
weren't looking at me like I was  the last truffle in a box of
chocolates.  Although, you're  getting your share of attention."

Tom was right.  While he clearly fascinated their potential  buyers,
many were beginning to gesture towards the  Commander and were
obviously discussing his size.   Removing the larger man's cuffs, one
of the Overseers  turned Chakotay and removed his vest.  An approving
murmur went through the crowd as he was forced to lift and flex first
his arms and then his back.

Tom could see the embarrassment begin to color the older  man's face
and chest.  He could also see why the others  were impressed.  *He
could snap me like a twig.*

Chakotay relaxed slightly as his vest was returned and  he was allowed
that much covering.  He watched as Tom  was subjected to the same
treatment.  He noticed that the  noises from the crowd were different,
almost taunting.    The Commander began to admire the younger man as
he  was led to the edge of the platform and a few of the more
adventurous buyers subjected him to a more thorough 'once  over'.  Not
once did his eyes drop from the skyline.  Chakotay  began to wonder if
Paris had previously been subjected to  something similar to this and
then thought of prison.

At last, the preliminaries were over and the bids began.   Chakotay
was pleased to notice that the bidding appeared  to be for the two of
them together, rather than separately.   It would be hard enough for
Voyager to track them down  as it was, without having to do it twice.

The bidding seemed to go on forever.  One by one, buyers  dropped out
until there were only two left.  From the sounds  of amazement coming
from the crowd, the bids were very  high.

Finally, one of the two threw his marker to the ground  with a gesture
of disgust.  A roar went up and a tall  humanoid with dark blue skin
and black hair walked  proudly to the side of the platform.  A bag
traded hands  and Tom and Chakotay were led back to their holding
cell.

"I wonder if our new *owner* lives on this planet or if we're in for
another little trip?"  Tom was pacing the length of the cell,
periodically returning to the older man's side to look out of the cell
window.

"I'm hoping that he's local.  Each time we change locations is going
to make it that much harder for Voyager to catch up with us."
Chakotay had to work at sounding positive  that they *were* going to
be found.

Paris seemed to pick up on the Commander's doubts.   "Chakotay, you
know the Captain won't give up on  finding us.  She'd have a mutiny on
her hands if she  left you out here."  A slightly bitter smile.  "Me,
I'm  not so sure about.  Nothing personal, but I guess I'm  glad
you're here."

"Try not to sound so excited about my company,  Lieutenant."

"Sorry, Commander.  I was *trying* for just that right  mixture of
relief at your company and sorrow at your  being in this predicament."

Chakotay looked at the other man for his trademark  smirk and found it
missing.  Somehow, that worried  him more than he expected.  Before he
could reply,  the door to the hall opened and their new owner  entered
with one of the Overseers.

"Tindrah, you have outdone yourself this time.  Prime stock."  Moving
closer to the cell, "After the 'Becoming',  they will make an
excellent breeding pair."

Tom unconsciously moved closer to the Commander. The movement was not
lost on the others.

"You are mates?" asked their owner.

Chakotay looked shocked and blurted out a 'No!'.

"Pity.  It would have made things easier.  I suppose in time you will
grow closer out of necessity."  Before  either man could question
this, Tindrah gestured for  the guards.

"I trust you have brought your own men to protect your new investment,
Seshway?"

"They're waiting outside."

Their owner turned to go as the guards pulled Tom  and Chakotay from
the cell.  They were passed off to  three others of the same species
as Seshway, and led  out of town to an awaiting shuttle.

---

"Captain, we've lost the last of the ion trail from  the trader."
Harry looked about to cry.

"It's unlikely that they would suddenly change  course in a sector as
empty as this."  At least they  were still headed in the general
direction of the  Alpha quadrant.  Janeway was slowly pacing a  circle
in front of the too-empty command center.   "Helm, continue on this
heading at Warp 7.   Mr. Tuvok, you have the bridge."

Kathryn strode towards her ready room and a  *large* cup of  coffee.

The holoDoctor had informed her that her chronic  headaches of the
last two weeks were from stress,  fatigue and too much caffeine.  She
had been tempted  to answer him with a brisk "No shit?" just to watch
the response; but decided that it would probably have  gotten her a
sedative and a nice uncomfortable biobed.

When Chakotay and Paris had first turned up  missing, a number of
hours were wasted on  scanning the surface and the polite harassment
of the local government.  Neither man had turned  up and the local
merchants had suddenly gone  deaf and blind, remembering virtually
nothing  from that afternoon.

Tuvok had turned up two ships that had left orbit  during that time.

The first, a Talaxian freighter, was captained by a  friend of Neelix
who was more than happy to  cooperate with a search.

The second ship was harder to track down.  Supposedly  returning to
the Daazi home world, the ion trail had  already begun to decay and
disperse.

Several false tries over a period of almost sixty hours  finally
forced Voyager to initiate an old fashioned search  in ever-widening
circles.  Harry Kim had picked up some  promising ion residue on long
range scanners and they  had taken off after it at maximum warp.

The Captain's risk had at first appeared to be paying  off as the
trail had grown even stronger, but then had  strangely started to
disperse about twenty-four hours  later.

There had been no problem in getting the crew to work  double time to
keep the search going.  In fact, she had  finally ordered section
heads to make sure that everyone  was taking their meal and sleep
breaks.

Kathryn was pleased to hear that the efforts were  almost as much for
her helmsman as her second-in- command.

*Now, if I can just find them to let Tom know that  public opinion is
beginning to change.*

---

It had only been two days, but it seemed like a lifetime.   They had
dragged themselves to their cabin the night  before too tired to
prepare a decent meal.  Tom had  simply sliced some fruit and bread
and peeled some  of the more appetizing vegetables that he had found
in their larder.

Chakotay had brought in some water for a brief scrub,  and in silent
agreement, the men had collapsed side  by side onto the bed.

This morning had brought more of the same.  There  were about thirty
of them.  Male and female humanoids  of various species, some
recognizable, most not.    The largest group worked the crops;
weeding, picking  and watering.  A few of the stronger men such as
Chakotay were preparing the newest field.


Hot. Hot. Hot.  Tom was ready to drop as he moved  from row to row,
watering what looked like string  beans with a large bucket of water.
Chakotay was  about a hundred meters away, digging rocks from the next
plot to be planted.

When his bucket was empty, Tom slowly made his  way towards the pump
in the center of the main yard.   A large guard moved to stop him,
then stepped back.    Tom refilled his bucket and took a hollowed out
gourd from next to the pump.  Chakotay didn't hear  him approach.

"Water break, Big Man."

Chakotay straightened and stretched the kinks out  of his back.  As he
took the gourd, Paris got a  glimpse of the palms of his hands.  He
set the bucket  down and took the Commander's right hand in his own.

"Damn!  Were you going to say anything at all?"   Tom took his vest
off and began to tear strips to  bind the older man's wounds.

"I'm fine."  Chakotay tried to pull his hand away,  but Paris held
fast.

"Fine is the last thing that you are, now hold still."

Tom's head was bent over the bleeding palms, intent  on his bandaging.
Neither man noticed the guard  until it was too late.

The heavy leather belt raised a bright red weal  across Tom's fair
skin.  The sound of a second  blow was drowned out by Tom's cry.
Chakotay  grabbed Tom and pulled him behind his own body.   Two other
guards joined the first and held the big  man's arms behind him.

"Bind him."

Paris followed as Chakotay was dragged to a large  blood stained block
of wood in front of the guard  shack.  He was forced to kneel in front
of the block  with both arms stretched over the top and then tied
down.  The captain of the guards stepped out into  the bright sunlight
followed by Seshway himself.

"What is his crime?"

"He attempted to interfere in the punishment of  the bright one."

"And the bright one's crime?"

The guard looked at the ground.  "He stopped  working."

"Why?"  Seshway glanced at Chakotay's hands  and frowned.

Silence.

Seshway turned to the captain.  "Release him  and tie the bright one
to the block."

Chakotay looked on as the guards did as ordered.   He felt an odd
sense of pride as Tom quietly knelt,  his face reflecting a
combination of fear and defiance.

Seshway turned to Chakotay.  "You are too valuable  to damage.  You
are strong and when correctly trained,  will become an asset in
controlling the others."

"You," he said to Tom, "are here primarily to bear  his children."
The man smiled coldly.  "Something  that you don't really need hands
to do."

He nodded at the guard.

The Commander pulled away from the guards holding  him and stepped
between Tom and the ax.  "The only  way you get to him is to go
through me."

"Enough!"  Seshway motioned the guards back and  waved Chakotay
towards Tom.  Bending down,  Chakotay shakily untied the younger man's
hands  and pulled him to his feet.

"Excellent.  I told you that in time you would grow  closer." Turning
to the captain, "Contact the center  and schedule the bright one.  It
is time for his 'Becoming'."

---

"Bridge to the Captain."

Kathryn sighed.  "Yes, Mr. Tuvok."

"We are approaching the next planetary systems."  A pause.   "There
are one hundred and thirty-two planets within likely  range that are
capable of supporting life."

*Gods.*  "Very well.  Set up a schedule and charts for  the quickest
coverage of all the planets.  We've got six  shuttles.  I want them
manned and ready to assist in the  search just as soon as the Doctor
finishes downloading  Tom and Chakotay's DNA samples, skeletal scans
and  biological imagery into the computers.  Advise me when
everything is ready."

"Aye, Captain.  Bridge out."

One hundred and thirty-two blasted planets to cover  centimeter by
centimeter.  This could take weeks, if not  months.  Janeway was
startled from her thoughts by the  discrete clearing of a throat.
Looking up, she found Ayala,  Geron, and Chell standing at her table.
Scanning the mess  hall, she knew that everyone there had heard the
previous  conversation.

Ayala spoke.  "Captain, we'd like to volunteer to man  one of the
shuttles."  Geron and Chell silently nodded.

Kathryn smiled.  "Contact Lt. Tuvok and tell him  that I okayed you
for the mission."

From the looks on their faces, she knew that she was  doing the right
thing.  All three were Maquis and it was  imperative for morale that
they be deeply involved in  the search.

The Captain stood and directed her next words to everyone  in the
hall.

"I'm sure that everyone wants to volunteer for the mission,  but I
want you to know that those who stay behind will  play just as
important a part in the rescue as those that  actually man the
shuttles.  We're *all* in this together  and it will take every member
of this crew either actively  searching or supporting the search to
find them."    Kathryn smiled.

"And we will find them."

---   The rest of the day had gone more smoothly.  Chakotay  had been
taken to the infirmary, such as it was, and his  hands had been
properly bandaged.  Tom was given  additional bandages and salve to
use that evening and  a cotton shirt to replace his vest.

"I wish that we'd used my vest to bandage my hands.   Maybe I could
have gotten a shirt."

Tom looked over at the man leaning against the table in  the center of
their cabin.  "If you want the shirt, I'll trade  you."  Looking down
at himself, he laughed.  "It's more  your size anyway."

The Commander smirked as he took in the other man's  appearance.  "You
do look like you've raided your daddy's  closet to play dress-up."   A
snicker.  "You look about six."

Tom placed his hands on his hips and tried to look indignant.   It
wasn't easy with the neckline of his new shirt hanging off   one
shoulder, or the fact that it was so long that you couldn't  see his
shorts.

"I look ten!  Besides it would be even longer on you.  I'd hate to
run into the person that they made it for," he said flopping  down on
the bed.

Chakotay's  laughter rang out.  "After we eat, I'll cut part  of the
bottom off the shirt and you can use it as a belt."

"Oh, great!  Then I'll just look like I'm wearing a dress." Tom's grin
slowly died.  "Chakotay, I'm beginning to get a  little worried about
this 'Becoming' that they keep mentioning.   What are they going to do
to me so that I can bear your kids?"

The older man crossed to where Tom was sitting on the bed.   "I'm
going to try to ask Seshway or the guard captain tomorrow.   There's
an outside chance that they don't know that the males  of our species
can't bear children without a lot of help."

"Somehow I don't think that's the case."  Tom frowned.   "I lied
earlier.  This 'Becoming' that they keep talking about  doesn't just
worry me, it scares me shitless.  What if it's just  what it sounds
like?  I have grown kind of fond of all my parts."

Chakotay grinned.  "You and a number of the women on  Voyager."

Tom rolled his eyes.  "A lot fewer than everyone makes it  sound like.
If I was having sex with everyone that they  claim I am, I'd be
exhausted."

"I have to admit that I wondered."  A sidelong glance.   "Do you
realize that we haven't had an argument since we got here?"

Tom gingerly lay back across the bed, mindful of his sore  back.  "I
don't know about you, but I'm too damned tired.   I never knew
gardening was such hard work."

Chakotay laughed and leaned back next to Tom.  "This is  just a bit
more involved than *gardening*.  Did you ever  do anything like this
before?"

"Sort of.  My mother's father had a huge vegetable garden  that we
used to help with when we went to visit.  When  you're a kid though,
something that you do that rarely can  seem more like play."  Tom
smiled.  "Especially when it  involved my Grandpa.  He was the
greatest.  He didn't give  a shit about Starfleet.  I was just his
grandson.  I just wish  that we could have seen him more often."

"Why couldn't you?"

"He and my Dad didn't see eye to eye on much of anything.   Definitely
not about the way my dad treated my mom.  She  was more a trophy than
anything else."

"How about you?"

Tom looked away.  "How about me, what?"

"You and your father.  Were you a trophy too?"  Chakotay  began to
wish he hadn't asked at the look of sadness on the  younger man's
face.

"Believe it or not, I love him.  He's disowned me, but I more  or less
deserved that."  Tom looked back at Chakotay.  "All I  ever wanted was
for him to be proud of me.  When he talked  about any of my
accomplishments, it was as if he was taking  the credit.  *He* got me
into Starfleet.  *He* made sure that I  was the best pilot around.
*He* would ensure that I became  the youngest captain ever.  *He*
would choose what was best  for my life.  It was always about what he
wanted."  Tom sighed.

"I just wanted to fly."

---

It turned out that Chakotay never had the chance to ask Seshway about
the Becoming.  Just before dawn, four guards entered the cabin and
took Tom away in a shuttle.  When the older man  had tried to prevent
it, he was restrained and placed in a cell in  the guard shack.


That afternoon Chakotay lay on a cot with his arm over his eyes. Any
attempt at questioning the other man's whereabouts had been met with
silence.  The Commander was a patient man in most  things, but not
when the welfare of someone in his charge was  at stake.  Even Tom
Paris.

"I understand that you have questions regarding your mate's
condition."

Chakotay sat up and glared at the man before him.

"His name is Tom.  He is not my mate.  We are both males.   Our
species needs a female and a male to reproduce."  Any  attempt at
diplomacy was long gone.

"Your names do not concern me.  Neither does your sex.   That can be
corrected."

The big man's stomach dropped through the floor.

"What do you mean corrected, and why is it so necessary  that I
reproduce?  And for that matter, why is it so important  that I
reproduce with him?"  Chakotay was beginning to  lose patience.
Acquiescence had never been one of his strong  points.

"You are prime stock and it would be a shame for your  kind to die out
in a single generation.  I am not a proponent  of mixing species;
there are too many chances for genetic  errors.  The bright one is the
only other of your kind the  Overseers were able to acquire.
Therefore, we will adapt."

"It sounds like Tom will be doing the adapting."

Seshway's smile reminded the Commander of a jungle cat.   "You are
quite correct.  Your *mate*," he emphasized,  smiling again at
Chakotay's frown, "is well on his way  through the change as we speak.
However, it takes  several days for the genetic adaptations to be
completed  and monitored for any errors.  It would not do for there to
be any mistakes in a creature with such potential.  Your  offspring
will be quite valuable on the open market.   Strong and attractive."

Chakotay was up and at the bars to his cell.  "Valuable  on the open
market?  You tear the children away from their parents?"

Seshway stopped on his way out the door and turned.   "I find it
difficult to keep families together.  It causes  obedience problems.
Your mate will produce and once  the little ones are weaned, they will
be sold to others.   All compounds such as this have nurseries where
new  stock is prepared for life in service."

Chakotay sank back onto the cot and fought to keep  from becoming ill.
The thought of infants being taken  from their mothers and sold
further into slavery was  appalling.  The whole scenario hit too close
to what his  people were enduring at the hands of the Cardassians.

---

Searing pain coursed through his body.  It felt as if his  internal
organs were melting.  Paris screamed and fought  his restraints.  A
figure in a deep red smock injected a  fluid into a line leading into
Tom's left arm.  Blackness  began to crowd the edges of his vision as
he fought to  focus on the figure above him.

*Please God, make them stop........*

---

"In the past twenty-four days, we have scanned approximately
thirty-five percent of the planets in this area.  In comparison  to
most of the life forms in these two systems, Terrans are  distinct
enough to accelerate most of the planetary scans."

Janeway was surprised to hear her temporary second-in- command
actually sigh.  From the glances in his direction,  she wasn't the
only one.

Tuvok continued.  "There is a high rate of interplanetary  travel
however, and monitoring this to prevent the  Commander and Lt. Paris
from slipping through our  search pattern has been tedious."

Kathryn fought back a smile.  After years of friendship,  she was an
old hand at reading the Vulcan's unspoken  thoughts.  The previous
statement had been as close as she would ever come to hearing him come
out and wish  that everyone would just stay the hell in one place for
a  while.

"Thank you, Tuvok.  Everyone, pass on the word that  I am impressed
with the level of dedication and ability  that the crew has put
forward in the past weeks."

The two empty chairs to her left and the response of her  senior staff
every time they looked in that direction was  painful to see.  She
made a decision to move any further  briefings from the formal
conference room to her ready  room.

The Captain looked down towards the far end of the table.   "Mr.
Neelix, I would like you to open up all the mess hall  replicators for
unlimited use and make an announcement  of the fact."  Neelix nodded
eagerly and Kes diffidently  spoke up.

"I think that is a wonderful idea, Captain, but may I make  a
suggestion?"

Janeway smiled at the elfin blonde.  "Of course, Kes."

"I'm not suggesting anything that would actually resemble  a
celebration, Captain, but I think that it's important that  you be in
the mess hall to talk with the crew.  I believe  that they need the
reassurance of seeing you and being  able to directly ask you
questions instead of filtering things through department heads."  Kes
looked as if she  were concerned at the Captain's reaction to her
statements.

Kathryn wondered again at Kes' innate ability to read  others.  *Of
course, with telempathic ability, it might not  be that hard.*
"That's an excellent idea.  I would like the  rest of you to attend
also.  Let's plan on putting some effort  into rumor control tonight.
Dismissed."

Tuvok stayed seated as the others filed out of the room.   "It would
seem that you are aware of the rumors of  abandoning the search."

Janeway leaned back in her chair and momentarily  closed her eyes.
"I'm afraid so.  Even after everything  we've been through together,
there is still a definite schism  between the former Maquis and the
Starfleet crew."

"Most of them do not consider themselves to be *former*  Maquis, even
now.  They became members of this crew at  the orders of *their*
captain and now he is missing.  You  have proven yourself to be a
worthy leader to the Maquis  and normally they would follow you to
their deaths.  But if  the search were called off, an attempt at
mutiny could be a  real threat."

Kathryn's first inclination towards her friend was anger that  he
would actually consider the possibility that she might  cancel the
search.  Then she realized that as both a Vulcan  and her friend,
Tuvok would consider that possibility only  from the viewpoint of the
ultimate good of Voyager and  expect her to do the same.  There was no
emotion involved.

"At this point in time, there are no plans to cancel the search.   It
would take a lot more than the time constraints on our  voyage home to
get me to cancel it.  That is what we have to  get across tonight, and
I'm trusting you to help me."

---

Chakotay quietly entered the cabin with a bucket of fresh  water.  Tom
had spent almost a week and a half at the center.   Upon his/*her?*
return, the Commander had been excused  from field work until his mate
was completely well.

The big man pulled a chair over to the bed and wet a cloth  in the
newly filled basin.  He carefully wiped the sweat from  Tom's face and
neck, and then began on the arms.  Chakotay  purposely tried to
refrain from thinking about Tom in terms  of gender.  It would be
difficult enough when Tom regained  consciousness and had to deal with
it personally.

"Please... no."  Deep sapphire eyes opened and made an  attempt to
focus.

The soft alto voice surprised the Commander.  He  removed the cloth
that he had placed on the smooth  forehead.  Gently easing an arm
under Tom's shoulders,  he lifted the slight body and held a cup of
cool water  to Paris' lips.

"You're staring."

"Sorry."  Chakotay tried to look any place else as he  helped Tom to
drink, but the transformation was  fascinating.  The facial features
were basically the  same but the whole effect was softer, a little
more  rounded.

Tom turned away when he finished drinking and the  Commander was
graced with the view of an elegant  throat as he placed the cup on the
small table next to  the bed.

"Do you feel like trying to sit up?"  Tom shook her  head and Chakotay
moved back.  "I'll be just outside  if you need anything."

Chakotay crossed to the door and escaped outside.   *Damn it, that is
Tom Paris.*

Granted, they had been getting along better since  this whole thing
had started, but the feelings that he  had now were beginning to drive
him insane.  The  Commander slumped down onto a stool next to the
door.  *And what was that scent?*

Ever since they had returned Tom, Chakotay had  been assailed by the
smell of peaches.  He had given  Tom two complete baths since
returning three days  ago, *Don't go there, Big Man,*  and still there
was  the lingering scent of fresh peaches.

*Spirits, I can't even go near Tom without my mouth  watering.  That
would get a reaction.*

"Chakotay...."

The Commander jumped up and hurried into the cabin. "What's wrong?"

Tom looked startled and then smiled shyly.  "Umm,  nothing's really
the matter.  Oh hell, I have to go pee."

The combination of that melodic voice and Paris' speech patterns was a
bit shocking.  Chakotay gave himself a  mental shake and moved to help
Tom from the bed.  Two  weeks without physical activity had taken its
toll.

"Shit!  How long have I been out.  I can't even stand up." Tom's eyes
grew large as the change in her voice finally  dawned.  She clutched
at the Commander, closing her eyes.

"I had completely forgotten why I was ill..."  Tom opened her eyes and
slowly looked down.  "Oh, my god..." Chakotay caught Tom as she
collapsed.

"So much for calm acceptance."  Chakotay lifted Tom and turned back to
the bed.  Once again, he was hit with the scent of peaches.  Sitting
back against the head of the  bed with a lap full of Tom Paris,
Chakotay was tempted to  laugh.  Then he was tempted to kiss her.

*Shit, where did that come from?!*  The Commander  not-so-gently
rolled Tom onto the bed and back away. Paris groaned.

Chakotay was pulled from his chaotic thoughts as a  shadow filled the
doorway.  Seshway and two guards  entered.  Stopping at the foot of
the bed, the men leered  down at Tom as she slowly pulled herself to a
sitting  position.

"Oh, yes.  They have outdone themselves this time."

Seshway moved slowly towards Tom and inhaled deeply.   Opening his
eyes, he looked towards the Commander.    "I don't normally indulge,
but I may be forced to make  an exception.  She is quite
breathtaking."  The man sat  on the edge of the bed and ran one dark
blue finger up  Tom's thigh.  The contrast in their skin colors was
striking.

"You smell like summer fruit, pretty one,"  he murmured  huskily.

Turning to Chakotay,  "You have noticed your mate's new scent?"

The big man nodded.

"That is a pleasant side effect of the procedure.  However, you may
find yourself having to make sure that the other males understand that
you do not plan to share.....unless  you do?"

"I do not."  Chakotay moved forward to stand next to the bed.  Seshway
smiled coolly and stood.

"I told you that you would become closer through necessity." He
laughed.  "The scent just insures it."

The two watched as Seshway and his guards left the room.

"Chakotay, what does he mean, 'my scent'?  I can't smell  a thing."

*Spirits!*  The big man was reduced to silence as he watched Tom lift
her head and inhale in curiosity.  This Tom was similar to the male
Tom in that she was long and lean, but gods, she had curves in all the
right places.

The Commander's eyes slowly moved down the slim body, taking in the
pert breasts and the narrow waist which flared into lean yet curvy
hips.  He continued his silent wandering down the luscious alabaster
thighs and calves to take in the slim ankles and long narrow feet.
The fact that they had dressed her in a cropped lace-up version of his
vest and a pair of very brief shorts didn't help in the least.
Chakotay had the feeling that he was going to have to fight the other
males off with a club.

He never even noticed that his mind had just made the  adjustment to
Tom as a woman.

"Uh, Chakotay?  I'm up here."  The older man started and blushed as he
met Tom's eyes.

"Don't be embarrassed, I'd probably do the same if it were you."  Tom
smiled.  "After all, it has been a while since either of us has seen a
human female."

"I don't think that I'd look quite as good as a woman.  And  I do have
to apologize.  I get pissed off at them and then do  exactly the same
thing."

"I'll get mad later.  Right now, I'm in shock."  Tom closed  her eyes
and drew a breath, blushing.  "Umm, Chakotay,  I still have to go to
the bathroom."

The Commander laughed.  "Let's see what we can do to fix  the
problem."

---

"Chakotay, you never did answer my question.  What scent  was Seshway
talking about?"

The Commander looked across the table at Tom.  Dinner  had been fairly
quiet; each party had a lot of adjusting to do.

"You smell like peaches."

Tom's eyes widened.

"Peaches?  I still don't smell anything," she said with a sniff.

"Believe me, it's there."  Chakotay colored when he realized how much
he had given away.

"I'm bothering you?"  Tom took their plates and moved to the counter
under the window.  Taking the kettle from the cook stove, he heated
the wash water and left them to soak.

"I....like peaches."  Their eyes met and Tom looked away.

"But it *really* bothers you that it's Tom Paris that smells so good."

 Chakotay moved to stand in front of her.

"I don't know...a little, I guess."

Tom's gaze hardened.

"All right...a lot."

Tom slid out and around the Commander and walked out of the cabin.
Chakotay sighed and followed.

Tom was standing beneath the shade tree next to the end of  their
cabin.  Everyone else had long retired.  Everyone else  still had to
work in the morning.

"Chakotay, I know that you'll never forgive me for agreeing to help
the Captain.  Hell, I don't think *I'll* ever forgive myself for it."
Tom turned and sought out the older man's  eyes.  "All I will say is
that I had to get out of there."

Chakotay wanted badly to ask what had been so bad that Tom would be
willing to betray people that he had worked and fought along side, but
refrained.  There was something  in the other's stance that said,
*Don't ask me, I can't speak  of it aloud.*  Instead he just nodded.

"I have come to the conclusion that it's impossible to say what I
would or wouldn't have done in your position."

Tom gave a small choked laugh.  "Well, I know.  You  would have been
your same noble self.  What's that old  saying?  Death before
dishonor?  You should have that  tattooed on your chest."

Chakotay started to retort and then noticed that Tom was not joking.
"I'm far from noble, Tom.  I've done some  things supposedly in the
name of freedom that came  dangerously close to plain old revenge."

Tom looked up blankly.  "What's wrong with revenge? They killed your
father and stole your home world, for gods' sakes!  When my dad came
home after being  captured by the Cardassians, I wanted to kill them
all  and I was just a kid.  All I knew was that what little
understanding and love that my father used to dole out  was completely
gone and it would never be coming back."

Tom pulled her foot back as if to kick the tree and then  thought
better of it.  "I know that my father lived, breathed, and ate
Starfleet, but I never understood why he was so vehement against my
joining the Maquis.  They are doing the very things he used to rave
about doing."

"He did?"

"Hell, yes!  Every once in a while, my old man would  come home and
lock himself in his study.  He'd start  drinking and after a while
you'd hear talking...only you  knew that he was the only one in
there."  Tom grimaced  and then sat down at the foot of the tree.
Chakotay sat  beside her.

"After a while, he'd start yelling about how the 'Fleet  was making it
impossible for him to do his job.  The  only people that were really
accomplishing anything  were the Maquis.  Then he'd grow quiet.  If we
were  lucky, he'd go to sleep and not remember any of it in  the
morning.  If not...."

Chakotay waited quietly.

"If not, he'd start on us.  Why were my sisters refusing  to join
Starfleet?  Why weren't my grades any higher?   How the hell did I
expect to become a captain and carry  on the Paris tradition if I was
too stupid and lazy to try?   On and on.  Occasionally, it ended with
us getting knocked  around some, but he seemed hesitant to touch my
sisters.   Maybe they reminded him of Mom..."

Tom leaned back and closed her eyes.  Chakotay thought  about parental
expectations and how they could drive a child into something that they
wouldn't normally have  done.

Finally, "I guess I know what you mean.  My father  wanted me to adopt
the old ways and I was so sure that  the time for the past was in the
past.  I was going to  Starfleet and I was going straight to the top."
Chakotay  shook his head.

"Maybe you should have been a Paris.  Sounds like you  had enough
drive to please even my father."

Chakotay stood and reached down to pull Tom to her feet. "Nothing
personal, Poocuh, but I'll pass."

Tom grinned.  "I don't blame you.  Most of the time,  I would have
passed too."

---

Tom was deemed fit to return to the fields the next  afternoon.  Her
return was met with a mixed reception.

The women treated her with suspicion, even though a  few of them had
gone through the Becoming themselves.   But then, none of them had
come out looking quite like  Tom Paris.

The men seemed quite pleased with the changes that had  been made and
a number of them had approached the  Commander with the offer to trade
mates for a day or so.

Chakotay politely turned them down.  His answer that he  wanted some
time to 'get to know' his new mate brought grins and slaps on the
back.  The older man had seen  Tom's look at this response, and he
figured that he'd hear about it that evening.

He did, but not in the way that he expected.

Tom had been very quiet.  Chakotay had at first decided that she was
still tired from the change.  But after a while, he noticed a slight
agitation in her movements as if she were fighting to keep calm.

"Tom, do we need to talk?"  A shake of the down-turned  head.
Chakotay's gaze was caught by the bouncing silky  curls.  He sighed
and put down the plate that he was  washing.  "I think that we do.  I
get the feeling that I've  done something and I'm not sure-"  He
suddenly remembered  the talk from earlier in the day.

Crossing to where Tom still sat at the table, he pulled a  chair up
next to her and sat down.  "I had to say that,  Tom.  Some of those
men were getting pretty insistent.   Apparently, wife trading isn't
that uncommon around  the compound."

A pair of blue eyes sparkled in the lantern light.  "I know that.  I
thought about it while I was working, and I know that you have to keep
up appearances.  What worries me are the comments from the others,
including Seshway.   If we're here much longer, they going to expect
me to  start putting out."

Tom reached out and placed a gentle hand on the big  man's arm.  "Try
not to freak out on me here, but I have  to say this.  There is no
type of birth control here and the  thought of carrying a child scares
me half to death.  But  the idea that it could belong to any of them,
especially  Seshway scares me even more."

Chakotay choked.  "What are you trying to say?"

Tom closed her eyes and shuddered.  Taking a deep  breath, she
re-opened them and looked into the dark  brown ones before her.

"I want you to get me pregnant."

---

"Captain."

Kathryn slowly turned and looked up at her senior Ops  officer.

"Yes, Harry."

The young man's smile faltered slightly as he took in the extreme
weariness in the woman's stance.  "Captain, we've finished the Conari
system and are ready to head into the next section of our search."

"Thank you, Ensign.  Helm, take us out of the system and take up
position for the next set of scans.  Mr. Tuvok, advise the shuttle
crews that we will be ready to start the search again at 1700."

"Aye, Captain."  There was a pause. "Captain, may I speak to you for a
moment?"  The face before her gave nothing away.

"Very well."  She looked to her right.  "Lt. Torres, you have the
bridge.  Mr. Tuvok?"  The two silently made for the Captain's ready
room.

Kathryn went straight to the replicator and ordered a coffee and a
Surellian tea.  Handing the latter to her friend, she relaxed onto the
couch.

"Let me guess.  You have observed that I seem to be overworked and
approaching exhaustion."

A perfect eyebrow raised in response to the statement.

"Indeed.  My newest observation is that you have  heard this before."

Kathryn laughed out loud.  Very few were privileged  enough to
experience Tuvok's rather arid humor.

"Thank you, my friend.  I needed to laugh.  But you're  right.  The
doctor, Kes and Neelix, hell, even B'Elanna Torres has come out and
commented on my fading good looks."

"Somehow I doubt that was exactly what was said."

"No, most of them simply offered to take care of things and would I
*please* go get some rest.  The Doctor simply ordered me to quarters."

"You do not appear to have taken their suggestions."

Janeway looked at her friend.  "I know that this won't leave the
room."

Tuvok inclined his head.

"The latest failures to find Chakotay and Tom have  me somewhat
worried that we may never find them."   Kathryn stood and began to
pace.

"What if they weren't taken to another planet?  What if they're being
used as labor on another starship?"  She  took a deep breath.  "What
if they aren't even alive?"

Tuvok moved to stand in her path.  Gently taking her arm, he led her
back to the couch.  "Captain, I understand your worry.  And I do not
wish to voice this, but it is  highly probable that we will never find
our crew mates.   There were simply too many possibilities to make an
efficient search."

At the pain in her eyes, "You have made all the correct  choices.
Whether we ever find them or we are finally forced to go on with our
journey without the Commander  and Mr. Paris, you can know that every
member of this  crew is aware of just what you have done to find
them."

"Now, at the risk of sounding redundant, you must rest."

He gently guided her back to rest against the end of the  couch.
Kathryn was so tired, she didn't even question her friend's very
unusual actions.

"You have given all the necessary orders and we will  carry on for
you."

Fingers touched her temple and a command went deep  into her
subconscious.

"Sleep."  And she did.

---

Chakotay jumped back as if he had been burned.  A first attempt at a
response failed completely, and he was left gasping like a beached
fish.

"Chakotay, you don't have to answer now, but please  think about it
from my point of view."

Tom stood and took the lantern over to the bedside.    Glancing up,
she saw that the Commander seemed to  think fresh air was in order and
was quickly making  his escape.  Sighing, she put out the lamp and
crawled  to the far side of the bed.


*What the hell is she thinking of?*

The big man had been pacing for the past half hour  and felt no
calmer.  Deep inside his mind, he understood  Tom's request, but......

---

Tom was inside the cabin preparing her next set of arguments.  They
had been gone for almost two months and there had been no sign of
Voyager.  It wasn't as  if she were asking him to marry her and go off
to live in some vine-covered cottage.  Although, she thought with a
laugh, that was a little too close to what was  going on.

What was it then?  If they were already as good as  married, and some
time, some *one* was going to get her pregnant, why shouldn't it be
Chakotay?

Tom sat up with a gasp.  *What the hell was I thinking  of?!?  I'm a
guy!  Granted, I'm a guy in a girl's body  right now, but I'm a
freaking guy!*

Tom thought back over the last week.  It had been frighteningly easy
to adjust to being female.  It had to  have been something in the
treatments.  It was a cinch  that *he'd* never be asking Big Man for a
kid otherwise.   Fighting back a hysterical giggle, Tom lay back and
pulled the blanket up.

*I just need *lots* of sleep, that's all.*

---

Chakotay slipped back into the darkened cabin and stood looking down
at the figure in his bed.

There was just enough moonlight to outline the slim body lying on its
back on the far side of the  bed.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he began to  pick out the regal
features, a couple of curls on the  pale forehead and a slim hand
curled next to the  cheek.

Chakotay was hit with a wave of desire so deep that it frightened him.

*This is Tom Paris!*  said a voice.

*You've been using that as an excuse ever since you  first met,* said
a second.

Chakotay thought back to what he had told Tom  before and really began
to question the circumstances that had led to both of them being on
Voyager.

He might never know what forced Paris to accept the Captain's offer.
All he really knew was that he  no longer hated Tom Paris.....to be
honest he hadn't for a long while.  But it had been much easier to
keep  from examining other feelings by ignoring that fact.

The other and far more painful fact being that he had  wanted Tom
Paris from the first moment they had met.

---

For the second time in a recent memory, Chakotay  found himself in his
bed with a lap full of Tom Paris...  and two arms full, and everything
in between.

Waking slowly from a dream of his mother baking  deep dish peach
cobbler, the Commander had found  Tom's head snuggled into his neck.
The long slender  body was lying against his and Chakotay was
embarrassed  to find that he had both arms and a leg tightly wrapped
around the warm form in front of him.

"Mmmmmmm.  Don't wake me."  Tom suddenly stiffened as she obviously
remembered just who she was talking to.

Chakotay had to chuckle.  "Is there a problem, Lieutenant?"

Tom began to carefully disengage from the older man.    "Well,
considering the conversation we had earlier this  week in which we
decided that there would be no baby,  this is probably a mistake."

Chakotay nuzzled Tom under the left ear.  "There are  things that we
can do that won't result in a baby, Poocuh."

Tom pulled back and looked into Chakotay's eyes.  "Where  *is* this
coming from?  You just have a yearning for peaches all of a sudden?"

Chakotay smiled.  "To tell you the truth, this would have  happened
sooner, but this is our first day off.  Getting up a couple of hours
before dawn and working twelve hours a day under the hot sun just
isn't conducive to romance."

Ton looked skeptical but didn't argue.  Instead, she  ran one warm
hand into the back of the big man's shorts. Chakotay grinned and
reciprocated.  After a certain amount  of giggling, kisses and
disrobing, the pair lay skin to skin.

The Commander pressed Tom onto her back.  "This is your maiden
voyage...so to speak.  Just let me do the work."

Tom purred as he placed a series of kisses across her collar bone and
then gently licked her left nipple.

"Oh, gods!  Women definitely have the better half of the deal on
those."

 Chakotay worked at first one nipple and then the other,  trading back
and forth until Tom was a shivering mess.

*Step two.*  The big man then kissed his way down the  pale belly,
paying special attention to the navel.

"Chaaa....."

Chakotay decided that he liked his new nickname.

"Say it again, baby."

Tom smiled and Chakotay nipped and then sucked on the  inside of her
right thigh.

"CHAAAA!!"

*And we have a winner.*  Chakotay repeated the action on the left
thigh and then placed a gentle kiss just above the nest of reddish
curls.

The Commander had gone into peach overload.  It was all he could do to
keep from burying himself deep inside  the lush wetness just below
him.  Parting the curls, he took an experimental lick and was
rewarded.

"You even taste like peaches!"

Tom began to laugh and after a moment Chakotay  joined her.  Making
his way back up her body, the Commander pulled Tom into a searing
kiss, running his hand down her stomach.  A finger found its way  into
her body.  Another soon followed.

Tom's back arched and she wrapped her legs around her lover.  Chakotay
forced a pillow under her hips  and quickly entered her body.  Tom
stiffened with a  hiss, and the big man tried to withdraw.

"No!"

Clutching at her lover, Tom just shook her head at his  look of worry.
Any discomfort was soon forgotten as  the perfect rhythm was soon
found.  The two lovers  soon lured each other to orgasm with heated
caresses  and kisses.

---

"I think we got carried away."

Tom stretched and then pulled Chakotay's head to her  breast.  "That's
a possibility.  But my opinion has come  full circle.  As unpleasant
as the thought may seem, if we  stay on this damned planet much
longer, I will probably  end up pregnant, and I can't think of anyone
else that I would want to be the father."

"Considering the competition, I not sure that's a  compliment."

Tom bit Chakotay on the neck.  "That's *not* the  reason I made love
to you, smart ass."

"Insolence is a punishable offense, Lieutenant."

"Oooh, hurt me, Big Man."  This was met with a  choked groan.  "Hey, I
struck a nerve there, but it  feels like a good one!"

Tom reached down between them and quickly  brought her lover to full
arousal.  The result was  even more explosive and pleasurable than the
first  time.

Chakotay lay back with a moan.  Next to him was a  luscious heap of
fragrantly exhausted female.

"Spirits, baby!  We keep that up and they won't have  to work us to
death.  We'll kill ourselves first!"    ---

Tom and Chakotay had quickly adapted to their new relationship and
enjoyed exploring each other thoroughly  every morning and evening.

Their next day off was spent gathering food for the  coming week,
cleaning what they laughingly called  home and washing their 'good'
clothing.

The guards had finally provided them with more clothing,  some more
cooking utensils and a broom.  Tom grumbled  about being assigned the
duties of house 'wife' while  Chakotay gathered the food and wood.

"You seem awfully happy to enforce everyone's idea  that I'm the
'little' woman, Commander."

Chakotay grinned.

"First of all, at six foot you're hardly the 'little'  anything."  The
older man ducked as a soggy cloth  sailed past.

"Now, now, dearest, don't get upset."  He seemed to  have forgotten
that Tom had taken the same self defense  courses he did, and suddenly
found himself lying across  the bed with his not-so-petite mate
astride him.

"Take it back, *sweetheart*."  Chakotay grinned and  shook his head.
"OK, *lovebug*, we're going to play 'Find his hot spots'.  My own
special brand of torture."

Tom pulled off her smock and smiled as evidence of  the Commander's
interest in the game arose to meet her.

"Very nice."

Tom grabbed her smock and pulled it quickly over her  head as Seshway
entered the cabin.  Chakotay slid out  from under her and stood.

"Is there something that you need?"

Seshway smiled and sat down at the table.  "Actually,  I was here to
make sure that your mate had adjusted to  her new life.  It's obvious
that she has."

Chakotay moved to stand between Tom and the other  man.  "My mate is
doing just fine.  There is currently  nothing that we need."  *Except
to get the hell out of  here.*

"That is good to hear.  Come here, pretty one."

Tom hesitated and then moved towards the table.   Seshway looked her
over and then placed one hand  on her stomach.

"Are you carrying yet?"

Tom looked nonplused.  "I have no idea.  I wouldn't even know how to
tell."

Seshway looked amused.  "Report to the infirmary in the morning.  Once
you are bearing, it will be all right to allow the others to lay with
you."  Tom  went chalk white and swayed slightly.

"I told you that I didn't plan to share her."  It was  obvious that
Seshway resented Chakotay's tone of  voice.

"What you want and what I allow may be two  different things."  Their
owner nodded and left the  cabin.

The Commander embraced Tom and then helped her  to the bed.  Although
it was still light, he closed the  door and the shutters.  Moving back
to the bed, he  spooned up behind Tom and held her tightly.

"Chakotay, I can't do that, I just can't," she sobbed.

The big man turned her gently and pulled her head  against his
shoulder.

Chakotay sighed.  He wasn't sure that there was any  way to prevent
it.

---

Chakotay looked down at the form in his arms.  He had  gotten little
if any sleep; his mind too busy running  through plans for their
escape.

After observing the guards for the last couple of months, he was sure
that they had no type of tracking equipment. If he could get himself
and Tom out of the compound and and away, they would stand a chance of
escaping.

But where to?  They had no idea of what lay in any  direction or how
difficult it would be to survive without means for providing food,
shelter or clothing.

Tom stirred and looked up at the man who held her. It still worried
her at times at how easy it was to simply accept the changes to her
body, but all in all the experience had its perks.  One of them was
the big warm hand  insinuating itself between their chests.

"Morning, love."

The term of endearment seemed to startle both parties.

"Cha?"  Even in moonlight, the question in Tom's eyes was clear.

"I guess that sort of sneaked up on both of us, but yes, I do love
you."  Chakotay tenderly kissed the tear that  slowly slid down Tom's
cheek.

"I guess we're in trouble then, because I feel the same way."   Tom
abruptly sat up and wrapped her arms  around her knees.  "Hell, Big
Man, when did that  happen?"

The Commander smiled and pulled at her waist until she stretched out
beside him again.  "I'm not going to  worry about the when's and
how's."  Rolling over to cover her with his body, he gently cupped one
breast. "I'm just going to enjoy it."

---

Janeway blew through the door from her ready room  and strode to the
command chair.  "When did you first  start picking up the warp
signature?"

"About ten minutes ago.  It definitely matches the cargo  ship that
the trader met at Conari Prime.  I think we hit  pay dirt, Captain."
Harry's eyes were shining.

"I hope so, Ensign.  Mr. Batehart, find that ship.  We're going to get
some answers."

---

Tom sat at the candlelit table and tried to hide her fear.

When the guards had escorted Tom from the fields,  Chakotay had tried
to intervene.  Fortunately, he was too valuable a commodity to
severely injure and was merely taken to the holding cell in the main
guard shack.

Tom was escorted to Seshway's home about a kilometer away.  Subjected
to a thorough bathing by a pair of weary  looking Kazon women, she was
then forced into a sleeveless blue gown and matching slippers.  Skin
tight, it left nothing  to the imagination.  Tom was then taken into a
library and  left to wait.

Seshway had soon joined her and they had spent an  unnerving half-hour
making 'small-talk'.  Another servant announced that the meal was
ready to be  served and the two made their way to a dining room big
enough to house half of the crew of Voyager.

The dinner was excellent but Tom was hesitant to sample the drink,
fearing some kind of drug.

As if reading her mind, "That's nothing but fermented fruit juice,
pretty one.  I want nothing to interfere with  our coming together
tonight."

Tom fought her rising panic.  "You said that I would be with no one
until I was carrying Chakotay's child."

"That will not be a  problem; you need not worry.   And I assure you
that you will enjoy yourself tonight."   Seshway gestured for the maid
to refill his glass.

"Tell me, is your mate an adequate lover?"

Tom choked.  Glaring, she replied.  "He's more than adequate, he's
wonderful.  I have no wish to be with anyone else!"

Seshway smiled.  "Your wishes are of no consequence. Just my desires."
Another smile.

"I knew that you'd look wonderful in that gown."

---

The 'male' Tom was more than capable of defending himself.  The
'female' Tom, didn't have the bulk and brute strength to count on.
Seshway soon had her pinned to the bed.

"Get off of me, you son of a bitch!"  Tom shrieked.

Seshway just laughed and then slapped her hard.

---

"Captain, I've got a match on a human male." B'Elanna looked up.  "It
looks like the Commander."

"No readings from Tom?"

Torres shook her head.  "Do we go for it?"

Janeway gave a brisk nod.  "Get him and then we'll go from there.
Beam him directly here to the  bridge."

---

Seshway ripped Tom's gown from neck to waist and began to roughly paw
her breasts.

"If this is your idea of something I'd enjoy, you're crazy!"

The man stopped.  "I did promise that you'd  enjoy yourself, now
didn't I?  Oh, well, at least  I will."

---    Chakotay opened his eyes to find Kathryn standing  over him.
He looked around wildly.  "Where's  Tom!"

B'Elanna looked frustrated.  "I'm not picking up  any other humans in
the compound."

"She's not in the compound.  Seshway has her  at his house."

Janeway placed a hand on the big man's arm.

"Her?"

Chakotay ran a hand over his face.  "It's a long  story, Captain.  But
we've got to look for a human  female somewhere within a couple of
kilometers  of the main compound."

---

Tom knew it was a lost cause but still refused to give up.  Seshway
was bleeding from several scratches, but unfortunately seemed to have
enjoyed their little  wrestling match.

"That was quite stimulating, pretty one, but I feel the need to
complete our dance."

Tom was roughly thrown back across the bed with her  owner holding her
hands above her head.  She could  feel him hard against her belly and
knew that no one  could help her.

---

"Damn it!  How hard is it to scan a few square  kilometers!"

Kathryn placed a hand on her second-in-command's arm, calming him.
"We'll find Tom.  We just have to be careful."

"Captain, there's no time for careful.  That bastard  has taken her up
there to rape her."

Janeway turned to Torres.

"B'Elanna?"

The young woman bit her lip as her hands flew over  the console.
"What about you, Starfleet?  You got anything?"

"No.  Wait!  Wait a minute!"  A frown.  "What the hell is this house
made out of?"  Harry smiled.  "Whatever  this house is made out of was
blocking the scanners."

"Captain, I have located a Terran female.  Basic scans match Lt.
Paris."  Tuvok looked up.  "She is not alone.   We will have to beam
them both up."

Chakotay reached down between the command seats and came up with two
phasers.  Handing one to the Captain, he said, "We don't have much
choice short of going down there."

Kathryn nodded.  "Less possibility of outside interference  this way.
Mr. Kim, transport them to the bridge."

An armed Tuvok joined his superior officers in front of the  command
chairs.

---

Tom was too exhausted to fight any longer.  Seshway had forced himself
between her thighs and was  attempting to penetrate her.  He was too
involved in his efforts to notice as the transporter beam whisked them
away.

"Get away from her!"

Tom heard phaser fire and tried to open her eyes as  she felt gentle
arms lift her.  They began to carry her  towards the lift.  Giving in,
she let the darkness fall.

---

"God....what hit me?"  Tom's eyes finally opened  and there was the
Doctor, the Captain, and Chakotay.

"How long have I been out?"

Kes approached from the other side and lifted her  head for a brief
sip of water.

"About twenty-four hours."  The Doctor looked at the Captain.  "You're
feeling residual shock from your  attack and the phaser blast used to
stun your attacker.

"Tom?  How do you feel?"  Kathryn blushed.  "I'm mean, aside from the
fact that you're a woman."

Tom smiled.  "I'm used to that part.  All in all, I  feel OK...sort of
like I've been on a two day drunk." She took another drink and then
froze.  "What happened with Seshway?"

Chakotay looked grim.  "We beamed him back down  to the planet.  Due
to the Prime Directive, we couldn't  even release the slaves."

Tom could tell that it was more than a sore point with  the big man.
She also noticed that the Captain and the  Commander weren't looking
at one another.

"Doc, will you be able to change me back?"

The holoDoctor smiled.  "I've been checking your  scans and while it
will take a bit of work, we can  give you back your Y chromosome.
There is one  thing, however."  He paused.

Tom fought to keep from hitting him.  "What?!"

Chakotay took her hand.  "You're pregnant."  Tom  had never seen his
eyes look so dark.  "You're  carrying our son."

---

Aghast.  That was the only word for the look on  everyone's faces as
Tom began to laugh.  Concern  quickly replaced it and the Doctor began
to prepare  a hypospray.

"Don't!  I'm all right.  It's just...."  Tom looked at  Chakotay and
gave a rueful grin.  "Now that I don't  have to worry about the other
men, I'm pregnant?"

The Doctor looked mildly amused.  "Actually, you  are approximately
three weeks pregnant."

Tom silently counted backwards and came up with the probable episode
that caused her pregnancy.    "Our first time?  Chakotay, I'm
impressed."

The Commander turned brick red and Janeway  coughed to cover a laugh.
She waited until the big  man managed to look everyone in the eye
again and  then spoke.

"I don't know how you two will want to handle this. Tom, are you
comfortable with the crew seeing you  this way or do you want us to
get the official word  out first?"  Kathryn didn't explain that the
rumor  mill had pretty much completed the task.

*Gods!*  "Captain, I think I need a little time.  Could  you get them
to beam me directly to my quarters first?"

Kathryn met her first officer's gaze and nodded.  "Take all the time
you need.  I'll send out a shipwide notice  that the two of you are
back and are resting for a day or so before you have visitors."  She
grinned.  "Doctor's orders.  Isn't that right, Doctor?"

A smirk.  "Yes, I feel them coming on now, Captain." The holoDoc
turned to his patients.  "I want the two  of you to rest for the next
twenty-four hours.  No visitors. Did I leave anything out, Captain?"

"No, that will do just fine." Kathryn turned to the  couple before
her.  "I imagine that the two of you have quite a bit of talking to
do."

---

Tom lay in her lover's arms and listened to the strong heart beat
under her cheek.  It was a comforting  sound; one that spoke of
security, peace and love.   Chakotay stirred and then settled again,
drawing his  arms just a little tighter around his precious burden.

"Still awake, baby?"

"Yes, and it's beginning to drive me crazy.  I keep  thinking about
the three options that the Doc gave  me.  Abortion, which in my mind
isn't an option at all..."    Chakotay relaxed a bit upon hearing
that.

Tom continued.  "I could also find another woman to  carry our child
so that I can have the procedure to change  back, *or* stay a woman
for another year or so in order  to carry the baby myself.  Gods!"

Chakotay raised a hand and began to stroke the soft  red-gold hair
lying on his chest.  "You're already almost  a month along; why would
you have to stay a woman for  another year?"

Tom blushed.  "If I'm going to do it, I'm going to do  it right.  That
includes breast feeding for a few months  after the birth."

The big man was floored.  "You're a better man than  I am.  I mean, I
would consider having the baby, but  breast feeding?  Ouch!"

Tom giggled.  "Right now, I'm not a man at all.   Maybe that's why I
can even consider it."  She raised  her head from Chakotay's chest and
looked into his  eyes.  "Cha, that's another thing I need to talk to
you  about.  Where are we going with all of this?  Do you  want to
stay together even if I do go back to being a  guy?"

The Commander pulled into a sitting position, leaning back against the
head of the bed.  Running his hands  through his hair, he grinned.  "I
realize that we weren't exactly close before this all happened--"

 Tom rolled her eyes.

"--but I have finally faced the fact that I've always been  attracted
to you."  He lifted Tom so that she was sitting  sideways with her
rump comfortably wedged between  his legs.  Pulling her head to his
chest, he continued.

"No matter what has gone on before, I saw a side to  Tom Paris during
the last few months that I had never considered before."  A kiss.
"Tom Paris is brave, compassionate, a generous lover..."  Another kiss
more heated than the first.  "...and someone that I can't comprehend
not spending the rest of my life with."

Chakotay ran a gentle hand down the soft, soft  cheek under his chin.
"I know that there will be  some adjustment once you go back to being
a  man, but that was the Tom that I was attracted  to first."

"So you're saying that you have no problem with someone else carrying
the baby?  That we're a trio  whichever way this kid is born?"

The big man grinned.  "You're not going to let me take the easy way
out on this, are you?"

Tom just shook her head.

Chakotay let out a big sigh.  "OK.  Truthfully, I  wish that you would
wait until after the baby is  born to have the procedure.  I feel that
the birth  will mean more to both of us if just the two of  us are
involved."

Tom nodded.  "One truth deserves another.  I feel the same way, but
I'm scared to death.  We still haven't faced the crew.  The last time
that they  saw us, we were barely speaking and now....gods.... now I'm
a female and carrying your child!  The  thought of facing all the shit
that's going to come our way...."

Chakotay held her tightly and waited for the tremors to stop.  "Love,
I know it probably isn't much but  it's all that I can offer when I
say that I'll be beside  you all the way.  I also realize that I'm
asking a hell of a lot.  If it's going to be too much, then we'll
figure out something else."

---

Sleep was a long time coming for the pair, but Tom was  amazingly
refreshed when she woke the next morning.

"Cha, I want to eat in the mess hall this morning."

The Commander looked doubtful.  They both had heard the announcement
that they were safe and to wait a day before visiting.  By now, the
rumor mill would be in warp mode.  Kathryn had commed them the night
before saying that she had advised the section heads of Tom's gender
change.

"Do you think that's wise? Maybe we should wait a bit  and give
everyone a chance to get used to the news."

"Nope.  I want to go before I chicken out."  She gave a  wicked grin.
"Besides I read on the ship net that  breakfast might actually be
palatable."

"Tom, after the crap that we've eaten for the last few months, leola
root stew would be palatable."

"Big Man, leola root *anything* will never be palatable. Now, c'mon.
If we don't hurry, Harry and B'Ela will be done and gone.  I want to
see their faces."

---

Breakfast had been relatively low key.  The highlights had been Harry
and B'Elanna's synchronized dropping of their breakfast trays and
Jenny Delaney's very vocal relief that she and Megan were still the
best endowed  women on Voyager.

Tom was in a daze.  There had been no catcalls, no  smirks; just
seemingly honest relief at having the two back safely.  As she sat in
sickbay going through yet another series of tests, Tom thought about
her dilemma.

"Doc, how long do I have to make my decision about carrying the baby?"

"Of course, if you are going to find someone to carry the child for
you, it's obvious that the sooner the transfer is completed, the
better.  But such fetal transfers have been completed safely as late
as five months into the pregnancy. There are risks to waiting that
long however."

Tom smiled at the doctor.  "I have no intention of waiting that long
to make my decision, but it's nice to know that I have some time to
really think it over."  Stretching, Tom hopped down from the biobed.

"If that's it, I want to go find the other person involved  in this
decision."

---   Tom stood in the turbolift with Chell and Henley. The  pair's
conversation ground to a halt as Chell raised his  head and sniffed
the air.

"Paris, is that you?"

Tom blushed furiously as Henley looked confused.

"What are you talking about?  I don't smell a thing."   Donna looked
at her blue friend as if he'd lost his  mind.

Gathering her nerve, Tom replied.  "Um, actually it *is*  me.  The
procedure that they did also caused a change  in my pheromones."

"Well, it smells great!  I think that Neelix should hire  you to just
sit in the mess hall.  If that scent were  around, I don't think
anyone would even notice  what they were eating."

"I think it only works on men."

Donna sniffed again and nodded.  "I still don't smell  anything."
Grinning, "Does Chakotay like it?"

"Yeah, he told me that he really likes peaches."

"Is that what you smell like?"

Tom just nodded.  She decided not to add that her  lover said that she
tasted like them too.

As the lift doors opened, Chell took another deep breath.  "I bet the
Commander will miss that when you change back.  Mmmmm, miss a lot of
things."

Donna frowned at the man and pulled him from the lift.  "Ignore this
pig, Paris.  If you want to talk, let me know."

Tom nodded her thanks and walked slowly towards  her quarters.  Inside
she quizzed the computer as to Chakotay's whereabouts.  Finding that
he was on  the bridge, she decided on a quick nap.

---

"Tommy?  Baby, wake up.  We really need to talk."

Tom smiled and then opened her eyes.  "I missed you."  Holding up her
arms, Tom was drawn into a warm embrace.

"Tommy, I have some news and I'm not sure how you're going to take
it."

There was a frown line between those beautiful chocolate eyes that she
loved so much, and it frightened her.  "Cha, wha-at's wrong?"

Chakotay pulled Tom to a sitting position and  leaned back to kneel
next to the bed.

"Everyone knows that you're pregnant.  Tuvok has found where someone
hacked into the sickbay med files.....into yours in particular."  He
stopped the explanation when he noticed that his lover was beginning
to hyperventilate.

"Baby, slow down!  C'mon, slow, deep breaths...slow down."

Tom fought her first inclination for tears; refusing to show any sign
of what had been deeply ingrained as a weakness.  Taking a deep
shuddering breath, Tom  turned so that she was sitting on the edge of
the bed  with the big man kneeling between her thighs.  Pulling  his
head to her chest, she continued to try and calm  her thoughts.

Rubbing a slow hand across her lover's upper back, she spoke.

"We'll deal with this.  It was going to have to come out  sooner or
later anyway.  I wanted to make the decision  whether to have the baby
myself first, but what the hell.   If they can deal with me being a
chick, they can deal  with a little Chakotay Jr. in the making."

Chakotay just shook his head and grinned.  Every  day brought forth a
new facet of Tom's strength and endurance for him to admire.  Rising,
he lifted Tom until she was lying completely on the bed.  Covering
her with his body, he sighed in pleasure.

"I was really worried about how you'd take this, Poocuh. Again you've
proved to be a stronger man than I am."

Tom grinned.  "I keep telling you that's because I'm not a guy right
now.  Normally, I'm just a bowl of mush."

Chakotay kissed one side of a long, elegant neck. "You're full of it,
Lieutenant.  Even when we didn't  get along, I admired your courage
'under fire'." He trailed a line of licks and kisses along her jaw.

"Gods, Big Man, I'm really enjoying the blaze you've got going right
now."  Tom smiled as she felt the evidence of his 'fire' pressing into
her belly.

Chakotay pulled to one side a bit in order to open her shift.  Drawing
the light cloth aside, he nuzzled the firm breasts, nipping and
suckling their nipples into hard points.  Tom writhed, eventually
working her long legs around her lover's hips and then running  her
feet down to tickle the backs of his knees.

"Feels good, baby."  Chakotay moved back up to cover her soft lips
with his own and then teased  them open with the tip of his tongue.

Tom had finished working open the top of his  uniform and began to
pull it off of his shoulders. Without releasing her lips, he slipped
first one  arm and then the other free.  Running his hands up her
sides, Chakotay moved to circle her  soft reddish-pink nipples with
his thumbs.

Tom arched her back and groaned.  She renewed her efforts at pulling
her lover's uniform off his hips.  Chakotay anticipated the movement
and kicked his boots off.  Finally with a growl, he  released her
swollen lips and frantically finished undressing.  Tom's shift went
sailing to the far corner of the bedroom.

Moving back to cover her body, Chakotay thrust his tongue deep into
the sweet mouth that waited  for him.  Tom whimpered and opened wider
for  the invader.

Tom's hands were far from idle.  Caressing her  way down his broad
back, she moved to clasp his  firm ass and pull the waiting hips
closer to her  own.  Wetting her fingers with her own juices,  she
slipped a slim finger down into his cleft and  massaged lazy circles
around his entry.

"Gods, baby, that's good."

Tom laughed softly.  "Just a preview of what's to come once I get my
old body back."  The finger dipped quickly inside and massaged the
heated passage.

"Spirits....we may have to find a way to add that  to our repertoire
now.  That feels great!"

"You mean this?"  Tom added a finger and listened as her lover moaned.
"Or this?"  Chakotay howled as the expert fingers found that special
spot.

"Oh, fuck!  Do that again."  Chakotay was panting and pushing back
against Tom's waiting fingers. She was happy to comply.

Chakotay's erection was made of durasteel.  Unable  to wait any
longer, he lifted the slim hips under him and slid home.  Tom smiled
wickedly and pulled his  head down for a heated kiss.

Chakotay began a slow thrusting into the welcoming heat.  Placing his
face in the hollow of her throat, the big man ran his hands under her
shoulders and  up to the delicate neck and head.

Cupping her head in his hands, Chakotay moved to  tenderly retake her
waiting lips.  Their pace quickened and Tom circled his waist with her
legs, drawing him  even deeper.

"Love me, Cha!"  Tom was panting with the need for completion.  Soon a
spiraling warmth spread out  from her belly to encompass her whole
being.

"Yesssss!"

A few frantic thrusts later, Chakotay froze and then  exploded deeply
into his beloved.  Gently kissing  away the tears that ran down Tom's
flushed face,  Chakotay felt a strength of emotion that was almost
frightening in its intensity.

Assured that his love's tears weren't from pain or sorrow, Chakotay
pressed a gentle kiss against her warm lips and then carefully pulled
from her body.

Tom sighed at the loss of possession.  And that's  exactly what it
was.  Chakotay owned her heart, mind, body and soul.  Looking deeply
into his eyes, she realized that the reverse was just as true.

Chakotay carefully settled his body above hers,  balancing most of his
weight on his knees and elbows.

"Did you feel it?"

Chakotay smiled against her neck.  "I don't think it has ever been
quite that intense before.  I mean, the sex has always been fantastic,
but something else was going on this time."

Tom hugged him tightly.  "That's what I meant. I knew I loved you
before.  But now?  It's beyond that....I don't know how to explain it,
but it's way beyond just love."

Chakotay kissed her throat.  "I looked down into  your eyes and knew
that I would quite cheerfully  kill anyone that tried to hurt you.  It
was love and  an almost scary feeling of possession.  Not me  owning
you, but the other way round."

Tom gave a start.  As Chakotay raised to look into her eyes, she
spoke.  "That's almost exactly what I was thinking; that I was
completely yours,  but I could see in your eyes that you belonged to
me, too."

Chakotay sighed and rolled them so that they lay on their sides,
entwined.

"That's the way it's supposed to be, my love."

---

Megan Delaney was given two months in the brig  for breaking into the
sickbay computer and spreading the news of Tom's pregnancy.

Tom amazed everyone with her calm acceptance of the act, and then
further surprised everyone by visiting Megan almost every day.  When
pressed for a reason, she simply shrugged.

"God knows that I've done my share of stupid things in my life.  In
fact, mine were far worse.  If people can forgive and accept me, then
who am I to judge her?"

Upon hearing of Tom's comments, the Captain  reduced Megan's sentence
to time served but added *three* months of 'civic duties', which
included assisting Neelix in the kitchen, cleaning out Jefferies
tubes, and the re-calibration and testing of the waste disposal units.

Ms. Delaney was heard to say that she might have  preferred the brig
time.

---    "Your son is doing fine, Lieutenant.  Would you  like to see
him?"

Tom nodded and turned to look at the terminal  next to the biobed.

"Am I missing something?"

The Captain and Chakotay walked up and the  big man planted a soft
kiss on Tom's lips.

"The Doc's gonna show me the baby."

Chakotay grinned and leaned over to look at the screen.  Kathryn moved
around to stand next to  the doctor.

"At three months, the fetus is extremely small but quite clear."

Tom reached up and wiped a tear from her lover's cheek.  He took her
hand and gently kissed the palm.  "That's our son."  His face had a
look of wonder.

Tom winked at the Captain.  "He has your nose, Cha."

Chakotay glanced up and grinned.  "And your eyes."

The Doctor looked askance.  "It's a little early  to affix blame to
either parent for anything.... except the sex, of course.  That's
wholly your  fault commander."

Chakotay grinned widely.  "I made myself a son!"

Janeway rolled her eyes at Tom.  "I think that you had a little help."

"No, let him keep those thoughts, Captain. That way when I kick his
butt out of bed at two a.m. to change the little monster, he  can just
keep that in mind."

The holoDoctor cleared his throat.  You'd  could really forget that he
wasn't human some times, thought Tom.

"You are almost three months pregnant, Ms. Paris. I hate to remind you
of this, but there could be  repercussions should we wait much longer
to transfer the fetus."

Tom looked surprised.  "This is going to sound  crazy, but I haven't
thought about any of that in days."  She looked up at Chakotay who
grinned at her.  "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Chakotay pulled her up into a hug.  "You'll make a wonderful mother."

---

Sam and Naomi Wildman sat side by side on the  couch.  Tom leaned back
on the chaise longue that Chakotay had insisted on buying during their
last shore leave.

"You didn't have *any* morning sickness?  I think I hate you!"

Tom grinned.  "What can I say?  I'm blessed." She ran a tender hand
over her swollen belly. "It has been six months and I really haven't
had any problems at all."

"Just you wait.  In another month or so, your  ankles will start to
swell and you'll feel like  you're smothering every time you lay on
your  back and you'll have mood swings bad enough  to make the
Commander sleep in a Jefferies tube." Both women laughed uproariously
as a cautious Chakotay entered their quarters.

"What'd I do?"

Sam grinned.  "Uh-oh.  If he's acting like that,  I'd say he's already
been on the receiving end  of a few mood swings."

The big man grinned and started to answer.  At the look on Tom's face,
he instead shrugged and moved to the replicator.  Tom's smile was
feral.

"Naomi, I think that it's time for us to go. Commander, if she gets to
be too much, you can borrow our couch."

Chakotay laughed.  "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

As the pair left, he moved to sit beside his reclining lover.  "What'd
you do today, baby?"

Tom smiled.  "Come see.  They finally finished combining our quarters
and I spent most of my time moving the baby's things into my old
closet and chest of drawers."

Gods, they really would have to do something nice for the maintenance
and engineering crews thought  the Commander as he took in the
workmanship.    "Where'd the crib come from?"

Under the port stood an old style Jenny Lind crib, complete with blue
sheets and blankets.

"I had a few rations to burn."

Chakotay noticed that the walls started as a soft  pastel blue at the
floor and gradually grew darker  as one's eyes moved up. The Commander
then  noticed the mural on the ceiling.

"Who..."  The big man was stunned.  The entire ceiling was awash with
stars, nebulae, and planetary systems. Voyager sat just over the crib.

"Jenny and Megan Delaney.  Jenny felt so bad about what Meg had done
that she browbeat her into helping paint the ceiling."

"It's wonderful."

Tom turned to hug the man beside her.  Chakotay  absently began to rub
her belly.  Tom grinned.

"That's your favorite pastime, isn't it?"

"Well, there is one other...."

---

Tom sat pouting at the conn.  She knew that it would be idiotic for
her to have been included on the away mission, but that didn't stop
her from wishing that she could be at the helm of the little shuttle
easing its way into the atmosphere below them.

"We've achieved synchronous orbit, Captain."

"Excellent, Lieutenant.  Mr. Kim, keep an eye on that shuttle, that
ion field was somewhat unstable."

"Aye, Captain."  Harry turned back to his console and tapped the
controls.  "Everything looks good, Captain.  They're right over the
area where we  read the dilithium."

"Open a channel to the shuttle."

"Go ahead, Captain."

"Voyager to Chanteuse, come in please."

Tom grinned.  The Chanteuse was the newest shuttle; the first to be
entirely constructed here in the Delta quadrant.  Tom had won the
naming contest and smiled every time that it was mentioned.  She and
the Captain were the only ones on the ship who knew  that the shuttle
was named for Tom's mother.

Tom came to herself when she realized that the shuttle had not
responded.  Turning slightly, she met Chakotay's eyes as the Captain
continued  the hail.

"Captain, sensors are still reading the Chanteuse. She's circling the
landing site.  I don't see any problems with communications."

---

"The Chanteuse has landed, Captain.  No incoming hails."  Harry looked
down at Janeway.  "I show no mechanical reason for their failure to
answer."

"We could take a second shuttle down."  B'Elanna looked as if even
*she* doubted the wisdom of  her suggestion.

"I think we'll wait.  Procedures give Mr. Carey twenty minutes before
he has to respond.  If we aren't talking to them by then, or they
aren't  headed back, then we'll do something."


It was a *very* long twenty minutes.  B'Elanna  threatened to harm
Harry if he ran one more  diagnostic of the communications systems,
and he replied by running one.

"That's not funny, Starfleet!  Every time you do that it slows the
response time."

"By about .0001 of a nanosecond.  Give me a break."

"I'll give you a break....."

"Enough!"  Harry and B'Elanna came back  to the bridge with a rush.
"Save the lover's quarrel for Sandrine's.  Tuvok, go prepare the
Cochrane.  Take Dalby with you....no, B'Elanna, you're not going.  I
already have  your assistant missing, I cannot risk losing  you too."


"Captain, we are preparing to enter the  atmosphere."

"Take her down slowly and talk to us the entire time.  At the first
sign of a loss of communications, I want you back up here and we'll
try something else."

"Aye, Captain.  Entering atmosphere...."

Tuvok kept up a monotonous dialog of every move that they made.  Slow
minutes passed and then sudden silence.

"Communication is gone, Captain."

"So I've noticed, Ensign.  What's the Cochrane doing?"

Harry tapped the console.  "Tuvok has  initiated a 180 degree turn,
Captain, and is heading back this way."

Kathryn closed her eyes.  "I'll be in my  ready room.  When Tuvok
returns, I  want everyone to join me.  Be thinking of some viable
alternatives, people."


Tom and Chakotay were the last to enter. Kathryn took in Tom's
somewhat wan  appearance.

"Are you up to this, Tom?"

A small grin.  "I'm fine.  I just have a killer of a backache right
now.  I don't think Starfleet engineers ever expected to have pregnant
helmsmen."

Kathryn grinned.  "Certainly not seven months pregnant
helms*persons*," she said with emphasis on the last word.  She looked
around the room.

"Any ideas?"

As usual, B'Elanna was the first into the fray.  "We  are showing no
reason for the problems with  communications.  Obviously, there's
something in those ion clouds that we aren't picking up."

"I have to concur with the Lieutenant.  Mr. Dalby and I have gone
through the shuttle logs and  diagnostics three times and there is
nothing as to what the problem might be.  In fact, the diagnostics
that we ran while we were having the problem showed that
communications still existed between the Cochrane and Voyager."

Kathryn stood and began to pace.  "Curiouser and curiouser.  All
right, it has been three hours since we lost contact with the
Chanteuse.  As  much as I hate to say it, I think we're going to  have
to land Voyager.  You have one hour to prepare."

---

Voyager shuddered as if she were a toy.  Just as  in the shuttle
attempts, everything had gone fine  for the first few minutes of
entry.  Then all hell  broke loose.

Tom was aware of two big hands on the back of  her chair and knew that
Chakotay was there to  support her should the turbulence become too
great.

"Captain, we've lost shipwide communications!" Harry had to shout to
be heard above the interference  on the shipwide comm.

"Shut it down for now, so that we can at least hear ourselves think!"
Kathryn grinned as she shouted the last of the order into the suddenly
silent bridge.

"Mr. Paris, status."

"We're doing OK, Captain.  The turbulence is beginning to ease and
I've located the Chanteuse.  We'll be able  to land less than a
kilometer from her."  Anticipating  the Captain's thoughts, she added,
"From the looks of the landing site, cargo bay four would be the best
exit."

Janeway gave a pleased nod.  "Good work.  Chakotay, take a team and
prepare to head over to the Chanteuse. I don't need to tell you to be
careful, but I will anyway, Papa."

The reminder was effective.  Chakotay hesitated  and then gave a curt
nod.  "We'll be back soon."

---

The results had been anti-climactic.  The shuttle had full power but
the turbulence had been so bad during  the landing that Lt. Carey had
chosen to stay on the planet and attempt to boost stabilizers before
making the return trip.  He had been mortified to learn that he had
caused the atmospheric entry and landing  of Voyager.

"Mr. Carey, the only thing that is keeping me from ordering you to
read the entire fourteen volumes of Starfleet Rules and Regulations is
the fact that you have already mined the dilithium and saved us the
effort."

Kathryn rubbed her eyes.  "In the future, follow  orders.  If there
are no orders applying to the  circumstances, follow the regulations,
*UNLESS*, to do so would endanger yourself and those under your
command.  Since you made it down here OK, one would assume that you
could have made it back. Dismissed."

Carey slipped quietly out of the door.

"Janeway to bridge."

"Aye, Captain."

"The meter's running, Commander, let's hit the road."

---

"Chakotay, are you asleep?"

The big man mumbled and patted Tom on the shoulder  sleepily.

"Chakotay?"

"Yeah, baby."

"I think it's time."

Tom watched in amusement as the older man's eyes shot open.

"Now?"

"Well, soon.  I didn't want to wake you because you were up for two
days straight working on the EPS maintenance, but-"

"Tommy!  Fuck the maintenance!  Are you in labor?"

Tom's face grew red.  "No.  I just thought I'd wake  you up and tell
you that one of these days we're  going to have a baby!"

Chakotay ran a tired hand over his face.  "Sorry. Like you said I've
been up for-"

"Ohhhh, shit that hurts!"  Tom curled around her belly and began to
pant.

Chakotay signaled for the Doc and then ran to put  on some clothes.
When he returned, he found Kes  running a tricorder over his lover.

"How far apart are the pains, did you say?"

"About ten minutes."  Tom was rubbing her belly and frowning mightily.
"This really sucks."

Chakotay smiled.  "If that was your first pain, how do you know that
they're ten minutes apart?"

"Are you still asleep, Big Man?  That has got to be the goofiest
question I've ever heard."

To Kes, "My water broke several hours ago, and  I've been timing the
contractions ever since."

She held up a hand to her lover.  "I didn't wake you  up because they
were still too far apart and the labor  seemed to be going just fine."

Chakotay heard the disembodied voice of the Doctor. He sounded
pleased.  "You've paid more attention to  your medic training than I
thought.  Kes, I need for you  and the Commander to assist the
Lieutenant down to sickbay.  We've got a baby to deliver."

---

"Oh, God, I should have let Sam carry the baby when she offered!"  Tom
panted and leaned her head against  her lover's shoulder.

"You never told me that she offered to do that, Tommy."

Kes gently wiped the sweat and tears from Tom's flushed face.  "I had
already pretty much decided to carry him by that time.  Gods, I'm a
fool!  I have no business trying this! I'm a guy!"  Tom curled inward
and began to moan as  another pain hit.

"Breathe, Tommy.  Remember what you're supposed to do. C'mon, baby, do
your breathing."

"Don't talk down to me!  Oh, shiiiiiitttt!"  The sentence  ended on a
shriek.

"Well, maybe we should come back later."

Chakotay looked up to see Kathryn, Harry and B'Elanna  hovering at the
edge of the privacy screen.

"Tom is fully dilated and the baby should crown shortly. I would say
approximately fifteen minutes before we  have a new member of the
crew."

"Fifteen *more* fucking minutes of this!?!"

Kes looked up and grinned.

Chakotay looked frustrated.  "Tommy, you're the one  who refused the
hypospray that would have reduced  the pain."

Kathryn smirked. *Oh, my friend, you'll pay for that one.*

"You know I'm allergic to most analgesics!  The only  thing that they
could give me would affect the baby too!"

"Tom, my hand!"

Harry almost fell over B'Elanna trying to exit the birthing cubicle.
Kathryn followed at a more sedate pace, smiling as she thought of what
her stoic first officer had probably witnessed in the last few hours.

---

"I don't want to do this any more, Cha."

Chakotay visibly melted at the sight of the exhausted  blue eyes. He
almost wished for a return of her somewhat  homicidal alter ego.

"I know, love, it's almost over."

Tom groaned and moved to sit up.  Chakotay wrapped  his arm around her
shoulders and held her as she strained.

"That's it, Ms. Paris.  Once more should do it."

"I can't...ohhhh, please God, I'll be gooooood!"

"And that's it!"

Everyone in sickbay smiled at the Doctor's words and  then again as a
strong cry filled the room.

---

"I'm so proud of you, love.  You did it."  Chakotay tenderly kissed
Tom and carefully wiped her face.

"I believe that you wanted to meet this little one."  Kes smiled and
placed a blanket topped with a mop of black hair on Tom's breast.

Chakotay crouched down and looked into a little red face.  "He's
beautiful."

Tom giggled wearily.  "He is not. He's red and wrinkled and.....the
most wonderful thing I've ever seen."  She kissed the tiny forehead.

"Here, Cha.  Introduce your son to all of his godparents."

Chakotay carefully took the tiny package and walked around the
partition.  There was silence as everyone  looked at what could only
be called a miracle.  After a  bout of congratulations, the doctor
announced that they  could see Tom briefly.

"Well done, Lieutenant."

"I certainly am, Captain."

---   Chakotay had been given a week off to help with the little one
while Tom recovered.  He quickly found that babies were a lot of work.
Tom just smiled beatifically and reminded her lover that after all, he
had made himself a baby and now he could certainly help take care of
him.

---

Chakotay Paris was a well-loved baby and there was no lack of willing
volunteers when it came  to baby-sitting.

So Tom found herself sitting in the resort at a  quiet side table,
enjoying the company of the  ship's second-in-command.

"This is wonderful, Cha.  I was beginning to  get cabin fever."  Tom
sipped her non-alcoholic margarita and watched Harry attempt to teach
B'Elanna the limbo.

"What do think, Cha?  Think they'll ever get  married?"

Chakotay smiled.  "I'm more worried about whether we'll ever get
married."

Tom turned around in surprise.  "You've never asked!"

The Commander smiled again.  "Well, I'm asking  now."  Taking her
hand, he spoke. "Thomas Eugene Paris, will you marry me?"

Tom feigned a swoon.  "I don't know.  This is  awfully sudden.  We've
only been seeing each other for about a year and a half."

Chakotay laughed.  "What about it?"

Tom leaned forward and planted a kiss on the beautiful mouth before
her.  "I'd love to."

---

The wedding was small and rather quiet.  The pair had been through so
much and the crew had given them months worth of rations as baby
gifts, so they  kept it low-key.

The honeymoon was on Kasmir VI, or at least the holographic
representation of it.  Tom, Chakotay and 'Little Man', as Tom liked to
call her son, spent a week in blissful seclusion.  It was over all too
soon.

---

When Chakotay Jr. was five months old, Tom talked to the doctor about
the procedure.

He explained everything thoroughly to Tom, Chakotay and Kathryn.  It
would be a variation of the transporter technology and would
necessitate several days stay in sickbay while Tom's system
stabilized.  The change was scheduled in two days time.

---

Tom lay in Chakotay's arms.  Kathryn had taken the baby for the night
so that they could have some time to themselves.

"I can't believe how much I want to go get the baby  and bring him
home."

Chakotay laughed.  "I'm *so* glad to hear that I'm not the only one
feeling that way.  However--" Chakotay kissed his wife,  "Kathryn is
probably already asleep and that is one woman I don't want mad at me."

Tom sighed.  "Do you think he'll notice?"  At Chakotay's look of
puzzlement, she elaborated.  "Little Man's mommy is going to come home
a daddy.  Do you think it'll bother him?"

"I think he'll probably get a mouthful of chest hair the first time he
tries to nurse."  Chakotay got a mouthful of pillow for his remark.

"Not funny, Big Man.  That's another thing.  Switching him to a
bottle.  Maybe I should wait until he's weaned." Tom frowned off into
the distance as she worried her lower lip.

"Sounds like you're having some doubts."

Tom rolled and buried her face against her love's  strong shoulder.
"I've been this way so long, that it's natural now.  There's so much
that I'm going to be giving up."  Tom let out a soft sob.

"We've never made love any other way.  What if you don't like being
with a man?  The Doc said it will be rough enough on my body changing
me this time; it would be too dangerous to change me back if we're not
happy."  She began to cry in earnest.

"Baby, if you're this unsure about it all, then it's  crazy to have
the procedure.  The Doc has your  male DNA patterns stored in the
computer.  He says that you can change back at any time."  He  kissed
her gently.  "As you say, we're pretty  happy this way.  It can wait."

---

Tom contacted the doctor first thing that morning and postponed the
procedure indefinitely.  Then  she went to the Captain's quarters.

"Tom!  I thought your surgery was scheduled to start thirty minutes
ago!"  Tom watched in  amusement as the Captain distractedly bounced
the baby on one hip.

"I've postponed it."

"I think I need a cup of coffee."

---

"All right, now explain what's going on."

Kathryn had commed Chakotay and asked him to join  them.  She watched
with a mild case of envy as Tom  nursed the baby with one very proud
papa looking on.

"I just got to weighing the pros and cons last night and realized that
I am way too happy with my life as it is to change things."  She
sighed and carefully  maneuvered the baby to the other breast.

Kathryn looked up to find Tom smiling at her.  "The last year and a
half has been the best time of my life.   I've done much better as a
woman than I ever did as  a man.  And as Chakotay reminded me last
night, the  Doc can change me back any time if I change my mind."

---

Chakotay sat smiling at his wife and child playing on  the floor.  It
had been six months since Tom had postponed the surgery.  Six very
good months.

And yet, if anything had been going to destroy their happiness, it
would have been the last Vidiian attack.

Voyager had almost been destroyed during the attack, and the
holoDoctor had been damaged.  The computers had been heavily damaged
and as luck would have it, the files containing Tom's DNA patterns had
been destroyed.

Chakotay and Kathryn had taken Tom into the conference room to break
it to her gently.  They were not prepared for her laughter.

"Well, there you go.  The decision has been made for me. Chakotay, it
looks like you're stuck with a wife."

And that was it.  No sadness, no remorse.  Just another example of
Tom's resilience.

Their life was good and getting better.  Tom had entered the bridge
this morning looking like the canary had just become extinct. 
Finally, when threatened with brig time, she turned and grinned.

"Start thinkin' of names, daddy."

Yes, life was good.

---

The End