The BLTS Archive - Untold Love
Part One
by Karen (CP4Karen@aol.com)

---

Post: BLTS, ASCEM(L) and archive to R'rain.

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

---

"Van, the Captain certainly seemed surprised to find me here."

Vance gave an elegant shrug.  That was one of the things  that Tom
loved about the older man.  His innate ability to  do anything and
look courtly while doing it.

"I did advise the good Captain that I would be bringing my companion
along with me."

Tom lazily pulled his lover down onto the couch beside him.

"Somehow, I don't think that she expected the 'companion' to be male
or ex-Starfleet...and definitely not me."

Another shrug, this one followed by a searing kiss.

"They didn't ask and I didn't offer the information.   She didn't
really seem to have a problem with it, love;  she just seemed
surprised."

Tom snorted.

"She's probably on sub-space to my father as we speak."

"Would you have a problem with it if she was?"

Tom pulled Vance tighter to him and sighed.

"No, he disowned me, not the other way around. I'd just hate to see
you have trouble with the 'Fleet for consorting with a court-martialed
ex-pilot." Tom grinned broadly.  "Your consulting fees are quite  a
portion of our income."

"I'm not worried about that.  I have a bit put away  in the event of
trouble.  You might have to get used  to traveling in something other
than first class,  however."

Tom shook his head.  Settling down against his  lover's side, the
younger man thought back to their  beginning.

When the two men had first met, Tom had been broke  and desperate for
work.

He had flown a couple of missions for the Maquis, but  had quickly
tired of butting heads with their leader.   He took what credits he
could get and had made his  way to Deep Space Nine thinking that
perhaps a job on a local freighter might suit him better.  A couple of
nights in the local stockade due to a brawl convinced  him to move on
to Bajor.

Vance had come home late one night to find a drunken  and injured
Paris sleeping in the stairwell outside his  apartment.  Ignoring his
internal alarms, Crittenden had  taken Tom into his home and nursed
him back to health.   While a dicey proposition at best, he had earned
the  younger man's undying devotion and eventually his love.

Tom had been beaten and robbed, but a doctor was able to  take care of
the bruises and contusions.  What he couldn't  take care of were the
injuries to Paris' self-esteem caused  by humiliation and neglect
after the crash on Caldik Prime.

Vance felt his lover shudder.  Recognizing the symptoms of  another
bout of guilt and self-doubt, he rose and pulled the  other man to his
feet.

"Let's investigate our 'home away from home'."

---

Kathryn sat in her darkened ready room and gazed out at  the stars.

Seeing Tom Paris had been a shock.  The young man had disappeared
after his disastrous last meeting with his father.   It had been
unknown whether he was even still alive.

Until today.

Kathryn smiled to herself.  He looked good and obviously happy.  As
she and Crittenden had talked about the mission, Tom had sat quietly
studying her, evidently wondering where  they had met.

At his companion's use of her last name, Tom's eyes had widened and
then narrowed again in speculation.  She knew  that he was aware of
her long association with the Admiral.

"This could be a long three weeks," Kathryn said aloud. First however,
she had to get through dinner.

---

Tom knelt next to his lover and once again thanked the  fates.  Lying
there in naked splendor was the reason he  was still alive.

Moving to lie next to Vance, Tom gently ran his hands  through his
lover's hair to loosely clasp them around his neck.  The black
profusion was just beginning to show  a trace of snow at the temples.
Tom buried his face  in the curls and sighed at their silky texture.

Running a possessive hand down his lover's chest to his  belly, Tom
moved to kiss Vance deeply.  The older man  hummed deep in his throat.

"That was nice, but I imagine that you could do better."

Tom looked to the ceiling as if for inspiration and then  moved his
hand lower, gently carding the dark curls.

"Mmmmm, that's the ticket, love."

Tom grinned and lowered himself to cover the other man.

"Tonight's your night, Van.  Whatever you want."

Green eyes widened.

"That could take quite some time and unfortunately we  are meeting the
Captain for dinner.  I *can* think of  something that you could aid me
in relieving for the time being, Thomas....if you feel up to the
task?"

Tom had felt the 'something' burning against his thigh  since he had
lain down.

"I told you, whatever you want.....any suggestions as to  how you want
this 'something' taken care of?"

Vance's hands moved down to clasp Tom's hips. A slight  movement and
everything was sufficiently aligned.  With  a sigh of pleasure, the
older man arched against his lover.

"I believe this should do the trick....with your assistance,  of
course."

Nudging Vance's thighs open, Tom rested his weight on his  knees and
forearms, and began a slow, teasing undulation to  the music playing
softly in the background.  The moist heat  between them built as their
passion grew.

Tom dropped a quick kiss onto his lover's lips.  Vance smiled,  eyes
tightly closed.

"You feel so good against me, love.  But I believe that we  would both
benefit from a slight change to our dance."

Reaching under the pillow next to him, Vance pulled out  a small tube.

"When did you put that there?!"

"I didn't.  It was just one of the requests that I made to  Captain
Janeway."

Tom sputtered for a moment and then relaxed.

"I've corrupted you.  You've become a better liar than I am."

The older man smiled and pulled Tom's head down for  another kiss.

"I've always been the better liar.  I'm just so good that you  never
knew it."

Tom laughed and hugged his lover.  Placing a couple of  pillows under
the older man's hips, he carefully prepared  the body below him.

"I'm beginning to think that's true.  I didn't even know what you did
for a living for the first three months that we were together."

Vance sobered.

"That wasn't totally my doing, love.  You were in a bad  way for quite
some time."  He kissed the younger man to  take away the sting of his
words.

Tom took no offense.

"I owe you everything and I know it."

"You owe me nothing.  The pleasure that you have  given me just by
staying at my side this past year has more than repaid me."  He kissed
Tom again.

"Every day together is a gift to one another."

Tom placed his hands on the other man's hips and  slowly entered his
body.  The tight heat was overwhelming.

"Gods, I can't get over how perfect it feels to make  love with you."
A short thrust.  "How right it feels  to be inside you."

Vance wrapped his legs around the younger man's waist and pulled him
deeply into his body.  The burning pleasure made him catch his breath.
Reaching down, he covered Tom's hands with his  own.

"Then love me..."

Tom groaned and began a slow, steady pull from his lover's  body.
Pausing just barely inside the hot channel, he tilted  his hips and
thrust downwards.  He repeated the motions  until Vance convulsed with
pleasure, and then quickened  his pace; making sure that his movements
kept up a  constant coursing of almost unbearable sensation.

Tom grinned as Vance began to mumble frantically in some  unknown
tongue.

With Crittenden's work as a sort of liaison between the  Federation
and some of the more difficult races in the  quadrant, Vance had
learned a multitude of languages.   They tended to come to the
surface, the deeper they got  into their lovemaking.

"Teynah shosj t'an tulak!"  The last word turned into a wail  and the
older man's internal muscles clamped down hard.

Tom thrust fiercely into his writhing lover and then froze  as the hot
wetness splashed between them, soon followed  by his own hot flow of
pleasure deep into the other man's  body.

After what seemed like forever, Vance's body relaxed its hold, and Tom
slid tonelessly down to lie on top of the  older man.

"You want to translate that last bit for me?"

Crittenden chuckled.

It's Binalii.  Roughly translated it means, 'You possess  my soul'."

Tom's eyes burned.

"And do I?"

Vance solemnly kissed the younger man's forehead.

"You have for a long time."

---

Kathryn was inwardly amused at the attention the trio  garnered as
they made their way down the Promenade.

Having made Bajor his primary residence for some time,  Crittenden was
very familiar with Deep Space Nine.  He  and Tom had discussed the
merits of various restaurants,  but left the final choice to the
Captain.

Now making their way to what she was assured was the  best Bajoran
cafe on the station, Kathryn was aware that  while as a female
Starfleet captain she *was* noticeable,  most of the attention was
undoubtedly centered on the  couple with her.

The men were similar in that they were both slim, both tall  and had
skin that most Terran women would kill for.

Vance was the more imposing of the pair.  He was a couple  of inches
taller, with alabaster skin and coal black hair.   The thickly lashed
green eyes seemed to drill though any  attempt at artifice.  At
thirty-five, he could easily pass for  ten years younger.

But Tom could definitely hold his own.  A youthful twenty-four  and
possessing the classic beauty of the Paris dynasty; the  peaches and
cream complexion, red-gold hair and deep sapphire  eyes captured one's
attention and held it.

Walking next to the men, Kathryn suddenly felt.....plain.

She knew that she was anything but that, and she got her fair  share
of stares, but damn it, she felt like an alley cat trying to  hold its
own with a pair of Persians.

Janeway's sudden chuckle caught Vance's attention.

"Captain?"

Shaking her head, she suddenly noticed Ben Sisko.

"You two get a table, I'll be right back."

---

Tom watched the interplay between the two officers.  It was  obviously
a serious discussion, but was interspersed with  smiles that spoke of
a previous friendship.

"You're supposed to be hanging on my every word, love."

Tom blinked and then caressed the back of his lover's hand  in
apology.

"I can't help wondering if we're getting in over our heads with this
one.  Chakotay is not going to want to surrender; we both know that.
Your assistance on this....field trip is going to be negligible."

Vance tilted his head and looked deeply into the younger man's eyes.

"I have to agree.  In this instance, your experience could probably
advance this effort much more than mine can."

Tom frowned.

"Well, it's not going to.  I may not have liked the man, but I respect
what he and his people are trying to do."

Tom lowered his voice.

"Personally, I think that the Federation is making a huge mistake in
cooperating with the Cardassians at all, and  in the long run it's
going to come back and bite them in the ass....big time."

Crittenden chuckled.

"Another gem of wisdom....a la Thomas Paris."

Vance squeezed Tom's hand and smiled.

"Don't worry, my love, I won't reveal the information and  I would
never ask you to betray people that you admire.   Now our dinner
companion is returning....smile at me,  that's it.  We've been
enjoying ourselves the entire time  she has been gone, haven't we?"

Tom laughed in spite of himself.  Vance always knew exactly what to do
or say to make him relax.

---

"Sorry, gentlemen.  I needed to confirm our clearance  for departure
tomorrow morning."

Tom took a sip of his wine.

"Is Commander Sisko a prior acquaintance, Captain?"

Kathryn smiled softly.

"We met on earth.  I was closer to Jennifer...Ben's  wife, than I am
to him."  At Tom's raised eyebrow over the past tense, she explained.
"She died at  Wolf 359."

"Gods!"  Tom shuddered.  "I would have there, too, but...."

Kathryn took a chance.  Taking his free hand, she smiled.

"I know, Tom.  I was in the same boat.  Both on leave but opposite
ends of the quadrant.  It didn't make  any difference whether it was
the New France colonies or in your case, Antel Three, we were both too
far away  to help."  She smiled again and squeezed the long fingers
under her own.

"For some reason we were both spared.  What we do with  the time that
we've been given can be our gift to the ones that died in our places."

Crittenden remained silent, but smiled.  Kathryn had the feeling that
he had waged this battle many times before.  Tom slowly shook his
head.

"I wasted a lot of that time.  Hell, there's pieces that I don't even
remember.  Vance changed all of that, Captain.  If you ever talk to my
father, tell him I finally found something that matters.  I imagine
you can  understand that I was lost for a long time after Caldik
Prime.....even before."

"I'll let him know if I talk to him, but you could contact  him, you
know.  A year and a half is a long time...things  have probably
changed.  I know that he didn't handle things  too well, Tom, but he
may regret that."

Tom smiled bitterly.

"No, and that's one thing I'm sure of.  I tried contacting him  about
six months ago when I finally had my head back on  straight.  A former
'Fleet associate took a message to him."

Tom looked into Kathryn's eyes.

"When Ken handed him the padd and told him it was from  his son, he
just handed it back.  He told Ken that he had no  son and then closed
the door in his face."

Kathryn gasped.  The pain in the young man's eyes was  palpable.  And
there was nothing that she could say.

Tom sighed and then stood.

"I'm not really hungry any more.  Why don't the two of  you discuss
your mission?  I think I'll take a stroll."

---

As his lover walked away, Vance turned to the woman  across from him.

"I don't know the Admiral, but I hate him.  Tom doesn't  talk about
him very much, but I don't think that he ever  emotionally supported
his son the way a father should."

Kathryn watched Crittenden visibly force his anger down.

"I've known the Admiral for a long time.  You're right in  that he
isn't a warm man, but some of that came about  through being captured
by the Cardassians."

"You were captured too, from what I've heard."

Janeway paled.

"I wasn't tortured."

"Not physically, but I imagine that there was some emotional
scarring.  Tom did tell me how much colder his father became  when he
returned home, but the abuse started long before that,  Captain."
Vance held up his hand when she started to object.

"When I say abuse, I'm not speaking of it in the physical sense,
although Tom admits that his father didn't hesitate to punish  him for
his shortcomings."

Crittenden's eyes were bright green with his anger.

"That's what Tom refers to the punishments as, the results of  his
shortcomings.  That is one thing that I have fought long  and hard to
dispel; Thomas' deep feeling of inadequacy.  It  manifests itself most
frequently in cold sarcasm, but if one  listens....really pays
attention, the self-hatred is frightening."

Vance closed his eyes.  "There are times that I wonder if I  will ever
be able to convince him just how wonderful he is,  and how precious
that his love is to me.  Forgive me, Captain,  this is not what I
intended to speak of, at all."

Kathryn smiled.  "No apology needed.  One last thing though.  I think
that if anyone can teach Tom to care for himself, it will  be you."

---

Paris made his way slowly down the Promenade, deep in  thought.  He
hadn't intended to reveal that much of himself  to the Captain, but
she seemed accepting of his words.  He  understood that she felt quite
differently about his father and  again gave thanks that she seemed
never to have been on the  receiving end of his father's verbal lash.

A cry of 'Dabo!' caught his attention and he remembered that  Quark's
was just ahead.  Tom smiled and wondered how the  annoying little toad
was doing.  Vance had dealt with him once  or twice, but Tom was
careful to stay in the background.

Knowing Quark, that didn't mean much.

Standing in the doorway, he ran a wary eye around the room.   A couple
of years practice at being in the wrong place no  matter what the time
had made the young man careful.

His eyes widened as he watched his former academy  roommate and lover,
Julian Bashir flirt with the Cardassian  tailor in a dark corner.  Tom
wondered if the older man had been the recipient of Bashir's amazing
oral skills.   At the lingering caress of Jules' thigh, he decided
that he  most likely had.

//I could send Garak an anonymous note about that  hot spot on Jules'
left shoulder blade....//

Taking care not to draw the other young man's attention, he made his
way to the bar.  Waiting to place his order, he heard Quark discussing
some 'gem stones' with a 'Fleet ensign.

//Gods, they're nothing but lobi crystals!//

Tom carefully insinuated himself into the conversation and had soon
extricated the hapless ensign.

---

Heading back to Voyager, Harry glanced at the man next  to him and
wondered what to say.  He had heard the rumors  that they were picking
up an advisor for the mission and  that he was bringing a companion.
It never occurred to  him that the 'companion' might be male.

"Uh, Kim, you still in there?"

Tom watched in amusement as the other young man  jumped in surprise.

"I'm sorry.  I was just thinking about the mission.  We had all heard
that we would have a civilian on board for the assignment, but....uhm,
is he your employer or  your lover?"

Tom snorted.  "Why, Ensign Kim, you interested?"

"NO!"  Harry blushed as several people nearby turned to stare.  "I
mean, I'm engaged to a girl on Earth and... shit, why am I telling you
this?  I was just wondering  about what you'll be doing during the
mission."

Tom's eyes narrowed.

"Why eating chocolates and reading romance novels like any good
boy-toy....isn't that what you were thinking?"

Tom stalked off down the Promenade with Harry trotting to catch up.
Grabbing an arm, he pulled the other man to  a halt.

"No, that isn't what I was thinking!  I was really wondering what you
will be doing while we're out.  Are you sort of an assistant advisor?
I mean....you said you were ex-'Fleet?"

"The kind of advice that I have, they don't want to hear. The truth,
Harry?  Vance and I are lovers and that's why I'm going along.  He's
the thinker of the pair, and I do everything I can to make his work
easier, whether it's food and lodging arrangements, preparing his
reports to turn into Starfleet on whatever assignment he's taken, or
just making sure that he doesn't run himself into the ground while
he's trying to save the Federation's ass."

Tom crossed his arms and stared down into the other  man's eyes.

"Is that what you wanted to know, Mr. Kim?"

Harry almost snapped to attention. Even in civilian  clothing, the man
before him had 'Fleet written all  over him.  //Paris...//

Harry just smiled and took Tom's arm, pulling him back into the
traffic moving towards the airlocks.

"That'll do for now."

---

"Are you sure that you don't want to go eat with us?"

A tousled head slowly emerged from under  nest of pillows.

"As fascinating as the young ensign sounds, love, I think that I'll
pass on the opportunity."

Tom grinned.  His lover was *not* easily enticed from a nap.  Watching
as the black curls again disappeared under  a pillow, Tom slipped a
hand under the covers and slid a slim finger down his lover's cleft.

"Aaaahh....get out of here, love, before you find yourself on the
receiving end of some heavy debauchery."

Tom crawled onto Vance's back and lifted the pillow.

"And that would upset me because....?"

"Knowing your libido, beloved, it wouldn't bother you at all.  Your
new friend might get tired of waiting, however."

"All right...but I expect to be thoroughly 'debauched' when I get
back."

---

Tom entered the mess hall to find Harry Kim deep in  conversation with
a pair that Paris recognized as the doctor and first officer.  From
the glances, he knew  that the conversation was about him.

Replicating a bowl of soup, he crossed to their table.   Soon he and
Harry were the only ones remaining.

Kim's eyes were cold.

"Is it true?"

"Caldik Prime?  Yes, the accident was my fault.  And, I  didn't admit
it right away."

"You falsified the reports?"

Tom just nodded.

"Why?"

"What difference does it make?"

"But you came forward later and told the truth!"

"Truthfully, Harry?  If I had kept my mouth shut, I would have been
fine.  But I couldn't.  I confessed,  got cashiered and ended up in
the Maquis.  I flew for them a while and then headed for greener
pastures. I ended up on Vance's doorstep and he cleaned me up and
dried me out."

Harry's mouth flew open.  Leaning over, he whispered,

"You flew for the Maquis?!"

Hopefully, it was a good sign that Harry wasn't already comming
security.

"Yeah, Har, I did.  A couple of missions.  But it was over a year
ago."

Harry was frowning mightily, caught between duty  and his new friend.

"Please don't tell me you flew with this Chakotay."

"OK."

"OK, what!?"

Tom sighed.  "Look, Harry, do yourself a favor and take the XO's and
the doctor's advice.  Stay away from me.  The Paris luck is even
rougher on others than it is on me."

Harry straightened.

"No one chooses my friends for me."

---

//How could everything have gone so bad, so fast?//

One minute, Van and Tom had been discussing whether  the Maquis ship
was even still in one piece, and in the next they were caught in a
massive displacement wave.

Consoles exploded, bodies had flown, the pilot among them. Tom had
crawled to the controls and fought to bring Voyager under control.

It was a scene from his own particular hell complete with the wail of
a red alert, the announcement of a hull breach, and  bodies
everywhere.

Now, they were dead in space.  Paris listened with one ear  as the
Captain and Kim discussed systems status.  They  weren't good.

Tom looked quickly to his right to reassure himself that  his lover
was indeed still alive.  Vance gave him one raised eyebrow and then a
quick wink.  It was enough  to settle the stirring in his gut.

Convinced that they were going nowhere fast, Tom  moved to kneel next
to Stadi, already knowing the  answer as he checked the too-still
figure.

Tom heard the Captain close behind him.

"How is she?"

"Dead..."  Tom was startled at how weak his voice  sounded.  He wasn't
the only one.

"Tom?"

"I'm fine, Van."

His lover didn't look convinced.  But there was no time  to do
anything other than ask as the older man moved  from console to
console, quenching fires, checking bodies.

There was an exclamation from operations as Kim worked  quickly to
restore sensors.  He smiled as the view screen began to clear.

"Captain, there's something out there."

After a moment, the picture sharpened to show an unfamiliar  star
field holding an enormous space station.  Floating nearby  was their
quarry, the Crazy Horse.  Their astonishment was  interrupted by a
gasp from Harry Kim.

"Captain, according to sensors, we are over 70,000 light  years from
our previous location."

---

The news just continued to get worse.  The chief engineer  was dead,
numerous systems were out.  There was still no  word from sickbay.

"All right, we need to find out exactly where we stand.   Mr.
Crittenden, Mr. Paris, head for sickbay.  I'm heading  for engineering
to what I can do."

She turned to Harry.

"Mr. Kim, work on restoring bridge operations.  Monitor  sub-space and
attempt to find out the status of the other ship.   Relay any in-ship
communications that you deem important."

---

The doors on the turbolift closed after depositing Janeway  at
engineering.  Tom silently moved into the older man's  arms.

"When I saw you lying there...."

Vance kissed Tom tenderly and began a slow circular rubbing of his
back.

"I know, love, but I'm fine."  Van pulled his lover's chin  up to gaze
into his eyes with a small smile.

"When this is all over, I'll show you just how fine I am."

---

Sickbay was on fire.  The doctor and his nurse were dead.   Tom and
Vance quickly put out the fire and then activated the holoDoctor.  As
the casualties began to drift in, Tom  showed Vance how to use a
regenerator and set him to work  on the minor casualties.

An hour later, Tom was ready to see if it really was impossible  to
strangle a hologram.  The holoDoctor had a bedside manner  that would
kill even a healthy crewman.  After their third run-in in ten minutes,
Tom just shook his head.

//At least he treats everyone like shit and not just me.//

Slowly, but surely, patients were treated.  The Captain had  commed
them a short time before to report that the warp core  breach had been
contained.

And then.......

---

Tom turned in a slow circle and stared, open-mouthed. He had been in
sickbay....

"Tom, we're in a cornfield."

"I'm well aware of where we *appear* to be, Harry."

"But...Tom, it's a cornfield."

Paris forced down a hysterical giggle and then grinned in relief as
they were joined by Vance.

"All in one piece, love?"

"I think so, but as Harry has pointed out.....we're in a  cornfield."

Janeway called to them.  They joined her at the edge  of the field.
In front of them stood a farm house and--

"Are those cookies that woman is holding?"

Kathryn shrugged.

"The tricorder says that we're in the array and that she is just a
hologram.  But--"  Kathryn broke off as banjo  music began to play.

Tom grinned at his lover.

"Care to dance?"

"I think not," Vance drawled as he idly fended off a  woman who seemed
determined to be his partner. He sighed.  "You could at least defend
my virtue."

"From a hologram?"


Tom watched in amusement for a time and then went back to his
readings.

"Captain, all crew are accounted for."

Kathryn frowned at a glass of lemonade that had been foist upon her.
The situation was growing more surreal  by the minute.

"Take Ensign Kim and find the holo-generator.  We'll  try to get some
answers here."



"Gods, this is just too real.  Whoever programmed  this is amazing."

Harry dodged a dog and noticed that he had lost the attention of his
friend to the stereotypical farmer's  daughter.

"Paris, she's just a hologram. And, and, what about  Crittenden?"

Tom stopped and stared at Kim.

"Harry, I didn't propose to her, we were just talking."

It was Kim's turn to lose interest in the conversation.

"Check out the readings on this barn.  There is definitely something
in there."

Tom's new friend became belligerent.

"There is nothing there that concerns you!"

Tom smiled.

"Sweetheart, everything here concerns me."

The woman and the farm dog disagreed.  Rather  violently.  Paris
slapped his badge.

"Paris to Janeway.  Our hosts seem very determined to  keep us away
from the barn!"

"On our way."


As the Captain and help arrived, so did more holograms.   Tom reached
for Vance and pushed the older man behind  him as the danger of
impalement on a pitchfork became  imminent.

"Regroup and fall back!"

Little by little, they were forced back through the barn.

"Captain!"

Kathryn turned towards Kim's voice to find the wall behind them  had
disappeared and they were at the head of a long corridor full  of what
appeared to be stasis chambers.

Tom peeked into the ones closest.  A Vulcan male...the name  Tuvok
darted through his mind.  A Klingon female, and......Tom  would
recognize that tattoo anywhere.

"Captain, we've found the crew of the Crazy Horse."

The words were barely out of his mouth before Tom found  himself
strapped to a table.  Looking past the needle-wielding  hologram
hovering over him, Paris found the vivid green eyes  of his lover one
table over.

"Love you--"  Vance managed to mouth before the needle  driven into
his chest reduced him to a scream of agony.

---

"Vance...are you OK?!"

The older man just nodded, rubbing his chest.

Tom looked around himself.  They were back on Voyager... The holoDoc
was badgering him about where everyone had  gone.  But,
Harry....Captain Janeway....

"Computer, compare roster of ship's occupants with  commbadge
signatures."

A brief pause and then,

"All occupants accounted for with the exception of  Ensign Harold
Kim."

//Shit!//  "Paris to Janeway."

"Yes, Mr. Paris."

"Ensign Kim didn't return with us, Captain."

Janeway sounded distracted.

"You're right.  We'll have to go back.  In the mean time,  we have a
bit of a situation up here, Mr. Paris.  I need you  and Mr. Crittenden
back on the bridge at once."

"On our way, Captain."

---

Tom and Vance arrived just in time to watch Chakotay  and two other
Maquis appear.  Or at least, they appeared  to be Maquis.

One turned out to be Janeway's missing Vulcan.  Tom  tensed as he
realized he was the object of an intense glare.

"Paris."

Chakotay's voice was dripping with venom.

"Missed you too, Chakotay."

The look of Janeway's face would have amused Tom  if he had been
paying attention.

"What was your price this time?!"

That was all it took.  Tom headed for the Maquis ready  to do damage.
He suddenly found himself lifted and set  down behind his angry lover.
Kathryn beat Crittenden to  the punch.

"Tom Paris is to be treated as a member of my crew, is  that clear?
You will treat him the same way that you  would expect me to treat one
of yours."

Chakotay stared at the woman long and hard, and then  at Paris and the
older man who was attempting to calm  him.  Something didn't add up.
He finally nodded.

Kathryn straightened.

"The first thing that we need to do is find our other  crewmen.
Suggestions, anyone?"

---

It was finally decided that Janeway and Chakotay would  head back to
the array, while Tuvok would use the sensors  to find out as much as
possible about their new enemy.

Tom watched the pair approach the turbolift.

"Captain, I'd like to go too.  I'd hate to see Harry get hurt  if I
could have possibly helped to prevent it."

Kathryn nodded and then gestured towards Vance too.   She had a
feeling that if things degraded between Paris  and the Maquis captain,
she might need some help.

---

The foursome beamed to the array and ended up back at the farmhouse.
Tom and Kathryn headed around one side after Janeway gestured for the
others to wait.

"You're with Paris."

Vance looked at the Maquis.

"Actually, he is with me.  I was asked to come along to see if I could
talk you into surrendering."

There was something in the other man's demeanor that made Chakotay
smile.

"And Paris' knowledge of Maquis flight paths wouldn't  have come in
handy at all?"

"Any information that Tom may have regarding the Maquis wouldn't have
come up at all.  The Captain had no idea that he ever flew for you."

"But you did."

"Yes, Tom told me about flying for you when we first met. I'm not a
member of Starfleet, therefore it didn't concern me."

Chakotay liked this man.  Maybe he didn't know as much about his young
lover as he thought.

"Watch your back.  Tom Paris is out for himself.  When you lose your
usefulness, he'll dump you."

Crittenden froze.  He had the feeling that there was more here than
met the eye.

"Speaking from personal experience, are you?"

Chakotay reddened and chose to ignore the implications.

"I'm just saying that he's had everything handed to him on  a silver
platter.  The moment things get rough, he either runs  or lies to make
it turn out the way that he wants it to."

Vance gave up any pretense of civility.

"I won't hit you for that one, Captain.  You don't know Tom, and you
certainly don't know the circumstances of his life.  All you have is
hearsay and an ego the size of this space station. Know this however,
if you attempt to  harm him in *any* way, you will answer to me."

"Gentlemen."

Both men jumped and turned to find Kathryn looking daggers and Tom
blushing furiously.

"I left you here to look for signs of our missing crewmen, not to
engage in a verbal duel."

Looking chagrined, the pair fell in behind Kathryn and Tom and
continued their search.

---

"Captain."

Kathryn turned to look in the direction that Vance was pointing.  The
old man with the banjo was back.

The reception was decidedly chilly.

"You don't have what I need to pay the debt that can  never be paid."

Janeway crossed her arms and looked down at the being.

"That doesn't concern me.  We want our people back and  then to be
sent home."

"I understand, but there's no time for any of that."

Further insistence was futile.  The four quickly found  themselves
back on Voyager.

---

Harry was terrified.  He had awakened to find himself surrounded by
the lab attendants.  He was not alone.

One of the Maquis, a young Klingon woman was doing  her best to
escape.  Harry watched in horror as they  sedated her and returned her
to bed.

Where was everyone?.....

---

During Voyager's search of the area near the station, an  ally was
located.  After much negotiation, it was agreed  that he would show
them a way to access the Ocampan  home world in exchange for water.
It would have to wait,  however, until the daily sand storms subsided
that afternoon.

---

"Your continued laughter is not exactly an aphrodisiac."

Tom wiped his eyes and leaned up to kiss his annoyed  lover.

"I'm sorry, but you've seen the guy, this....Neelix?  He  looks like
an irate warthog.

I saw his ship down in the cargo bay and it looks like it  has been
put together from all the derelicts that he's been  scavenging
through.  He seems friendly enough though."  Tom laughed again.

"In fact, from what I heard in the mess hall, he actually  hugged that
Vulcan we rescued!"

Vance stifled a grin, and once again concentrated on the  creamy
expanse before him.  Pressing a kiss just below  the younger man's
navel, he was rewarded with a soft  purr.

"I'm going to start calling you 'Kitten'."

Tom's chuckle segued into a lingering groan as an agile tongue took a
swipe up the length of his swollen, heated  flesh.

This was something at which Crittenden was very, very  talented.  He
could take hours to lead his young lover  to the edge and then hold
him there. They didn't play  this game very often, but when they
did....

Vance knew the body below him better than its owner.   He knew which
actions would simply build the heat, and  which would take him over
the crest. Pressing the long  legs up and farther apart, Crittenden
smiled wickedly  and slowly lowered his head.

"Aaaahhhh!"

Paris screamed and tried to buck as Van took his length into his
throat, and then slowly released it.  A gentle nip  of the glans was
followed by a quiet command.

"Lie still."

Tom forced himself to relax.

Vance slowly lifted his weight from the luscious thighs,  and returned
his attention to the glistening shaft throbbing to the pulse of the
younger man's pleasure.  Crittenden ran a lazy finger through the
moisture pooling on Tom's belly and licked it.  He smiled at the deep
groan the action  provoked.

Reaching blindly around him, Tom dragged over a pillow and placed it
under his head in order to better enjoy the view.  Vance allowed the
movement, knowing the visual was an  important part of his lover's
arousal.

Finally releasing the last of his will, Tom allowed himself  to simply
float in the pool of ecstasy created as the older  man worshipped his
body.  The nipping, stroking and  sucking gradually increased in
intensity until Tom was  sure that he would have screamed if he'd had
any breath left.

Vance smiled at his lover's whisper.

"I'm glad you suggested this instead of breakfast......"

The older man looked up and winked....and then swallowed.

"Pleasepleasepleaseplease..."  Tom intoned a hopeful litany, awaiting
Vance's next move.  He wasn't disappointed.

A slim moist finger began to circle his entrance, quickly  entering
and then retreating in time with the swallows. Tom's knees slowly fell
open until they were almost  touching the bed.  He was so close.....

Feeling the tensing of the velvet sac under his chin, Vance pulled
back and simply held his lover's length between  his lips.  He ran a
comforting hand over the younger man's belly.

Tom took a deep breath. In anyone else, he would have  considered this
an exquisite form of torture.  From the  beautiful man above him, he
knew it was the pinnacle of  adoration.

Not for the first time, he was overwhelmed by the joy of  knowing that
to the man kneeling over his body, he was  most important thing in the
universe.  Raising his arms to grip the headboard, he opened himself
to his lover.

"Again, please."

Vance stroked his lover's hip gently and moved to take him deeply.  He
was touched by the effort Tom was making to prolong their game.  There
were times when they had first  come together that Tom had come simply
from the older man's  voice.  It was flattering, but sometimes
frustrating.

Passing on lessons from a former lover, Vance had shown Tom how to
contain his excitement and therefore make his release that much more
intense.

They were lessons that both men had enjoyed to the fullest. But there
were limits to every man's endurance.

"Van...please....I need you *now*."

Van glanced up to see that the younger man was deadly  serious.

"Very well.  Since you've behaved so nicely."

Flushed and dripping with sweat, his love's moans had  begun to take
on a frantic cadence.  Quickly covering  himself with gel, Vance rose
and pressed into Tom in a  single, slow stroke.

"Yesssss!"

Pulling the long legs up onto his shoulders, Vance began a leisurely
thrusting.  He knew that they wouldn't last very long, Tom was
teetering on the very edge.

"Vannn!"

Looking down, Vance Crittenden thanked every deity that ever existed
for the man below him.  Gazing deeply into each other's eyes, nothing
seemed as important as the continued existence of their union.

Tom's breath caught on a sob, and then continued.

"Don't ever leave me....."

Before he could answer the younger man, Vance's release exploded
through him.  He felt Tom shudder and then  the hot flood of his
lover's essence between their bodies.

Vance carefully withdrew and pulled Tom tightly to his  chest.  The
sobs continued to wrack the young man's body.   The older man could do
nothing but hold him tightly and rock as if he were holding a child.

After a time the sobbing subsided, and Vance tenderly cleaned his
lover.  Taking him back into his arms, he finally spoke.

"Do you feel up to telling me what's wrong?"

Tom shivered.

"I'm terrified that I'm going to lose you when we go down to that
damned planet this afternoon."

"You can't think like that, love.  We have to do what's necessary to
find the others."

"I know that!  But why do you have to go?  It's not like we're setting
up a trade agreement or anything."

Vance sighed and tightened his hold on his lover.

"We don't know that.  That may be exactly what we have to do in order
to get the others back."

Tom didn't answer.

"Love, I can understand what you're feeling.  When I  lost Filea, I
thought my life had ended.  But then you came along and filled my life
with more joy than I had ever known.  If anything *does* happen today,
I want  you to promise me that you'll go on and live life to the very
fullest.  I won't accept anything less."

Tom chuckled softly.

"You won't, huh?"

"No. I'll come back and haunt you.  I'll play matchmaker with any
young eligible people you might meet."

"As much as you hound me now, that is a frightening prospect."

Vance grinned.

"Then it's a deal?"

Tom nodded and then kissed his lover.

"OK, but you have to promise me the same thing."

Crittenden forced himself to smile.  That option was unthinkable.  He
truly did understand what his young lover was feeling.  He lied.

"It's a deal, love."

---

Tom and Vance entered the conference room to find a  livid Janeway
still in the process of raking the alien, Neelix over the coals.  It
was because of his duplicity that another trip that afternoon was
necessary.


The Captain had beamed down to the Ocampan home world  with Chakotay,
Tom, Vance and Neelix.  It was dry, hot and barren.  Tom could
understand why Neelix had asked for water.  Anyone with a supply of
water on that rock would be rich.

Neelix had led them to an encampment, where they had  expected to find
help. Instead they had found themselves in  the midst of a group of
belligerent aliens called the Kazon,  who obviously wanted Neelix's
head on a stick.  Two large  containers of water later, they had found
themselves returning  to Voyager without the missing crew, but with a
beautiful  young Ocampan woman.  Vance had smirked at his lover's
obvious shock at the news that she was Neelix's lover.

---

Harry had learned that his Maquis companion was actually only
half-Klingon and named B'Elanna Torres.  They had finally been
released into the general population where they had learned that they
weren't the first humanoids dragged to the planet for the experiments.
They were far from happy to learn that none of the others had
survived.

A young Ocampan woman had befriended them and explained their
situation.

"How far underground are we?"

The young woman smiled.

"Quite a distance.  I will show you the tunnels to the surface
tomorrow.  Today, you need to rest."

Harry waited until she had gone to speak.

"What do you think, Maquis?"

B'Elanna turned to him with a smirk.  She liked this man, even if he
had been sent there to capture them.

"I think we do what she says, Starfleet.  We aren't going to  find the
tunnels on our own, and I hate to admit it, but she  is right.  I'm
exhausted."

Harry smiled and pointed to one of the couches in their new quarters.

"After you."

---

"Neelix, they helped rescue me.  We have to help them find their
friends."

"I rescued you!"

"They helped.  It's the least that we can due to repay  them."

"The least?!"

Chakotay and Janeway watched the exchange in amusement.

Neelix frowned and then slowly nodded.

Kathryn smiled and tapped her commbadge.

"Janeway to Crittenden."

"Yes, Captain?"

"We're heading back down to the home world.  Would  you ask Tom if he
would be willing to come too?"

"I'm ready, willing and able, Captain."

Kathryn smiled involuntarily at the breezy answer.

"Excellent, Mr. Paris.  If you would meet us in transporter  room
three?"

Kathryn ignored the big Maquis' frown.

"Of course, Captain.  We're on our way."

---

Janeway smiled inwardly at the looks of astonishment that her 'guest'
garnered from the crew.  She gestured him into the turbolift.

"Do you really think that dragging Paris along on this excursion will
serve any purpose?"

Kathryn turned a scathing look towards her companion.

"I have no idea what has transpired between you and Tom Paris.  I had
no idea that you even *knew* Tom Paris.  But I do know from previous
conversations with others that the man is not nearly the treacherous
rebel that you seem determined to make him out to be."

Chakotay smiled coolly.

"He always could talk his way out of most anything. Your Mr. Paris
flew a couple of weapons acquisitions for me.  I don't know if he
tired of our company or if we just weren't exciting enough for him,
but he jumped shipped after a couple of months.  You may trust him, I
don't.  I still say that he wouldn't be here if there weren't
something in it for him."

The turbolift doors opened and the pair made their way  towards the
transporter room.  Kathryn stopped the big man with a touch on the
arm.

"Tom is here because his lover is here.  His lover is here because I
wanted to at least try to talk you into surrender  before attempting a
capture.  Tom has no ulterior motives  and if you would make the
effort, you would find that the  young man you knew a year ago has
changed drastically  due to a little love and caring."

Janeway triggered the transporter room door before  continuing.

"Something that you obviously never tried."

Kathryn pushed past the astonished man and into the room to join the
others.  Tom and Vance looked up  from their smiling conversation to
see a very thoughtful  Chakotay watching them from across the pad.
Nothing was said however, as Janeway turned to the ensign at the
controls.

"Engage."

---

Upon beaming down, the party found themselves next to a small
settlement.  Kes moved slowly towards one of the men working in the
small garden.

"Kes!"

The others watched with interest as Kes was enveloped in an
affectionate hug.  Tom nudged his lover and gestured  with his head
towards Neelix who stood apart from the rest  of the group.

"If looks could kill...."

Vance just nodded.  They both turned back to the conversation  in
front of them.

"Really, I'm fine.  These people rescued me from the Kazon and we've
come here to find two of their crews who were  taken by the
Caretaker."

The young man smiled.

"They're at the Central Clinic."

Kathryn finally joined the conversation.

"Can you take us there?

"No, she can't."

Janeway turned to find two more Ocampans slowly approaching. Before
she could respond, Kes engaged them in conversation.

The crew of the Voyager was fascinated. The Ocampans were telepaths,
but there was obviously a lot of dissension among  various groups as
to just what their potential was.

Tom smiled as he listened to the tiny girl upbraid what were obviously
leaders among the community for their reluctance  to embrace their
powers and live their lives the way that they were meant to, not the
way the Caretaker would have them.

Kes ended the conversation.  "I'm taking them to their friends. Are
there any willing to go with us?"

Janeway smiled at the positive response.  Squeezing Kes'  small
shoulder, she spoke.

"Thank you."

---

"C'mon, Starfleet.  Just a little farther...."

B'Elanna tried to pull Harry back to his feet.  Their friend had
brought them to one of the tunnels leading to the surface and wished
them luck.  After seeing the condition of their route and the distance
involved, Harry began to despair.

"You know, this is not what I had in mind for my first mission.
Dying wasn't really an option that I had considered."

"It's not an option to be considered now.  Get off of your ass and
*come* *on*!"

Harry grinned at his tormentor.

"Maybe if *I* had a little Klingon blood."

Torres snorted.

"Believe me, it's not worth it. I--  wait a minute."

Harry sat in silence as his companion stared upward.

"Hear it?  Those pulsing sounds are getting more powerful and more
frequent.  Something's happening and I don't think we want to be here
for it."

Harry decided that he might be ready to do some more  climbing after
all.

---

The visit to the clinic turned up nothing.  The pair hadn't  been seen
for hours.  Janeway's feeling of anxiety grew as  Chakotay spoke.

"The pulses of power from the Caretaker are speeding up.   I think
that's what the old man was talking about when he  said that there was
no time left.  Something big is coming and we're going to be right in
the middle of it."

Tom spoke up.  "I think Big Man's right, Captain."

Tom didn't notice the looks of the others as he unconsciously  used
the Maquis' nickname.

"Did you notice that the old man looked a lot weaker the  last time we
talked to him?  I think that whatever he is, is dying and he's trying
to ensure that the Ocampans will be safe here without him."

Tom paused a moment with a far away look.

"What if he's been looking for a replacement, and that's  why he's
been taking others for testing?"

Janeway nodded slowly.

"You may be right....but if he's dying, how are we going  to get
home?"


"Tuvok to Janeway."  Kathryn slapped impatiently at her badge.

"Janeway."

"Captain, you may have noticed an increase in the energy pulses.  Part
of those are actually detonating on the surface now.  It appears that
the Caretaker is trying to seal the Ocampan settlements off from the
surface, possibly in an attempt to protect them from the Kazon."

Kathryn ran a angry hand around her neck.  //Wonderful....//

"Captain, I believe that I now have enough information for a
hypothesis."

"Go ahead."

"I believe that the Caretaker is dying and is making a final payment
on the debt he believes that he owes the Ocampan  people."

All eyes turned to Tom, who smiled and waggled his eyebrows. Vance
slapped him lightly on the back of the head, and even Chakotay had to
smile.

"Thank you, Tuvok.  We'll just have to move a little faster. Janeway
out."

Turning back to the others, she spoke.

"It sounds like we have less time than we thought.  Tom,  you take Kes
and Neelix and check out the tunnels."

They watched the trio hurry away.  She turned back to Vance and
Chakotay.

"Let's go talk to the doctors and see what they can tell us."

---

"Gods, how many tunnels are there?"

Kes smiled.  "Quite a few.  All we can do is check them one at a
time."

Tom nodded in agreement and activated his tricorder.

Smiling, he spoke.  "That won't be necessary.  They're in this one."
He signaled to the others to follow.

"Paris to Captain Janeway.  We found the correct tunnel. We're
starting up now."

Kathryn smiled at Vance.

"That's excellent.  Beam out as soon as you reach them." Kathryn
grinned.  "And *we* will beam out from here."

"Aye, Captain.  That's OK, leave us to do all the climbing."

Kathryn could hear the grin in his voice.

Vance smiled to himself at his lover's acknowledgment.  No  matter how
he joked; the young man was Starfleet through  and through.  The last
couple of days had proved it.  Janeway's  conversation with the ship
caught his attention.

"I'm sorry, Captain, but there is too much interference to beam  you
out.  You'll have to come closer to the surface."

"Very well.  Janeway out."  Kathryn turned to her companions. "Well,
gentlemen, I think that we'll be heading for those tunnels, after
all."

---

//Gods!//  Tom struggled to stay on his feet as another  series of
weapons fire hit the planet.  Dodging ever larger pieces of rubble, he
continued to climb, step after step.

The last bit of news from the Captain hadn't helped.  Beam-out was
impossible from their locations.  They would have to go all the way to
the surface and then try to find a beam-out  point.

//Harry...?//

Tom grinned as he recognized that the debris just ahead was actually
his friend.

"Harry?"

Harry smiled fuzzily.

"Took you long enough..."

"Sorry, you weren't that easy to find.  But you should have  known
that I wouldn't give up on the only friend I've got  on the ship."

Kim's voice grew a bit stronger as he replied, "Friend?   That's your
opinion.."

The two men smiled.

"Paris to Janeway.  We've got them and we're heading  for the
surface."

"Good work.  Meet you there, Mr. Paris."

Tom clutched at the thought of leaving Vance and the  others to fend
for themselves, but knew that he now had  four people depending on him
for assistance in their  survival.

Turning to Kes,  "I hope you know the way out of here."

Kes smiled, first at Tom and then at Torres who looked  ready to balk.

"I do.  That's what got me into trouble in the first place."

It didn't take long, and soon they were standing before  the barrier
that protected the Ocampans.

"Follow me exactly.  This field is strong enough to burn."

Once on the other side, Tom began a quick search for the most viable
route to the surface.

"Neelix!  I need you and your phaser on the double."

---

Tom thrust his hand through the rocks and felt the heat of the sun.
Forcing his way up and into the light, he  carefully pulled Kes,
Harry, and Torres to safety.  Neelix  squeezed through and grinned
brightly.

"Paris to Voyager.  We're on the surface.  Can you lock on?"

"Yes, but I'm only reading five signatures."

"Three of us are still in the tunnel.  Prepare to beam up  everyone
but me."

Neelix looked alarmed.

"Mr. Paris?"

Tom just shook his head.  With a sigh, Neelix stepped away  from the
other three.

"Sweeting, take care of the others.  We'll meet you back  on the
ship."

Smiling, Tom removed Neelix's badge and handed it to Kes, who placed
her arms around Harry and B'Elanna.  Stepping back, he commed the
ship.

"Glad to have the help.  Voyager, three to beam up approximately  two
meters in front of me.  Engage."

The trio shimmered from sight.

---

Kathryn tore the sleeve from her uniform and quickly  wrapped it
around the gash in Chakotay's leg.  The big man almost screamed as the
agony washed over him.

"Def...initely broken,"  he managed to gasp.  He noticed  that Janeway
appeared to be in much the same condition. Crittenden was silent,
holding the side of his head.

"I can't leave the three of you alone for a minute, can I?"

Kathryn smiled as Tom's cheerful statement broke the darkness.

Tom quickly checked the three for injuries.

"Neelix, why don't you take the Captain.  That ankle is only sprained.
Vance and I will follow with Chakotay... if that's OK with you,
Captain??"

"Right now, it sounds wonderful, Mr. Paris."

The two limped upwards.

Tom turned to his lover.

"It's really not very far.  If you're not up to helping, I can carry
Chakotay and you can lead the way."

Vance sat up with a slight frown.

"I'm fine.  Just get me onto my feet."

Tom sighed.

"If you need help getting to your feet, I don't think you're going to
be much good carrying someone."  He kissed the older man.  "Start
climbing, I'll be right behind."

Vance carefully began picking his way up the stairway.  Each  new
barrage weakened the already tenuous connections to the wall.  He
paused and then retraced his steps as the conversation  below him
filtered upward.

"Come on, Chakotay, there's no time for this shit!"

"You're right.  Get the hell out of here before we're both killed."

"I don't think so.  Besides if I save you, your life belongs to me.
Isn't that the way it goes with your people?"

Chakotay smiled grimly.  "Wrong tribe."

Tom shook his head and reached for the other man, who promptly pulled
back out of reach.  Sighing, Paris climbed back onto  the lower steps
and pulled Chakotay to a standing position.

"I don't think so.  Damn it...you'd rather die than let me help you,
wouldn't you?!"

To Vance, Chakotay looked to be caught between the logic of
cooperation and his hatred of Tom.

"Fine, you want to die a fool, that's all right with me," said the
Maquis reaching for Tom.

Vance had heard enough.

"Tom, come back over here and let me take him.  I'm bigger  than you
and stand a better chance."

Tom looked up in surprise.

"You're supposed to be at the barrier by now.  I've got him, even if
he does weigh as much as a shuttle.  Gods, Chakotay....can't you turn
yourself into a bird or something?"

"Wouldn't work, you're too heavy."

A rumbling started deep in the walls.  Vance watched in horror  as the
stairs that his lover stood on turned loose and plummeted into the
darkness.

"Tom!"

Paris grinned and adjusted his grip on the wall he clung to.

"We're OK, babe.  You know how much I like rock climbing."

Vance shook his head, almost sobbing in relief as somehow his lover
continued to climb with the heavy burden on his back.

"Give me your hand, love, and I'll pull you over."

Tom shook his head quickly.

"No.  After that, I think the best thing for you to do is back up. I
don't think that these steps will hold all three of us."

Crittenden forced himself blindly backwards, his eyes glued to the
pair below.  Chakotay looked up through a haze of pain and saw the
barely controlled anxiety in the other man's eyes.   It suddenly
turned into affection and the big Maquis realized  that Vance was
looking into his lover's eyes.  Chakotay turned his head marginally
and saw the same expression on Paris' face.

Noticing the attention of his two-legged backpack, Tom spoke. "We've
almost got it, Big Man.  The rest will be a breeze."

Paris hoped he was telling the truth.

---

Tom and Vance made their way to the bridge.

They had arrived aboard the ship amidst an attack from the  Caretaker.
Chakotay and B'Elanna had been treated and  released to beam back to
their ship.

"Sound Red Alert! Mr. Paris, take the helm and lay in a  course for
the array."

---

Voyager and the Crazy Horse arrived to find themselves in the company
of the Kazon.  They were anything but happy  to hear of the Captain's
plans to use the array to go home.

"We can't allow you to use the station.  It is now ours."

Kathryn shook her head in silent amusement.  That seemed to be the
theme for this quadrant.

"Mr. Kim, close the channel.  Mr. Tuvok, if they try to stop  us, open
fire.  Mr. Paris, keep us away from their weapons."

Vance watched as his lover acknowledged with a feral grin. The change
in the young man was fascinating and a little frightening.

Voyager darted and dove, her occupants holding on as  inertial forces
tried to override the dampers.

Kathryn turned to Crittenden and grinned just as fiercely as Tom had.
Vance returned a bemused grin.

//I wonder if they teach that in the academy?//

Janeway straightened.

"Mr. Kim, hail the Crazy Horse."

"Chakotay here."

"I'm heading back to the array with Tuvok to see if we can get the
hell out of here.  Can you help keep our friends busy?"

Chakotay chuckled.

"I thought that was what we were doing...but I've have a couple  of
tricks up my sleeve.  Chakotay out."

Kathryn stood and gestured to Tuvok.

"Mr. Paris, you have the bridge."

Tom looked up from the helm in astonishment and then grinned hugely.
Vance laughed aloud.

"Aye, Captain."

---

"Mr. Tuvok, you know what to do."

At the Vulcan's nod, Kathryn moved towards the music playing softly in
the barn.

"We need you to send us back."

The old man just laughed.

"I have no strength left.  Just barely enough to complete  my work."

"Your trying to make sure the Ocampans will be safe after  you die."

The old man nodded.

"As it is, I can only give them another five years.  Then  they will
run out of power and have to return to the surface.   They will never
survive."

Kathryn crouched in front of the alien.

"That's the debt that you owe.  You destroyed their planet."

"Yes, we had no idea that our technology would be so  harmful to their
environment.  Two of us stayed behind to care for them.  However, my
companion grew tired of waiting and moved on."

"Why did you kidnap our people and make them ill?"

"It wasn't a disease!  I was looking for compatible life."

Kathryn's breath blew out in a rush.

"You were trying to.....procreate?"

The old man nodded wearily.  "The Ocampa are children. They cannot
take care of themselves."

"Have you tried letting them take care of themselves?"

"They're children!"

The conversation was interrupted by a hail from Voyager.

"Captain, we have problems up here."

"Such as....Mr. Kim?"

"The Kazon have called in back-up...big back-up."

That was putting it lightly.  Voyager was dwarfed by the huge vessel,
rocking wildly as it was bombarded by weapons fire.

"Lock onto us, but wait for my signal."

"Aye, Captain."

---

Chakotay watched as Voyager was blown backwards  by the latest volley.

"They've lost weapons, Chakotay."

"Chakotay to Voyager."

"Voyager here."

Chakotay paused at the sound of an explosion in the  background.
Tom's voice returned a moment later.

"Voyager *still* here."

"Paris, neither one of our ships can take much more and neither one
can defeat them on  own.  I need you to transport my people over to
Voyager and I'm going to ram the Crazy Horse down their throats."

There was a pause.

"You got it, Captain."  Chakotay started at the title  of respect.

"But don't think that this makes us even, Big Man.  Your butt is still
mine, so you had better survive."

Chakotay rolled his eyes.  He should have known better.

"Just do it, Paris."

---

Chakotay sat working furiously to keep his ship together long enough
to make his plan work.  He watched briefly as Voyager took hit after
hit, and then threw Crazy Horse into a collision course.

"Damn it, Chakotay, beam out!"  Paris screamed as the ship flew to
death.

"Not yet!"

"Cha-"

"I said, not yet!"

Chakotay watched as the Kazon ship grew to fill his  view screen.
Explosion after explosion rocked the  ship, and still he waited.

"Now!"

The Maquis ship plowed into the enemy as Chakotay shimmered and then
disappeared.

Harry looked away from the near blinding explosion  as the Kazon ship
began to break up, pieces spiraling  towards the array.  He looked at
B'Elanna and smiled.

"We got him."

---

"Captain, I have found a way to send us back, but it  will take
several hours to prepare."

Kathryn turned to the Caretaker.

"Help us."

The old man slowly shook his head.

"I...cannot.  The Kazon must not take possession of this station.
Self-destruct has been triggered."

Arguing was useless.  As Kathryn prepared to send  Tuvok to find the
destruct mechanism, an explosion  rocked the array.

"Janeway to Paris.  What's going on?"

"Paris here.  That was the Kazon mother-ship.  It looks like it pretty
well pulverized a large portion of the array, Captain."

Kathryn started to answer and then halted in amazement. The barn had
faded and then come back, only to disappear  permanently.  They were
now faced with the real station and the real appearance of the
Caretaker.

A huge mass glowing in a rainbow of color and light, the  alien spoke
last words.

"Captain, you must not let the Kazon gain ownership of this array.
The self-destruct was disabled with the explosion, and I am too weak
to stop them.  You must save the Ocampa....."

Janeway looked at the being which had slowly darkened and shrank.  It
was now a small crystallized lump and obviously  dead.  She picked it
up and turned it over in her hands.

"I'm not sure what to do.  I agree that the Kazon shouldn't be allowed
to control this array."

Tuvok spoke up.

"We would clearly be in violation of the Prime Directive  if we made
any further attempts to assist the Ocampa or  change the balance of
power in this sector."

Kathryn sighed.

"That may be, my friend, but we *are* involved, and we  already have
done much to change the balance of power.   I can't leave things the
way that they are."

---

"I had hoped to find the ship in a little better condition," Kathryn
said wryly as she entered the bridge and  moved to her chair.

Vance caught her and stood her back on her feet as Tom dodged another
barrage of weapons fire.  Nodding her thanks, she ordered Tuvok to
prepare to open fire  on the array.

"You can't do that.  We need it to get home!"

Janeway turned her gaze on the Klingon woman before  her.

"Be that as it may, we cannot allow this technology to fall into the
hands of the Kazon.  We will have to find another way home, because I
am not going to trade the Ocampa's lives for our own."

Torres wasn't satisfied.

"You have no right to make that decision!"

B'Elanna was brought up quickly by a big hand on her bicep.  It was
Chakotay.

"She has every right.  She's the Captain."

Torres looked as if she wanted to argue further, but held her tongue.

"Captain, devices are locked on target."

"Thank you, Mr. Tuvok.  Mr. Paris?"

Tom nodded.  "In position, Captain."

Kathryn took a deep breath and faced the view screen.

"Fire."

One by one, the bombs impacted and exploded.  A blinding series of
explosions swept through the array, which was soon reduced to
particles.

The silence on the bridge was deafening.  Tom turned slightly to look
at his lover.  Vance was ashen, thinking of all the family and friends
that had been left behind  by the crews of the two ships.

Harry's voice cut through the quiet.

"Captain, we are being hailed by the Kazon."

"You have made an enemy today."  The Kazon maje's face vanished from
the view screen to be replaced by the withdrawing ships.

---

Tom sat quietly on the couch with his lover's head lying  in his lap.
His mind was reeling from the Captain's  offer of a field promotion.

"I'm back in Starfleet, a lieutenant, and the Senior pilot of a
beautiful ship. I should be happier..."

Vance sighed.

"I know.  I can't help feeling sad at the thought of all the  people
in the Alpha quadrant that are mourning our deaths. It's as tragic as
the losses of the people on this ship who may never see their loved
ones again."

Tom ran gentle fingers through the other man's hair.

"I'm the luckiest person on the ship in that aspect.  I've  been given
everything back and the only person who  really cares about me is here
with me."

Crittenden sat up.

"Tom, I'm sure that there are others who care and will be saddened at
your disappearance."

Tom just shook his head.

"Nope, my father already considers me dead, and  everyone else dropped
me like a hot rock when I was cashiered from the service."  He smiled
wanly.

"I'm afraid that you're the only member of the 'Friends of Tom Paris
Club'.  Well, maybe Harry."

Crittenden grinned and eased his hand into the front  of his lover's
trousers.  The warm skin began to lengthen  and heat against his palm.
Tom's head dropped back as  he moaned.

"Let me show you just how friendly that I can be, love."

Vance slowed his thrusting to prolong the heat and the  passion that
swam through his body.

Tom writhed below him, gasping as each deep thrust shook him; quickly
pushing him towards a mindless state  where only sensation and
pleasure existed.

Sensing the change in tempo, Tom opened his eyes to find emerald heat
fastened upon him.  He grinned even as he moaned in ecstasy.

"Whatcha lookin' at, Van?"

Vance's body rocked with sudden laughter.  Forcing himself back into
rhythm with the body under him,  he surprised his lover with a quick
swat on the ass.

"You...are such...a brat!"

Tom grinned again and then tightened down on his lover's shaft.

"Gods!"

The brat had surprised him again and thrown his plans for a long
leisurely bout of loving by the wayside.  He gripped the silky thighs
that lay against his chest, and sped to a punishing cadence that
pushed them both to their limits.

"Yesss!  Oh, god, Van....just like that!"

Tom gripped the headboard and met his lover thrust for thrust.  It was
wild, hot, and exactly what was needed to release the fear and
frustration from the previous days.

"Aaaahhh, god!  Van-"

Tom sobbed and arched as his orgasm pulsed through his body.  Over and
over, his creamy essence spilled to pool on his chest and belly.  Van
buried himself  deeply in his lover's body and shook, coming harder
than he could ever remember.

The throbbing pleasure slowed and then released them, allowing the
older man to withdraw from his lover. It was then that Vance noticed
that Tom had indeed blacked out from their love making.

Chuckling, he slowly crawled from the bed and wet a towel.  He sat and
cleaned the limp form and then himself.

Idly tossing the towel to the floor, Vance rolled his lover onto his
side and spooned up behind him.

His last conscious thought was of the enjoyment he would have in
ribbing the younger man about passing out from 'this old man's'
lovemaking.

---

Chakotay entered his new quarters and looked around. Cavit's things
would have to be boxed up and stored, but the big man was in no hurry.
He chuckled. It wasn't like  he had anything to unpack anyway.  It had
all gone the way  of the Crazy Horse.  A small sound in the next room
made  him whirl.  Entering the room, he smiled at the sight.

"I was beginning to think that you were going to work  all night."

A nude Seska lay draped casually across the bed.  Rising  slowly into
a crouch, she lazily ran one hand over her breasts and teased the
flesh between her legs with the other.

Chakotay moved to stand before her, mesmerized with the  vision of the
woman openly pleasuring herself.  She grinned  and rocked her hips.

"I came here to see if I could help you relax, lover."

Chakotay grinned and pushed her onto her back.  He  pulled her into a
deep kiss which she returned almost violently.  Working a hand down
between them, he pressed two fingers deep into her body; smiling as
she arched and moaned.

"I think that you probably can..."

Seska pulled his shirt open and then moved to bite at a small brown
button of flesh.  Chakotay hissed and  pulled her head back.  She
grinned and rubbed against  his erect shaft.

"I realize that I'm not Tom Paris, but I hear he's taken-"

Seska cried out in sudden pain as two iron hands  suddenly tightened
on her forearms.

"You bitch!  How dare you even mention that!"

Pushing the woman away from him, he stood.

"C'mon, Chak, I was joking.  I just wanted to get you out of control.
You much more fun that way...."

Climbing from the bed, Seska wound her arms around  Chakotay and slid
her hands up his chest.

"C'mon, lover.  We can discuss how you're going to get control of
Voyager."

Chakotay froze.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's all over the ship about how Janeway blew up the only chance we
had to get home.  Your crew will follow you anywhere, and I have a
feeling that after today, most of hers will too."  Seska ground
herself against her lover.

"Think about it later.  Right now...."

Chakotay sighed and pulled the woman against him. She made love unlike
any Bajoran he had ever met, male or female.

Putting the control of Voyager firmly out of his mind, he  picked her
up and carried her back to bed.

Bittersweet memories of one drunken, but oh-so pleasurable  encounter
with another were not easily set aside....

---

Kathryn sat alone in the darkness of her quarters.  The reports were
promising.  Seventy-eight percent of systems were back on line.

She had given the Maquis the option of joining her crew  and had made
Chakotay her second-in-command.  She had talked privately to Tuvok
first, wanting him to know that it  was as much a strategic move as
anything else.

The Vulcan had understood the logic.  In order to control the Maquis,
it really was the only answer.

It was going to be a bumpy ride for a while.  The Starfleet crew
members were stunned at the fact that some of the  Maquis now
out-ranked them, and the Maquis were bridling  under the stricter
rules of Starfleet.

She had also seen some very conflicting emotions on  Chakotay's face
as she had given Tom his promotion  and assignment as Senior pilot.

That pair would definitely bear watching.

Crittenden was a different matter.  He had turned down the option of
joining Starfleet, but had accepted her offer of the position as
ship's counselor.

She had a feeling that she would be needing one.

---

Harry sighed.  He hesitated to contact Tom, knowing that Crittenden
was there  with him.

//God knows what they're doing...//

Harry grinned suddenly.  Even knowing Tom Paris for as short a time as
he had, he still knew exactly what they  were doing.

The same thing that he would be doing if Libby were  here.

A sob bubbled up and broke through.  Then another. Harry slid down
from his position next to the port and  pulled his knees to his chest.
Rocking, sobbing, the  youngest member of the Starfleet crew mourned
the  loss of all he loved.

"Paris to Kim."

Harry took a deep breath and attempted to answer.

"Y-y-yeah."

"Harry?"

Silence, as Harry bit down on his hand to keep from sobbing aloud.

"I'll be right there, Harry."

Tom turned to look at his lover sitting on the couch.

"Van-"

"Don't worry, love.  He needs you."

Tom moved towards the door.

"Love?"

Tom turned and smiled in response.

"If you need help with Harry, just comm me."

The younger man walked quickly back across the room  and knelt to hug
his lover fiercely.

"Have I told you in the last five minutes *just how much* I love you?"

Vance smiled.

"Everything you do tells me that.  Now go on and help  your friend.  I
have a feeling that it might be a busy few days for me too, in my new
capacity."

Tom smiled and stood.

"Kathryn Janeway is a wise woman.  You'll make an excellent counselor.
I'm living proof."

With a slight wave, Tom slid out the door.  Vance sat and  thought
about the truth in Tom's statement.

Living proof.

If there was one thing of which Vance Patrick Crittenden  could be
proud, it was his efforts in pulling Tom back from the darkness.

He had no doubt that his lover would have been dead by now.  Whether
from drink, suicide, or worse, he shuddered to consider.  All he knew
was that the wonderful brightness  that was Tom Paris was still in
existence due in great part to  his patience, love, and care.

And for that, he could be proud.

---

TBC