This story is dedicated to the those who died and those who survived the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers in New York on September the 11th (least we should forget)
Tom Paris stepped out onto the balcony, the air was cool and the starry sky sported a full moon. He could see clear across the bay where Pernode city nestled, to the deep dark blue ocean beyond. He was so mesmerised by the panoramic view that he didn’t at first see Captain Janeway further along leaning against the wooden rail.
She was dressed in a beautiful crimson red gown that flowed down to her ankles and clung in all the right places, but it afforded her no warmth against the night air and she hugged her bare arms.
“Captain?” Paris called, automatically slipping out of his dress uniform jacket. She didn’t appear to hear him though so he waited until he had dropped the jacket around her shoulders before speaking again.
“Captain?”
Startled by his voice, presence and the still warm cloth Janeway turned and collided into Paris firm chest. Tom Promptly grasped her arms to stop her from falling backwards, briefly placing him self within a hairs breath of her delicate lips. In the moonlight, he noticed they were softly brushed with makeup to match her dress.
Steadying her feet Janeway drew back and clutched the Jacket around her semi exposed breasts. (I knew this dress was a mistake) she chided herself, remembering the lustful glances from the senator’s aid. Yet Paris wasn’t staring at her assets, he looked instead into her eyes and raised a hand to tuck a stray lock of hair back into place. His warm fingers on her cold face and colder ear generated a shiver.
“You should have brought a wrap or something?” Paris said returning his hands to his sides.
“I…I hadn’t planned on being outside.” Janeway stammered, and then said in way of an explanation. “I needed some air.”
“I know what you mean.” Paris indicated the raucous party in the banquet hall just beyond the lavishly curtained windows. “These Phenylate’s sure like to throw a party; this is my third this week.”
“Its my fifth.” Janeway countered.
Paris smiled at this. “Most of them are for the most bizarre reasons too, take this one tonight, they hold it every month to honour the ‘Guardians in the moon’.”
“Chakotay reckons the reason they have never had a war is because there too busy having a good time to declare one.”
“He’s probably right.” Paris returned, watching as a smile creased her frozen lips. “Speaking of whom isn’t he here tonight?”
“No he bowed out at the last minuet.” Janeway’s smile turned to a frown, privately her relationship with the ex-marquee officer was on rocky ground but it was just that ‘private’ and she worried for a moment that Paris might push her for an explanation.
“My date declared an early night also.” Paris replied.
“Oh, I thought Klingon’s were made of sturdier stuff?” Janeway breathed a sigh of relief.
“They are, but Belanna hates……….What the hell is that?”
Janeway followed Paris finger into the night sky and the streak of light heading towards the Phenylan’s moon. Seconds later it seemed to hit creating a tiny explosion on the surface that would have been much larger for real.
“Chakotay to Janeway.”
Janeway’s combadge burst into life and she reached beneath Paris jacket to activate it. “Go ahead.”
“An asteroid approximately ten meters square has just collided with the Phenylan’s moon.”
“I know, we... I saw it.” Janeway wasn’t sure why she changed the ‘we’ to an ‘I’, except that for some reason she didn’t want Chakotay to know she was alone on the balcony with Paris.
“What you can’t see.” Chakotay continued. “Is the other 1968 following behind it heading straight for Phenylan’s northern hemisphere and you.”
“How soon?” Janeway asked while slipping her arms into the jacket. “And where from?”
“Fifteen point three seconds.” Chakotay replied. “Origin unknown at this time.”
“Get Voyager out of danger and do what you can.”
“I’m beaming you back first.”
“No….”
Janeway’s words and Chakotays comlink were both cut off as another streak of light, this time much closer lit up the night sky, before slamming into the valley wall to the left of the city. The force sent tons of earth and rubble crashing down the hillside onto the homes below. Moments later two more hit the properties along Pernode’s affluent beachfront igniting the buildings. By now sirens were beginning to wail and people in the streets below were looking to the sky in fear.
Behind Janeway and Paris, Senator Rimington and his entourage came onto the balcony. He’d obviously received a message from someone because his usually cheerful rosy face was pale and filled with terror. “Captain Janeway what’s happening?” He asked hoping the star traveller had some answers.
Unfortunately as he spoke, another asteroid landed smack in the middle of down town Pernode, taking out a department store and several offices. Civilians that had followed the diplomat out immediately began screaming and wailing.
“Senator you must get your people to shelters.”
“Shelters? What?”
A world without the knowledge of war also had no knowledge of defence or security and therefore its people had no idea how to protect them selves against the disaster that was upon them.
“Basements, cellars, anywhere strong or fortified.” Paris yelled over the increasing noise.
“This building has a basement, it’s the city archive.”
“Perfect, get these people down there now!” Janeway yelled.
“Shouldn’t they go to their homes?” One of the senator’s aids asked.
Janeway recognised him as the same one that had been leering at her earlier and was about to give him an answer when a burning rock whizzed past the exposed balcony, missing them by a foot but hitting the next building along. Frozen with shock the balcony’s occupants watched as a huge chunk of the office blocks supper structure fell away. In the street below terrified people ducked for cover as glass, brick and fire rained down upon them.
“I don’t think so!” Janeway said, turning and pushing senator Rimington through the crowd back into the banquet hall. Tom Paris moved with her keeping one hand on the small of her back as he tagged along. She knew he wouldn’t be leaving her side until this was all over and surprisingly found some comfort in the thought.
“Everyone listen.” Janeway called over the din of the room, the music had long been silenced but the worried and confused voices now created more noise than it had. “Senator?” Handing the floor over to the older man, she stood back,
Shaking he cleared his throat. “Everyone, listen.” He said repeating Janeway but getting a better response. “Listen…my people the sky rocks have returned ….but don’t panic….Captain Janeway has assured me we will be safe in the basement……..so if you would all make your way calmly…..”
“GET DOWN!”
Paris cut the Senator speech short as a shockwave from an almighty blast close by shattered the room’s scenic windows sending shards of glass flying across the room. He had heard the glass rattle just seconds before it blew and knowing what was to come had called out.
Janeway heard Paris call but before she could react for herself, he pushed her to the ground beneath him. Moments later from the safety of his shelter she opened her eyes to the gruesome sight of a beheaded torso, and gasped as she realised it was the leering aid.
Three hundred individuals at once screamed then rushed for the exit, double doors that had been ample wide enough on the way in earlier now seemed wholly inadequate as the frantic people, some injured, tried to flee, unfortunately many others didn’t get back up.
Paris shook the broken glass from his back while simultaneously checking for injuries to himself and Janeway. He had tried in the seconds available to cover as much of her body as possible but her bare legs had been an easy target and he could see blood from the cuts she’d sustained seeping dark red into the crimson of her dress. “Captain?” Paris squeezed her shoulder gently as he spoke to her. “Hold still your injured.”
Ignoring the pain she asked. “How many? How many crew?”
Paris knew she wanted to know how many of Voyagers crew were currently planet side and in danger but he didn’t have any exact figures to give her. Looking around he could see members of the crew that had been at the party helping with the other injured and trying to sort out the mob at the door but he was too concerned about Janeway to count them. He couldn’t see senator Rimington anywhere but he did however see a friendly face. “Harry!”
“Captain?” Harry Kim had Jenny Delaney in tow as he knelt down next to his stricken captain.
“I’m ok.” Janeway said through gritted teeth. She could feel Tom wrapping something around her leg and bit hard on her bottom lip least she should cry out from the pain.
“I managed to make brief contact with Voyager just now.” Harry told her. “But all I got was a garbled message from Belanna about radiation.”
“Try…again?” Janeway said, lifting her head slightly and watching as he tapped the combadge then frowning when all he got back was static.
Tom heard what Harry said and found some comfort in the fact that Belanna was safe but many more weren’t, including the fifteen Starfleet crew that he could now count, remaining in the devastated banquet hall.
“Get to the basement all of you.” Paris ordered, out ranking their now injured Captain. Most moved instantly but some hung back.
“Do as he says.” Janeway yelled confirming that Paris was now in charge.
“You too Harry.” Tom said noting how the obviously frightened Jenny Delaney kept a tight grip on his arm. The question of where the other twin was flashed through his mind but there was no time to ask. Hauling Janeway to her feet the four off them made there way to the door and the stairs.
The sounds of sirens, screams and explosions faded as they began their descent down the concrete windowless stair well but the building vibrated and the lights flashed ominously with each floor they descended.
Assisted by Paris, Janeway took each excruciatingly step without complaint but by the time they reached the seventh floor landing it was becoming apparent to her that she wasn’t going to make it all the way down on her own two feet. Paris had obviously come to the same conclusion because without a word he suddenly lifted her up. Cradled safely within his strong arms Janeway wrapped her own around his neck and closed her eyes telling herself she would open them again once they were safe.
Out side meteors were still dropping mercilessly from the night sky onto Pernode city and 50 square miles in either direction. The devastation was nothing short of Armageddon, around the planet rescue and other resources were being mobilised but they could do nothing but wait for the bombardment to stop. Up in space however, Voyager alone and with less than half her crew battled to do what they could.
“Get a tractor beam on that one now!” Chakotay yelled. A huge rock the size of Voyager was heading for Phenylan’s ocean, if it hit the Tsunami effect would take out what was left of Pernode and the three million people that lived within her. Not to mention the Starfleet officers stranded inside her walls.
“Course changed.” Belanna announced. “Targeting secondary object now.”
Chakotay nodded and sat back a little in his seat to his left he could see Tuvox at weapons lost in a whirl of activity as he repeatedly fired the ships phaser banks at the larger asteroids. He as the rest of the crew knew they couldn’t possibly take all off them out but by breaking up the larger ones they hoped to minimise the damage on the planet below.
Down in sickbay, Voyagers EMH prepared medical kits and advised the army of volunteers he had gathered on how to prioritise the injured for beaming back to Voyager. That was if Seven of Nine could work out how to transport and communicate through the radiation soup that was riding along with the asteroids. At the back of the doctors mind though was another thought ‘Captain Janeway’?
This same thought echoed in Chakotays mind and sent balls of fear rolling around in his stomach. They hadn’t parted on good terms that evening, a debate into how much longer they would need to stay on Phenylan had turned into a small argument that he now desperately wanted to apologise for.
Paris lungs burned from exhaustion and his thighs ached with each step but the pain was nothing compared to the one in his chest as he watched his best friend stop and wait at each landing for him to catch up.
“Harry go, take Jenny.” He called. “Don’t wait for us.” But Harry took no head.
Then two flights before the ground level they heard an almighty boom and felt the building rock beneath there feet. Unable to stay standing Paris dropped to the floor, his legs hanging over the steps as he gripped the stair rail. Kathryn had an equally life or death grip on him.
Below them Harry and Jenny tossed to the floor by the blast clung to each other terrified as they were engulfed in a furnace of heat and dust.
Once the building stopped swaying and the dust abated Tom called to his friend. “Harry?” When no reply came he gathered up Janeway, ignored the pain in his limbs and raced down the last steps. He expected at any moment to stumble over their charred body’s but nothing prepared him for the sight that awaited him at the bottom.
The lobby of Pernode city’s most prestigious building was gone. It had been blown away along with the unfortunate fools trying to escape. Furniture hung from the rooms above and fallen debris burned around them adding to the chocking smoke. Beyond the ragged gapping hole they could see flames rising high above the city outlining her against the night sky. On the edge of the devastation two figures stood staring at something on the floor.
Tom picked his way carefully across the burning rubble to where he could get a closer look at what they had found, and then he wished he hadn’t. On the ground before them was the bloody remains of a Starfleet officer, unfortunately it was no longer possible to tell who he was.
“Oh my god!” Janeway gasped twisting around in Paris arms before he could stop her.
“Don’t look.” He whispered, turning his body away from the macabre display. “Harry, we have to go!”
Harry was frozen in a haze of disbelief and shook but Jenny tugged at his arm desperately.
“Please Harry?”
Hearing her pleases above the increasing fire crackles and distance screams he began to move, yet his eyes remained on the corpse until the last moment.
The Basement was huge, sprawling out beneath the building and was filled with row upon row of shelves that reached from floor to ceiling. Most of them ran parallel but some criss-crossed each other and others inexplicably lead to dead ends. All of them though were stacked with the same brown boxes, labelled and arranged alphabetically.
Hiding between the shelves were a hundred or more terrified Phenylates. In the gloomy light that sporadically shone down from the ceiling Harry recognised several faces from the party, ‘The lucky ones’ he thought steering Jenny past the information desk area to a corner where two shelves crossed each other.
Paris followed them and as one they slumped to the floor exhausted. Janeway was still in his arms moreover she seemed in no hurry to leave them. Far from it in fact, as he leaned back against the boxes she swiftly moved her arm from around his neck and taking hold of the hand he had gripping her waist locked them together. Her other hand rested against his chest raising and falling as his ragged breathing calmed. This didn’t bother Paris, he had no intention of letting go of her until either the building stopped shaking or they got out. He didn’t dare even think of the worst case scenario but Janeway obviously had.
Casting her eyes around the small group clustered in the boxed in area she made out the faces of four of Voyagers crew, not including Harry and Jenny, and about twenty-five Phenylate’s. Most of them were couples from the party and they now clung to each other for some semblance of safety or comfort but one sat apart from them, with his head down and his knees tucked up under his chin.
“Senator?” Janeway called, wondering where his body guards had gone.
The senator raised his head slightly and looked in her direction.
“Senator.” Janeway repeated his title just in case he hadn’t heard her. “Can this building withstand a direct hit?”
“I….I don’t know.” The senator replied stumbling over his words. “I don’t even know why the Guardians have forsaken us.”
“Guardians! You mean the guardians in the moon?” Paris asked usurping Janeway’s next question.
“Of course!” The senator snapped back. “They are supposed to protect us from the sky rocks, but….this time….” Looking upwards the man spoke quieter. “We must have done something to anger them.”
“It’s them its there fault.”
A voice accused from the shadows. However, before the accusation could be taken up by others a loud explosion near by rocked the walls causing the lights to flash on and off. Screams and wails of fear could be heard along the basements passageways mixing and echoing with the preys of the faithful and penitent.
One of the screams came from Jenny Delaney but Harry stifled it by pulling the terrified women closer to him. “Its ok Jenny, I’ll protect you.” He whispered in her ear.
Janeway had her back to Kim but could feel his movements and hypothesize what was happening between the two would be lovers. She almost wished Chakotay was with them but as the image of him crossed her mind she remembered who’s arms she now clung to and who had carried her to this place of safety. She also remembered what the senator had said and looked up at Paris with her eyes wide open. “The guardians in the moon must be some kind of defence system or force field.”
Catching her drift Paris added. “The first asteroid hit the moon.”
“Correct.” Janeway agreed. “It probably destroyed whatever’s up there or at least damaged it enough to put it out of action.”
“But the senator and the people talk about the guardians as they were gods not weapons and machines.” Harry said, joining the conversation.
“Some kind of lost or forgotten knowledge?” Janeway suggested.
Paris almost got his reply out before it happened, before the floor beneath them buckled, before the walls trembled, the lights went out and the air reverberated with the sound of an ear-splitting blast. Yet the silence that followed was more deafening and more fear provoking than any noise.
Janeway’s fingers twitched against Paris shirt and he felt her shaking, no she wasn’t shaking he was, so was Harry and the shelf and……
A torch light cut a beam through the dark and a tiny voice said “She’s coming down, the buildings coming down on top of us!”
Paris first impulse was to cover his Captain to protect her but how do you protect someone from being crushed by a fifteen story building, there was no way he could shield her from this one. Then the light being franticly waved around passed over Harry Kim and he saw what he had to do. With her head resting against his shoulder Tom cupped his free hand over Kathryn’s other ear and manoeuvred her head so that even in the dark he could find her lips then without hesitation he descended upon them.
Taken by surprise Kathryn at first resisted, she pushed against Tom’s chest and tried to twist her head free from his grip. But he was strong and when she tried to squeal he took the opportunity to push his tongue into her mouth. His sensual probing though was nothing short of distracting causing Kathryn to stop struggling for a second, it was then that even with his hand over her ear she heard it.
At first it was like an old fashioned steam train rumbling along the track, getting closer and closer then it changed to the deafening roar of a thousand buffalo stampeding into a box canyon. She imaged them reaching the end and slamming into the walls one by one over and over and over again.
Kathryn forgot about the noise, instead her mind switched to Tom and his kiss. She’d worked out what he was trying to do and stopped struggling. But once she stopped struggling against him her body started reacting to him and to the sensations his kiss was creating within her. She found herself kissing him back, pushing her tongue in to his mouth. She found that by moving her free hand behind his head she could take over what was happening between them and control the pressure of her mouth, on his lips.
Tom fought hard to keep his own sensations from taking over and preyed that if they should survive she didn’t personally strip him of all rank and throw him in the brig for what he was doing. But then she started to kiss him back, tease him with her tongue, confused he let her take the lead. Bad move she could give as good as he’d taken and he found himself succumbing to all the old feelings he’d had for her. Feelings he’d put aside when he’d started a relationship with Belanna, Feelings that now told him to stop before someone got hurt.
“I’m sorry.” Tom whispered dragging his lips from Kathryn’s.
“I’m not.” Kathryn tried to whisper back but her voice was drowned out by the screams of anguish and pain that began to echo between the shelves.
“Captain? Captain Janeway what should we do?” The question came from a junior crewman named Miles Peterson.
He’d been sitting opposite her holding the hand of a young female party goer, now he was asking for orders, expecting her top take charge. Janeway couldn’t see him of course nor he her, which was probably for the best considering she was wrapped in Paris arms like some arc deco lovers statue. A position she would have to rectify before someone picked up the torch that now lay on the floor shining its light on nothing but their dusty shoes.
“Mr Paris, help me up.” Janeway said deliberately using his title.
Paris took note of the formal tone in her voice and changed his manner accordingly. “Yes ma’am.”
“Mr Kim could you retrieve that torch, fined out where it came from and take Mr Peterson with you to see if there are any others?”
“Aye Captain.” Harry replied also taking note of the formal pitch to her voice but assumed it was because of there desperate situation rather than a way to hide her embarrassment.
As Harry Kim picked up the torch and directed the light at the area where the stairs would and should have been. In there place was a pile of rubble that had burst through the thick wooden door and spewed out into the basement half burying the information desk near the bottom. Like wise the doors to the lift had been buckled open revealing tones off twisted metal and concrete.
A Phenylan male shuffled towards the base of the rubble, his eyes were open wide and he wrung his hands together while shaking his head at there now buried exit. “We’ll have to dig our way out.” He said, diving onto the pile and throwing what ever he could pick up down to the floor. “Come on what are you waiting for help me.”
“Whoa there mate.” Paris let go of Janeway and approached the obviously distressed man.
By now many others had gathered around to see what was happening including the senator.
“Dig how?” Paris asked the man taking hold of his arm and stopping his fruitless progress. “With our bare hands? There’s probably a thousand tons of rock and metal above us not to mention that if you dislodge the wrong brick you could bring it all down upon us.”
“We can’t just do nothing!” The man literally screamed back at Paris then wrestling his arm free began scrabbling at the rocks again. “I have to get out of here; I have to get to my wife and children.”
Blood from the cuts he was sustaining each time he grasped the jagged debris stained the dusty fragments and his fingers were beginning to bleed from where his nails snapped off. His behaviour was also starting to have an effect on the others, a mummer of perhaps he was right started and feet began to slide closer to the front. Paris knew there was only one thing he could do but he looked to Janeway for permission first, she nodded and acted.
Taking a firm hold of the mans shoulder Paris spun the Phenylate around and swung a perfect right hook at his jaw. The Phenylate went down like a sack of Ferengi latinum. Two of Voyagers other trapped officers realising what Paris was going to do caught him and eased him to the ground.
Shouts of discontent went up in the crowd; Janeway knew if she didn’t act quickly more fists would be flying.
“Wait, please everyone listen.” Limping forward in her bare feet and in great pain from the injuries to her legs Janeway moved into the torch light and addressed the mob. “I know you are frightened and worried about your families I am also concerned for the others members of my crew who were in Pernode when this disaster befell your land. But fighting among ourselves will not help us or them.”
“How are we going to get out?” A women’s voice asked.
“My ships still out there and she’ll be looking for us. It may take sometime though ….”
“How long?” This time it was the senator who asked.
“I don’t know it will probably depend how bad things are out there. I’m sure the Phenylan people will be doing all they can to help each other in this time of crisis but I suspect my ship and her technology is being stretched to its limits right now. All we can do is sit and wait for them to find us.”
Sounds of discontent went around the room, some of them were directed at Janeway and her crew and she feared for the safety of her people.
“Have your tried contacting Voyager?” Peterson asked.
Janeway licked her dusty lips, she hadn’t actually, not since Harry had reported loss of contact but know seemed like a good a time as any to try. Still wearing Paris jacket over her dress she opted to use his communicator rather than her own and tapped it hopefully. “Janeway to Voyager.”
The Phenylates fell silent, listening expectantly for the voice of there promised rescuers, no sound came. Janeway hadn’t expected one but to show willing tapped the badge again. “Janeway to Voyager can you hear me?” The combadge chirped audibly but once again there was no reply.
Murmurs of doom and fear spread through the crowd once more.
“Senator?” Janeway called to the man, standing alone in front of his people looking less like the impressive diplomat by the second. “We’ll need more light and some of these people are injured, do you know if there are any supplies down here?”
The Senator, shuffled his feet in the concrete dust then slowly raised his head. “Yes I believe there is, we keep battery lanterns for power cuts and the restroom will have a first aid box. It’s back this way.”
The man now standing taller pointed towards the rear of the basement.
“Show my men will you please Senator.” Janeway smiled and he beamed back before turning and cutting a way through the people headed into the darkness.
With a nod from his captain Harry Kim followed, Peterson hot on his heals. The torch light bounced off the shelves as they ran between them then disappeared as they rounded a corner. This meant the rest of them were left in the darkness again
“Everyone stay where you are until they return or we’ll start falling over ‘cough’ each other.” Janeway swayed and stumbled sideways, a motion Paris caught in the fading light and reacted to so fast that he was sure no one else had seen. Taking her arm he guided her to the remaining corner of the buried information desk and she gratefully sat down.
“Captain?” He spoke low enough so only she could hear him.
Janeway responded like wise. “Tom, I need you to take charge.”
“Aye Captain.” Paris knew she was in pain from the wounds to her legs and preyed Harry would bring back something he could use to help her. He also desperately wanted to say something to her about the kiss but now was not the time so instead he settled with a gentle squeeze to her shoulder. Reassuringly though she reached up and squeezed his hand back.
“Ok role call, I can’t see you but I can hear you. I want all Starfleet crew to call out there name and rank, except for you Jenny, I know your here” Paris stood with his hand still on his captains shoulder and in a clear voice called out the order for the Voyager crew present to reveal themselves.
One by one they yelled name and rank, Jefferson ensign. Patel, Yeoman, Stringer, Lieutenant……….Paris counted them, eleven, twelve…..he was sure he had counted fifteen earlier, wait Peterson had gone with Harry, that made fourteen.
“Your one short.” Janeway said quietly, unbeknown to him she’d counted the crew upstairs as well.
Licking his own suddenly dry lips Pairs asked. “Is anyone missing?”
Silence was followed by a small voice. “Sir…I think Leon Mason went back up to try and get the others to come down.”
Paris felt Janeway’s body stiffen, Leon was one of the oldest crew, not long for retirement, he would be missed the question on both their minds though was how many more would be missed before this was all over.
“Ok now I need to know who is injured and how. If you can please call out orderly your name and what you think may be wrong.”
No one spoke for what seemed like a long time then a croaky voice from somewhere at the back said. “My name is Isaci Pollun, I think my wrist is broken, I can’t move it and it hurts real bad”
“OK Isaci, as soon as we get some light back I’ll personally check you out. Now any one else?”
Voices began calling one by one around the basement, some called on the behalf of those that couldn’t speak for themselves, others spoke up to report deaths, these did not go down too well with the Phenylates. Paris suspected that they had never experienced anything like this before in there entire lives or indeed their entire history.
“This one doesn’t work either!” Miles said tossing the useless lantern to one side.
They had followed the senator to a small store cupboard at the back of the basement only to find that the ‘supplies’ were woefully inadequate. Then again on a planet that never expected anything bad to happen what would the purpose be in preparing for the worst.
Out of the four ‘emergency’ lights only two worked and the first aid kit was nothing more than a box of plasters. There was however some clean linen that could be used for bandages and a supply of snack foods that was destined for the vending machine in the now obliterated lobby.
Arms loaded they made their way back along the shelf passageways, the lights they now carried illuminated sections of the basement that had collapsed under the weight of the falling building revealing just how lucky they had all been
Once they had some light it didn’t take long for the trained Starfleet officers to organise and treat the injured but the Phenylan people didn’t seem to have a clue what to do. Turning the box’s from the shelves into seats they just gathered forlornly around the lanterns, waiting for the rescue Janeway had promised them. All the fight seemed to have gone out of them and even the murmurs of were all going to die faded after they had eaten a share of the vending machine snacks.
“So you finely got to kiss Jenny Delaney.” Paris said quietly in Harry Kim’s ear as he helped him treat a badly cut women with the table cloth bandages. “How was it?”
“Well she didn’t slap my face. What about you?” Kim grinned from ear to ear and winked at his friend.
Horror spread across Paris face as he realised what he was referring to. “You saw!?”
“I didn’t need too.” Kim replied still grinning.
Paris grinned back then very modestly replied. “She didn’t slap my face either.”
“Weren’t you the one who said captains don’t mix with the lower ranks?”
“Kathryn’s not like that.” Paris used his captain’s first name without thinking or rather while thinking about the feelings that the kiss had awakened inside him.
“Kathryn now is it.” Kim chided. He’d suspected for a long time that his friend had a little crush on the captain but didn’t believe there was anything to it.
Caught off guard by his own mistake Paris flustered to find a reply. “No I……It was a professional kiss, that’s all, to keep her from being afraid.”
“So you felt nothing.” Kim knew he had Paris cornered and was enjoying making him squirm.
“If I did I’m not telling.” This was getting too close to the bone for Tom.
Harry didn’t pick up on his friends discomfort though and continued with the game. “Did she kiss you back?”
“That I am defiantly not telling and you had better keep this to yourself.”
This time Kim took heed of Paris tone. “Hey I’m not the only Voyager crew member down here.”
“No one else was close enough to see, hear or realise.” Paris practically spat the accusation out.
“Ok, Tom don’t worry your secrets safe with me.” Harry backed off, and took stock of what Tom had said or rather not said. Watching his friend move on to the next injured Phenylate he began to wonder if there wasn’t something between him and captain Janeway.
Moving away from Kim, Paris shone the hand torch he’d acquired into the dark passage ways between the shelves, ‘just in case’ he said to himself not expecting to find any more lost or injured Phenylates wandering around but the light caught hold of something in the blackness and he was drawn into the maze of shelving. The beam glinted of a ladies silver shoe, he noticed the heel was broken and was just wondering about how much it had probably cost when he heard a disembodied voice.
“I can’t open her eyes, if I can’t open her eyes how will she find the guardians?”
Paris shone the torch along the ground until he found the source of the voice. A man sat on a heap of rubble with his head in his hands weeping, beside him two feet stuck out from the rubble one was missing a silver shoe.
Paris knelt bringing him level with the distraught man. “What was her name?” he asked speaking softly.
“Kaley.” The man answered staring up at Paris.
“Was Kaley a good woman?” Paris asked resting a hand on the mans shoulder.
“She was righteous yes.” Tears still flowed down his face but the man had stopped crying.
“Then if the Guardians are like my God they will come for her.”
Understanding Paris words the man nodded twice then went back to his weeping. Squeezing his shoulder gently with empathy Tom rose and left him, taking the light and leaving the grieving man in the dark once more.
Janeway saw Paris come out of the dark, he didn’t seem to be aware of his surroundings and she had to call him twice before he heard her.
“Tom? Tom I need you to check…….”
“Sorry no.” Paris said taking Janeway’s arm and interrupting her. “Your bandages need changing.”
“I’m…..”
“No arguments.” Paris broke off her plea of ‘I’m ok’ and handing the torch to Jenny Delaney steered her in the direction of two empty boxes.
Sensing there was no point in arguing Janeway went with Paris she didn’t even complain when he lifted her sore legs to re-bandage them. She noticed however how gentle he was with her and how concerned he looked as he inspected her wounds.
Janeway had long since discarded her shoes and her bare feet were dusty from the floor but Paris didn’t care he was more concerned that they felt hot to the touch. There was no way to tell if he had removed all the glass from them and infection was a problem. Resting them in turn on his thigh he gently removed his makeshift bandages and rewrapped them in the clean linen ones.
Her foot nestled against his groin raised thoughts he knew he shouldn’t be having and Paris quickly sort something to distract him. Spotting Senator Remington sitting near bye Paris took his chance.
“Senator what more can you tell us about these guardians on your moon?”
“Probably a lot more than anyone else in this room or indeed this city right now.” The senator replied moving closer to Paris and Janeway.
“Why the big secret?” Janeway asked.
“It may come as no surprise to you if I said that we are not native to this planet, but it may surprise you to know that only a select few are aware of this fact, most Phenylan’s believe we have always lived here.”
“My science officers had their suspicions.” Janeway winced then urged the senator to carry on.
“We have only been on this planet for, Oh a little over three thousand years. Our home world so the classified documents say was destroyed when the sun it orbited blew up. Can you image that! A sun blowing up! I’ve seen the documents and even I can’t.”
Both Paris and Janeway had seen such a spectacle first hand at different times in their careers but neither said a word.
“So your colonists.” Paris said.
“Yes.” The senator replied. “We came here or rather our ancestors came here in great ships called…I’m sorry I can’t remember their names it’s been a long time since I read the documents.”
“That’s ok we get the idea, we have encountered many races such as yours along our travels.” Janeway sympathised with the man, he had a great many years under his belt and a secret such as this was not one to be kept or told lightly.
“Well they found this planet and settled here built homes and schools and so forth but within one generation the sky rocks came, falling from the heavens destroying huge swaths of the land. Many wanted to leave get back in the ships and find somewhere else but there wasn’t enough fuel and some of the ships had been cannibalised to make the buildings. One of the leaders came up with the idea of building a defence system on the moon to destroy the rocks if they should fall again.”
“That must have been some undertaking, especially for a fledgling colony?” Paris commented.
“It was they had to use every resource they had and then some, fortunately they had the knowledge of the sun and how to harness it to produce the weapons that were needed.”
“Solar powered lasers!” Janeway said breaking into the senator’s story. “Your people still use solar power today.”
“To light our homes and run our machines but not as weapons, we have no need of such things.” The senator licked his lips and took a swig from the bottle of liquid he had, Janeway suspected it was alcohol but said nothing.
“It took forty years, by the time it was finished they were running out of materials, but the defence system was complete. Using there remaining shuttle one final trip was arranged to bring back the last two men left behind to test the system and leave it switched on.”
“Something went wrong.” Paris interjected as he finished bandaging Janeway legs.
“Yes, no one is sure what. A message from the shuttle informed the ground crew of a power failure then the connection went dead. It is believed they crashed on the far side of the moon during a routine orbit to slow down for landing.”
“You said their remaining shuttle.” Janeway spoke quietly moving closer to the man who now hung his head and fiddled with the bottle in his hands.
“There was nothing they could do, without a ship there was no way to send a rescue team. The two men already up there didn’t have enough oxygen to walk the hundred miles in search of them either. A terrible decision was made after three days the base was shut down closed and buried, everyone involved was sworn to secrecy and people were put in place in make sure they kept it. Over time and with the struggle to survive they just forgot, they left them there to die horribly alone and they just forgot.”
While the senator paused to take another swig of his bottle Janeway risked a glance in Paris direction, she noticed his shirt was torn and blood smeared his cheek yet she had never seen him as handsome as he did just then in the half light with a look of genuine sympathy in his eyes.
“A hundred and sixty years later though.” The senator continued and Janeway drew her own eyes back to the despondent man. “When the sky rocks came back the defence system kicked in, illuminating the sky with a myriad of colours as it blasted every one of them into pieces small enough to burn up in the atmosphere. Our leaders called the lasers the guardians to quell any fears that the lost knowledge brought about and the people naive and ready to believe anything in a time when their lives were just getting better threw a party in honour of these mysterious guardians who saved them. And they have been worshiping them and throwing parties in there honour ever since.” The senator finished by raising to his feet and walking rather unsteadily to a darker corner, where he collapsed in a heap and fell asleep.
After several moments of tense silence Janeway spoke. “Well that explains a lot of things.”
“I can hear those men now calling out and getting no reply, hoping and waiting for a rescue that never came.” The parody of there own situation suddenly hit Tom and he took in a deep breath that some how for a long time he couldn’t remember how to release. When he did he found Janeway standing beside him her hand resting solidly on his shoulder.
“Voyager is coming.” She said then moved away from him.
The meteor bombardment lasted only half an hour but in that time a fifty kilometre square of Phenylan had been devastated. A quarter of Pernode city was flattened, half of the rest was on fire. Tidal waves had deluged miles of coastline killing thousands of citizens while they slept, fields of grain and forests burned out of control. Even birds fell from the sky’s, seared by the heat or poisoned by the radiation that had come with the meteors and now hung in the air. The levels weren’t enough to kill the population outright, but breathed in and consumed thought the water and food chain it could eventually cause great harm.
This was not something that would go away over night or indeed over days; it was going to take years for these people to recover, maybe even decades. Pernode was the industrial, political and commercial heart of the planet and the Phenylan’s were unprepared socially and economically for the disaster that had befallen them.
“Doctor they need you in shuttle bay two now!”
“I’m coming!” Voyagers EMH called, chasing after the young ensign.
Pernode’s city general had escaped any major hits but she was without power and over flowing with casualties, consequently Voyagers shuttle bay had been turned into a make shift triage ward.
After several hours though, the numbers had risen beyond even Voyagers capacity, forcing Chakotay to order the less critical to be ferried back down to the planet, where the Phenylan emergency services were setting up a field hospital.
The doctor excited the turbo lift amidst a sea of organised chaos. With the shuttles out on rescue and search missions every inch of the Olympic sized launch bay had been filled with military style cots and each was occupied, some in the case of children had been doubled up, one each end. The noise from the screams, moans, chattering and yelling, overwhelmed even the Emh’s positronic senses, he could only imagine how the scattering of crew trying to help felt. He tried not to think of the cargo bays one deck below equally filled with the dead.
“Mr Paris you’re never here when I need you.” The doctor said to himself then ploughed into the melee.
Chakotay had sent out search teams for the captain and missing crew but with Voyagers resources stretched thin dealing with the injured, fires and homeless, keeping one shuttle dedicated to the task was proving impossible.
The fact that Voyagers transporters and sensors were being hampered by the atmospheric radiation didn’t help. When push came to shove Chakotay knew the crew were tough and resourceful but after six hours straight he was beginning to wonder how much longer they could go on.
Seven of nine was using low level sensor sweeps relayed up from the shuttles to coordinate rescue efforts, Belanna had set up transporter boosters platforms around the city to get supplies from A to B and the doctor was running a one man show down in the sickbays operating theatre yet their efforts didn’t seem to have made a dent in the numbers.
Then there were his own feelings, the ones that kept telling him Kathryn was safe and still alive somewhere when all the facts pointed to a different scenario.
Time passed slowly for those underground. The two lamps around which the majority had gathered glowed a little fainter now and Janeway wondered how much longer it would be before they gave up. Leaving the group she walked rather unsteadily away from them, seeking solace in the unlit areas from the bleak faces of the Phenylan’s and questioning eyes of her crew.
Out of the corner of his eye Paris saw a shadow move from the light into the dark. The limping figure was not hard to distinguish and concerned he followed it.
The blackness was thick here and only a gentle sobbing betrayed her presence. Moving forwards into the dark until he was immersed in it Tom called out softly.
“Captain?” he wanted to say ‘Kathryn’ he wanted to approach her as a friend not a Starfleet officer.
“Who’s there?” A whisper came back.
She was very close. “Paris.” Tom answered.
Kathryn’s heart had beat loud in her ears when she’d heard the soft footsteps approaching but upon recognising Tom’s voice it flipped once then settled. “Tom!” She said reaching her hand out and making contact with his chest. Keeping it there as a guide she moved without hesitation towards him and buried her face into the cloth of his shirt. He smelt of dust, sweat and blood but she didn’t care.
Instinctively Tom wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close, but even in his tight grip he could feel her trembling. “Its ok.” He said. “Were still alive.” Tenderly Tom ran his fingers through her hair smoothing out the tangles.
“I thought I was going to die.” Kathryn gasped against his neck.
“I think we all did.” Tom replied. Then running a hand along the nape of her neck he tilted her head up until there lips just met.
Electric shocks surged through Kathryn’s body, as Tom teasingly explored the edges of her mouth. She knew she should stop him but when he parted her lips and explored deeper Kathryn found herself moaning softly. The pleasure his embrace was developing within her awakened feelings that she had put aside, feelings that now surged through her body and sparked fires.
He hadn’t meant to kiss her but he knew that behind all her captaincy bravado she was as frightened as any of them. She had just admitted to as much. Now with there lips joined and there arms entwined, responding mutually to the kiss, he’d initiated and she hadn’t spurned he was glad he had.
“Hello?” Harry Kim called from the lamplights dim edge. “Tom are you there?”
Breaking apart Paris pushed Janeway away then stepped back to where the light penetrated enough for Harry to see him. Not wanting to be seen Janeway kept herself hidden.
“Harry what is it?” Paris asked casually.
“I was looking for the captain. I thought she had come this way.” Ensign Kim tried to peer into the shadows behind his friend. “Have you seen her?”
Paris suspected that Harry knew she was there and that his question was just his way of being polite. Yet before he could consider another answer Tom found himself saying ‘no’.
“No sorry I haven’t.”
“Oh…ok, I’ll try….”
The worst and best thing happened at that very moment, some where in the blackness a combadge chirped; Janeway’s combadge.
“Voyager to captain Janeway?”
As static then the disembodied voice of Chakotay blasted over the open channel Kathryn physically and mentally leapt. However gathering her composure she immediately tapped the combadge beneath Paris jacket and strode out of the dark to stand beside him. There was no point now, with her location revealed, in continuing the deception.
“Janeway here.” She said while fixing her steely gaze on Harry Kim. “It’s good to hear your voice.”
“And twice as good to hear yours.” Chakotay replied. “Sorry it’s taken so long.”
“Better late than never.” Janeway responded aware that there conversation was attracting some attention from the other Voyager crew members and the Phenylan’s. “How long before you can get us out of here?”
“What’s your stasis?”
The fact that Chakotay was asking for information told her that all was not right aboard her ship and a rescue was not necessarily imminent. “There are 162 Phenylan’s down here some seriously injured and 18 crew including myself.”
“Understood.” Chakotay acknowledged then fell silent.
“What is it?” Senator Rimington asked coming to the front of his people. “Can they get us out?”
Janeway held up a hand for silence as more voices began repeating the senators question.
“Captain Janeway?” Belanna Torres voice came over the combadge.
Glancing sideways Janeway saw Paris let out a deep breath, she knew he had been worried for the women even though he knew she was on Voyager, even though they had just shared a passionate kiss.
“I’m still her Belanna.” Janeway replied.
“I need you to place your combadge on the floor then stand back. I’m going to use it to triangulate a transporter beam.”
“Understood, give me the count of five then energise.”
Walking passed Harry Kim; Janeway detached her combadge and placed it on the ground. The manoeuvre caused her pain but she kept it to herself as she moved to stand opposite Paris and Kim. Seconds later the two meter square space between them glowed yellow, then white, then a figure began to materialize along with four transporter boosters. This was another indication to Janeway that everything aboard her ship was not 100%.
‘Solidified’ Voyagers EMH did a quick diagnostic of his positronic matrix then smiled.
“Doctor.” Janeway greeted the medical officer with a smile of her own. “It’s good to see you.”
“And you captain.” The doctor replied. “Are you injured?”
In the dark and with her long dress the doctor couldn’t see her bandaged legs. “No.” she lied catching Paris disapproving expression and indicating with her eyes that he shouldn’t say anything to the contrary. “Mr Paris will show you to the injured.”
“This way doc.” Paris stepped forward and with out anther word guided the doctor away into the gathering crowd.
Janeway watched them go, following Paris back until it disappeared. She could still taste him, feel the impression of his lips against hers and remember how safe it had felt to be enclosed in his arms.
“Captain?” Ensign Kim repeated.
Janeway spun around to find the oriental officer before her.
“Your combadge.” He said holding out the shiny metal.
“Thank you.” As Janeway took the badge she caught the hurt look on his face but before she could say anything else he moved away leaving her to stand alone.
Janeway didn’t immediately return to Voyager as both the doctor and Chakotay would have liked. However after firmly insisting she was staying until all the Phenylates and her crew were safe they had reluctantly given in.
She had though passed on the information about the ‘Guardians’ on Phenylates moon. Unfortunately with Voyagers sensors still off line and resources tied up with the rescue operations, Belanna had to put any investigation on hold.
For the six hours they had been in the basement, most of the Phenylates had fretted, preyed and cried for their loved ones above. None of them were prepared for the scale of devastation that awaited them. Great swaths of the city were just gone, costal regions were still under water and field upon field of farming country still burned unabated. They and thousands more Phenylates were going to be physiologically and emotionally scared by what had happened for the rest of there lives.
Even with the transporter boosters they could only send ten people up at a time. Those ten then had to be transported either back down to the planets refugee camps or the field hospital. This all took time and some tactful organisation. The injured obviously went first with the doctor accompanying the more serious. The remaining Phenylates in the basement were left in the tender hands of Janeway, the senator and her crew.
Grabbing an opportunity between transports Harry Kim pulled Paris to one side. “I thought we were friends” He said under his breath.
“What!” Paris exclaimed more because he could hardly hear him than what he’d said.
“You lied to me, friends don’t lie.” Harry raised his tome a notch.
“Harry you’ve lost me.” Paris recognised anger in his friends voice but wasn’t sure why.
“When I asked if you’d seen the captain you said No!” This time Harry went as far as pointing an accusing finger at Tom.
Suddenly realising what Harry was mad about Tom exploded. “Well what was I supposed to say yes she’s over here cowering in the dark crying?” Pointing his own finger Tom continued to reprimand his friend. “As a medical officer I’m privy to personal information on every member of the crew, very often that means I have to tell little white lies to there friends in order to keep that information private and believe me that’s not easy as it sounds.”
“Like lying to the doctor about the captain being injured?” It was a low blow and Harry regretted it immediately but he couldn’t retract the words once said.
Vexed with disbelief Tom responded with fury. “That wasn’t a lie; it was an omission, one I’m going to rectify right now.”
Striding over to Janeway Paris took her arm and steered her towards the transporter area.
“Tom what is it?” Janeway asked aware of the grip he had on her arm and the look of anger on his face.
“Its time for you to get your legs looked at properly.”
“I’m ok.” Janeway tried to protest but Paris ignored her.
“No your not and now the doc’s back on Voyager I’m senior down here and I’m ordering you back to the ship for treatment.”
Before Janeway could argue further Paris took his combadge of the jacket she still wore and manoeuvred her into the transporter zone.
“Paris to Voyager the next group is ready.” He said opening the channel to Belanna. “You’d better have the doctor meet them, I’m sending the captain up and she requires medical attention.”
“Understood Tom.”
Janeway knew why he had done it but she couldn’t help feeling betrayed by his actions. There history and friendship made it impossible for her to normally stay angry with him for any length of time, yet now with the memory of his kiss still fresh in her mind, she found her resolve melting before she’d even dematerialised.
Once Janeway had extracted herself from the doctor’s clutches, she called an emergency meeting of her senior staff. While they gathered, she returned to her quarters and changed into a uniform. Slipping out of Paris jacket she was reminded of the moment he’d given it to her on the balcony and how they had joked together politely. With what had happened since she wondered if things would be the same between them ever again or had they both stepped over the line.
The faces around the conference table looked grim and exhausted. Paris and Kim, recently up from the planet had found time to wash and change but both looked unkempt. Janeway also noted as she entered the room that Paris had chosen to sit at the end of the table with Belanna rather than his usual position on her left hand side. Putting this to the back of her mind, she recapped what the senator had told them in the basement then opened the floor for discussion.
“That may explain the distress signal that we picked up and consequently drew us to this planet in the first place.” Belanna suggested.
“A signal that badly degraded, travelling at below sub light speeds could have taken three thousand years to reach where we intercepted it.” Chakotay clarified.
Janeway glanced in Paris direction, his head was down and he stared intently at his hands. Paris had earlier likened the guardians stranded on the moon to there position trapped in the basement. The thought of the men using their last hours to send a distress signal out across the cosmos in a vain hope that someone might hear it and come to their rescue was not lost on him or Janeway for that matter.
“I believe I have determined where the meteor shower originated from.” Seven of Nine said breaking the silence that had befallen the room. “Astrometric charts I scanned into the computer several days ago showed a comet heading towards an asteroid filed in the next system over. I was hoping we would be finished here in time to study it.” Seven took a deep breath. “It is my theory from these charts that the comets tail passed through the filed disturbing a portion of it and sending it on a trajectory with Phenylan.”
No one spoke so Seven took another deep breath and continued. “The comets curve suggested a 200 year arch, the movement of the asteroid field providing fresh targets for the comment to disturb each time it returned.”
“In other words without the guardians on the moon in 200 years this will happen again.” Harry Kim said.
“And would have happened each 200 years previously had not the colonist built such an astronomical defence system.” Belanna added.
“Why did we not detect this defence system when we first approached Phenylan?” Janeway asked.
“Simple.” Belanna answered. “Because we weren’t looking for it.”
“Well we are now.” Janeway said. “I’m pulling the Delta Flyer off rescue mission status, Belanna I want you to take it and investigate what happened up there.”
“Yes ma’am.” Belanna agreed. She had been itching to take a look since she first heard of its possible existence.
“Will you be needing me to pilot?” Paris asked, directing the question more at Belanna than his captain, but Janeway jumped in.
“No Tom, the doctor needs you. Seven can accompany Belanna.”
Janeway saw Paris face drop at her order but she had given it for all the right reasons. He was too exhausted to pilot the Flyer and too emotional to undertake a dangerous mission.
“We still have people to take care of planet side.” Janeway said changing the subject. “Dawn may have shed some light on this catastrophe but she isn’t helping the sick, dying or needy so let’s get back to work. Dismissed.”
Chakotay hung back as the others left, returning to sit beside Janeway he rested his hand over hers on the table then softly spoke. “I’m sorry…”
“Don’t!” Janeway pulled her hand away then caught the hurt and confused expression on Chakotays face and regretted the move. “It’s been a long night.” She said rising to her feet and turning away from him. “And it’s going to be an even longer day.”
Chakotay watched her leave the room and considered for a long time following her. He wanted to apologize for the argument they’d had. He’d gone over and over the words in his head every second she’d been missing. However, she either wasn’t prepared to accept an apology, which he rejected or she wasn’t yet ready to hear it. In which case something had happened that Kathryn wasn’t telling him, something she was afraid of telling him.
Paris stepped out of the shuttles shady rear entrance into the glaring heat of Phenylan’s midday sun. He hadn’t slept in 28 hours, closed his eyes, rested, cat napped, but not properly slept. As a pilot aboard a lost star ship, there was nothing unusual in that and Paris normally took it in his stride. However the last 28 hours or at least the last 14 hours hadn’t been usual and they were beginning to take there toll on him.
Following his cargo of injured, homeless and lost Phenylate’s, Paris made his way over to the medical tent. He figured if he could get a shot of something from one of the doctors he could make at least one more run over the mountains before calling it a day. Unfortunately, he ran into the wrong doctor.
“Mr Paris you are literally dead on your feet.” Voyagers EMH declared upon seeing him. “My prescription for you is four hours sleep, no make that six hours, food, a shower and a change of clothes. Not necessarily in that order and that is an order.”
Paris was going to argue but didn’t have the strength. “Ok doc.” He managed to say turning to leave.
“And!” The EMH added, calling him back. “You can take her with you.” The doctor pointed towards the back of the tent where captain Janeway had just finished changing the bandage on a young girls arm, she looked as bad as Paris, probably worse.
“How long has she been here?” Paris asked rubbing his eyes to get a clearer picture.
“Too long.” The EMH quipped. “I ordered her to leave an hour ago but she refused.”
“What makes you think she’ll listen to me?”
“Because you’re going to use this.” The doctor palmed Paris a hypospray. “It’s just a sedative but she’s so exhausted it will probably knock her out.”
“I don’t think I’ll be needing this.” Paris said putting the hypospray in his pocket and walking quickly towards Janeway.
He reached her just as she fainted. Scooping her up into his arms and nodding to the doctor Paris carried Janeway to the nearest transporter pad.
She didn’t stir until Paris placed her onto the cool covers of her bed. He’d gained access to her quarters using his medical emergency override access code then keeping the lights down low taken her to the bed. He had hoped to leave before she came around but it wasn’t to be.
“Mmmmm.” Kathryn murmured, feeling the blurriness of consciousness creep over her. Then sensing a familiar presence near her she called out. “Tom?”
“It’s ok; you’re back on Voyager in your quarters.” Paris leaned over the bed so she could see him; he had one knee resting on the edge for balance.
“What happened?”
“You fainted.” Paris smiled, remembering the hypospray in his pocket. “We’re under doctor’s orders to get six hours sleep and something to eat before returning to duty.”
“You said we?” Kathryn moved her hand so that it rested on Paris knee.
“Me too but I’m also under orders to sedate you.” Paris pulled the hypospray out of his pocket and held it so Janeway could see. “If you don’t co-operate.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.”
Janeway sighed she was tired but the darkness of the room reminded her of the basement. “I’ll sleep if you stay with me.” The words came out before she knew what she was asking.
“I don’t think that would be a good idea.” Paris responded not quite believing what he’d heard her ask.
“Because of what happened in the basement, because of what happened in the dark when we were both frightened. I’m frightened now.” Kathryn admitted.
“So am I, frightened that if I stay I might do something we’ll both regret in six hours.”
“Are you so sure you’d regret it?” Kathryn inched her hand up Tom’s thigh.
“Kathryn don’t tease me.” Paris moved closer, resting one hand on the pillow beside her so that his body was suspended over hers. “You know how I feel about you.”
She did, she always had but her role as captain prevented her from acting upon his or even her feelings. Those boundaries still stood but after cheating death under a thousand tons of rubble, she wasn’t so sure she cared anymore.
“You awakened a demon in me with your kiss Tom.” Kathryn raised a hand to his face, stroking his unshaven cheek, feeling the tiny bristles against her fingertips. “I fiery demon that’s hungry and looking to feast.”
“We all have our demons.” Paris felt her other hand ghost over his groin, causing him to breath deep as his flesh reacted to the touch. “You don’t want this.”
“Yes I do, I want you, I want you to make love to me, make me feel…feel anything…. something…Oh god Tom!”
Janeway pulled Paris down into a kiss, a sensual full-tongued kiss that would have melted even the strongest reserve.
Initially returning the embrace Paris considered her wish. It would be so easy for him to stay and make love to her, hold her, chase away her demons, but could he honestly live with the new ones they would create.
“Kathryn no please we mustn’t.” Taking hold of her shoulders, he pushed her down and raised himself up.
“Why not because I’m your captain?”
Paris knee rested between her legs and he could feel the heat of her desire building up. “No because you’re a beautiful vulnerable women, who deserves better than this.” Paris let go and moved off the bed.
“No! Tom please don’t leave me.” Kathryn sat up grabbing his arm, begging him to come back to her. She could feel the dark of the room closing in, raising goose bumps on her arms as it chilled her.
“I’m sorry Kathryn I can’t, I want too, but I can’t.” Taking the hypospray from his pocket again, Paris sat on the edge of the bed. There were tears in his captain’s eyes, tears of fear. Leaning forward, he took her in his arms, resting her head against his shoulder, allowing her to cry for a few moments before he gently pressed the hypospray to her neck.
She didn’t protest, In her heart she knew he was doing the right thing and as the drug took effect she whispered. “Hold me.”
“Always.” Paris answered but she was already asleep.
For a long time he sat on the bed cradling her warm body, rocking gently as her tense muscles relaxed and her breathing settled. Then tenderly he stripped her down to her underwear and tucked her beneath the bed covers.
Back in his own quarters, Paris collapsed on his bed fully clothed. There wasn’t enough strength left in him to undress. His last thought was of how close he had come to fulfilling his dream of making love to Kathryn. Of thrusting deep into her hot cunt, until she screamed out his name and he filled her with his seed. It was the same thought he’d slept on many times but this time he’d been so close….so close……
