The USS Elizabeth was a passenger Star ship like you’ve never seen before. Twenty decks of luxury and decadence that would have put the Titanic to shame, and that didn’t include the crew decks. Only the crème de la crème of Federation society resided in her state cabins and were served by only the best Holograms. Yet still her captain was honour bound by the old mariners law to respond to any distress signal from any source.

The current source and signal was emanating from a battered out dated decommissioned Starfleet runabout, renamed ‘The Kay’. Or so his second in command told him, as he swallowed the nasty taste that came from having to rescue the rust bucket. There was hope that the occupant was dead and he’d be able to claim salvage and blow it up rather than have it clutter his pristine hanger bay.

“This is captain Waring of the USS Elizabeth to the pilot of the ‘Kay’ how may ‘we’ be of assistance?”

Tom Paris had reluctantly activated his emergency beacon after discovering he would probably run out of air half an hour before he could fix his life support. He hadn’t, this far out in space and off the normal trade roots expected a reply, well at least not a friendly one. So when the USS Elizabeth popped up on his view screen Paris was more than a little relieved.

“Hi Elizabeth.” Paris replied casually. “Am I glad to see you. After I ran into that Iron storm yesterday I thought I was a goner for sure.”

Fortunately Paris visual display was down or he would have seen the nose wrinkling effect his response had on the Elizabeth’s captain. But he did catch an undercurrent of distaste when captain Waring replied back.

“We can beam you out then tow your ‘shuttle’ into our hanger deck.”

“That’s ok captain,” Paris sniffed and put on his best voice. “I still have thrusters, just open her up and stand clear, I’ll manage the rest.”

“If that’s your wish.” Captain Waring huffed. “But may I have the privilege of knowing your name first?”

“Oh sorry.” Paris chuckled and smiled even though the stoic captain couldn’t see him, the good captain reminded of a certain Vulcan he used to know. “It’s………Paris, Tom Paris.”

“Welcome aboard Mr Paris I’ll have one of my crew meet you and arrange temporary quarters.”

“Ok, see you on board.” With that Paris signed off and began to manoeuvre, with the aid of sensors, into the open hanger deck in the Elizabeth’s underbelly. He’d been on some ships in his time but never one as eminent as the USS Elizabeth; this was going to be some ride home.


“Ambassador! How are you this evening?” professor Giles greeted Kathryn Janeway as she entered the dining hall.

“Please call me Kathryn, all this Ambassador stuff is too much for an informal evening meal.”

Kathryn Janeway hadn’t long been appointed Ambassador for Starfleet Academy and this, her first mission to a small planet in the nether regions of space, wasn’t an auspicious start. The only thing that made it bearable was that she was allowed to bring the twins with her.

“Well if I’m going to call you Kathryn, you must call me Sheridan?” The professor chuffed, sticking out his chest as he escorted Kathryn to their table.

Since boarding the Elizabeth Kathryn had been doing the circuit of the dignitaries and even though she was due to jump ship three days before the majority of them, the time couldn’t come soon enough for her. The fact not withstanding that it was difficult to be on a ship that she had no control over but the topics of conversation among Starfleet’s elite were a little dry and one-sided to say the least.

“Have you heard Am….sorry Kathryn, of the captains little detour today.”? The professor said nodding to the other guests at the table.

“Detour? NO!” Kathryn’s eye’s widened in anticipation of something exciting to talk about over the meal.

“Oh yes, well it would appear, or so the second lieutenant told me, that the captain picked up a distress signal earlier today and had to divert to investigate.”

“A distress signal, was anyone in danger?” Kathryn pushed, hoping he had more details.

“I believe it was a lone ragamuffin in a dilapidated ‘runabout’ I think the lieutenant called it.” “Is the ‘ragamuffin’ ok?” Kathryn raised an eyebrow at the thought of a dirty refugee planting himself down at the captain’s table and ordering the chiefs special.

“I didn’t inquire, but no mention was made of injuries.” The professors tone became sneer full. “Just that he’d been given quarters in the lower crew section while his ship was being repaired”

“I bet you there was nothing wrong with his ship. “ Ambassador Alupent of the Ruskin nation ventured. “He’s more likely some looser looking for a bath and a feed.”

Everyone around the table except Kathryn nodded and laughed at this remark setting the tone of conversation for the rest of the meal. Eventually half way through the second course Kathryn could bare it no longer and feigning a headache left, preferring to order desert from the replicator in her room than listen to anymore drivel.


After a long sleep, hot shower, change of clothes and a good meal, Paris returned to the Elizabeth’s under belly where his shuttle lay tucked away in a quiet corner of the hanger deck.

“Least some dignitary getting the ship’s ‘tour’ should see it.” Ensign Thompson third class had told him. Ensign Thompson third class was also put in charge of trying to make Paris shuttle space worthy again. Giving Paris the impression that Captain Waring wasn’t expecting him to hitchhike a ride all the way. This didn’t bother Paris much, not with urgent business pending in the other direction.

Eight hours later Thompson yawned, it was a contagious yawn that Paris picked up, then when his stomach echoed Thompson’s growl as well they both realised it was time to call it a day. Paris knew he should have gone back to his allotted quarters but the wonder lust got the better of him and before he even knew he’d said it, Paris ordered the turbo lift to take him to deck 1.

Deck 1 on a battle ship would have been the bridge but on the USS Elizabeth it was an oversized observation deck and restaurant. Paris was a little underdressed for most of the clientele but the hologram waiters had no qualms about severing him. After he had eaten Paris went on a tour of the Elizabeth’s sumptuous decks, she had everything you’d find at a luxury hotel including a real swimming pool. Deck ten boasted 5 holo suits one of which was supposed to be the size of a football stadium. This was something Paris had to see to believe and was navigating the rose-carpeted corridors in search of the relevant turbo lift when a young boy aged about nine careered around a blind corner and slammed straight into him.

Paris just managed at the last second to grab the lad’s shoulders and prevent him from falling on his butt.

“Whoa there! What’s the hurry?” Paris asked, taking in the boys sandy hair, blue eyes and hot flustered appearance.

“My sister’s coming I have to hide.” The boy answered then extracting himself from Paris grip darted behind him.

As he did a voice boomed down the corridor from the intersection. “JJ where are you?”

“Oh, oh.” JJ exclaimed hugging Paris shadow in the vain hope his sister wouldn’t see him.

“Mom says you have to come back right now.” The voice boomed again but this time closer. “You’re going to be in big trouble if you don’t.”

A girl about the same age as the boy stomped around the corner but as soon as she saw Paris the glare on her face melted into a sweet smile. Paris stared, he knew that smile, he knew those eyes and he knew that red hair.

“Oh hello.” The girl said. “Have you seen my brother?”

“K….Katie?” Paris stammered. He hadn’t seen a photo of her since she was two. Oh he’d been sent them, several a year, along with lengthy communiqués from his father, but after a while it got too painful to open them. Too painful to watch her grow and not have the courage to go back and see her, because it would mean having to deal with her mother and his feelings for her.

As he stood staring the girls expression changed to one of suspicion and she folded her arms defensively.

“How do you know my name?” Her eyes caught sight of something behind Paris. “Did he tell you?”

JJ stepped halfway out from behind Paris and yelled. “I didn’t say nothing,”

“You did too!” Screamed Katie. “I’m telling mom.” Katie spun on her heels and made to leave.

“No its ok.” Paris called, his voice turning the girl back around. “I know your mom.” This was stupid they didn’t know who he was.

“Yeah well I don’t know you and I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.” Katie was now staring at him, weighing him up in her tiny mind, trying to work out if he was a friend or foe.

“But he’s not a stranger.” JJ said stepping out completely from behind Paris.

“Don’t be silly JJ, of course he his.” Katie replied, although she didn’t sound to convinced.

“No he’s not Sis.”

JJ came to stand in front of Paris and for the first time he got a good long look at the boy. How had he not seen, how had he missed recognising his own son.

“I’ve seen your picture.” JJ said slowly.

“Have you? Where?” Had their mother kept her promise and told them about him after all.

“On grandfather Owens desk.” JJ answered his face filled with puzzlement.

Katie’s face on the other hand changed to one of distress. “Oh no! Your not supposed to be here!” Lunging forward she grabbed JJ’s arm and pulled him away. “Run JJ, run.” She screamed.

“No wait!” Paris called, following them around the corner. This was like a bad dream; his own children were running away from him.

“Hay where’s the fire?”

Paris stopped dead in his tracks, skidding to a halt as he recognised the voice then the face of the women standing 100 yards down the corridor talking to the children.

“Kathryn!”

Kathryn looked up at the sound of her name, then in a state of shock reciprocated.

“Tom!”

“Told you.” JJ whispered to his sister who nudged him in the ribs for his trouble.

Kathryn found her feet moving forwards but not as fast as those of the man before her, who moved at lightning speed, pulling her into his arms and planting his mouth firmly over hers before she had time to object. Tenderly Tom’s lips parted Kathryn’s and the familiar taste stirred long forgotten sensations within her.

Katie giggled. “They’re kissing.” While JJ rolled his eye’s skywards and groaned.

Raising an eyebrow at the children’s expressions, Tom drew back away from Kathryn breaking the contact between them. “It’s been too long.” He said the words tumbling out of his mouth with more emotion than he expected.

“Ten years.” Kathryn confirmed, and then watched as his eye’s slide sideways to the children.

“Much too long.” Tom whispered before returning his lips to hers.

Kathryn didn’t resist the kiss, there was no point, and as Tom’s hands slipped around her waist she responded by running her own across his broad shoulders and through the tousled curls of his hair. When finally they parted Kathryn blurted out the first thing that came into her head. “Aren’t you supposed to be on deep space 19?”

“I was, I am,” Tom said just as flustered. “I mean I was on my way back there when my runabout got caught in an iron storm, fried my systems.” He wanted to tell her the truth but he couldn’t.

It was at that moment that Kathryn realised Tom was the ragamuffin Captain Waring had de- toured to rescue the day before and she smiled. “That was careless of you.”

“Perhaps it was fate, you said it would toss us together again one day.”

“I did, didn’t I.”

Tom’s eye’s counted the wrinkles that the years had etched into Kathryn’s face, while his fingers traced the grey twists of her hair. If it was fate it had taken its own sweet time. In turn Kathryn examined Tom’s features, he looked so much older, so much more like his father and yet she could still see the Tom Paris of 18 years past and deeper still into his eye’s she saw the laughing boy from Owen Paris desk.

“Mom were hungry,” JJ tugged at his mom’s uniform sleeve but she paid him no heed.

“Still in Starfleet?” Paris remarked clocking the colours she sported.

“Diplomatic core.” Said Kathryn proudly. “But you would know that, Owen……I mean your father sends you up dates on us at least once a month.”

She didn’t know! “Actually I haven’t received any word from my father for sometime.” This as much was true. “I’ve been too deeply undercover to get personal messages.”

“Owen never said?” Something pricked at the corners of Kathryn’s consciousness.

“He either couldn’t or didn’t want to worry you.” It was more likely the former considering where he had been.

A spark suddenly ignited in Kathryn’s head and she was compelled to ask. “Tom, how long was sometime?”

“Almost a year, why?” Tom sensed something bad was coming, something he didn’t want to hear.

“Then you wont have heard.” Kathryn felt her stomach churn and took a step backwards away from Tom.

“Heard what?” Something bad had happened his father, Miral... “Why have you gone white?”

“Oh Tom I shouldn’t be the one to tell you this……..but……Its Belanna……She’s dead.”

Tom Paris frame literally shook. “What! How?”

“A shuttle accident.” The words sounded so hollow, she’d told so many people over the years how there loved ones had died but this had to be the worst ever.

Paris shook his head and pushed Kathryn away from him. “No it’s not true, it’s a mistake.” Tom threw a clenched fist at the nearest wall then winced as he felt the pain.

“Tom?”

“No she promised to take care,” Tom spun around tears of disbelief streaming down his face. “She promised me! ………….What about Miral?”

“Alive.” Kathryn didn’t know what else to say. “But I don’t know where, I naturally assumed she was with you.”

“Mom who’s dead?” Asked Katie trying to get some attention, but Kathryn turned and shushed her.

“I have to contact someone, my father, the Klingon counsel.” Paris moved erratically pulling the hair on his head as he inspected the blood dripping from his wounded hand. “I need to know what happened, I need to find Miral.”

“Then go, I’ll find you later.” Kathryn didn’t want to let him leave, not in such a state but she had to think of the twins she had to put them first over the father they didn’t know.

Tom backed away from them still shaking his head refusing to believe that this terrible thing could have happened then as he reached the corner he turned and broke into a flat out run.

“I’m sorry Tom.” Kathryn called after him headless of weather he heard or not. “I’m so sorry.” Kathryn said again whispering the words this time as she hugged the twin’s close.


Tom Paris sat on the edge of the bunk in his quarters having just made the most difficult call home of his life he was now staring into the bottom of a whisky glass wondering how many it was going to take to block out the pain. The whisky had come from ensign Thompson third class along with a progress report on his ‘runabout’ repairs. Consequently Tom was on his second glass when the door chime bounced off the walls of his tiny windowless room and rattled his brain.

“Open!” Tom found himself yelling in annoyance at the noise.

Kathryn Janeway hearing the raised voice stood back a step as the non-descript door shuffled aside. “Tom?”

Paris stood and slide the glass across a table so that it bounced of the wall behind with a chunk sound. Then reaching through the doorway he took Kathryn’s hand, pulled her across the lintel and into his arms. Fortunately the door shuffled shut behind her without being yelled at because Tom’s next move was to take possession of Kathryn’s mouth, devouring her lips as if he was a starved man feasting upon his first meal. Kathryn let him vent his passion while releasing some of her own. Hands that had no conscious thought behind them sneaked around Tom’s torso, driven by a deep desire to touch, hold and caress the once familiar contours. While her lips followed his in a sequenced dance that caused stirring she had long forgotten.

Then without warning Tom dragged himself away from her. “I’ve found Miral.” He said the words veiled in grief.

“Is she ok?” Kathryn asked her hand reaching out to stoke a damp cheek.

“She’s still on Boreth.” Tom took a deep breath. “A friend of B…..Belanna’s …….took her in.”

“That’s good.” Kathryn managed a smile. “Have you spoken with her?”

“I can’t. Not yet!” Tom pulled away from Kathryn his eye’s searching the room as he turned in desperate circles. “I’m still under orders, I can’t contact her until I’ve completed my mission.”

“What mission?” Kathryn asked, angry that she hadn’t been informed about anything. “Tom, what kind of mission takes you deep undercover for a year?”

“The kind that I can’t talk about.” Tom stopped spinning and stood facing Kathryn. “On my life I can’t tell you anything until I’ve made my report.”

“Then make it. I’m sure if you explain Captain Waring will provide a secure com-channel.”

“I wish it was that easy.” Tom’s shoulders fell and he released a heavy sigh. “It has to be a person to person report.”

“To whom?” Kathryn asked becoming as equally frustrated as Tom. “And where? There’s nothing and no one for light years in any direction?”

“I don’t know who.” Tom replied. “All I know is the code they will give when ‘they’ find me.”

“Oh!” Kathryn suddenly realised why she’d never been told anything and why Tom couldn’t be informed of his wife’s death. Only the deepest operatives worked in the dark and from the shadow that passed over Tom’s face he’d been in a very dark place for a very long time.

“Does that mean your still in danger?”

Tom sat down hard on the bunk, running his hands over his tired face and through his long straggly hair. “Not anymore I don’t think. I’m sure I lost my tail in the iron storm that damaged my ship.”

“Tail? You were being followed?”

“More like chased.” Tom joked then when he saw the fearful look on Kathryn’s face he changed his tactics. “Anyway I have to leave soon, this ship is going in the wrong direction for me.”

“And so fate rips us apart again.” Kathryn had hoped he would be sticking around at least long enough to spend some time with the twins, maybe even tell them who he was. It was at that moment she noticed Tom had gone very quiet, moving to sit beside him she saw how his body shook and trembled.

“It doesn’t make sense,” Tom said between the tears. “All those years in the delta quadrant, Kazon, Hirogen, Borg not a scratch.” Tom stood and reached for the whisky glass. “Only to be killed in a stupid shuttle accident.”

Kathryn watched as he emptied the last dregs then poured a fresh glass. “That’s not going to make you feel any better.”

“Then tell me what will?” Tom turned a look of hatred on his face, as if it was Kathryn’s fault somehow. “I can’t even go to her grave to weep, the Klingon’s don’t bury there dead.”

“I’m sure there is somewhere that was special to you and Belanna where you can go to say your good bye’s.” This would have been easier if it wasn’t for her own feelings for the man pouring his heart out before her. If it wasn’t that secretly she was glad Belanna was dead and that she had been waiting this past year for the call to say he needed her or for him to appear out of the blue and fall into her arms. One of the reasons she had accepted the ambassador job was to get away from the waiting.

Tom returned to the bed and moved close up to Kathryn. “Good idea, do you know of any wormholes to the delta quadrant?”

“Tom?” Kathryn gave him one of her hurt and reproachful looks, the kind that in the past had made him putty in her hands but now with so much water under the bridge he just blinked and turned away.

“What did you do after your father and Justin were killed?” Tom asked taking another swig from the glass and finding the bitter after taste hard to swallow for some reason.

“If you must know I took to my bed for a month. Stayed there until my sister poured a bucket of water over me.”

Tom felt a sensation like cold water run down his back as he remembered something. “But that’s a story for another time.” He said the words out allowed and turned back to Kathryn. “In the cave, you mentioned that incident but said it wasn’t appropriate.”

“Well now you know why.” Kathryn stared into Toms blood shot eyes, saw the pain that he was feeling and remembered the pain she had felt after loosing the two men most dear to her.

Tom stared back he could read the empathy for him in Kathryn’s eye’s but not her mind and there were questions he wanted answers to, questions that were tangled up in his grief for Belanna. “Why didn’t you tell them about me? Why don’t my own children know who I am?”

“Why did you never come to see them?” Kathryn responded, then bit her tongue. “There have been times when I regretted sending you away that day but I never said you couldn’t come back.”

“I did once when the twins were a year old, you were sitting on the stoop of your parents house in Ohio. Justin was asleep in your arms and Katie was toddling around laughing at something.”

“I remember that day, my mom was ill, she died the week after.”

“I know I was still on earth, I almost came to the funeral but the same thing stopped me then as it had done before and every time since.”

“What, what stopped you?” Kathryn asked hoping for some extraterrestrial explanation.

“You.” Tom reached up and brushed a stray strand of hair from Kathryn’s eye. “And how much I knew it would hurt to see you and know I couldn’t stay. You, the twins and how much it would hurt to have to kiss them goodbye at the end of the day and leave.”

“That’s your excuse is it?” Kathryn said angrily. “That’s your excuse for never once seeing your children in ten years, because it was to painful.”

“Yes!” Tom spat back. “But what’s your excuse for never telling them who I was and what does the phrase, ‘Your not supposed to be here,’ mean?”

“What?”

“Katie’s words not mine.”

Kathryn stood and took two paces back from Tom. “First of all there wasn’t much point in telling them who there father was considering he didn’t seem to want anything to do with them and secondly I don’t know what Katie meant, except that she’s been spending a lot of time with your father recently and probably over heard something about where and what you’ve been doing.”

“The only thing I’ve been doing is what you told me to do and that is to forget about you and go back to my wife and daughter.”

“I said that didn’t I.” A jolt of guilt unsettled Kathryn.

“Yes you did, you also said you didn’t need me so don’t you go giving me a hard time over this, not now not ever.”

“I was wrong.” Kathryn shook her head and looked down. “I needed you so much but I was too much of a coward to tell you, to ask you to stay with me.”

“No I was the coward.” Tom closed the gap between him and Kathryn, reaching out and tilting her head upwards again. “You were the brave one who raised two wonderful children on her own, you were the brave one who never faltered or took the easy way out.”

“I wanted to tell them about you, many times I started but couldn’t find the right words, then as time passed it just got harder.” Kathryn took the last step to bring them together. “It got so hard to think about you with Belanna while I was on my own and no matter how I tired I could never stop loving you.”

“I’d be lying if I said my love for you had diminished over the years.” If anything thought Tom it had grown stronger. “But right now I’m not sure how I feel.” The alcohol was probably as much to blame as anything for the confusing emotions reeling inside of him. “Maybe it would be best for both of us if this time I asked you to leave?”

“If that’s what you want.” Kathryn half turned and stepped out of Toms reach but as she did a warm hand took hers and tugged her back.

“No that’s not what I want.” Tom snaked his other hand around behind Kathryn’s head. “What I want is for you to make the pain go away.”

Before Kathryn could speak to object Tom hauled her physically against his red-hot frame and seized custody of her mouth. Engulfing her lips with his while driving his tongue deep into the recess of her throat. Fighting for breath as she fought for control of her senses Kathryn returned the embrace, all to aware that the man seducing her was suffering from emotional trauma and the contents of half a whisky bottle.

Tom moved his hands softly but firmly over Kathryn’s body reacquainting himself with the contours that he once could picture intimately in his mind. She was no longer wearing her uniform as before and the silky fabric of her top did nothing to hide the obvious signs of excitement his kisses were producing. Bringing his hands up to caress her bare neck then cup her flushed face Tom withdrew his mouth from Kathryn’s and took a deep breath. “Where are the twins?”

Breathing heavily herself Kathryn gathered her thoughts then answered. “I’ve got a hologram nanny watching them.”

“Then you can stay?” It was more of a statement than a question.

“I can stay for as long as you need me.” Kathryn moved her own hands around to Tom’s chest then let them slide downwards to the buckle of his slacks.

Tom smiled for the first time he was about to make love to Kathryn Janeway, not Captain or even Admiral Janeway and he was free to do so. That freedom came at a price and with great anguish but he would not feel any guilt or any need for regret. He would only feel the love that crushed his heart to his chest every time his mind wandered to her memory.

Kathryn’s fingers having made short work of the belt buckle trailed upwards again over Tom’s shirt buttons, unfastening each on the way so that she was able to ease the fabric free of his shoulders and down his back, letting her warm hands roam over the taut muscles along the way.

Tom moaned softly as the sensation of Kathryn’s touch aroused desires that threatened to overwhelm him. Then her fingertips traced the outline of his stiffened flesh and he moaned louder.

Hearing his moan Kathryn drew her hand away and looked up, his breathing was ragged and he still held her face cupped in his hands.

Drawing her to him Tom took her lips in a soft exploring kiss that allowed his hands to fall gently onto her shoulders before slowly traversing her slender back. When they reached her waist he gathered the material of her top and began raising it. Sensing what he was doing even with her mind on the kiss Kathryn raised her arms so he could lift the cloth, freeing her nakedness beneath. Briefly their lips parted as the flimsy material came between them but the sight of her rose tipped ivory breasts soon spurred Tom back into motion and encircling his arms around her he crushed the voluptuous mounds against his chest while returning his mouth to ravish hers.

It wasn’t long after that Kathryn found herself completely naked and being lowered onto cool sheets. But they didn’t stay cool for long, the tiny seductive kisses that Tom traced from Kathryn’s ankle up her calf then thigh and on to her stomach, before gliding his searing torso over hers, soon heated them up.

Meanwhile Kathryn writhed with pleasure as he continued up her body, grazing his lips over the tender mounds of her breasts before suckling delightfully on the hardened peaks.

Tom felt Kathryn shudder and tremble against him as his lips transported her to a land of rapture. He suspected his own body was trembling too, from his throbbing shaft and he guided it to Kathryn’s moist apex where it nestled patiently waiting.

Unsuspecting Kathryn raised her knees to permit the girth of Tom’s hips only to take in a sharp breath and arch her back in elation as she felt Tom explore with his rough fingers the convulsing depths of her womanhood. Shocked by the ecstasy his action was provoking Kathryn relaxed her frame and closing her eyes rocked to the rhythm he was building up. Before long perspiration began to form on her body, which Tom eagerly licked off her breasts as he stroked and caressed the tiny pulsating bud with his thumb. Soon though warm juices ran over his fingers and Kathryn climaxed under his forceful administrations squealing and squirming against the hard bones in his hand.

Satisfied with his work Tom raised himself up on both arms so that he could look down upon her quivering flesh for a moment before slowly sliding his red-hot penis into the undulating confines of her virgina.

Tears welled up in Kathryn’s eyes as he began sliding in and out of her in an achingly sensual rhythm, but soon she was moaning erotically and thrashing her head wildly as she enjoyed what he was doing to her. This was what Tom had waited ten years for, this women beneath him, his soul mate, his one true love, and as he thrust deeper and harder into her flesh he vowed that he wouldn’t let her send him away ever again.

A wetness rolled down Kathryn’s cheeks as she realised she’d been the biggest fool ever to let the man on top of her walk out of her life and silently promised to make it up to him in any way she could.

Cries of passion rang out from Kathryn’s lips and Tom felt the pressure inside his penis mount sending shards of lightning zipping up his shaft as he released his hot load deep into her very core………

Then without words they slept, wrapped in each other’s arms safe in the knowledge that no one could condemn their love anymore.


“WHUMP!”

The sound shook the air.

“BLAM!”

Tom and Kathryn leaped out of bed and scrabbled for their clothes while klaxons screeching in the corridor outside penetrated the walls.

“What’s happening?” Kathryn asked jostling Tom for elbow space. “Are we under attack?”

Before Tom could answer the floor rocked beneath his feet propelling him against the rooms door, which for some reason opened upon contact with his shoulder sending him flying out into the chaos beyond. Throwing on the last of her clothes Kathryn looked out onto the now red illuminated corridor where crewmen in various stages of dress moved at great speed, pausing only to regress their balance as more blasts shook the Elizabeth’s supper structure.

Tom stood up fast and grabbed the nearest man. “What’s going on?” he yelled to be heard over the noise. “Who’s attacking us?”

“Pirates! They’ve taken out our weapons.” The crewman yelled back whilst trying to extract himself from Toms grip. “They want one of the passengers or their going to kill us all.”

“Who?” Tom screamed, pulling the crewman closer.

“A…..Nick Lacarno, but he’s not on the ships manifest.” At the sound of the name Tom released his grip and the crewman tugged himself free before disappearing into the throng.

“They’ve found me.” Tom said to himself, his face ghost white.

“Tom what is it?” Kathryn called out taking note of his paled complexion and horrified stare. “Tom?”

Tom didn’t reply, he just grabbed Kathryn’s arm and began dragging her after him as he joined the running crew.

Between trying to maintain her footing and the ships alarms Kathryn was unable to ask anything else until Tom wedged them into an already overcrowded turbo lift. “Who is Nick,…….Lacarno?” She probed keeping her voice low.

“We have to get back to the twins.” Tom said in reply, avoiding eye contact and completely ignoring her question.

Kathryn would have checked him but another blast and more alarms as the turbo lift began filling with smoke prevented her.

Damaged the turbo lift jolted to a halt at the next level and everyone piled out onto a passenger deck and into the mêlée of panicking dignitaries. Kathryn recognised some of them as her dinner companions but they didn’t seem inclined to stop and Tom had to yank her back against the wall out of their path.

“We need to go up one more deck.” Tom yelled in her ear to be heard over the shrieking and wailing, then set about pulling her towards the emergency stairs, with her children’s safety on her mind Kathryn went along willingly.

Fortunately the swarm of body’s was going up as well allowing them to make good progress to the next level but once there they had to fight against the contra flow. It didn’t help that the Elizabeth’s inertial dampeners were failing under the barrage of shots bombarding her, causing everyone to be periodically thrown to the floor. Several times Kathryn found herself clinging to Tom to stay upright only to be bounced off the nearest wall with the next blast, but eventually they made it to her quarters.


“Mommy, mommy,” Katie cried, throwing herself into her mothers arms before she’d hardly stepped over the threshold. “I couldn’t stop him and …… and he ignored the nanny.” Katie stammered loudly while still clinging to her mother.

“I’m so sorry.” Said the flickering female hologram nanny approaching them. “He just left and I couldn’t follow him, then the alarms began and I didn’t know what to do. I’m not programmed for this sort of thing. I’m not ……I’m……..”

“Computer end nanny program,” Tom called into the air and the nanny fizzled out. “Katie where is Justin?”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.” Katie said exasperated then screamed in fright as the ship shuddered and the lights faded in and out.

“Where did he go?” Kathryn asked calmly, getting down so she was at the same level as her frightened daughter.

“He went to the holodeck said he wanted to play Captain Proton before they got busy.” Katie explained but once she’d said ‘holodeck’ her mother was up and steering her towards the door.

“Wait.” Tom called stepping in front of them. “Computer locate passenger Justin Janeway….”

“……..Code 2245.” Kathryn finished for him, her fingers resting on Katie’s shoulders automatically crossing themselves.

“Passenger 2245 name Justin Janeway is located on deck 10 holodeck 4 thank you for your enquiry.”

The ‘thank you’ part echoed around an empty room.


Outside in the corridor passengers and crew were still running to and fro, some juggled obviously important data pads while others struggled to drag copious amounts of luggage after them. All it seemed were screeching for lost loved ones. The alarms though had stopped in favour of a repeated message informing the said passengers of where the escape pods were but none of them appeared to be listening.

“The holodecks three floors down.” Kathryn informed Tom indicating the bottleneck of body’s at the emergency stair entrance and the now defunct turbo lift.

“I know where they are.” Tom said, his eyes scanning the plush corridor. “But we’ll never make it through there.” Then Tom spotted what he was looking for and darted 50 yards down the corridor before bending down to an access panel 2 feet off the deck.

Kathryn joined him as he opened the panel to reveal one of the Elizabeth’s maintenance tunnels, or Jeffries Tubes as they called them on real ships. But this one was barely wide enough for a grown man to crawl through and only illuminated by dim emergency lights. Tom had expected better on a ship like the Elizabeth but figured decadence had come before maintenance in the latinum stakes.

Taking stock of the situation Tom turned to Kathryn. “Take Katie and get to the forward escape pods, I’ll get Justin and catch you up.”

“Over my dead body!” Kathryn replied, bending down to Tom’s level and putting her face to his. “I’m not going anywhere without my son!”

Tom knew from the tone of her voice that there wouldn’t be any point arguing with her so instead he turned to Katie. “Do you think you could keep up with me and your mom?”

“Through there?” Katie asked wrinkling her nose then letting a big grin spread across her face. “You bet!”

“That’s my girl.” Tom smiled at his daughter and squeezed her hand tenderly. (If only you knew) he pondered momentarily then turned back to Kathryn. “I’ll go first then Katie, ok?”

Kathryn nodded back and Tom proceeded to disappear down the tunnel. The air inside had been heated by sparks flying off overload circuit boards and gel packs oozed down the walls. Ahead ruptured vents spewed gas’s across their path preventing them from seeing to far. In all it didn’t look very inviting but it was the quickest avenue open to them.

“Keep to the middle Katie,” Tom said, momentarily looking back and watching as she eagerly clambered in after him.

Kathryn followed up the rear watching for any dangers ahead of her daughter least she should need to pull her back. Five minutes later though they had made it to the decent ladder without incident.

The rungs of the ladder were quite widely spaced giving tom cause to worry about how Katie would mange but the plucky girl bounced down them with only minor difficulties, mostly due to the lurching of the Elizabeth as she underwent another volley of shots.

Once they reached deck five it took another few minuets in the rat run of tunnels to find the right access panel to get out, plenty of time for Kathryn to ask. “Tom who is Nick Lacarno?”

“I don’t think this ……….is the time or place.” Tom answered by way of trying to dodge the question again.

“Probably not.” Kathryn agreed. “But if he’s responsible for putting my family in danger I want to know who he is and where he is?”

Tom sighed and then winced as the tunnel floor suddenly became hot under his hands and knees. “Mind this section there must be a fire below us because it’s kind of warm.”

“Tom?” Kathryn called whishing Katie wasn’t between them.

“Ok, ok, I’ll tell you.” She deserved to know and now would have to be the time, right or wrong. “Nick Lacarno is a distant cousin of mine, he’s the real black sheep of the family. People use to say we looked alike so I used his identity while I was undercover.” There he’d told her, now came the backlash.

“That means these guys are after you.” Said Kathryn. “Which means ……….”

“Which means I’m the one who has put you and the twins in danger.” Tom stopped and spun around so he could see passed Katie. “And I’m the one who’s going to get you out of it.” Reaching up Tom pressed a keypad above his head opening an access panel beside the girl. “After you honey.” He said, watching as the now grimy kid slid out onto a bright but deserted corridor. “And just for the record if anything happens to these kids it will be 'Over my Dead Body'.”

Kathryn would have responded but at that moment another explosion rattled the ship throwing her forwards into Tom’s arms. “I’m sorry.” She mumbled her face millimetres form his. “I didn’t mean….”

“Shut up!” Tom said softly then sealed his lips over Kathryn’s to prevent any other words escaping. The kiss only lasted for the count of ten but it was a lover’s kiss, gentle, warm and sensual.

“I’ve found it.” Katie yelled excitedly. “Holodeck 4, its this way come on.” Popping her head back in to the hatchway Katie caught her mom and Tom in mid kiss. “There’s no time for that Justin’s trapped.”


The holodeck door was firmly shut, its painted steal snapped together in a zigzag pattern to match the décor. On a wall beside it a control panel blinked wildly while green gloop seeped out from it’s charred edges.

“Maybe he’s already left?” Katie said jabbing at the door control but getting no response.

“Computer confirm location of passenger 2245.” Kathryn called joining Katie and trying the door control herself.

“Passenger 2245 is still located on holodeck 4 deck 10.”

“Computer open doors to holodeck 4 deck 10.” Tom ordered moving from his inspection of the holodeck controls to the manual door-opening panel.

“Can not comply my interface to holodeck 4 is not responding.”

“Damn!” Tom swore as he ripped open the panel and began poking inside.

“Mom if we can’t get in how will Justin get out?” Katie asked following behind Kathryn as she crossed to the control display.

“Don’t worry love Tom can open just about any door ever built. He once even opened a stasis chamber from the inside while he was asleep.”

“Wow is he magic?”

“Only his fingers.” Kathryn replied, looking to Tom and sharing a knowing smile, but as she turned back to checkout the fizzling display panel her smile vanished. “Oh my god! The safety protocols are off line!”

“I know.”

“But the program’s still running!”

“I know.” Tom replied again but this time his voice was muffled by the circuit board he held in his mouth.

“Hurry?” Kathryn frantically cried, glancing over her shoulder at Katie who was hovering in front of the double doors. All of a sudden the doors glided open and the girl unaware of any danger took a step forward.

“No!” Tom screamed, diving for Katie and yanking her backwards just as a laser bolt zapped against the holodecks invisible surface.

Katie gasped, she’d felt the heat of the beam on her face and the tingle of it disappearing and knew that if Tom hadn’t pulled her back she most certainly would have taken the full blast to the head, and with the safety’s off line probably killed.

Without saying anything to compound the girls fear and embarrassment over the incident Tom passed her off to her relieved mother then stepped cautiously forward himself. The Captain Proton program was indeed still running, the interior depicted a rock formation at the foot of Chaotica’s mountain, the scenario was an outnumbered battle between Captain Proton and Chaotica’s minions. But with no safety protocols running Captain Proton played by Justin Janeway was not only loosing but pinned down a hundred yards inside the holodeck. Without hesitation Tom dived and rolled onto the holodeck securing himself a position behind a rock out crop. “Computer end program.” He called hopefully up into the blaster charged air but got no response. “Ok try this then, computer I’d like a Captain Proton laser Pistol.” Looking back he could see Kathryn and Katie waiting anxiously beyond the holodecks reach, some how he had to get this boy out alive. This time though the computer responded and a brand new shiny weapon appeared in his hand. Obviously some systems were still working but not enough. With this in mind Tom wasted no time in letting off a volley against the nearest minion.

JJ swivelled his head, as the shot’s took out the two men closest to him. At first he saw only his mom and Katie standing in the now open holodeck doorway and he nearly made a run for it but movement from a rock 50 yards to his right caught his attention. It was Tom, his mom’s friend and he was signalling for him to stay put. JJ grinned, you see he knew something his sister didn’t, he knew Tom was Captain protons creator and if anyone was going to save him from Chaotica it would be him.

When Tom saw Justin smile his mind flashed back to the photo of himself at the same age, with the same grin, sitting on his fathers desk at Starfleet Command. But as he watched a stray shot ricocheted of the rocks in front of Justin, slamming into the boy and knocking him backwards, right into the path of chaotica’s robot.

“Justin!” Kathryn yelled but her voice was lost against the sound of laser fire, she wanted to run to him but she couldn’t leave Katie.

Tom’s instinct was also to go to the boy but the open ground between them proved unsafe. Ducking back behind his rock he saw Justin still on the ground trying to move away from the robot.

“Tom help!” JJ yelled, his shoulder hurt like hell and the dust mixed with tears stung his eyes.

Realising Justin was also being exposed to other fire Tom tried in vain to get the computer to respond or shut down. Then suddenly he remembered something and taking careful aim fired at the robots chest plate causing it to spring open.

JJ let out a yelp when the blast hit but figured the real Captain Proton would know what he was doing and he turned to him. “Pull the wire’s out.” Tom yelled, trying to pick off as many of chaotica’s men as possible. “You have to pull the wires.”

Bemused but trusting JJ scrambled to his knees directly below the crushing arms of the metal monster and using his good arm grabbed the smouldering exposed innards. They were hot and he let out a ‘yowl’ as he yanked hard then dodged sideways to avoid the flaying robotic arms. But he needn’t have worried the robot was stopped dead, it’s arms hung down and it’s shoulders were slumped. Without the 3 wires Justin now held in his tight grasp the robot was powerless.

“Hey I didn’t know you could do that?” JJ yelled back at Tom.

“Its not in the manual so keep it to yourself and get your ass over here.”

Justin scouted across the distance, a smaller target than Tom and quicker on his younger feet he managed somehow to duck and dive through, rolling the last three feet into the hollow behind Tom’s rock.

“Good boy!” Tom said ruffling the lad’s hair and giving his singed shoulder a cursory glance. “Now lets see if we can get you to your mom.”

Mom frustrated with waiting had crept onto the edge of the holodeck and calling for her own weapon had begun taking out some of the advancing horde herself.

“Mom!” Justin yelled in amazement, he had never seen his mother ‘the teacher’ in full combat mode before.

Tom on the other hand beamed with delight. The sight of her made his heart ache for the times they had fought side by side against the delta bad guys. For this was when he found Kathryn the sexiest and the most desirable. Memories of them sharing adversity and then the joy of winning, wrapped in his love for her made his chest heave and his loins throb.

“Oh boy he’s so sexy.” Kathryn’s mind wandered for a moment as she watched the man she refused to love unconditionally risk his life for the son he hadn’t seen since birth. A gulp raced up from her gullet and she exhaled it with a sigh. She’d been so foolish, so stupid and so afraid to let him stay but still he kept coming back and he kept on loving her. “Why?”

“Tom I want to go.” Justin said, brushing away tears from his eyes.

“Ok son.” Tom said, then inwardly winced as he realised he’d said the ‘S’ word but JJ was too afraid to notice. “When I say, I want you to run to your mom, straight line ok, keeping your head down. Do you think you can do that?”

Justin nodded; it wasn’t that far to the door now he probably could make it easy.

Holding the boy firmly by the shoulder least he should move too soon, Tom signalled his intentions to Kathryn. He could see she wasn’t keen on his idea but responded with an ok signal none the less. She was trusting him with the life off their son and the responsibility of getting himself back in one piece.

“Now!” Tom said letting go off the boy but as Justin rose to run so did Tom, moving backwards keeping his body between his son and the gunfire he allowed the lad a clear run to safety.

This unexpected manoeuvre caught Chaotica's men off guard, bringing some of them out of hiding and providing Tom with perfect targets. Lightning reflex’s and a better aim, along with Kathryn’s cover fire meant that he too traversed the distance to her side without injury.

“Just like old times.” Kathryn said as he joined her.

“Yeah kinda nice isn’t it.” Tom replied with a big grin on his face. They stood side by side once more picking off the bad guys. “Shame we have to go.” Tom stepped closer to Kathryn as they moved slowly backwards in unison, still firing their weapons until the moment they passed through the holodeck barriers and disappeared.


Once out of the holodecks influence tom signalled to Katie to pull the jerry rigged circuit board from the door control causing them to shut with a resounding thud.

“JJ you fool you could have gotten killed.” Katie commenced reprimanding her brother before Kathryn or Tom could say a word.

“I was fine until the door controls blew up and the safety’s went off line.” JJ responded while poking his sister in the chest.

“Your just lucky Tom was here, mom and me would never have gotten you out alone.”

“I wouldn’t bet on that sis.” JJ smiled at his mom.

“NO! but you can bet your in serious trouble young man……..”

“WHUMP!”

“Warning there is a hull breach on this deck, air tight doors have been deployed. Warning there is a hull breach on this………..”

“Go now!” Tom screamed, helping Katie and Justin back onto their feet and propelling them down the corridor. At the far end a huge steel door was descending rapidly. “Kathryn?” Tom took his eyes off the children for a second to make sure she was also on her feet then pounded the deck after them.

“I’m right behind you.” Kathryn replied, her vision squared on the two bodies now disappearing under the door that was already halfway down.

Tom cleared the gap with a duck and roll then stopped, reached back under and pulled Kathryn through, clearing her feet just as the door slammed into the deck.

“This ship is compromised, we have to get off her.” Tom dragged Kathryn to her feet once more.

“How were cut off?”

“The turbo lift, come.”

“There’s no power to the lift’s.”

“You only need power to go up, were going down.”

“What’s down?” Justin asked, keeping up with Tom as he ran to the lift.

“My Runabout, if the hanger bays still in one piece we can use her to escape.”

“That’s a very big ‘if’.” Kathryn commented but still ushered the twins onto the turbo lift after him. Ripping open yet another control panel and thinking how glad he was the workmanship wasn’t up to federation standard Tom commenced manipulating the redundant circuits.

“More magic finger work?” Katie asked watching carefully what he did. “Can you get it working again like the holodeck door?”

“No I can’t………but like I said to your mum we don’t need power to go down.”

With the word ‘down’ hanging still on Tom’s lips the lift began to plummet taking the quartet with it. Fear, excitement and the contents of her stomach forced Katie into Tom’s arms, where she clung on for dear life while the floors whizzed past the still open door. Locking his arms protectively around his daughter Tom prayed for his shuttle to be in one piece, he also prayed the emergency breaks on the turbo lift would kick in. Kathryn hanging onto an equally excited but terrified JJ also mumbled similar prays. Seconds later as the turbo lift ate away the decks a bone jarring clunk followed by an ear splitting screech, signalled the application of the emergency breaks and they thankfully began to slow down.


Sub deck 5 wasn’t exactly in one piece but she was still there, so was the hanger bay. On closer inspection though they saw her inner doors were buckled ominously open while at the far end the opaque force field that kept the vacuum of space out sizzled negatively. They didn’t have much time. Ignoring the debris and larger shuttlecraft around them Tom steered Kathryn and the kids to the corner where his faithful runabout stood waiting.

“Paris! Am I glad to see you.” A voice called from behind them, startling the children.

“Thompson, what are you still doing here?” Tom signalled for Kathryn to get the children on board while he greeted the bedraggled Ensign.

Thompson puffed out his chest and announced proudly. “I’ve been left in charge.”

More like the other cowards had run off without you, thought Tom but he said nothing. “Is my bird space worthy?”

“Aye, but she’s only got impulse and phasers.”

“That’s ok, we can fix the rest on route, come on.” Paris tugged Thompson towards the runabout but he hung back.

“I can’t,” he said.

“Why ever not?” Paris asked.

“While my captains still on board my jobs here.” Thompson replied, loyalty and pride resounding with every word.

This was something Paris understood but he had to get Kathryn and the kids to safety, his loyalty and duty lay elsewhere. “Take care Ensign Thompson third class or my recommendation to Starfleet will be for nothing.”

“Don’t worry about me, you just take care of your family.”

Paris was about to ask how he knew but Thompson was gone, shaking his head Tom Climbed aboard the runabout where he found Kathryn performing cold start checks on the shuttles systems.

“Impulse, life support, shields and phasers, if everyone’s here, were good to go?” She announced watching Tom slide into the vacant pilot’s seat. He nodded once then glanced back at the sealed door.


Justin watched from his cushioned position at he rear as Tom guided the runabout through the shimmering force field and under the Elizabeth’s belly. He expected them to immediately go to full power, making a fast get away and braced himself accordingly but instead Tom powered down to a crawl. This peaked Justin’s interest and ignoring his sisters sleeve tugging ventured forwards. Through the front view screen he could see shards of white twisted metal spinning end over end there charred edges clashing together silently in the vacuum of space before flying off in different directions.

Among this wreckage distorted lifeless body’s floated aimlessly, their luggage and data pads that had seemed so important earlier bobbing along after them. This was all that remained of the Elizabeth’s life pods and passengers.

Fortunately Justin’s brain was too young to comprehend what he was seeing and asked. “What is it? Why have we stopped?”

“Sit down JJ.” Tom replied without looking back.

Not satisfied with this answer JJ turned to his mother. “Mom?”

“Sit down JJ.” Kathryn replied, mirroring Tom’s words.

Without a third party to plead to JJ returned to his sister who had found a first aid kit and was fishing around inside it.

Kathryn reached across the gap between the seats and rested a hand on Tom’s shoulder. “Get us the hell out of here.” She ordered, fear trembling the edge of her voice.

“Yes ma’am.” Tom responded, shaking his eyes from the carnage and putting the runabout into first gear.

Kathryn left her hand where it was until Tom had cleared the debris field. He’d missed that, that reassuring weight on his shoulder, that confidence boost in times of need, that extra warmth when his spine ran cold.

“Do you think any of them made it?” Kathryn asked.

“I don’t…………”

WHUMPH

“Shit!” Tom swore as his neck snapped painfully forwards then backwards. “We’ve been spotted.”

“Shields at maximum, weapons on line.” Kathryn read from the panel in front of her with one eye while checking on the children with the other. “You want me to do the honours?”

“Be my guest.” Tom nodded, angling the shuttle sharply to avoid a second shot while Kathryn let rip with both phaser banks.

Unfortunately the shots just skimmed off the pirate’s shields forcing them into a cat and mouse game around the Elizabeth’s bludgeoned hull. Without warp they had no chance of making a run for it, there only hope was to wear them down first and get a lucky shot home.

It was on the third loop and sixth exchange of fire that Kathryn asked. “Who the hell are these guys Tom and why do they want you dead so badly?”

“Let’s just say I know where the bodies are buried.” He replied, enacting another sharp turn to get them out of firing range.

“No lets not.” Kathryn held onto the fuselage as a blast sent them slurring sideways. “I want answers Tom.”

Most of the time he loved the tenacity of this women but there were occasions he wished she’d be just a little more ‘live and let live’. “Ok, ok.” Tom sighed; it was too late to keep secrets now anyway. “Remember your Starfleet history and a little group of nasty’s called the Xindi?”

“Sure.” Kathryn nodded, before looking back to check on the twins for the tenth time. “But they were pre federation and anyway the first Enterprise took care of them.”

“Not all of them, a small group of the Xindi remained dissatisfied with the way the war ended they have been nursing a grudge for the last 300 years. Until recently though they hadn’t the means or wherewithal to do anything about it.”

“What happened?”

“They formed an alliance with another group of nasty’s that had the fire power needed to plan an attack against Earth.”

“That doesn’t explain how you got involved?”

CRANG

A large chunk of debris collided with the runabout and Kathryn realised she was distracting Tom but she wanted, no needed to know what he’d unwittingly got them into.

“Starfleet needed an undercover operative to locate their attack fleet. Bored with my career prospects on DS19 I volunteered.”

“I bet Belanna just loved you.”

“Enough to tell me if I took the job I wasn’t to come home again.”

“I’m sorry.” Kathryn watched as Tom’s eye’s glazed over and painful memory’s etched lines in his face.

BLAM………..CRUNCH…………..AHHHHHH

Katie and Justin screamed as a blast struck the shuttles rear end. With the Xindi ally currently in front of them Tom was left wondering for a moment where the shot had come from then another blip emerged on his sensors.

“A second ship just dropped out of warp on our tail.”

“Where? Let me see?” JJ moved forward to stand between the pilot seats.

“JJ, stay back with your sister.” Tom ordered while trying to concentrate on avoiding another hit from either ship.

“But I can’t see nothing from back there,” the boy whinged.

JJ’s words echoed through Tom’s mind, as a young lad he’d said the same thing to pilots all over the alpha quadrant while accompanying his father on business trips. Consequently the manoeuvres he’d picked up from leaning over their shoulders were now being deployed keeping them alive. Looking across to Kathryn for help again he saw her smiling.

“Like father like son.” She said, causing JJ’s ears to prick open and his mind to go into overdrive. A question pursed his lips but another blast to the shuttle’s rear prevented him from wording it.

“This isn’t going to work. I’m getting you out of here.”

Kathryn saw Tom reach for the transporter controls, “What are you doing!?” She exclaimed.

“I’m transporting you and the kids back to the Elizabeth, they’ve stopped firing on her so you should be safe.”

“You can’t!” Kathryn grabbed his hand and pulled it away from the controls. “You’ll have to lower our shields to get us out, once you do they’ll get a clear shot.”

“Not if I’m fast enough.” Tom argued.

“No Tom I wont let you.”

Tom rotated his hand in hers so that it rested gently in his grip. “It’s me they want, I’m the one putting you in danger remember.”

“I don’t care about that anymore, I care about you, the father of my children.”

Justin blinked hard, she’d said it again and this time his sister heard it too, glancing back at Katie he saw her eye’s widen in shook.

“And anyway what’s to stop them blowing you up then finishing off the Elizabeth for good measure?” Kathryn continued.

Tom squeezed her hand. “I said over my dead body didn’t I?”

The horror of what he was suggesting rolled over Kathryn just as another blast hit them aft sending JJ flying backwards. Kathryn automatically leaped from her seat to check on her son, he was uninjured but glancing back she saw Tom with his hand on the transporter control.

“Tom don’t and that’s an order!”

“Sorry but on this mission I’m the captain and I out rank you.”

Kathryn lost the ability to respond as the blinding light from an explosion penetrated the view screen then the runabout.

“What the!” Tom called out, turning to see what was left of the Xindi ally ship vaporise out of existence.

“Did you do that?” Kathryn asked slipping back into her seat.

“No but I know who did.”

Out of the view screen, off to their portside a ship was beginning to uncloak, her smooth contours and registration all too familiar.

“Voyager?” Gasped Kathryn. “But she was decommissioned six months ago. I know I was at the ceremony.”

“Decommissioned maybe, but not dismantled.”

Just then the runabouts communications crackled and fizzed into life.

“Tom Paris.” Chakotay greeted his old friend with a smile that defied the grey hairs and crows feet he’d acquired since their last meeting. “If your keeping count I believe that makes us even.”

“Chakotay just in the nick of time as always.” Tom returned the smile hoping the years had treated him kinder than his comrade. “I lost count but you always had a better memory than me.”

“Chakotay.” Kathryn called softly, moving into view of the communication pick up.

“Kathryn?” Chakotay returned.

“It’s a long story.” Kathryn said glancing sideways at Tom, who licked his lips nervously.

“One that will have to wait your pals trying to make a run for it. Hang on in there though helps on its way.” Chakotays face vanished then Voyagers nacelles lit up and she streaked away leaving a shadow where she had been.

In the silence that followed a small voice asked. “Tom are you my dad?”

Justin was standing slightly behind him and he had to twist in his seat to look at the boy, which he did with some trepidation.

“Yes son I am.”

Justin to his surprise suddenly grew a large grin, threw his arms around Tom’s neck and hugged him tight. “I knew it, I knew you’d come back.”

Tom’s heart leaped up into his throat, where it was crushed by Justin’s acceptance but over the boys shoulder he saw Katie. She wasn’t smiling and her eye’s gleamed with anger.


“Oh my god. Look!”

Untangling himself from Justin, Tom turned and gazed in amazement out of the runabouts view screen. Federation ships of every creed were dropping out of warp and hovering in space before them. Ahead of the convoy was the USS Enterprise.

“She’s supposed to be on a mission in the gamma quadrant.”

“I get the feeling most of these ships should be someplace else.”

Once again the runabouts communication system crackled into life, this time though the face was that of Captain William Riker, the Enterprises commander since the retirement of Admiral Picard.

“Captain Thomas Eugene Paris, I believe you have a love letter for me.” Captain Riker spoke in code and judging by Paris response the right one.

“I do, on pink lavender scented paper.” Paris replied with the counter code phase. “But my orders are to deliver it in person and not over an open channel.”

“Then prepare to be beamed aboard Captain.”

“All of us?” Paris asked his eye’s swivelling sideways to take in Janeway and the twins. She was sitting with her head cocked to one side watching him with a satisfied grin on her face and a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

“Of course sir.” Captain Riker said politely. “Four to beam over it is.”


When they emerged on the Enterprise transporter pad one deck below the bridge, Captain Riker and his second in command, Lieutenant Commander Troi, were the only ones there to greet them. At first though Riker ignored Janeway and the children to solely address Paris, whom he met half way across the room and handed a data pad. “Welcome aboard Captain.”

Paris nodded in return and set about tapping a series of numbers into the pad. “Have your helm’s man proceed to these co-ordinates at best possible speed, once there even if your sensors don’t detect anything open fire with everything you’ve got.”

“Aye sir.” Riker took the pad from Paris then crossing to the ships internal com-system, relayed the co-ordinates to his helm. Then and only then did he acknowledge Janeway and the children.

“Ambassador Janeway, welcome aboard the Enterprise but unless you intend to stay with us for the foreseeable future I would suggest you let us beam you to the USS Victoria who will be staying here to assist the Elizabeth.”

“Tom?” Kathryn called taking a step down from the transporter pad.

“I have to stay, I have a more detailed report to rely to Starfleet. I will also be needed here.” Tom moved closer to Kathryn but aware of the two Starfleet officers behind him stayed at a secure distance.

“If your staying, were staying.” Kathryn replied, her chest heaving defiantly over the decision. “It may not be safe.” Tom reminded her.

“I thought we’d already settled that argument.” Kathryn closed the gap between them. “I’m not allowing fate or anything to split us up again.”

“She stays.” Paris announced swivelling on his heels and taking a step away from Kathryn. He had too the electricity building between them was making him perspire.

Captain Riker did three things in response to this; he nodded, tapped his combadge then ordered his helms man to engage the ships engines. This took all of three seconds, In those three seconds Janeway realised that authority aboard the Enterprise had passed from Captain Riker to her Captain Paris. Tom’s mission wasn’t over and to top it all he was now in charge of a covert attack fleet. Things had just gotten very interesting.

“Sir, if you would like, Commander Troi can show you to a secure communication station, while I escort the ambassador and her lovely children to suitable quarters.”

“I would like that very much, thank you.” Paris confirmed stepping aside and allowing Janeway to move forward.

Ushering the twins in front of her she followed Captain Riker out of the transporter room with only a nod and a smile in Tom’s direction. As they left he heard Justin’s voice.

“Do you have a holodeck?”

“Yes several.” Riker answered.

“But do you have the Captain Proton programme?”

“All three versions,” Riker informed the boy.

“Oh wicked!” JJ squealed while his sister groaned and shook her head.


“You have a wonderful family Captain Paris.” Troi ventured, stepping from behind the transporter control.

“How did?…….. You’re a Betazoid.” Paris smiled, he had first hand knowledge of Betazoids and so knew he wasn’t going to be able to hide anything from this one.

“My abilities are only empathic.” Deanna explained. “But the love for ambassador Janeway and her children emanating from you is overwhelming.”

Paris smile spread but his voice was laden with sadness. “I haven’t seen them for ten years.”

“Ten years?” Troi exclaimed. “I don’t think I could bare to be parted from Will and our son for ten days never mind ten years.”

Paris sighed deeply, letting the weight of his emotions lift briefly from his shoulders as he replied. “It’s a long story.”

Deanna shook her head. “One I’m sure isn’t finished yet.”

The End