Chameleon
By Sirap
Part One: Caught in a Lie
The figure walked slowly down the gray corridor, praying no one would emerge from the shadows. She reached her destination and ran her fingers reverently across the name on the door. Paris. She pressed the chime and the door quickly opened.
Lieutenant Tom Paris grabbed the arm of the visitor and pulled her inside. "Did anybody see you?"
She was shaking her head, "No one."
He smiled "Good, I'd hate for anyone to find out about us."
Ensign Alexandra Monroe smiled back. Her and Tom had been having secret meetings since Voyager had become stranded in the Delta Quadrant. Monroe had been in the Marqui, serving on Chakotay's ship. The two kept a low profile, they didn't want anyone to become suspicious; to find out the truth about them.
Alex rubbed her back and Tom quickly noticed. "Is that bothering you again?" he asked.
Alex gave him a rueful smile. "It's been bothering me since the surgery."
Tom flinched "I suppose I should be glad they banned that by the time I graduated from Starfleet." He said taking a tricorder out of his medkit. "Take off your shirt."
Monroe blinked. "Excuse me?"
"I need to examine you. Come on, Alex, it's nothing I haven't seen before. Take it off."
Rolling her eyes Alex took off her green science tunic and pulled the turtleneck over her head. Tom sat behind her so he was facing her bare back. Running a quick scan he glanced at the results. They were the same as always. Running his hands up her spine he tried to relax the muscles and ease the pain.
* * * *
B'Elanna Torres and Harry Kim walked down the corridor to their best friends quarters.
"I'm telling you, B'Elanna, Tom said he was busy tonight, he already told me he couldn't come with us to the Holodeck."
"I know." B'Elanna said with narrowed eyes. "He's up to something Harry, since when does Tom Paris stay in when he has the night off?"
"Maybe you're right," Harry allowed. "But it really isn't any of our business… " Harry trailed off as the beautiful engineer opened the door, without ever pressing the announcer. Harry's mouth dropped open. B'Elanna quickly turned to see why and felt like she'd been struck. Tom was on the floor with a half naked crewman. Tom jumped up and Alex grabbed her tunic to cover herself up.
"Harry, B'Elanna, I didn't hear you." Tom said uncomfortably
B'Elanna abruptly turned and bolted down the hall. Tom took a step forward but didn't follow. "Well, that was awkward." Tom said with a faint smile.
Harry laughed nervously. "Yea,…um…I should go, too." Harry hastily left and the door closed behind him.
Tom turned to Alex who had already put her shirt back on. "That went well," the young pilot said under his breath.
"I'm guessing they think we're a couple?"
Tom sat beside her. "Or they think womanizer Paris has struck again."
"Tom, this is serious."
He sighed. "Don't worry, I'll talk to them tomorrow, they aren't gossips, I'm sure they won't tell anyone."
Alex smiled and kissed Tom on his cheek. "I'm sure you're right." Alex agreed. "But I've got to go now."
"What!" Tom exclaimed "We haven't even begun our meeting."
"Sorry, Tom." She called as she headed to the door "I have the late shift."
Jannie Martin and Kurt Claser watched as Alexandra Monroe snuck out of their Chief Helmsman's quarters looking more that a little disheveled. The two snickered and headed back on their way.
"Did you see that?" exclaimed Jannie.
"Wait'll we tell Mahoney!"
* * * *
When Tom walked onto the bridge the next morning he immediately realized something was amiss. He made a side trip to Harry's station. Leaning across the console, acutely aware of the eyes on him, he whispered "You didn't tell anyone about last night, did you?"
"Of course not." Harry replied softly.
"Then why is everyone staring at me?"
Harry only shrugged and the Captain and Chakotay had exited the ready room so Tom had no choice but to head to the conn. Janeway and Chakotay shared a look after Tom was no longer facing them and Harry wondered what was going on. He certainly hadn't told anyone about Tom and Alex and he knew B'Elanna was never one to gossip.
Tom wasn't nearly as oblivious as Harry. He figured someone else must have seen Alex when she had exited his quarters that night. Alex wasn't in the best of conditions when she had left. So now everyone believed they were a couple. Suddenly, Tom smiled, maybe this wouldn't be such a bad thing. It sure would make things a lot easier.
* * * *
The unlucky engineering crew worked as quickly and as efficiently as possible. B'Elanna wasn't in the best of moods. They all worked with their heads down trying not to make eye contact with her, afraid to become her next victim. Most of them could guess why B'Elanna was on the rampage. They'd all heard about Tom and Alex Monroe. Apparently, B'Elanna had as well. B'Elanna often claimed she had no romantic interest in Tom but they all remembered her breakdown when Tom broke the warp 10 threshold and the Captain announced he had died due to complications. They could see her feelings for the dashing pilot ran deeper than friendship. And now she was taking her jealousy out on them.
"Vorik!" she cried. If he hadn't been Vulcan, the crew would have sworn he'd shuddered when she called his name. "Have you finished running those diagnostics on the plasma injectors?"
"Not as of ye…"
"Then finish them, we have a schedule to keep. We can…" B'Elanna trailed off and all of Engineering went dead silent as Tom entered.
He noticed the attention he was getting and smiled "Can I make an entrance, or what?" The crew smiled timidly and went back to work. B'Elanna left Vorik without finishing the sentence and went to the warp core.
Tom sighed and followed her. "Aren't you even going to say 'hello?'" Tom asked.
B'Elanna turned around smiling widely, falsely. "Hello, Tom." Pushing past him she moved to another console. Tom followed her again.
"About last night…"he began but B'Elanna interrupted "It was entirely my fault, I should have rang the chime, I wanted to surprise you, I suppose I did that, didn't I? I shouldn't have barged in, and what you do on your night off is your own business, I…"
Tom cleared his throat. "B'Elanna, you're rambling."
She smiled sheepishly and turned away from him. "So you and Ensign Monroe?" she asked vaguely.
"Alex, yes." He hated lying to her, but he could never tell her the truth about what she had walked in on.
"How long?"
"Not long."
"You aren't being very forthcoming."
Tom smiled "Sorry, but it's weird talking to you, about this."
"Why?" B'Elanna asked honestly. "We're friends, aren't we?"
"Well, yes, but you're a woman."
B'Elanna let out an involuntary giggle, "So I am."
"Look, I came to see you on my lunch break and I really should be getting back to the bridge."
"Of course, we'll talk later."
Tom nodded and left Engineering. The moment the doors shut, B'Elanna's eyes darkened. "Vorik!"
* * * *
Tom had just gotten off duty after working a double shift. Harry had also worked a double shift and was exhausted. Tom didn't even think Harry noticed when he got off on the wrong floor. Monroe was just entering her access code as he reached her quarters. They both entered without a word. Alex took off her jacket and let it drop unceremoniously to the floor before sitting down on her bed to take off her boots.
"We need to talk." Tom began but his combadge chirped, interrupting them.
"Torres to Paris."
Alex smiled and pulled off his badge. She tossed it behind her and it fell somewhere between her bed and the wall.
"Yes, we do." She agreed as she put her short brown hair into a ponytail. "What have you been telling people?"
"I've let them think what they already believe they know."
Monroe nodded. "Me too… so we're a couple now?"
"Looks that way."
Monroe looked Tom up and down. "I could do worse."
He laughed. "You want to come get a drink with me at Sandrines? Make it official?"
Sighing Monroe sat back down and put her boots back on. "It's a date." She agreed, holding out her hand for Tom to help her up. He smiled and as their fingers touched the room exploded with a flash of green light. In an instant it swallowed Tom and Alex, leaving the fading ghost of a shadow in their wake.
* * * *
Tom and Monroe looked around in confusion. One moment they'd been having a conversation in Alex's room and now they were somewhere unfamiliar. A glittering white forcefield sparkled in front of them. The rest of the small cell consisted of bright white walls and floors. Not one crack or scuff mark in existence. There was a white bench protruding from one of the walls and Tom guessed it served as a bed. Turning back around, Tom squinted through the force field. Hundreds of other cells identical to his own were lined up in neat rows, floors and floors of them in an undefinite amount.
"Tom, where are we?" Monroe asked.
"I have no idea," he whispered.
* * * *
Harry Kim wanted to scream. One year on this ship and he hadn't been late once, today, however, he was becoming dangerously close. He knew Tom was probably mad at him for missing breakfast, it was strange that he hadn't commed him yet. Harry rushed off the lift with thirty seconds to spare. To his surprise Ensign Culhane was at the helm instead of Tom. Frowning he went to his station. Despite Tom's laid-back demeanor, Harry knew he'd never been late either.
Chakotay and Janeway chose this time to enter the bridge. Janeway seemed just as surprised as Harry to see Tom wasn't at the helm.
"Mister Kim, where's Lieutenant Paris?" she asked.
"I don't know, Captain. I haven't seen him since yesterday."
"Janeway to Paris…Paris respond." Her frown increased "Computer locate Lt.Paris."
"Lieutenant Paris is in Ensign Monroe's quarters."
Harry's eyes widened and not a few of the bridge officers gave a surprised laugh. Janeway didn't look amused.
"Commander." She said as she headed for the lift, he swiftly followed.
Janeway didn't say a word and Chakotay followed her example. He could see that she was angry.
Janeway only rang the chime twice before ordering the computer to open the door.
When it complied she didn't see what she'd expected. The quarters were empty. The bed was made, the room was spotless, the only thing out of place was the jacket thrown carelessly on the floor. Janeway looked in the bathroom only to find it was empty, as well.
"Chakotay to Paris."
Janeway had looked at him confused but when his voice was echoed a moment later she realized what he was doing. They found Tom's combadge wedged behind the bed.
Janeway was getting worried. She braced herself to ask the question she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know the answer to. " Computer, how many life forms on board?"
"140 life forms."
Janeway pressed her eyes shut. There were two people missing. She guessed it was Tom Paris and Alexandra Monroe.
"At what time did the number of life forms on the ship change?" Chakotay asked.
"22:00 hours, yesterday."
Janeway made her way to the door, slapping her combadge she got back into command mode. "Janeway to Torres. I need you to run a check on all the internal sensors for 22:00 hours, yesterday."
* * * *
Alex stepped up beside Tom and she too became enthralled with the view.
"This ship must be massive." Alex mused.
Tom nodded "Which brings up the question: Why didn't we detect it?"
"Maybe it was cloaked."
"Even a cloak on something this vast would have left some kind of signature. I was on the bridge for two shifts yesterday. There was nothing."
Alex nodded. "Then how are we here now?"
Tom began to pace "It must be out of our sensor range."
"Impossible! A transporter could never work at such long range!"
Tom turned to her "We have no idea what these people are capable of," he contradicted.
Tom and Monroe heard clapping. Turning to the forcefield they saw one of their captors. A striking alien woman stood before them. She had long black hair slicked into a ponytail that fell to her waist and ears that ended above her head. She was wearing some kind of jumpsuit. Skin tight and dark violet that began below both shoulders.
"Well done," she said musically. "You're right, we are 300,000 light years from your ship, Agents."
"Agents?" Monroe blurted.
The woman smiled mischievously. "I'm Malesint, and I know all of your secrets."
"We don't have any secrets." Tom proclaimed.
"I'd almost believe you, you lie so well, but I am a telepath. You cannot deceive me. I know your truth."
"Why have you brought us here?" Alex asked.
"I travel from one galaxy to the next and I take two specimens from each species as I see fit. The best of the best, you might say."
"To what end?" Tom asked stonily.
Malesint smiled. "So serious, I only want to play."
"That word's meaning varies with each species that speaks it. Ranging anywhere from a game of Kadis-Cot to torture, so if you wouldn't mind clarifying." Tom asked pleasantly.
"It's somewhere in between. I have three tests for you."
"And what happens when we finish these tests?" Monroe asked
Malesint frowned, "I don't know, nobody has ever survived all three."
"We will," Tom announced.
"You may be right, and I suppose if you do complete all three tests that your reward will be one wish. Anything you want. But only one, you will need to agree on what it is that you want."
"And if we don't want to take these tests?" Monroe asked.
Malesint gave her a look that clearly said, 'you don't have a choice.'
"Right." Monroe said "I didn't think that would make a difference."
"Alright then," Malesint smirked, "Let the games begin."
By Sirap
Part One: Caught in a Lie
The figure walked slowly down the gray corridor, praying no one would emerge from the shadows. She reached her destination and ran her fingers reverently across the name on the door. Paris. She pressed the chime and the door quickly opened.
Lieutenant Tom Paris grabbed the arm of the visitor and pulled her inside. "Did anybody see you?"
She was shaking her head, "No one."
He smiled "Good, I'd hate for anyone to find out about us."
Ensign Alexandra Monroe smiled back. Her and Tom had been having secret meetings since Voyager had become stranded in the Delta Quadrant. Monroe had been in the Marqui, serving on Chakotay's ship. The two kept a low profile, they didn't want anyone to become suspicious; to find out the truth about them.
Alex rubbed her back and Tom quickly noticed. "Is that bothering you again?" he asked.
Alex gave him a rueful smile. "It's been bothering me since the surgery."
Tom flinched "I suppose I should be glad they banned that by the time I graduated from Starfleet." He said taking a tricorder out of his medkit. "Take off your shirt."
Monroe blinked. "Excuse me?"
"I need to examine you. Come on, Alex, it's nothing I haven't seen before. Take it off."
Rolling her eyes Alex took off her green science tunic and pulled the turtleneck over her head. Tom sat behind her so he was facing her bare back. Running a quick scan he glanced at the results. They were the same as always. Running his hands up her spine he tried to relax the muscles and ease the pain.
* * * *
B'Elanna Torres and Harry Kim walked down the corridor to their best friends quarters.
"I'm telling you, B'Elanna, Tom said he was busy tonight, he already told me he couldn't come with us to the Holodeck."
"I know." B'Elanna said with narrowed eyes. "He's up to something Harry, since when does Tom Paris stay in when he has the night off?"
"Maybe you're right," Harry allowed. "But it really isn't any of our business… " Harry trailed off as the beautiful engineer opened the door, without ever pressing the announcer. Harry's mouth dropped open. B'Elanna quickly turned to see why and felt like she'd been struck. Tom was on the floor with a half naked crewman. Tom jumped up and Alex grabbed her tunic to cover herself up.
"Harry, B'Elanna, I didn't hear you." Tom said uncomfortably
B'Elanna abruptly turned and bolted down the hall. Tom took a step forward but didn't follow. "Well, that was awkward." Tom said with a faint smile.
Harry laughed nervously. "Yea,…um…I should go, too." Harry hastily left and the door closed behind him.
Tom turned to Alex who had already put her shirt back on. "That went well," the young pilot said under his breath.
"I'm guessing they think we're a couple?"
Tom sat beside her. "Or they think womanizer Paris has struck again."
"Tom, this is serious."
He sighed. "Don't worry, I'll talk to them tomorrow, they aren't gossips, I'm sure they won't tell anyone."
Alex smiled and kissed Tom on his cheek. "I'm sure you're right." Alex agreed. "But I've got to go now."
"What!" Tom exclaimed "We haven't even begun our meeting."
"Sorry, Tom." She called as she headed to the door "I have the late shift."
Jannie Martin and Kurt Claser watched as Alexandra Monroe snuck out of their Chief Helmsman's quarters looking more that a little disheveled. The two snickered and headed back on their way.
"Did you see that?" exclaimed Jannie.
"Wait'll we tell Mahoney!"
* * * *
When Tom walked onto the bridge the next morning he immediately realized something was amiss. He made a side trip to Harry's station. Leaning across the console, acutely aware of the eyes on him, he whispered "You didn't tell anyone about last night, did you?"
"Of course not." Harry replied softly.
"Then why is everyone staring at me?"
Harry only shrugged and the Captain and Chakotay had exited the ready room so Tom had no choice but to head to the conn. Janeway and Chakotay shared a look after Tom was no longer facing them and Harry wondered what was going on. He certainly hadn't told anyone about Tom and Alex and he knew B'Elanna was never one to gossip.
Tom wasn't nearly as oblivious as Harry. He figured someone else must have seen Alex when she had exited his quarters that night. Alex wasn't in the best of conditions when she had left. So now everyone believed they were a couple. Suddenly, Tom smiled, maybe this wouldn't be such a bad thing. It sure would make things a lot easier.
* * * *
The unlucky engineering crew worked as quickly and as efficiently as possible. B'Elanna wasn't in the best of moods. They all worked with their heads down trying not to make eye contact with her, afraid to become her next victim. Most of them could guess why B'Elanna was on the rampage. They'd all heard about Tom and Alex Monroe. Apparently, B'Elanna had as well. B'Elanna often claimed she had no romantic interest in Tom but they all remembered her breakdown when Tom broke the warp 10 threshold and the Captain announced he had died due to complications. They could see her feelings for the dashing pilot ran deeper than friendship. And now she was taking her jealousy out on them.
"Vorik!" she cried. If he hadn't been Vulcan, the crew would have sworn he'd shuddered when she called his name. "Have you finished running those diagnostics on the plasma injectors?"
"Not as of ye…"
"Then finish them, we have a schedule to keep. We can…" B'Elanna trailed off and all of Engineering went dead silent as Tom entered.
He noticed the attention he was getting and smiled "Can I make an entrance, or what?" The crew smiled timidly and went back to work. B'Elanna left Vorik without finishing the sentence and went to the warp core.
Tom sighed and followed her. "Aren't you even going to say 'hello?'" Tom asked.
B'Elanna turned around smiling widely, falsely. "Hello, Tom." Pushing past him she moved to another console. Tom followed her again.
"About last night…"he began but B'Elanna interrupted "It was entirely my fault, I should have rang the chime, I wanted to surprise you, I suppose I did that, didn't I? I shouldn't have barged in, and what you do on your night off is your own business, I…"
Tom cleared his throat. "B'Elanna, you're rambling."
She smiled sheepishly and turned away from him. "So you and Ensign Monroe?" she asked vaguely.
"Alex, yes." He hated lying to her, but he could never tell her the truth about what she had walked in on.
"How long?"
"Not long."
"You aren't being very forthcoming."
Tom smiled "Sorry, but it's weird talking to you, about this."
"Why?" B'Elanna asked honestly. "We're friends, aren't we?"
"Well, yes, but you're a woman."
B'Elanna let out an involuntary giggle, "So I am."
"Look, I came to see you on my lunch break and I really should be getting back to the bridge."
"Of course, we'll talk later."
Tom nodded and left Engineering. The moment the doors shut, B'Elanna's eyes darkened. "Vorik!"
* * * *
Tom had just gotten off duty after working a double shift. Harry had also worked a double shift and was exhausted. Tom didn't even think Harry noticed when he got off on the wrong floor. Monroe was just entering her access code as he reached her quarters. They both entered without a word. Alex took off her jacket and let it drop unceremoniously to the floor before sitting down on her bed to take off her boots.
"We need to talk." Tom began but his combadge chirped, interrupting them.
"Torres to Paris."
Alex smiled and pulled off his badge. She tossed it behind her and it fell somewhere between her bed and the wall.
"Yes, we do." She agreed as she put her short brown hair into a ponytail. "What have you been telling people?"
"I've let them think what they already believe they know."
Monroe nodded. "Me too… so we're a couple now?"
"Looks that way."
Monroe looked Tom up and down. "I could do worse."
He laughed. "You want to come get a drink with me at Sandrines? Make it official?"
Sighing Monroe sat back down and put her boots back on. "It's a date." She agreed, holding out her hand for Tom to help her up. He smiled and as their fingers touched the room exploded with a flash of green light. In an instant it swallowed Tom and Alex, leaving the fading ghost of a shadow in their wake.
* * * *
Tom and Monroe looked around in confusion. One moment they'd been having a conversation in Alex's room and now they were somewhere unfamiliar. A glittering white forcefield sparkled in front of them. The rest of the small cell consisted of bright white walls and floors. Not one crack or scuff mark in existence. There was a white bench protruding from one of the walls and Tom guessed it served as a bed. Turning back around, Tom squinted through the force field. Hundreds of other cells identical to his own were lined up in neat rows, floors and floors of them in an undefinite amount.
"Tom, where are we?" Monroe asked.
"I have no idea," he whispered.
* * * *
Harry Kim wanted to scream. One year on this ship and he hadn't been late once, today, however, he was becoming dangerously close. He knew Tom was probably mad at him for missing breakfast, it was strange that he hadn't commed him yet. Harry rushed off the lift with thirty seconds to spare. To his surprise Ensign Culhane was at the helm instead of Tom. Frowning he went to his station. Despite Tom's laid-back demeanor, Harry knew he'd never been late either.
Chakotay and Janeway chose this time to enter the bridge. Janeway seemed just as surprised as Harry to see Tom wasn't at the helm.
"Mister Kim, where's Lieutenant Paris?" she asked.
"I don't know, Captain. I haven't seen him since yesterday."
"Janeway to Paris…Paris respond." Her frown increased "Computer locate Lt.Paris."
"Lieutenant Paris is in Ensign Monroe's quarters."
Harry's eyes widened and not a few of the bridge officers gave a surprised laugh. Janeway didn't look amused.
"Commander." She said as she headed for the lift, he swiftly followed.
Janeway didn't say a word and Chakotay followed her example. He could see that she was angry.
Janeway only rang the chime twice before ordering the computer to open the door.
When it complied she didn't see what she'd expected. The quarters were empty. The bed was made, the room was spotless, the only thing out of place was the jacket thrown carelessly on the floor. Janeway looked in the bathroom only to find it was empty, as well.
"Chakotay to Paris."
Janeway had looked at him confused but when his voice was echoed a moment later she realized what he was doing. They found Tom's combadge wedged behind the bed.
Janeway was getting worried. She braced herself to ask the question she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know the answer to. " Computer, how many life forms on board?"
"140 life forms."
Janeway pressed her eyes shut. There were two people missing. She guessed it was Tom Paris and Alexandra Monroe.
"At what time did the number of life forms on the ship change?" Chakotay asked.
"22:00 hours, yesterday."
Janeway made her way to the door, slapping her combadge she got back into command mode. "Janeway to Torres. I need you to run a check on all the internal sensors for 22:00 hours, yesterday."
* * * *
Alex stepped up beside Tom and she too became enthralled with the view.
"This ship must be massive." Alex mused.
Tom nodded "Which brings up the question: Why didn't we detect it?"
"Maybe it was cloaked."
"Even a cloak on something this vast would have left some kind of signature. I was on the bridge for two shifts yesterday. There was nothing."
Alex nodded. "Then how are we here now?"
Tom began to pace "It must be out of our sensor range."
"Impossible! A transporter could never work at such long range!"
Tom turned to her "We have no idea what these people are capable of," he contradicted.
Tom and Monroe heard clapping. Turning to the forcefield they saw one of their captors. A striking alien woman stood before them. She had long black hair slicked into a ponytail that fell to her waist and ears that ended above her head. She was wearing some kind of jumpsuit. Skin tight and dark violet that began below both shoulders.
"Well done," she said musically. "You're right, we are 300,000 light years from your ship, Agents."
"Agents?" Monroe blurted.
The woman smiled mischievously. "I'm Malesint, and I know all of your secrets."
"We don't have any secrets." Tom proclaimed.
"I'd almost believe you, you lie so well, but I am a telepath. You cannot deceive me. I know your truth."
"Why have you brought us here?" Alex asked.
"I travel from one galaxy to the next and I take two specimens from each species as I see fit. The best of the best, you might say."
"To what end?" Tom asked stonily.
Malesint smiled. "So serious, I only want to play."
"That word's meaning varies with each species that speaks it. Ranging anywhere from a game of Kadis-Cot to torture, so if you wouldn't mind clarifying." Tom asked pleasantly.
"It's somewhere in between. I have three tests for you."
"And what happens when we finish these tests?" Monroe asked
Malesint frowned, "I don't know, nobody has ever survived all three."
"We will," Tom announced.
"You may be right, and I suppose if you do complete all three tests that your reward will be one wish. Anything you want. But only one, you will need to agree on what it is that you want."
"And if we don't want to take these tests?" Monroe asked.
Malesint gave her a look that clearly said, 'you don't have a choice.'
"Right." Monroe said "I didn't think that would make a difference."
"Alright then," Malesint smirked, "Let the games begin."