Legacies 1
Author: Jamelia and Juli17
Introduction
The guiding principal of Season 7.5 was to keep those elements of Voyager's final season, as presented by TPTB, which we felt remained true to the original series concept, while "fixing" what we felt caused the series to go astray in its final year.
Although Julie and Jamelia enjoyed how B'Elanna Torres and Thomas Paris came together (finally!) and became man and wife in "Drive" (an episode that is accepted as part of Season 7.5's canon), their marriage may truly be said to have begun in "Lineage." Thus, this two-part episode of Season 7.5 is based upon that Voyager episode. At the end of the second part of "Legacies," an Afterword discussing our rationale for revising "Lineage" rather than doing something totally different will appear, for those interested in reading it.
For those who would have preferred we totally ditch the events of "Lineage," we're sorry, but there was too much good in the episode for that. Hopefully, you can enjoy "Legacies" for the way the not-so-good was handled by us.
Thanks are due to James Kahn, who wrote "Lineage." Although it was a Cardassian ship that found its way into the Delta Quadrant during Voyager Season 7.5, not a Klingon one, we also acknowledge our debt to Larry Nemecek & J. Kelley Burke and Raf Green & Kenneth Biller for the story of "Prophecy," as well as to Mike Sussman & Phyllis Strong, who wrote the teleplay. We won't claim we wrote what we did not-we've just got a little alternate universe thing going on here on Voyager Season 7.5 . . .
Julie and Jamelia
Prologue
Their mission had been a brief one, taking only the better part of the day, but it had been immensely successful, at least to hear B'Elanna and Seven tell it.
"It's over ninety-nine percent pure." B'Elanna's voice held a bit of awe as she punched numbers into a dataPADD. "That's almost unheard of."
"Ninety-nine point two six percent, to be precise."
It was an indication of B'Elanna's intense concentration that she didn't react to Seven's correction.
"Only one point six percent of diallo-silicate approaches that level of purity," Icheb chimed in as he crouched down next to Seven and B'Elanna.
"Imagine how well this will bond with our raw dilithium."
Tom shook his head at his B'Elanna's excited tone. "It's not like we permanently solved all our energy needs."
"No, but it will make our dilithium crystals last twice as long."
Tom looked at Harry, who was manning the co- pilot's seat in the Delta Flyer. "Mission accomplished." He glanced back at the others. "We always manage to find what we need. What's the big deal?"
Seven gave Tom a cool stare, and B'Elanna glowered good-naturedly at him. "Just drive, Tom."
Tom returned his wife's smirk. "Okaaay." He turned back to the helm and entered a minor course correction. "By the way, Icheb, I added your upgrades to my race car program. You were right about the engine performance. I tried out the hairpin course and beat my best time by 27 seconds."
Icheb handed Seven the last sample they'd scanned. "I believe I can surpass my best time by at least 30 seconds. I have the holodeck reserved tomorrow night."
"You keep practicing, and you might even beat me one day," Tom said, though he didn't believe it for a minute.
"I will surpass your time one day," Icheb said confidently. "It is only a matter of which day."
Harry chuckled as Tom raised his eyebrows. "Maybe I'll join you tomorrow night, Icheb. Tom's record can't be too hard to beat."
"Racing in an antiquated carburetor-based vehicle is a pointless endeavor," Seven told Icheb before Tom could reply to Harry's deliberate baiting. "There are more productive endeavors you could pursue in your off duty hours."
"It's not pointless if it's fun," Tom said, not particularly offended by Seven's judgment. They'd had this argument before. It enlivened their occasional shared navigational watches.
Seven responded right on cue. "It still serves little purpose."
B'Elanna rolled her eyes, though her attention remained on the sample she was replacing in the storage container. "Everything doesn't have to serve a purpose, Seven."
"Besides, it does serve a purpose," Tom said. "You only live once, and the real goal is to enjoy yourself. I like my job, but I don't want to spend all my time doing only that." He glanced at B'Elanna. "There are other things I enjoy more."
"According to my studies on humanoid physiology 'play' is an important element of mental and physical well-being for most species."
Tom nodded. "Exactly, Icheb. All work and no play makes for a dull existence."
B'Elanna looked at Tom. "I know there are times when I'm in the mood to . . .play."
Tom grinned at his wife's suggestive tone, and Harry groaned.
"Alternating periods of recreation also improves work efficiency," Icheb added, completely missing the innuendo.
"That must be why my department had such a high efficiency rating in your last audit, Seven," Tom said, with no modesty whatsoever.
Seven's eyebrow rose. "I doubt that is the causative factor behind the helm department's efficiency, Lieutenant Paris. However I will concede that your propensity for unproductive and frequently juvenile holoprograms does not appear to have had a critical impact upon your job performance."
Harry snickered, and Tom smirked at him. "I wouldn't laugh too hard, *Buster.*"
"That's the last sample," B'Elanna announced, sealing the container. She rose from her crouching position. "We can finish the . . ."
"Lieutenant Torres!"
Tom whirled around at Icheb's exclamation, just in time to see Seven and Icheb catch B'Elanna as she fell. They guided her to the nearest chair, and lowered her into it.
"Harry, take the conn."
Tom didn't wait for Harry's answer. He was at B'Elanna's side by the time she stirred. He knelt next to her as she mumbled something incoherent. "Icheb, get the medical scanner from the storage locker."
B'Elanna sat up straighter, shaking her head as if to clear it. "What happened?"
"You fainted for a few seconds," Tom said, touching her cheek. She wasn't feverish.
B'Elanna snorted, though it was half-hearted. "That's ridiculous!"
"During periods of illness or extreme fatigue it is not uncommon for Klingons to experience a drop in blood pressure, resulting in unconsciousness," Seven stated.
B'Elanna scowled at her. "I'm only half Klingon. And I'm not ill or fatigued."
Tom took the scanner from Icheb, and put a restraining hand on B'Elanna's arm as she started to rise. "Just relax while I scan you."
"I'm fine," B'Elanna said irritably, though she didn't try to get up again. "I probably just stood up too quickly. And I didn't eat much lunch."
"Or breakfast?" Tom asked, running the scanner over her. She'd left their quarters before him this morning, and he knew she sometimes didn't bother with breakfast if she was in a hurry to start her shift. He looked at the readout. "Your blood sugar is low. You need to eat more regularly, B'Elanna, and quit skipping meals-"
"I can handle my own eating habits, thank you . . ." B'Elanna's sharp rebuke trailed off as Tom looked up at her with the most astonished expression she'd ever seen on his face. "What?"
Tom didn't speak. He looked at the scanner again, his eyes wide, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. That alarmed B'Elanna.
"Tom, what's wrong?"
Tom shook his head slowly, sounding dazed when he finally spoke. "Nothing. I mean, it's nothing bad-"
"Tom!"
"You're pregnant."
"I'm . . .WHAT?" She couldn't have heard him right.
"Pregnant," Tom repeated patiently.
B'Elanna stared at him, stunned. "Pregnant?" she squeaked, her voice suddenly small. "How . . ."
Tom's lips quirked a little, though he still couldn't quite believe it himself. "The usual way, I'd say."
The silence in the Delta Flyer lasted for several moments as B'Elanna and Tom looked at each other intently, both trying to take it in. It was Seven who finally spoke. "You appear surprised by this development. Did you not intend to conceive a child?" she asked, her tone curious and slightly disapproving.
"Of course, we did." Tom kept his gaze on B'Elanna. "That's why we discontinued our contraceptive boosters. But the doctor told us the likelihood of human-Klingon conception was extremely low. We didn't expect it to happen this soon." Or perhaps ever, not without medical intervention. "It's a bit of a surprise." That was an understatement. "But a wonderful one."
"Are you sure?" B'Elanna's voice was soft, and a little uncertain.
Tom dropped a hand on her knee. "Absolutely." His wide smile left no doubt of that. He was going to be a father. The idea delighted him.
B'Elanna covered his hand with hers and smiled slowly back.
"Congratulations," Harry said, with complete sincerity. "Though I can't say I'm all that surprised you beat those odds, given your level of, er, activity. That had to improve your chances."
Tom couldn't help grinning at Harry's chutzpah, though B'Elanna gave Harry a reproving frown.
"I guess we'll all have to be careful now," Harry added. He winked at Icheb. "Pregnancy might be contagious."
Icheb's brow furrowed. "That is not possible with single-cell fertilization."
Harry glanced at Seven, who gave him a shrewd look. "Uh, I was just joking, Icheb," he said, trying not to blush at the reminder of the last time he'd discussed single-cell fertilization with a former Borg.
Tom, too preoccupied to pay much attention to the conversation around him, turned off the medical scanner. "We'll go to Sickbay and see the doctor as soon as we get back on Voyager."
B'Elanna nodded silently, more acquiescent than usual to the idea of visiting Sickbay.
"Speaking of which, Harry . . ."
Harry looked at Tom.
"You might want to correct our course, or we're going to crash into the bridge instead of landing in the shuttlebay."
Harry followed Tom's gaze to where Voyager was now visible through the front viewscreen. "Oh. Right." He'd never understood Tom's uncanny ability to see those minute deflections with only his eyes, but the computer verified it, and he quickly entered the correction. "Delta Flyer to Voyager. We're on final approach."
Tom and B'Elanna continued to smile at each other bemusedly as the Delta Flyer approached Voyager, both trying to wrap their minds around the unexpected curve their lives were about to take.