"You tell him."
"You're the one that found it."
"You're his best friend."
"Tell me what?"
Harry and Reg jumped in unison. They turned to face him, fear in their eyes. Tom had seen calmer reactions in the middle of a firefight.
"What's up guys?"
"Well, Tom, we have something to tell you. It might be a bit...upsetting," Reg said.
"Upsetting? I don't even want to think about how B'Elanna's going to react," Harry visibly shuddered. "Is she home?"
"No, she's taken Miral to the park. They'll be gone for a while. Why don't you all come inside. Whatever this is it doesn't sound like something we should talk about out here on the sidewalk," Tom said. He ushered them into his apartment. "Have a seat."
His two friends were no strangers to his place and in normal circumstances would have made themselves at home. Now they were as tightly wound as a couple of first year ensigns. They sat down in unison side by side staring at Tom the whole time.
"Care to tell me what this is about?"
"Where to start...where to start…" Reg mumbled. "Well, the other day I was helping set up the holodeck on one of the new Vesta Class Starships and I took a look through the library. They had a lot of new stories. You know how I am, love a good holonovel and I came across something….familiar." Reg's weakness for holodecks was well known.
"Did someone get a copy of the Doctor's original novel again? I think the word is out on how unrealistic that was," Tom said.
"No, this was a story entitled 'Love in the Delta Quadrant," Reg replied.
Tom was confused.
"Did someone make up a story about how our journey home was just one long orgy? If that's true they were sadly mistaken."
"No, it wasn't anything a prurient as that. I turned it on and started to watch it. It was about a ship, the Starship Virginia lost in the Delta Quadrant."
"Based on Voyager? Eh...it was bound to happen..."
"Yes. But the bulk of the story is the rather overly romantic and a bit steamy romance between a tall blond Star Fleet Conn officer named Anthony, Tony for short…"
"And the Maquis Engineer," Tom finished. He thought he knew shock. He thought he had faced every unexpected thing life could throw at him but absolutely nothing prepared him for this.
"Belladonna."
"Belladonna? Belladonna? Please don't tell me...please no…"
"I wasn't quite sure it was about you but there were some elements I recognized. Remember at that reception when you told me about how you and B'Elanna first got together? When she had to eject the warp corp?" Reg asked.
"Yes. I remember," Tom replied
"Well, that's in there. I wasn't sure about how true the rest of it was so I invited Harry to watch it and…''
"It's your story Tom," Harry said.
"Are you sure?"
"I was there for most of it, remember? Except I can't verify the stuff that went on in the Jeffries tubes although everyone sort of knew…."
"Jeffries tubes? We never….oh damn!" Tom put his face in his hands and groaned aloud. "That was when those aliens were doing 'experiments on us. During our 'indiscreet period'. They were messing with our hormones. Damn. How much did they…."
"They didn't get overly graphic but at the same time they didn't leave much to the imagination either," Harry said. "The viewer is invited to take the role of either Tony or Belladonna."
"So this is being added to the libraries of the Starfleet vessels?"
"I'm sure it's in all the holosuites as well. It's brand new so I'm sure not a lot of people have accessed them yet but I've heard it's making money on the planets that use currency. Someone told me it's gotten as far as Deep Space Nine. There is a Ferengi there who…"
Tom got up and started pacing around the room.
"I have to see it," he said.
"I knew you would say that," Reg said.
"I don't know if that would be such a good idea," Harry said. "Remember the way you reacted to Photons Be Free?"
"Of course I remember. I was hurt, angry, disappointed. I wanted to hit somebody. "
"I hope you react that well this time."
"Who wrote it?" Tom asked.
"We don't know. The person used a pen name. Could be anyone." Reg replied. "I'm working on it."
Tom's thoughts would not sort themselves out. He had to satisfy his curiosity. He had to know for himself how 'bad' it was.
"Guys, I need to see this. And then I have to tell B'Elanna."
The two men exchanged a nervous glance.
"We knew you would insist against our advice but we didn't think it would be a good idea for you to see it in a public setting, not unless you disguised yourself with a hat and sunglasses and dyed your hair so I downloaded it to the holodeck at my workspace at the Pathfinder Project. We can go see it there if you wish but we'll understand if you don't want us in the room with you," Reg said.
That sounded ominous.
They transported to Reg's workplace. Tom walked into the huge holodeck and nervously spoke the words "Computer, Initiate Program Love in the Delta Quadrant."
Tom transported back to his apartment To his surprise B'Elanna was there. She was pacing about the room. His stomach was queasy. He didn't know how to begin to tell her what he had just watched.
"Where the hell have you been?" She asked. She was angry.
"I was with Reg and Harry. B'Elanna I have something to tell you…"
"Reg and Harry. The holograph experts?"
"Um, yes," Tom said hesitantly. He didn't like the way she was acting.
"I was in the park when some of the other parents came up to me and started asking questions about our time in the Delta Quadrant. I don't mind talking about that, generally speaking but they started asking real personal questions...about how we met. About how we go together and how it was so romantic, us finding love out there so far away from home. Then they wanted to know if the new holonovel was based on us. I asked 'What new holonovel?' Then they started describing details about our life that I thought no one else knew. Imagine my surprise when I found out our relationship was all the rage at the local holosuite. Tom, someone has put our personal story out there for the masses…"
"Love in the Delta Quadrant," He said. He felt very weak.
"You knew? Don't tell me your friends got together…"
"Reg just found it and he and Harry came here to tell me about it. That's what I was just getting ready to tell you. I saw...parts of it.'
"You watched it. How bad is it?"
'It's...us. The author has changed a few details here and there. I couldn't watch the whole thing but I saw enough. It's a highly romanticized version of us except we're called Tony and Belladonna"
"Belladonna? Belladonna? They named me after a poisonous plant?"
"Don't yell at me! I didn't write the thing!"
"You're right. I'm sorry...now...how bad is it?"
"If it were just a fictional story it wouldn't be too bad, it's rather well written….but it's us. It's all about us. Some things have been changed. Whoever wrote this had the Captain, a female human who could be Captain Janeway's fraternal twin, put the Maquis in the Brig for a few weeks. Tony took a turn as guard for one shift and he and Bella had an instant attraction."
"Which we did not. It took me months to warm up to you!"
"Actually it was years but who's counting. The Vidian Prison is in it although Tony was able to take out the Vidians single handed and was oddly attracted to your Klingon half. The two seemed to hug each other a lot in those scenes. It included the caves at Sakari but Belladonna was clearly not herself. I don't know how Tony was able to resist her." Tom stared into space.
"Tom. The story!"
"Oh yes. They were stranded in space just like we were. They…um...included for the parts in the Jeffries tube. You remember...when the crazy alien scientists…
"I never told anyone about that."
"Neither did I. Did you put it in your personal log?"
"Maybe. I don't remember. Did they happen to mention that we were under alien influence at the time?"
"No. I'm afraid Tony and Belladonna didn't have any excuse. He didn't include the alien experimentations. They were just acting like a couple of...irresponsible adolescents. It got pretty...steamy," He said. He cringed at the memory.
"Thank Kahless Miral is too little to know what's going on. Do you realize people are going to be playing...you and me? That they are going to be….argggh!"
She hadn't lost control of her temper in a long time and now she let it fly. Tom was glad he wasn't the object of her rage.
He had been here before doing the exact same thing. Sitting in his father's office sweating. He and his father had been getting along great and then this 'thing had to happen. Thankfully when he contacted Admiral Janeway she came to his defense right away. A lawyer by the name of Miriam Lawson sat by his dad browsing through files on the computer.
"So you say that some of the events have been changed?" she asked.
"Yes but anyone who has read any of the reports will recognize it. Anyone who watched the news when we returned home will see it for what it is. A poorly disguised description of us," Tom said.
"Hmm..." she said.
"I want you to know, Owen, that during that period of time when the alien 'scientists were on board Voyager they conducted invasive and often painful experiments on the crew. I assure you this was the only time Tom and B'Elanna acted so rashly. After the aliens were gone they immediately began to conduct themselves in a responsible and professional manner. This behavior was an anomaly," Admiral Janeway said.
"I see," Admiral Paris said. He didn't seem completely convinced.
"It's embarrassing and painful to think about," Tom said. "Those 'things' following us around, taking notes. Experimenting on us, drugging us, exploiting our relationship. Hell, they may have recorded it for all we know. Pervs."
"So you are saying that parts of this holonovel are causing you great mental and emotional distress?" asked the lawyer.
"That's putting it mildly. I try not think about it but yes this is a constant reminder of a time in our lives that we would just as soon forget." Tom closed his eyes remembering. He had become completely obsessed with B'Elanna. When he was at his post, in sick bay, anywhere his thoughts were all about her. He spent his time thinking of ways to be with her and then he would lie and sneak around, breaking every rule all the while knowing she felt the same way about him and was behaving in the exact same manner. At the time it they thought it was because their relationship was so new. It reached the point where they no longer cared about their positions on the ship or the respect of their friends and fellow officer. Looking back he could now see how very unhealthy it was. After the aliens had been removed their relationship had calmed down. They still loved each other and wanted to be together but they were able to exercise better judgment. Now everything was out there for anyone to see but with no words of explanation as to what had caused their bad behavior.
"We might have a case for asking the publisher to make minor changes but I don't know if we can do anything about the rest of the story. It depends on how much was changed from the real events and if they claim that the account is factual and if they intended to do harm."
"Just please...nobody watch it. At least until those particular parts are removed," Tom begged.
"Of course we won't." Admiral Janeway said.
"I will have to I'm afraid but I will keep in mind that you and B'Elanna were acting under an outside influence," Miriam said.
The idea that someone else would see it mortified him.
The door announcer chirped. B'Elanna opened it to find the Delaney sisters standing outside. They both looked apprehensive.
"Megan, Jennie. How nice to see you," B'Elanna said. She was suspicious. She always liked the Delaney sisters but they weren't exactly best friends. "Come in. Have a seat. What brings you here?"
The sisters followed her in and sat down. They looked nervous.
"If you are here about the holonovel it's alright. I know about it."
That made them relax but just a little.
"We came to apologize," Jennie said.
"Apologize?"
"We think we may have talked a bit too much at a party to a reporter. He seemed really inquisitive about Voyager. You know how it was when we first came back. Reporters everywhere...people wanting to know all about what happened. He asked us why there were only two children born on Voyager during those seven years. One thing led to another and we sort of…" Megan said
"Told them about you and Tom. But it was good stuff. Really." Jennie added. "We told them how you stuck together when things happened that would have blown any other relationship apart...what with your depression...and your temper...and that weird visit to the afterlife…"
"And Tom's hobbies...and the time he had Post Traumatic Stress….and that horrible Alice shuttle.''
It was strange to hear the litany of all their trials and tribulations said out loud.
"I guess we had too much to drink and…" Jennie said.
"We're sorry," Megan continued.
The two sisters looked so contrite that B'Elanna didn't have the heart to get angry.
"How did you know about the Jeffries tubes?" she asked.
"That? It wasn't exactly a secret," Megan said.
"What do you mean?" B'Elanna asked.
Megan was starting to get nervous again.
'Well...um...I mean...everyone sort of knew about it. You two weren't exactly being...discreet at the time."
"We were being manipulated by the aliens...just like everyone else on the ship," B'Elanna said. Her tone was getting testy.
"Of course you were," said Jennie. "But we may have forgotten to mention that."
B'Elanna groaned.
"Have you seen it?"
"Yes...and actually...it's not bad. I mean if you pretend it's not about you and Tom. And they could have left out the more...um...graphic scene I suppose but it's actually quite well written," Megan said.
"It's actually...kind of nice," Jennie said.
"Yes, it's really is romantic, "Megan said. They both stared out into nothing sighing. They immediately found themselves looking straight at the angry expression on B'Elanna's face.
"We just wanted to say we're sorry," Jennie said.
B'Elanna turned off the computer screen.
"How many does that make?" Tom asked.
"Fifteen. Seems like everyone on Voyager talked to the same reporter and each one added just a little bit more to the story."
"Reg is tracking the guy down. He's off world. He seems to be fascinated with deep space missions."
"I'd like to send him on a deep space mission," B'Elanna said with a growl. The computer chimed.
"Another one." She turned it back on. An angry Klingon stared back at her. Tom recognized him. G'Dath. He was a Klingon from B'Elanna's mother's House. Not long after they returned they had traveled together to the Klingon Home World where B'Elanna revealed what she knew about the religious sect they had encountered in the Delta Quadrant. G'dath was for the most part a reasonable Klingon. He never referred to B'Elanna or Miral as mongrels and had kept tabs on her since their return to the Alpha Quadrant.
"Cousin G'dath. Um...why…"
He started speaking in Klingon. Tom caught words here and there. Dishonor. Family. He understood B'Elanna when she asked him to slow down and then she began speaking. Tom watched the expressions on the Klingon's face change from anger to confusion and then back to anger. He let out a loud curse before B'Elanna broke the link.
"Oh great. Now the Klingon part of my family knows about it. They're not stupid. They know it's about us. He was going on about acting without honor, how disgracefully I behaved in not attending to my duty and responsibility and that I wouldn't be allowed back on the Klingon home world. I think I was able to convince him that we were victims of alien control and now he's angry that the writer didn't mention that in the story."
"Good. Maybe if there is a threat of an intergalactic incident we can get that thing changed."
They found him. Tom wasn't sure what to expect but the man who did show up was a small washed out looking human. His name was Vance Berry. Tom had done a double check to make sure that was his real name. He didn't seem to appear to be the least bit ill at ease despite the fact that he was in a room full of angry people. Tom and B'Elanna's lawyer had set up an informal mediation to see if he could be reasoned with. Tom and B'Elanna, both the Admirals, the lawyer and the Doctor. G'Dath's angry image stared out of a monitor.
"Even though I myself believed that it was clear that my characters were not based on my crew mates I learned how easy it was for others to make that mistake and so I revised my story." The Doctor said." Others will see this and automatically assume that it is about Tom and B'Elanna. I am willing to share the records that will prove that they were the victims of alien experimentation. Somehow these aliens were able to dose them with hormonal stimulants to an almost dangerous level. To allow this holonovel to continue without acknowledging this or removing those scenes will continue to cause great mental and emotional stress for both of them."
Berry was unmoved.
"I had no intention of causing harm to anyone.I was ignorant of this particular chain of events. All I wanted to do was tell what was in my mind an epic love story. It has all the elements of a true romance. I've waited a long time for a story of mine to be this successful. Now you want me to take that away from me and cut it up."
"You are no longer ignorant of the harm this will do and we are not asking you to 'chop it up. Tom and B'Elanna are willing to allow the bulk of the story to remain unchanged. We are asking for very small revisions." The Lawyer said.
"No. I am not responsible for what people might think or assume."
G'Dath growled.
"So you will have others believe that my cousin would behave so irresponsibly?" He asked. "That you would not include the actions of these dishonorable aliens? She could never return to the Klingon home world or to any Klingon colony. You would deny her daughter that part of her heritage."
"It would look bad if one of Voyager's heroes would be denied the privilege of visiting her mother's people. Might make people less inclined to choose anything else you might create in the future." The lawyer said. "Once the truth gets out, and it will get out, it will be very bad publicity for you. We also cannot be responsible for any angry Klingon that might cross your path."
For once Berry started to look a bit uncomfortable. The Klingon had gotten to him.
"It's not you. They are just characters who...resemble you. I can't be bullied into changing my mind," He said.
"How about...a compromise?" B'Elanna asked. She had been silent throughout the whole meeting;
"A compromise?"
"Include the explanation about the aliens and their experiments...and we give you another scene to replace the one we want you are take out."
"Another scene?" Berry looked undecided.
"Your audience will like it. It might even add a bit of...comic relief."
"I don't know," Berry said.
"If you don't agree to change it or at least consider B'Elanna's compromise this will be taken to a formal hearing. In the meantime the story is going to be pulled from circulation until the matter is decided."
Berry looked around the room. When his eyes lit upon G'Dath the Klingon snarled at him.
"I'll listen to what you have to say," He said reluctantly.
Tony pushed Belladonna into the console and they began to kiss passionately. Lights flashed and things beeped. They paid no attention. Their focus was entirely on each other. Suddenly the warp corp shut down.
"I don't remember that."
"That's because it didn't happen. Tuvok walked in on us, remember? And you forgot how to talk."
The story went on. The power shut down drained the energy supply of the evil aliens and exposed them and stopped their experiments. Tom and B'Elanna watched as the rest of the story played out right up until the birth of the baby boy which Tony delivered. The program ended.
"Much better," Tom said. "Even if he did change a few things from what really happened."
"It's changes we can live with although I hope Miral doesn't see this for a long time. It was rather romantic wasn't it, despite everything?" B'Elanna asked.
"I had no idea when we were actually living it how it would make such a good story. He's a decent writer. It's weird to think there will be people playing me and you."
"It's not me and you. We have to keep reminding ourselves that it is Tony and Belladonna. And they got their happy ever after. Just like we did."
"I remember those Jeffries tubes," He said wistfully.
B'Elanna stared at him.
"After all we went through to get them taken out of the story…."
"I mean the real Jeffries tubes."
"I thought we agreed not to mention them again."
"Yeah...but it was fun. Even if we were...not exactly ourselves."
"We both know a thing or two about holo programming. We could add to the story parameters, just for us…Tony."
"Yes we could...couldn't we...Bella?"
"Computer, replay Love in the Delta Quadrant with the following changes….."