Drive to the Alter
Ann B. Harding
Missing scene from the Aired episode Drive
Author's note. I was looking through my computer and found this on my hard drive. I started it a long time ago, and never felt that it was finshed. But after reading it, and looking at how other stroies ended I came to realize that it did have an ending. So, I looked through it, cleaned it up some and decided to upload it. I hope you like it.
Assan's ship crossed the finish line, ending the race. "Damn," Kathryn Janeway muttered to Neelix. She couldn't believe what she had just seen. She didn't know that much about small ships, but she did know pilots, and she'd been sure that Tom Paris would be able fly rings around any of these pilots, Assan included. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to let B'Elanna take Harry's place. B'Elanna might have been a better engineer, but Tom and Harry had worked together in the past, and were a well functioning team. In a race such as this, team dynamics was just as, if not more, than important engineering abilities.
Now wasn't the time to wonder why the Flyer has lost the race though. Janeway may not have been a good loser, but there was no need for anyone else to know that.
"I'm sorry your team didn't win, Captain," Ambassador O'Zaal said, but he didn't seem all that sorry. But then, she didn't really expect him to be. Even if an outsider winning would have lessened, or at least evened any bruised egos, there was the manner of system wide pride.
Before she could respond, there was a shudder. "Janeway to the bridge," she said - almost glad for a distraction. "Report."
"That was a shock wave from an antimatter explosion approximately 1.2 million kilometers from here." Tuvok, unflappable as ever, replied.
An antimatter explosion... Oh no.... The only ship in the race with a warp capable engine was the Delta Flyer "Excuse me," she said with a nod to Chakotay and move quickly to the bridge. She would apologize to O'Zaal for the rude departure later.
"Report," Janeway stated as she exited the turbolift and moved down the ramp and to the command center Chakotay was a few steps behind her. Tuvok stood, both the yield command and to report. "As I stated, the explosion originated from a Class J nebula one point two million kilometer from here. Upon further examination it appears t to have originated from the Delta Flyer," he said as he moved to the tactical station.
The nebula in question loomed large on the bridge's main viewscreen. She couldn't see anything of the small ship. "Status of the Flyer?" Janeway asked.
"Approximately 500,000 kilometers from our current location." Tuvok replied. "But I am unable to determine the extent of damage. However, I am detecting two life forms."
Relived her wayward officers were still alive she asked. "Can we hail them?"
"I believe so." Tuvok replied.
"Open a channel," she ordered the young woman at Ops.
"Aye, Captain"
"Voyager to Delta Flyer." Janeway queried. "Do you require assistance?" There was no response for several seconds and Janeway was about the repeat the call when the com crackled.
"Delta Flyer to Voyager," came the reply from Tom Paris. "Uhh, I think we can limp back to Voyager."
It wasn't anything she could point to, but something in Tom's tone was.... off. It was as though something was distracting him from the current conversation. "Is everything all right?"
"You will?" Tom's voice came over the comm system.
"Lieutenant?" Just what was happening on that ship?
"Sorry Captain." Tom replied, his tone now more business like. "We've sustained some damage, but as I said, I think we can get back to you."
"Good," she replied with a nod. "What happened?" she asked.
There was a pause. "I'm not exactly sure how, but the Flyer's engine were sabotaged ." Tom replied. "Have you been able to contact Harry and Irina?"
Surprised at the non squinter she glanced over at Tuvok.
"Mister Kim's and Irina's ship is stationery approximately ten million kilometers from out current location." he responded.
"Less then half way through the course." Chakotay mused. "Why haven't we heard from them?"
"We can't raise them either." Tom's voice came over the speaker. "I think Irina had something had hand in that."
"Why do you say that?" Chakotay asked.
"Harry told me." Tom replied.
Janeway had the feeling she was missing something. If she didn't know better, she would have sworn that Tom was deliberately being evasive. "I thought you said you were not able to contact them."
"He was able to send a message to us using an old fashion method we have used in our Captain Proton programs." Tom explained. She wasn't surprised to hear a few soft chuckles throughout the bridge. She should have known that Tom's infamous holodeck program would eventually become useful.
"That's how we knew the Flyer had been sabotaged," Tom continued.
"Understood," Janeway said. She was eager to learn more, but she wasn't sure they should be talking about this over an open comm system. They couldn't be sure how secure the channel was. "Give me a full report when you get back."
There was only a slight pause. "Aye Captain."
"Tuvok, notify O'Zaal and have the Antarians authorities bring Irina's ship in."
"Aye Captain." Tuvok replied.
Now that everything was taken care of Janeway had a few other duties to take care of. "I'll be in the Messhall talking to O'Zaal and then in the Shuttlebay if anyone needs me,"
********************
Ten minutes later she watched as the Flyer slowly entered the shuttle bay and touched down gently. The talk with O'Zaal had been short, but fruitful. She had been thrilled when the Ambassador had invited Voyager to participate in the post race festivities. She and the rest of the crew needed a break after everything that had happened in the past few months. Especially the pair emerging from the Delta Flyer II
A slightly disheveled Tom and B'Elanna stepped down from the Flyer. Even so, they didn't look like a pair that had just lost a race though. Or who had just escaped what was a certain deathtrap. From what Tuvok reported, it was a miracle neither of them had been hurt..
"Care to tell me what happened out there?"
"I asked B'Elanna to marry me. She said yes." Tom replied.
Of all the responses she had expected, an announcement of marriage had not even been considered. Even so, it was about time the pair took the next step in their relationship. "And you couldn't have waited until you crossed the finish line?" she teased.
"Captain..." B'Elanna began, but Tom interrupted her.
"I suppose I could have waited for a better time," he admitted. "But I wanted to let B'Elanna know what my priorities were." The smile on his face as he gazed at the engineer left no room for doubt just what his priorities were.
Moreover, it was an argument that Janeway had no response for. A small part of her, the cynic, wondered if that had in fact been the intent, but as she watched the pair, she realized that Tom was speaking from the heart.
Tom broke his gaze and looked towards Janeway. "We were wondering, would you do the honors for us?" .
As if he needed to ask. "Just tell me where and when," she replied with as big a grin as she could.
"As soon as possible." Tom replied.
Janeway sighed. "All right." she said. "But can you wait a few hours to give us time to get everything ready?" she smiled. "I'm sure Neelix will want to do this right."
"I guess we can wait a few hours." Tom replied with a grin as he and B'Elanna stared towards the doors.
*******************
"You what?" Harry Kim couldn't believe it. This day got stranger and stranger. First he learned that the latest "love of his life" was a xenophobic terrorist who had rigged the converters on the Flyer to explode and now this.
"I asked B'Elanna to marry me." Tom repeated with the same goofy grin on his face. "And she said yes."
Harry leaned back in his chair and studied his best friend, and waited for Tom to start laughing and tease Harry how native he was. "You're serious," he said when neither of those happened.
"I've never been so serious in all my life." Tom said in a soft voice. It was tone Harry didn't hear often. Tom was dead serious. He wasn't joking. "I want B'Elanna to be my wife, " he smiled at his friend. "And I want you to be my best man."
"Me?"
"Of course you," Tom replied. "Who else I'm I gonna ask? You are my best friend, aren't you?"
Harry nodded, more out of reflex then anything else. "Of course I am." he said. "This is just a bit much to take in all at once. When is all this happening?" Harry asked.
"A few hours." Tom replied.
"A few hours?" Harry repeated shaking his head. "Why the rush?"
Tom shrugged. "Why wait?" he asked. "We've been together for three years so it's not exactly like it's a whirlwind courtship or anything. Besides, the Antarians have offered to letVoyager stay for the post race celebrations we'll be able to get some time away from Voyager. The timing was to good to pass up. So, what's your answer?"
"Answer?"
"Will you be my best man?" Tom asked with a heavy sigh.
"Oh, of course I will." Harry smiled. "What do you need to me to do? I don't have time to get a bachelor's party together."
"No, I guess you don't. Not that it matters much. Could you picture B'Elanna's reaction if I actually had one?" Tom asked with a grin.
Harry could, and Tom was right. It wasn't a very pretty picture.
"What else is there then, besides handing you the ring." Harry asked.
"In this day and age, not much," Tom replied. "But there is something they use to do," he handed Harry a PADD with set to a page on the history twentieth century wedding traditions on the North American continent. Harry skimmed it until he got to the section regarding the duties of the best man. "You're kidding." he said as he read one of the duties Tom had highlighted.
"No, I'm not. The Captain has authorized us to use the Flyer for our honeymoon."
"Bu-bu-but it still needs repairs." Harry protested.
"We can repair most of the damage easily enough. The biggest problem is that it needs a new warp core. And we don't really that to cruise the system."
"Cruise?" Harry was beginning to get feeling Tom doing this deliberately.
"Mid to late twentieth century term." Tom explained. "It meant driving around without really going anywhere."
"I should have known." Harry muttered. He turned his mind to the more pressing problem. How to pull this off. "So any idea just how to make this thing work?"
"We have those empty containers just taking up space in Cargo Bay 2." Tom replied with the sort of casually elegant shrug only he could manage.
Harry nodded. It wouldn't be too hard to make the modifications Tom had suggested. On to the next problem. "What about the ring?" he asked.
"I already have that." Tom replied with a smile. "I have been saving replicator rations for a few months now." He handed Harry a PADD with the image of a simple yet elegant ring.
"A few months?" Harry wondered he had fallen through a time warp or something. "How long have you been planning this?"
His friend exhaled. "Well I have to admit I have been thinking about asking B'Elanna for a while." Tom admitted with a slight smile "But I wanted to wait for the prefect moment."
"And naturally that was in the middle of a race." Harry shook his head. Would he ever understand Tom? Or B'Elanna for that matter.
Tom smiled. "I guess you had to be there. At that moment it seemed like the perfect time."
*************************
"He what?"
"Tom asked me to marry him," she repeated. "And I said yes."
"When did this happen?"
"This afternoon, during the race."
"He proposed during the race?" Chakotay didn't know why he was surprised. Tom Paris never did anything the way people excepted.
"Well.... after he took us out of it. While we were on our way to the nebula to eject the core."
Chakotay smiled at that image. Only Tom Paris would purpose marriage at a time like that. "There was a time when I never thought I would say this, but I'm very happy for you," he said. It was true. Chakotay hated to admit it, but Tom Paris was one of the best things that had ever happened to B'Elanna Torres. Chakotay was one of her closest friends, a surrogate big brother, but he had never been able to make B'Elanna realized the truths that Tom had. Chakotay had helped her to see that she was brilliant engineer, even if she didn't think inside Starfleet's unimaginative box, that she was smart and a valuable asset to a team. But Tom made her feel beautiful. More importantly Tom Paris had been able to get B'Elanna to accept her Klingon half and to move beyond the anger and self-hate she had harbored for so long. "If he makes you happy..."
"He does." B'Elanna replied without hesitation. "More then anyone ever has." She paused, then meet Chakotay eyes. "I was wondering. I don't really have any close female friends, so would stand by me and be my man of honor?"
He wasn't sure if he was pleased or embarrassed by the request. He'd been expecting B'Elanna if he would give her away, but as he thought about he realized that B'Elanna would never want something so old fashion. "I would be honored," he replied. "When is all this taking place?"
"2000 hours," she said. "The mess hall."
"Tonight?"
She nodded.
"Kind of a hurry."
"Well, we figured why wait. And with Voyager is staying here for a few days it's the perfect time for both Tom and me to get away." she smiled. "And with our schedules we have enough trouble getting an few evenings per week together, never mind a few days."
There was no arguing with that. With B'Elanna's duties as chief engineer, and Tom's duties as Flight Control Officer and Medical Assistant kept both extremely busy. It wasn't unusual for either or even both officers to work double shifts, and when it was allowed, triple shifts. And their time off didn't always overlap. So it was no wonder they would jump at the chance for a shore-leave where there was no chance that some sort of emergency spoiling it. Chakotay decided to ignore the fact that Tom had recently chosen a race over a weekend with B'Elanna. Flying - especially smaller ships such as the Delta Flyer, was the only thing could even begin to compete with B'Elanna for his attention. Just as a tricky engineering problem was the only thing that could compete with Tom for B'Elanna's.
"I would be honored," he replied. And he was.
*******************
"How do you like it Captain?" Even with only a few hours Neelix had somehow managed to decorate the messhall in a old fashion North American wedding motif. White paper ribbons and white create paper were strewn everywhere. There were even a few white and sliver balloons in the corner "I know it's not much..."
"It's wonderful." Janeway said. "Especially for such short notice."
Neelix beamed. "Thank you Captain." he said. "And now I would like to show you the pesti-resistance, the cake. It's only replicated, but I think I chose one everyone will enjoy."
"I am sure no one will mind in the least," she smiled Only replicated Janeway mused with a shake of her head. Only Neelix would apologize for not being able to make a wedding cake form scratch with only a few hours notice. "Do you have everything else ready?" she asked.
He nodded. "Of course Captain."
"Including the bottle of champagne and flutes in the Flyer."
"Ready and waiting." Neelix replied.
Janeway smiled. She was glad to see that everything was coming together so quickly. So far this was Voyager's first wedding, and she wanted everything to go off without anything going wrong. The crew, not to mention the bride and groom deserved no less.
******************
"Ladies and gentleman," Kathryn Janeway began as she glanced around the crowded room. Neelix and Seven on Nine stood to one side while the holographic Doctor moved around the group taking pictures. Harry and Chakotay stood besides Tom and B'Elanna acting as the best man and man of honor respectively. Several others crewmembers, including Joe Carry, Samantha Wildman and her daughter Naomi were gathered behind the pair. Anyone not able to come to the ceremony would be able to see the ship wide broadcast. "We have assembled here today to witness the marriage of two of our own. Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres." she paused for a few second so anyone that hadn't heard about this could take in it in. After all, they had only announced their engagement a few hours ago. Though considering how fast Voyagersrumor mill was…
"Because of the last minute nature of this wedding," she continued. "Tom and B'Elanna have chosen to go with the traditional vows for human marriage, so let us begin." she smiled up at Tom, her one time reclamation. "Thomas Eugene Paris, do take this woman B'Elanna Torres to be your wedded wife? To have and to hold, for better or worse, richer or poorer, in good times and in bad, for as long as you both shall live?"
Tom gazed down at B'Elanna with a look that Kathryn often wished been directed at her by someone. He had come a long way - in more ways then one - from the convict she had gone to see in Auckland all those years ago. The cocky, arrogant, angry young man who had agreed to help track down his "fellow" Maquis, as long as it meant Starfleet would do something for him was gone and had been for a long time. In his place was a caring, compassionate, and extremely competent, if somewhat unconventional officer, who gave his all for Voyager and her crew. She had no doubt he would make a wonderful husband as well.
"I do." he replied softly, with such conviction she knew no one would never doubt it.
"And do you B'Elanna Torres, take this man, Thomas Eugene Paris, to be your wedded husband. To have and to hold, for better or worse, in good times and in bad for long as you both shall live?" She too had come so far from the angry young rebel she had been when they had first been stranded in the Delta Quadrant. She was calmer, more at peace with her self. And Janeway knew that Tom Paris had a great deal to do with that. "I do." B'Elanna replied, with just as much, if not more conviction then Tom.
Janeway now turned her attention to the two men behind the happy couple. "Gentleman, the rings please."
Harry moved forward just a bit so he was standing in front of both, and held out a simple ring to Tom, who somehow managed to take without his eyes ever leaving B'Elanna. As he did so, Janeway continued. "Tom, repeat after me, "With this ring, I thee wed."
"With this ring, I thee wed." he said.
Chakotay then stepped forward to hand B'Elanna a simple gold band. Janeway repeated the vow as did B'Elanna.
"Then by the power invested in me by Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets I know pronounce you husband and wife." She smiled at the pair. "You may now..." But before she could continue the pair obeyed her intended order as they embraced and kissed. Neelix tossed confetti over the couple while the Doctor continued to snap pictures of the happy couple.
After several seconds they separated. "Uhh. Sorry for jumping the gun there," Tom said, but he did not look apologetic in the least.
"Ladies and gentleman," Janeway announced. "I now would like introduce Voyager'sfirst married couple, Tom and B'Elanna Paris." Even as she said it, she wondered what name they would use. Centuries old traditions dictated that B'Elanna take Tom's family name, but then neither Tom nor B'Elanna were very traditional. In all likelihood both would keep their names. At least that is what she hoped they did. She didn't exactly relish dealing with two Lieutenant Paris' or Torres. "Or whatever." she added with a grin. Only time would tell what they would end up doing.
End.
Ann B. Harding
Missing scene from the Aired episode Drive
Author's note. I was looking through my computer and found this on my hard drive. I started it a long time ago, and never felt that it was finshed. But after reading it, and looking at how other stroies ended I came to realize that it did have an ending. So, I looked through it, cleaned it up some and decided to upload it. I hope you like it.
Assan's ship crossed the finish line, ending the race. "Damn," Kathryn Janeway muttered to Neelix. She couldn't believe what she had just seen. She didn't know that much about small ships, but she did know pilots, and she'd been sure that Tom Paris would be able fly rings around any of these pilots, Assan included. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to let B'Elanna take Harry's place. B'Elanna might have been a better engineer, but Tom and Harry had worked together in the past, and were a well functioning team. In a race such as this, team dynamics was just as, if not more, than important engineering abilities.
Now wasn't the time to wonder why the Flyer has lost the race though. Janeway may not have been a good loser, but there was no need for anyone else to know that.
"I'm sorry your team didn't win, Captain," Ambassador O'Zaal said, but he didn't seem all that sorry. But then, she didn't really expect him to be. Even if an outsider winning would have lessened, or at least evened any bruised egos, there was the manner of system wide pride.
Before she could respond, there was a shudder. "Janeway to the bridge," she said - almost glad for a distraction. "Report."
"That was a shock wave from an antimatter explosion approximately 1.2 million kilometers from here." Tuvok, unflappable as ever, replied.
An antimatter explosion... Oh no.... The only ship in the race with a warp capable engine was the Delta Flyer "Excuse me," she said with a nod to Chakotay and move quickly to the bridge. She would apologize to O'Zaal for the rude departure later.
"Report," Janeway stated as she exited the turbolift and moved down the ramp and to the command center Chakotay was a few steps behind her. Tuvok stood, both the yield command and to report. "As I stated, the explosion originated from a Class J nebula one point two million kilometer from here. Upon further examination it appears t to have originated from the Delta Flyer," he said as he moved to the tactical station.
The nebula in question loomed large on the bridge's main viewscreen. She couldn't see anything of the small ship. "Status of the Flyer?" Janeway asked.
"Approximately 500,000 kilometers from our current location." Tuvok replied. "But I am unable to determine the extent of damage. However, I am detecting two life forms."
Relived her wayward officers were still alive she asked. "Can we hail them?"
"I believe so." Tuvok replied.
"Open a channel," she ordered the young woman at Ops.
"Aye, Captain"
"Voyager to Delta Flyer." Janeway queried. "Do you require assistance?" There was no response for several seconds and Janeway was about the repeat the call when the com crackled.
"Delta Flyer to Voyager," came the reply from Tom Paris. "Uhh, I think we can limp back to Voyager."
It wasn't anything she could point to, but something in Tom's tone was.... off. It was as though something was distracting him from the current conversation. "Is everything all right?"
"You will?" Tom's voice came over the comm system.
"Lieutenant?" Just what was happening on that ship?
"Sorry Captain." Tom replied, his tone now more business like. "We've sustained some damage, but as I said, I think we can get back to you."
"Good," she replied with a nod. "What happened?" she asked.
There was a pause. "I'm not exactly sure how, but the Flyer's engine were sabotaged ." Tom replied. "Have you been able to contact Harry and Irina?"
Surprised at the non squinter she glanced over at Tuvok.
"Mister Kim's and Irina's ship is stationery approximately ten million kilometers from out current location." he responded.
"Less then half way through the course." Chakotay mused. "Why haven't we heard from them?"
"We can't raise them either." Tom's voice came over the speaker. "I think Irina had something had hand in that."
"Why do you say that?" Chakotay asked.
"Harry told me." Tom replied.
Janeway had the feeling she was missing something. If she didn't know better, she would have sworn that Tom was deliberately being evasive. "I thought you said you were not able to contact them."
"He was able to send a message to us using an old fashion method we have used in our Captain Proton programs." Tom explained. She wasn't surprised to hear a few soft chuckles throughout the bridge. She should have known that Tom's infamous holodeck program would eventually become useful.
"That's how we knew the Flyer had been sabotaged," Tom continued.
"Understood," Janeway said. She was eager to learn more, but she wasn't sure they should be talking about this over an open comm system. They couldn't be sure how secure the channel was. "Give me a full report when you get back."
There was only a slight pause. "Aye Captain."
"Tuvok, notify O'Zaal and have the Antarians authorities bring Irina's ship in."
"Aye Captain." Tuvok replied.
Now that everything was taken care of Janeway had a few other duties to take care of. "I'll be in the Messhall talking to O'Zaal and then in the Shuttlebay if anyone needs me,"
********************
Ten minutes later she watched as the Flyer slowly entered the shuttle bay and touched down gently. The talk with O'Zaal had been short, but fruitful. She had been thrilled when the Ambassador had invited Voyager to participate in the post race festivities. She and the rest of the crew needed a break after everything that had happened in the past few months. Especially the pair emerging from the Delta Flyer II
A slightly disheveled Tom and B'Elanna stepped down from the Flyer. Even so, they didn't look like a pair that had just lost a race though. Or who had just escaped what was a certain deathtrap. From what Tuvok reported, it was a miracle neither of them had been hurt..
"Care to tell me what happened out there?"
"I asked B'Elanna to marry me. She said yes." Tom replied.
Of all the responses she had expected, an announcement of marriage had not even been considered. Even so, it was about time the pair took the next step in their relationship. "And you couldn't have waited until you crossed the finish line?" she teased.
"Captain..." B'Elanna began, but Tom interrupted her.
"I suppose I could have waited for a better time," he admitted. "But I wanted to let B'Elanna know what my priorities were." The smile on his face as he gazed at the engineer left no room for doubt just what his priorities were.
Moreover, it was an argument that Janeway had no response for. A small part of her, the cynic, wondered if that had in fact been the intent, but as she watched the pair, she realized that Tom was speaking from the heart.
Tom broke his gaze and looked towards Janeway. "We were wondering, would you do the honors for us?" .
As if he needed to ask. "Just tell me where and when," she replied with as big a grin as she could.
"As soon as possible." Tom replied.
Janeway sighed. "All right." she said. "But can you wait a few hours to give us time to get everything ready?" she smiled. "I'm sure Neelix will want to do this right."
"I guess we can wait a few hours." Tom replied with a grin as he and B'Elanna stared towards the doors.
*******************
"You what?" Harry Kim couldn't believe it. This day got stranger and stranger. First he learned that the latest "love of his life" was a xenophobic terrorist who had rigged the converters on the Flyer to explode and now this.
"I asked B'Elanna to marry me." Tom repeated with the same goofy grin on his face. "And she said yes."
Harry leaned back in his chair and studied his best friend, and waited for Tom to start laughing and tease Harry how native he was. "You're serious," he said when neither of those happened.
"I've never been so serious in all my life." Tom said in a soft voice. It was tone Harry didn't hear often. Tom was dead serious. He wasn't joking. "I want B'Elanna to be my wife, " he smiled at his friend. "And I want you to be my best man."
"Me?"
"Of course you," Tom replied. "Who else I'm I gonna ask? You are my best friend, aren't you?"
Harry nodded, more out of reflex then anything else. "Of course I am." he said. "This is just a bit much to take in all at once. When is all this happening?" Harry asked.
"A few hours." Tom replied.
"A few hours?" Harry repeated shaking his head. "Why the rush?"
Tom shrugged. "Why wait?" he asked. "We've been together for three years so it's not exactly like it's a whirlwind courtship or anything. Besides, the Antarians have offered to letVoyager stay for the post race celebrations we'll be able to get some time away from Voyager. The timing was to good to pass up. So, what's your answer?"
"Answer?"
"Will you be my best man?" Tom asked with a heavy sigh.
"Oh, of course I will." Harry smiled. "What do you need to me to do? I don't have time to get a bachelor's party together."
"No, I guess you don't. Not that it matters much. Could you picture B'Elanna's reaction if I actually had one?" Tom asked with a grin.
Harry could, and Tom was right. It wasn't a very pretty picture.
"What else is there then, besides handing you the ring." Harry asked.
"In this day and age, not much," Tom replied. "But there is something they use to do," he handed Harry a PADD with set to a page on the history twentieth century wedding traditions on the North American continent. Harry skimmed it until he got to the section regarding the duties of the best man. "You're kidding." he said as he read one of the duties Tom had highlighted.
"No, I'm not. The Captain has authorized us to use the Flyer for our honeymoon."
"Bu-bu-but it still needs repairs." Harry protested.
"We can repair most of the damage easily enough. The biggest problem is that it needs a new warp core. And we don't really that to cruise the system."
"Cruise?" Harry was beginning to get feeling Tom doing this deliberately.
"Mid to late twentieth century term." Tom explained. "It meant driving around without really going anywhere."
"I should have known." Harry muttered. He turned his mind to the more pressing problem. How to pull this off. "So any idea just how to make this thing work?"
"We have those empty containers just taking up space in Cargo Bay 2." Tom replied with the sort of casually elegant shrug only he could manage.
Harry nodded. It wouldn't be too hard to make the modifications Tom had suggested. On to the next problem. "What about the ring?" he asked.
"I already have that." Tom replied with a smile. "I have been saving replicator rations for a few months now." He handed Harry a PADD with the image of a simple yet elegant ring.
"A few months?" Harry wondered he had fallen through a time warp or something. "How long have you been planning this?"
His friend exhaled. "Well I have to admit I have been thinking about asking B'Elanna for a while." Tom admitted with a slight smile "But I wanted to wait for the prefect moment."
"And naturally that was in the middle of a race." Harry shook his head. Would he ever understand Tom? Or B'Elanna for that matter.
Tom smiled. "I guess you had to be there. At that moment it seemed like the perfect time."
*************************
"He what?"
"Tom asked me to marry him," she repeated. "And I said yes."
"When did this happen?"
"This afternoon, during the race."
"He proposed during the race?" Chakotay didn't know why he was surprised. Tom Paris never did anything the way people excepted.
"Well.... after he took us out of it. While we were on our way to the nebula to eject the core."
Chakotay smiled at that image. Only Tom Paris would purpose marriage at a time like that. "There was a time when I never thought I would say this, but I'm very happy for you," he said. It was true. Chakotay hated to admit it, but Tom Paris was one of the best things that had ever happened to B'Elanna Torres. Chakotay was one of her closest friends, a surrogate big brother, but he had never been able to make B'Elanna realized the truths that Tom had. Chakotay had helped her to see that she was brilliant engineer, even if she didn't think inside Starfleet's unimaginative box, that she was smart and a valuable asset to a team. But Tom made her feel beautiful. More importantly Tom Paris had been able to get B'Elanna to accept her Klingon half and to move beyond the anger and self-hate she had harbored for so long. "If he makes you happy..."
"He does." B'Elanna replied without hesitation. "More then anyone ever has." She paused, then meet Chakotay eyes. "I was wondering. I don't really have any close female friends, so would stand by me and be my man of honor?"
He wasn't sure if he was pleased or embarrassed by the request. He'd been expecting B'Elanna if he would give her away, but as he thought about he realized that B'Elanna would never want something so old fashion. "I would be honored," he replied. "When is all this taking place?"
"2000 hours," she said. "The mess hall."
"Tonight?"
She nodded.
"Kind of a hurry."
"Well, we figured why wait. And with Voyager is staying here for a few days it's the perfect time for both Tom and me to get away." she smiled. "And with our schedules we have enough trouble getting an few evenings per week together, never mind a few days."
There was no arguing with that. With B'Elanna's duties as chief engineer, and Tom's duties as Flight Control Officer and Medical Assistant kept both extremely busy. It wasn't unusual for either or even both officers to work double shifts, and when it was allowed, triple shifts. And their time off didn't always overlap. So it was no wonder they would jump at the chance for a shore-leave where there was no chance that some sort of emergency spoiling it. Chakotay decided to ignore the fact that Tom had recently chosen a race over a weekend with B'Elanna. Flying - especially smaller ships such as the Delta Flyer, was the only thing could even begin to compete with B'Elanna for his attention. Just as a tricky engineering problem was the only thing that could compete with Tom for B'Elanna's.
"I would be honored," he replied. And he was.
*******************
"How do you like it Captain?" Even with only a few hours Neelix had somehow managed to decorate the messhall in a old fashion North American wedding motif. White paper ribbons and white create paper were strewn everywhere. There were even a few white and sliver balloons in the corner "I know it's not much..."
"It's wonderful." Janeway said. "Especially for such short notice."
Neelix beamed. "Thank you Captain." he said. "And now I would like to show you the pesti-resistance, the cake. It's only replicated, but I think I chose one everyone will enjoy."
"I am sure no one will mind in the least," she smiled Only replicated Janeway mused with a shake of her head. Only Neelix would apologize for not being able to make a wedding cake form scratch with only a few hours notice. "Do you have everything else ready?" she asked.
He nodded. "Of course Captain."
"Including the bottle of champagne and flutes in the Flyer."
"Ready and waiting." Neelix replied.
Janeway smiled. She was glad to see that everything was coming together so quickly. So far this was Voyager's first wedding, and she wanted everything to go off without anything going wrong. The crew, not to mention the bride and groom deserved no less.
******************
"Ladies and gentleman," Kathryn Janeway began as she glanced around the crowded room. Neelix and Seven on Nine stood to one side while the holographic Doctor moved around the group taking pictures. Harry and Chakotay stood besides Tom and B'Elanna acting as the best man and man of honor respectively. Several others crewmembers, including Joe Carry, Samantha Wildman and her daughter Naomi were gathered behind the pair. Anyone not able to come to the ceremony would be able to see the ship wide broadcast. "We have assembled here today to witness the marriage of two of our own. Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres." she paused for a few second so anyone that hadn't heard about this could take in it in. After all, they had only announced their engagement a few hours ago. Though considering how fast Voyagersrumor mill was…
"Because of the last minute nature of this wedding," she continued. "Tom and B'Elanna have chosen to go with the traditional vows for human marriage, so let us begin." she smiled up at Tom, her one time reclamation. "Thomas Eugene Paris, do take this woman B'Elanna Torres to be your wedded wife? To have and to hold, for better or worse, richer or poorer, in good times and in bad, for as long as you both shall live?"
Tom gazed down at B'Elanna with a look that Kathryn often wished been directed at her by someone. He had come a long way - in more ways then one - from the convict she had gone to see in Auckland all those years ago. The cocky, arrogant, angry young man who had agreed to help track down his "fellow" Maquis, as long as it meant Starfleet would do something for him was gone and had been for a long time. In his place was a caring, compassionate, and extremely competent, if somewhat unconventional officer, who gave his all for Voyager and her crew. She had no doubt he would make a wonderful husband as well.
"I do." he replied softly, with such conviction she knew no one would never doubt it.
"And do you B'Elanna Torres, take this man, Thomas Eugene Paris, to be your wedded husband. To have and to hold, for better or worse, in good times and in bad for long as you both shall live?" She too had come so far from the angry young rebel she had been when they had first been stranded in the Delta Quadrant. She was calmer, more at peace with her self. And Janeway knew that Tom Paris had a great deal to do with that. "I do." B'Elanna replied, with just as much, if not more conviction then Tom.
Janeway now turned her attention to the two men behind the happy couple. "Gentleman, the rings please."
Harry moved forward just a bit so he was standing in front of both, and held out a simple ring to Tom, who somehow managed to take without his eyes ever leaving B'Elanna. As he did so, Janeway continued. "Tom, repeat after me, "With this ring, I thee wed."
"With this ring, I thee wed." he said.
Chakotay then stepped forward to hand B'Elanna a simple gold band. Janeway repeated the vow as did B'Elanna.
"Then by the power invested in me by Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets I know pronounce you husband and wife." She smiled at the pair. "You may now..." But before she could continue the pair obeyed her intended order as they embraced and kissed. Neelix tossed confetti over the couple while the Doctor continued to snap pictures of the happy couple.
After several seconds they separated. "Uhh. Sorry for jumping the gun there," Tom said, but he did not look apologetic in the least.
"Ladies and gentleman," Janeway announced. "I now would like introduce Voyager'sfirst married couple, Tom and B'Elanna Paris." Even as she said it, she wondered what name they would use. Centuries old traditions dictated that B'Elanna take Tom's family name, but then neither Tom nor B'Elanna were very traditional. In all likelihood both would keep their names. At least that is what she hoped they did. She didn't exactly relish dealing with two Lieutenant Paris' or Torres. "Or whatever." she added with a grin. Only time would tell what they would end up doing.
End.