A/N This chapter is rated M for sexual nature per site rules. As another warning this chapter doesn't feature Seven, but it's centered around Tuvok, Tabrin, Tom, B'Elanna and Neelix, just to get some things out of the way. You'll see what I mean as you read on. Also thanks for the reviews.
Chapter 50
Echos Of A Fever
2160
The Ship With No Name
A Day Before It's Destruction
Jeffries Tube Leading To The Bridge
Sweating profusely, Commander T'Pol was nearly knocked off of her feet as the ship was rocked hard by Romulan disruptor fire. Trying to hold herself together as her pon farr threatened to take over her mental abilities, she reached out and touched a wall to steady herself, as the ship finally went silent.
"Commander, there you are." a voice said from behind her. Turning she saw that it was a member of the ships MACO team. "Captain Archer's ship just arrived and it chased away that Romulan bird of prey. He also wants to know if you're ready to transfer back over to the Enterprise."
"Tell him that, I'm ready." T'Pol replied. She had transferred over to the no named ship out of concern from her Captain that this ship was engaged in unethical practices. She was there for almost two weeks and she had to say that so far she hadn't found anything wrong.
"Are you all right, Commander?" the young man asked as he gave her a sideways glance. "Forgive me for saying this, but you don't look so good. Do you want me to escort you to Sickbay?"
"I'm fine." T'Pol replied as she got off of the wall. If she had've looked back at the wall, she would have seen that her hand print glowed red for a few seconds before disappearing. "You can however escort me to the Shuttlebay so I can go back to the Enterprise."
"Yes ma'am." Corporal Azar replied with a smile. "After you."
If only T'Pol was a mind reader she would have found out that the day after she left, that the Captain of this ship would have his Engineering team rush the cloaking device installation job that he had been planning for weeks. He would have had them install it as soon as he acquired it from a damaged bird of prey, but Captain Jonathan Archer just had to stick his nose in his business and have that damned Vulcan snooping around his ship. Lucky for him she wasn't an Engineer. Wanting to hurry up and install the device and become a one army ship against the Romulan forces, the ship with no name earned it's place in history as the infamous lost ship.
Tuvok's Quarters
Sitting indian style on his bedroom floor, Tuvok's eyes rolled in the back of his head as sweat poured off of his brow. Snapping back to himself, he knew that his hope of intense meditation was diminished. He couldn't understand however why his pon farr was appearing now because it wasn't time yet. Knowing what he had to do, he stood to his feet and walked out of his quarters.
Sickbay
"Headache, fever, respiratory distress, tremors." Erin called off as she ran her tricorder over the taller man. "This looks like some kind of virus."
"It is not a virus." Tuvok assured her.
"Would you like to tell me what's going on?" she asked as she folded her arms across her chest.
"In your database you'll find a Vulcan medication under file theta twelve alpha." Tuvok replied, ignoring her question. "Please, replicate it immediately."
"You know I can't give out medicine without knowing what it's for." Erin told him as she gave him a look.
"If you must know, I am suffering from a neurochemical imbalance." Tuvok told her, his Vulcan calm noticeably dissolving.
"An imbalance?"
"It is native to my species."
"Tuvok, I'm a doctor so you can trust me in matters of discretion." Erin told him seriously. "I want to help you but you have to trust me and tell me what's going on." As she said that B'Elanna, Tabrin, and Ensign Andrea Daws walked into the room.
"Just give me the damn medicine." Tuvok said angrily as he walked mere inches away from the doctor.
"Tuvok what's going on?" B'Elanna asked as she walked closer to him.
Turning around in a flash, Tuvok placed his hands on either side of B'Elanna's temples. Letting out a gasp of surprise, B'Elanna let out a cry as Andrea and Tabrin ran forward to try to help. Letting go of the Klingon woman, he back handed her so hard that she flipped over a bio-bed.
Trying to grab his arms, Tuvok quickly placed his hands over Andrea and Tabrin's faces, bringing both women down to their knees with wide eyes. Injecting a hypospray into his neck, Tuvok slumped over to the floor unconscious.
"Are all of you all right?" Erin asked as B'Elanna stood to her feet, holding her jaw.
"Yeah... I'm... I'm fine." B'Elanna mumbled as the other women said the same thing.
"Forget about us, what the hell was wrong with him?" Andrea asked as she helped Erin pick Tuvok up off of the floor and put him on a bio-bed.
"I can't tell you what he told me because of doctor patient confidentiality." Erin told her as she then looked to Tabrin. "Tabrin you're from the future. Have you ever known Tuvok to... show violent intentions?"
"Not that I can remember." Tabrin replied as she rubbed at her aching head.
"Are you girls sure you're all right?" Erin asked again as she looked at all three women in turn. "Perhaps I should examine you all."
"No, we're fine." Tabrin replied with a weak smile. "I think we just need a little rest and we should be fine."
Before Erin could argue with them, they all walked out of the room. Shaking her head, she turned and placed a force field around Tuvok. She had to get some answers.
Neelix's Quarters
"Hey you stay down and keep your hands where I can see them!" Neelix shouted as he raised his phaser up and pointed it at an invisible opponent. Telling Captain Sisko that he wanted to do something more than be a cook, Ben had put a good word in for him with Sgt. Ro to try to put him into the MACO team.
Cracking a smile he lowered his weapon and placed it back in it's holster before he stared at himself in a full body mirror. Checking himself out in his new MACO team uniform, he thought to himself that he wanted to be prepared for when an intruder got on the ship and for when they went on away missions. As he prepared to draw his phaser again for practice, his door chime suddenly chirped. Letting out a sigh, he walked over to the door and pushed a button to open it.
"Oh ummm, hi Ensign." he said as Andrea stood on the other side of his door. "How can I help you today?"
"I just wanted to talk." Andrea replied as she brushed past him and walked into his room. "Nice place."
"Ummm, thank you." Neelix told her. "Can, I get you some..."
"Have you been working out?" Andrea asked, cutting him off as she rubbed his arm.
"Huh?" Neelix asked nervously, as he tried to read the look in her eyes.
'Neelix, you're needed to the MACO training room.' Sgt. Ro said over the comline.
"I... I'm on my way Sergeant." Neelix replied as he quickly slapped his combadge.
"Do you really have to leave right now?" Andrea asked as she slinked over and rubbed both of her hands along the side of his face.
"I... yes." Neelix replied with a gulp.
"Do you mind if I go with you?" Andrea asked. "I just wanna see you work."
"I don't see why not." Neelix replied as Andrea walked out of the door with him.
Tom's Quarters
Tom laughed at a cartoon he was watching as he popped a few pieces of popcorn into his mouth. Placing the bowl on his coffee table, he stood to his feet as his door chime sounded. Opening the door, his smile faded as he saw B'Elanna sweating heavily.
"B'Elanna are you okay?" Tom asked as she stumbled into his room. Catching her before she fell, he picked her up and placed her on his couch. "I'm going to get you too Sickbay."
"N...no Sickbay." B'Elanna gasped out as she touched his arm. "Just... just get me a glass of water."
Quickly doing as she requested, he ran out of the room and went into his kitchen area. Asking the replicator for a nice cool glass of water, he took it and walked back into his living room and saw that it was pitch black.
"B'Elanna?" he asked, not getting an answer. Walking further into the room, he stubbed his toe on the corner of his coffee table. "Damnit... Computer seventy five percent illumination."
As the light cut on he saw B'Elanna lying half naked on the floor seemingly unconscious and sweating badly. Putting the glass of water on the table, he ran over to her prone body.
"Oh man, B'Elanna?" he asked scooping her up in his arms as he sat on the floor. As he was about to hit his combadge and ask for medical assistance her eyes snapped open and she stopped him.
"Tom?" she asked weakly.
"Yeah, it's me. Are you okay?"
"No... no, I'm dying."
"What? Then I need to..."
"The Doctor can't help me with my problem. Only you can."
"Me? What can I do?" Tom asked in confusion.
"Take off your clothes." she said as she started to unbutton his shirt.
"Wait, what?" Tom replied nervously.
"Are we friends?" she asked as she continued roaming her hands over his body.
"Yes, of course."
"If a friend were dying or hurting wouldn't you do anything to help them?"
"You know for a fact I would." Tom said with conviction. "You know how I feel about..." not being able to tell her how he felt, he held his head down, until she used a slinky finger to make him look at her. Once he did he saw nothing but pure lust in her eyes.
Every since they had met he had been attracted to her, but because of his lingering feelings for Seven he never pursued her. He never thought that he would actually have her anyway, even after the confessions of her feelings but now...
"Do you think I'm attractive?" she suddenly asked.
"You know you're beautiful." he answered honestly.
"Don't be frightened." she said as she straddled him. "I'll try my best not to hurt you."
'I'll never have Seven again anyway.' he thought to himself as he softly kissed her on the lips.
After two hours of intense love making that put Tom to sleep B'Elanna somehow managed to stumble out of his room, the haze over her mind suddenly starting to become clear. With sweat pouring down her brow, she didn't even see when the fist connected to her face.
"You slut!" Tabrin shouted with tears in her eyes as B'Elanna looked up at the younger woman, from her position on the floor. "I know what you did. You knew I wanted Tom and I smell him all on you now."
Not saying a word, B'Elanna tackled Tabrin to the floor and the two of them started to brawl.
MACO Training Room
'So this is what the Captain sends me?' Ro thought to herself as she walked past Neelix, only stopping when she looked up and saw Andrea. 'Well what do we have here?' she thought to herself as she looked back to Neelix. "So you think you have what it takes to be on my squad?" she asked, even as she stalked dangerously close behind him.
"Sir, yes, sir!" Neelix yelled.
"We'll see about that." Ro said as she locked eyes with Andrea. Without saying a word, she suddenly grabbed Neelix in a deep powerful bear hug from behind and used her foot to trip him and make him fall hard to the ground. "A MACO team member should've easily been able to anticipate that move. Now get up!"
"Why don't you try that on someone your own size bitch!" Andrea growled out as she got into Ro's face.
"Who the fuck are you..." before Ro could complete her sentence, Andrea brought her foot down on the other woman's leg hard enough that it almost snapped the bone. As Ro bent down and screamed in agony Andrea judo flipped her over her shoulder and stood tall over her down body.
"Now how did that feel you..." Andrea stopped talking as she suddenly became dizzy.
"You stupid bitch!" Ro shouted, her eyes blazing. As if seeing birdies flying over his head, she looked up at her in a daze. Snapping back to it he stood to his feet, glowering with the act. "I have half a mind too..."
"Sergeant please." Neelix said calmly as he got in between the two. "Andrea hasn't been acting like herself today. With your permission, I'd like to take her to Sickbay."
"I'll let you off with a warning this time." Ro said as she took a deep breath. "Neelix, we'll do this again tomorrow. Next time don't bring an audience." With that said Ro stormed out of the room, albeit with a limb in her walk.
"Come on Ensign, let me get you too Sickbay." Neelix said as he grabbed Andrea's hand.
"No, please take me too my quarters." Andrea replied as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze.
"But Andrea..."
"Neelix please." the woman begged. Not being able to resist her Neelix did as she asked. Making it too her room, he placed her in bed. Before he could turn around and leave, she asked for him to stay in the living room for awhile just in case she needed him. As he was about to doze off, he suddenly heard her call his name.
Standing to his feet, he ran into the other room and his eyes almost popped out of his head when he saw Andrea wearing a skin tight leather version of their Starfleet uniform and she was rubbing her body as if she were shivering.
"So what do you think?" she asked as she stood up and twirled around, showing off her generous curves. "I was thinking of asking the Captain to make this the new uniform style."
"I...I...I..." was all Neelix could say as she sashayed over to him.
"You don't have to speak." she said putting a finger on his lips. "The look on your face let's me know that you like it."
"What's going on, Andrea?" Neelix asked as he looked deeply into Andrea's eyes. All he could see there was pure lust.
"Whatever you want to be going on." she said running a delicate finger along his chest.
"I don't think..."
"I'm hungry." she suddenly interrupted.
"As soon as I figure out what's going on with you, I'll take you to the Mess Hall and personally prepare a meal for you."
"I wasn't referring to food." she replied as she started to unbutton her tunic.
"Andrea, I don't know what's going on with you, but I refuse to take advantage of you." Neelix said as he stopped her from taking off her clothes.
"Do you have any idea how lonely I feel right now?" Andrea asked. "The craving I have is unbearable."
"May... maybe we should get you to the Doctor." the Talaxian suggested.
"What can she do?" Andrea asked as she gave Neelix a look. "She can't give me what I need but you can."
"I'll make a deal with you then." Neelix said as he met her gaze. "We'll go to Doctor Erin and if she says that you're okay then we'll come back to your room and we'll... do whatever you want to do." as he told her that Neelix opened his hand for her to take. After several moments of looking at it, Andrea took it and walked with him towards Sickbay.
The Brig
Hearing the door swish open Odo turned around with a deep bearing frown on his face as Kira and Dax walked into the room.
"What's going on in here?" Kira asked she heard Tabrin and B'Elanna yelling at each other.
"That's what I've been trying to find out." Odo replied. "I was headed to my quarters and I had to stop the both of them from ripping each others heads off in the corridors. They seem to keep going on about Tom Paris."
"I'll see what I can find out for you." Kira told him as she and Dax started to walk towards their cells.
"Good, I'll be back shortly. I have to meet with the Captain." Odo replied, heading towards the door. The sound of Kira telling them to shut up filled his ears as the doors swished closed behind him.
Kira and Dax could only look on in sick fascination as the two friends argued back and forth from the cells that were across the room from each other. It reminded Kira of the old soap opera shows that were on the Ares' database that she and Tabrin would watch together on their days off.
"No you listen." Tabrin was saying, making Kira snap out of her thoughts. "You knew that I had feelings for Tom. How could you of all people do this to me?"
"He was never going to love you!" B'Elanna shot back hotly. "When we were making love, he told me he had feelings for me when we first met. That's why he chose me. He's my lover now..."
"Maybe Tuvok hit you harder than you thought." Tabrin suggested. "Maybe you didn't hear Tom right?"
'Tuvok hit B'Elanna?' Dax thought to herself. 'When did that happen and why would he...' Trailing off in her own thoughts it finally came to her in a flash, making her hit her combadge. "Dax to Odo, I think I know what's going on here."
Sickbay
"My database has yet to be completed with the full medical stats of your people. It would be a lot more helpful if you would tell me what's going on." Erin was saying to Tuvok as she ran a medical tricorder over him again. "Your cortical levels are rising and falling, your hormones and endorphin's are also rising to a dangerous level."
"Yes Tuvok, please tell us what's going on." Kes begged of her mentor.
"This is a private matter for me to deal with." he replied, sweating profusely. "Through meditation, I..."
"Meditation?" Erin asked, almost at the verge of screaming. "If you don't get proper medical care... you could die." as soon as he she said that Odo, Captain Sisko, Andrea and Neelix walked into the room.
"I have a feeling I know what's going on, but I want you to tell me." Odo started as he paced around the Vulcan's bio-bed.
"I'm afraid you have me at an disadvantage, Lieutenant." Tuvok replied with a raised eyebrow.
"You mean to tell me you can honestly sit there and tell me that you didn't infect B'Elanna and Tabrin with Pon Farr?" Odo asked.
"Lieutenant, you can't just barge in here and tell everyone of a patient's condition!" Erin shouted in outrage.
"I didn't take a doctors oath." Odo replied as he looked from Erin back to Tuvok. "Well?"
"I suppose it is possible." Tuvok considered.
"Then I guess that explains what happened to me." Andrea mumbled as she squeezed Neelix's hand.
"Is there anyway to reverse what happened to them?" Ben asked as he looked from Erin to Tuvok.
"Even with the added bonus of the Vidians database, I still can't do anything about this." Erin told him.
"There are only three ways to end a Pon Farr." Tuvok said, seeing that the cat was out of the bag. "Through intense meditation, a ritual fight called kal-if-fee, or choosing a mate. I doubt that any of those infected could handle trying to resolve this through meditation and kal-if-fee could result in someone's death."
"So you're telling me that the only way to resolve this madness is for my daughter too..." Not being able complete his sentence, Ben just let out a sigh and hit his combadge. "Kira bring Tabrin and B'Elanna too Sickbay."
"At least I know what we have to do." Neelix whispered to Andrea as they headed towards the door. Feeling someone watching him, the Talaxian looked back and saw Kes with a depressed look on her face. His mind already made up, he and Andrea walked out of the room.
Captain's Log Supplemental: It's been a rather stressful day. It seems that B'Elanna had already been purged of Pon Farr earlier today because she had already chosen a mate. She was only angry and hostile towards Tabrin, because my daughter hit her. Tabrin and Tuvok chose to select two separate holodeck programs and I don't want to think what either one of them chose to do in them but they are back to normal. Tuvok identified a section of plating in the Jeffries tubes leading to the Bridge that we had to get rid of and we've replaced it. As always we've resumed our course back to the Alpha Quadrant.
Mess Hall
"I had a long talk with Tabrin and we decided to forgive each other." B'Elanna was saying to Tom as she took a sip of her Klingon coffee. "I'll say one thing about our dear Counselor, she has a hell of a left hook." she said as they both chuckled.
After a few minutes of silence, Tom looked over at his companion and became deadly serious. "I think it's time to address the elephant in the room."
"What do you mean?" B'Elanna asked as she put her coffee down on the table and gave him a look.
"I'm talking about what we shared yesterday." Tom told her. "I don't know about you but that was the best night of my life."
"Well you shouldn't be so flattered flyboy." B'Elanna told him. "In case you don't remember, I was under the influence."
"I can't believe that I'm the one saying this but will you be serious for a minute." Tom argued. "B'Elanna we shared something special last night. Don't brush it off like it was nothing."
"But that's exactly..." it was impossible for B'Elanna to finish the rest of her sentence, as Tom leaned over the table and gave her the most passionate kiss he had ever given and she had ever received in their lives. Feeling her body respond, albeit positively, he pulled away from her. "Now tell me you didn't feel anything?"
Not being able to say anything, B'Elanna could only look into his eyes and then look around the room at the people staring at them.
"I don't give a damn about these people looking at us!" Tom declared. "I don't give a damn if this whole ship knows about us, because you're not my dirty little secret. Damnit, I'm yours."
For the first time in her life, B'Elanna truly felt that someone loved her back and just for a second she dropped her guard and didn't give a damn what people thought as she said some words that came from her heart. "And you're mine."
E Deck
"I ummm, wanted to talk about what happened yesterday." Neelix started as he and Andrea slowly walked down the corridors of the deck.
"Oh?" Andrea asked as they both stopped walking. "If this is about Sgt. Ro, I already apologized to her and she understands what happened."
"This isn't about her but I just wanted to know two things from you." Neelix started. "One, out of everybody on the ship... why did you choose me? I mean you're beautiful... you... you could've had anybody on the ship if you wanted."
"I chose you because you're brave and..."
"So that was all about me saving you from the Kazon all those months ago?" Neelix replied as he looked down to the floor, only for Andrea to put a finger under his chin and make him look at her.
"And I think you're handsome and you make me laugh." Ensign Daws finished.
"I... I see." Neelix went on as he smiled slightly. "Well my second question is... where do we go from here?"
"You've already asked two questions Neelix." Andrea replied with a smile of her own. "But to be fair, I'll ask a question of my own. I know that Kes broke up with you not to long ago. Are you over her yet?" Caught, Neelix couldn't answer that question, but his silence confirmed everything for her. "I thought so. Let's just leave last night for what it was. It was just something special shared by two friends and this makes twice that you saved my life." she said as she leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on the forehead and turned to leave. "Thank you and I won't forget it." watching her leave, Neelix smiled to himself. If he couldn't have Kes at least now he knew he had options.
A/N For anybody that was wondering Tuvok got linked to T'Pol's telepathic cord in the chapter Macrocosm when he was in those Jeffries tubes with Tabrin. The Pon Farr just chose now to infect him. I just took some liberties with Vulcan's mental powers so just go with it, lol. Also since this story isn't going to be that long, I decided to pair up Tom and B'Elanna now and to do something with Neelix like I promised.
