Title: What Fools These Mortals Be.
Author: Arscapi
Spoilers: Nothing really, except maybe "The Q and the Gray"
Disclaimers: The characters belong to Paramount. If they belonged to me, I'd be a millionaire and wouldn't have to bother with disclaimers. The original idea was Shakespeare's, I hope he wouldn't mind too much that I borrowed it. I made no money with this, and since I have no money to speak of, suing me would be a lost cause.
Author's notes: Thanks to my beta readers Theresa and Jayce for their help in pulling this all together, and to Jayce, thanks for the title.
Stifling a yawn, Lieutenant Tom Paris did his best to sneak into rehearsal. He was late but this time it wasn't his fault. Since Lieutenant Lake had been injured, he'd been pulling double shifts on the Bridge. He didn't know how he'd let Harry talk him in to trying out for this play, the Doctor's latest creative endeavor.
B'Elanna Torres smiled as she walked up with Harry Kim. "Don't worry, you didn't miss much. The Doctor's trying to explain to Neelix what his character is supposed to do."
Tom rolled his eyes. "Again?" he asked, frustration obvious in his voice. The last two nights he'd missed sleep just to listen to Neelix and the Doctor argue over Neelix's role in the play.
"You know, you really look terrible," Harry told him, eyeing him critically.
"Thanks, Harry. I wasn't really aware," Tom said with a sarcastic grin.
"No, seriously. Why don't you go lie down for a while? I don't think we're going to be on in the near future." Harry jerked his head towards Neelix and the Doctor. Captain Janeway and Chakotay had joined them and were doing their best to soothe the ruffled feelings.
"That's a great idea Harry," B'Elanna said, steering Tom towards one of the set's benches. "We'll wake you when Neelix finds his motivation."
Too tired to argue about it, Tom let himself be pushed. "Maybe for a couple of minutes," he said, lying down.
"Good night, Tom," B'Elanna said as she and Harry walked back towards the motivation debate. Tom watched them go and, after a few moments, fell asleep.
Tom woke up and glanced around the now empty and inactive Holodeck. "Great! They just left me here," he said, his voice echoing off the walls. Stretching, he grabbed his uniform jacket and walked outside. The halls were nearly empty and Tom briefly wondered what time it was. He made his way back to his quarters, changed, then headed towards the mess hall to grab something to eat. Luckily, he was off duty today so he had no shift to be late for.
When he got to the mess hall, he grabbed a tray and a bowl of chicken noodle soup, or at least what Neelix tried to pass off as chicken noodle soup.
"Hey," he said with a grin as B'Elanna walked up to him. "I thought you were on duty."
"I am in about 15 minutes, but I really needed to talk to you," B'Elanna said in a low voice. She glanced over her shoulder before continuing. "I came up with a way out. Meet me here at 2300 hours and we can escape in a shuttlecraft. I can't believe that the Doctor supported that...that... toDSaH's claim over mine," she clenched her fist, trying to stay calm.
Tom looked confused at B'Elanna's statement. "What claim? Why would we leave? B'Elanna, what are you talking about?"
"What do you mean, why are we leaving? Do you really want to marry Jenny Delaney?" B'Elanna asked, shocked at Tom's reaction.
"Marry? Who said anything about marrying Jenny? I'm not going to marry Jenny!" Tom said, more confused than when he'd started.
B'Elanna shook her head in disgust. "Did you get enough sleep last night? You know the Captain decided that everyone should get married, that they should do their best to get on with their lives. Although why she decided to let the Doctor decide compatibility, I'll never know." She paused and looked around again before continuing. "I really have go now or I'll be late and they'll suspect that something's up. Just promise me you'll meet me here."
Tom promised, knowing that whatever had B'Elanna so upset was worth missing another night of sleep. Besides, he was thoroughly confused and he hoped if they had time to discuss this by themselves that he'd get some answers. With a quick kiss, B'Elanna headed out to Engineering.
"Jenny wouldn't be too happy if she'd seen that," Harry warned as he sat down next to Tom.
"Probably, and she'd like it even less if she knew that I'm going to meet B'Elanna here tonight," Tom answered as he played with his soup.
"Should you do that? I mean, if Jenny or the Captain finds out..." Harry looked at his own food before glancing back at Tom. "Besides, why are you meeting her?"
"I'm not quite sure. She said something about leaving the ship," Tom answered honestly.
Harry looked shocked. "Leaving?! Really? You're that against the Doctor's decision."
"Of course I am! Especially since it means I have to spend the rest of my life with Jenny instead of B'Elanna. So if it means leaving Voyager, then I guess that's what we'll do," Tom replied as he stood up and set his half-empty bowl in the recycler. "I'm gonna go work on the Mustang, care to join me?"
"I'd love to, but I promised Ensign Fox I'd help her interpret the latest sensor readings," Harry said.
Tom shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said and waved goodbye to his friend.
Harry finished eating and went to find Ensign Fox. He didn't notice Ensign Vorik quietly leave the mess hall a few seconds after Tom.
Author: Arscapi
Spoilers: Nothing really, except maybe "The Q and the Gray"
Disclaimers: The characters belong to Paramount. If they belonged to me, I'd be a millionaire and wouldn't have to bother with disclaimers. The original idea was Shakespeare's, I hope he wouldn't mind too much that I borrowed it. I made no money with this, and since I have no money to speak of, suing me would be a lost cause.
Author's notes: Thanks to my beta readers Theresa and Jayce for their help in pulling this all together, and to Jayce, thanks for the title.
Stifling a yawn, Lieutenant Tom Paris did his best to sneak into rehearsal. He was late but this time it wasn't his fault. Since Lieutenant Lake had been injured, he'd been pulling double shifts on the Bridge. He didn't know how he'd let Harry talk him in to trying out for this play, the Doctor's latest creative endeavor.
B'Elanna Torres smiled as she walked up with Harry Kim. "Don't worry, you didn't miss much. The Doctor's trying to explain to Neelix what his character is supposed to do."
Tom rolled his eyes. "Again?" he asked, frustration obvious in his voice. The last two nights he'd missed sleep just to listen to Neelix and the Doctor argue over Neelix's role in the play.
"You know, you really look terrible," Harry told him, eyeing him critically.
"Thanks, Harry. I wasn't really aware," Tom said with a sarcastic grin.
"No, seriously. Why don't you go lie down for a while? I don't think we're going to be on in the near future." Harry jerked his head towards Neelix and the Doctor. Captain Janeway and Chakotay had joined them and were doing their best to soothe the ruffled feelings.
"That's a great idea Harry," B'Elanna said, steering Tom towards one of the set's benches. "We'll wake you when Neelix finds his motivation."
Too tired to argue about it, Tom let himself be pushed. "Maybe for a couple of minutes," he said, lying down.
"Good night, Tom," B'Elanna said as she and Harry walked back towards the motivation debate. Tom watched them go and, after a few moments, fell asleep.
Tom woke up and glanced around the now empty and inactive Holodeck. "Great! They just left me here," he said, his voice echoing off the walls. Stretching, he grabbed his uniform jacket and walked outside. The halls were nearly empty and Tom briefly wondered what time it was. He made his way back to his quarters, changed, then headed towards the mess hall to grab something to eat. Luckily, he was off duty today so he had no shift to be late for.
When he got to the mess hall, he grabbed a tray and a bowl of chicken noodle soup, or at least what Neelix tried to pass off as chicken noodle soup.
"Hey," he said with a grin as B'Elanna walked up to him. "I thought you were on duty."
"I am in about 15 minutes, but I really needed to talk to you," B'Elanna said in a low voice. She glanced over her shoulder before continuing. "I came up with a way out. Meet me here at 2300 hours and we can escape in a shuttlecraft. I can't believe that the Doctor supported that...that... toDSaH's claim over mine," she clenched her fist, trying to stay calm.
Tom looked confused at B'Elanna's statement. "What claim? Why would we leave? B'Elanna, what are you talking about?"
"What do you mean, why are we leaving? Do you really want to marry Jenny Delaney?" B'Elanna asked, shocked at Tom's reaction.
"Marry? Who said anything about marrying Jenny? I'm not going to marry Jenny!" Tom said, more confused than when he'd started.
B'Elanna shook her head in disgust. "Did you get enough sleep last night? You know the Captain decided that everyone should get married, that they should do their best to get on with their lives. Although why she decided to let the Doctor decide compatibility, I'll never know." She paused and looked around again before continuing. "I really have go now or I'll be late and they'll suspect that something's up. Just promise me you'll meet me here."
Tom promised, knowing that whatever had B'Elanna so upset was worth missing another night of sleep. Besides, he was thoroughly confused and he hoped if they had time to discuss this by themselves that he'd get some answers. With a quick kiss, B'Elanna headed out to Engineering.
"Jenny wouldn't be too happy if she'd seen that," Harry warned as he sat down next to Tom.
"Probably, and she'd like it even less if she knew that I'm going to meet B'Elanna here tonight," Tom answered as he played with his soup.
"Should you do that? I mean, if Jenny or the Captain finds out..." Harry looked at his own food before glancing back at Tom. "Besides, why are you meeting her?"
"I'm not quite sure. She said something about leaving the ship," Tom answered honestly.
Harry looked shocked. "Leaving?! Really? You're that against the Doctor's decision."
"Of course I am! Especially since it means I have to spend the rest of my life with Jenny instead of B'Elanna. So if it means leaving Voyager, then I guess that's what we'll do," Tom replied as he stood up and set his half-empty bowl in the recycler. "I'm gonna go work on the Mustang, care to join me?"
"I'd love to, but I promised Ensign Fox I'd help her interpret the latest sensor readings," Harry said.
Tom shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said and waved goodbye to his friend.
Harry finished eating and went to find Ensign Fox. He didn't notice Ensign Vorik quietly leave the mess hall a few seconds after Tom.