"Care to explain your issues, Mr. Paris?" Rue questioned when his XO sauntered through the ready room door. Although Tom obeyed every Starfleet regulation, he did so in such a way as to make his conduct look unaffected, easy and just this side of impertinent. It had taken Captain Howard several meeting to understand the younger man kept much hidden behind his causal attitude and decide he could actually work with him.
"Issues," Tom managed a slight, if self-effacing snort, "that's a very polite term. I'm sure you know; Admiral Paris made a sudden and unexpected visit to DS9 to assess the Maquis threat in the region. That it coincided with Voyager's departure…"
"Elizabeth?" Rue enquired as to the actual reason while allowing one eyebrow to rise.
"All is forgotten," Paris snickered, recalling his daughters delight at seeing her friends, "the moment Sean and Patrick Carey invited her to play. Children are fickle creatures, Captain."
"I'm sure I'll have the," pausing for effect, Howard added in a droll tenor, "pleasure of finding out on this mission, Mr. Paris. Little people are not something I have had to deal with in the past."
Sighing, Tom shook his head. "I never did thank you properly, for allowing Lizzy to come along, Captain. As if there had been any other option!"
"You wanted this promotion. Desperately. Why?" Rue suddenly recognised the yearning in the younger man's expression. Watching Lt. Commander Paris carefully, he actually blushed under his superiors unwavering scrutiny.
"I've wanted it for a while. I'd been actively looking for someone to take me on," Tom blushed, regarding his feet. "A very smart woman once told me the only opinion that matters is my own. Kate was the only commanding officer who looked past my record to the individual beneath and gave me a chance. She made me realise my father's disappointment was his issue, not mine, although I took a while to come to the same conclusion. I guess becoming a parent will do that to you, alter your perspective. I've learnt to live with my mistakes. It's enough in everyday life, but Starfleet has a different opinion."
"There are those who have long memories," Rue agreed. "It still doesn't answer the why?"
"I spent a month on Billings after my sudden marriage. A year on Starbase 245 waiting for Kate to dock, taking any and every short-term assignment to stay within her sphere, piloting whenever I could. Then," Tom's attention seemed glued to the PADD's in his hands, "Billings got new orders."
"I'm sure you've read my file," Tom added impatiently into the uncomfortable and growing silence. Glancing up he noticed understanding and anticipation in his Captain's gaze.
"I'd rather hear it from you," Rue steppled his hands, analysing his XO. This unexpected conversation gave him more insight to Lt. Commander Thomas Paris than his personnel file and previous encounters.
"Billings was reassigned to scientific operations, as they had a first officer with a doctorate in Quantum Cosmology," Tom closed his eyes and recalled the past. "They were based out of the Academy on Fergus IV. I took a job, flying, teaching, holoprogramming, anything the Academy asked, just to have some contact with my wife. The missions got longer, I saw Kate less. It was untenable." Sighing heavily, Paris opened his clear blue eyes. They pierced Capt. Howard with their sincerity and despondency. "I was about to give up on Starfleet to save my marriage, after all, it wasn't like my career was going anywhere. Then, Kate was promoted and pregnant. One of us had to become a full-time parent. Captain or Lieutenant, not much of a choice. I lived on DS6, once again waiting for my wife to dock, to be a mother for a few short days before she was off again. Intrepid was moved to DS9 when it became operational. I came off parental leave, flying shuttles to Bajor or anywhere else Commander Sisko required once child care had been established. Not long after that, the Maquis was formed and Intrepid was lost in the Badlands with all hands." Shrugging as if it didn't matter, Tom's orbs told a very different story. "Suddenly there was nothing left for me out here. So, I took Lizzy back to Earth. Worst mistake I've ever made, to close to dear old dad. Once again, the Admiral attempted to manage my career. That's when I realised something, I needed to do more, if I wanted my daughter to be proud of her old man. Hell," Tom suddenly felt the need to pace, "who am I trying to kid. I needed to do something for myself, to get out of the rut I'd become firmly entrenched in. To get out of my father's sphere of influence. That's when I heard about Voyager and knew it was time to head back into space. It wasn't easy, command school, as a single father or one of Starfleet's outcasts, but I did it."
"I had to fight Picard," Rue offered easily, carefully watching Tom for any reaction, "for your services as a bridge officer. I see you didn't know that."
"There's never been any love lost between my father and Captain Picard," Tom managed a mocking grin. "Especially when he removed me from consideration for helmsman on Enterprise straight out of the Academy. Owen Paris can't understand any Captain preferring their ship to accepting a promotion into the admiralty."
Waiving a hand in dismissal of these unpleasant ideas, ideas far too close to his own situation, Captain Howard indicated the chair across the desk. A pile of PADD's awaited his XO. Rue's expression held understanding and compassion, laced with expectation.
"You know," Tom managed a snicker as he took the chair, "you remind me of her, my wife."
"Don't expect to fall for this commanding officer, Mr. Paris," Rue Howard found himself oddly satisfied with his choice of Number One. There were hints of the consummate officer Lt. Commander Paris would become. "My mistress has always been my ship."
Roaring with laughter, Tom had to wipe the tears from his eyes. "I have it on very good authority," he quipped teasingly, "while I might be your type, you prefer non-Starfleet companionship."
"Touché, Commander," Rue nodded, attempting to hide his smirk as he got down to business. "I think we have delayed launching this ship long enough, don't you, Commander?"
"Aye, Captain," Tom agreed, collecting the PADD's and standing once again. Before his Captain could dismiss him, Paris needed to get something off his chest. "Permission to speak freely?"
"As if you haven't already?" Rue retorted.
Nodding, his expression turning serious and pointing to the ready room door, Tom confessed, "out there, Captain, you can count on me to stand at your side. I'll give you everything I have, be respectful, follow the rules to the letter, offer suggestions and carry out my duties to the best of my ability."
"But," Captain Howard knew the other boot was about to fall.
"In here, where the crew can't see their senior officers and the way they interact," Tom admitted, "I might need to be that slightly sarcastic, tastelessly humorous, flying by the seat of my pants, irreverent rogue everyone else thinks I am."
"Acknowledged," Rue made the man wait several minutes for his response. "I want us ready to depart in thirty, Mr. Paris. Dismissed."
"Aye, Captain," Tom responded. Pivoting, he headed for the bridge and his neglected duties.
"Mr. Uri," Tom acknowledged the tactical officer as he exited the Captain's ready room. Lt. Commander Paris studied the personnel files of the bridge crew last night, ensuring he put a name to a face. A trick, his mind supplied, you learnt from Kate. While my wife might have been a natural leader, it's time to develop my own style of command. Kate's gone, in one way or another, I have to move on with my life for the sake of my daughter.
"Sir," the Andorran tactical officer responded automatically, his antenna waving slightly. Uri's attention returned to his console immediately.
"Lt. Stadi," Tom approached the helm as he surveyed the bridge. The conn officer acknowledged his presence with a nod. "Where are we with the pre-flight checks?"
"Complete, Sir," Veronica replied, her warn Betazoid eyes amused at his bravado. She'd sensed the Commanders fear underlying his determination to make this posting work in his favour.
"Mr. Kim, contact station operations," Tom ordered, sparing a smile for the green Ensign. They'd met under somewhat trying circumstances. The new pip at Paris's collar forced DS9's resident Ferengi to become less profit orientated. "Have our departure set for thirty minutes."
"Aye, Sir," Harry couldn't help the slight smile. Yesterday, the Commander saved him from being fleeced by Quark hours after arriving at the station. Hearing the stories of the XO's past from the CMO when Ensign Kim transferred his medial file to Voyager's sick bay, disconcerted the young man, especially as Tom Paris seemed to be known and respected by the Starfleet officers on the station.
Happy there was little he could do, Tom retreated to the Frist Officers chair after personally checking with the crew manning each and every bridge station. Flicking up the computer, he started skim reading the PADD's and comparing the information to Voyager's systems. Pleased with the preparations so far, it seemed Capt. Howard kept a tight ship and the crew knew their roles. Keeping an ear on the chatter, Tom had no need to offer suggestions.
"Captain on the bridge," Mr. Uri informed his fellow officers twenty-seven minutes later. The entire bridge compliment stood.
"At ease," Rue kept his amusement contained to his chocolate eyes.
"Voyager stands ready to depart, Sir," Tom informed the Captain with a slight smirk.
"Would you like to get us underway then, Mr. Paris," Rue teased, settling into his chair. The relaxed banter between Captain and First Officer put the bridge crew at ease and demonstrated the easy relationship between the two. "I believe you've kept us waiting long enough."
Nodding, Tom grinned like a child in a toy store. "Sorry about that, Sir. Childcare can be a problem."
"Just as well we now have so many civilians onboard to help in that department," the Captain retorted with a twinkle in his eye. It also informed the parents on bridge duty that such excuses wouldn't be tolerated the moment Voyager left DS9.
Nodding at the subtle rebuke, Tom knew the Captain wouldn't allow him anymore leeway. Squaring his shoulders, Lt. Commander Paris turned into the officer the crew expected him to be. "Lt. Stadi," he stated, a firm note in his tone stating he was all business, "lay in the course and clear our immediate departure with operations."
"Course entered," she responded. "Ops has cleared us."
"Ready thrusters, Mr. Kim. Helm, initiate launching sequence on the Captain's mark," Tom ordered, finally sitting beside Rue Howard.
"Engage," the Captain's smooth tenor commanded. Turning to his XO, Howard scrutinised the younger man. Making up his mind, Rue decided there was no time like the present to get the white elephant off his ship. "Mr. Paris, please arrange a brief for the senior staff commencing at 1100 hours. I'll see you and Dr. Fitzgerald in my ready room ten minutes prior."
"Aye, Sir," Tom managed to hide his distaste. It seemed, even on Voyager, there were going to be echoes of his past.
Let me know what you think? There will be a few chapters that deal with the history between Kate and Tom. However, the story will start to move forward from this point on.