Just Another Day
Part 1, the Beginning (continued)
Tom took his seat at the senior staff table, the one to the right of his wife, B'Elanna. He had the desperate urge to pull her into his arms but managed to resist with relative grace. There was something about the pregnancy that made him what to shelter her. B'Elanna was the most precious piece of Tom's world. If he ever lost her…the world just wasn't complete without B'Elanna. In fact, the world was just plain worthless if she wasn't there. Or, the galaxy was worthless without her, to be more politically correct. But that wasn't the point. The point was she was special, times two. Because now she was carrying his child, his future child, and it was amazing.
However, Tom knew that it was neither the time nor the place to allow himself to indulge in daydreams of fatherhood. As much as he hated it at the moment, Tom had business to do. And he couldn't let his personal life get in the way. Well, not too much, anyway.
B'Elanna sent him a quick glance and took his hand under the table. All right, I give up, he thought distantly. This whole fatherhood issue just wasn't going to go away, was it? Of course not. Heck, Tom still had issues with his father's fatherhood and his wife's father's fatherhood. And that was what it all really boiled down to right? Be better then Owen…
Tuvok stood up in the center of the staff room and Tom's thoughts instantly snapped back to hi8s job, though his hand stayed firmly in his wife's. "The trade meeting that the Captain and the Commander attended yesterday ended nearly twelve hours ago."
"And…" Harry prompted after a few moments of silence.
"And they are yet to return to Voyager," Tuvok stated calmly. A few staff members exchanged glances. Nelix looked more jumpy then usual. Then, Tuvok added, "We also have reason to believe that they may have been kidnapped."
"What?" Tom semi-shouted. "Someone kidnapped Chakotay and the captain?"
"We are uncertain at this time," Tuvok stated. "However, evidence had presented itself, and I will not dismiss the threat."
"Well, what do we do, Mr. Vulcan?" Nelix asked anxiously.
"I have all ready ordered Seven of Nine to meet with some of the other attendance at the trade meeting and try to collect more evidence. Until then your job is too keep this as quiet as possible. Is that understood?"
"Wait a minute," Tom said. "You're telling me that Kathryn and Chakotay have been kidnapped and we're not doing anything about it?"
"We are not cretin that they have been indeed kid napped, Mr. Paris," Tuvok replied as scornfully as a Vulcan could. "However, it does seem to be a possibility. And there maybe rumors spreading around the ship. Until we are able to confirm what had happened I would like you to keep these rumors as quiet as possible. Dismissed."
Quickly, more quickly then usual, the staff members exited the room. Tom and B'Elanna walked together in the corridors. "Do you think it's true?" B'Elanna asked.
"I'd like to believe that it's not," Tom admitted, "but it's not unlikely in these sorts of places." He gave a small laugh. "So much for keeping it quiet."
"What do you mean?" B'Elanna demanded.
"Nelix is the digest gossip on the entire ship," Tom pointed out. B'Elanna considered this for a moment. She sighed.
"They'll all know by lunch."
~~
The day had been grim aboard Voyager. By lunch everyone knew of the Captain and Commander's mysterious disappearance and possible kidnapping. Harry was in no mood to eat lunch in the mess hall were everyone was, no doubt, exchanging rumors and horror stories. He stopped by briefly to grab his lunch, then took it to his quarters were he would eat alone.
But, of course, fate wouldn't let him do that.
When Harry walked into his quarters the first thing he saw was Lilika sitting on his couch drinking something out of a bright red mug. "Hello Harry," she said as he entered. Harry felt like screaming.
"What are you doing here?" He asked in the most civil tone he could manage.
"Drinking Cider," Lilika replied innocently. "My friend Arakizelle makes it. If you ask me it's the best the quadrant has to offer."
"That's nice," Harry managed. "Why don't you go drink it with her?"
Lilika raised one of her black eyebrows. "What is wrong Harry Kim?"
"Look, it's just been a rough day." Harry marched to his small table and sat down, slamming his food onto the table. "Now, I'm going to sit here and I am going to eat in silence. So you understand?" After a few moments of no acknowledgement from Lilika Harry began to eat his meal.
"You know, if something's bothering you it really helps if you talk about it." Harry tensed his body in a vein attempt to calm himself down. He closed his eyes.
"I don't want to talk right now." Lilika wasn't taking no for an answer.
"Come one, Harry. You'll feel better."
"Look, my work load has doubled because my partner wasn't here, my captain and commander have been kidnapped, and my lunch tastes like something you'd find growing on a sock. I do not want to talk right now."
"Kidnapped? Someone's been kidnapped?" Harry didn't respond. "Hmm, we don't get many kidnappings around here. We get some runaways, suicides, and wrongful incarcerations, but rarely kidnappings. Security around here is just too tight to let that happen. Hell, security is just to tight around here period." There was bitterness in her voice Harry had never heard before. Despite his annoyance he was intrigued.
"What do you mean the security is too tight?" he asked.
"Well, it is," she responded. Lilika sighed. "Do you think I want to be stuck on this space station working as a bar tender in the middle of nowhere? No, I don't, thank you. But I have no other choice. My ship has been confiscated for illegal docking or something like that and I don't have enough many yet to pay up. And…" she stopped abruptly. "I think I have to go."
"Wait a minute," Harry demanded. "You're that one who said that talking about something made you feel better about it. Maybe you should talk your own advice."
"You're right, Harry, there are times when talking just isn't the right thing." Lilika got up and made her way to that door, but Harry was faster.
"You're not leaving until you tell me," he said as he stood in front of the door, blocking her path.
"Harry, this isn't a game," she scolded.
"I'm not playing." He crossed his arms over his chest. "And I'm not moving either, not until you tell me what's going on." Lilika, too, crossed her arms and a scowl appeared on her face.
"This is my personal life. You have no right what so ever to ask me anything about it." Every feature on her face was hot and deadly, but Harry hold firm.
"You've made my personal life, heck, my entire life your business. Why shouldn't I do the same for you?" he asked. Lilika gave up.
"It's my sister, all right," she exclaimed as she headed back towards the couch. "She…she's braver then I am. When we came her and they took possession of our ship she decided that she was going to get it back. She asked me to help her but I was too scared, so she went without me, saying that she would beam me up as soon as she got position of the ship, but she never did." Lilika wiped a tear from her eye. "Lyzelle was caught in the act of stealing 'space station property'. And, considering the size and technology of our ship, that was a major offence. They put her on trial and do you want to know what her sentence was?" She wiped more tears from her eyes. "Death."
~~
The Captain had been pacing in her cell for hours, but nothing had happened. She was in the midst of a waiting game. Where were they? What was going to happen? Why were they even here in the first place? So many questions and no answers, yet. They answers would all come with time.
But time was something the captain didn't have. Voyager had only planned to stay on the Trade Station for five days, and three of them had already past. Today was the fourth and tomorrow would be with fifth. If the security at the station were locking Janeway and Chakotay up for doing nothing then they would surely lock up the crew of Voyager for violation of their docking permit. The captain sighed. All this worrying was giving her a headache.
She turned and looked at Chakotay. He was sitting on their cell's single bed, staring at the wall. His face was like a stone, carved perfectly but lifeless. He was deep in thought. But Kathryn Janeway didn't need him to be deep in though, she needed someone to talk to, someone to help her thing things though. She tapped Chakotay on the shoulder. He blinked once, then again, and then looked up at her.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Everything." She sat down next to him. "I just can't stand being trapped here Chakotay. I…I feel like I'm in a cage."
"I know," he answered. "I feel the same way. But you can't let the paranoia get to you, not if we're going to have any chance of making sense of all this." Kathryn nodded.
"Have you had any luck making sense of all this?" she asked him. Chakotay sighed.
"Not much," he admitted. "I keep on thinking, why are we here? Were we breathing the wrong way? Walking forward in a backwards only zone?" Kathryn gave him a small smile. "Yes, I know. Those are some of my sillier theories. They're much more entertaining then my others. And much less grim."
The smile on Kathryn's face faded. "What are your other theories?"
"Well, I'm betting it has something to do with the trade negotiations. Maybe we just aren't giving them all they're asking for. That's probably it. We're not giving them all they're asking for so they plan to steal Voyager."
"Do you honestly believe that?"
"Yes, Kathryn, I do." They both thought for a moment.
"What would they do with the crew?" Kathryn wondered allowed. Chakotay had an answer.
"I'm willing to be that they don't just trade for technology and supplies. There's a very good chance that they trade slaves, too." Kathryn sighed.
"Yes, that would be easy, wouldn't it?" Chakotay raised an eyebrow, wondering what was on her mind. "Well, Voyager's not just going to leave us here. They're going to want to find us. Unless they can do that and get whatever charges are being held against us a quitted by tomorrow then Voyager's docking permit will expire. And if they arrest us for breathing the wrong way then do you honestly thing that they'd let Voyager get away with violating the permit?"
Chakotay shook his head. "No, they wouldn't."
"Exactly. Then they'd have us, Voyager, and it's crew. We'd all be sold and Voyager wouldn't be sold or stripped for parts." Kathryn sighed. "We're in deep shit."
~~
B'Elanna walked from astrometrics to engineering. Seven of Nine had returned from whatever mission Tuvok had sent her on (she won't say anything about it when B'Elanna questioned her) and was now taking over her duties. She had been very annoyed to learn that Harry wasn't back from lunch. His failure to return had bothered B'Elanna too, considering he had left almost two hours before.
Of course, while this had bothered and surprised her she had also been very grateful for it. When Harry was working with her he would always try to make conversation and B'Elanna didn't need any of that right now, she needed to be alone.
The news of her pregnancy was less then a day old and still very fresh in B'Elanna's mind. She could barely believe that she was about to be a mother. Maybe that was why she didn't want to tell anyone yet. How could anyone else believe it is she barely believed it herself?
Another part of her felt a little embarrassed. She should have known she was pregnant way before this. After all, she had noticed little changes aside from the morning sickness. Her breasts had become firmer and she had put on some unexplainable weight. Of course, she hadn't thought anything of it. Well, she had been a little annoyed at herself for gaining five pounds, but she figured that she could lose it relatively quickly. Now that she knew that the weight was a result of pregnancy she wasn't going to try to lose a pound.
B'Elanna hated to admit it, but she was a little scared of the weight-gaining thing. She knew that she would have to gain at least twenty pounds to support the baby and the placenta, but she didn't want to gain any more then she needed to. How would she know when she had gained enough?
B'Elanna scolded herself. Why was she worrying about little things like that? Weren't there more important things that she should be thinking of? Like what morals she wanted to pass down to her child or what things she would and would not do? After all, B'Elanna wanted to make sure that her baby's childhood to be anything like her own or Tom's. She wanted him (or her) to have two loving, stable, constant parents who were always there, no matter what, and who you could trust in times of need, and who were fair when it came to discipline. No wait forget about the discipline thing. B'Elanna doubted that any child would ever think punishment is fair. B'Elanna never had, even when she knew she deserved it.
But that wasn't the most important issue. What mattered to B'Elanna was stability. She wanted her kids to have the comfort and safety or two parents who were always there, something B'Elanna had never had. She didn't want them to have a nonexistent father, like she did, or a man who only stopped by once a month to yell at you, like Owen had been for Tom.
But that brought up other issues, too. What would happen if she and her husband were kind and loving parents and then they died? How would that affect the baby? At least B'Elanna had always known that if she really, really, really wanted her father then she might be able to find him somewhere. Death didn't leave things like that. Death was final. Who would she want taking care of her child? Harry, maybe? He was their best friend. But could he be a good dad?
Parenthood was becoming more and more confusing every second. How could something this life changing be happening to her? She had been fine with just her and Tom. If that were all she ever had then it would be great. She loved the life she had now.
But still, there were things about the job that B'Elanna did find attractive. The child would look at B'Elanna in a whole different light then the one she was used to. He (or she) wouldn't care about her past mistakes, or how she wasn't always perfect. She would be someone's mother, and that would be amazing. But that image of motherhood wasn't exactly true, or at least it wasn't true forever. In her heart B'Elanna really did love her mother. But there had just been so many things that had gotten in the way…. When B'Elanna last physically saw her mother they had not been on good terms. B'Elanna never wanted her and her child to have that type of relationship.
So what would her experience with motherhood be like? It wasn't going to be easy that was certain. But perhaps she wouldn't find a way past the hardships, past the problems and uncertainties, past her own fears. And maybe she'd find a way to be happy.
That was the moment when B'Elanna first loved her child.
~~
For the second time that day Tom walked into the senior staff meeting. Everyone's heart had begun to race as soon as Tuvok had made the announcement. Every crewman he passed seemed to look had him with wonder, as if he knew so big secret but wouldn't tell. Tom knew no secret. He knew nothing more then anybody else.
Tom was the last one to arrive at the staff meeting. He took his seat next to B'Elanna and smiled. Before he had the chance to say hello to his wife Tuvok stood up. All eyes were on the acting captain.
"Thanks to Seven of Nine we have found the location of the Commander and the Captain," he said flatly. "They have been taken by the Trade Station's security team and are being held in one of the station's brigs."
"Why?" Harry asked.
"According to the man I spoke to they were walking in a restricted area," Seven said.
"That's ridiculous," Tom semi-shouted. "There were no restricted areas on the maps they gave us."
"Indeed," Tuvok responded. "It is my belief that they are simply using that as an excuse to keep us here longer. They obviously have some ulterior motive."
"Well we better figure it out soon," Tom said. "Our docking permit's about to expire." Being the pilot, that was the first thing that came to his mind. Their docking permit expired at the next day at midnight. That gave them less then thirty-six hours to figure out what was going on and get the hell away.
"Is there anything we can do to get them out? Posting bail? Anything?" B'Elanna asked. Tom was sure that, like him, she wanted to leave as soon as possible.
"Their trial is scheduled for Monday," Tuvok responded.
"But that's two days away," Tom exclaimed. "Our permit will expire. And I doubt they'll let us renew it on such short notice."
"I had come to that same conclusion, Mr. Paris," Tuvok said in his usual icy tone. "I am putting you in charge of getting the permit renewed. You are to contact the board of directors as soon as possible."
"I'll go with him," B'Elanna volunteered. Tuvok nodded.
"Very well. Seven, I need you to scan the inside of the station. We may have to break them out if the station masters prove to be hostile." Seven nodded. "Harry, I would like for you to work on a way of contacting the Captain and the Commander. The security personnel are not letting us visit them." Harry nodded.
"I may have a way," he responded lightly.
Tuvok nodded. "Dismissed."
~~
Harry walked grimly back to his quarters. What he was about to ask was wrong, very wrong, possibly immoral, but he felt that he had to do it. It was all he could think of. If Lilika said no…if Lilika said no he would think of something else.
He walked though his doors quietly. Lilika was still sitting on his couch, looking grim. The mention of her sister seemed to have permanently darkened her spirits for the day. She looked up. "Hello Harry," she said, but not as brightly as she had before.
"Hello," he responded. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"
"Ask away," she said.
"Are you allowed to visit your sister?" Lilika's face fell. This was obviously not the question she had expected. She took a deep breath and then answered.
"Yes, I can, but last time I saw Lyzelle she advised me not to. She's afraid that they'll try to executed me too, being that I'm the owner of the ship and everything." Harry nodded grimly. It's what he had wanted and not wanted at the same time.
"Lilika, I need to ask a favor of you." Harry crossed the room to sit next to her. This was going to be hard. "I need you to visit your sister. And I need to come with you."
a/n: sorry about the delay. Please, tell me what you think. I don't mind if you don't like it. Tell me ways youu think I could improve (but of course, if you'd like to flatter me with an endless shower of praise, that's welsome too).-KateMarie
Part 1, the Beginning (continued)
Tom took his seat at the senior staff table, the one to the right of his wife, B'Elanna. He had the desperate urge to pull her into his arms but managed to resist with relative grace. There was something about the pregnancy that made him what to shelter her. B'Elanna was the most precious piece of Tom's world. If he ever lost her…the world just wasn't complete without B'Elanna. In fact, the world was just plain worthless if she wasn't there. Or, the galaxy was worthless without her, to be more politically correct. But that wasn't the point. The point was she was special, times two. Because now she was carrying his child, his future child, and it was amazing.
However, Tom knew that it was neither the time nor the place to allow himself to indulge in daydreams of fatherhood. As much as he hated it at the moment, Tom had business to do. And he couldn't let his personal life get in the way. Well, not too much, anyway.
B'Elanna sent him a quick glance and took his hand under the table. All right, I give up, he thought distantly. This whole fatherhood issue just wasn't going to go away, was it? Of course not. Heck, Tom still had issues with his father's fatherhood and his wife's father's fatherhood. And that was what it all really boiled down to right? Be better then Owen…
Tuvok stood up in the center of the staff room and Tom's thoughts instantly snapped back to hi8s job, though his hand stayed firmly in his wife's. "The trade meeting that the Captain and the Commander attended yesterday ended nearly twelve hours ago."
"And…" Harry prompted after a few moments of silence.
"And they are yet to return to Voyager," Tuvok stated calmly. A few staff members exchanged glances. Nelix looked more jumpy then usual. Then, Tuvok added, "We also have reason to believe that they may have been kidnapped."
"What?" Tom semi-shouted. "Someone kidnapped Chakotay and the captain?"
"We are uncertain at this time," Tuvok stated. "However, evidence had presented itself, and I will not dismiss the threat."
"Well, what do we do, Mr. Vulcan?" Nelix asked anxiously.
"I have all ready ordered Seven of Nine to meet with some of the other attendance at the trade meeting and try to collect more evidence. Until then your job is too keep this as quiet as possible. Is that understood?"
"Wait a minute," Tom said. "You're telling me that Kathryn and Chakotay have been kidnapped and we're not doing anything about it?"
"We are not cretin that they have been indeed kid napped, Mr. Paris," Tuvok replied as scornfully as a Vulcan could. "However, it does seem to be a possibility. And there maybe rumors spreading around the ship. Until we are able to confirm what had happened I would like you to keep these rumors as quiet as possible. Dismissed."
Quickly, more quickly then usual, the staff members exited the room. Tom and B'Elanna walked together in the corridors. "Do you think it's true?" B'Elanna asked.
"I'd like to believe that it's not," Tom admitted, "but it's not unlikely in these sorts of places." He gave a small laugh. "So much for keeping it quiet."
"What do you mean?" B'Elanna demanded.
"Nelix is the digest gossip on the entire ship," Tom pointed out. B'Elanna considered this for a moment. She sighed.
"They'll all know by lunch."
~~
The day had been grim aboard Voyager. By lunch everyone knew of the Captain and Commander's mysterious disappearance and possible kidnapping. Harry was in no mood to eat lunch in the mess hall were everyone was, no doubt, exchanging rumors and horror stories. He stopped by briefly to grab his lunch, then took it to his quarters were he would eat alone.
But, of course, fate wouldn't let him do that.
When Harry walked into his quarters the first thing he saw was Lilika sitting on his couch drinking something out of a bright red mug. "Hello Harry," she said as he entered. Harry felt like screaming.
"What are you doing here?" He asked in the most civil tone he could manage.
"Drinking Cider," Lilika replied innocently. "My friend Arakizelle makes it. If you ask me it's the best the quadrant has to offer."
"That's nice," Harry managed. "Why don't you go drink it with her?"
Lilika raised one of her black eyebrows. "What is wrong Harry Kim?"
"Look, it's just been a rough day." Harry marched to his small table and sat down, slamming his food onto the table. "Now, I'm going to sit here and I am going to eat in silence. So you understand?" After a few moments of no acknowledgement from Lilika Harry began to eat his meal.
"You know, if something's bothering you it really helps if you talk about it." Harry tensed his body in a vein attempt to calm himself down. He closed his eyes.
"I don't want to talk right now." Lilika wasn't taking no for an answer.
"Come one, Harry. You'll feel better."
"Look, my work load has doubled because my partner wasn't here, my captain and commander have been kidnapped, and my lunch tastes like something you'd find growing on a sock. I do not want to talk right now."
"Kidnapped? Someone's been kidnapped?" Harry didn't respond. "Hmm, we don't get many kidnappings around here. We get some runaways, suicides, and wrongful incarcerations, but rarely kidnappings. Security around here is just too tight to let that happen. Hell, security is just to tight around here period." There was bitterness in her voice Harry had never heard before. Despite his annoyance he was intrigued.
"What do you mean the security is too tight?" he asked.
"Well, it is," she responded. Lilika sighed. "Do you think I want to be stuck on this space station working as a bar tender in the middle of nowhere? No, I don't, thank you. But I have no other choice. My ship has been confiscated for illegal docking or something like that and I don't have enough many yet to pay up. And…" she stopped abruptly. "I think I have to go."
"Wait a minute," Harry demanded. "You're that one who said that talking about something made you feel better about it. Maybe you should talk your own advice."
"You're right, Harry, there are times when talking just isn't the right thing." Lilika got up and made her way to that door, but Harry was faster.
"You're not leaving until you tell me," he said as he stood in front of the door, blocking her path.
"Harry, this isn't a game," she scolded.
"I'm not playing." He crossed his arms over his chest. "And I'm not moving either, not until you tell me what's going on." Lilika, too, crossed her arms and a scowl appeared on her face.
"This is my personal life. You have no right what so ever to ask me anything about it." Every feature on her face was hot and deadly, but Harry hold firm.
"You've made my personal life, heck, my entire life your business. Why shouldn't I do the same for you?" he asked. Lilika gave up.
"It's my sister, all right," she exclaimed as she headed back towards the couch. "She…she's braver then I am. When we came her and they took possession of our ship she decided that she was going to get it back. She asked me to help her but I was too scared, so she went without me, saying that she would beam me up as soon as she got position of the ship, but she never did." Lilika wiped a tear from her eye. "Lyzelle was caught in the act of stealing 'space station property'. And, considering the size and technology of our ship, that was a major offence. They put her on trial and do you want to know what her sentence was?" She wiped more tears from her eyes. "Death."
~~
The Captain had been pacing in her cell for hours, but nothing had happened. She was in the midst of a waiting game. Where were they? What was going to happen? Why were they even here in the first place? So many questions and no answers, yet. They answers would all come with time.
But time was something the captain didn't have. Voyager had only planned to stay on the Trade Station for five days, and three of them had already past. Today was the fourth and tomorrow would be with fifth. If the security at the station were locking Janeway and Chakotay up for doing nothing then they would surely lock up the crew of Voyager for violation of their docking permit. The captain sighed. All this worrying was giving her a headache.
She turned and looked at Chakotay. He was sitting on their cell's single bed, staring at the wall. His face was like a stone, carved perfectly but lifeless. He was deep in thought. But Kathryn Janeway didn't need him to be deep in though, she needed someone to talk to, someone to help her thing things though. She tapped Chakotay on the shoulder. He blinked once, then again, and then looked up at her.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Everything." She sat down next to him. "I just can't stand being trapped here Chakotay. I…I feel like I'm in a cage."
"I know," he answered. "I feel the same way. But you can't let the paranoia get to you, not if we're going to have any chance of making sense of all this." Kathryn nodded.
"Have you had any luck making sense of all this?" she asked him. Chakotay sighed.
"Not much," he admitted. "I keep on thinking, why are we here? Were we breathing the wrong way? Walking forward in a backwards only zone?" Kathryn gave him a small smile. "Yes, I know. Those are some of my sillier theories. They're much more entertaining then my others. And much less grim."
The smile on Kathryn's face faded. "What are your other theories?"
"Well, I'm betting it has something to do with the trade negotiations. Maybe we just aren't giving them all they're asking for. That's probably it. We're not giving them all they're asking for so they plan to steal Voyager."
"Do you honestly believe that?"
"Yes, Kathryn, I do." They both thought for a moment.
"What would they do with the crew?" Kathryn wondered allowed. Chakotay had an answer.
"I'm willing to be that they don't just trade for technology and supplies. There's a very good chance that they trade slaves, too." Kathryn sighed.
"Yes, that would be easy, wouldn't it?" Chakotay raised an eyebrow, wondering what was on her mind. "Well, Voyager's not just going to leave us here. They're going to want to find us. Unless they can do that and get whatever charges are being held against us a quitted by tomorrow then Voyager's docking permit will expire. And if they arrest us for breathing the wrong way then do you honestly thing that they'd let Voyager get away with violating the permit?"
Chakotay shook his head. "No, they wouldn't."
"Exactly. Then they'd have us, Voyager, and it's crew. We'd all be sold and Voyager wouldn't be sold or stripped for parts." Kathryn sighed. "We're in deep shit."
~~
B'Elanna walked from astrometrics to engineering. Seven of Nine had returned from whatever mission Tuvok had sent her on (she won't say anything about it when B'Elanna questioned her) and was now taking over her duties. She had been very annoyed to learn that Harry wasn't back from lunch. His failure to return had bothered B'Elanna too, considering he had left almost two hours before.
Of course, while this had bothered and surprised her she had also been very grateful for it. When Harry was working with her he would always try to make conversation and B'Elanna didn't need any of that right now, she needed to be alone.
The news of her pregnancy was less then a day old and still very fresh in B'Elanna's mind. She could barely believe that she was about to be a mother. Maybe that was why she didn't want to tell anyone yet. How could anyone else believe it is she barely believed it herself?
Another part of her felt a little embarrassed. She should have known she was pregnant way before this. After all, she had noticed little changes aside from the morning sickness. Her breasts had become firmer and she had put on some unexplainable weight. Of course, she hadn't thought anything of it. Well, she had been a little annoyed at herself for gaining five pounds, but she figured that she could lose it relatively quickly. Now that she knew that the weight was a result of pregnancy she wasn't going to try to lose a pound.
B'Elanna hated to admit it, but she was a little scared of the weight-gaining thing. She knew that she would have to gain at least twenty pounds to support the baby and the placenta, but she didn't want to gain any more then she needed to. How would she know when she had gained enough?
B'Elanna scolded herself. Why was she worrying about little things like that? Weren't there more important things that she should be thinking of? Like what morals she wanted to pass down to her child or what things she would and would not do? After all, B'Elanna wanted to make sure that her baby's childhood to be anything like her own or Tom's. She wanted him (or her) to have two loving, stable, constant parents who were always there, no matter what, and who you could trust in times of need, and who were fair when it came to discipline. No wait forget about the discipline thing. B'Elanna doubted that any child would ever think punishment is fair. B'Elanna never had, even when she knew she deserved it.
But that wasn't the most important issue. What mattered to B'Elanna was stability. She wanted her kids to have the comfort and safety or two parents who were always there, something B'Elanna had never had. She didn't want them to have a nonexistent father, like she did, or a man who only stopped by once a month to yell at you, like Owen had been for Tom.
But that brought up other issues, too. What would happen if she and her husband were kind and loving parents and then they died? How would that affect the baby? At least B'Elanna had always known that if she really, really, really wanted her father then she might be able to find him somewhere. Death didn't leave things like that. Death was final. Who would she want taking care of her child? Harry, maybe? He was their best friend. But could he be a good dad?
Parenthood was becoming more and more confusing every second. How could something this life changing be happening to her? She had been fine with just her and Tom. If that were all she ever had then it would be great. She loved the life she had now.
But still, there were things about the job that B'Elanna did find attractive. The child would look at B'Elanna in a whole different light then the one she was used to. He (or she) wouldn't care about her past mistakes, or how she wasn't always perfect. She would be someone's mother, and that would be amazing. But that image of motherhood wasn't exactly true, or at least it wasn't true forever. In her heart B'Elanna really did love her mother. But there had just been so many things that had gotten in the way…. When B'Elanna last physically saw her mother they had not been on good terms. B'Elanna never wanted her and her child to have that type of relationship.
So what would her experience with motherhood be like? It wasn't going to be easy that was certain. But perhaps she wouldn't find a way past the hardships, past the problems and uncertainties, past her own fears. And maybe she'd find a way to be happy.
That was the moment when B'Elanna first loved her child.
~~
For the second time that day Tom walked into the senior staff meeting. Everyone's heart had begun to race as soon as Tuvok had made the announcement. Every crewman he passed seemed to look had him with wonder, as if he knew so big secret but wouldn't tell. Tom knew no secret. He knew nothing more then anybody else.
Tom was the last one to arrive at the staff meeting. He took his seat next to B'Elanna and smiled. Before he had the chance to say hello to his wife Tuvok stood up. All eyes were on the acting captain.
"Thanks to Seven of Nine we have found the location of the Commander and the Captain," he said flatly. "They have been taken by the Trade Station's security team and are being held in one of the station's brigs."
"Why?" Harry asked.
"According to the man I spoke to they were walking in a restricted area," Seven said.
"That's ridiculous," Tom semi-shouted. "There were no restricted areas on the maps they gave us."
"Indeed," Tuvok responded. "It is my belief that they are simply using that as an excuse to keep us here longer. They obviously have some ulterior motive."
"Well we better figure it out soon," Tom said. "Our docking permit's about to expire." Being the pilot, that was the first thing that came to his mind. Their docking permit expired at the next day at midnight. That gave them less then thirty-six hours to figure out what was going on and get the hell away.
"Is there anything we can do to get them out? Posting bail? Anything?" B'Elanna asked. Tom was sure that, like him, she wanted to leave as soon as possible.
"Their trial is scheduled for Monday," Tuvok responded.
"But that's two days away," Tom exclaimed. "Our permit will expire. And I doubt they'll let us renew it on such short notice."
"I had come to that same conclusion, Mr. Paris," Tuvok said in his usual icy tone. "I am putting you in charge of getting the permit renewed. You are to contact the board of directors as soon as possible."
"I'll go with him," B'Elanna volunteered. Tuvok nodded.
"Very well. Seven, I need you to scan the inside of the station. We may have to break them out if the station masters prove to be hostile." Seven nodded. "Harry, I would like for you to work on a way of contacting the Captain and the Commander. The security personnel are not letting us visit them." Harry nodded.
"I may have a way," he responded lightly.
Tuvok nodded. "Dismissed."
~~
Harry walked grimly back to his quarters. What he was about to ask was wrong, very wrong, possibly immoral, but he felt that he had to do it. It was all he could think of. If Lilika said no…if Lilika said no he would think of something else.
He walked though his doors quietly. Lilika was still sitting on his couch, looking grim. The mention of her sister seemed to have permanently darkened her spirits for the day. She looked up. "Hello Harry," she said, but not as brightly as she had before.
"Hello," he responded. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"
"Ask away," she said.
"Are you allowed to visit your sister?" Lilika's face fell. This was obviously not the question she had expected. She took a deep breath and then answered.
"Yes, I can, but last time I saw Lyzelle she advised me not to. She's afraid that they'll try to executed me too, being that I'm the owner of the ship and everything." Harry nodded grimly. It's what he had wanted and not wanted at the same time.
"Lilika, I need to ask a favor of you." Harry crossed the room to sit next to her. This was going to be hard. "I need you to visit your sister. And I need to come with you."
a/n: sorry about the delay. Please, tell me what you think. I don't mind if you don't like it. Tell me ways youu think I could improve (but of course, if you'd like to flatter me with an endless shower of praise, that's welsome too).-KateMarie