Title: Any Other Name
Author: Zappy Zaps
Category: AU Drama/Action/Adventure
Summary: Neh….
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All the Star Trek characters are Paramount's. I don't own them (yet). ;)
Archiving: Please do, but tell me! zappyzaps@hotmail.com
Author's note: And now back to my favourite genre! Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe!! Mwa-ha ha ha haaa!! (
May 02
Part 5
Alpha shift had just ended and the tired officers and crewmen were ready to leave their posts. On the bridge Culhane, the beta shift pilot relieved Tom. After outlining the status of the ship and logging out of the helm console Tom gave up his seat to the Ensign and walked towards the turbolift.
It had been nearly twenty-four hours since his near collapse on the bridge and subsequent visit to the EMH. What an attitude on that hologram, Tom thought absently. He had yet to visit the Doctor today for his therapy and whatnot. He had been putting it off.
He entered the turbolift and called for his deck. The doors stayed open for a moment allowing Lieutenant Tuvok to join him. Tom gave him a brief nod and they rode to their respective decks in silence. The doors opened to deck four a few seconds later.
"Mr. Corrin," Tuvok excused himself as he left the turboift. A few moments later the doors opened again and Tom disembarked. He walked down the corridors, made a right and then a left and arrived at his destination: stellar cartography.
He needed to find a space station or civilization where he could acquire his own ship and leave Voyager. Walking in he saw the science officers hard at work. One of the Ensigns Delaney was working at a console entering some data and Tom approached her to ask to use one of the consoles to look through their star charts. He knew the names of only a few crewmembers but knew of the Delaneys because Jennifer had thanked him earlier for helping her.
"Ensign Delaney," Tom addressed the woman and she turned to face him.
She paused momentarily when she saw him but found her voice quickly. "How can I help you, Mr…."
"Tom," he provided. "I was hoping to look through some of the star charts. Would that be alright?" He was polite and had his sky-blue gaze locked to her chocolate one.
"Uh…" she was a little slow in responding. "Yeah sure." She broke the eye contact and looked over to a console that wasn't in use. "You can use that one."
"Thank you, Meagan," he said and headed towards the console. Meagan Delaney watched him go, wondering how he could tell the difference between her and her twin sister Jenny. She smirked and went back to work.
Tom was working quietly at the console for nearly half an hour before Meagan approached him again. He saw her coming out of the corner of his eye and turned towards her.
"Do you need any help?" she inquired.
"No, thanks." He said and went back to work. She looked at the chart displayed on the console.
"What are you looking for? If you don't mind me asking."
He glanced at her briefly before stepping back and allowing her to see what he was doing. "A station or civilization where I can get a ship."
"You're not staying?" she said sounding slightly disappointed.
"No. I'm hoping to get my own ship," he informed her.
"You could ask the Captain for one of our shuttles," she told him.
"Class two shuttles," Tom raised and eyebrow. "No, thank you." The disgust in his voice made her laugh.
"You don't have to go. You could stay on Voyager." She hoped he would reconsider. She could tell he was about to refuse the offer so she interrupted. "Just think about it." With that she strolled away. Tom watched her go for a second before returning his attention to the console.
A few minutes later Tom left the room. Meagan watched him go. They were still eight days away from the nearest viable place he could get a ship of his own. Hopefully in that time he would change his mind. The door slid closed after his departure and a slight smile returned to Meagan's face. He was very handsome and she wanted to know what secrets lurked behind those cerulean eyes.
"EMH to Tom," the doctor's voice sounded. He had just left stellar cartography and hadn't taken five steps when the doctor called.
"Yes."
"Have you forgotten about your appointment in sickbay?"
"No," he sighed. "I'm on my way." He closed the link and adjusted his course to take him to the nearest turbolift.
"Tom," was the unenthusiastic salutation Tom received when he entered sickbay.
"Emergency Medical Hologram," Tom responded in the same tone. The EMH really needed to get a name.
"How is your leg today?"
"Fine."
The EMH scanned him with a tricorder and nodded his head. "You are not fine but you will be with my excellent treatment," the Doctor boasted. Tom only rolled his eyes a gesture the hologram didn't miss. "Have you been experiencing any pain?
"Yes," Tom answered.
"I told you to contact me if you felt any discomfort," the Doctor huffed, somewhat upset that his patient had disregarded his words.
"I can handle it," Tom said and shrugged.
The Doctor pressed a hypospray to Tom's neck a Tom felt the pain in his leg fade until it was only a dull ache. "When you are in pain, Mr. Corrin, it's usually an indication that something is wrong and thus I should be informed," The doctor lectured.
"Fine. The next time it hurts I'll call you," Tom said with a bit of an evil smirk. The Doctor hadn't been online for a long time but knew when he was being humoured. "May I go now?" Tom asked, getting off the biobed.
"No, you may not," the Doctor denied. Tom sat himself on the bed again while the doctor walked away to get his instruments mumbling something about uncooperative patients. Tom smiled. Em would have liked this guy.
The next morning the senior staff assembled in the conference room for their meeting. Ensign Kim and Lieutenant Torres gave status reports pertaining to the status of the ship and final repairs. Repairs were almost complete and the ship was running at eighty-four percent efficiency. After just being liberated from the grips of the Kazon, eighty-four percent efficiency was pretty good.
Ensign Baytart, the new head of the navigational department, reported that they were following the course Tom had given them. Tom. The Captain and Commander noted that was how everybody addressed him. They both wondered why Tom hadn't told anybody his last name. Not that it particularly mattered but it raised more questions in their mind about what Tom could be keeping from them.
Just as Mr. Baytart was concluding the Doctor commed the Captain and asked them to activate the medical channel. Ensign Kim walked to the console on the wall and inputted the proper commands to display the holo- doctor.
"I wasn't informed there was a meeting this morning," the doctor stated but before anybody could speak he continued. "As the chief medical officer, I should be included in the senior staff meetings."
"We'll inform you the next time a meeting is held," Captain Janeway said to appease the angered hologram. "Is their anything you need to report?"
"No, however, I need all the new crewmembers to report to sickbay so I can start a medical file for them and take a blood sample. I would also appreciate having some assistance. I may be a hologram but there is only one of me on this ship."
"We'll assign some crewmembers to sickbay and you can start training them as medical assistants," The Captain said. The doctor agreed and closed the channel.
"Is their anything else?" The Captain asked the rest of the group.
"Yes," Chakotay spoke up, "Tom has requested that he be dropped off at a planet that we'll be passing in about a week." He handed the captain a padd with the planets specs on it. She glanced at it briefly.
"Anything else?" there was no response so she dismissed the group. Everybody except Tuvok left and Janeway waited for the other officers to file out before addressing Tuvok.
"I have examined the device which Ensign Delaney placed outside the cargo bay when…Tom," the Captain knew it was strange for Tuvok, being Vulcan to use anybody's first name and tried to keep the slight smile from forming on her face, "liberated the crew."
"And…"
"And the manipulation of the internal components and of functions was ingenious. It is clearly evident that it was assembled by hand as none of the components are of the same make. It would require a highly trained individual to create such a device."
Elsewhere in the delta quadrant, not to far from Voyager's location, Kazon vessels that had seen better days surrounded a talxian freighter. Inside the freighter the captain and crew put on brave faces but there was no mistaking the signs of fear displayed by all of them: the slight tremors in their hands, the stuttering when they spoke, the beads of sweat rolling down their foreheads.
"I was informed that you were in contact with a human not of the Voyager crew. The one we believe took away what was rightfully ours," the Kazon male said as he strode form one side of the room to the other. There were five other armed Kazon on the bridge and the three smaller Talaxians didn't make even the slightest movement knowing that if they did it would be their last.
They were lucky though. Usually Kazon would take the cargo of Talaxian freighters and leave the badly damaged ship floating in space with little regard for the crew. The fact that the Talaxian crew and the freighter were relatively unharmed was a good sign. Maybe they would escape this encounter with their lives, if they cooperated.
"What information do you have on this human? What does he look like? What are his plans? Where does he like to visit? What does he like to eat?"
"I don't know," the freighter captain said.
"Don't toy with me! I have three ships out there ready to destroy this crate at my command!" The Maj yelled angrily and the freighter Captain took a step back. "I want every piece of information you have on him." The freighter Captain trembled before the larger, more powerful being and Cullah knew he would get what he wanted. He would get his revenge on the human and take Voyager as his trophy.
"I don't think we should be doing this," Jonas whispered to Seska as the set up the transmitter.
"This isn't the time for second thoughts," Seska said harshly. She calmed when she noticed the conflict reflected on Jonas' face and released an impatient sigh. "You're doing the right thing." She reassured him. She would play on Michael Jonas' feeling of loyalty and misguide him. She had no doubt that it would be easier to persuade him had they not suffered for so long at the hands of the Kazon. "After what happened a few days ago the Kazon will no doubt be seeking revenge. We need to help keep the ship safe. If it means going behind the Captain's back and striking a deal with them, I think that it's worth it."
"But…the Kazon…"
"…are a powerful group. A piece of technology here and there is a small price to pay for the safety of our friends." Seska watched Jonas carefully as he struggled accept her reason but eventually he did. Seska smiled and they went back to work.
"You again," Maj Cullah's angry visage filled the screen.
"I want to make a deal."
"I don't want to make another 'deal' with you," he spat. "I want vengeance on the one who caused so much damage to my vessels!"
"And I can help you get him!" That caught Cullah's attention and he listened to what the treacherous woman had to say.
"I'll help you but then you have to help me."
"You get me Tom Paris and we have a deal."
The Next day in sickbay crewmembers filed in and out, reporting to for their physicals as ordered. There were a few science officers with a biology backgrounds helping out as was Kes. She had expressed and interest in medicine and the Doctor had agreed to train her as a nurse.
She was helping the Doctor with the blood samples. The Doctor had explained to her what steps to take to properly conduct the tests and scans and she had caught on quickly, pleasing the Doctor, even though he didn't say anything.
Kes came across Tom's blood sample and without a second thought started the tests. She had already done several and most of them were done on human blood samples so she knew what to expect but Tom's results didn't match those ones. She checked the procedure to make sure he hadn't made an error. She hadn't so she continued and tried to determine why there was a discrepancy. She found it.
The genetic material she found in the white blood cells was only half human. The other half was of a species hadn't heard of before: Fieran.
"Doctor," Kes called still looking at her results. "Did you know Tom was only half human?" she asked.
"Yes, it was one of the first things I noticed when I first met him," the Doctor said. He looked at Kes' results and tapped a few commands into the console.
"What did you do?" Kes asked.
"Since 'Tom' didn't feel like providing us with his surname, I'm having the computer run a genome check. Hopefully we'll be able to match it to a family line," The Doctor explained.
"You have every family's genome on file?" Kes wondered.
"No. Mostly just that of dignitaries and high ranking officers in the federation. There have been many instances in Starfleet where enemies will impersonate powerful people, so to reduce that threat all Starfleet vessels are provided with a database to identify these people if need be. It's not likely that this search will produce any results since it only contains the codes of a small sample," he started to walk away, "but I wouldn't be much of a physician if I didn't consider all possibilities."
Paris, Tom is what she entered as he search query but there was only one result and it didn't have much information. The son of Admiral Paris, and a few notes about his birth –nothing she could use to confirm that Tom Corrin was Tom Paris. She noticed that their were no comments about Tom's mother in the file and wondered why that was. Even more strange was that Starfleet brats usually had their entire lives on file but here was next to nothing on this one? Where did he disappear to?
Morning rolled around on Voyager and the mess hall was once again filled with crewmembers. Seska walked in a spotted Commander Chakotay eating alone at a table for two and decided to join her old flame. Truth be told, Seska still had a thing for the Maquis captain but their relationship had ended some time ago.
"Seska," Chakotay greeted her warmly. "How are you?" Just because they weren't dating doesn't mean they weren't friends.
"As well as can be expected," she said as she took the seat opposite him. "I here our rescuer is leaving," she said. Chakotay and the Captain knew the most about Corrin. If he was the son of Admiral Paris then they probably knew. "I can't say I'll be sad to see Mr.Paris go." She deliberately used 'Paris' to see what Chakotay's reaction would be.
"Mr. Paris? You mean Mr. Corrin," he corrected.
"Are you sure?"
There was a hesitation before he responded. Tom had never actually said his name was Corrin but he responded to it. "Not entirely." He eyed Seska carefully. "Why do you think he's Paris?"
"Oh, just something I stumbled across when I was….talking to some people."
"Who?" Chakotay was curious.
"Look, I've got to go. Don't want to be late for my shift." She stood and flashed him a seductive smile before leaving.
The bridge was quiet. Nothing had happened lately and they were all thankful for the break it provided. There was still some slight uneasiness among the crew. Somewhere out there were the Kazon. There former captors but and now most dangerous enemy.
"Captain, A vessel is approaching," Ensign Baytart alerted. The rest the bridge crew listened carefully for the identity of the ship. If it was Kazon then they were in trouble. "I believe it's talaxian," he said and a few crewmembers could be heard sighing in relief.
"Hail them," the Captain ordered. A few minutes later the screen changed to show the inside of a fairly large freighter. The man on the screen was Talaxian.
"I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation-"
"Voyager. I know who you are," the man interrupted impatiently. "I was hoping you'd be interested in trading some of your weapons."
"I afraid we don't trade weapons," Janeway said.
"Oh," he was a little crestfallen but perked back up a moment later. "Perhaps we could discuss other items you'd be willing to part with. Germanium or galacite or possibly some molybdenum."
Janeway gave a slight smile as she responded, "We'll transport you over in a few moments." Molybdenum was an element they an abundance of. Hopefully the Talaxian would have something they could use as well.
"Your vessel is remarkable," the Talaxian gushed as he was escorted through the corridors. Tuvok was at his side and another security officer was behind them. "I guess Paris was successful in freeing you. Good for him!"
"Paris?" Tuvok questioned the name.
"Yes, he's the one I heard about your ship from. I worked with him on a few missions. Those parts he wanted, they weren't cheap. How did you repay him?" the Talaxian blurted it all out quickly.
"I have not met anyone by the name of Paris," Tuvok said stoically while they waited for a turbolift.
"You must have seen him. He's hard to miss. Very tall." The Talaxian reached up trying to indicate Paris' height. "Well you get the idea. And he had blonde hair and was fairly pale looking," the Talaxian described.
They arrived at the conference room. Waiting for the Talaxian trader to arrive was Captain Janeway, Chakotay, Neelix and Tom since he knew quite a bit about this area of the Delta Quadrant and would be able to help them.
"Paris!" the traders exclaimed and went directly to Tom. "Good to see that you're still alive; that means I won the bet." The trader smiled and rubbed his hands together in anticipation of his winning.
"You again," Tom said, the tone of his voice revealing his displeasure.
"You don't sound very happy to see me," the Talaxian stated sounding offended.
"Why should I be? On my last run with you I was left dead in the water with an ion storm coming my way while you sped away to safety." Tom stood directly in front of the smaller man and looked down at him. "So, why should I be happy to see you?"
The Talaxian stepped away and turned to Captain Janeway to start the trade negotiations ignoring Tom.
The meeting wrapped up quickly since the trader didn't have very many things Voyager needed. They did manage to acquire some star charts however. Tuvok, a security officer and Tom escorted the trader back to the transport room. Tom was going at the Talaxian trader's insistence. He supposedly wanted to explain to Tom what had happened on that mission when they were 'separated' while Janeway, Chakotay and Neelix finished up.
"Thank you for your help Mr. Neelix," Captain Janeway said and Neelix left the room glad that he was able to help his friends. Chakotay and Janeway waited until Neelix had left before they discussed what had been on both their minds during the negotiations.
"I thought you said his name was Tom Corrin," Janeway said to her second in command.
"That's what he went by when he came to the Liberty. I knew he may have a different name, his friend Sobey had another name as well." He looked at Janeway and noticed her pensive expression. "Does the name Tom Paris mean anything to you?" he asked.
"Captain Paris was my commanding officer when I was an Ensign. He was the one who convinced me to take the command track." She said still deep in thought. "He had a son though."
"You think Tom is his son?"
"Maybe. I met Tommy once…." The Tom that just walked out a few minutes ago couldn't possibly be the one she had met so many years ago, could it? But that would explain why Tom's appearance was familiar to her wouldn't it?
"So Captain Paris had a son…" Chakotay pressed further wondering what else she knew.
"Yes but he and his mother left earth over twenty years ago. Mrs. Paris and my mother were friends…." She trailed off remembering one time when she gone home during leave….
End Part 5
Author: Zappy Zaps
Category: AU Drama/Action/Adventure
Summary: Neh….
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All the Star Trek characters are Paramount's. I don't own them (yet). ;)
Archiving: Please do, but tell me! zappyzaps@hotmail.com
Author's note: And now back to my favourite genre! Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe!! Mwa-ha ha ha haaa!! (
May 02
Part 5
Alpha shift had just ended and the tired officers and crewmen were ready to leave their posts. On the bridge Culhane, the beta shift pilot relieved Tom. After outlining the status of the ship and logging out of the helm console Tom gave up his seat to the Ensign and walked towards the turbolift.
It had been nearly twenty-four hours since his near collapse on the bridge and subsequent visit to the EMH. What an attitude on that hologram, Tom thought absently. He had yet to visit the Doctor today for his therapy and whatnot. He had been putting it off.
He entered the turbolift and called for his deck. The doors stayed open for a moment allowing Lieutenant Tuvok to join him. Tom gave him a brief nod and they rode to their respective decks in silence. The doors opened to deck four a few seconds later.
"Mr. Corrin," Tuvok excused himself as he left the turboift. A few moments later the doors opened again and Tom disembarked. He walked down the corridors, made a right and then a left and arrived at his destination: stellar cartography.
He needed to find a space station or civilization where he could acquire his own ship and leave Voyager. Walking in he saw the science officers hard at work. One of the Ensigns Delaney was working at a console entering some data and Tom approached her to ask to use one of the consoles to look through their star charts. He knew the names of only a few crewmembers but knew of the Delaneys because Jennifer had thanked him earlier for helping her.
"Ensign Delaney," Tom addressed the woman and she turned to face him.
She paused momentarily when she saw him but found her voice quickly. "How can I help you, Mr…."
"Tom," he provided. "I was hoping to look through some of the star charts. Would that be alright?" He was polite and had his sky-blue gaze locked to her chocolate one.
"Uh…" she was a little slow in responding. "Yeah sure." She broke the eye contact and looked over to a console that wasn't in use. "You can use that one."
"Thank you, Meagan," he said and headed towards the console. Meagan Delaney watched him go, wondering how he could tell the difference between her and her twin sister Jenny. She smirked and went back to work.
Tom was working quietly at the console for nearly half an hour before Meagan approached him again. He saw her coming out of the corner of his eye and turned towards her.
"Do you need any help?" she inquired.
"No, thanks." He said and went back to work. She looked at the chart displayed on the console.
"What are you looking for? If you don't mind me asking."
He glanced at her briefly before stepping back and allowing her to see what he was doing. "A station or civilization where I can get a ship."
"You're not staying?" she said sounding slightly disappointed.
"No. I'm hoping to get my own ship," he informed her.
"You could ask the Captain for one of our shuttles," she told him.
"Class two shuttles," Tom raised and eyebrow. "No, thank you." The disgust in his voice made her laugh.
"You don't have to go. You could stay on Voyager." She hoped he would reconsider. She could tell he was about to refuse the offer so she interrupted. "Just think about it." With that she strolled away. Tom watched her go for a second before returning his attention to the console.
A few minutes later Tom left the room. Meagan watched him go. They were still eight days away from the nearest viable place he could get a ship of his own. Hopefully in that time he would change his mind. The door slid closed after his departure and a slight smile returned to Meagan's face. He was very handsome and she wanted to know what secrets lurked behind those cerulean eyes.
"EMH to Tom," the doctor's voice sounded. He had just left stellar cartography and hadn't taken five steps when the doctor called.
"Yes."
"Have you forgotten about your appointment in sickbay?"
"No," he sighed. "I'm on my way." He closed the link and adjusted his course to take him to the nearest turbolift.
"Tom," was the unenthusiastic salutation Tom received when he entered sickbay.
"Emergency Medical Hologram," Tom responded in the same tone. The EMH really needed to get a name.
"How is your leg today?"
"Fine."
The EMH scanned him with a tricorder and nodded his head. "You are not fine but you will be with my excellent treatment," the Doctor boasted. Tom only rolled his eyes a gesture the hologram didn't miss. "Have you been experiencing any pain?
"Yes," Tom answered.
"I told you to contact me if you felt any discomfort," the Doctor huffed, somewhat upset that his patient had disregarded his words.
"I can handle it," Tom said and shrugged.
The Doctor pressed a hypospray to Tom's neck a Tom felt the pain in his leg fade until it was only a dull ache. "When you are in pain, Mr. Corrin, it's usually an indication that something is wrong and thus I should be informed," The doctor lectured.
"Fine. The next time it hurts I'll call you," Tom said with a bit of an evil smirk. The Doctor hadn't been online for a long time but knew when he was being humoured. "May I go now?" Tom asked, getting off the biobed.
"No, you may not," the Doctor denied. Tom sat himself on the bed again while the doctor walked away to get his instruments mumbling something about uncooperative patients. Tom smiled. Em would have liked this guy.
The next morning the senior staff assembled in the conference room for their meeting. Ensign Kim and Lieutenant Torres gave status reports pertaining to the status of the ship and final repairs. Repairs were almost complete and the ship was running at eighty-four percent efficiency. After just being liberated from the grips of the Kazon, eighty-four percent efficiency was pretty good.
Ensign Baytart, the new head of the navigational department, reported that they were following the course Tom had given them. Tom. The Captain and Commander noted that was how everybody addressed him. They both wondered why Tom hadn't told anybody his last name. Not that it particularly mattered but it raised more questions in their mind about what Tom could be keeping from them.
Just as Mr. Baytart was concluding the Doctor commed the Captain and asked them to activate the medical channel. Ensign Kim walked to the console on the wall and inputted the proper commands to display the holo- doctor.
"I wasn't informed there was a meeting this morning," the doctor stated but before anybody could speak he continued. "As the chief medical officer, I should be included in the senior staff meetings."
"We'll inform you the next time a meeting is held," Captain Janeway said to appease the angered hologram. "Is their anything you need to report?"
"No, however, I need all the new crewmembers to report to sickbay so I can start a medical file for them and take a blood sample. I would also appreciate having some assistance. I may be a hologram but there is only one of me on this ship."
"We'll assign some crewmembers to sickbay and you can start training them as medical assistants," The Captain said. The doctor agreed and closed the channel.
"Is their anything else?" The Captain asked the rest of the group.
"Yes," Chakotay spoke up, "Tom has requested that he be dropped off at a planet that we'll be passing in about a week." He handed the captain a padd with the planets specs on it. She glanced at it briefly.
"Anything else?" there was no response so she dismissed the group. Everybody except Tuvok left and Janeway waited for the other officers to file out before addressing Tuvok.
"I have examined the device which Ensign Delaney placed outside the cargo bay when…Tom," the Captain knew it was strange for Tuvok, being Vulcan to use anybody's first name and tried to keep the slight smile from forming on her face, "liberated the crew."
"And…"
"And the manipulation of the internal components and of functions was ingenious. It is clearly evident that it was assembled by hand as none of the components are of the same make. It would require a highly trained individual to create such a device."
Elsewhere in the delta quadrant, not to far from Voyager's location, Kazon vessels that had seen better days surrounded a talxian freighter. Inside the freighter the captain and crew put on brave faces but there was no mistaking the signs of fear displayed by all of them: the slight tremors in their hands, the stuttering when they spoke, the beads of sweat rolling down their foreheads.
"I was informed that you were in contact with a human not of the Voyager crew. The one we believe took away what was rightfully ours," the Kazon male said as he strode form one side of the room to the other. There were five other armed Kazon on the bridge and the three smaller Talaxians didn't make even the slightest movement knowing that if they did it would be their last.
They were lucky though. Usually Kazon would take the cargo of Talaxian freighters and leave the badly damaged ship floating in space with little regard for the crew. The fact that the Talaxian crew and the freighter were relatively unharmed was a good sign. Maybe they would escape this encounter with their lives, if they cooperated.
"What information do you have on this human? What does he look like? What are his plans? Where does he like to visit? What does he like to eat?"
"I don't know," the freighter captain said.
"Don't toy with me! I have three ships out there ready to destroy this crate at my command!" The Maj yelled angrily and the freighter Captain took a step back. "I want every piece of information you have on him." The freighter Captain trembled before the larger, more powerful being and Cullah knew he would get what he wanted. He would get his revenge on the human and take Voyager as his trophy.
"I don't think we should be doing this," Jonas whispered to Seska as the set up the transmitter.
"This isn't the time for second thoughts," Seska said harshly. She calmed when she noticed the conflict reflected on Jonas' face and released an impatient sigh. "You're doing the right thing." She reassured him. She would play on Michael Jonas' feeling of loyalty and misguide him. She had no doubt that it would be easier to persuade him had they not suffered for so long at the hands of the Kazon. "After what happened a few days ago the Kazon will no doubt be seeking revenge. We need to help keep the ship safe. If it means going behind the Captain's back and striking a deal with them, I think that it's worth it."
"But…the Kazon…"
"…are a powerful group. A piece of technology here and there is a small price to pay for the safety of our friends." Seska watched Jonas carefully as he struggled accept her reason but eventually he did. Seska smiled and they went back to work.
"You again," Maj Cullah's angry visage filled the screen.
"I want to make a deal."
"I don't want to make another 'deal' with you," he spat. "I want vengeance on the one who caused so much damage to my vessels!"
"And I can help you get him!" That caught Cullah's attention and he listened to what the treacherous woman had to say.
"I'll help you but then you have to help me."
"You get me Tom Paris and we have a deal."
The Next day in sickbay crewmembers filed in and out, reporting to for their physicals as ordered. There were a few science officers with a biology backgrounds helping out as was Kes. She had expressed and interest in medicine and the Doctor had agreed to train her as a nurse.
She was helping the Doctor with the blood samples. The Doctor had explained to her what steps to take to properly conduct the tests and scans and she had caught on quickly, pleasing the Doctor, even though he didn't say anything.
Kes came across Tom's blood sample and without a second thought started the tests. She had already done several and most of them were done on human blood samples so she knew what to expect but Tom's results didn't match those ones. She checked the procedure to make sure he hadn't made an error. She hadn't so she continued and tried to determine why there was a discrepancy. She found it.
The genetic material she found in the white blood cells was only half human. The other half was of a species hadn't heard of before: Fieran.
"Doctor," Kes called still looking at her results. "Did you know Tom was only half human?" she asked.
"Yes, it was one of the first things I noticed when I first met him," the Doctor said. He looked at Kes' results and tapped a few commands into the console.
"What did you do?" Kes asked.
"Since 'Tom' didn't feel like providing us with his surname, I'm having the computer run a genome check. Hopefully we'll be able to match it to a family line," The Doctor explained.
"You have every family's genome on file?" Kes wondered.
"No. Mostly just that of dignitaries and high ranking officers in the federation. There have been many instances in Starfleet where enemies will impersonate powerful people, so to reduce that threat all Starfleet vessels are provided with a database to identify these people if need be. It's not likely that this search will produce any results since it only contains the codes of a small sample," he started to walk away, "but I wouldn't be much of a physician if I didn't consider all possibilities."
Paris, Tom is what she entered as he search query but there was only one result and it didn't have much information. The son of Admiral Paris, and a few notes about his birth –nothing she could use to confirm that Tom Corrin was Tom Paris. She noticed that their were no comments about Tom's mother in the file and wondered why that was. Even more strange was that Starfleet brats usually had their entire lives on file but here was next to nothing on this one? Where did he disappear to?
Morning rolled around on Voyager and the mess hall was once again filled with crewmembers. Seska walked in a spotted Commander Chakotay eating alone at a table for two and decided to join her old flame. Truth be told, Seska still had a thing for the Maquis captain but their relationship had ended some time ago.
"Seska," Chakotay greeted her warmly. "How are you?" Just because they weren't dating doesn't mean they weren't friends.
"As well as can be expected," she said as she took the seat opposite him. "I here our rescuer is leaving," she said. Chakotay and the Captain knew the most about Corrin. If he was the son of Admiral Paris then they probably knew. "I can't say I'll be sad to see Mr.Paris go." She deliberately used 'Paris' to see what Chakotay's reaction would be.
"Mr. Paris? You mean Mr. Corrin," he corrected.
"Are you sure?"
There was a hesitation before he responded. Tom had never actually said his name was Corrin but he responded to it. "Not entirely." He eyed Seska carefully. "Why do you think he's Paris?"
"Oh, just something I stumbled across when I was….talking to some people."
"Who?" Chakotay was curious.
"Look, I've got to go. Don't want to be late for my shift." She stood and flashed him a seductive smile before leaving.
The bridge was quiet. Nothing had happened lately and they were all thankful for the break it provided. There was still some slight uneasiness among the crew. Somewhere out there were the Kazon. There former captors but and now most dangerous enemy.
"Captain, A vessel is approaching," Ensign Baytart alerted. The rest the bridge crew listened carefully for the identity of the ship. If it was Kazon then they were in trouble. "I believe it's talaxian," he said and a few crewmembers could be heard sighing in relief.
"Hail them," the Captain ordered. A few minutes later the screen changed to show the inside of a fairly large freighter. The man on the screen was Talaxian.
"I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation-"
"Voyager. I know who you are," the man interrupted impatiently. "I was hoping you'd be interested in trading some of your weapons."
"I afraid we don't trade weapons," Janeway said.
"Oh," he was a little crestfallen but perked back up a moment later. "Perhaps we could discuss other items you'd be willing to part with. Germanium or galacite or possibly some molybdenum."
Janeway gave a slight smile as she responded, "We'll transport you over in a few moments." Molybdenum was an element they an abundance of. Hopefully the Talaxian would have something they could use as well.
"Your vessel is remarkable," the Talaxian gushed as he was escorted through the corridors. Tuvok was at his side and another security officer was behind them. "I guess Paris was successful in freeing you. Good for him!"
"Paris?" Tuvok questioned the name.
"Yes, he's the one I heard about your ship from. I worked with him on a few missions. Those parts he wanted, they weren't cheap. How did you repay him?" the Talaxian blurted it all out quickly.
"I have not met anyone by the name of Paris," Tuvok said stoically while they waited for a turbolift.
"You must have seen him. He's hard to miss. Very tall." The Talaxian reached up trying to indicate Paris' height. "Well you get the idea. And he had blonde hair and was fairly pale looking," the Talaxian described.
They arrived at the conference room. Waiting for the Talaxian trader to arrive was Captain Janeway, Chakotay, Neelix and Tom since he knew quite a bit about this area of the Delta Quadrant and would be able to help them.
"Paris!" the traders exclaimed and went directly to Tom. "Good to see that you're still alive; that means I won the bet." The trader smiled and rubbed his hands together in anticipation of his winning.
"You again," Tom said, the tone of his voice revealing his displeasure.
"You don't sound very happy to see me," the Talaxian stated sounding offended.
"Why should I be? On my last run with you I was left dead in the water with an ion storm coming my way while you sped away to safety." Tom stood directly in front of the smaller man and looked down at him. "So, why should I be happy to see you?"
The Talaxian stepped away and turned to Captain Janeway to start the trade negotiations ignoring Tom.
The meeting wrapped up quickly since the trader didn't have very many things Voyager needed. They did manage to acquire some star charts however. Tuvok, a security officer and Tom escorted the trader back to the transport room. Tom was going at the Talaxian trader's insistence. He supposedly wanted to explain to Tom what had happened on that mission when they were 'separated' while Janeway, Chakotay and Neelix finished up.
"Thank you for your help Mr. Neelix," Captain Janeway said and Neelix left the room glad that he was able to help his friends. Chakotay and Janeway waited until Neelix had left before they discussed what had been on both their minds during the negotiations.
"I thought you said his name was Tom Corrin," Janeway said to her second in command.
"That's what he went by when he came to the Liberty. I knew he may have a different name, his friend Sobey had another name as well." He looked at Janeway and noticed her pensive expression. "Does the name Tom Paris mean anything to you?" he asked.
"Captain Paris was my commanding officer when I was an Ensign. He was the one who convinced me to take the command track." She said still deep in thought. "He had a son though."
"You think Tom is his son?"
"Maybe. I met Tommy once…." The Tom that just walked out a few minutes ago couldn't possibly be the one she had met so many years ago, could it? But that would explain why Tom's appearance was familiar to her wouldn't it?
"So Captain Paris had a son…" Chakotay pressed further wondering what else she knew.
"Yes but he and his mother left earth over twenty years ago. Mrs. Paris and my mother were friends…." She trailed off remembering one time when she gone home during leave….
End Part 5