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Chapter: 2B or could it be?

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Previous . . .

Sitting in a darkened out of the way corner table a shadowy figure watched as the gorgeous woman and tall blonde man shot a competitive yet companionable game of eight ball.

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Now . . .

Tom felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle and covertly glanced around the dimly lit room. He moved around the pool table as he looked for his next shot until he was standing next to Kathryn.

"We're being watched,' he whispered, lips barely moving.

"I know,' she responded with a whisper and watched as he prepared for his next shot.

He missed his shot and straightened back up. "Well lets find out who it is,' he said gesturing with his empty glass to Sandrine. The French woman bustled over to them with the bottle of Albarian Brandy. "Sandrine have you noticed that person watching Kathryn and I?" he asked in French.

"Oi Thomas, I have my sources tracing him down now."

"Thank you."

"No problem, ma petite,' she gave him a friendly pat on the cheek and left. Sandrine was the only person that knew about Kathryn and Tom's predicament. Tom trusted her too much to lie to her.

Turning his attention back to the game he noticed that his former captain had just wiped the rest of the table clean, winning again. He mockingly sighed in despair, 'Again, again, I lose again,' he added some fake sobs into the act and smiled when he heard her familiar husky laughter.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sandrine give a short hand signal. Tom then straightened and with a mock look of snobbery on his face he bowed then held his arm out to her. "Well fair lady may I escort you to the bar and buy you a drink."

Still smiling Kathryn curtsied back and took his arms, 'you shall kind sir." Haughtily they made their way to the bar and sat on some stools.

Tom winked at Kathryn cheekily before calling out "bar wench,' to Sandrine 'more mead for my lady fair."

Sandrine stalked forward and cuffed him on the back on his head. Then smiling she topped up Kathryn's drink ignoring Tom, causing him to pout. "I don't know how you put up with him Kathryn,' she subtly pulled out a pad with their watchers vital statistics.

Rank: Lieutenant

Current assignment: Starfleet security, Covert observation of cadets Thomas Eugene Paris and Kathryn Janeway.

Full Name: Tuvok

Species: Vulcan

Time of birth: Stardate 38774, Terran year 2264

Place of birth: Vulcanis Lunar Colony

Education: Starfleet Academy, 2289-2293

Marital status: Married 2304 to T'Pel

Children: Three sons (one named Sek), one daughter (Asil)

"I don't know either,' Kathryn said unsuccessfully smothering her laughter at her companion's antics. Sandrine hid the pad away and Kathryn saw a shared look of shock and confusion in Tom's eyes. Why was Tuvok watching them?

Feeling uneasy but outwardly calm, the pair had a few more drinks before leaving. But not before Sandrine promised to find out what else she could about Tuvok's assignment.

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The next day Tom and Kathryn walked from their dorms and across the square towards the Engineering building when they stopped in shock.

There, painted all over the various buildings, were neon coloured peace symbols from all the different alien races. There was even the IDIC symbol representing the Vulcan philosophy of Infinite Diversity and Infinite Combinations, the Bajoran symbol of their Faith and the peace symbol used on earth during the late 20th early 21st century.

"This is beginning to look like a war protest,' Tom observed. Ever since his adventures in the year 1999, he'd explored as much of earth's history as he could and had managed to find some amazing discoveries from the era in various remote regions of Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the Amazon that hadn't been caught during the last war before Zefram Cochrane flew the first warp capable ship (Phoenix) and initiated first contact.

"They couldn't be protesting the current conflict with the Cardassians could they?" Kathryn asked worriedly.

"No because I don't see the Cardassian symbol for Peace anywhere,' Tom reassured her. "No the culprit was probably going for a non offensive way to get into mischief."

"You'd know."

"I would,' he agreed but was soon frowning in concentration.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm almost positive that Boothby is the one that caused this."

"Oh?"

"Well think about it, first he is the only one besides the Dean that is able to get anywhere in the Academy without any hassle and second if my theory about him being an El-Aurian is correct that would explain how the prankster knew so many of those Symbols."

A clapping from behind them made them both jump and whirl around in surprise. Boothby was standing there.

"Well done Mr. Paris, well done."

"Do you have a purpose for this vandalism Boothby?" Kathryn's Captain persona was coming out.

"There has been a recent spout of tension in the students; I just gave them something else to concentrate on besides their troubles."

Kathryn's watch gave a little beep and when she looked at it she paled. "We're late for class,' grasping Tom's arm by the wrist she dragged him behind her as she half jogged to class. It was going to be one of those days. Great!

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I'm sorry that this chapter is so short but I promise that the next one will be longer.

I am just in the middle of 5 assignments I have to complete in the next two weeks. Procrastination is not your friend peoples.