**************
Plunged Into Darkness
Part 2
Author: Mac
Disclaimer in Part 1
***************
Captain Janeway looked up as the turbolift doors opened. "Ensign Kim, have you seen Lieutenant Paris?"
"Not since this morning, Captain. I know they had dinner plans, though."
She nodded, glancing over at Chakotay. ::Doctor to the Captain::
"Yes, Doctor."
::Lieutenant Torres is sleeping comfortably, however, I'd like to see you when everything has calmed down::
"I'll be there as soon as I can. Is Mr. Paris with you?"
::No, Captain, I haven't contacted him yet::
"Thank you, Doctor. Janeway out."
Chakotay spoke up. "I wonder if he got a little sidetracked or didn't hear you call."
"Janeway to Paris. Mr. Paris, respond." She waited a few minutes before asking the computer his location.
::Lieutenant Paris is in Jeffries Tube 26::
************
"I need to answer that, Patrick. The Captain will send Tuvok down here and you won't be able to talk to her."
Patrick nodded, not once lowering the phaser. "Just tell her you need to see her, but don't tell her how you're going to get there or that you're with me."
"Paris to Captain Janeway."
::Mr. Paris, you'd better have a good reason for not being here::
Tom inwardly winced. "I do, Captain. Can you meet me alone in your ready room? I'll explain everything there."
::Very well. I'm expecting you in five minutes. Janeway out::
"Tom," Patrick said with a sigh. "I'm sorry."
Tom didn't know what to say to the guy. He was obviously not thinking straight. They stopped in front of the exit in Captain Janeway's ready room.
"You never did tell me why you're apologizing to me? If it's because you're holding a phaser on me, then you won't need to unless you fire it."
Patrick shook his head. "No, that's not it. I shot B'Elanna."
*************
Captain Janeway was pacing in her ready room when she heard voices behind the Jeffries tube access panel. She went over to it to pry it open.
She found Tom staring at Patrick Stotler in disbelief. "Lieutenants, please step out of there."
"Captain," Tom said, finally finding his voice. "Is B'Elanna all right?"
Janeway eyed the phaser in Patrick's hand. "She's fine, Tom. Now do either of you want to explain to me what is going on?"
"Captain, I can't do this anymore!" Patrick burst out. "I'm going crazy! I need to see my family. I need the sun. I need real food!"
She looked at him sympathetically. "I know, Lieutenant, and I'm sorry. I'm trying my best to get us all home as quickly as possible."
"TRY HARDER! My daughter is already 8 years old. My son has probably graduated from Starfleet by now! I'm sick of waiting! I'm sick of your decisions to stop and help everyone but your crew!"
Tom had enough of this. Patrick was going to do something else he regretted. He stepped between him and the Captain. "You need to calm down, Patrick. This is not the way to solve the situation."
"Tom, move! With the Captain gone and Commander Chakotay in charge, we won't have to worry about stopping every five minutes to explore things. We'll be able to get home a lot sooner."
"You don't know that," Tom replied. "You have no right to walk in and tell the Captain what to do. She's been at this a lot longer than you have."
Captain Janeway put a hand on Tom's shoulder. "He's right, Tom. I don't need to be stopping every five minutes to explore, I don't need to help everyone who asks."
"Captain--"
"I do it because it's a part of who I am. It's what a Starfleet officer does and that's who we are. All of us."
Patrick slowly lowered his phaser. The Captain was right. "I think there's just one thing left for me to do then," he said.
Janeway noticed Tom moving closer to him. She noticed it too. Patrick was going to kill himself!
"No!" Tom exclaimed, lunging at him.
Plunged Into Darkness
Part 2
Author: Mac
Disclaimer in Part 1
***************
Captain Janeway looked up as the turbolift doors opened. "Ensign Kim, have you seen Lieutenant Paris?"
"Not since this morning, Captain. I know they had dinner plans, though."
She nodded, glancing over at Chakotay. ::Doctor to the Captain::
"Yes, Doctor."
::Lieutenant Torres is sleeping comfortably, however, I'd like to see you when everything has calmed down::
"I'll be there as soon as I can. Is Mr. Paris with you?"
::No, Captain, I haven't contacted him yet::
"Thank you, Doctor. Janeway out."
Chakotay spoke up. "I wonder if he got a little sidetracked or didn't hear you call."
"Janeway to Paris. Mr. Paris, respond." She waited a few minutes before asking the computer his location.
::Lieutenant Paris is in Jeffries Tube 26::
************
"I need to answer that, Patrick. The Captain will send Tuvok down here and you won't be able to talk to her."
Patrick nodded, not once lowering the phaser. "Just tell her you need to see her, but don't tell her how you're going to get there or that you're with me."
"Paris to Captain Janeway."
::Mr. Paris, you'd better have a good reason for not being here::
Tom inwardly winced. "I do, Captain. Can you meet me alone in your ready room? I'll explain everything there."
::Very well. I'm expecting you in five minutes. Janeway out::
"Tom," Patrick said with a sigh. "I'm sorry."
Tom didn't know what to say to the guy. He was obviously not thinking straight. They stopped in front of the exit in Captain Janeway's ready room.
"You never did tell me why you're apologizing to me? If it's because you're holding a phaser on me, then you won't need to unless you fire it."
Patrick shook his head. "No, that's not it. I shot B'Elanna."
*************
Captain Janeway was pacing in her ready room when she heard voices behind the Jeffries tube access panel. She went over to it to pry it open.
She found Tom staring at Patrick Stotler in disbelief. "Lieutenants, please step out of there."
"Captain," Tom said, finally finding his voice. "Is B'Elanna all right?"
Janeway eyed the phaser in Patrick's hand. "She's fine, Tom. Now do either of you want to explain to me what is going on?"
"Captain, I can't do this anymore!" Patrick burst out. "I'm going crazy! I need to see my family. I need the sun. I need real food!"
She looked at him sympathetically. "I know, Lieutenant, and I'm sorry. I'm trying my best to get us all home as quickly as possible."
"TRY HARDER! My daughter is already 8 years old. My son has probably graduated from Starfleet by now! I'm sick of waiting! I'm sick of your decisions to stop and help everyone but your crew!"
Tom had enough of this. Patrick was going to do something else he regretted. He stepped between him and the Captain. "You need to calm down, Patrick. This is not the way to solve the situation."
"Tom, move! With the Captain gone and Commander Chakotay in charge, we won't have to worry about stopping every five minutes to explore things. We'll be able to get home a lot sooner."
"You don't know that," Tom replied. "You have no right to walk in and tell the Captain what to do. She's been at this a lot longer than you have."
Captain Janeway put a hand on Tom's shoulder. "He's right, Tom. I don't need to be stopping every five minutes to explore, I don't need to help everyone who asks."
"Captain--"
"I do it because it's a part of who I am. It's what a Starfleet officer does and that's who we are. All of us."
Patrick slowly lowered his phaser. The Captain was right. "I think there's just one thing left for me to do then," he said.
Janeway noticed Tom moving closer to him. She noticed it too. Patrick was going to kill himself!
"No!" Tom exclaimed, lunging at him.
