Thanks for the reviews, Ezri Bashir, Guardian Dimension! Guardian
Dimension, I love your name. The Dimensional Gatekeeper Guadians crop up in
my stories. What a coincidence! Read the others people! READ READ READ! I
do not mean any plagiarism. Any songs belong to who ever sung them. ( I
love Star Trek. You have no idea. And remember: Life is not tried it is
merely survived if you're standing outside the fire.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As Chakotay and Delta walked down the hall, Janeway and Tuvok left sickbay and turned the other way. Janeway was brooding, and Tuvok was not stupid. He had decided not to say anything. He liked the thought of reaching his next birthday.
Of course, he was deadly serious.
*What cheek! 'Always wanting answers to questions you shouldn't ask', my foot!* Janeway mused. She kept on thinking about the girl as she and Tuvok entered the turbolift. She didn't even hear the Security Officer say "Bridge." She didn't like the idea of someone watching her. All the time. None of them could have any idea what this girl knew. And if she meant harm. If she meant harm. . .
"Tuvok!" She exclaimed. "I should have ordered the Doctor to quarantine her! What if she has a disease or virus of some kind?"
"Captain, I believe the Doctor scanned her and found no health issues."
"Computer, stop turbolift. Did he say that?" She asked solemnly.
"No. However, it is in his program to scan anyone who has been beamed to sickbay without explanation."
"You're right." Kathryn paused. "Tuvok, what do think of her?"
"What do I, 'think', Captain? I think that what she says is true. At least, she believes it is. However, it would be prudent to make sure she is monitored. Giving her a comm badge would assure this."
"Hmm. . . Computer, resume operation." Janeway went back to her thoughts. *She seems like someone who has a happy outlook. But worried. With something in her eyes. She was torn between missing of her memories and her love of Voyager. . .*
Love of Voyager. That was it. That was what was in the girl's eyes. Her overwhelming joy at seeing them. Knowing they were real.
*We ARE real!* Kathryn thought fiercely. *There may be another set of people who look like us but they AREN'T and just because they exist doesn't mean we can't too.*
Satisfied with this, she realized that the girl was quite charming. And she had a mischievous look to her. Delta Andromeda (Ah, I love that name) reminded her of someone. . .
As the turbolift doors opened, she saw the man at the helm. That was it. Tom Paris. Delta Andromeda reminded her of Tom Paris. And Kathryn had only talked to her for fifteen minutes.
*She's going to need more 'monitoring' than I realized. . .*
Glancing at the time as she resumed her seat, she found it was 1347 hrs. Alpha shift was almost over. Captain Janeway scheduled a meeting of her senior officers at 20 hundred hours. That would be enough time for their guest to get her thoughts. . . organized.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
At the same time, Chakotay was entering another turbolift with his charge. There was an awkward moment after he said "Level three," and the lift began moving.
"Chakotay. . ." Delta bit her lip as the man looked at her. *Man, he's even more formidable in real life!* Then he smiled at her, and she could easily see why Janeway could love him. He wasn't formidable now. He reminded her of. . .
A brief image flashed in her head. A man's face. Ruddy, like Chakotay's was now, but with a beard. . . and green, green green eyes. DA shook her head.
"You ok?" Chakotay's kind voice broke her thoughts.
"Yeah, fine. I just saw-" she paused. "Well, looking at you reminded me of someone. I saw his face. He said something. . . I think he was my father. You look like him. . . a bit."
Chakotay was taken aback. She told it like it was, and didn't seem shy. Then he remembered the way she had stared down Kathryn. Well, not stared down, but at least matched. No mean feat. He realized he rather liked this girl. She had a kind of charm. And her eyes. . . looking at them, he realized he couldn't place the colour. Blue-green-gray. With hazel-yellow round the pupil. These eyes were full of love. She loved. . . Voyager.
Chakotay realized he was staring. "What were you going to say?"
"Well, I was going to say I hope you don't mind me watching you for these years on TV. I mean, I didn't KNOW you were real. I hoped, but I just thought I was dreaming. So I didn't mean any disrespect. And I don't want to hurt Voyager-" DA broke off. She finished in a whisper, "The only thing I remember is Voyager." Then the girl's eyes went misty and she turned away.
Chakotay was taken aback for the second time in as many minutes. Finally he said comfortingly, "Of course I know that. Look at me." The Commander bent down until he was at eye level. "The crew will love you. If you know us so well, you know we will."
The girl finally broke down, and threw her arms around a startled Chakotay as the frustration and loss overcame her. She sobbed for a good five minutes, even as Chakotay's legs fell asleep. Then she straightened The turbolift doors were open, and she simply said "Well, no point in crying. No back door, gotta face it forward." And with that she stepped out of the turbolift and strode down the corridor, Chakotay, if slightly dazed, following quickly.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
B'Elanna sat in her quarters with her head in her hands. That girl. . . and the scene through the temporal distortion. . . *AH!* she thought angrily, *will NO ONE LISTEN!?* She fell on her bed and ordered the lights to 15%. Then she waited and prayed for sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"So how do you like your quarters?" inquired Chakotay. Delta just stared out the window at the stars whizzing by. "They're so. . . bright!" she exclaimed gleefully, "And it's HUGE! Eating area, living area, bedroom, bathroom. . . something tells me most rooms aren't this nice."
"We'll, you are right there." Admitted Chakotay, "But if you're going to be here for a while. . ."
"Maybe it's the Captain's way of bribing me so I don't tell any of her secrets," said D. Andromeda complacently. "Or any at all, for that matter."
Chakotay caught a glint in her eyes. Mischief. The look he'd come to expect from Tom Paris. *Well, I think there's more to this one than meets the eye.* In truth, he'd been amazed when she'd cried on his shoulder. It had seemed so. . . intimate. And she didn't strike him as the kind of girl to do that. But then he realized that she knew him, knew him well. He may not know her nearly as personally, but he decided to watch out for her. She didn't make her weaknesses known to just anybody, if anyone at all. *Rather like Kathryn. . .* he pondered, before turning back to her eager, multi- coloured eyes.
"Well, I think you should make yourself comfortable and, organize your thoughts."
Her eyes suddenly let in a slight fear which she struggled to push back. "Alone?"
"Well. . . actually, I think we should get you some clothes. Those-" he indicated her loose garmets that were rather casual looking, "Aren't really appropriate."
"But they're COMFORTABLE!" looking at his knowing eyes, she relented. "All right, but I'm not doing the seven catsuit thing, or the short Kes dress, or that. . . uniform. I mean, it looks so, un-cozy-ish."
Chakotay laughed inwardly at her vocabulary, but outside only let a small smile show. "Well, I don't get the catsuit thing, but I'll send Kes to help you get some clothes, alright?"
Delta nodded. "Ok."
Chakotay turned to leave.
"And Chakotay?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks."
"Anytime."
The doors swished shut behind him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
For the next 15 minutes, Delta Andromeda was left alone with her thoughts. *All my memories are about a crew who have no idea who I am. All my understanding. . . ideas. . . must seem so stupid to them.* She shook herself out of that frame of mind. *Well, I am unique. Just like everyone else, I suppose.* Giving a grin to herself, she wondered where she'd heard this. It just came to her, like the image of the green-eyed man. *all from my suppressed memories* She turned away from that as well and started to 'organize' her thoughts about Voyager. All of a sudden, as she sifted through star-dates she suddenly remembered with perfect clarity and images of people yet to be indroduced to Voyager, she remembered.
Song.
Lyrics upon lyrics of songs came into her head. Melodies, tunes, country, rock, pop, even classical music, it all could be heard in her head. She started humming as song and was soon singing along:
"Well, it's hard to be tough when consumed by desire, but it's not enough just to stand outside, the fire.
Standing outside the fire.
Standing outside the fire.
Life is not tried it is merely survived if you're standing outside the fire."
Smiling to herself, she realized she had songs for every occasion. She had found her safety net. Kes walked in to find an upbeat teenage girl singing "This one's for the girls!" a the top of her lungs.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Like it? Love it? Think I'm the devil? Insane? Brilliant? Should be somewhere with soft padded walls? Tell me! But if you don't that's ok. You'll get another chance in 59 billion years on the next time round. Word to the Wise: Never miss an opportunity to shut up.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As Chakotay and Delta walked down the hall, Janeway and Tuvok left sickbay and turned the other way. Janeway was brooding, and Tuvok was not stupid. He had decided not to say anything. He liked the thought of reaching his next birthday.
Of course, he was deadly serious.
*What cheek! 'Always wanting answers to questions you shouldn't ask', my foot!* Janeway mused. She kept on thinking about the girl as she and Tuvok entered the turbolift. She didn't even hear the Security Officer say "Bridge." She didn't like the idea of someone watching her. All the time. None of them could have any idea what this girl knew. And if she meant harm. If she meant harm. . .
"Tuvok!" She exclaimed. "I should have ordered the Doctor to quarantine her! What if she has a disease or virus of some kind?"
"Captain, I believe the Doctor scanned her and found no health issues."
"Computer, stop turbolift. Did he say that?" She asked solemnly.
"No. However, it is in his program to scan anyone who has been beamed to sickbay without explanation."
"You're right." Kathryn paused. "Tuvok, what do think of her?"
"What do I, 'think', Captain? I think that what she says is true. At least, she believes it is. However, it would be prudent to make sure she is monitored. Giving her a comm badge would assure this."
"Hmm. . . Computer, resume operation." Janeway went back to her thoughts. *She seems like someone who has a happy outlook. But worried. With something in her eyes. She was torn between missing of her memories and her love of Voyager. . .*
Love of Voyager. That was it. That was what was in the girl's eyes. Her overwhelming joy at seeing them. Knowing they were real.
*We ARE real!* Kathryn thought fiercely. *There may be another set of people who look like us but they AREN'T and just because they exist doesn't mean we can't too.*
Satisfied with this, she realized that the girl was quite charming. And she had a mischievous look to her. Delta Andromeda (Ah, I love that name) reminded her of someone. . .
As the turbolift doors opened, she saw the man at the helm. That was it. Tom Paris. Delta Andromeda reminded her of Tom Paris. And Kathryn had only talked to her for fifteen minutes.
*She's going to need more 'monitoring' than I realized. . .*
Glancing at the time as she resumed her seat, she found it was 1347 hrs. Alpha shift was almost over. Captain Janeway scheduled a meeting of her senior officers at 20 hundred hours. That would be enough time for their guest to get her thoughts. . . organized.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
At the same time, Chakotay was entering another turbolift with his charge. There was an awkward moment after he said "Level three," and the lift began moving.
"Chakotay. . ." Delta bit her lip as the man looked at her. *Man, he's even more formidable in real life!* Then he smiled at her, and she could easily see why Janeway could love him. He wasn't formidable now. He reminded her of. . .
A brief image flashed in her head. A man's face. Ruddy, like Chakotay's was now, but with a beard. . . and green, green green eyes. DA shook her head.
"You ok?" Chakotay's kind voice broke her thoughts.
"Yeah, fine. I just saw-" she paused. "Well, looking at you reminded me of someone. I saw his face. He said something. . . I think he was my father. You look like him. . . a bit."
Chakotay was taken aback. She told it like it was, and didn't seem shy. Then he remembered the way she had stared down Kathryn. Well, not stared down, but at least matched. No mean feat. He realized he rather liked this girl. She had a kind of charm. And her eyes. . . looking at them, he realized he couldn't place the colour. Blue-green-gray. With hazel-yellow round the pupil. These eyes were full of love. She loved. . . Voyager.
Chakotay realized he was staring. "What were you going to say?"
"Well, I was going to say I hope you don't mind me watching you for these years on TV. I mean, I didn't KNOW you were real. I hoped, but I just thought I was dreaming. So I didn't mean any disrespect. And I don't want to hurt Voyager-" DA broke off. She finished in a whisper, "The only thing I remember is Voyager." Then the girl's eyes went misty and she turned away.
Chakotay was taken aback for the second time in as many minutes. Finally he said comfortingly, "Of course I know that. Look at me." The Commander bent down until he was at eye level. "The crew will love you. If you know us so well, you know we will."
The girl finally broke down, and threw her arms around a startled Chakotay as the frustration and loss overcame her. She sobbed for a good five minutes, even as Chakotay's legs fell asleep. Then she straightened The turbolift doors were open, and she simply said "Well, no point in crying. No back door, gotta face it forward." And with that she stepped out of the turbolift and strode down the corridor, Chakotay, if slightly dazed, following quickly.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
B'Elanna sat in her quarters with her head in her hands. That girl. . . and the scene through the temporal distortion. . . *AH!* she thought angrily, *will NO ONE LISTEN!?* She fell on her bed and ordered the lights to 15%. Then she waited and prayed for sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"So how do you like your quarters?" inquired Chakotay. Delta just stared out the window at the stars whizzing by. "They're so. . . bright!" she exclaimed gleefully, "And it's HUGE! Eating area, living area, bedroom, bathroom. . . something tells me most rooms aren't this nice."
"We'll, you are right there." Admitted Chakotay, "But if you're going to be here for a while. . ."
"Maybe it's the Captain's way of bribing me so I don't tell any of her secrets," said D. Andromeda complacently. "Or any at all, for that matter."
Chakotay caught a glint in her eyes. Mischief. The look he'd come to expect from Tom Paris. *Well, I think there's more to this one than meets the eye.* In truth, he'd been amazed when she'd cried on his shoulder. It had seemed so. . . intimate. And she didn't strike him as the kind of girl to do that. But then he realized that she knew him, knew him well. He may not know her nearly as personally, but he decided to watch out for her. She didn't make her weaknesses known to just anybody, if anyone at all. *Rather like Kathryn. . .* he pondered, before turning back to her eager, multi- coloured eyes.
"Well, I think you should make yourself comfortable and, organize your thoughts."
Her eyes suddenly let in a slight fear which she struggled to push back. "Alone?"
"Well. . . actually, I think we should get you some clothes. Those-" he indicated her loose garmets that were rather casual looking, "Aren't really appropriate."
"But they're COMFORTABLE!" looking at his knowing eyes, she relented. "All right, but I'm not doing the seven catsuit thing, or the short Kes dress, or that. . . uniform. I mean, it looks so, un-cozy-ish."
Chakotay laughed inwardly at her vocabulary, but outside only let a small smile show. "Well, I don't get the catsuit thing, but I'll send Kes to help you get some clothes, alright?"
Delta nodded. "Ok."
Chakotay turned to leave.
"And Chakotay?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks."
"Anytime."
The doors swished shut behind him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
For the next 15 minutes, Delta Andromeda was left alone with her thoughts. *All my memories are about a crew who have no idea who I am. All my understanding. . . ideas. . . must seem so stupid to them.* She shook herself out of that frame of mind. *Well, I am unique. Just like everyone else, I suppose.* Giving a grin to herself, she wondered where she'd heard this. It just came to her, like the image of the green-eyed man. *all from my suppressed memories* She turned away from that as well and started to 'organize' her thoughts about Voyager. All of a sudden, as she sifted through star-dates she suddenly remembered with perfect clarity and images of people yet to be indroduced to Voyager, she remembered.
Song.
Lyrics upon lyrics of songs came into her head. Melodies, tunes, country, rock, pop, even classical music, it all could be heard in her head. She started humming as song and was soon singing along:
"Well, it's hard to be tough when consumed by desire, but it's not enough just to stand outside, the fire.
Standing outside the fire.
Standing outside the fire.
Life is not tried it is merely survived if you're standing outside the fire."
Smiling to herself, she realized she had songs for every occasion. She had found her safety net. Kes walked in to find an upbeat teenage girl singing "This one's for the girls!" a the top of her lungs.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Like it? Love it? Think I'm the devil? Insane? Brilliant? Should be somewhere with soft padded walls? Tell me! But if you don't that's ok. You'll get another chance in 59 billion years on the next time round. Word to the Wise: Never miss an opportunity to shut up.