Title: The Not So Good Guest
Author: Nicol Leoraine
Homepage: www.sweb.cz/Leoraine/Leoraine.htm Most of the stuff here is in Slovak, but I´m working on English web too. For now, you can find here some pictures /not Voyager, just 3D from bryce/ , one original story - How It Could Be, english verbs and lyrics and Links /I´d looked over them myself, and there´s some pretty good adresses - even for Voyager, so look at it/. Yeah, and the least is a list of fanfic´s - Voyager and Stargate, which I think is pretty good (with the exact adresses and mails of author´s.
Rating: PG, PG-13 (don´t know, maybe few bad words)
Category: angst, hurt/comfort, maybe little T/P, but I´m not really a romantic. Definitelly a Paris story, though.
Spoilers: Nothing specific - just after Seska, there´s no Kes either. I´d seen just the last two or three series, and the info´s have from transcripts, FF, etc. Summary: Tom catch some nasty virus. Voyager meet Salvorians. After one of the aliens is injured in an "accident", and is beemed to Voyager´s sickbay, where Tom is just recuperating, something happens. What can I say... hm... Tom whumping. It seem´s, that the alien´s have some secrets and our favorite helmsman is going to find out the hard way.
Disclaimer: They are the property of Paramount Pictures. I´m returning all characters to them unharmed (at least, not permanently)
Archive: Anywhere, if you want. Just leave my name, e-mail and homepage on it. Feedback: Greatly appreciated. (Hey, if not for feedback, why posting it? Surely, write)
Author´s Notes : Sorry for the delay, but I just must inform you about some facts. I´m from Slovakia, that´s a little country in the Middle Europe (we´re in EU now!!!). I don´t talk very good English (if I ever talk), but writing is something else (hey, I´m learning this language from fanfic´s and other "classic" literature). I know that there´s much gramatical and other mistakes, please, tell me, and I will correct them. The story could be perhaps better, if writed in Slovak, but I wanted something in English, just to try. This is my first Voyager, so if the characters are a little off, sorry. Now, you are free to read /grin/ And pleeeease.... send me some mails. I´m waiting.
Star Trek: Voyager The Not So Good Guest "by Nicol Leoraine"
It was a first encounter. The Salvorians seemed like a harmless beings. They came from the other side of the Delta Quadrant, not known by the humans on the starship named Voyager. The tall, white haired humanoids, with big black eyes and crystal blue skin, were a contrast to the humans, and some other races on the ship. Even a colorful Talaxian Neelix looked a little astonished in the shadow of the entrancing Salvorans.
"Captain, the ship´s responding," Harry Kim announced.
"Put them on the screen, ensign," ordered captain Kathryn Janeway and stood from her chair. On the screen appeared a blue face of the Salvorian emissar K´lau, frowning at the man next to him.
"Captain Janeway, it´s my pleasure to see you again. I´m most sorry, that it can´t be accomplished at better reason. But, I must ask for your help."
"How can we assist you, emissar K´lau?" asked Janeway and looked deeper into the black eyes of the alien, which seemed to penetrate through the screen.
The Salvorian gave a sound, that even a universal translator couldn´t quite translate. Must be something to our huh or uhm, thought Harry Kim and expertly hided his smile, looking at the console.
"My... assistent, Shril B´glar, was a victim of bad accident. She need a professional care, which we can´t provide. Our doctor was killed a few days ago in the same accident. We have to return to our mothership, as we are just a scientist, but Shril B´glar would not survive that journey. If we could ask you..."
"Of course, emissar," the captain interrupted, seeing, that the men wouldn´t stop by himself. "Our sickbay is capable to treat your assitent. Will you land with your ship on Voyager?"
"Oh, that´s very thoughtful, captain, but I must say no," the emissar smiled, as if the captain had just invited him to a party, where he can be a guest of honour. Even Tuvok raised his head from a console and frowned.
"My crew must immediately return to our mothership, where we can inform the board. It will be better, if you could transport Shril B´glar to your ship, with two of my subordinates."
"I see, that you are in hurry, emissar. We will proceed immediately. If you can inform me about the accident... perhaps it can help our doctor with treatment?"
"My subordinates will inform you about everything, captain Janeway. I assure you, that we will return as soon, as it´s possible. How long will you stay in this quadrant?"
"About five days. We should refill our supplies on the orbit of Jurlik VI. Then we will proceed to Freyan territory."
"Ah, that´s good. If we can´t do it in time, you can leave my men on Freya III." The screen changed and the Voyager´s crew now looked at the black space, full of stars, and the surface of nameless planet with three moons. The Salvorian ship was just a small stain on the background of stars.
"Lieutenant Paris, take us to transporters range," captain directed her order to the pilot, who quietly and somehow unattached watched the helm´s console. The captain frowned, then loudly repeated the command.
"Lieutenant!" her strong voice efficiently cut through the grey haze in Tom´s head, and his body jerked.
"Captain..." he acknowledged her, then with a dim recollection did as he was told. Harry Kim shot him a worried look, similar to the one coming from the captain. Tom, however didn´t look up from the controls and navigated the ship toward the waiting Salvorians.
"Captain to sickbay," said Janeway with one hand on her commbadge, still frowning at her absent minded pilot.
"Prepare for a transport of an injured Salvorian."
"How serious it is?" asked the doctor.
"Don´t know. Probably serious."
"Captain, we are in range," called Paris.
"The Salvorians are sending us informations about our guests," stated Harry Kim.
"Send them to a transporter room."
"Aye, captain."
"Transporter room - lock on these signs and beam them to sickbay," ordered captain.
"They´re on board," reported Vorik.
"Captain to sickbay... doctor, how´s she doing?"
"If you just give me few minutes to do a diagnose, captain?"
"Oh... sure,"
"For that matter... I have here two Salvorians, who are just as impatient. They want to talk with someone..."
"Tell them, I´m on my way." At this time, the image on the screen changed and they could again see the inside of the Salvorian ship and the blue, somehow purplish face of emissar K´lau.
"I´m grateful for your help, captain Janeway," he began before she could even talk.
"It´s very kind of you," continued the alien. "Now we must hurry, but I will see forward to our next encounter. I hope, that our races will become a valuable allies. Be the Kra´nah with you and your crew, captain." The screen went black, only the stars borrowed some light to it. The small stain disappeared before anyone could respond, leaving behind three members of it´s crew.
"Commander, the bridge is your," Captain turned to Chakotay, who nodded and took her place in the chair. Janeway once again looked at Tom.
"Lieutenant, bring us to Jurlik VI.," ordered Chakotay. With a slight nod, Paris hands tapped the commands on the console and the ship headed for its course.
Captain Janeway headed to the turbolift, thinking about the quick depart of Salvorians. It was just two weeks, from their first encounter. She remembered, how shocked seemed the emissar, when she first contacted him. Although he was a scientist, he just hardly accepted the fact, that outside of the Delta quadrant, there is another civilization, let alone hundreds of them. K´lau talked with them about his race - the proud, but lonely beings, witch was condemned to a life in space. Some of them had colonized planets, but soon they discovered, that life in space is easier. The plants that served as they food, needed to grow in gravitationless state, and although that could be accomplished in special chambers, they was rather in the space. Maybe it was something from their past - memoirs from times, when they were regularly attacked by other races, or exposed to nature´s elements. Take care about a spaceship was for them easier, then see after their own world. Maybe it was better this way.
"Hey, Tom, wait for me," Harry called out and ran for the turbolift. The doors was about to close, when his hand slipped in, followed by the rest of his body. Harry triumfally smiled, then looked at the man next to him. Tom was pale and even Harry could tell, that he is sick. Little drops of sweet was covering his forehead, running down through his face, leaving just salt tracks. His eyes was clouded and Harry thought, that Tom must concentrate just to look at him properly.
"Christ, Tom, why didn´t you say anything?" he grabbed his arm and told the computer to change a destination.
"Hey, Har... what you talking about?" Tom tried to sound normal, but he has trouble breathing. Leaning on the wall, he was grateful for every breath.
"Sometimes you´re really stupid, Tom!" exclaimed Harry, angry, that his friend couldn´t take care of himself. If it was someone else, Tom would´ve long ago send him to sickbay, not wait several hours, till his shift ends.
"Lanna thinks that too... you talked with her?" Tom´s speech was somehow slouched, and Harry didn´t like the childlish tone of it. As if he was in delirium... touching his face, Harry cursed to himself.
"Buddy, why didn´t you say, that you´re ill?"
"I´m not," denied Tom and grinned.
"Don´t tell me, that you´re feeling fine," resisted Harry.
"Silly... everything´s flying. You know, Har... one of you is just enough," Tom smiled, then closed his eyes, when a bout of vertigo hit him. He staggered and Harry had to hold him, otherwise he would fall.
"That´s it. You definitely need to see our Doc."
"Gee, he will be pissed..." muttered Tom.
"Nah, I´m sure, that he will be glad. You know, he really enjoys your company," joked Harry.
"Yeah?" Tom seemed surprised and Harry was glad, when the turbolift stopped and they could get out. Tom was rather cute, when in this naive state, but Harry couldn´t enjoy it properly, knowing, that Tom must be really bad, to act like this.
At the time the duo get to sickbay, Tom´s face gained a slightly green shade. Harry was relieved to see the door open and to hear the EMH´s old speech:
"State the nature of... Ah, I see," the bald man looked at Tom, who was just fighting a wave of dizzines and trying to supress the urge to vomit. Harry, who now held almost full weight of his friend, stumpled and muttered a curse.
"Doc," he called and tried to maneuvre Tom to the biobed. The hologram rushed towards him, helping him to settle the patient. When they effort was sufficient, Harry let out a breath and looked around. He waited to see three Salvorians in the area, but instead there was just one. The woman´s skin was grey, and although Harry didn´t see many Salvorians, he knew, that the colour´s wrong. Shril B´glar rested on the biobed not so far from Tom, and looked vulnerable, like anyone in sickbay. Her left eye was covered with white bandage and her body was wrapped in the cooling blanket. Harry didn´t see her move, let alone take a breath. She looked dead.
"Mr. Kim... if you could hand me that basin, please?" Harry snapped out from his thoughts, and did as he was asked, just in time. Tom grabbed the basin, turned to the other side of bed, and let go of Neelix latest culinary experiment. Harry grinned and looked at the hologram.
"What´s with him, Doc?"
"He´s ill," stated the EMH.
"Geez, like I didn´t know," muttered Harry.
"So if you knew this, why, in the spirits, didn´t you bring him sooner?" reproachfully asked the doctor. Harry blushed and instead of answering, offered Tom a towel. Tom gratefully accepted it, and after cleaning his face, closed his eyes and lay down, suddenly too tired to care, where he is.
"Mr. Paris," spoke the EMH. "I will not reprimerand you for your lack of judgment within health care, but the only reason for it, is your obvious discomfort. As my medical assistent..."
"Doc, I´m not feeling so well, so if you just cut to the point, please," whispered Tom and shivered. Doctor frowned, then waved the tricorder over his patient and frowned more.
"So I will ask straight, how long are you feeling bad, Lieutenant?
"I didn´t sleep well. Have a headache..."
"Why didn´t you come here?" wondered the doc. Both Tom and Harry looked at him strangely, then Tom continued.
"It passed. I went to my shift. Then it was worse... some problems with concentration. Pretty hot too, and my head hurt."
"You should´ve-" the Doctor started to say.
"I know," interrupted him Tom. "But it get better," he assured him again. Doctor just snorted.
"So, if you was better, what brings you here?" asked the Doc tauntingly, ready to give his assistent a long lecture.
"It´s like a roller-coaster, Doc," breathed out Tom and massaged his temples, which started to throb. The doctor realized it and turned for some supplies. "It´s a come and go. Just every time it comes, it´s worse."
"Any other symptoms?"
"Nausea, hard breathing, sweating and a killing headache isn´t enough? Oh, I forgot the chills and cramping muscles." His voice sounded controlled, as if he tried to hide the pain. Harry cringed in sympathy as his friend winced and shivered. The EMH returned to biobed and Tom felt the familiar hiss of hypospray, followed by a relieving dumbness.
"That was for the pain, and this is compazine, against the nausea. You should rest now."
"Thanks, Doc," muttered Tom, but fought the weakness. "What´s wrong with me?"
"I´m not sure," admitted the hologram, but quickly added, "I´ll need to run some tests. It seems like virus... What was your last away mission?"
"On Pharbos II."
"That was..."
"Three weeks ago."
"Hm. Yes, I remember your post mission checkup. There was nothing wrong..."
"You think, that he caught something on Pharbos?" Harry paled a little. He was on that mission too. An uninhabited planet, with some traces of long lost civilization. They landed in the jungle, but how could Tom get ill? They didn´t drank nor eat anything from the planet, but maybe it was in the air or in the catacombs, which they discovered?
"It´s possible," admitted the EMH. "I will know more after the tests, though."
"Can it be... contagious?" Harry couldn´t stop himself, even if Tom might think, that he is coward. But Tom didn´t seem to notice, giving all of his strength, just to stay awake.
"I don´t know yet, Mr. Kim," the doctor´s tone was harsh. "Probably not. But I plan to call here the others from this away team and check them, when I will know, what to look for. Till then, you can return to your quarters or stay here. But I don´t want you to disturb my patients." After this thoughtful words, the EMH´s program knocked in. "Are you feeling ill?" asked the hologram scowling, as if daring him to say yes.
"No, I´m fine. I think... perhaps I will come back later, Doc."
"That would be wise."
"Uh... how´s doing the Salvorian woman?" Harry asked and Tom opened his eyes, for a moment surprised, because he didn´t see any woman. On the other side, he wasn´t feeling, like looking after woman, so it was understandable. Now he caught Harry´s eyes, and looked to the left. If it wasn´t for the blue colour, Tom would´ve said, that she´s pretty, maybe even attractive. Sure, he wouldn´t say that before B´Elanna, he liked to live a little longer. Tom grinned at the thought of B´Elanna chasing him throught the ship, then scowled, when a shiver run through him. He hated to be here, but he have not enough strength to even complain, so Tom just shut his eyes and drifted to sleep.
"Shril B´glar will be all right in few days," responded Doc to Harry´s question.
"What happened to her?"
"If it would concern you, I can assure you, Ensign, that the Captain will inform you. Till then..."
"Oh... So, Tom..." Harry turned to his friend, but seeing him asleep, backed away.
"I´ll be back later, buddy," he tapped Tom´s right foot, gently, as to not disturb him, then turned and walked from the sickbay. The EMH returned to his patient. From the biobed retrieved the cooling blanket and covered with it Tom. Then he took few blood samples and walked with them to a laboratory. He will call the captain, when he will know, what´s they dealing with.
Captain quickly paced through the corridors to sickbay. Just a few hours before, she was talking with doctor, and he assured her, that the Salvorian woman will recover. Now he wanted to talk with her, and she was afraid, that the Salvorian get turn to a worse. It would be a diplomatical nightmare, if the alien die, not talking about her own conscience and her vow, that they can take care of her. She hoped, that the hologram wants to talk about something else, maybe even complain about the lack of assistents.
When she came to sickbay the first time this day, she was surrounded by two worried Salvorians while the Doc was doing some repairing surgery, so she couldn´t even talk to him.
The Salvorians introduced themselves as Parc´r and L´shtar. Both of them showed a great concern for Shril B´glar, but only L´shtar was competent to tell her, what happened. Not wanting to discuss the matter in the sickbay, they entered the Doctor´s office. Parc´r silently sit in one of the chairs, while L´shtar paced the room and nervously thanked Janeway for they help.
"I believe, that our doctor can help her," she told them, trying to sound serene. Parc´r nodded, but L´shtars face was a mask of worry. It seemed, that he was pretty close to that woman.
"K´lau told me, that you can tell us, what happened. I will be gratefull, if you straighten out this "accident". "
"Can´t your doctor tell us, if she will live?"
"He´s doing, what he can, I assure you L´shtar. I don´t want to interrupt him, while he is operating,"
"Yes, that is natural," said Parc´r calmly and L´shtar stopped his pacing, as if struck by boltning. One look at the pair and Janeway knew, who is the assistent, and who just a stoodge. L´shtar was here to reveal some facts, but Parc´r will observe every move, they take.
"Shril B´glar is the assistent of emissar K´lau, but she also works in laboratory. She, one technician and a doctor was working with some unstable material. We don´t know exactly what happened... perhaps the technician did something wrong, or the material was defective. We don´t know. There was an explosion, in which both, the doctor and the technician was killed. Shril B´glar survived just with luck - she was at the moment behind the doors. We did everything to save her, but our ship was partly damaged and we needed to return to our mothership with report about our encounter with you. We knew, that she couldn´t survive this long journey, so K´lau contacted you. I hope, it wasn´t a mistake," refered L´shtar somehow reluctantly.
"Shril B´glar may know, what happened... that´s why we are here. We need to talk with her, as soon, as she wake up. She was too confused and in pain on the ship, so we couldn´t hear out her statement."
"And it will take a moment, before you can," said another voice from the door. The Captain sighed in relief, hearing the doctor´s voice.
"How is she, Doctor?"
"Stable. I did a repairing surgery, as her eyes were quite damaged. She is fighting an infection, and have a fever. If you can inform me about some oddments in her treatment up till now, I will be grateful."
"When can we talk with her?"
"Tomorrow, maybe. As soon as her fever break down. She´s sleeping now. I´m quite sure, that she will make a full recovery."
"If she wake up...?"
"She´s under sedation. Give her 24 hours to rest."
L´shtar wanted to say something, but Parc´r shook his head.
"Where can we wait till then, captain?" asked instead of him Parc´r.
"I´ll take you to your quarters, or, if you´re hungry, to the messhall. I hope that you will have comfort on this ship." She showed them their ubications, then departed to take a quick lunch in the messhall herself. After a brief talk with Seven, she returned to the bridge to relieve Chakotay.
It was almost 16 00, when the Doctor called her.
She now walked throught the sickbay door and looked at the biobed. The Salvorian woman lay here, silent and unmoving, but clearly well enough to be left alone. Besides her, the sickbay was empty. Or, almost empty, thought Janeway, when she heard something from the bathroom. Soon from here emerged the doctor, something muttering.
"You could have used the bowl, Mr. Paris. No need for the rush... I don´t want to clean half the sickbay, if you couldn´t make it in time," taunted the hologram towards the bathroom.
"... just a little privacy," groaned Tom and wearily walked out, one hand clutching at his stomach, the other leaning against the wall for support. The doctor scowled at him, then helped to the nearest biobed.
"Here, it will be a better place, if you want to run every time your stomach takes a turn."
"You´re all heart, Doc," grumbled Tom and lie down.
"Ehm," the sound startled them both. "Oh, Captain," chirmed the hologram and played with controls of the biobed.
"Captain," Tom tried to smile, but insted moaned, as his head started the rock and roll. The Doc promptly injected him with some medication and sighed at the readings.
"I´ll have to insist, that you stay in the bed, Lieutenant. No more running." He received another moan. "If you want privacy, don´t get ill. It´s simple. Next time try some spray."
"Oh, I assure you, Doc, that I will. Next time, first kill all the insects, and just then go explore," answered rather sarcastically Tom and grinned at the captain.
"Doctor?" asked Janeway a little amused. "Can we talk?" with raised eyebrows, the doctor looked at his patients, then nodded.
"You, don´t move," he ordered Tom, who just gave a small laugh. Covering himself in blankets, he turned them his back and cringed. The Captain threw him a worried look, but headed for the doctor´s office. Once here, she couldn´t longer supress her worry.
"Doctor, want to tell me, what´s going on with my pilot?" The hologram was taken aback by the sharp tone of her voice.
"My tests aren´t done, yet," the captain looked at him sternly, "but it seems like Lieutenant Paris was bitten by some insect."
"On Voyager?" exclaimed the surprised captain.
"No, of course not on Voyager. By my guess, it was at Pharbos II. Ensign Kim confirmed my suspicions, with the statement about a jungle. Ideal place for viruses,"
"It´s contagious?"
"No. It is transmitted only with blood, so if we don´t do a big vampire party, it will not be a hazard," the hologram tried to joke, but it wasn´t the right time.
"Pharbos II. It´s three weeks," the captain shook her head. "What the other members of the away team?"
"I will check them out. But it´s unlikely that there will be other casualties."
"What about Tom? How serious is this... illness?"
"This "virus" is similar to malaria, if you know that termin."
"It was transmitted by mosquitos, I know. But that was on earth, and at the end of 21. century there wasn´t any casualties, as I know."
"It was mostly thanks to urbanization and some good prophylactic medicine. Then the genetic engineering changed the gens of mosquitos, so they couldn´t transmit the virus. I found in the Lieutenant´s blood a protozoas similar to malaria, but it´s not the same."
"Can´t you treat him with the drugs used on Earth?"
"I can and I will, but they wouldn´t change much, as the structure of this virus, is specific. I don´t know, how it will react in Mr. Paris, but I should be able to predict it."
"But you can cure it, right?"
The EMH get his time, before answering.
"I hope so. I will start the treatment as soon as the computer finish the test. Besides that, I could provide only supportive care and hope, that his organism will fight it."
"What will be the symptoms?"
"Not worse than now, I suppose. If the fever don´t breake, there could be seizures or in worse case haemorrhaging, but I will monitor him, so it´s unlikely to happen." The Doctor talked with his casual calm, but the Captain saw the frown of his eyes, and that worried her.
"Inform me, if anything happens,"
"Yes Captain. But I wanted to talk with you about something else..."
"What?"
"That Salvorian woman..."
"Just don´t tell me, that she is worse," pleaded the Captain.
"No, she is recovering quickly, as I said."
"So what´s troubling you, Doctor?"
"She..." the hologram stopped, picking the right words, but not finding them, continued, "...talked. A little."
"I thought, she is sedated," wondered the Captain.
"Yeah, she is. Maybe the Salvorians often talk in sleep."
"And...?"
"Something about that accident didn´t seem right, Captain. She kept telling something about a bomb... and there´s something strange. Her injuries was caused by a blast wave from explosion, I found in her eye a piece of plast, that was used as a window or a door. She was at the other side of the doors, when it exploded."
"They told us so, Doctor. They´re assuming, that she walked out of the laboratory, just us it exploded."
"No. She was facing the explosion - her back wasn´t exposed to the heat, just bruised from the impact with floor or wall. But her hands were damaged in both ways."
"What are you trying to say?"
"She broke two bones in her right hand. There was also some bruising and cuts, but that´s not important. I want to say, that this woman knocked really hard on the door. Maybe even tried to open them with force."
The Captain thought about what he said. She thought really hard, her brow furrowed and the fingers nervously tapped on the desk. Finally she looked up and sighed.
"I want something from you, Doctor,"
"Captain?" the EMH asked tentatively.
"When the Salvorians ask you about Shril B´glar, tell them, that she´s resting. Don´t allow them to talk with her, before I´d the chance. Do you understand?"
"Of course, captain. You want to talk with her first."
"Yes. When she wakes up, call me."
"Indeed. Captain, don´t you think, that it´s a little exaggerating? I mean... Salvorians are our guests, but nothing more. We can´t intervene, if they don´t ask."
"I know it, Doctor. But as long as they´re on my ship, they are my responsibility."
The Captain walked out of the office. Seeing, that Tom and the Salvorian woman are both asleep, she continued on her way.
The night was long, too long for Tom. The drugs which the Doc gave him, wasn´t really working, besides the one for headache. He couldn´t feel the throbbing in his temples anymore, and was really grateful for this little comfort. But it passed, as another turn of his stomach reminded him, that he will never be able to eat something. The Doc was trying soup, but it only served as something to heat up his stomach, stayed few minutes then said goodbye and went away the same road, that it came.
Tom was feeling miserable, and the Doc didn´t help with his own vain therapy. In the middle of the night, Tom sweared to himself, that he wouldn´t step on the planet other then in azbest uniform or wrapped in a cloud of antirepellents. It wasn´t a fun - last few hours he tried to sleep, but the nausea and urge to vomit didn´t let him. He felt tired and lousy. The Doc was in the lab, trying to find something useful, while Tom was on his side, watching the Salvorian woman, as he didn´t have nothing else to do. Sleep wasn´t an option,
Shril B´glar was indeed pretty, even with the white bandage covering her eyes. Tom asked the Doc, how she´s doing and what happened to her. The Doc, maybe glad to revert his patient´s mind to something else, said him the same things as the Captain, then, somehow surprised by his own verocity, besoughted Tom to keep it for himself. Tom wasn´t so out of it, that he would tell somebody - he respected Captain Janeway too much. Not that there wouldn´t be people, who want to hear.
B´Elanna rushed to the sickbay just as the Doc disappeared inside the lab, and Tom sheepishly smiled at her, when she embraced him in a strong hug.
"Tom, how are you? When can you get out? What happened?" she asked it all in one rush and Tom leaned deeper into bed, trying to supress another sinking feeling.
"Fine, don´t know, and a bastard insect," was his answers. B´Elanna looked him over sceptically.
"How´s that I don´t believe you?"
"Huh?"
"You look like shit, Paris. Worse then it, perhaps. What´s that goddamned hologram doing?"
"Perhaps, I´m trying to treat him, Lieutenant Torres," came a harsh reply from behind. Tom choke down his smile, as it could be lethal in the presence of this pair, and rather awkwardly coughed. Now, both of them was looking at him, and he felt the hint of anger emerging to the surface. He didn´t like to be the object of attention, not like this. And what´s about some cough? They´re looking at him, as if he was dying, or something. Shit. He felt right that, but he will not admit it to anyone.
"What?!" he barked roughly, and seeing, that their frown just deepened, moaned and closed his eyes, resigned to the world.
"Tom?" B´Elanna asked sheepishly, which by himself was really scary, and the Doc was fussing over some controls.
"I´m okay, ´Lanna. Just tired. You know, Neelix´s food isn´t the best for cranky stomach,"
"Neelix? Harry talked about Pharbos II," B´Elanna was confused.
"It was a joke, Lanna. Let him live, please,"
"You...!" B´Elanna was about to say something, when the Doc cleared his throat.
"What?" she grumpled and Tom felt like flying. It was scary, because he didn´t feel like that in years, from the time, when he was five and firstly put his hands on the controls. Tom sharply opened his eyes, afraid, that he will be somewhere else. But he was greated by the silence of sickbay. Looking around, Tom realized, that he dozed off, because B´Elanna was nowhere to see. It must be morning, thought Tom, when the sickbay doors opened and one man, wrapped in a dark suit, mantled from head to toe walked in. The EMH didn´t appear, when the doors opened, so Tom assumed, that the Doc is still in lab or his office.
The incomer was acting really strange, though. He looked around, as if making sure, that no one is around. His sight one minute laid on Tom, but he was in the shadow, so the man couldn´t see his open eyes. Tom didn´t move a muscle, trying to look asleep. When the stranger was sure, he went straight to the bed of the Salvorian woman.
Tom´s stomach lurched, as he saw the hypospray in the strangers hand. He wanted to cry out, call the Doc or just to warn the man about his presence, but his vision flickered and once again he felt like flying, just this time, he was flying from one man wrapped in dark coat.
"I don´t know, Captain," it was Doctor. Tom wanted to talk, say something, but he could just listen to anxious words of the EMH.
"You said, she is doing fine. What could´ve get wrong?" Captain! Tom now struggled to came out of the mist, that was surrounding him, making him feel nauseous. His stomach lurched and he moaned.
"Mr. Paris," Now, it was Doc. Right, I must say something. Just ged rid of that sinking feeling, praied Tom and opened his eyes, looking into the brown one of the captain´s.
"Christ," he moaned and gripped the bowl from Doc just in time. Not the best way to impress your Captain, but Hey, they´re here and ready to listen. Now just be able to talk sensible, and it will be okay.
"I assume, that your nausea is back," observed the Doctor.
"Ya think?" sarcastically answered Tom, then a little ashamed looked at the captain.
"Sorry, Captain,"
"No need to be, Tom," smiled the captain, then frowned a little. Tom didn´t look good, his face was covered in sweat, brows furrowed, as if in pain and from time to time ran through his body a shiver, which he didn´t even seem to notice. The Doctor told her, that the medication didn´t seem to work and that he´s going to try something new.
"W-what´s this?" asked Tom, as the hologram was ready to administer another hypospray.
"It will stop the nausea, Mr. Paris,"
"No! I don´t want it!" he protested and shook his head, which didn´t help.
"Tom, the doctor knew, what to do," assured him the captain.
"No. Don´t want it," repeated Tom. "Makes me dizzy and dumb,"
"That´s the point, Mr. Paris," the EMH was becoming frustrated.
"Just wait, Doc," pleaded Tom. "Must say something," his speech was sluggish and he heard himself panicking. They will never believe him, if he looks delirious...
"Cap-captain," he stuttered, as it became harder to breath properly.
"What, Tom?" asked Janeway and leaned closer to him.
"Someone... was here," he gritted his teeth in frustration at his own condition, but continued.
"Man... in dark coat."
"When?" asked the Captain, suddenly serious.
"Don´t know... when B´Elanna... I... it was mid moorning, I think. B´Elanna wasn´t here, even the Doc."
"What did this man?"
"First just looked... to be sure... that he´s alone... I pretended sleep... then he came to the woman..."
"Shril B´glar?"
"Yes. He... he had a hypospray..."
"Why didn´t you call me?" asked the Doctor. Tom looked at him, suddenly furious with the whole situation.
"As if I could, Doc... You drugged me with this shit... I blacked out. Can´t do much in this state, don´t you think? ... And where the hell was you?!" Tom was mad, but quickly he gasped for breath. The Doc gave him the hypospray and scowled at him.
"Now, Mr. Paris, this wasn´t necessary. You shouldn´t exaggerate yourself. As of where was I at the time..." The Doctor tried to respond, but he found hard to find an answer. "
"Doctor?" asked the Captain.
"Uh... I was deactivated," stated the surprised hologram.
"By whom?"
"There´s no record."
"When?"
"Between 04:30 and 04:35. Just five minutes."
"Long enough," muttered Tom sleepily and watched, as the Doc rushed to the next biobed. The captain stayed with him and tapped his hand assuringly.
"Tom... you are sure, that this man didn´t know about you watching?"
"Don´t think so, Captain. Otherwise, he could easily get rid of me, right then," whispered Tom and blinked.
"You´re tired, I´ll let you sleep," the Captain was ready to go, but Tom caught her hand.
"No, please. This man... I think it was a Salvorian."
"Why?" she couldn´t hide her interest.
"Mmm... who other? I... the Doc told me about that explosion..." The Captain sighed.
"I threatened him," The Captain smiled.
"Right. You threaten the hologram, even if you can hardly stand. It´s logical,"
Tom grinned.
"I told him, that B´Elanna will reprogram him, if I want. Maybe change his clothes..."
"She can do it?"
"Uhm, maybe. But that´s not the point," halted himself Tom and supressed a yawn.
"I wanted to tell," another yawn, "that explosion, could be sabotage. What if it was one of the Salvorians? Maybe they want to finish it."
"On Voyager? They could´ve do it easily on their ship," objected the captain.
"What if they couldn´t? K´lau could have send her here, to assure her safety, but what if one of the Salvorians is the killer?"
"I´ll charge Tuvok to investigate this, Tom. Don´t bother yourself now. And, please, if anyone will ask, you slept all night. Tuvok will want to talk with you, but don´t tell others. You understand?"
"Yes, Captain," answered Tom and blinked, to clear his vision. Didn´t help much, but he now saw just two captains instead of three like before.
"And go to sleep, that´s an order,"
"Yes, Madam," he muttered and obeyed the command.
The Captain turned to the Doc, who frantically pushed some buttons on the biobed.
"So, it will explain her deteriorating condition. Can you determine, what she´s been injected with?"
"It´s a slowly progressing poison, one, that I am not familiar with. If lieutenant Paris didn´t tell us about our night guest, I wouldn´t look for it."
"What´s this "poison" doing to her?"
"I can only guess, but as the substance is affecting the brain, in short time she will die."
"Can you stop it?"
"Maybe. Thankfully, it´s acting slowly, so as to not warn about it´s origin. That give us a time."
"Before Tom woke up, you said, that her fever spiked and that she had a seizure,"
"Yes, hopefully, there will not be any damage. Now, that I know what´s causing it..."
"Than you can work on the antidote," urged him the Captain, and the EMH grimly answered:
"Yes, one antidote for Mrs. Shril B´glar, one for Mr. Paris. It would be helpful, if you could clone me, Captain. Perhaps you are not aware of, that Mr. Paris was my medical assistent, but I am. If Kes could be here..."
"She isn´t, Doctor. But you could have a point," The hologram snorted.
"I think, that Samantha Wildman can help you."
"She is not qualified..."
"Nobody on this ship is qualified, Doctor, so you would work with somebody, who at least know, what the tricoder is." Ending the conversation, Captain Janeway walked out from sickbay.
"Commander Tuvok, I need to speak with you," she said on the bridge and pointed to her office. Tuvok nodded, conveyed his post to a young Ensign and went after the captain. Chakotay looked after him a little curious - he noticed, that the captain is under some pressure. She said him about the EMH´s suspicions, and about Tom´s condition. Both things were disturbing and when the captain was called to sickbay this morning, he was afraid, that something got worse. Now he longed to be in her office instead of Tuvok. The half Vulcan soon emerged and quickly walked to the turbolift. He couldn´t take it anymore...
"Chakotay to Captain," he tapped his commbadge.
"Yes, commander?"
"Is everything all right, captain?" a short silence warned his senses.
"Will you come to my office, Chakotay?"
"On my way, captain." He registered the curious sights from the crew. It wasn´t everyday, that the captain wants to talk with security officer and her first officer in privacy. All of them heard something about the Salvorians, and they registered Tom´s absence. The grapevine of Voyager was once again hardly tested with numerous wild "truths". But the most believable story was the one, about Tom catching some alien virus from the Salvorian woman, with which he had a warm relationship. Of course, B´Elanna wasn´t at all that enthusiastic about this gossip, but she knew better than trying to stop it. Besides, if someone thinks, that Tom is in quarantine, it´s better - he didn´t really like visitors in sickbay, except of course B´Elanna, Harry and the Captain.
"Kathryn...?" asked Chakotay, using captain´s first name rather then rank. She smiled and pointed to the replicator.
"Want some cofee or rather tea?"
"No, thanks,"
"We have a problem, Chakotay," sighed Kathryn Janeway as the door behind him closed.
"When he wakes up, inform me," the low voice resoned through sickbay.
"I´m awake, Tuvok," muttered Tom, acknowledging his presence.
"Not that I´m very fond of it, commander," intervened the Doctor grimmly.
"I believe, that it will not take much time, Doctor. Perhaps, if you leave us alone, it will go faster." The EMH loured at the half Vulcan, but let them be, when Samantha Wildman slipped some instruments. Tom grasped his head as the low noise provoked his headache and through his lips slipped some curses. Tuvok raised one eyebrow and without comment shifted nearer to him.
"Perhaps you indeed need doctor´s assistance?"
"God, no," protested Tom strongly. "He´s fussing around me all day. It´s really annoying, especially if he can´t help. But you wanted to talk about something..." Tuvok nodded and came closer.
"I need to hear your testimony about the poisoning of the Salvorian woman."
"It´s not much," sighed Tom, but repeated the story. Tuvok listened, then wanted to hear some details.
"What was he wearing?"
"Dark coat with cowl. It was weird... like from these old holovids about fantoms."
"Can you recount something specific? Was he tall, small, thin or hunched?"
Tom´s brows furrowed, as he tried to remember. His forehead was covered in slight sheet of perspiration and his eyes was bright from fever. He was unconsciously pulling at the blanket, as if trying to take it off. Tuvok patiently waited for the answers, but he was considering to return later. Just as he was ready to suggest it, Tom responded.
"I don´t think, that he was small. A little taller than Doc. He walked straight and dynamic. He wasn´t old, but not a child. Oh... that´s about everyone on the ship," he exclaimed, a little dissapointed. "Sorry, Tuvok. I wasn´t up very long and it was rather dark here."
"It´s good, that you noticed him at all, Mr. Paris," assured him the half Vulcan.
"I should have stopped him,"
"I don´t think, that would be wise, Lieutenant. It could´ve ended fatally, for you. I think, that it´s all for now."
"Tuvok... uh, commander," corrected himself Tom a little nervous.
"You want something to add?"
"No... uhm. I´d like to ask... what will you do?"
"Investigate, of course. "
"I thought... what if he comes back?"
"Are you afraid about your safety?"
"No, of course not!" answered a little offended Tom. "I´m not afraid! But what if that man find out, that Shril B´glar is not going to die? He will come back, surely. And I probably wouldn´t be able to stop him."
"The questions of security are my responsibility, Mr. Paris. I can assure you, that Shril B´glar and you too, will be safe. "
"Cool," answered Tom wearily and almost laughed, as Tuvok´s face changed to one of confusion.
"Are you cold?"
"Nah, just fine," Tom assured him quickly.
"I hope, you will recover in short time," wished him Tuvok, bowed and left. Tom looked at the ceiling, not really seeing it, and thought about the Salvorians. Was it really one of them, or in the worse case, someone from Voyager? He knew, that there was some traitors in the past, for example Seska, but they all lived in the promise of a better society. Maquis and Starfleet in one ship - what could be more promising for the future?
He didn´t really listen to the sounds, as Doc was still pestering Sam Wildman for her clumsiness. Tom just tried to rest, lock out the headache, forget the nausea he was still time to time feeling and get rid of the heat, that was encircling him. He just wanted to sleep and let himself fly in the cold sky. But he couldn´t. His body didn´t want him to be comfortable, as if trying to punish him. God, he will really think over the next away mission. If there will be next, sounded the little voice in his head. Tom didn´t notice the change in voices around him. Like trapped he felt himself sit up, than stand. Sam Wildman looked away from the annoying hologram just in time to see her patient go to the bathroom.
Curious, she went after him. The doctor angrily looked at her retreating back, then noticed the empty biobed.
"Tom?" asked Samantha and knocked on the door. "Are you all right?"
No answer. The Doctor stood next her.
"Where´s Mr. Paris?"
"Inside."
"Tom?" called Wildman second time. Nothing.
"I hear water," stated the hologram, then opened the door.
"Now, Mr. Paris!"
Tom was sitting under the shower, water flowing right at him. His head leaning to the wall for support, hands clutching his knees. He seemed delirious, and didn´t notice the doctor´s arrival. Samantha looked in and gasped in surprise. Seeing Tom Paris under a shower was one thing, seeing him dressed, was another. Wildman´s voice pulled Doc out of amazement, and he rushed to the shower, not caring for the water, which was really cold. He turned off the shower and knelt next to Tom, who just started to shiver.
"Miss Wildman... could you bring some dry clothes, please?"
"Y-yes, doctor," she stammered, but didn´t move.
"So go!" directed the hologram and turned to Tom.
"What was you thinking?" he asked, not really expecting an answer. First thing was to undress him, then Doc wrapped Tom up in the smooth towels. Waiting for the return of Sam Wildman, Doc used the time to talking.
"I´m trying to help you, and what you do? Run to the cold water. Now you´re freezing and I´m wet, which isn´t very good for my holoemitter, I suppose," rambled the EMH as Tom trembled violently.
"D-d-doc...?" he asked after a while, slightly disoriented. Now, Tom knew, that he was hot, but didn´t remember a walk to the shower. He could´ve laughed, seeing someone else in this position, but being naked and shivering in the bath with Doc, wasn´t funny at all. It was a hell of a nightmare.
"Mr. Paris. Next time, when you go to take a cold shower, make sure, that you aren´t dressed," responded the hologram, glad, that Tom is conscious.
"C-col-d."
"I suppose that was your intention."
"W-ha-t the he-ll hap-pe-ened?" stuttered Tom, teeth chattering.
"You took a walk."
"I-I´m w-w-wet," he croacked.
"Yes, that´s the usual result of shower," sighed the EMH. Knock on the door, then Samantha Wildman´s head appeared in the bathroom.
"Here are the clothes," she muttered, looking at Tom, whose face was now pink from shame.
"You took your time," snarled the doctor, taking the clothes. Samantha quickly left, not wanting to provoke the grumpy hologram more then necessary.
Tom moaned, when the Doc tried to dry him. He wanted to dress himself, but couldn´t even stand up properly. He hated this. Be sick is one thing, do stupid excesses other. How he could manage both in one day was a mystery.
"I hope, that you don´t get a pneumonia," muttered Doc as he led Tom back to sickbay.
"I h-hope t-that too," stammered Tom as he lay down and began to uncontrollably shiver. "Can´t g-get m-more of t-t-this." He sneezed. The Doctor shook his head and went for a tricoder, while Sam Wildman was controlling the Salvorian woman in the private room, which they choosed after discovering the poison.
"Now, it wasn´t so bad," muttered the Doc. "Your temperature is down by two degrees... it will come back, though."
"Y-you can´t be an op-timist, Doc," Tom glared at him and prayed for god, that he would just fall asleep. Even if it wasn´t Him, the Doc decided, that it was enough commotion to one day and put to his neck a hypospray.
"Here, drink this," the steaming glass of red liquid was put in his hands. He greeted the heat emanating from it, but the shivers running through his body made it almost impossible to hold the cup. The Doc helped him drink it, then covered Tom with double blankets and dimmed the light above his biobed to twenty percent. Tom could only welcome the darkness, which engrossed him, giving his body a much needed sleep.
Well, what do you say? Please review - I need to know! You can also mail me - Second part is coming...
Rating: PG, PG-13 (don´t know, maybe few bad words)
Category: angst, hurt/comfort, maybe little T/P, but I´m not really a romantic. Definitelly a Paris story, though.
Spoilers: Nothing specific - just after Seska, there´s no Kes either. I´d seen just the last two or three series, and the info´s have from transcripts, FF, etc. Summary: Tom catch some nasty virus. Voyager meet Salvorians. After one of the aliens is injured in an "accident", and is beemed to Voyager´s sickbay, where Tom is just recuperating, something happens. What can I say... hm... Tom whumping. It seem´s, that the alien´s have some secrets and our favorite helmsman is going to find out the hard way.
Disclaimer: They are the property of Paramount Pictures. I´m returning all characters to them unharmed (at least, not permanently)
Archive: Anywhere, if you want. Just leave my name, e-mail and homepage on it. Feedback: Greatly appreciated. (Hey, if not for feedback, why posting it? Surely, write)
Author´s Notes : Sorry for the delay, but I just must inform you about some facts. I´m from Slovakia, that´s a little country in the Middle Europe (we´re in EU now!!!). I don´t talk very good English (if I ever talk), but writing is something else (hey, I´m learning this language from fanfic´s and other "classic" literature). I know that there´s much gramatical and other mistakes, please, tell me, and I will correct them. The story could be perhaps better, if writed in Slovak, but I wanted something in English, just to try. This is my first Voyager, so if the characters are a little off, sorry. Now, you are free to read /grin/ And pleeeease.... send me some mails. I´m waiting.
Star Trek: Voyager The Not So Good Guest "by Nicol Leoraine"
It was a first encounter. The Salvorians seemed like a harmless beings. They came from the other side of the Delta Quadrant, not known by the humans on the starship named Voyager. The tall, white haired humanoids, with big black eyes and crystal blue skin, were a contrast to the humans, and some other races on the ship. Even a colorful Talaxian Neelix looked a little astonished in the shadow of the entrancing Salvorans.
"Captain, the ship´s responding," Harry Kim announced.
"Put them on the screen, ensign," ordered captain Kathryn Janeway and stood from her chair. On the screen appeared a blue face of the Salvorian emissar K´lau, frowning at the man next to him.
"Captain Janeway, it´s my pleasure to see you again. I´m most sorry, that it can´t be accomplished at better reason. But, I must ask for your help."
"How can we assist you, emissar K´lau?" asked Janeway and looked deeper into the black eyes of the alien, which seemed to penetrate through the screen.
The Salvorian gave a sound, that even a universal translator couldn´t quite translate. Must be something to our huh or uhm, thought Harry Kim and expertly hided his smile, looking at the console.
"My... assistent, Shril B´glar, was a victim of bad accident. She need a professional care, which we can´t provide. Our doctor was killed a few days ago in the same accident. We have to return to our mothership, as we are just a scientist, but Shril B´glar would not survive that journey. If we could ask you..."
"Of course, emissar," the captain interrupted, seeing, that the men wouldn´t stop by himself. "Our sickbay is capable to treat your assitent. Will you land with your ship on Voyager?"
"Oh, that´s very thoughtful, captain, but I must say no," the emissar smiled, as if the captain had just invited him to a party, where he can be a guest of honour. Even Tuvok raised his head from a console and frowned.
"My crew must immediately return to our mothership, where we can inform the board. It will be better, if you could transport Shril B´glar to your ship, with two of my subordinates."
"I see, that you are in hurry, emissar. We will proceed immediately. If you can inform me about the accident... perhaps it can help our doctor with treatment?"
"My subordinates will inform you about everything, captain Janeway. I assure you, that we will return as soon, as it´s possible. How long will you stay in this quadrant?"
"About five days. We should refill our supplies on the orbit of Jurlik VI. Then we will proceed to Freyan territory."
"Ah, that´s good. If we can´t do it in time, you can leave my men on Freya III." The screen changed and the Voyager´s crew now looked at the black space, full of stars, and the surface of nameless planet with three moons. The Salvorian ship was just a small stain on the background of stars.
"Lieutenant Paris, take us to transporters range," captain directed her order to the pilot, who quietly and somehow unattached watched the helm´s console. The captain frowned, then loudly repeated the command.
"Lieutenant!" her strong voice efficiently cut through the grey haze in Tom´s head, and his body jerked.
"Captain..." he acknowledged her, then with a dim recollection did as he was told. Harry Kim shot him a worried look, similar to the one coming from the captain. Tom, however didn´t look up from the controls and navigated the ship toward the waiting Salvorians.
"Captain to sickbay," said Janeway with one hand on her commbadge, still frowning at her absent minded pilot.
"Prepare for a transport of an injured Salvorian."
"How serious it is?" asked the doctor.
"Don´t know. Probably serious."
"Captain, we are in range," called Paris.
"The Salvorians are sending us informations about our guests," stated Harry Kim.
"Send them to a transporter room."
"Aye, captain."
"Transporter room - lock on these signs and beam them to sickbay," ordered captain.
"They´re on board," reported Vorik.
"Captain to sickbay... doctor, how´s she doing?"
"If you just give me few minutes to do a diagnose, captain?"
"Oh... sure,"
"For that matter... I have here two Salvorians, who are just as impatient. They want to talk with someone..."
"Tell them, I´m on my way." At this time, the image on the screen changed and they could again see the inside of the Salvorian ship and the blue, somehow purplish face of emissar K´lau.
"I´m grateful for your help, captain Janeway," he began before she could even talk.
"It´s very kind of you," continued the alien. "Now we must hurry, but I will see forward to our next encounter. I hope, that our races will become a valuable allies. Be the Kra´nah with you and your crew, captain." The screen went black, only the stars borrowed some light to it. The small stain disappeared before anyone could respond, leaving behind three members of it´s crew.
"Commander, the bridge is your," Captain turned to Chakotay, who nodded and took her place in the chair. Janeway once again looked at Tom.
"Lieutenant, bring us to Jurlik VI.," ordered Chakotay. With a slight nod, Paris hands tapped the commands on the console and the ship headed for its course.
Captain Janeway headed to the turbolift, thinking about the quick depart of Salvorians. It was just two weeks, from their first encounter. She remembered, how shocked seemed the emissar, when she first contacted him. Although he was a scientist, he just hardly accepted the fact, that outside of the Delta quadrant, there is another civilization, let alone hundreds of them. K´lau talked with them about his race - the proud, but lonely beings, witch was condemned to a life in space. Some of them had colonized planets, but soon they discovered, that life in space is easier. The plants that served as they food, needed to grow in gravitationless state, and although that could be accomplished in special chambers, they was rather in the space. Maybe it was something from their past - memoirs from times, when they were regularly attacked by other races, or exposed to nature´s elements. Take care about a spaceship was for them easier, then see after their own world. Maybe it was better this way.
"Hey, Tom, wait for me," Harry called out and ran for the turbolift. The doors was about to close, when his hand slipped in, followed by the rest of his body. Harry triumfally smiled, then looked at the man next to him. Tom was pale and even Harry could tell, that he is sick. Little drops of sweet was covering his forehead, running down through his face, leaving just salt tracks. His eyes was clouded and Harry thought, that Tom must concentrate just to look at him properly.
"Christ, Tom, why didn´t you say anything?" he grabbed his arm and told the computer to change a destination.
"Hey, Har... what you talking about?" Tom tried to sound normal, but he has trouble breathing. Leaning on the wall, he was grateful for every breath.
"Sometimes you´re really stupid, Tom!" exclaimed Harry, angry, that his friend couldn´t take care of himself. If it was someone else, Tom would´ve long ago send him to sickbay, not wait several hours, till his shift ends.
"Lanna thinks that too... you talked with her?" Tom´s speech was somehow slouched, and Harry didn´t like the childlish tone of it. As if he was in delirium... touching his face, Harry cursed to himself.
"Buddy, why didn´t you say, that you´re ill?"
"I´m not," denied Tom and grinned.
"Don´t tell me, that you´re feeling fine," resisted Harry.
"Silly... everything´s flying. You know, Har... one of you is just enough," Tom smiled, then closed his eyes, when a bout of vertigo hit him. He staggered and Harry had to hold him, otherwise he would fall.
"That´s it. You definitely need to see our Doc."
"Gee, he will be pissed..." muttered Tom.
"Nah, I´m sure, that he will be glad. You know, he really enjoys your company," joked Harry.
"Yeah?" Tom seemed surprised and Harry was glad, when the turbolift stopped and they could get out. Tom was rather cute, when in this naive state, but Harry couldn´t enjoy it properly, knowing, that Tom must be really bad, to act like this.
At the time the duo get to sickbay, Tom´s face gained a slightly green shade. Harry was relieved to see the door open and to hear the EMH´s old speech:
"State the nature of... Ah, I see," the bald man looked at Tom, who was just fighting a wave of dizzines and trying to supress the urge to vomit. Harry, who now held almost full weight of his friend, stumpled and muttered a curse.
"Doc," he called and tried to maneuvre Tom to the biobed. The hologram rushed towards him, helping him to settle the patient. When they effort was sufficient, Harry let out a breath and looked around. He waited to see three Salvorians in the area, but instead there was just one. The woman´s skin was grey, and although Harry didn´t see many Salvorians, he knew, that the colour´s wrong. Shril B´glar rested on the biobed not so far from Tom, and looked vulnerable, like anyone in sickbay. Her left eye was covered with white bandage and her body was wrapped in the cooling blanket. Harry didn´t see her move, let alone take a breath. She looked dead.
"Mr. Kim... if you could hand me that basin, please?" Harry snapped out from his thoughts, and did as he was asked, just in time. Tom grabbed the basin, turned to the other side of bed, and let go of Neelix latest culinary experiment. Harry grinned and looked at the hologram.
"What´s with him, Doc?"
"He´s ill," stated the EMH.
"Geez, like I didn´t know," muttered Harry.
"So if you knew this, why, in the spirits, didn´t you bring him sooner?" reproachfully asked the doctor. Harry blushed and instead of answering, offered Tom a towel. Tom gratefully accepted it, and after cleaning his face, closed his eyes and lay down, suddenly too tired to care, where he is.
"Mr. Paris," spoke the EMH. "I will not reprimerand you for your lack of judgment within health care, but the only reason for it, is your obvious discomfort. As my medical assistent..."
"Doc, I´m not feeling so well, so if you just cut to the point, please," whispered Tom and shivered. Doctor frowned, then waved the tricorder over his patient and frowned more.
"So I will ask straight, how long are you feeling bad, Lieutenant?
"I didn´t sleep well. Have a headache..."
"Why didn´t you come here?" wondered the doc. Both Tom and Harry looked at him strangely, then Tom continued.
"It passed. I went to my shift. Then it was worse... some problems with concentration. Pretty hot too, and my head hurt."
"You should´ve-" the Doctor started to say.
"I know," interrupted him Tom. "But it get better," he assured him again. Doctor just snorted.
"So, if you was better, what brings you here?" asked the Doc tauntingly, ready to give his assistent a long lecture.
"It´s like a roller-coaster, Doc," breathed out Tom and massaged his temples, which started to throb. The doctor realized it and turned for some supplies. "It´s a come and go. Just every time it comes, it´s worse."
"Any other symptoms?"
"Nausea, hard breathing, sweating and a killing headache isn´t enough? Oh, I forgot the chills and cramping muscles." His voice sounded controlled, as if he tried to hide the pain. Harry cringed in sympathy as his friend winced and shivered. The EMH returned to biobed and Tom felt the familiar hiss of hypospray, followed by a relieving dumbness.
"That was for the pain, and this is compazine, against the nausea. You should rest now."
"Thanks, Doc," muttered Tom, but fought the weakness. "What´s wrong with me?"
"I´m not sure," admitted the hologram, but quickly added, "I´ll need to run some tests. It seems like virus... What was your last away mission?"
"On Pharbos II."
"That was..."
"Three weeks ago."
"Hm. Yes, I remember your post mission checkup. There was nothing wrong..."
"You think, that he caught something on Pharbos?" Harry paled a little. He was on that mission too. An uninhabited planet, with some traces of long lost civilization. They landed in the jungle, but how could Tom get ill? They didn´t drank nor eat anything from the planet, but maybe it was in the air or in the catacombs, which they discovered?
"It´s possible," admitted the EMH. "I will know more after the tests, though."
"Can it be... contagious?" Harry couldn´t stop himself, even if Tom might think, that he is coward. But Tom didn´t seem to notice, giving all of his strength, just to stay awake.
"I don´t know yet, Mr. Kim," the doctor´s tone was harsh. "Probably not. But I plan to call here the others from this away team and check them, when I will know, what to look for. Till then, you can return to your quarters or stay here. But I don´t want you to disturb my patients." After this thoughtful words, the EMH´s program knocked in. "Are you feeling ill?" asked the hologram scowling, as if daring him to say yes.
"No, I´m fine. I think... perhaps I will come back later, Doc."
"That would be wise."
"Uh... how´s doing the Salvorian woman?" Harry asked and Tom opened his eyes, for a moment surprised, because he didn´t see any woman. On the other side, he wasn´t feeling, like looking after woman, so it was understandable. Now he caught Harry´s eyes, and looked to the left. If it wasn´t for the blue colour, Tom would´ve said, that she´s pretty, maybe even attractive. Sure, he wouldn´t say that before B´Elanna, he liked to live a little longer. Tom grinned at the thought of B´Elanna chasing him throught the ship, then scowled, when a shiver run through him. He hated to be here, but he have not enough strength to even complain, so Tom just shut his eyes and drifted to sleep.
"Shril B´glar will be all right in few days," responded Doc to Harry´s question.
"What happened to her?"
"If it would concern you, I can assure you, Ensign, that the Captain will inform you. Till then..."
"Oh... So, Tom..." Harry turned to his friend, but seeing him asleep, backed away.
"I´ll be back later, buddy," he tapped Tom´s right foot, gently, as to not disturb him, then turned and walked from the sickbay. The EMH returned to his patient. From the biobed retrieved the cooling blanket and covered with it Tom. Then he took few blood samples and walked with them to a laboratory. He will call the captain, when he will know, what´s they dealing with.
Captain quickly paced through the corridors to sickbay. Just a few hours before, she was talking with doctor, and he assured her, that the Salvorian woman will recover. Now he wanted to talk with her, and she was afraid, that the Salvorian get turn to a worse. It would be a diplomatical nightmare, if the alien die, not talking about her own conscience and her vow, that they can take care of her. She hoped, that the hologram wants to talk about something else, maybe even complain about the lack of assistents.
When she came to sickbay the first time this day, she was surrounded by two worried Salvorians while the Doc was doing some repairing surgery, so she couldn´t even talk to him.
The Salvorians introduced themselves as Parc´r and L´shtar. Both of them showed a great concern for Shril B´glar, but only L´shtar was competent to tell her, what happened. Not wanting to discuss the matter in the sickbay, they entered the Doctor´s office. Parc´r silently sit in one of the chairs, while L´shtar paced the room and nervously thanked Janeway for they help.
"I believe, that our doctor can help her," she told them, trying to sound serene. Parc´r nodded, but L´shtars face was a mask of worry. It seemed, that he was pretty close to that woman.
"K´lau told me, that you can tell us, what happened. I will be gratefull, if you straighten out this "accident". "
"Can´t your doctor tell us, if she will live?"
"He´s doing, what he can, I assure you L´shtar. I don´t want to interrupt him, while he is operating,"
"Yes, that is natural," said Parc´r calmly and L´shtar stopped his pacing, as if struck by boltning. One look at the pair and Janeway knew, who is the assistent, and who just a stoodge. L´shtar was here to reveal some facts, but Parc´r will observe every move, they take.
"Shril B´glar is the assistent of emissar K´lau, but she also works in laboratory. She, one technician and a doctor was working with some unstable material. We don´t know exactly what happened... perhaps the technician did something wrong, or the material was defective. We don´t know. There was an explosion, in which both, the doctor and the technician was killed. Shril B´glar survived just with luck - she was at the moment behind the doors. We did everything to save her, but our ship was partly damaged and we needed to return to our mothership with report about our encounter with you. We knew, that she couldn´t survive this long journey, so K´lau contacted you. I hope, it wasn´t a mistake," refered L´shtar somehow reluctantly.
"Shril B´glar may know, what happened... that´s why we are here. We need to talk with her, as soon, as she wake up. She was too confused and in pain on the ship, so we couldn´t hear out her statement."
"And it will take a moment, before you can," said another voice from the door. The Captain sighed in relief, hearing the doctor´s voice.
"How is she, Doctor?"
"Stable. I did a repairing surgery, as her eyes were quite damaged. She is fighting an infection, and have a fever. If you can inform me about some oddments in her treatment up till now, I will be grateful."
"When can we talk with her?"
"Tomorrow, maybe. As soon as her fever break down. She´s sleeping now. I´m quite sure, that she will make a full recovery."
"If she wake up...?"
"She´s under sedation. Give her 24 hours to rest."
L´shtar wanted to say something, but Parc´r shook his head.
"Where can we wait till then, captain?" asked instead of him Parc´r.
"I´ll take you to your quarters, or, if you´re hungry, to the messhall. I hope that you will have comfort on this ship." She showed them their ubications, then departed to take a quick lunch in the messhall herself. After a brief talk with Seven, she returned to the bridge to relieve Chakotay.
It was almost 16 00, when the Doctor called her.
She now walked throught the sickbay door and looked at the biobed. The Salvorian woman lay here, silent and unmoving, but clearly well enough to be left alone. Besides her, the sickbay was empty. Or, almost empty, thought Janeway, when she heard something from the bathroom. Soon from here emerged the doctor, something muttering.
"You could have used the bowl, Mr. Paris. No need for the rush... I don´t want to clean half the sickbay, if you couldn´t make it in time," taunted the hologram towards the bathroom.
"... just a little privacy," groaned Tom and wearily walked out, one hand clutching at his stomach, the other leaning against the wall for support. The doctor scowled at him, then helped to the nearest biobed.
"Here, it will be a better place, if you want to run every time your stomach takes a turn."
"You´re all heart, Doc," grumbled Tom and lie down.
"Ehm," the sound startled them both. "Oh, Captain," chirmed the hologram and played with controls of the biobed.
"Captain," Tom tried to smile, but insted moaned, as his head started the rock and roll. The Doc promptly injected him with some medication and sighed at the readings.
"I´ll have to insist, that you stay in the bed, Lieutenant. No more running." He received another moan. "If you want privacy, don´t get ill. It´s simple. Next time try some spray."
"Oh, I assure you, Doc, that I will. Next time, first kill all the insects, and just then go explore," answered rather sarcastically Tom and grinned at the captain.
"Doctor?" asked Janeway a little amused. "Can we talk?" with raised eyebrows, the doctor looked at his patients, then nodded.
"You, don´t move," he ordered Tom, who just gave a small laugh. Covering himself in blankets, he turned them his back and cringed. The Captain threw him a worried look, but headed for the doctor´s office. Once here, she couldn´t longer supress her worry.
"Doctor, want to tell me, what´s going on with my pilot?" The hologram was taken aback by the sharp tone of her voice.
"My tests aren´t done, yet," the captain looked at him sternly, "but it seems like Lieutenant Paris was bitten by some insect."
"On Voyager?" exclaimed the surprised captain.
"No, of course not on Voyager. By my guess, it was at Pharbos II. Ensign Kim confirmed my suspicions, with the statement about a jungle. Ideal place for viruses,"
"It´s contagious?"
"No. It is transmitted only with blood, so if we don´t do a big vampire party, it will not be a hazard," the hologram tried to joke, but it wasn´t the right time.
"Pharbos II. It´s three weeks," the captain shook her head. "What the other members of the away team?"
"I will check them out. But it´s unlikely that there will be other casualties."
"What about Tom? How serious is this... illness?"
"This "virus" is similar to malaria, if you know that termin."
"It was transmitted by mosquitos, I know. But that was on earth, and at the end of 21. century there wasn´t any casualties, as I know."
"It was mostly thanks to urbanization and some good prophylactic medicine. Then the genetic engineering changed the gens of mosquitos, so they couldn´t transmit the virus. I found in the Lieutenant´s blood a protozoas similar to malaria, but it´s not the same."
"Can´t you treat him with the drugs used on Earth?"
"I can and I will, but they wouldn´t change much, as the structure of this virus, is specific. I don´t know, how it will react in Mr. Paris, but I should be able to predict it."
"But you can cure it, right?"
The EMH get his time, before answering.
"I hope so. I will start the treatment as soon as the computer finish the test. Besides that, I could provide only supportive care and hope, that his organism will fight it."
"What will be the symptoms?"
"Not worse than now, I suppose. If the fever don´t breake, there could be seizures or in worse case haemorrhaging, but I will monitor him, so it´s unlikely to happen." The Doctor talked with his casual calm, but the Captain saw the frown of his eyes, and that worried her.
"Inform me, if anything happens,"
"Yes Captain. But I wanted to talk with you about something else..."
"What?"
"That Salvorian woman..."
"Just don´t tell me, that she is worse," pleaded the Captain.
"No, she is recovering quickly, as I said."
"So what´s troubling you, Doctor?"
"She..." the hologram stopped, picking the right words, but not finding them, continued, "...talked. A little."
"I thought, she is sedated," wondered the Captain.
"Yeah, she is. Maybe the Salvorians often talk in sleep."
"And...?"
"Something about that accident didn´t seem right, Captain. She kept telling something about a bomb... and there´s something strange. Her injuries was caused by a blast wave from explosion, I found in her eye a piece of plast, that was used as a window or a door. She was at the other side of the doors, when it exploded."
"They told us so, Doctor. They´re assuming, that she walked out of the laboratory, just us it exploded."
"No. She was facing the explosion - her back wasn´t exposed to the heat, just bruised from the impact with floor or wall. But her hands were damaged in both ways."
"What are you trying to say?"
"She broke two bones in her right hand. There was also some bruising and cuts, but that´s not important. I want to say, that this woman knocked really hard on the door. Maybe even tried to open them with force."
The Captain thought about what he said. She thought really hard, her brow furrowed and the fingers nervously tapped on the desk. Finally she looked up and sighed.
"I want something from you, Doctor,"
"Captain?" the EMH asked tentatively.
"When the Salvorians ask you about Shril B´glar, tell them, that she´s resting. Don´t allow them to talk with her, before I´d the chance. Do you understand?"
"Of course, captain. You want to talk with her first."
"Yes. When she wakes up, call me."
"Indeed. Captain, don´t you think, that it´s a little exaggerating? I mean... Salvorians are our guests, but nothing more. We can´t intervene, if they don´t ask."
"I know it, Doctor. But as long as they´re on my ship, they are my responsibility."
The Captain walked out of the office. Seeing, that Tom and the Salvorian woman are both asleep, she continued on her way.
The night was long, too long for Tom. The drugs which the Doc gave him, wasn´t really working, besides the one for headache. He couldn´t feel the throbbing in his temples anymore, and was really grateful for this little comfort. But it passed, as another turn of his stomach reminded him, that he will never be able to eat something. The Doc was trying soup, but it only served as something to heat up his stomach, stayed few minutes then said goodbye and went away the same road, that it came.
Tom was feeling miserable, and the Doc didn´t help with his own vain therapy. In the middle of the night, Tom sweared to himself, that he wouldn´t step on the planet other then in azbest uniform or wrapped in a cloud of antirepellents. It wasn´t a fun - last few hours he tried to sleep, but the nausea and urge to vomit didn´t let him. He felt tired and lousy. The Doc was in the lab, trying to find something useful, while Tom was on his side, watching the Salvorian woman, as he didn´t have nothing else to do. Sleep wasn´t an option,
Shril B´glar was indeed pretty, even with the white bandage covering her eyes. Tom asked the Doc, how she´s doing and what happened to her. The Doc, maybe glad to revert his patient´s mind to something else, said him the same things as the Captain, then, somehow surprised by his own verocity, besoughted Tom to keep it for himself. Tom wasn´t so out of it, that he would tell somebody - he respected Captain Janeway too much. Not that there wouldn´t be people, who want to hear.
B´Elanna rushed to the sickbay just as the Doc disappeared inside the lab, and Tom sheepishly smiled at her, when she embraced him in a strong hug.
"Tom, how are you? When can you get out? What happened?" she asked it all in one rush and Tom leaned deeper into bed, trying to supress another sinking feeling.
"Fine, don´t know, and a bastard insect," was his answers. B´Elanna looked him over sceptically.
"How´s that I don´t believe you?"
"Huh?"
"You look like shit, Paris. Worse then it, perhaps. What´s that goddamned hologram doing?"
"Perhaps, I´m trying to treat him, Lieutenant Torres," came a harsh reply from behind. Tom choke down his smile, as it could be lethal in the presence of this pair, and rather awkwardly coughed. Now, both of them was looking at him, and he felt the hint of anger emerging to the surface. He didn´t like to be the object of attention, not like this. And what´s about some cough? They´re looking at him, as if he was dying, or something. Shit. He felt right that, but he will not admit it to anyone.
"What?!" he barked roughly, and seeing, that their frown just deepened, moaned and closed his eyes, resigned to the world.
"Tom?" B´Elanna asked sheepishly, which by himself was really scary, and the Doc was fussing over some controls.
"I´m okay, ´Lanna. Just tired. You know, Neelix´s food isn´t the best for cranky stomach,"
"Neelix? Harry talked about Pharbos II," B´Elanna was confused.
"It was a joke, Lanna. Let him live, please,"
"You...!" B´Elanna was about to say something, when the Doc cleared his throat.
"What?" she grumpled and Tom felt like flying. It was scary, because he didn´t feel like that in years, from the time, when he was five and firstly put his hands on the controls. Tom sharply opened his eyes, afraid, that he will be somewhere else. But he was greated by the silence of sickbay. Looking around, Tom realized, that he dozed off, because B´Elanna was nowhere to see. It must be morning, thought Tom, when the sickbay doors opened and one man, wrapped in a dark suit, mantled from head to toe walked in. The EMH didn´t appear, when the doors opened, so Tom assumed, that the Doc is still in lab or his office.
The incomer was acting really strange, though. He looked around, as if making sure, that no one is around. His sight one minute laid on Tom, but he was in the shadow, so the man couldn´t see his open eyes. Tom didn´t move a muscle, trying to look asleep. When the stranger was sure, he went straight to the bed of the Salvorian woman.
Tom´s stomach lurched, as he saw the hypospray in the strangers hand. He wanted to cry out, call the Doc or just to warn the man about his presence, but his vision flickered and once again he felt like flying, just this time, he was flying from one man wrapped in dark coat.
"I don´t know, Captain," it was Doctor. Tom wanted to talk, say something, but he could just listen to anxious words of the EMH.
"You said, she is doing fine. What could´ve get wrong?" Captain! Tom now struggled to came out of the mist, that was surrounding him, making him feel nauseous. His stomach lurched and he moaned.
"Mr. Paris," Now, it was Doc. Right, I must say something. Just ged rid of that sinking feeling, praied Tom and opened his eyes, looking into the brown one of the captain´s.
"Christ," he moaned and gripped the bowl from Doc just in time. Not the best way to impress your Captain, but Hey, they´re here and ready to listen. Now just be able to talk sensible, and it will be okay.
"I assume, that your nausea is back," observed the Doctor.
"Ya think?" sarcastically answered Tom, then a little ashamed looked at the captain.
"Sorry, Captain,"
"No need to be, Tom," smiled the captain, then frowned a little. Tom didn´t look good, his face was covered in sweat, brows furrowed, as if in pain and from time to time ran through his body a shiver, which he didn´t even seem to notice. The Doctor told her, that the medication didn´t seem to work and that he´s going to try something new.
"W-what´s this?" asked Tom, as the hologram was ready to administer another hypospray.
"It will stop the nausea, Mr. Paris,"
"No! I don´t want it!" he protested and shook his head, which didn´t help.
"Tom, the doctor knew, what to do," assured him the captain.
"No. Don´t want it," repeated Tom. "Makes me dizzy and dumb,"
"That´s the point, Mr. Paris," the EMH was becoming frustrated.
"Just wait, Doc," pleaded Tom. "Must say something," his speech was sluggish and he heard himself panicking. They will never believe him, if he looks delirious...
"Cap-captain," he stuttered, as it became harder to breath properly.
"What, Tom?" asked Janeway and leaned closer to him.
"Someone... was here," he gritted his teeth in frustration at his own condition, but continued.
"Man... in dark coat."
"When?" asked the Captain, suddenly serious.
"Don´t know... when B´Elanna... I... it was mid moorning, I think. B´Elanna wasn´t here, even the Doc."
"What did this man?"
"First just looked... to be sure... that he´s alone... I pretended sleep... then he came to the woman..."
"Shril B´glar?"
"Yes. He... he had a hypospray..."
"Why didn´t you call me?" asked the Doctor. Tom looked at him, suddenly furious with the whole situation.
"As if I could, Doc... You drugged me with this shit... I blacked out. Can´t do much in this state, don´t you think? ... And where the hell was you?!" Tom was mad, but quickly he gasped for breath. The Doc gave him the hypospray and scowled at him.
"Now, Mr. Paris, this wasn´t necessary. You shouldn´t exaggerate yourself. As of where was I at the time..." The Doctor tried to respond, but he found hard to find an answer. "
"Doctor?" asked the Captain.
"Uh... I was deactivated," stated the surprised hologram.
"By whom?"
"There´s no record."
"When?"
"Between 04:30 and 04:35. Just five minutes."
"Long enough," muttered Tom sleepily and watched, as the Doc rushed to the next biobed. The captain stayed with him and tapped his hand assuringly.
"Tom... you are sure, that this man didn´t know about you watching?"
"Don´t think so, Captain. Otherwise, he could easily get rid of me, right then," whispered Tom and blinked.
"You´re tired, I´ll let you sleep," the Captain was ready to go, but Tom caught her hand.
"No, please. This man... I think it was a Salvorian."
"Why?" she couldn´t hide her interest.
"Mmm... who other? I... the Doc told me about that explosion..." The Captain sighed.
"I threatened him," The Captain smiled.
"Right. You threaten the hologram, even if you can hardly stand. It´s logical,"
Tom grinned.
"I told him, that B´Elanna will reprogram him, if I want. Maybe change his clothes..."
"She can do it?"
"Uhm, maybe. But that´s not the point," halted himself Tom and supressed a yawn.
"I wanted to tell," another yawn, "that explosion, could be sabotage. What if it was one of the Salvorians? Maybe they want to finish it."
"On Voyager? They could´ve do it easily on their ship," objected the captain.
"What if they couldn´t? K´lau could have send her here, to assure her safety, but what if one of the Salvorians is the killer?"
"I´ll charge Tuvok to investigate this, Tom. Don´t bother yourself now. And, please, if anyone will ask, you slept all night. Tuvok will want to talk with you, but don´t tell others. You understand?"
"Yes, Captain," answered Tom and blinked, to clear his vision. Didn´t help much, but he now saw just two captains instead of three like before.
"And go to sleep, that´s an order,"
"Yes, Madam," he muttered and obeyed the command.
The Captain turned to the Doc, who frantically pushed some buttons on the biobed.
"So, it will explain her deteriorating condition. Can you determine, what she´s been injected with?"
"It´s a slowly progressing poison, one, that I am not familiar with. If lieutenant Paris didn´t tell us about our night guest, I wouldn´t look for it."
"What´s this "poison" doing to her?"
"I can only guess, but as the substance is affecting the brain, in short time she will die."
"Can you stop it?"
"Maybe. Thankfully, it´s acting slowly, so as to not warn about it´s origin. That give us a time."
"Before Tom woke up, you said, that her fever spiked and that she had a seizure,"
"Yes, hopefully, there will not be any damage. Now, that I know what´s causing it..."
"Than you can work on the antidote," urged him the Captain, and the EMH grimly answered:
"Yes, one antidote for Mrs. Shril B´glar, one for Mr. Paris. It would be helpful, if you could clone me, Captain. Perhaps you are not aware of, that Mr. Paris was my medical assistent, but I am. If Kes could be here..."
"She isn´t, Doctor. But you could have a point," The hologram snorted.
"I think, that Samantha Wildman can help you."
"She is not qualified..."
"Nobody on this ship is qualified, Doctor, so you would work with somebody, who at least know, what the tricoder is." Ending the conversation, Captain Janeway walked out from sickbay.
"Commander Tuvok, I need to speak with you," she said on the bridge and pointed to her office. Tuvok nodded, conveyed his post to a young Ensign and went after the captain. Chakotay looked after him a little curious - he noticed, that the captain is under some pressure. She said him about the EMH´s suspicions, and about Tom´s condition. Both things were disturbing and when the captain was called to sickbay this morning, he was afraid, that something got worse. Now he longed to be in her office instead of Tuvok. The half Vulcan soon emerged and quickly walked to the turbolift. He couldn´t take it anymore...
"Chakotay to Captain," he tapped his commbadge.
"Yes, commander?"
"Is everything all right, captain?" a short silence warned his senses.
"Will you come to my office, Chakotay?"
"On my way, captain." He registered the curious sights from the crew. It wasn´t everyday, that the captain wants to talk with security officer and her first officer in privacy. All of them heard something about the Salvorians, and they registered Tom´s absence. The grapevine of Voyager was once again hardly tested with numerous wild "truths". But the most believable story was the one, about Tom catching some alien virus from the Salvorian woman, with which he had a warm relationship. Of course, B´Elanna wasn´t at all that enthusiastic about this gossip, but she knew better than trying to stop it. Besides, if someone thinks, that Tom is in quarantine, it´s better - he didn´t really like visitors in sickbay, except of course B´Elanna, Harry and the Captain.
"Kathryn...?" asked Chakotay, using captain´s first name rather then rank. She smiled and pointed to the replicator.
"Want some cofee or rather tea?"
"No, thanks,"
"We have a problem, Chakotay," sighed Kathryn Janeway as the door behind him closed.
"When he wakes up, inform me," the low voice resoned through sickbay.
"I´m awake, Tuvok," muttered Tom, acknowledging his presence.
"Not that I´m very fond of it, commander," intervened the Doctor grimmly.
"I believe, that it will not take much time, Doctor. Perhaps, if you leave us alone, it will go faster." The EMH loured at the half Vulcan, but let them be, when Samantha Wildman slipped some instruments. Tom grasped his head as the low noise provoked his headache and through his lips slipped some curses. Tuvok raised one eyebrow and without comment shifted nearer to him.
"Perhaps you indeed need doctor´s assistance?"
"God, no," protested Tom strongly. "He´s fussing around me all day. It´s really annoying, especially if he can´t help. But you wanted to talk about something..." Tuvok nodded and came closer.
"I need to hear your testimony about the poisoning of the Salvorian woman."
"It´s not much," sighed Tom, but repeated the story. Tuvok listened, then wanted to hear some details.
"What was he wearing?"
"Dark coat with cowl. It was weird... like from these old holovids about fantoms."
"Can you recount something specific? Was he tall, small, thin or hunched?"
Tom´s brows furrowed, as he tried to remember. His forehead was covered in slight sheet of perspiration and his eyes was bright from fever. He was unconsciously pulling at the blanket, as if trying to take it off. Tuvok patiently waited for the answers, but he was considering to return later. Just as he was ready to suggest it, Tom responded.
"I don´t think, that he was small. A little taller than Doc. He walked straight and dynamic. He wasn´t old, but not a child. Oh... that´s about everyone on the ship," he exclaimed, a little dissapointed. "Sorry, Tuvok. I wasn´t up very long and it was rather dark here."
"It´s good, that you noticed him at all, Mr. Paris," assured him the half Vulcan.
"I should have stopped him,"
"I don´t think, that would be wise, Lieutenant. It could´ve ended fatally, for you. I think, that it´s all for now."
"Tuvok... uh, commander," corrected himself Tom a little nervous.
"You want something to add?"
"No... uhm. I´d like to ask... what will you do?"
"Investigate, of course. "
"I thought... what if he comes back?"
"Are you afraid about your safety?"
"No, of course not!" answered a little offended Tom. "I´m not afraid! But what if that man find out, that Shril B´glar is not going to die? He will come back, surely. And I probably wouldn´t be able to stop him."
"The questions of security are my responsibility, Mr. Paris. I can assure you, that Shril B´glar and you too, will be safe. "
"Cool," answered Tom wearily and almost laughed, as Tuvok´s face changed to one of confusion.
"Are you cold?"
"Nah, just fine," Tom assured him quickly.
"I hope, you will recover in short time," wished him Tuvok, bowed and left. Tom looked at the ceiling, not really seeing it, and thought about the Salvorians. Was it really one of them, or in the worse case, someone from Voyager? He knew, that there was some traitors in the past, for example Seska, but they all lived in the promise of a better society. Maquis and Starfleet in one ship - what could be more promising for the future?
He didn´t really listen to the sounds, as Doc was still pestering Sam Wildman for her clumsiness. Tom just tried to rest, lock out the headache, forget the nausea he was still time to time feeling and get rid of the heat, that was encircling him. He just wanted to sleep and let himself fly in the cold sky. But he couldn´t. His body didn´t want him to be comfortable, as if trying to punish him. God, he will really think over the next away mission. If there will be next, sounded the little voice in his head. Tom didn´t notice the change in voices around him. Like trapped he felt himself sit up, than stand. Sam Wildman looked away from the annoying hologram just in time to see her patient go to the bathroom.
Curious, she went after him. The doctor angrily looked at her retreating back, then noticed the empty biobed.
"Tom?" asked Samantha and knocked on the door. "Are you all right?"
No answer. The Doctor stood next her.
"Where´s Mr. Paris?"
"Inside."
"Tom?" called Wildman second time. Nothing.
"I hear water," stated the hologram, then opened the door.
"Now, Mr. Paris!"
Tom was sitting under the shower, water flowing right at him. His head leaning to the wall for support, hands clutching his knees. He seemed delirious, and didn´t notice the doctor´s arrival. Samantha looked in and gasped in surprise. Seeing Tom Paris under a shower was one thing, seeing him dressed, was another. Wildman´s voice pulled Doc out of amazement, and he rushed to the shower, not caring for the water, which was really cold. He turned off the shower and knelt next to Tom, who just started to shiver.
"Miss Wildman... could you bring some dry clothes, please?"
"Y-yes, doctor," she stammered, but didn´t move.
"So go!" directed the hologram and turned to Tom.
"What was you thinking?" he asked, not really expecting an answer. First thing was to undress him, then Doc wrapped Tom up in the smooth towels. Waiting for the return of Sam Wildman, Doc used the time to talking.
"I´m trying to help you, and what you do? Run to the cold water. Now you´re freezing and I´m wet, which isn´t very good for my holoemitter, I suppose," rambled the EMH as Tom trembled violently.
"D-d-doc...?" he asked after a while, slightly disoriented. Now, Tom knew, that he was hot, but didn´t remember a walk to the shower. He could´ve laughed, seeing someone else in this position, but being naked and shivering in the bath with Doc, wasn´t funny at all. It was a hell of a nightmare.
"Mr. Paris. Next time, when you go to take a cold shower, make sure, that you aren´t dressed," responded the hologram, glad, that Tom is conscious.
"C-col-d."
"I suppose that was your intention."
"W-ha-t the he-ll hap-pe-ened?" stuttered Tom, teeth chattering.
"You took a walk."
"I-I´m w-w-wet," he croacked.
"Yes, that´s the usual result of shower," sighed the EMH. Knock on the door, then Samantha Wildman´s head appeared in the bathroom.
"Here are the clothes," she muttered, looking at Tom, whose face was now pink from shame.
"You took your time," snarled the doctor, taking the clothes. Samantha quickly left, not wanting to provoke the grumpy hologram more then necessary.
Tom moaned, when the Doc tried to dry him. He wanted to dress himself, but couldn´t even stand up properly. He hated this. Be sick is one thing, do stupid excesses other. How he could manage both in one day was a mystery.
"I hope, that you don´t get a pneumonia," muttered Doc as he led Tom back to sickbay.
"I h-hope t-that too," stammered Tom as he lay down and began to uncontrollably shiver. "Can´t g-get m-more of t-t-this." He sneezed. The Doctor shook his head and went for a tricoder, while Sam Wildman was controlling the Salvorian woman in the private room, which they choosed after discovering the poison.
"Now, it wasn´t so bad," muttered the Doc. "Your temperature is down by two degrees... it will come back, though."
"Y-you can´t be an op-timist, Doc," Tom glared at him and prayed for god, that he would just fall asleep. Even if it wasn´t Him, the Doc decided, that it was enough commotion to one day and put to his neck a hypospray.
"Here, drink this," the steaming glass of red liquid was put in his hands. He greeted the heat emanating from it, but the shivers running through his body made it almost impossible to hold the cup. The Doc helped him drink it, then covered Tom with double blankets and dimmed the light above his biobed to twenty percent. Tom could only welcome the darkness, which engrossed him, giving his body a much needed sleep.
Well, what do you say? Please review - I need to know! You can also mail me - Second part is coming...