Disclaimer: I do not own Andromeda or its characters. I am also making
absolutely no money from this story.
************************************************************************
Chapter 9
Seamus Harper was in solitary confinement; a Nietzschean euphemism for being stuffed into a metal box. Harper the box was barely tall enough for Harper to sit down inside. The Earther to sit with his head tilted forward and knees pulled up to his chest. Harper knew this was psychological warfare on the part of Copernicus. The Nietzschean hoped that by keeping Harper alone the engineer would have time to worry about the next punishment.
Harper knew what kind of punishment to expect next. He had been through this before and knew how to survive. Harper was more worried about Paris. It would a given that the helmsman would be given more Flash. While the Flash hadn't kept Paris docile, it did keep the lieutenant off balance; which is precisely what Copernicus intended.
Paris put up a vain attempt at struggling against his Nietzschean guards as they walked him back to Medical for a second checkup. It took some doing to get the lieutenant calmed down but the doctor and her nurse were very adept at calming unruly patients.
The Nietzschean doctor gave Paris another cursory exam. The doctor was satisfied that the lieutenant had suffered no damage during the slave uprising. "So how is your leg wound feeling kludge?"
Paris looked down at his injured leg, suddenly remembering how it got that way. "I had forgotten about it actually. Whatever that painkiller was you gave me it sure did the trick."
"Then you aren't in much pain right now kludge?" the doctor asked.
Paris shrugged his shoulders. "Not much. So what's next?"
The doctor seemed satisfied and put her scanner down on a nearby tray. "You'll be sent to solitary confinement for your part in the uprising."
"What? I don't remember taking part in any uprising," Paris replied, not bothering to hide his astonishment.
"You created a diversion with your outburst kludge. That's aiding the uprising," the doctor retorted. Before Paris could protest the nurse grabbed his and held it still. The doctor meanwhile had grabbed some of the painkiller and squeezed three drops into Paris's eyes.
The Nietzschean guards put Paris into a box identical to the one Harper was sitting inside. As the painkiller kicked in Paris became more paranoid, and the box didn't help the situation.
****
Q materialized in front of Dylan Hunt in the Captain's quarters. At the sound of a cough Hunt looked up from his console and stood up. "Q, just the man I wanted to see. I hope your presence means that you had a talk with your son and Mr. Harper will be safely returned to Andromeda right away."
Q sighed as his face took on an expression of a man about to relay bad news. "I found my son but I'm afraid our talk did not go well."
"Q, just send Harper back here and send Mr. Paris back to Voyager. Then you can have another talk with your son," Dylan instructed.
Q straightened his posture as he bristled at being ordered around by a human. "There's no need give me orders Captain Hunt since I was already planning on doing just that. Please understand that I am doing my best to rectify this unfortunate situation."
"Fine. Duly noted," Hunt replied as he sat back down in his chair.
With their conversation ended, Q snapped his fingers and disappeared. Hunt just hoped Q was able to return Harper and Paris to their respective universes before anything happened to the two humans
Hunt had barely taken a step when Seamus Harper materialized at his feet. The engineer looked worse for his visit to Earth.
"Trance, bring a medical team to my quarters!" Hunt ordered over the com.
"I'll be right there," Trance replied as she left Hydroponics.
"Are you okay Dylan?" Valentine asked over the com.
Hunt wished it were him lying on Andromeda's deck right now. "I'm fine, but Harper needs medical attention."
Beka put away her holo novel and rushed to meet Trance Gemini in medical.
Harper was beginning to regain consciousness as Trance and some of the medibots transferred the engineer from the gurney to a bed. As he awoke Harper struggled to sit up in bed, but the golden woman gently pushed his head back onto the pillow.
"It's okay Shorty, you're back on Andromeda," Valentine soothed.
"Uh hey Boss. Where's Paris? Is he okay?" Harper quizzed the pilot.
Hunt stepped into the Earther's view. "We don't know about Paris. You just arrived a couple minutes ago. I'll try to find out where he is and let you know."
Trance smiled at the engineer as she handed him a cup of medicine. "Drink up Harper. You'll feel better. I'm going to inject some nanobots as well. Then I'll work on getting that bracelet off of your wrist."
Beka lightly patted Harper on the leg and smiled. "Well we better go and let you get your rest Shorty."
"Good idea. I'll try to get back in touch with Q," Hunt assured.
****
Lieutenant Tom Paris arrived in Medical on Voyager in the same shape in which Harper had left him. The Doctor grabbed a Tricorder and began taking medical readings. At the same time the EMH informed Captain Janeway via communicator.
"What is Lieutenant Paris' condition Doctor?" Janeway asked.
"Hmm, let's see. It would seem that Lieutenant Paris has lost a good deal of blood from his leg wound and has a concussion. There is also some kind of bracelet around his wrist. But don't worry Captain, he'll recover," the doctor assured.
"Good. I'm on my way there now. Lieutenant Torres, you have permission to visit your husband with the Doctor's permission," Janeway announced.
"I think Lieutenant Torres' presence would have a positive effect on her husband's recovery," the EMH answered.
B'Elanna Torres was in engineering and quickly headed for Medical. "I'm on my way then."
Captain Janeway frowned when she saw the helmsman's condition. "I'd say Mr. Paris had a run in with some Nietzscheans on Earth. What is his prognosis Doctor?"
"I expect a full recovery Captain," the holographic doctor informed.
Janeway breathed a sigh of relief. "It's nice to have good news for a change."
"I'm afraid the news is not completely positive," the Doctor informed. "My scans have detected a foreign drug in Lieutenant Paris' system. It's nothing poisonous; however the Lieutenant is exhibiting signs of paranoia."
"What kind of drug is it Doctor?" Torres questioned as she held her husband's hand.
The Doctor looked at Torres then at Janeway. "It's not a drug that appears in my database or any other database that I have searched. I plan on analyzing the drug and will provide a full report when finished."
Torres felt sick watching her husband fight his restraints. "Does he need to be restrained like that Doctor?"
The hologram's expression softened at Torres worried look. "I'm afraid so B'Elanna. Tom's paranoia has made him act violently. This was the only way I would keep him from hurting himself."
"I don't like it!" Torres insisted becoming angry.
Janeway gently put a hand on the Klingon woman's shoulder. "I know this is difficult B'Elanna but I think we need to trust the Doctor's judgment as this is a medical matter."
Torres had quickly gained control of her temper and reluctantly agreed. "You're right Captain. I'm sorry Doctor. I'd like to remain here and assist you with your permission."
The Doctor offered the Lieutenant a slight smile. "I was just going to ask you to remain here. Perhaps your presence will have a calming influence on your husband."
Janeway knew there was nothing more she could do for her helmsman and decided to let the Doctor continue with his work. "It appears that you have everything under control so I'll be in my quarters attempting to contact Q. Keep me posted on Mr. Paris' condition Doctor."
"Aye Captain," the EMH acknowledged.
************************************************************************
Chapter 9
Seamus Harper was in solitary confinement; a Nietzschean euphemism for being stuffed into a metal box. Harper the box was barely tall enough for Harper to sit down inside. The Earther to sit with his head tilted forward and knees pulled up to his chest. Harper knew this was psychological warfare on the part of Copernicus. The Nietzschean hoped that by keeping Harper alone the engineer would have time to worry about the next punishment.
Harper knew what kind of punishment to expect next. He had been through this before and knew how to survive. Harper was more worried about Paris. It would a given that the helmsman would be given more Flash. While the Flash hadn't kept Paris docile, it did keep the lieutenant off balance; which is precisely what Copernicus intended.
Paris put up a vain attempt at struggling against his Nietzschean guards as they walked him back to Medical for a second checkup. It took some doing to get the lieutenant calmed down but the doctor and her nurse were very adept at calming unruly patients.
The Nietzschean doctor gave Paris another cursory exam. The doctor was satisfied that the lieutenant had suffered no damage during the slave uprising. "So how is your leg wound feeling kludge?"
Paris looked down at his injured leg, suddenly remembering how it got that way. "I had forgotten about it actually. Whatever that painkiller was you gave me it sure did the trick."
"Then you aren't in much pain right now kludge?" the doctor asked.
Paris shrugged his shoulders. "Not much. So what's next?"
The doctor seemed satisfied and put her scanner down on a nearby tray. "You'll be sent to solitary confinement for your part in the uprising."
"What? I don't remember taking part in any uprising," Paris replied, not bothering to hide his astonishment.
"You created a diversion with your outburst kludge. That's aiding the uprising," the doctor retorted. Before Paris could protest the nurse grabbed his and held it still. The doctor meanwhile had grabbed some of the painkiller and squeezed three drops into Paris's eyes.
The Nietzschean guards put Paris into a box identical to the one Harper was sitting inside. As the painkiller kicked in Paris became more paranoid, and the box didn't help the situation.
****
Q materialized in front of Dylan Hunt in the Captain's quarters. At the sound of a cough Hunt looked up from his console and stood up. "Q, just the man I wanted to see. I hope your presence means that you had a talk with your son and Mr. Harper will be safely returned to Andromeda right away."
Q sighed as his face took on an expression of a man about to relay bad news. "I found my son but I'm afraid our talk did not go well."
"Q, just send Harper back here and send Mr. Paris back to Voyager. Then you can have another talk with your son," Dylan instructed.
Q straightened his posture as he bristled at being ordered around by a human. "There's no need give me orders Captain Hunt since I was already planning on doing just that. Please understand that I am doing my best to rectify this unfortunate situation."
"Fine. Duly noted," Hunt replied as he sat back down in his chair.
With their conversation ended, Q snapped his fingers and disappeared. Hunt just hoped Q was able to return Harper and Paris to their respective universes before anything happened to the two humans
Hunt had barely taken a step when Seamus Harper materialized at his feet. The engineer looked worse for his visit to Earth.
"Trance, bring a medical team to my quarters!" Hunt ordered over the com.
"I'll be right there," Trance replied as she left Hydroponics.
"Are you okay Dylan?" Valentine asked over the com.
Hunt wished it were him lying on Andromeda's deck right now. "I'm fine, but Harper needs medical attention."
Beka put away her holo novel and rushed to meet Trance Gemini in medical.
Harper was beginning to regain consciousness as Trance and some of the medibots transferred the engineer from the gurney to a bed. As he awoke Harper struggled to sit up in bed, but the golden woman gently pushed his head back onto the pillow.
"It's okay Shorty, you're back on Andromeda," Valentine soothed.
"Uh hey Boss. Where's Paris? Is he okay?" Harper quizzed the pilot.
Hunt stepped into the Earther's view. "We don't know about Paris. You just arrived a couple minutes ago. I'll try to find out where he is and let you know."
Trance smiled at the engineer as she handed him a cup of medicine. "Drink up Harper. You'll feel better. I'm going to inject some nanobots as well. Then I'll work on getting that bracelet off of your wrist."
Beka lightly patted Harper on the leg and smiled. "Well we better go and let you get your rest Shorty."
"Good idea. I'll try to get back in touch with Q," Hunt assured.
****
Lieutenant Tom Paris arrived in Medical on Voyager in the same shape in which Harper had left him. The Doctor grabbed a Tricorder and began taking medical readings. At the same time the EMH informed Captain Janeway via communicator.
"What is Lieutenant Paris' condition Doctor?" Janeway asked.
"Hmm, let's see. It would seem that Lieutenant Paris has lost a good deal of blood from his leg wound and has a concussion. There is also some kind of bracelet around his wrist. But don't worry Captain, he'll recover," the doctor assured.
"Good. I'm on my way there now. Lieutenant Torres, you have permission to visit your husband with the Doctor's permission," Janeway announced.
"I think Lieutenant Torres' presence would have a positive effect on her husband's recovery," the EMH answered.
B'Elanna Torres was in engineering and quickly headed for Medical. "I'm on my way then."
Captain Janeway frowned when she saw the helmsman's condition. "I'd say Mr. Paris had a run in with some Nietzscheans on Earth. What is his prognosis Doctor?"
"I expect a full recovery Captain," the holographic doctor informed.
Janeway breathed a sigh of relief. "It's nice to have good news for a change."
"I'm afraid the news is not completely positive," the Doctor informed. "My scans have detected a foreign drug in Lieutenant Paris' system. It's nothing poisonous; however the Lieutenant is exhibiting signs of paranoia."
"What kind of drug is it Doctor?" Torres questioned as she held her husband's hand.
The Doctor looked at Torres then at Janeway. "It's not a drug that appears in my database or any other database that I have searched. I plan on analyzing the drug and will provide a full report when finished."
Torres felt sick watching her husband fight his restraints. "Does he need to be restrained like that Doctor?"
The hologram's expression softened at Torres worried look. "I'm afraid so B'Elanna. Tom's paranoia has made him act violently. This was the only way I would keep him from hurting himself."
"I don't like it!" Torres insisted becoming angry.
Janeway gently put a hand on the Klingon woman's shoulder. "I know this is difficult B'Elanna but I think we need to trust the Doctor's judgment as this is a medical matter."
Torres had quickly gained control of her temper and reluctantly agreed. "You're right Captain. I'm sorry Doctor. I'd like to remain here and assist you with your permission."
The Doctor offered the Lieutenant a slight smile. "I was just going to ask you to remain here. Perhaps your presence will have a calming influence on your husband."
Janeway knew there was nothing more she could do for her helmsman and decided to let the Doctor continue with his work. "It appears that you have everything under control so I'll be in my quarters attempting to contact Q. Keep me posted on Mr. Paris' condition Doctor."
"Aye Captain," the EMH acknowledged.