NOTE: Written for 'Ventura 33 Neurodiversity Challenge'.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any Star Trek contents.

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WHAT MAKES THE BEST PILOT

Chapter TWO

by YANNIK

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This wasn't the place he was supposed to be. Engineering in the middle of the night. Nicoletti dozed in Chief's office – lucky for Tom that she didn't notice him.

He approached warp core and checked the readings. Nothing unusual. Warp 3.0 - exact. Then why did he have this eerie feeling?

Was he bored, or something? Did he want trouble, so he made things up? Weeks ago – shortly after last encounter with Kazon – they entered less star-populated region of galaxy. Piloting 'Voyager' was now easy – if not dull. Hey, there were problems – they were running out of dilithium, and since there wasn't many star systems in the neighborhood, chances of topping off the resources in near future were really small. Couple of days ago Captain ordered slowing down to Warp 3 in order to prevent loosing supply all too soon. But that was nothing the pilot could help with. It was not his job.

He was bored – Tom decided staring at warp core console. Warp 3. There's nothing to it. But still…

"Paris?" someone asked, and though the voice lacked the usual disgust, Tom recognized it immediately.

"Torres" he welcomed not turning away. He heard her soft footsteps, and rose his eyes. "What are you doing here? At this hour?"

"I work here, remember? I'm bound to come here, even at the weirdest hours, if I – say – get some unusual idea on how to keep warp core working without dilithium."

"That's possible?"

"I'm just figuring it out, y'know" she smirked. It was odd, but nice, to joke with her. "But you?"

"Me? You think I could figure it out?"

"Sure, Paris. You can figure out about anything" she obviously lost patience. She turned around and headed towards her office.

"Torres, wait" Tom stopped her, and before he could stop himself, he started telling her, what happened on the bridge today. "Actually I may have discovered something. Well not how to make 'Voyager' run without dilithium, but how to make it go faster. Well, actually not even that. Just… That we are going faster. And I do not know why."

Chief eyed him suspiciously, and returned to the console.

"Warp 3." She lifted questioning look to him.

"At conn this morning it was 3.0002." Her brow rose. Not in surprise, but in mockery. Damn! Just like Chakotay. He should have been wiser than to tell her about it.

"That's some difference!"

"Yeah. Chakotay's words."

"Go back to bed, Paris. I got work to do."

"Actually… last night I felt we were speeding up." Again words came out faster, than conscious thought could keep his mouth shut. As if that could prove anything! "The reading at the can just confirmed that. And I still feel it" he added, apparently only to doom himself.

"Whatever. Did you report it to the Captain?"

"No, only Chakotay."

"Good. Leave it that way." She turned her back on him again, this time intending it indefinite.

"At the end of my shift it was 3.0005."

"Paris!" she snapped. "These are normal fluctuations of speed. It's not even one percent. That happens."

"No."

"Go to sleep."

With that she entered her office, slamming the padd on her desk, and waking Sue Nicoletti up. Tom turned on his heel, and went to his quarters. But he couldn't sleep.

He run to the bridge, even before going to the mess hall. Culhane gave him flabbergasted look, but Tom didn't explain himself. He stared with fear at the numbers – warp 3.0031 – was indicated speed. He couldn't keep it to himself anymore.

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"What's the difference?" asked incredulous Chakotay, at the senior staff meeting, when the pilot reported speed change. "3.002, or 3.003? That's speeding up? That's normal fluctuation of speed, is all."

"It was 3.0002 yesterday, not 3.002, sir. Plus – warp core still indicates 3 – exact. Isn't it so Lt. Torres?"

"Well… it is." Chief Engineer was concerned this time. "But how?"

Captain looked over the faces of her officers and decided it was important enough to look over.

"Mr. Tuvok, Mr. Kim check that up. It's possible that there is some micro over voltage at the helm console and that's it, but it requires investigation. What is it Mr. Paris?" she asked seeing Tom shake his head with frustration.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but we are seeding up. I can feel it!"

"Feel it?" Chakotay asked leaning towards the pilot. "As in… with your special supernatural sixth sense?" he teased

"I can't quite explain it commander" Tom's blood was at the boiling point. "But… when I concentrate really hard on piloting 'Voyager', I can tell her exact speed, bearing, whatever parameter you want, without looking at the console. Almost as if I was a part of the ship. Laugh all you want, that's true!"

Chakotay laughed. Not out loud, oh no! But inwardly, and some of that must have been visible on his face, because Captain told them both to stop, and just solve this issue. She wanted report. "And now to the dilithium crisis issue…"

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To be continued

.Y