DISCLAIMER: I do not own any Star Trek contents.
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WHAT MAKES THE BEST PILOT
Chapter SIX
by YANNIK
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Round of applause given to him was a surprise. And he couldn't even say it was a nice surprise – he was still too detached from them. His very self itched for 'Voyager', for her conn, for the living stars outside.
Tom turned to the view screen, but it was blank, empty. There was no need to observe the space outside. Numbers on consoles were saying everything the crew needed to know. Tom found himself wondering how – how indeed! – did he see all that? How did his mind escape the prison of his body?
No. That was before. That was gone. He was himself now, himself again. That was good. Wasn't it?
Captain's words started registering with his still confused mind:
"…reward for your work. Ask anything, and – within 'Voyager's' resources – you'll receive it."
Tom looked incredulously around. Heh, everyone was smiling at him. Even Chakotay. But the nicest – and the most honest – smile belonged to Harry Kim. Tom knew he still had couple of hours until activator wears off, and he'd be able to rest. So why not?…
"Captain, could I borrow Ensign Kim for a game of pool?"
"Now?"
"Now."
After a few minutes they entered Sandrine's. And Tom started enjoying being Tom again – on the contrary to Harry.
"Actually I feel a little guilty of leaving my shift" young officer grumbled.
"You're fulfilling your duty, right? Captain's order to keep me company. I'd have fun if I were you. Let's play!" Tom handed Harry his cue, and prepared the balls. Harry got to break, and that was the only ball he threw in on this game. Tom was invincible.
And so he was at the second game. And at the third.
"Hey, what's up?" B'Elanna Torres came to the holodeck as soon as she was told, what was Paris' wish after the tremendous ride through the cluster. She wanted to congratulate him herself.
"We're playing pool" Tom exclaimed joyfully.
"Actually he's playing, I am just standing here" Harry yawned.
"What can I do?" Tom asked innocently. "I can't help it. I feel like I could poke those balls in with my bare will." With that he extended his hand, as if trying to exert his force on the ball. B'Elanna laughed.
"Right. Just the way you hurtled us through that cluster. You actually figured out how to move that boat without dilithium, y'know? We rechecked it, and we really were running at warp 9,75 max" she turned to Harry, who shook his head with slightly disbelieving esteem. "Impossible, right?"
"What, do you mean I set it running with my own will?" Tom didn't believe either.
Chief engineer shrugged. She had no answers yet.
"You have no idea what human brain is capable of doing" Harry commented.
"Well… It is capable of a lot, but telekinesis?" B'Elanna questioned. "At this scale – moving ships and all? I'd agree that Vulcan, maybe Ocampan. But not human!"
"No. Of course not" Harry started explaining. "I didn't get the chance to analyze it yet, but my first suspicion is, that he was using gravitational fields to perfection. He was able to calculate the variables faster than computer did!"
Both Tom and B'Elanna looked at ops officer skeptically, so he continued.
"It's just like pool. He's unable to make a mistake even now. Even if he wanted to I guess. I've heard about people with such abilities. They were called autistic, or something like that."
"Are you saying Tom is this… autistic?" B'Elanna asked.
"Maybe" Harry looked at Tom with a smile, but the pilot shook his head.
"According to what I've learned about it at the Medical Course, I am about the last person on Voyager, who could be considered autistic!" he laughed.
"Why?"
"Those people were said not to interact with others. Do I look like not interacting?"
"Well, now you certainly do" Harry snorted. "You wouldn't let me play!"
"Not to mention your behavior during the flight. You were in another world!" B'Elanna reminded with a glance at Harry.
Tom gave up onsmart remark this time. As the neuro-activator influence started subsiding rapidly, the words of teasing comrades werefading from his mind.
"You weren't reacting to anything, that didn't concern flying!"
"But you must admit B'Elanna, that this flight was like no other. Voyager was… like a bird!"
"Harry, you poet!"
Tom suddenly felt dizzy. He leaned heavily on the pool table.
"Tom? Y'okay?" B'Elanna and Harry reacted in unison.
"Yeah" pilot answered wearily. "I'm just… the medication is… wearing off. I think I need to… go to my quarters." The last words were barely audible.
"Do you need assistance?" Harry asked anxiously.
Tom only nodded. He was hastily growing weak. Too weak to even talk.
And then everything went blank.
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B'Elanna and Harry were both shocked, when Tom curled unexpectedly, terrifying shriek escaping his mouth. He fell to the floor like a stone.
"Tom!" B'Elanna leaned to him, trying to grab him, but his muscles were so tight, that she couldn't even squeeze her hand under his arm. "Tom, what's happening?" she screamed.
And then his body unrolled, and he started shaking violently, his eyes still shut, moist forming on his mouth. That dazed B'Elanna even more, but it woke Harry up.
"Emergency transport of Lt. Paris to the sickbay!" he shouted over the comm.
In a heartbeat Tom flickered from their sight, and they faced equally shaken Sandrine.
"What happened to my Thomas?" she spluttered.
"Computer, end program" was all B'Elanna could say, her lips numb.
Then they both run out of holodeck, and straight to the sickbay, where the Doctor was already trying to stabilize Tom. It seemed to no avail.
"You must wait outside" Kes pushed them both gently. Her face was drawn, as if she was in pain herself.
B'Elanna and Harry found themselves outside the sickbay, staring at the closed door, not moving.
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To be continued
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