"As I walk along these streets
I see a man that walks alone
Distant echo of people's feet
He has no place to call his own" –Staind
Tirzri'wa's found that his emotions were difficult to understand, even as he sat alone in his office and tried to sort them out. He had known that there must have been a betrayal in Tom's past to make him so afraid to tell his story to others. He knew that the betrayal of his father had led his friend down an emotional path that required hiding all his pain and never allowing his fellow beings to help him. He had locked himself away, fabricating an image to display to everyone he felt was a threat; to everyone he determined wouldn't believe him. Tirzri'wa only knew what happened at that prison from nightmares and flares of emotional pain that Tom had unknowingly unleashed when on Voyager, and in honesty he did not wish to know everything.
Tom had been breaking on Voyager, but he was not truly beginning to heal on Widaria. He had begun to allow himself to openly enjoy what he was doing, to laugh and smile and not be as afraid as he had been on his ship. This was an improvement because it was allowing him to fully realize that he could still enjoy life, and that he deserved to enjoy it. Tirzri'wa feared that his friends absence from his ship was allowing him to place a thicker wall around his past. No longer being immersed in an environment that would force him to eventually deal with his emotional issues Tom was trying to forget them. The problem was that Tirzri'wa knew Tom wouldn't be able to forget, and when the humans night fears had begun again his worries had been proven.
He had discussed his fear with his partner, and she had agreed that Tom would not allow himself to deal with his issues if he thought he had escaped that part of his life. He feared he would not be able to help his friend, and that would be a true shame because he could feel the goodness in the beings soul, Tom had the potential to be happy and accomplish many great things. To lose such an incredible being would be tragic.
Maki'naj and Mana'ri spoke highly of Tom despite knowing him for only a few days. "There is great potential in that one!" Mana'ri had enthusiastically informed Tirzri'wa after Tom's first work shift. "Bright as a star and he doesn't hold back on his ideas. We've already changed the configuration of the Krita'ksa's landing unit to incorporate his suggestions. He flies as if he is the ship. I tell you Tirzri'wa, once he understands the full functions of the AI aide he will be the best pilot Widaria has seen since Trin'tact." This was high praise and very deserved. He determined that the Voyager's might have started to realize the extent to which their pilot went to benefit their ship. It was a true shame they hadn't realized it before he left, because Tom had done more than simply fly with grace.
Despite all this Tirzri'wa felt aggrieved. He couldn't understand all his emotions. Being such a developed telepath led him to picking up on others emotions and sometimes becoming confused as to which were his own and which belonged to someone else. He feared that, when on Voyager, he had been influenced into helping Tom when he shouldn't have. He remembered telling Harry Kim that he should not worry; everything would work out for the best in the end. That had been near the beginning of their trip. As the days wore on and the awakening began he feared his emotions might have been affected by Tom's night fears and the crews massive amount of jumbled feelings. Now he worried that he had made the wrong choice offering Tom a place to stay. He knew his friend needed to escape for a while, but this solution seemed a little too permanent. Tom's spirit was too free to remain in one place, and his escaping his past may be more damaging than anything else.
But what other solutions were there? He had thought about suggesting that the program give Tom a ship. He knew they would seriously consider it, because Widariat's hold no true ties with profit and gain. Their culture had long ago exceeded the greed that would hold them back from developing into the open and free race they were this day. However no Widariat would accompany Tom, for it is not in their nature to permanently leave their habitat. It would be a lonely voyage and Tirzri'wa felt that Tom's stubborn nature would not allow him to head towards his old ship. His friend was much to proud and did not trust enough to go back.
So these are the thought that occupied his mind when he should have been preparing a summary of the fascinating findings he had collected over the last few months away from home. He stared out of his work towers large window at the forest shrouded city below him, not seeing the shuttle vehicles pass by or the flying group of mikrinar that passed not four meters from his window. Somewhere, on a path that led away from Widaria, Captain Janeway and her crew were flying at warp three in their magnificent ship, and he knew that several of the beings on the ship were hoping that their stray pilot would meet up with them before leaving this sector of space completely. That was only one earth day away from now. Time was passing so fast, and he feared a happy ending for his friend was slipping away with it.
News of Tom's departure had reached every corner of Voyager by the next morning and there had been a buzz of energy that usually only formulated in times of great anticipation, stress, or under threats of mortal peril. Chakotay had heard so many different excuses for the pilot's departure that he was becoming frustrated by the incompetence of the grapevine system. He was well acquainted with how active imaginations could create the most absurd notions. During breakfast that first morning he had overheard a group of engineers insisting that Tom had impregnated one of the visiting delegates and had remained behind to raise his child because Janeway refused to allow him to stay on Voyager. The rumour that Tom had impregnated the Captain and was trying to escape her wrath had surpassed his patience and he had left for his bridge duty.
Over the next few days he had been approached by several members of the crew and asked why he left them. Chakotay, not wanting to say anything, had informed them that it had been Tom's decision and that it was personal. He didn't have the right to say anything else, because he truly didn't know all the reasons. It had shocked the hell out of him when Tom had resigned. It had been so…abrupt. Between the three commanding officers Kathryn had been hit the hardest by the news. It had hurt her. She hadn't been aware of anything that he been going on in the last month with Tom. She had no idea that he was still having such a difficult time with the crew. Chakotay hadn't known either, and if it hadn't been for the incident when they had been harvesting those fruits, he still would have been even less aware.
But he wasn't sure that the verbal abuse and practical jokes had been the only reason. Since discovering, unwittingly on Tom's behalf, that he had an unspeakable association with the Cardassians Chakotay had been watching Tom. When the rumours had started to travel, that he was the only surviving prisoner of Cianka Adasta, Tom had become more recluse than normal. With all the different opinions flying around Chakotay really didn't blame him. Most of the crew thought it was a publicity stunt and many had begun to resent Tom even more because of it. The arrival of the Widariats had been a relief because it had focused attentions elsewhere, and Tom had found new friends in their group. It had been the incident in the mess hall, however, when Tom had really begun to pull away. Harry, Chakotay had noticed, had been swarming over his friend even more so than usual after that. He had begun to emit this distressed energy that Chakotay noticed when working in close relation with him. With all of his duties for the ship and as a guide to their guests Chakotay hadn't made the connection until after Tom had resigned. He had been to late to notice anything, and he had been too shocked to say anything.
He largely blamed himself for the mans departure. He determined that it was the public speculation of Tom's scar that had triggered his sense of flight, and Chakotay had been the cause for its discovery in the first place. He was still ashamed for jumping to such negative and unfounded conclusions about Tom and for taking so long to see the man for who he truly was: Strong, compassionate, afraid, lost and angry. So angry. It had been just over a week since they had left him now and Chakotay had wanted to lose his temper with so many crewmembers that he feared he was becoming unfit to command through his guilt. Kathryn was no better, though she hid her feelings from the public eye as well as he did. Harry Kim was taking the brunt of the speculation, being Tom Paris's best friend and closest associate.
For the first few days he had refused to answer questions about why his friend had left, finding reasons to leave the mess hall so often that Chakotay was starting to worry he wasn't eating enough. Kes had been wonderful. She was the one Chakotay knew was talking to Harry, and rightly so. Nobody else really understood how upset this loss made him, not even Chakotay. Harry had been Tom's friend from the beginning, and he had handled the situation admirably…until this evening during dinner. Chakotay supposed he had finally heard one too many scenarios for Tom's absence that was so far from the truth it was ridiculous. Harry's flare in temper had shut Sandrine's up so fast it had been a scary rendition of when Tom had gone berserk on Bathet and Cornick. "How dare you!" He had growled at a large group in the center of the room that had come to the conclusion that Tom had blackmailed the Widariats into taking him on their planet before Janeway discovered he was making a secret deal with the Vidiian's.
"You want to know why he left? It wasn't because he became indentured to Tirzri, or that he was suddenly responsible for a child. It had nothing to do with money, power or technological advancements. He wasn't dying from a mysterious sickness, running from a broken heart, or escaping punishment for breaking the prime directive." He had glowered around the room, slamming down his ale and causing several people around him to start. "He left because of you! The Widariats came and treated him as a friend, treated him with respect, and he suddenly realized that he didn't want to put up with your petty jokes, insults and accusations anymore. He'd had enough! And I don't blame him for escaping, because I know that he deserves better than this. The shameful thing is that you know it too. I know you've all heard about Cianka Adasta now, and that you've tried to find every excuse under the sun to not believe it because you were too embarrassed to admit that maybe, just maybe, you were wrong about him." Kes had slowly approached him at that point and placed a comforting hand on his arm. "What I don't understand is how you are still pretending to not know the truth. He knew that one day you might decide that he wasn't scum after all, but he couldn't wait anymore. And now we've lost a good man because we are too blinded by our own rationality's to see the truth." He'd sighed softly, completely losing his steam. He'd turned and smiled at Kes, quietly thanking her and holding her hand briefly before leaving the silent bar.
There had been no report of his outburst to the Captain from Tuvok, himself, or any other Voyager that had been present that night, but the next morning there had been a notable change in topic at the breakfast table, and those that were being filled in on the nights out burst were being filled in quietly. Harry had appeared on bridge duty as his normal, professional, self and the last four hours had been silent. They had left Widariat space sometime during Gamma shift, and Janeway's hope that Tom might change his mind and race to catch the absurdly slow departing Voyager was crushed. They had picked up to warp five when Chakotay had started the shift; the newly appointed chief pilot Lieutenant Baytart sat stiffly in his chair. He was still trying to adapt to his elevated rank and had apparently forgotten how to relax slightly in his seat. Chakotay found himself occasionally struggling not to order him at ease.
"Commander." Harry's suddenly urgent voice seized his full attention. "Three ships have just decloaked around us." He was rapidly accessing his console, searching for answers and Chakotay leaned forward.
"Hail them."
"No response."
"Red alert, raise shields." A moment later Captain Janeway strode onto the bridge, looking for answers.
"They seem to be activating some kind of energy field similar to our own shields…"
"Maximum Warp Lieutenant. Get us out of here!" She ordered even as a dull whine was heard and the lights slowly dimmed.
"We've lost power captain. Shields, engines, and weapons are off line." Tuvok spoke up. Chakotay stood and joined her in front of their seats, he could feel his heart beat throbbing in his forehead and they gazed at the screen as a pale humanoid appeared suddenly, looking down at them through bold green eyes.
"We are commandeering your ship. Do not resist us and you will not be hurt."
Tom was lying on his back underneath the landing apparatus of a Mask'in class 1 shuttle, Maki'naj's shoulder brushed his own every time one of them shifted for a better look.
"You know, we have engineers for this." Maki'naj pointed out, grunting as he tried to seal a tiban tube, there was a florescent orange jelly oozing down his right arm.
"I know." Tom answered, holding the tube in place and trying to hide a grin.
"You have a strange idea of fun, if this is what makes you happy." His feathery friend grunted, shifting for a better angle.
"There is nothing better than getting your hands dirty while tinkering around in advanced machinery and getting covered in glowing lubricant. Tell me you'd rather be going over those specs again."
"I would rather be going over those specs again." His friend grunted and, not so subtly, elbowed him in the side.
"Okay, okay. I get the point. You don't like doing actual work." Maki'naj chuckled and squirmed out from underneath their project. Tom followed and accepted the proffered hand that pulled him up. He almost slid out of the grip due to the lubricant but smoothly made it to his feet just in time.
"I have no problem doing maintenance work, I simply dislike lying under the belly of a three ton shuttle with an impaired landing prop."
"Well, when you put it like that…" Tom was distracted by the sudden quick scuffling of feet heading towards them and didn't finish his sentence. The group stopped when they reached them and Tom noticed Maki'naj's frown as the being pulled off his hood. His deep blue feathers stood out in slight alarm.
"What is wrong? Did the test run on the Koma'ro run poorly? Is Tahl'at all right?" Mana'ri shook his head to forestall further questions.
"The run went smooth and Tahl'at is fine. I'm afraid we have come with bad news Tom." Tom raised his eyebrows, startled. The only thing that would directly involve him would be Tirzri'wa, and he was standing next to Mana'ri with a grim expression on his face. Tom frowned, were they removing him from the program? What had he done wrong now?
"We need to go to the meeting room to discuss this. There is no reason in upsetting others around us." Tom had noticed that several beings were looking towards them in slight concern. They were no doubt picking up on the distressed emotions coming from his friends. He nodded and the four of them hurried across the substantial hangar and quietly entered the room with the large glass window.
"What's going on?" He demanded, looking between them. Tirzri'wa met his eyes and Tom didn't need to be a telepath to see his worry.
"A scout ship on the perimeter has just reported in with news of your Voyagers." Tom felt a sudden heaviness in his chest as he digested the news. News of Voyager coming from such worried beings could not be good. He immediately began imagining his old crewmembers lying on cold, stainless tables with organs missing as Vidiian doctors wearing their faces looked down on them. Another image of Voyager being vaporized by some evil alien army and left as nothing more then dust particles with the occasional frozen body part floating through space to mark their existence. His fears must have been clear on his features because Tirzri'wa stepped abruptly up to him and grasped both his shoulders.
"They are not dead Tom, and Voyager has not been destroyed. Understand?" Tom tried to banish the horrific images from his mind, but the fear lingered deep in his stomach.
"What happened?" He demanded, not noticing the steely tone that entered his voice and the way he suddenly stood taller in a manner that demanded answers.
"A group called the Trigan has taken them. They are a pirating race. They have been known to abduct ships before but never so close to our border." Mana'ri activated a diagram from the middle of the only table in the room and the four of them stood around it. Tom instantly saw where Widaria stood in comparison to the border of their territory, and noted a path marked by a red line, that must have represented Voyager, leading away from the planet.
"Here." Tirzri'wa pointed at where the line ended, just past a green border marking. "Early this morning they crossed out of our region. Six standard earth hours later they were ambushed and taken prisoner by three Trigan hunting ships. Our scout tells us they had cloaking technology and appeared suddenly. They cast a force net around your crew and drained the ship of most of its energies. That was four earth hours ago."
"What were they doing so close to the border?" Tom asked, his eyes studying the map carefully. "They should have crossed over days ago."
"Captain Janeway informed me that they would be taking their time to leave our space. She wanted a few extra days to relax." Tirzri'wa replied and Tom understood exactly what that meant. She had been hoping Tom might try and catch up to them. It was his fault they were in this position now. If they hadn't been so slow to leave the system, the Trigan might not have picked up on their presence. Instead they had spotted them and had ample time to prepare an ambush. Tom's hands clenched into fists, unaware of how the nails began to dig into his flesh.
"Tell me about the Trigan."
"We do not consort with them. Centuries ago we made a pact to not dwell into their space and they do not enter into ours. They gain their technologies by stealing from others, for they do not adequately train themselves in how to develop their own. They find being predators more beneficial than succeeding themselves." There was bitterness in Mana'ri's voice that spoke of long time disgust. "They are a race that will only do themselves damage in the end. I fear that they will eventually sell your crew off as slaves on their home world; they will be forced to work in the repair depots or the harvesting fields. Your ship will be added to their fleet."
"We need to help them." The course of action was obvious to him. There was no way that he would let Harry, Janeway, Kes or any of the others become prisoners for the rest of their lives. It was unspeakable. But as soon as the words left his mouth he knew that there was a grave problem with his proposal. He looked at his three friends and saw that they too recognized the problem. "But you have a pact with these Trigan." He deflated slightly, his chest feeling tighter with every second that passed.
"It is true Tom, and we cannot go against our word. This pact is what keeps our people away from war with theirs, and you know we are a non-violent race." Tom nodded in regretful understanding. He would not ask them to jeopardize their entire races security for the sake of his crew; it was selfish to even think that. The Widariat's had done nothing but help him and Voyager. They had repaired the ship, provided them with outstanding supplies and had never asked for anything in return. They had been a gift. To even consider inflicting his need to help his own people on them was immoral. They didn't even have weapons of which to defend themselves if the Trigan attacked. Not one of their ships had deadly defenses of any kind. The Widariat's relied on cloaking technology and speed as their defense, but even then, they never had needed to use it. What was he going to do?
"Tom listen to us." Tirzri'wa asked quietly and he looked up from the suspended map. "We have spoken to the high council and they have agreed that we must help in some way. Your people were kind and generous, a gracious crew that we will not soon forget. We cannot help you by fighting, but we can give you means to help them yourself."
"What do you mean?" Tom asked, gazing intently at Tirzri'wa.
"A ship Tom. We can give you a ship. What you do to help them will be up to you, but we can give you a ship."
"This won't damage your relationship with the Trigan?" A flicker of hope tickled his stomach but he was careful not to announce it in his voice. He needed to be calm if he was going to help his old crew.
"They will not know it is of Widariat design if you initiate a rescue correctly. The Kria'dar has not yet been flown without a cloak. They do not know of its existence." Tom raised his eyebrows and Maki'naj scoffed lightly.
"Despite our lack of weaponry and our pact, we do not fully trust the Trigan. It would be foolish to not have technology that they are unaware of."
"We are giving you, Tom, the Kria'dar, so that you can help your people if you choose." Somewhere, deep in his core, Tom knew he was shocked beyond all speech, and that one day he would be able to express exactly how deeply this gesture affected him. For now though, he had a very serious situation on his hands. If Voyager had been taken four hours ago, then that meant it might take five Days for Tom to catch up to the Trigan who had imprisoned them. He had no time to waste, and he knew that his friends understood this.
"Please, show me to her."