Exploratory.
By
Serena Aris.
Disclaimers: Paramount and other big organisations own Star Trek: Voyager, the ship, its crew and the whole trek universe. I'm just borrowing some of it for a short amount of time.
Pairing codes: Mostly P, 7, Kim with the rest of the crew later on.
Sorry for the delay in this chapter it was that time of year again - exams and deadlines!
Exploratory.
By
Serena Aris.
Chapter 11.
The explanation to Kareesh about pizza was short-lived. Two armed guards had marched down the block of cells and quickly escorted Paris to the cylindrical room. As before with the chemical experiments he was restrained to a chair in front of Base Commander Hamirtan. "Welcome back Mr Paris," he said while flipping through the medical file on Tom. Although Paris expected his captors to have their own translators working by now he hadn't factored Hamirtan wearing his combadge. He just hoped that no one from the Delta Flyer or Voyager tried to contact him while his warden wore it.
"I want to say that it's nice to see you again but I wouldn't want to lie," Paris said dripping with sarcasm.
"I see that the truth drug treatments haven't effected your attitude. Looking at your file it seems that your physiology broke down the elements of the chemicals fairly quickly and didn't have the desired effect other than cause you discomfort. My scientists are eager to see how your body reacts to more frequent doses or more concentrated versions." Tom swallowed hard and hoped Hamirtan didn't notice. "I told them that at the moment the risks were too great to compromise my mission in gaining the information I seek…However that could soon change."
"Gee thanks for your consideration for my health," spat Paris who received a feral grin from Hamirtan when the nearby guard struck him in the stomach. Doubling over as far as the chair would allow, Tom gasped in quick shallow breaths.
While Tom struggled to breathe Hamirtan continued, "as I was saying, my scientists although prevented from further chemical tests because of the unknown effects, have discovered an alternative, pain. It seems that your physiology makes your species sensitive to a variety of stimuli such as temperature and touch, which is routed through a central nervous system. They also believe that sensory deprivation could allow me to get the required results…It always intrigues me how much information scientists can get from a few scans and still have the urge to explore, experiment and dissect a being."
Finally getting his breathing back to normal, Tom had seen his interrogator's sincerity at the implied threat. Paris had been wearing a mask of indifference, which had momentarily slipped at the idea of being cut open to see how his insides worked. Hamirtan seemed to be allowing that hint to sink in before he continued.
"Through a recent discovery, we have found an answer to one of my questions. We know that you are not alone."
No! Tom mentally screamed. His heart leapt and his thoughts raced to Kim and Seven. They've been discovered and dissected. He looked to the door expecting them to be dragged in at any moment.
"We were able to intercept a communiqué from your ship to another called Voyager." Tom's panic abated somewhat, his friends were still free. "The entire message was voice-only and according to our translators, contained some kind of distress-call."
Paris then remembered that it was Harry who had sent the initial message. He hoped that he used a pre-recorded message and not one that would reveal that Harry was on this planet.
"It was this next discovery that made us conclude that you had a mothership out there somewhere and were not just sending out a general distress call. On closer inspection of your vessel we have also discovered the source of an automated distress signal, specifically addressed to Voyager. We disconnected it. Anticipating the arrival of Voyager my team is studying, stripping and assimilating your technology into our own." The idea of this sent a chill up Tom's spine, on more than one level.
"I am willing to spare the lives of your shipmates if we have your co-operation." Hamirtan said as he made himself eye-level with Paris in an attempt to connect or appeal to the human's sense of logic. "If you don't tell me what I need to know it will only lead to a lengthy, bloody conflict where many lives will be lost on both sides." When Tom lowered his eyes the Commander paused to let him mull it over. The human however sat up straighter and glared at him defiantly. "Of course your ship is just one against a planet and will fall to superior firepower, that is if you're worth the effort to rescue," he chuckled.
"If I'm not worth the effort to be rescued, then I guess you've got nothing to worry about from them." Paris said smugly, which earned him a punch to the face. The force knocked him back and felt as though it had disconnected his head. As his mind rattled round, something was stabbed into his neck, making him cry out both in pain and surprise. Hamirtan spun in front of him before then splitting in two and then those clones were kaleidoscoping before him. He tried to focus but suddenly lurched to the side as though physically slammed from the side. His world upheaved again and he felt a vice-like grip to his head before he was again punctured in the neck. As more chemicals pumped around his body his heart raced and thudded against his chest.
"Your ship has shield capability, what is the shield variance of Voyager?"
"I don't know, I'm a pilot not an engineer," he panted. Several blows rained down on him and he tasted blood in his mouth.
"We've seen what you did to the ship and watched you make repairs. Don't lie, it will cause you more pain. Let's try another question, what is the crew complement of Voyager?"
"It's our home so of course the crew have nothing but praise for her," he replied laughing hysterically at his joke. He looked at the heavy-set guard by him through glazed eyes.
The guard glared at him blankly before looking to Hamirtan. "He thought we meant compliment or he was just being smart?" The Base Commander contemplated for a moment then gave a shrug to the guard who proceeded to pummel Paris. A few punches later and it was stopped by a wave of Hamirtan's hand. "I hope your willing to be more co-operative now," he said as he looked at the bleeding man who's drooping head rested on his chest. "I don't think that you'd like it if I allowed my colleague to test his toys on you - they're shocking," he continued. Tom didn't want to know what these toys were but he had a feeling that he was going to find out. "On the ship we are studying we have come across a device that transports matter from one location to another. Can you help us adapt it into our own technology?"
"I'm not an engineer, my skills are very basic," he said quickly to save himself from another beating. "That sort of complicated technology I leave to the experts. I haven't seen any of yours to know if it would be compatible with the power sources or systems." They seemed to buy his answer, although it was partly true - he wouldn't want to mess with something that could scatter your molecules.
"Ok, what is the power source of Voyager?"
"Its not the same as the ship I came in, that one's less advanced." He took shallow breaths to look like he needed to catch his breath while he thought about his reply. "Voyager uses water." Where did that come from? thought Tom.
"Water?"
I'm just as surprised as you are, maybe its because I'm thirsty? Out loud he said, "Yeah, our planet is mostly water so somebody came up with the idea to harness power from water." Tom felt like the room had grown hotter.
"He's lying," said the guard. Hamirtan also looked suspicious.
"Maybe I am?" Paris hoped that no matter what he said it couldn't be held as fact. He felt exhausted and usually it wasn't this difficult to use his imagination or think for that matter. Before he had time to react, a circular chrome device was slammed into his stomach and pain erupted throughout his body. He convulsed in shock and strained against the bonds that held him. Then after an eternity it was over.
"Were you giving us misinformation?" Hamirtan hissed into Paris' ear.
Tom's body trembled and his breaths were shallow and raspy. It took several big, shaky breaths before he attempted to speak. "Y…y…you'll never know," he said with conviction.
"I hope that the rest of your kind are not as stubborn." To the guard he said, "give him another dose."
It was jabbed into his neck and he cried out in pain as almost immediately his body reacted to the foreign elements circulating it. His heart rate increased and his chest tightened. Tom's lungs heaved, fighting to supply the exerted body with oxygen. He felt like he'd just run a marathon as sweat glistened his brow.
"I think we've found the right dosage," said the guard, looking at the pale and trembling man. Hamirtan nodded and moved in front of Paris.
"Where are the most strategic points to attack your defences, what are the ship's weaknesses?"
For a long moment Paris didn't answer. His heart felt like it was going to burst through his chest and he grimaced in pain. The question was repeated and this time it cut through the haze. A powerful urge alarmed him, it was the desire to tell them the truth. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. A part of him still resisted.
"Again, what are your ship's weaknesses?"
Come on Paris, where's that endless rebellious nature of yours. "If we knew what our weaknesses were, we wouldn't have any."
Hamirtan gave a roar of frustration then gave a nod to his guard accomplice. Once again he was prodded with the electrical chrome device. Thousands of volts lashed through his body. His uniform was singed from contact with it and his scream was cut short when their was no breath to propel it. The assault ended but a new pain remained, aching and hollow in his being. Everything faded away into nothing, when his heart stopped.
To be continued…
If you want to see Paris live its up to you. The more reviews I get the better the chance of his survival. It's not blackmail…its creative motivation! LOL.