Look After You- Chapter Twenty-Seven Part II
B'Elanna did not take well to being ambushed by a bunch of aliens with awful hair and off-colour skin. Nor did she take well to being dumped on a remote planet by the aforementioned aliens, whilst also learning that Seska had been behind the whole thing. B'Elanna hoped that she survived the ordeal long enough to encounter Seska, and do enough harm to her that the Cardassian would rue the day she ever turned traitor. The damned woman had done enough damage on Voyager as it was, and this latest instalment was the final straw.
However angry B'Elanna was, it wasn't enough to displace the sense of despair she felt when she saw the Kazon take off in Voyager, leaving them to fend for themselves on the planet. She never thought she'd see the day when Voyager would take off without her. Even when the crew had been tempted to stay on the planet with the 37s, she'd never quite envisioned this scene of desolation, and she'd certainly never imagined that the ship would ever get hijacked and the crew stranded on a planet.
The whole crew looked up at the sky, and she could feel the sense of heartbreak from them all. This was supposed to be their home now, and yet no one was willing to believe it.
Noticing Kes looking particularly forlorn, B'Elanna went and stood next to her.
"I can't believe this has happened," Kes whispered.
"I know, me, too," B'Elanna said softly.
"We have no weapons or tools to get back." It was so unlike Kes to be pessimistic, but she too, could see no sense of hope at that moment.
"There's always Tom," came another voice. Harry. He came over and stood by the two of them. "If he's still alive."
But the three of them knew the chances of him surviving the Kazon attack in the shuttle was extremely low.
"He is alive," B'Elanna announced firmly, although she wasn't sure she truly believed it.
Kes and Harry looked at her.
"He has to be," she carried on. "He's the only thing we have left to hope on."
***
"Computer: repeat stabiliser diagnostic."
"Damage has been detected in the stabiliser acceleration sensors."
"I've just repaired the stabiliser accelerator sensors!" Tom cried out in frustration.
"Warning: vessel approaching on intercept course."
Tom let out a curse, and made his way back to the pilot's seat. "Signature?"
"Kazon patrol vessel."
"Damn it, I don't have time for this!"
The Kazon vessel proceeded to fire a range of shots at him.
"I told you, I don't have time for this!" he shouted again.
He tried to figure out a survival plan. "Computer: all stop."
The shuttle drew to an immediate stop.
"Engage impulse."
It was Tom's turn to fire a range of shots at the vessel. His shuttle was damaged and all systems heavily impaired, but he was using every last ounce of power it had, hoping it would be enough to destroy the Kazon vessel. After what seemed like an eternity, the vessel finally exploded.
"I told you, I don't have time for this."
He gave a sigh of relief. Now he could focus his efforts on repairing the shuttle, and finally getting help for the crew.
He just hoped he didn't come in contact with anymore enemy vessels.
***
"I can't say that I particularly like eating maggots," Harry said.
"After you've eaten a few, they're not too bad," B'Elanna decided. "They'd taste better with hot sauce though."
Harry gave a dry laugh.
The two of them were huddled together at the entrance of the cave; the maggots the Captain had ordered them to eat 'mysteriously' misplaced on the floor. Most of the crew were already asleep, and there was just the sound of Naomi Wildman's crying echoing throughout the dwelling.
It had been a long day for all of them. Trying to find somewhere to camp, as well as attempting to adjust to their new lifestyle was challenging. Combined with their lack of food and water, plus the recent death of Hogan, was making everything a little hard to deal with. B'Elanna was particularly upset about Hogan. She'd worked with him many times, and for him to be eaten by a monster in a cave hardly seemed like the best way to go.
Trying to keep herself occupied, she kept her gaze focused on the stars, hoping to see a flash or a flicker of light-anything to indicate Tom's presence.
Harry followed her gaze. "Any sign of him?"
B'Elanna shook her head. "But he's there somewhere. I can tell," she said, rather fiercely.
Harry found her hand and squeezed it. "I'm sure he is."
"I never got to say that I was sorry, about the Vidiian plan. He probably still thinks I'm angry at him-,"
"I'm sure he doesn't think that at all," he assured her.
"What if we never see him again? What if he can't find us?"
"He'll find us, B'Elanna. He'd never stop until he does."
Something intense fired up in her chest, and suddenly she was possessed with the need to find Tom and tell him all the things she never gave herself the chance to say, but should have done.
You've been here before.
The thought ran through her head again.
She closed her eyes, and Harry studied her face.
"You love him, don't you?" he asked softly.
She didn't say anything for a moment. Instead, she opened her eyes and found that Harry was looking at her reassuringly.
"Yes," she said, and it came out in a whisper. "I never thought I would, but I do."
"I definitely don't think that's a bad thing."
"How? I'm in love with a man who is Kahless knows where, with a penchant for getting himself killed or very close to it. A man who goes through women like I go through socks, and who wouldn't give me a second glance even if he tired of all those women."
"I wouldn't sell yourself so short, Maquis. Tom's not the womaniser he used to be. In fact, I don't think he's seen anyone for a while."
B'Elanna raised an eyebrow. "Maybe Susan did a number on him."
He looked at her intently. "Maybe," he mused. "Anyway, Tom would be a fool not to give you a first glance, let alone a second."
She managed a smile. "Do you think so?"
"I know so. You should have a little more faith in yourself, B'Elanna Torres," came his familiar-sounding words.
It was his turn to smile and her turn to squeeze his hand. Harry's words gave her the spark of hope she needed right now.
***
"Voyager has been taken by the Kazon-Nistrim," the Talaxian informed him on his computer console.
Tom's heart sank. He had his suspicions, but he'd truly hoped that it wouldn't be the case.
"They're flooding every sub-space frequency with the news," he carried on.
"Is there any word on the crew?" Tom's voice was solemn and sharp, fully conveying the length of his exhaustion.
"I'm afraid not."
Tom sighed. "If you could help me with repairs, we could be on our way in a few hours."
"Lieutenant," Commander Paxam began, "our ships are no match for Voyager and your shuttlecraft can hardly be ex-,"
"Commander Paxam, my people are counting on you! Look, no one knows Voyager like I do," he said. Okay, maybe apart from B'Elanna, he thought. "I know every vulnerability, every blind-spot... don't worry, I have a plan."
The Talaxian gave out a deep sigh. "Very well. We'll rendezvous in an hour. Paxam out."
The screen switched off, and Tom leaned back in his chair.
He tried to imagine where the crew were. Were they in danger? Did they have enough provisions or weapons? Was B'Elanna and Harry okay?
B'Elanna.
The thought of her name was dragging his mind to something else. A whisper of a memory... a dream... the two of them sitting by a familiar lake, both dressed in Maquis leather. She'd been looking at him in that scornful way that she hadn't done in so long. She'd said something important- what was it? He couldn't seem to remember.
She'd been on his mind a lot lately. So much so, that she seemed to be cropping up in his dreams. He wasn't sure what that meant, all he knew was that out of everyone, she was the one he was most desperate to see again.
And he was determined to get that chance.
***
"I didn't know you knew you could run like that!" Harry marvelled back at base.
B'Elanna held her side in pain. "I don't. At least, I haven't for a while. Not since my Academy days."
"Anything else you'd like to confess? Were you also a cheerleader, per chance?"
"That, as well as the Nobel Prize Winner for poetry, yeah."
"I knew there was a poetry-writing-cheerleader-runner in you somewhere."
"Funny, I could have said the same about you." B'Elanna let out a groan. "I really can't handle running like I used to."
"Yeah, those people sure know how to run. You know, give them a few thousand years or so, I'm sure they'd evolve into Kazons."
"They already have the hair in common," B'Elanna supplied. "That and the fact that I really don't like them."
Their conversation was interrupted by the loud wails of Naomi.
"She really doesn't sound good," Harry said, his voice full of worry.
"I can't imagine that this environment is good to any of us, let alone a baby. We just better hope that Tom gets here soon before something worse happens."
The two of them looked on in the direction of Naomi, hoping that she'd be okay, but the unsettling feeling in B'Elanna's stomach told her that this wouldn't be the case.
***
"Acknowledged, ready and waiting," Tom said in response to the Talaxian. "I just hope you are, too, Doc."
Tom had put his plan to retrieve Voyager in motion, and he was surprised at himself at how easy it was to fit back into that role again. There was no fear in him; no hesitation in taking all of the risks he was taking. It turns out Harry was right: the only thing he had to fear was fear itself. He hadn't forgotten how to fly.
All he had to do now was wait for the Doctor to carry out his task. If all went well, Tom would have Voyager back. But he knew that that was an incredibly big 'if.'
***
B'Elanna's heart had jumped to her throat when Chakotay had gone to rescue the native woman, amongst the flowing river of lava. Tremors had been running through the planet, getting more intense each time, and now it looked like the volcano might erupt. She could only watch as Chakotay tried to cajole the woman to safety, and what seemed like an eternity later, the two of them were back on more stable land.
Seeing the native people's gratitude and surprise at Chakotay's gesture, was something she never thought she'd see, and it was definitely awe-inspiring. More touching, was seeing the chief of the clan reach out to Naomi and try to help her illness.
If there was one thing to come from arriving on this planet, this scene was definitely it.
***
Stepping on Voyager again without his crew was strange. It felt empty and contaminated. The ship felt unfamiliar somehow, like he'd never been on it before, and the place was a mess. Talaxians milled around him, trying to get things in order, the help of which he was extremely grateful for. Tom also learnt that it was the Betazoid, Suder, he had to thank for regaining the control of Voyager, although Tom knew he'd never get that chance anymore.
They had a lot of work to do, but first thing was first: Tom was going to get his crew back.
***
It could have been a scene out of some poster for Starfleet and first contact propaganda, but B'Elanna wouldn't have changed it for the world. The natives and the Starfleet crew had finally formed an alliance, and despite everything they'd gone through, it was worth it. At least now, it would make living on the planet a little easier. Plus, the natives knew the ins and outs of the planet. She knew that from now on, the crew would be in good company.
But this train of thought was interrupted by the natives suddenly crying out and pointing up at the sky.
Following their gaze, B'Elanna saw something she could only have hoped to see again: Voyager.
Suddenly, B'Elanna couldn't stop herself from grinning. Her gaze sought Harry's, and when they met, neither of them could contain the look of excitement on their faces.
He made it. Just like I knew he would.
***
It seemed like an eternity before Voyager made it to the surface of the planet.
It had taken Tom a while, but he finally figured out where the Kazon had dumped the crew, and this reclamation project was definitely one he looked forward to.
As soon as Voyager had landed, he rushed to the doors, wanting to be there to greet everybody. When the doors opened, he saw the crew all looking at him, instant relief that he was not Kazon, and that he was still alive. There was an alien race among them too, although Tom didn't give them much notice. There was only one person he was looking for, and he spotted her instantly.
She looked torn, beaten and as exhausted as he was, but in his eyes, she looked beautiful. Her gaze was tracked on to his, and there was great sense of relief showing on her face, and pride, too.
Something unravelled in him, and suddenly everything became clear: why he'd been dreaming about her, thinking about her constantly, and feeling incredibly protective over her.
"Well then, Tom Paris, why has it taken you so long to realize it?"
He realized then what he'd truly been afraid of for so long, and why he'd been hiding from what was in front of him all this time: he was scared of an emotion he couldn't control and where it would take him.
But seeing her standing there, pure joy etched into her features, he wondered how he could have denied it for so long.