"Seven?" the captain said. "Are you okay?"
"I just came from a conversation with Mister Keegan."
Tom shook his head. "He's like a disease."
"What did he say, Seven?" the captain asked.
"He explained some of his comments from the dinner."
"Is that bothering you?" Chakotay asked.
"No," Seven said. "He also suggested I read fiction to better understand human nature."
"I've made that recommendation to you before," Janeway said.
"I know. He made other suggestions pertaining to my emotional development."
"Something offensive?" Tom asked.
"Perhaps, Mister Paris. Do you know what 'home relaxation equipment' is?"
Tom coughed hard for several seconds and said, "No."
"I'll explain it later," B'Elanna said. "But, is Phil bothering you?"
Seven shook her head. "His comments have no significant emotional effect on me. I am bothered by the way he walks and moves. I am bothered by the chess match."
"Are you upset he beat you?" Harry said.
"Defeat is not an entirely new experience for me, Ensign, but nothing about Lieutenant Keegan indicated this level of skill."
"You said you were bothered by how he moves?" Chakotay said.
"He does not move as a human. His actions are too precise. He reminds me more of a Vulcan." She nodded to Tuvok. "Or a Borg. His eye movements are also tactical. I have noticed that only among humans who are being duplicitous."
Janeway shook her head. "I am becoming more and more bothered by this. Commander," the captain said. "Did Mister Keegan do anything like this when he was with the Maquis?"
"He wasn't part of the Maquis," Chakotay said.
"That's not possible," she replied. "I memorized the crew roster before taking command."
"He indicated to me he was Maquis," Tuvok said.
"You didn't know him?" Janeway asked.
"I didn't let Tuvok know all of my team," Chakotay said. "In case he was a spy."
"When did he tell you this?" the captain said to Tuvok.
"When he transferred to Security," the Vulcan replied.
"That's four departments this man has been in," Janeway said.
"Five, Captain," Tuvok corrected. "He began in Maintenance."
"Why did he leave Security?" Chakotay asked.
"He did not consider it a challenge," Tuvok said. "He also was required to kill in the course of his duties. He told me he did not like that."
"Did he perform well in Security?" Chakotay continued.
"He did. In an effort to keep him in Security, I recommended him for Field Promotion."
"How did he do on the Psych Evaluation?" Janeway said.
"He showed signs of remorse, and feelings of persecution and paranoia."
"That didn't bother you?" Chakotay said.
"No," Tuvok said. "I have seen similar emotions in other members of the Maquis. Humans call it penance. It often helps their work. In any case, Mister Keegan controlled his emotions more effectively than most humans. They never affected his work."
"Did you review his past?" Janeway said.
"You ordered me not to, Captain," Tuvok said. "You told me we could not integrate the crews if we reviewed the crimes of the Maquis."
"You found nothing else unusual about him?" the captain said.
"I did," Tuvok replied. "Mister Keegan uses a telepathic shield."
"Those are only experimental," Janeway said.
Chakotay said, "I didn't think a human had the mental discipline required to make it work."
"Mister Keegan has the necessary discipline," Tuvok said. "I am personally aware of the effectiveness of the device. I can normally sense humans in close proximity. I cannot sense Mister Keegan."
"Did he explain why he has it?" Chakotay said.
"He told me he did not want to be reminded of his past. Many Maquis feel that way, though no others have gone to this extreme. Still, it is Mister Keegan's mind and his past, and telepathic shields are not specifically disallowed by Starfleet."
"How did he do in Maintenance?" Janeway said.
"Chief Retut made no complaints," Tuvok replied.
"Should we call Mister Keegan here?" Chakotay said.
"Not yet," the captain replied. "B'Elanna, how would you rate the Lieutenant's work?"
"He was one of my best engineers. I was sorry to lose him."
The captain shook her head. "Praise from the two of you for the same man on the same day. I feel like my head will explode." She tapped her comm. "Lieutenant Willis, report to the main Briefing Room."
"Yes, sir," Leslie said.
The captain hit her comm again. "Chief Retut, report to the main Briefing Room."
"Yes, Captain," a man's voice said.
Kathryn leaned back and waited.
"Captain?" Seven said, "What is the controversy with Cochrane's Unclaimed Thesis?"
"You surprise me, Seven. I thought you would know that," she replied.
"I am familiar with the thesis, but I have not read its history."
"Well," the captain said. "Zephram Cochrane was looking for a power system for the Phoenix. He tried fusion reactors, but none of them were powerful enough. Out of nowhere, he comes up with a paper on anti-matter reactors that reads like nothing he'd ever written. Instead of using the information himself, he gives it over to a team of engineers. They build the world's first anti-matter reactor. Doctor Cochrane builds the Phoenix. Years later, in an interview, his last before he disappeared, someone asked him about the paper. His response was, 'How many times do I have to tell you people? I never wrote the damn thing.' Scientists and historians have been debating it ever since."
Retut and Willis arrived together. The captain turned to her Chief of Maintenance first.
"Mister Retut," the captain began. "Do you remember Philip Keegan?"
"Yes, Captain. A greener cadet I've never seen. He couldn't tell you a wrench from a spanner."
"Is that why you transferred him to Security?" Chakotay asked.
"No, sir. By the time he transferred, he was one of my best workers. I fought to keep him with me."
"Then, why did he leave?" Janeway asked.
"He thought Security would be more challenging."
"Lieutenant Willis," the captain asked. "What can you tell me about Mister Keegan?"
"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him," she said.
"He saved you at some point?" Chakotay asked.
"No, he transferred," Willis replied. "If he hadn't gone to Engineering, he would have been Chief Science Officer."
"He's a lot younger than you," Chakotay said.
"Yes, he is," Leslie replied.
"Did he give a reason for this transfer?" Janeway said.
"He didn't like the pristine nature of the science lab. He wanted to get his hands dirty with engineering."
"Thank you, for the information, both of you." The captain took a deep breath. "Computer, what record do you have of Lieutenant Keegan before Voyager?"
"There is no record of Lieutenant Keegan prior to his appearance on Voyager."
"When was that?"
"Stardate four-eight-three-one-six-point-nine."
"Could he be something the Caretaker planted?" Chakotay asked.
"Or the Caretaker himself?" B'Elanna said.
"Why expose himself?" Chakotay asked.
Kathryn shook her head. "I saw him risk his life to save Ensign Nureek."
"He risked his life many times in Security," Tuvok added.
"And in Engineering," B'Elanna said.
"Did you see any unusual behavior?"
"He was quiet and did his job well," B'Elanna said.
"You punched him," Janeway said. "How did that happen?"
"It was a bar fight. He walked in on it. I threw a fist at him."
"What did he do?" Janeway asked.
"Well...," B'Elanna began.
"He caught her fist," Harry said. "Stopped it cold."
"Did he now?" Janeway said. "I have heard more than enough." She tapped her comm. "Lieutenant Keegan, report the main Briefing Room."
"On my way," he replied. When he arrived, he looked around the room cautiously. "Captain?" he asked.
"Why does Voyager have no record of you?" she said.
"Oh, that."
"Mister Keegan?" Janeway asked.
"I'm from Fyushal Four," he said.
"Enlighten me," the captain replied.
"Fyushal Four is a regressive colony. They have abandoned all technology," Keegan continued.
"I thought Fyushal was a vacation spot," Tom said.
"It is," Keegan replied. "Burnt out scientists, politicians, Starfleet officers, what have you, will go to Fyushal to relax. Some of them will stay for a few months. Some for a whole year. My parents never left. I was born and raised there, and, when I became an adult, I couldn't wait to leave."
"What did your parents say?" Tom asked.
"My desire to leave was about as surprising as your marriage to B'Elanna. They could tell I wanted to leave when I was six."
"And how did you get on Voyager?" Chakotay asked.
"Fyushal is near the Contested Systems," Keegan said. "And the Badlands. The freighter that was taking me to Deep Space Nine passed through there on its route."
"And the Caretaker grabbed you," Janeway finished.
"Exactly," he said. "When I found myself on Voyager, confused, alone, and isolated between the two factions in the crew, I decided I would not be a burden. I refused to let either side treat me as an incompetent. I didn't want them to—"
"Coddle you?" the captain said.
"Yes."
"You've had seven years to prove yourself, Mister Keegan. Why continue to hide it?" Janeway asked.
"I haven't. No one has asked about it for six years. I considered telling people, but I couldn't get past the idea I would embarrass someone. At some point, I decided to wait to be asked." He shrugged. "This is a little more dramatic than I imagined. I hope I didn't bother you."
The captain shook her head. "Just a little."
"Why do you move in a manner unlike a human?" Seven asked.
He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I've been training under high gravity."
"That's not allowed," Janeway said. "The health risks—"
"I know, Captain," the lieutenant said. "I was nearly beaten to death during a Kazon attack. It made me feel like I couldn't pull my weight. I knew the regulations, but I wanted to be ready for anything."
"You will stop immediately," the captain said.
"But that doesn't explain how you were able to learn all of this so quickly," Chakotay said. "Or why you tried to hide what you could do."
"I learn fast, because I have an eidetic memory. I didn't want you to know how skilled I was, because you would take more notice of me. Then Annika would take notice of me, and she would see the effects of the high-gee training. I also reprogrammed the Doctor so he wouldn't notice it when he examined me."
"That's quite a series of crimes," Chakotay said.
"Yes, sir."
"You interfered with the development of a sentient lifeform, Mister Keegan," the captain said. "I don't take kindly to that. I'm not happy with the rest of your crimes, but I understand them. For the high-gee training and the deception, you will be reduced in rank to Lieutenant, Junior Grade. You will be removed from the Computer Core, and we will find something else for you to do. And, you will tell B'Elanna what you did to the Doctor."
"Yes, Captain."
"I will decide your punishment for the reprogramming after B'Elanna evaluates its effect on the Doctor's development." To the rest of the room, she said, "I would like to talk to Mister Keegan privately." After they left, she motioned for him to sit down. "I still think you can be a benefit to the senior staff. I want you back in the science department. I'm going to give you a probationary period. When it's up, I want to move you to the bridge. I want you at the science station during gamma shift."
"Captain?"
"You went from a farm boy education to understanding, and criticizing, Cochrane in only a few years. You have a lot of potential. Voyager needs you."
"You're... promoting... me," he said slowly.
"At the end of your probationary period, yes. Your work with the Quagaar was excellent. Worthy of the position. And, you saved Ensign Nureek at risk to your own life. You may have been forced into this job, but you're one of the best young officers I've seen. What do you say?"
"Do you know the real reason I transferred out of the science department? Leslie Willis wanted to be Chief Science Officer more than I've ever seen anyone want anything. Every department I went to, I found people who wanted to be there. They loved what they were doing. The Computer Core was the only empty part of the ship. I don't want someone angry because they think I stole their place."
"That's not good enough, Mister Keegan. If you had made it to Earth, would you have joined Starfleet?"
He hit the table, pushed his chair back and stood up. He turned away as if he wanted to leave, but he didn't go anywhere.
"Yes," he said in a whisper.
"Mister Keegan?"
"Starfleet is everything I could have wanted."
"I think that's the most honest thing you've ever said to me."
He laughed, weakly. "If you learn all my tricks, how will I ever surprise you?"
"You'll find something."
"Only if you don't find it first." He turned back. "How long is my probation?"
"Three months."
"I'm certain I'll surprise you before then. Am I free to go?"
"Yes, Mister Keegan. Dismissed."
Philip walked to the turbolift, and found Tom and B'Elanna standing there.
"How did it go?" she asked as they stepped on.
"Three months' probation. Then I get a promotion. Deck Seven."
"Deck Six. Not bad." The lift began to move.
"I'll have that information on the Doctor to you in a few hours."
"He'll be happy to know."
Tom looked at his wife. She shrugged. "Would you like to join us in the mess hall for dinner?" he asked.
"Yes. I'd love to. Do I scare you?"
"No," Tom said. "Why would you?"
"What would it take for you to be afraid of me?"
"You're starting to scare me now," Tom said.
"Not much, then. B'Elanna, do you ever miss being in the Maquis?"
"I miss my friends," she said.
"That's too easy an answer. Do you ever miss being a part of the Maquis itself? The group and what they fought for?"
"Sometimes, I guess. Why?"
"Are you happy about where you are?" Keegan asked.
"I love my husband and our daughter." She leaned into Tom, and he put his arm around her.
"Easy answers again," Keegan said. "You ran away from the Academy. Now, you're the Chief Engineer of a Federation Starship. Are you happy about that?"
"I don't know," B'Elanna said.
"Yes you do," the lieutenant replied. "Starfleet fought the Maquis, now you work for them. How does that make you feel?"
"We're just trying to survive here," she said.
"When we get back to the Alpha Quadrant, do you still want to be the Chief Engineer aboard a Federation Starship?"
She shook her head. "I haven't decided yet."
"I have."
They stood silently for a time. The turbolift stopped but neither Tom nor B'Elanna got off. The doors closed and they started moving again.
"B'Elanna said you were reading the Unclaimed Thesis."
"No," Keegan said. "I have been rewriting it."
B'Elanna perked up. "I'd love to read what you've done."
"I know. I'll include it with the material on the Doctor." The lift stopped again and the lieutenant stepped off. When the doors closed, and he saw he was alone, he hit the wall hard enough to crack it.
"What are you reading?" Chakotay said.
Janeway looked up smiling. "B'Elanna gave this to me. It's Lieutenant Keegan's treatment of Cochrane's Unclaimed Thesis. It's brilliant. I've never seen this level of understanding of the material. It's poetic." She handed the PADD over.
Chakotay read a little. "I can see why he doesn't think Cochrane wrote it."
"I know. I'm going to ask him to give a discussion on it. I haven't been to a scientific debate in seven years. I think a lot of people on board will really enjoy it."
"So why do you look uncomfortable?" he asked.
"His story about MIT."
"Perhaps one of his parents went there."
"That's what he'll say," she replied.
"Do you think he's an infiltrator?"
She shook her head. "An infiltrator would have a background, but there are holes in his story I can't fill up. Why did he study medicine to become the ship's doctor if he doesn't want anyone to notice him? Why did he hide his past for so long? It's not that important. He earned that field commission from Tuvok. He's a member of Starfleet whether he went to the Academy or not. He can write something like this and still say he doesn't like science."
"Kathryn, you're going to have to decide if this man's secret is more important than the officer you might lose."
"I have to do what's best for the ship." She turned her coffee mug around a few times, trying to find inspiration in the squeak. "Computer, how many students named Philip Keegan have attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology?"
"That information is not available."
Chakotay shook his head.
"Access the Auxiliary Core," the captain said.
"The requested information is not available."
"Access the protected memory archives."
"The requested file was damaged in a Kazon attack on Stardate four-nine-nine-one-five-point-three."
The captain sighed.
"We can use the next data transfer," Chakotay said.
"I know. That's ten days away. Some of the senior staff will have to lose letters from home."
"My relatives never have anything interesting to say anyway."
"We are sure about this?" the captain asked.
He raised his coffee mug. "Here's hoping it's all coincidence."
"Lieutenant Keegan?" the captain said, walking into the mess hall. "Mister Neelix told me someone was using the galley after hours."
"Hello, Captain." He raised a drinking glass to her.
"Have you been drinking?"
"Yes, and I hate alcohol." He emptied his glass and poured another drink.
"Are you okay?"
"Hell yes! It takes more than this to get me drunk. I have the constitution of a bull elephant. How about you?"
"I read your treatment of the Unclaimed Thesis."
"I thought you would."
"Your work is brilliant," she said walking over to him.
"It should be."
"Excuse me?"
"No, Captain, excuse me." He drank the last of the alcohol and threw his glass at the wall. But, being transparent aluminum, it dented the wall and bounced off. "Oh, hell," he said.
"I think this is glass," she said, tapping the bottle.
He picked it up, cocked his arm back and set it back down on the table. "No, I lost the urge."
"Can I get someone to help you? Should I call security?"
"No," he said. "Not yet."
"Mister Keegan, you continue to puzzle me."
"And you continue to play with the pieces."
"What does that mean?"
"Persistence is a virtue," he said.
"That's patience."
"Persistent patients are virtuous." He picked up the bottle again and aimed for the door. It opened and B'Elanna Torres walked in. He stopped mid throw and said, "Goddammit."
"Phil?" B'Elanna said. "Captain?"
"Are you here about unauthorized galley use too?" the lieutenant asked.
"No," B'Elanna replied. "I had a craving."
Phil stood up and walked over to her. He took her by the shoulders.
"You know," he said, "I could have really gone for you."
"Phil?"
"I mean it. The first time I saw you, I thought, 'That is a lovely lady.' And I mean 'lady'. I really do. Tom's a lucky guy." He put a hand on her stomach.
"Are you drunk, Phil?"
"No, I'm not. I like you, B'Elanna." He turned around. "I like you too, Captain."
"Thank you, Mister Keegan."
"I'm a good officer," he said.
"Yes, Phil, you are," B'Elanna said.
"I have to agree with B'Elanna, Mister Keegan."
He sighed. "I'm a damn good officer."
"Yes, you are, Lieutenant," the captain said.
"I should be," he replied.
"What?" B'Elanna said.
"What did Tom do anyway?" Phil asked her.
"What do you mean?" she said.
"To get him thrown into prison."
"He doesn't like to talk about it," B'Elanna replied. "Is it important?"
"No, it's not," Keegan said. "No one cares. No one cares at all anymore. You don't care, do you, Captain?"
"No, Mister Keegan, I don't."
He let go of B'Elanna and walked to the window.
"I like space," he said, staring out. "I always wanted to go to space. I just really liked the idea of it."
"I know exactly how you feel," Kathryn said. "Are you going to be okay?"
"Yes, Captain, I'll be fine." He walked to his table, picked up the bottle and threw it at a wall. It shattered. Small bots emerged to clean up the glass.
"Feel better?" B'Elanna asked.
"No, I just needed closure." He let out a loose, hard breath and shook his head clear. "So, what were you hungry for?"
B'Elanna shrugged. "Something salty or maybe something spicy."
Keegan was behind the galley in a few steps. "I know just the thing."
"You can cook?" B'Elanna asked.
"It's a great way to impress women," he replied.
"You should tell Tom that."
"Why? He's already got you. Captain, did you want in on this?"
"Without question, Mister Keegan."
"Great. I hope the two of you like Mexican omelets." He put a pan on the stove and threw some oil into it. "Remember, Mexican means spicy. Don't either one of you expect to sleep after this."
The captain smiled. "I'm looking forward to it, Lieutenant."