Five days later, B'Elanna and her team were at the cluster of planets that they had found earlier. B'Elanna looked at the planets. "Any M-class planets?" B'Elanna asked everyone.
"There are two in the middle," Lt. Wildman said.
B'Elanna turned to Seven. "Take us closer," Seven nodded and she flew the shuttle closer. "Any signs of life?"
Before anyone could answer, Seven said. "We are being hailed."
"On screen," B'Elanna said.
Before she could say anything, they heard. "Who are you? State your purpose in being in Sodo space."
B'Elanna stepped forward because she was the commanding officer on this mission. "I'm Lt. Commander B'Elanna Torres of the Federation Starship Voyager, we are on a scouting mission to find a livable planet for out crew and their families."
"Are you part of the Asnaet forces?" The man asked.
"Never heard of them," B'Elanna said. She wondered if they were on another planet. She turned to Lt. Wildman and nodded. Lt. Wildman knew how to find out about the other planet.
The person on the screen narrowed his eyes on B'Elanna. "We are going board your ship and have a look."
Before B'Elanna could say anything, the person cut off the transmission. B'Elanna turned to the others. "Be ready," The others nodded.
The person and two others appeared on the ship. The person gave B'Elanna a look before ordering the others to search. The person made his way to B'Elanna station. He picked up a picture that B'Elanna had of her family. He held up the picture to B'Elanna. "What is this?"
"A picture of my family," B'Elanna saw the picture. It was Tom and her with the children in front of them. They were in the mess hall where the doctor was taking pictures of all the families on the ship. He gave her the picture to B'Elanna when she was looking over his program. B'Elanna showed it to Tom, and they agreed that she would keep it when she traveled.
"If you have a family, why are you here?" The person asked.
"Because it is my job," B'Elanna crossed her arms.
He narrowed his eye at B'Elanna. He didn't like that she had an attitude. "I'm guessing you have a spouse," B'Elanna nodded. "I'm thinking that he works too," B'Elanna nodded again. "Then you should be at home with your children."
"My husband and I live on a ship where we both work on," B'Elanna growled out.
"How can you be a good mother if you are here?"
B'Elanna clenched her teeth. "I am a very good mother."
"You cannot prove that if your children are not here. You need to come with us," The person reached for her.
B'Elanna pulled back. "I don't think so."
With a nod to his people, each one took her arm. The person stepped up. "You are a spy for Asnaet. No mother would leave their children willingly."
"Then you don't know mothers in my society," B'Elanna hissed back.
"It's time you come with us," The person said before they beamed off with B'Elanna.
Seven turned to Neelix. "Send a message to Voyager."
Tom was sitting at the helm, trying not to fall asleep. Last night, Gabby had a bad dream and wanted B'Elanna. Also, James was being fussy and wouldn't sleep, so that meant Tom didn't sleep well.
"We are getting an incoming call from the away team," Harry said from his station.
"Let's hear it," Janeway said from her chair.
Tom perked up, hoping to hear his wife's voice, but it was Seven's voice. "Commander Torres has been captured," Tom heart dropped. He couldn't lose his wife. What would he say to his children about their mother.
"Tom," Janeway said his name. Tom didn't respond. Tom felt her place her hand on his shoulder. Tom didn't hear the rest of Seven's message. "She's not dead. We need to get to her. Put the coordinates in, so we can get to her."
Tom nodded and did as he was told.
The away team came back on the shuttle and told the captain and Chakotay what happened. They didn't want to do anything until they were back on the ship.
"Tom, you are coming with me down to the planet and to see what we can do to get B'Elanna back," Tom nodded. Tom nodded. He had heard what they needed to do to get B'Elanna back, but Tom thought about seeing his wife again.
Janeway and Tom stood in front of the person behind the desk. To Tom it felt like they were in an early twentieth century police station. Janeway was explaining to the person behind the desk that B'Elanna was their Chief Engineer and a central part of their team. When she was done, they asked.
"Are you married?"
"No," Janeway let out a little laugh.
The person turned to Tom. "Who are you?"
Before Tom could answer, Janeway said. "Excuse me, I'm the captain here."
The person ignored her. "Who are you?" They asked Tom again.
Tom saw the fire in Janeway's eyes. He knew how to deal with an angry B'Elanna but not an angry Janeway. That mostly fell to Chakotay. Tom placed a hand on Janeway's arm, letting her know that he had this. Janeway nodded.
"I'm Tom Paris, husband of Commander Torres," Tom told the person.
"Then these are your children," The person placed a photo on the counter and pushed it towards Tom.
Tom picked up the picture and saw B'Elanna and him standing there with the children. "Yes," Tom answered.
The person looked Tom up and down. "Why would you let your wife work when you have four children?"
Tom almost let out a laugh, but he held himself back. Tom never thought about B'Elanna not working and if he had told her to stay home and be with the children. She would have killed him. Tom had a resort on his tongue but bit it back. He glanced at Janeway before answering.
"We live on a ship, and everyone has to help run it." The person nodded. Tom hoped that they could get B'Elanna hack now. He knew it was a risk to ask but he asked anyway. "Can we see her?"
The person looked from Tom to Janeway. "No, your wife will stand trial with your children being the star witnesses."
"What? No, I'm not going to do that to my children," Tom shouted.
The person raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to see your wife again?"
Tom nodded. He couldn't live without his wife, and he knew his kids couldn't either. The ship couldn't survive without B'Elanna. "When is the trial?" Tom asked.
"We have an opening for tomorrow at one," The person smiled. Tom nodded; he needed to have the kids ready by then.
"Thank you," Tom said. He nodded to Janeway, and they headed out of the police station.
Tom brought the kids into the courtroom. They saw B'Elanna behind a cage, there was a judge next to the cage with a table in front of them.
"Please sit with the children," The judge said. Tom did as he was told. He sat in the last chair with James. James was reaching for B'Elanna when he saw his mom. Tom looked at the other children to see the shock in their faces as they saw their mom behind bars.
"Mama," James called out to B'Elanna. Tom held on to James tightly because he had a feeling that if he loosened a little bit James would break out and run over to B'Elanna.
Tom hoped that everything would go well if it didn't, they had a plan to get B'Elanna out of jail. He glanced behind him and saw all the senior staff and friends behind them.
"The judgement has started," The judge shouted across the room. The room grew quiet. The judge looked down at the children. "Who is the oldest?"
Miral looked at Tom, who nodded at her. She turned back to the judge. "Me, sir."
"How old are you?" The judge asked.
"Ten," Miral took a breath. The judge opened his mouth to say something when James let out a cry and reached out for B'Elanna. Tom had to rock him to get him to calm down, Tom thought that he should have left James at home. "Sir, can I say something?" Miral asked. The judge nodded. "Can my mother hold James or he is going to keep crying. We haven't seen our mother for a week."
"No," The judge said. "She should have been home with you and your siblings then your brother won't miss your mother."
Tom saw a fire in Miral's eyes. "No, my mother was right where she needed to be. She is trying to find a planet for her crew and their families to live on. If she wasn't doing her job, we might not even know that we need to find a planet to live before the ships stops running."
"That doesn't explain what kind of mother she is?" The judge narrowed his eyes at Miral.
Miral didn't back down. "My mom is a great mother. She is there for us whenever we need her. She takes the bad dreams away. Checks under the bed for monsters. When there is something happening at school, she is sitting there watching us. Every night we have dinner as a family. We get to tell her all about our day. She listens to us and gives advice even when we don't want it. My mother is there for us all the time."
"How does her working affect you?" The judge asked.
Miral glanced at B'Elanna before speaking again. "My mother is a strong woman. She is showing us every day how to have a career and be a mother. My mother is Chief Engineer on a starship. She is showing me and my sister you can do anything. She is showing us to be strong. I couldn't be prouder of my mother."
"Do you think she would rather be home with you than working?"
Miral smiled. "I'm sure she would, but I also know we drive her crazy sometimes," People in the courtroom laughed. "We live on a ship where everyone had to pull their own weight. Every mother on our ship works, and so do our fathers. I don't think our ship would run as well as it does without my as Chief Engineer," Tom smiled because that was probably true.
The judge asked Dexter and Gabby questions. Tom heard their respond were basically the same as Miral. He knew what kind of mother B'Elanna was, and he was glad that the children thought the same way. He hoped that they could get B'Elanna out and home.
"Any last remarks," The judge said to the Paris children.
Dexter and Gabby looked at Miral, who looked at Tom. Tom nodded. Anything to get B'Elanna home.
"I know that my mother is a good mother. My brothers and sister knew what a great mom she is," Miral glanced at her siblings. "You can see that the way James is crying out for our mother. My sister, Gabby has had tears swimming in her eyes the whole time. My brother, Dexter has his fists clenched the whole time. All we want is to have my mother back with us. Please sir don't let us grow up without our mom."
Tom thought that the crowd would have applauded if they could. Tom wanted to hug his daughter and tell her how proud he was of her.
The judge nodded and stood. Tom didn't know what that meant but he hoped it was good. The judge left the room. No one did or said anything. They didn't know how long the judge would be gone. Tom didn't dare tell Miral how proud he was of her. He could tell the kids wanted to see their mom but stayed in their chairs.
The judge returned five minutes later and took a seat. Everyone waited on empty breath to see what the judge was going to say. Then he opened his mouth and spoke. "B'Elanna Torres is clear of all charges."
Tom let out a breath he was holding and watched as the three older children ran to their mom, who was let out of her cage. Tom stood with James and made his way over. The three older children were hugging their mom. Tom hugged James to B'Elanna. Tom smiled over the kids.
They entered their quarters and B'Elanna let out a sigh of relief. "It is good to be home. I didn't think that they would let me go. They told me that they were going to my kids to testify about what a good mother I was. I was nervous."
"You had nothing to worry about Mom," Miral smiled up at her mother.
B'Elanna laughed and hugged Miral. "I didn't. You did great, Miral."
Miral blushed. She didn't like the praise. "You are a good mom, and they needed to know that," B'Elanna took her daughter in her arms again.
"I'm so happy that you are my daughter."
"Mom," Miral moaned before backing out of her mother's arms. She headed to her room. She stopped before entering. "I love you, too."