Stuck in the Delta Quadrant | A Star Trek Voyager Fanfiction

Chapter 2-The Caretaker

Kamisa, Tom and Harry enter. The doctor and a Vulcan nurse are dealing with a patient on a biobed. "Run a level three diagnostic, just to be sure." says the doctor, he sees Kamisa, Tom and Harry. "Can I help you?" he asks. "Tom Paris, reporting on board." said Tom. "Oh yes. The observer." said the doctor coldly. "That's me. As a matter of fact, I seem to be observing some kind of problem right now, Doctor." quipped Tom. "I was a surgeon at the hospital on Caldic Prime at the same time you were stationed there. We never actually met. Your medical records have arrived from your last posting, Mister Paris. Everything seems to be in order. The Captain asked if you were on board. You should check in with her." said the doctor, he turned to Kamisa "and you are?" he asked "Kamisa" she said coldly "ah yes, the Romulan Second Officer, the Captain asked if you were on board too, you should report to her" said the doctor."Er, I haven't paid my respects to the Captain yet either." said Harry. "Well, Mister Kim, that would be a good thing for a new operations officer to do." said the doctor.

Tom, Kamisa and Harry were all walking in the corridor, "what was that all about?" Harry asked Tom. "It's a long story, Harry, and I'm tired of telling it. I'm sure someone around here will tell you before long." said Tom, Kamisa didn't say anything, she knew Tom wouldn't want friends even if he was her friend.

A split level room with the higher part by the windows, so little Kathryn can stand there and be eye to eye with her crewmen. "The doctor called." Mark, Kathryn's fiancée on the monitor. "And?" asked Kathryn. "And I was right." said Mark. "She's pregnant?" Kathryn asked. "The puppies are due in seven weeks." said Mark. "Oh, Mark. You've got to take her home with you." said Kathryn. "With me? I just got the rugs cleaned." said Mark. "She's with child. I can't leave her in a kennel while I'm..." said Kathryn. "Is this another 'love me, love my dog' demand?" asked Mark. "Yes." said Kathryn. "How could I ever refuse you?" Mark asked rhetorically "thanks, honey." said Kathryn. "So, when are you leaving?" Mark asked curiously "as soon as I approve these systems status reports." said Kathryn not looking up. "All right. Then I won't bother you anymore." said Mark, causing Kathryn to look up and kneel down at the monitor "hey. You never bother me, except the way I love to be bothered. Understand?" she said. "I'll remember that." said Mark. "See you in a few weeks. Oh, Mark, go by my house and pick up the doggie bed. She'll be more comfortable." said Kathryn. "I already did, an hour ago." said Mark. Janeway blows a kiss and ends transmission.

Her doorbell to her Ready Room rings as she walks behind her desk "come in." she says. Tom, Harry and Kamisa enter "Kamisa and gentlemen, welcome aboard Voyager." said Kathryn, Kamisa and Tom noticed Harry was tense "how are you, Kamisa?" Kathryn asked smiling at her goddaughter, Kamisa even though she's Romulan and grew up on Romulus had met Kathryn many times before, only no-one knew that. "I'm alright" said Kamisa sitting herself on Kathryn's couch. "Thank you, sir." said Harry, Tom just looked at Kamisa confused at how she knew Kathryn. "Mister Kim, at ease before you sprain something. Ensign, despite Starfleet protocol, I don't like being addressed as sir." said Kathryn. "I'm sorry, ma'am." said Harry.

Kamisa shook her head amused at Harry being so tense. "Ma'am is acceptable in a crunch, but I prefer Captain. We're getting ready to leave. Let me show you to the bridge." said Kathryn.

She lead the three onto the Bridge, and turned to Kamisa "Kamisa, you're seated right here on my left, feel free to have a seat" said Kathryn, Kamisa nods and sits down, Kathryn turns to Tom. "Did you have any problems getting here, Mister Paris?" she asked. "None at all, Captain." said Tom "My first officer, Lieutenant Commander Cavit. Ensign Kim, Lt. Commander Kamisa and Mister Paris." said Kathryn, Kamisa stood up "welcome aboard." said Cavit, he shakes Harry's hand, then Paris' and Kamisa's reluctantly and walks away, Kathryn frowns at the rudeness, "I'll talk to him" she said to both Kamisa and Tom "no need people do it quite often" said Kamisa sitting down again and Tom just shrugged standing next to her chair, while Kathryn leads Harry to his station.

"Ensign Kim, this is your station. Would you like to take over?" asked Kathryn. "Yes, ma'am." said Harry. Rear of the bridge, on the right as we view it. "It's not crunch time yet, Mister Kim. I'll let you know when." said Kathryn smiling. "Lieutenant Stadi, lay in the course and clear our departure with operations." said Cavit as Kathryn takes her seat beside Kamisa "course entered, Ops has cleared us." said Stadi "ready thrusters." Cavit ordered. "Thrusters ready." said Harry. "Initiate launching sequence." said Cavit. "Sequence underway." said Stadi. "Engage." said Kathryn.

At the prow of the ship, with picture windows - a small Ten Forward. Kamisa and Tom enter and Tom goes to the food replicator while Kamisa stands waiting for him. "Tomato soup." said Tom. "There are fourteen varieties of tomato soup available from this replicator. With rice, with vegetables, Bolian style, with pasta, with" said the Computer. "Plain." said Tom. "Specify hot or chilled." said the Computer, Tom was getting annoyed. "Hot. Hot, plain, tomato soup." Tom practically snapped at the Computer, Kamisa tries not to laugh as Tom takes the bowl and they go to sit by Harry. The doctor and Cavit get up and walk away. "There, you see? I told you it wouldn't take long." said Tom. "Is it true?" Harry asked. "Was the accident my fault? Yes. Pilot error. But it took me a while to admit it. Oh, fourteen varieties and they can't even get plain tomato soup right." said Tom pushing the bowl towards Kamisa who pushed to the side. "They said you falsified reports." said Harry. "That's right." said Tom. "Why?" asked Harry. "What's the difference? I lied." said Tom. "But then you came forward and you admitted that it was your fault?" asked Harry. "I'll tell you the truth, Harry. All I had to do was keep my mouth shut and I was home free. But I couldn't. The ghosts of those three dead officers came to me in the middle of the night and taught me the true meaning of Christmas. So I confessed. Worst mistake I ever made but not my last. After they cashiered me out of Starfleet, I went out looking for a fight and found the Maquis. And on my first assignment, I was caught." said Tom. "It must have been especially tough for you, being the son of an admiral." said Harry. Kamisa snorts it would've been harder for Tom's father rather than Tom "frankly, I think it was tougher on my father than it was on me. Look, I know those guys told you to stay away from me. And you know what? You ought to listen to them. I'm not exactly a good luck charm." said Tom.

Kamisa scoffed "right, cause you can be my friend but I can't be yours?" asked Kamisa slightly shocking Tom who was speechless that Kamisa was offended that he basically implied he shouldn't have friends "I don't need anyone to choose my friends for me." said Harry agreeing with Kamisa basically. "Janeway to Paris." said Kathryn over the comm. Tom tapped his badge "go ahead." he said. "Report to the Bridge. We're approaching the Badlands." said Kathryn. 

Tom, Kamisa and Harry head towards the turbolift.

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Second Chapter of 'Stuck in the Delta Quadrant'