"The Rain Chronicles" [PG] - Book III

"The Rain Chronicles" [PG] - Book III

Rain Robinson of ”Future’s End” ends up on Voyager, following her adventures with Tom Paris and Tuvok in late 20th century Earth. Here is Book III. 

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RAIN ROBINSON - May 27, 2373:

Today, I began my first shift in Stellar Cartography. It did not turn out too bad. I barely managed to keep up, but at least I didn't make a fool of myself. Even better, I also made two friends, who didn't seem to mind answering my questions every five or ten minutes.

My new friends happened to be sisters, twin sisters - Jenny and Megan Delaney. They seemed very friendly, a lot of fun to be with and a big help. Let's face it. My knowledge of astronomy and stellar cartography is at least 300 years outdated. Thanks to Jenny, Megan and some late-night study sessions with the ship's computer, I managed to catch up to the latest findings within two weeks. There is still a lot I don't know. But, if                                all goes well, I should be able to keep up with them and the rest in Stellar Cartography by the end of the year. One last thing I like about the Delaneys - they seemed to be among the few on this ship who don't seem full of themselves. In other words, they don't look upon me like some cavewoman from prehistoric times.

Megan is the quiet one. Dimples usually form on her cheeks whenever she smiles. I also believe that she once dated Tom Paris, some two years ago. Okay, I must admit that I felt a little . . . no, a lot jealous when I first heard this news. Until I also learned that Megan and Tom had put their relationship behind them, a long time ago. And now, they only consider themselves as good friends. In fact, Megan has now developed an interest in another crewman, whose name has escaped me.

Unlike Megan, Jenny does not have dimples when she smiles. And she also seemed more like the outgoing type. Very talkative and with a lot of jokes. In many ways, she reminded me of Tom. After learning about the holodecks from Jenny, I wonder if she would be interested in creating programs from some of my old favorite "B" movies. She seemed like the type who would enjoy them. There is one thing about Jenny Delaney that I cannot fathom. Namely, her interest in one Ensign Harry Kim. She seems to like him. A lot.

What Jenny sees in him, I have no idea. I suppose one could say that he is very good-looking and smart. Despite his quiet nature, he also seemed to have a sly sense of humor. I almost grew to like him. Until I encountered one of his less admirable traits. Like a lot of people on this ship, Harry Kim has this smug superiority that tends to manifest itself whenever the subject of Starfleet or the Federation comes up. He seemed proud . . . almost a little too proud over humanity's "evolvement" over the past 300 years. 

One time, he came so proud and smug over the subject that I could not help but respond in a bitchy manner. Let's just say that Mr. Kim did not take kindly to my manner. Hey! What can I say? When I hear bullshit, I can't seem to keep my mouth shut.

* * * * 

LIEUTENANT B'ELANNA TORRES - Stardate 50394.19:

I have a strong suspicion that Harry does not like Rain Robinson very much. At least, not anymore. However, that was not always the case.

When she first came aboard, Harry tried to make Rain feel at home. Typical Harry. Mister Collector-of-Lost-Souls. Both Tom and I had been amongst those lost souls during Voyager's first year in the Delta Quadrant. Rain became another. Both she and Harry seemed destined to become good friends. Until that little conversation between them in the Mess Hall.

It happened about a week following Voyager's encounter with the Q Continuum's civil war. Harry, Tom, Rain, Ken Dalby, Megan Delaney, Golwat and I had gathered around one of the Mess Hall's large tables, following dinner. Tom, Rain and I were recounting our adventures on 20th century Earth.

I had just finishing describing my and Chakotay's encounter with those Arizona terrorists. Rain immediately added, "You must have come across one of those groups of right-wing terrorists. They're people who feel that the government was slowly taking over their rights as citizens."

Ken nodded. "Freedom fighters, right?" he asked.

A snort left Rain's mouth. "Yeah, right. Freedom for white Americans. Especially if they're men. As far as they're concerned, everyone else deserves to be oppressed."

"I noticed how they seemed to view both Chakotay and myself with a lot of hostility," I added, remembering those stares. Curious, but hateful. "I guess it was a good thing Tuvok and the Doctor came to our rescue."

Harry shook his head. "You were very lucky, Maquis. Quite frankly, I'm glad I had remained on the ship." Then he faced Rain and made his big mistake. "I guess you're lucky, also. Now that you don't have to live in the 20th century, any longer."

"Lucky?" Rain's dark eyes narrowed. "How am I lucky?"

Harry continued, "Well, maybe not completely lucky. After all, you're stuck in the Delta Quadrant with the rest of us. But once we return to Earth, you'll find yourself in a better world. No wars, poverty, diseases and crime. It's paradise." His face lit up. Good old Starfleet. Optimistic, as always.

Another long pause followed. Rain continued to stare at Harry. Hard. "Hmmmph," she finally said. "I guess the Earth of today is probably a better place to live. However, I doubt very much that you can still call it paradise. There's no such place. At least not on this plane of existence."

"I see what you're getting at," Harry said with a dismissive laugh. Unbeknownst to him, Rain's body stiffened. "You're speaking from some kind of spiritual point of view. Which is fine for those who are religious. But from our point of view, Earth is paradise. You just have to see it for yourself." He looked as if he was ready to plant the Federation flag on the next planet.

A smirk threatened to tug the edges of Rain's lips. "No kidding," she said in a voice that dripped with sarcasm. "You know, I've been reading about your Federation in the ship's computer. Earth is like you said. Somewhat."

Golwat frowned. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well . . . there are no wars. At least on Earth. But I've noticed that your Federation has been involved in plenty of wars elsewhere. From what I've read, you were just involved in a war with some species called Cardassan . . . uh, Cardasaiann . . ."

"Cardassians," Tom added.

Rain shot him a grateful look. "Yeah. Thanks. Didn't your Federation just have a war with these Cardassians about . . . oh, five years ago?"

Again, Tom provided the correct answer. "Six or seven years ago." This time, Rain ignored him.

"But we're now at peace with the Cardassians," Harry explained. "The Federation signed a treaty with them about three years ago." Ken Dalby frowned. As a fellow ex-Maquis, I didn't blame him. Personally, I think the Federation should have dealt with the Cardassians when they had the chance.

And in typical Dalby fashion, Ken expressed what the rest of us former Maquis felt. "Not only did the Feds sign a treaty with the Cardies, they handed over their DMZ colonies in order to settle that treaty. A treaty that didn't have a chance of working out."

Rain nodded. "Yeah. I've read about that, too. Sort of reminds me of a certain event that happened on Earth, before my time."

None of us seemed to have any idea what Rain was talking about. Including Mr. Twentieth Century himself. A confused looking Harry asked her to be specific.

"I read how your Federation gave up those colonies to ensure peace with these Cardas-si-ans. It reminded me of how the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, signed a non-aggression pact with Hitler, allowing the latter to continue his conquest of smaller European nations in 1938. Chamberlain did all of this to avoid a war and yet, World War II began a year later."

Tom cried out, "I remember reading about that!" He failed to notice the dark glance from Harry. "Now that I think about it, you're right."

The 'Fleeters, with the exception of Megan Delaney, looked very upset. Especially Harry. Dalby naturally looked pleased by Rain's analogy. As for Tom . . . Let's just say that he seemed more enthralled by Miss Robinson herself, instead of what she had to say.

"You simply can't compare the Federation to this Chamberlain fellow," Harry declared in heated tones. "Especially since the Federation is still at peace with the Cardassians."

Rain shot back, "How do you know?"

A smug smile appeared on Ken's face. Golwait quietly excused herself. Megan remained seated. As for Harry - he opened his mouth to speak, but not a word came out. It didn't surprise me. After all, it has been two years since we were all thrown into the Delta Quadrant by the Caretaker. A lot could have happened in the Alpha Quadrant during that period. I never realized until this moment on how much Harry put the Federation on a pedestal.

"By the way," Rain added, "you also claimed that there was no poverty on Earth and . . ."

Harry nodded. "That's right."

". . . no crime. And yet," Rain continued, "you mean to tell me there is absolutely no crime on Earth? Including murder?"

Poor Harry. He looked as if he had walked into a trap. "We're not violent!" he declared.

"But you still have murder. Right? I mean, money isn't the only motive for all crimes. There are so many other emotions to deal with - lust, hatred, fear, you name it. I noticed that the Federation has a legal system."

Tom quietly added, "And prison." A faraway look had crept into his blue . . . I mean, his eyes. The ghost of prison in New Zealand seemed to have returned. I wonder if Rain knew about that aspect of his past? Or Caldik Prime?

Rain continued, "Look, what I'm trying to say is that this picture of Earth as 'Paradise' simply strikes me as being unrealistic. It might be a hell of a lot better than it was in my time. But from what I've read, it seemed far from perfect. And you've seemed to acquire a whole new set of problems over the past three centuries. Face it, there's no such thing as paradise. Your Federation just might be spouting propaganda."

Needless to say, Harry did not take Rain's little speech very well. I don't think even Golwat appreciated it and she wasn't Human. Since both were regular Starfleet officers and Federation citizens, naturally both took Rain's words very personal. Megan didn't. Which surprised me. Perhaps the Delaneys had a more realistic view of the world than your average Federation citizen. I know that Tom did. And Dalby, not surprisingly, gleefully agreed with Rain.

And me? I may have been a Starfleet officer for the past two years, but I've also been around. Like Dalby and Tom, I've seen too much of the Universe's dark side to view the Federation as paradise. Klingons believed that paradise awaits them in Sto-vo-kor. The Klingon afterlife. Judging from Rain's comments about no paradise on this plane of existence, I suspect that she would agree with them.


END OF BOOK III

"The Rain Chronicles" [PG] - Book II

The Rain Chronicles" [PG] - Book II

Rain Robinson of ”Future’s End” ends up on Voyager, following her adventures with Tom Paris and Tuvok in late 20th century Earth. Here is Book II. 


LIEUTENANT B'ELANNA TORRES - STARDATE 50327.93:

I had not seen much of Rain Robinson, following our discovery of her aboard ship. Come to think of it, I have not see much of Tom, either. One can only assume he was busy, getting her acquainted with Voyager. On her third day aboard ship, the two paid a visit to Engineering. Personally, I would have preferred if Tom had chosen someone else - preferably Sue Nicoletti or Vorik - to welcome the little newcomer. Fate has a way - it seems - of never going my way.

"Hi B'Elanna," Tom greeted in his usual affable manner. "You remember Rain Robinson, don't you? From the staff meeting, a few days ago?"

I gave them both a stiff smile. "Oh yeah. Our time traveler." I faced her. "So, is Tom giving you a tour of the ship?"

Miss Robinson responded with a brief nod. "Yeah." I noticed that her eyes seemed fixated on my face. Or to be exact, my forehead. Kahless! Where is a scarf when one is needed?

"You find something interesting?" I growled slightly.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to stare. It's just that . . . well, to be honest, I've been staring at a lot of people, lately." Translation: she had been staring at all the odd-looking aliens. Non-Terrans. "I guess everyone has a good reason to stare at me, as well. Considering I'm from the past. But I've got to be honest, that forehead of yours really looks exotic. I know a good number of men who would probably fall for you like crazy."

She must be insane. Or a bad judge of character. A lot of men fall over me? Huh! I still remember how that Arizona terrorist had stared at me. Like some animal that had escaped from a zoo.

Miss Robinson continued, "What exactly are you? I know that Tuvok is from some place called Vulcan."

"She's half-Klingon, half-Human," Tom answered before I could. He gave me a fond look. For some reason, it warmed me considerably. "There's no one in this universe quite like her."

Miss Robinson stared at Tom for what seemed like a long moment, before she murmured in an acid voice that took me by surprise, "Now that sounds familiar." Unless my senses were deceiving me, there seemed to be a hint of jealousy in her eyes. Or resentment. 

"Did you say something?" Tom asked. Apparently, he had not heard her last remark. Nor did Miss Robinson bothered to answer.

I continued, "I suppose you require a tour of Engineering?" Both Tom and Miss Robinson nodded and I proceeded to give them the guided tour. While I rambled on about the ship's functions, I noticed a few things about my two visitors. One, Tom made every effort to express his continuing friendship toward Miss Robinson with every look or gesture he could muster. As for our intrepid time traveler, she continued to either reject or ignore his attempts. What the hell had brought on this sudden coldness?

When the tour finished, Miss Robinson thanked me and asked if we could meet for breakfast or lunch, one day. My first instinct was to say no. But a small part of me felt a little curious about her and what she had to say. Besides, I also wanted to learn what made her tick. So, I said yes.

* * * * 

RAIN ROBINSON - April 29, 2373:

"There's no one in this universe quite like her." That is what Tom had said about that engineer, B'Elanna Torres. Hmmm. Sounded familiar. Very familiar. Hell, if one changed a few words, it would sound exactly like, "You're like no woman I've ever met." The very words Tom had spoken to me, when he had said good-bye to me in the California desert. Only in Lieutenant Torres's case, I suspect that Tom had been more sincere. 

I saw the look he gave her. And I don't blame him. The lieutenant is a very beautiful woman - in an exotic way. So, why did I bother to make plans for breakfast or lunch with her? To learn about the competition? What competition? I already knew whom Tom preferred. It seemed useless to put a fight. Besides, I rather liked Lieutenant Torres. She seemed a little livelier than most of the jokers on this ship. Her and a few others - like Tom and Neelix.

Neelix is this strange-looking guy, who looks like a warthog with spots, whiskers and a Mohawk haircut. Despite his strange appearance, he is very nice and a lot of fun. Unlike the others, he is a native of this part of the galaxy - the Delta Quadrant. He's from this planet called Talax. About two years ago, he was a junk trader, who joined the ship to act as a guide and cook.

His girlfriend, Kes, is also a native of the Delta Quadrant. And Ocampan. Like Neelix, she is also nice - but in a quiet way. Kes is a pretty blonde with ears that made her look like an elf. She serves as the medical assistant to the ship's doctor. And like Tom, Neelix and Lieutenant Torres, she doesn't seem to possess this smug air that permeates the majority of the crew. In other words, she doesn't look upon me like some savage or Neanderthal from the past. Because the rest of them sure do. What the hell did I get myself into?

* * * *

B'ELANNA TORRES - STARDATE 50353.16

It's over. Between Neelix and Kes, I mean. It took the malevolent spirit of some dead warlord to break up Voyager's only permanent couple. Only, they are no longer permanent. Is it any wonder that I try to avoid relationships as much as possible?

Thanks to Tieran, the warlord who possessed Kes, the latter finally discovered her dark side. Kes also realized that she had outgrown Neelix and her gratitude toward him for saving her from the Kazon. Apparently, her feelings toward him had stemmed from gratitude.

From what Harry told me, Neelix is feeling desolate over his broken romance. Once we had left the Ilari homeworld, I decided to offer my condolences to him. Since Neelix has always proven to be one of the few willing to befriend me, I decided to offer my condolences. Cheer him up. Only, upon my arrival at the Mess Hall just before lunch, I found him deep in conversation with Rain Robinson.

She stood next to the counter, contemplating dishes that Neelix had set out for lunch. "What's this again?" she asked, pointing at some kind of custard pie with brown sticks protruding from it.

"Alarian pie," Neelix replied. "It's quite delicious. Made with Alarian eggs and Cancus mushrooms."

Miss Robinson pointed at the brown sticks. "And what are those?"

Neelix replied, "Hagellian roots. It gives the soufflé its flavor." 

Eyeing the dish warily, Miss Robinson continued, "It doesn't taste like Leola root, does it?"

"You don't like Leola root?"

Unlike the rest of us, Miss Robinson happened to be a little more blunt. "Neelix, don't take this the wrong way, but your Leola root stew is hard to take! I took one bite and nearly gagged. Hasn't anyone else told you?"

"No," Neelix ruefully answered. "Well, I do recall that Commander Chakotay had once expressed distaste of it. But he hasn't said anything since." He paused and glanced at my direction. "Ah! B'Elanna! A bit early for lunch, are you?"

Miss Robinson also glanced at me and nodded. I returned the nod and glanced at the display of food on the counter. "Hi Neelix," I greeted. "Did I just hear you tell Miss Robinson that you had some pie for lunch?"

"Alvarian pie." Neelix cut a slice of the pie and served it on a plate. "Try some."

I hesitated. Mind you, I really like Neelix. He is a sweet man and a wonderful friend. But I have never been able to truly enjoy most of his Delta Quadrant delicacies. I like to use the replicators, unless I have no other choice. Which happened to be the case, today. "I, uh . . ." I began, trying to find words that would not insult him.

Miss Robinson suddenly volunteered in my stead. "Give it to me, Neelix. I'll try it." She gave me an understanding smile. "I don't mind being the guinea pig, today." Then she took a bite. Her eyes lit up with delight. "Hmmm, this is great! You should try it."

I did. Not bad, but I found the pie a tad too spicy for my taste. "Doesn't this spice bother you?" I asked the other woman.

Dark eyes stared at me in disbelief. "This is too spicy for you?"

"Well, I'm not used to so much spice," I replied, trying not to sound defensive. As much as I like our guest, she seemed to have a habit of questioning a person. Much like Tuvok in the middle of an interrogation.

Miss Robinson's eyes continued to penetrate mine. "Where is your family from?" she asked. "I mean, your Human family." I told her. Mexico. From the state of Nuevo León, not far from Monterrey. "And you're not used to spicy food?"

"I was mainly raised by my Klingon mother," I coolly replied. "Klingons do not eat spicy food. As for Humans, they're more inclined to eat healthier food."

Miss Robinson seemed horrified at the thought. "Good God! What is the fun in that?"

Neelix added in a conspiratorial manner, "To be honest, I have to agree with you, Miss Robinson."

"Call me Rain. All of you."

Orange-yellow eyes brightened considerably. Already, Miss Robinson . . . uh, Rain had managed to wrap the cook around her little finger. "If you insist," Neelix added happily. "As I was about to say, between you and me, I like my food with a little spice or zest. I didn't think there were any Humans who felt the same."

"On Earth . . . well, 20th century Earth, I'm from the Southwest. A Southern California girl. Spice is almost like table salt to us." While the two chatted happily, I did not have the heart to inform Miss . . . I mean, Rain that 24th century Humans also try to avoid salt. Oh well. She will eventually learn.

As for Neelix, judging by his happy countenance, I could see that he no longer needed any consolation from me or anyone else. Whatever he may still feel over his breakup with Kes, Rain has managed to put him a better mood. For the moment.


* * * *

KATHRYN JANEWAY - STARDATE 50388.37

Damn that Q! What an exasperating man . . . or omnipotent being! Or whatever. To be honest, I could say the same about him, his mate and the entire Q Continuum. 

Not only did Q try to mate with me, behind the female Q's back, he had also dragged me into the Continuum's civil war. I nearly got killed - first by shells and gunfire, while dressed in some ridiculous 19th century dress. Wait. Perhaps I'm being a little harsh about the dress. I rather liked it. It would have been a perfect outfit to wear in my Gothic holonovel. But I digress. Not only did he and the Continuum drag both my crew and me into their war, he had refused to do me a favor in return for helping him settle the war.

Following the Continuum's civil war, Q returned to Voyager, with his new son in tow. To my surprise, he named me as the child's godmother. Image that - Kathryn Janeway, a guardian of an omnipotent being. I faced an even greater shock after I asked Q to return Miss Robinson to 20th century Earth. He refused. Q had the nerve to inform me that he could not do as I had asked.

"May I ask, why?" I demanded.

For once, Q looked serious. "I'm sorry Kathy. I may be capable of a lot of things, but tampering with the timeline is a no-no in the Continuum."

"Pardon me? Is this the same person who sent the Enterprise-D into the Delta Quadrant, forcing the Federation into a premature contact with the Borg?"

Q sighed. "And look what that has brought me. The Continuum punished me for my . . ." the man actually managed to pout, ". . . irresponsible behavior. Now that the civil war is over and I'm a father, I must learn to be a little more prudent."

"Prudent? Don't you consider returning Miss Robinson back to where she belong, prudent?" I cried. Not that I disliked the young lady, but Miss Robinson has a tendency to be a little . . . well, direct. Or should I say, blunt. She has become a strong reminder to the crew of what Humans were like in the past centuries. Quite frankly, it is a reminder I could do without.

A cryptic smile touched Q's lips. Damn the man! "Now Kathy, how do you know that Miss Robinson doesn't belong here? Has her presence upset the timeline in any way?" Right after we learned of Miss Robinson's presence, I had Tuvok and Tom Paris examine the ship's database for any discrepancies in the timeline. Apparently, neither man was unable to detect any. "Of course they haven't!" Q retorted. "Miss Robinson's presence on this ship has not changed anything. If she had not sneaked aboard Voyager," I winced at the imagery, "she would have been dead."

Hands on hips, I glared at Q. "What do you mean?"

With a sigh, Q explained that after parting from Helm . . . uh, Lieutenant Paris, Miss Robinson would have been killed in a crime that occurred at some store on her way back to Los Angeles. "And if that idiot Braxton had not sent you screaming into the 20th century, she would have been killed by some thuggish little cretin with no redeeming qualities."

"So, you're saying . . ."

The omnipotent being smiled grandly. "She's all yours, Kathy. Don't worry. I'm sure that Miss Robinson will put a little zest in your humdrum lives. Especially Helmboy's. That is, if your little Klingon engineer doesn't get her hands on him, first. I must say that I rather like Miss Robinson. She reminds me of how you Humans used to be . . . before you became dull and self-righteous."

"Q!" I gave him my deadliest glare. Unfortunately, the scamp ignored me. With Q Junior squirming in his arms, he said good-bye one last time and vanished. I sighed. It looked as if Miss Robinson is here to stay.


END OF BOOK II

"The Rain Chronicles" [PG] - Book I

"THE RAIN CHRONICLES" [PG] - Book I

RATING: [PG] For mild language. Very mild.
SUMMARY: By some twist of fate, Rain Robinson from Season 3's "Future's End", ends up on Voyager. Told from Rain, B'Elanna and Janeway's POV. Book 1.
FEEDBACK: Be my guest. But please, be kind.
DISCLAIMER: Tom, B'Elanna and all other characters related to Star Trek Voyager belong to Paramount, Viacom and the usual Trek Powers to Be. Dammit!

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've always wondered if there would have been a Paris/Torres romance if Rain Robinson had ended up on Voyager. 

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RAIN ROBINSON - May 2, 1996:

It began with a simple touch. Can you believe it? A simple touch. One little act that would change my life for good. Why did I do it? Was it my natural curiosity, first sparked by that radiation signal I had detected at the Observatory? Or was it a pair of warm blue eyes that led me to give in to such an impulse? Maybe the latter. Who knows?

It was the signal started everything. Signs of Gamma emissions that drew the attention of my sponsor at the Observatory and all-round creep, Henry Starling. It also attracted the attention of the owner of those blue eyes - Tom Paris - and his two oddball friends, Tuvok and Mr. Leisure Suit. Thanks to Tom and his friends, I discovered that Mr. Starling could not be trusted and wanted me dead. Tom and Tuvok wanted him for another reason. Something to do with a ship in Starling's possession. A timeship, I believe. Despite what Tom may think, I was paying attention. Tom and I eventually chased Starling's pet thug into the desert, outside L.A. The poor bastard ended up blown to bits by some strange aircraft. One that I suspect Tom was very familiar with.

Tom Paris. I once told him that he reminded me of Howdy Doody, but in a sexy way. He still does. Strange guy, very good-looking and charming, but also very smart. Nor did he seem turned off by my own brains and my big mouth. In short, I wanted him to stay. But he couldn't. He had to return to from wherever he came from.

So there we stood in the middle of the desert, facing each other. Tom said that he had never met anyone quite like me and probably never will. Then he kissed me. Properly. Not like others who usually gave wet, sloppy kisses or timid ones. A real, honest-to-God kiss with the pair of the warmest lips I had ever felt. When he eventually turned his back on me, something inside could not give him up. A strange, blue light enveloped him and with my usual impulsiveness, I touched his shirt and found myself caught up in the light. One moment we had been surrounded by the California desert, the next inside the strange aircraft, which had even stranger technology. Before Tom or anyone else could spot me, I ducked behind some console and out of sight.

"Chakotay to Voyager," a soft, deep voice called out. "We've picked up Tom. All are accounted for."

A husky, female voice that sounded slightly familiar, responded, "Acknowledged Commander. Report to the Bridge as soon as you return. Janeway out." 

Voyager? The only other Voyager I could recall was a satellite probe that had ended up missing years ago. Judging from Ms. Janeway's voice, Voyager seemed to be more than a satellite. Instinct also told me that it was not on this earth. Okay, actually it was my stomach that conveyed the message. Especially after the way it bounced to my throat after the craft rose further in the air. How far we traveled? I have no idea.

We finally arrived at our destination and I ducked my head behind the console once more. Tom, Tuvok and the others filed out of the aircraft. The moment their voices vanished, I decided it was safe to leave my hiding place. Upon leaving the aircraft, I found myself alone, surrounded by similar aircrafts - much to my relief. It looked as if I was in the middle of an airplane hangar. Or something similar. I glanced to my left and nearly passed out with shock. Instead of a solid wall, I faced a blanket of space - namely outer space. Good grief! Where in the hell did I end up?

* * * *


LIEUTENANT B'ELANNA TORRES - STARDATE 50316.95:

We did it. Believe it or not, Voyager managed to save Earth's future by preventing that greedy bastard, Henry Starling, from traveling to the 29th century and destroying it. Idiot. The man was an idiot whose greed led him to his destruction. Well, the Captain actually destroyed him and the timeship. It was either that or allow him to destroy Earth.

My adventures with Chakotay nearly proved to be just as interesting. It seemed that Voyager's two senior ex-Maquis would end up meeting their counterparts in 20th century Arizona. Although I must say that I found it difficult to consider those Neanderthals as freedom fighters. Their goals seemed a lot less noble and more self-serving than our own.

But I must remember that I'm no longer with the Maquis. I'm an officer and chief engineer aboard a Starfleet vessel. And have been for the past two years. That scenario almost ended, thanks to Henry Starling. Who knows how our lives may have ended on 20th century Earth. I remember Chakotay expressing an interest in becoming an anthropologist at some North American university. I cannot imagine me finding it so easy to blend in. What in the hell could a half-Klingon with forehead ridges do in the 20th century? Before Earth had ever made any contact with another alien species?

I had no doubt how Tom Paris would have fared. Probably spend his time exploring his favorite period in history. And with that Rain Robinson woman he had befriended, as his companion. I finally saw her. While our shuttle hovered above the California desert. I still remember the way he kissed her before we beamed him aboard.

Stop! What in the hell is wrong with me? Why am I thinking about Tom Paris, of all people? And why would I even care about his latest conquest? So what if he had once propositioned me? Big deal! I had immediately informed him on how I really felt about a date with him on the holodeck. Or did I? Would an hour or two, sailing on Lake Como had been that bad? Oh hell! Why bother contemplating on that now? Paris has not made an attempt for another date, since. And he'll probably spend the next few days or so, remembering the charms of Miss Rain Robinson. Yet, in the end, he will forget her. Like he has forgotten the other women in his life.

"Senior staff to the Conference Room," I heard Chakotay's voice announce over the Comm system. Another senior staff meeting? We just had one not long after our return to Delta Quadrant. Oh well. Maybe the Captain had decided to plan a celebration for saving Earth's future.

* *

Kahless! What a day! A surprise awaited the senior staff when we reported to the Conference Room. Captain Janeway was furious! I have never seen her look that angry since the time the Vidiians had stolen Neelix's lungs. I still remember what those bastards did to me. But I'm digressing.

Upon our return to the Delta Quadrant, the Captain and Chakotay discovered that Captain Braxton, that stupid p'tak from the 29th century, had failed to realize the new passenger we had picked up during our time travels. It seemed that we - and I mean myself, Chakotay, the Doctor and Tuvok - had not only transported Paris to the shuttle, but also another passenger, from the California desert. That extra passenger turned out to be none other than Tom's friend, Rain Robinson. Tom had no idea that Miss Robinson had decided to hitch a ride when we beamed him up. In fact, no one had even spotted her on the ship - until after our return to the Delta Quadrant. A Security detail caught her roaming around Deck Seven. 

Typical Braxton. The idiot was so determined to return us to our proper time and place in history that he failed to account for a 20th century woman aboard Voyager. So much for his temporal magic. What an idiot!

When I said that the Captain was angry, I was not joking. She castigated Miss Robinson for sneaking aboard the ship. She almost accused Tom of helping his friend, until Miss Robinson took full responsibility and insisted that she had acted alone. Janeway, however, did chastise Paris and the rest of us for our "lack of diligence" - her words, not mine.

Rain Robinson. What an odd name for a Human! Now, she was a permanent member of Voyager's crew. Like Neelix and Kes, she decided to remain a civilian. The Captain assigned her to Stellar Cartography, since she was an astronomer. Now I ask you, exactly what good is a 20th century astronomer aboard a 24th century starship? Personally, I suspect that no one has any idea, including the Captain and Miss Robinson. I bet that Tom Paris doesn't care. Now that he has his lady love by his side. Of course, I must admit that Miss Robinson seemed a little displeased when the Captain ordered Tom to act as her escort aboard ship. Any other woman would be thrilled. 

* * * * 

RAIN ROBINSON - April 26, 2373:

Oh. My. God! Ohmigod! I can't believe it! I'm on a spaceship nearly 380 years in the future! In the future, for crying out loud! Oh God! What have I done? No wonder that Captain Janeway was pissed! Kathryn Janeway. Now there is a woman Gloria Steinem would love to meet. Personally, I think she is a bit uptight. All right, she's a little pissed that I decided to hitchhike on her ship and I don't blame her. But Jeez! By the time she finished lecturing me, I felt like I was seventeen again being nagged to death by my mother. I really think that woman needs to get laid.

According to the Captain, what we are traveling on is a starship. Namely a space-traveling vessel that is part of some organization called Starfleet. And Starfleet happens to be the military arm of another organization called the Federation of United Planets or something. Like a futuristic version of the United Nations, only it's an alliance between different planets. Although most of Voyager's crew consists of Humans, there are some who came from other planets. Agen . . . uh, Lieutenant Tuvok happens to be one. He came from a planet called Vulcan. With those ears and his HAL-like personality, I'm not surprised.

Oh God! This is wonderful. I'm a 20th century woman stuck on a 24th century space . . . starship. And I'm attracted to a man who happens to be over 300 years younger than me. Great! Now I understand why Tom's dialogue seemed a bit . . . . well, dated at times. I mean, who uses "groovy" in 1996? Or spy against the KBG? I wonder if I was just another assignment to Tom? Or someone to be used to stop that creep, Henry Starling, from blowing up the future? I have a bad feeling that I had stowed away on that shuttle for nothing. And that Tom Paris saw nothing more than some loud, annoying woman whose company he had to endure. Just like the others. Damn!

As for my position here on Voyager, Captain Janeway assigned me to some place called Stellar Cartography. Apparently, it's where the crew map the unexplored regions of space. Hmm, sounds like my cup of tea. My first assignment is to catch up on 377 years of astronomy, astrophysics and Earth history. Easier said than done. Then again, I do like an interesting challenge. Hell, it's a lot better than roaming the ship with nothing to do. Janeway asked if I would like to become part of the ship's Starfleet personnel. Let's just say it took a great deal of effort not to laugh in her face. Instead, I merely smiled and said, "Thanks, but no thanks." What the hell? I was never the military type and I'll be damned if anyone caught me wearing one of those god-awful leisure suits.


END OF BOOK I

"The Helmsman's Log - 2373" [PG-13] - Part II

Here is the sequel to the personal logs of Tom Paris, set around Voyager's third year in the Delta Quadrant: 


THE HELMSMAN'S LOGS – 2373

Part II


STARDATE 50536.19:

Voyager came across a planet during Alpha shift, called Sakari IV. And it seems to be rich with gallicite. Just what we need to reconstruct our poor, overused warp coils. B'Elanna will lead the Away team to find the gallicite. Because I have experience in rock climbing, she asked me to join her, Neelix and Vorik on the mission. I agreed. Hell, I couldn't say no to a pretty woman. End personal log.




STARDATE 50539.04:

(Sighs) God, I can't believe what I've just been through! What B'Elanna went through. It was just (Pauses) . . . Hell, it was just plain weird! Vorik comes down with something called pon far, infects B'Elanna and then she comes on to me like a bride eager to lose her virginity. It was all just so . . . And the weird thing is I would have happily complied with B'Elanna's wishes. God, I wanted her so badly! I . . .

Okay, I better simmer down. I'm beginning to ramble. I guess it all began before we beamed down to the surface of Sakari IV. When B'Elanna was in Engineering with Vorik, last night, he proposed marriage to her. Marriage! Between a half-Klingon and a Vulcan. Yeah right! I don' know what the hell Vorik was thinking. That pon far must have really made him delirious. It also made him attempt a telepathic mating bond with B'Elanna, after she turned down his offer. She responded by dislocating his jaw. Good for her!

I didn't know all of this when I met B'Elanna and Neelix in one of the Transporter Rooms, this morning. I guess I should have realized that something was wrong. B'Elanna had seemed too . . . I don't know, chipper. Flirtatious. I managed to put it all behind me, as we climbed down into the Sakari caves. But it all came back to me, after Neelix and B'Elanna's fall. While poor Neelix was on his back with a broken leg, B'Elanna began berating him for an accident that wasn't his fault. I tried to calm her down, but she . . . Good grief! She bit me, instead. On the chin. And to be honest, not only did it hurt . . . it also aroused me. God, I really must be sick! Anyway, B'Elanna ran off before I could stop her.

Well, I contacted the ship, and told the Captain what happened. Chakotay and Tuvok appeared on the planet with news on what happened between B'Elanna and Vorik, yesterday. We managed to find B'Elanna, and also a group of paranoid Sakarians, who thought we were an invading force out to destroy what was left of their world. Considering B'Elanna's aggressive behavior, I didn't blame them for being paranoid.

B'Elanna and I got separated from the others for a while. Chakotay and Tuvok managed to convince the Sakarians that we meant no harm. They also found us. And we were just about ready to return to the ship, when Vorik, acting very demented, appeared, demanding to bond with his "mate". Huh! That crazy idiot had disabled Voyager's Comm system and stolen a shuttle, just to reach B'Elanna. Anyway, Vorik challenged me to a . . . hell, I can't even pronounce the damn term! It was some kind of Vulcan combat ritual. And I had to fight it to win B'Elanna's hand. However, B'Elanna decided to challenge Vorik and soon, they were trying to tear each other to pieces. In the end, B'Elanna prevailed. At least she was the one left standing. That son-of-a-bitch Vorik was out cold and on the ground.

(Pauses)I wish I could say that was the end of it. But I can't. What happened today has finally forced me to admit a truth I've been afraid to face. B'Elanna. I love her. Hell, I'm in love with her. I don't know how long I've felt like this. Since Avery III? Or after my infatuation with Kes ended? I don't know. Hell, maybe the reason I was so attracted to Rain was because she strongly reminded me of B'Elanna. And I also remember feeling irritated by B'Elanna's infatuation with Chakotay. Along with the jealousy I felt whenever other men like Freddie Barstow and Vorik expressed interest in her.

She had been right about me when she said all those things in the cave. Those damn caves. I guess I'll never look at another cave without remembering Sakari IV. And that first bite, which gave me pain and unexpected pleasure. Or the way we wrestled each other over that phaser rifle. It had seemed as if we were engaged in some kind of mating dance. And I'll always remember the way she threw herself at me - rubbing her body against mine. And that kiss. God! She has the warmest lips! Hell, I nearly surrendered after that.

So why didn't I just give in and have sex with her? It would have spared her further suffering. Hell, my wildest dreams would have come true. But I also knew B'Elanna. If we had mated, she would have avoided me like the plague for the next 60 to 70 years. In the end, Tuvok urged me to have sex, since her fever was getting worse. After all that trouble I went to be a gentleman, I received permission to make a beast of myself. And I nearly did. At least after B'Elanna began sniffing me - and growling at the same time. Klingon custom, I guess. I have to admit that I was confused. But I also felt aroused. Then she tackled me to the ground (second time that day) and demanded to know what I was doing. When I told her that I was enjoying myself, she laughed. And so did I. God! She looked so wild . . . and beautiful! After our little wrestling match (something I'll never forget) we nearly had sex. Nearly. That was when Vorik decided to interrupt us in a fit of rage. Dammit!

I've already admitted that I'm in love with B'Elanna. But what about her? How does she feel about me? I still remember what she said in the caves about pretending disinterest in me. That she was afraid to reveal her true feelings. Was she speaking the truth? Does that mean she's attracted to me, after all? I mean, I wasn't the only man on Sakari IV, at the time. Even Chakotay was there. But she pursued only me. If she is attracted to me, then it's time to take this relationship to a new level. Like I said, I know B'Elanna. I'm sure she'll try her best to pretend that Sakari IV never happened. But I can't pretend anymore. I want her and I just can't let a good woman like her slip away. End personal log.


STARDATE 50541.57:

The crew spent the better part of the day, helping the Sakarians avoid any further detection from passing ships. In exchange, they gave us a large supply of gallicite. We also discovered why they were so paranoid. Someone found the corpse of a Borg drone. This means that we're not that far from Borg space.

Vorik came by my quarters to apologize for his behavior, yesterday. My first instinct was to knock his lights out. Or at least try. But I noticed the humiliation in his eyes and realized that he never wanted to attack B'Elanna or me in the first place. He also explained what going through pon far really meant. Chemical imbalance in the brain, every seven years? God! Pon far must really be a bitch to deal with. Thank God, I'm not Vulcan. I have enough trouble dealing with my Human emotions.

I also saw B'Elanna for the first time, since yesterday. We ran into each other in Turbolift Three and engaged in small talk for a few moments. But I couldn't take it any longer. I stopped the turbolift and demanded that we talk about what happened on Sakari IV. And B'Elanna did exactly what I had feared she would do - try to pretend that what happened was a mistake. And unfortunate incident caused by a Vulcan imbalance. But I wasn't having it. I told her that I refused to pretend that nothing happened. I also said that I saw her "wild Klingon side" and that I liked it. And that I wouldn't mind seeing it again. And guess what she said? "Be careful of what you wish for, Lieutenant." Was that a challenge? End personal log.


STARDATE 50607.31:

Voyager has been traveling through the Nekrit Expanse for the last month, now. Not only are we the first Alpha Quadrant natives to explore this part of space, but it hasn't even been charted by those in the Delta Quadrant. We have come across systems with inhabited planets - like Sakari IV. However, we mainly seemed to be encountering nebulas. And quite frankly, I'm getting a little tired of them. The Captain ordered Chakotay and Marie Kaplan to scout ahead for a shortcut through the Expanse. Huh. Good luck on that one. End personal log.


STARDATE 50616.23:

The Borg! I should have known we would encounter them, sooner or later. After all, we're in the Delta Quadrant, right? Voyager came across a Borg cube, hovering over some inhabited planet. It had been disabled by an electro-kinetic storm some four or five years ago. The survivors ended up on the planet below, disconnected from the Borg Collective. There, we found Chakotay . . . along with a dead Marie Kaplan.

Poor Marie. We had dated a couple of times, nearly two years ago. She was one of the few people aboard this ship that I really enjoyed being with. A lot of fun, yet passionate about her job. She was an engineer, but usually worked under Harry in Operations.

Chakotay made friends with the survivors, including a former Starfleet officer named Riley Fraizer. Very chummy, those two. Chakotay had been wounded by a group of renegades. Miss Fraizer and other former drones healed him, using some kind of temporary assimilation. I don't know if I would care for that. Even if it meant my life. I hate loss of control. And it didn't help Chakotay in the end. His new "friends" used his brief assimilation to force him to activate the neural transponder, so they could create their own little collective. He even shot B'Elanna (breathes deeply) and Tuvok with a phaser, while under their influence. (Sighs) I don't think Chakotay will ever trust the Borg again. Or maybe even ex-drones. End personal log.


STARDATE 50620.64:

B'Elanna has finally recovered from being shot by Chakotay, thank God. Naturally, she has forgiven him, realizing that he had acted against his will. I also heard that Vorik has returned to Alpha shift. According to B'Elanna, she got tired of Vorik skulking about like a whipped targ. And he also happened to be one of her best engineers. I guess I don't blame her. After having her sex drive tampered by a pon-farred Vorik and shot by an assimilated Chakotay, B'Elanna is having one hell of a month. I'm beginning to wonder what's next in store for her. They say trouble usually come in threes. End personal log.


STARDATE 50695.19:

Voyager came across a planet inhabited by aliens called the Mikhal Travelers. They usually traveled in vessels, big enough for only two occupants, exploring unknown space. Sounds like a great life, if you ask me. The Captain believes they can provide information in plotting a shorter course to the Alpha Quadrant.

Meanwhile, the Doctor has been using the Holodecks a lot, lately. Becoming acquainted with historical figures in the Alpha Quadrant. Frankly, I have no idea on what he's up to. But it sounds dull. End personal log.


STARDATE 50697.31:

Another case for Inspector Tuvok. It seems someone has assaulted Kes' friend, Zahir, on the planet's surface. The Mikhal Travelers have asked Tuvok to investigate. I also ran into Doc in the turbolift. He looked . . . odd. Almost remote. And sinister. I wonder if he has been fooling around with his matrix. End personal log.


LOG SUPPLEMENTAL:

Poor B'Elanna. I once contemplated on what else could happen to her, after the incident with Chakotay. Well, it's happened. The Doc had used the holodeck to create a new personality improvement program for his matrix. He ended up becoming some kind of Jekyll and Hyde personality. It was the Doc who had assaulted Zahir. Jealous fit, perhaps? Maybe. He also kidnapped Kes and took her to the planet's surface. But not before paralyzing B'Elanna's legs before she could purge his new personality subroutines from his program. I just checked with B'Elanna. She's doing fine. I guess after Sakari IV and the Borg, she's taking this latest mishap in stride. And she has also purged the Doc's new program, thank God. End personal log.


STARDATE 50730.6:

Now it became Harry's turn to cause trouble for B'Elanna. It's almost becoming a sick joke. Harry didn't harm her directly. From what I gathered, Voyager had a first contact situation with a race called the Nasari. Before the Captain could establish friendly relations, Harry fired upon the Nasari ship, claiming their attentions weren't honorable. Well, the Nasari fired back, causing damage to Engineering. B'Elanna suffered major plasma burns from the damaged conduits. I just visited her in Sick Bay. She's unconscious, but stable. (Sighs) As for Harry, he's in the Captain's dog house, right now. End personal log.


STARDATE 50736.69:

Poor Harry! Because of a few spots on his face, he thought he had found his true home. A homeworld filled with lots of beautiful women. Instead, he nearly became a corpse and progenitor of future Taresian women. It seemed they travel to other systems to infect men with a retrovirus designed to alter their DNA. Apparently, some Taresian woman had infected Harry back at that last space station we had visited, some time ago. The DNA made Harry believe he was Taresian. Hence, his attack on the Nasari ship. Fortunately, Harry discovered that they wanted to use his genetic material for procreation. A process that would have meant death for Harry. We managed to beam him back to the ship and escape before he met that fate. Whew! The Taresians sure have one hell of a way of getting pregnant. Thank God they never became interested in me.

B'Elanna is doing okay. She regained consciousness, yesterday. The Doc kept her in Sick Bay for another day, due to the pain in her lungs. Right now, she's in her quarters, resting. Maybe I should pay her a visit. End personal log.


STARDATE 50763.54:

Miracles do happen, after all! I finally managed to convince B'Elanna to join me for lunch. Just the two of us. She had agree on one condition - that we don't eat in the Mess Hall. Apparently, she doesn't want to give the crew the misconception that we're dating. So, we ended up having pizza and wine in my quarters. It was nice. We discussed the party Neelix planned to hold in the Resort. Work also popped into the conversation, along with Harry's pursuit of Lyndsay Ballard. It seemed Harry and Ballard were old Academy chums. Harry had a crush on her back then, until he met the indomitable Libby. Ballard seemed oblivious to Harry's feelings for her.

Granted, our lunch wasn't exactly the romantic gathering I had envisioned, but it was better than nothing. End personal log.


STARDATE 50868:

Whew! What a day! Who would have thought an astral eddy would prove to nearly fatal? It had already destroyed a space station, where we were supposed to meet a race of aliens called the Vostigye. Since Voyager's hull was too heavy to withstand the eddy, I volunteered to investigate it from the Cochrane. And I nearly didn't make it back.

Before my Away mission, the Doc gave me a shot of hyronalin, while critizing my tendency to live dangerously. I later discovered that he was experiencing anxiety over the changes B'Elanna had made to his holofamily. Apparently, she found the Doc's family a little too perfect and decided to make a few tweaks, making them more realistic. Well, one of those tweaks resulted in the death of the Doc's holographic daughter, Belle. He wanted to end the program right there, but I convinced him to continue. He would have cheated himself of experiencing how families deal with tragedies - and how those tragedies brought them closer, because of the pain. Maybe B'Elanna went too far with her changes, but I think that the Doc might learn something valuable, in the end.

Speaking of B'Elanna, we had an interesting conversation in the Mess Hall before my trip on the Cochrane. It seems that Klingons also have a thing for romance. B'Elanna told me that romance for Klingons is a little more . . . "vigorous". Hmm, just thinking of that makes me . . . maybe I better not say anything. Anyway, after reading a small passage from her novel, I began to see that she hadn't exaggerated. Maybe I can ask her to lend me her copy of "Women Warriors of the Blood River" when she finishes. Who knows? It might turn out to be a convenient technical manual, after all. End personal log.


STARDATE 50878.57:

I finally managed to borrow B'Elanna's copy of "Women Warriors of the Blood River". From what I've read so far, it's damn good. I never thought I would enjoy reading Klingon romance novels. And it's also turning out to be one hell of a technical manual. End personal log.


STARDATE 50906.05:

Made a bet with B'Elanna. I bet that that the problem in the navigational conduits came from an anodyne relay. Naturally, I won. Which means we'll be using the new Klingon martial arts program I had just created inside Holodeck Two, tonight. Besides, it would be good for her. I love B'Elanna, but I wish she would be more willing to embrace her Klingon side. She doesn't realize that the combination of her two heritages make her so intriguing. Unique. Maybe this program will be the first step in the right direction for her. Maybe. End personal log.


STARDATE 50913.69:

God, she can be so damn stubborn! Would it have really hurt her to deliver the death blow? It's a goddamn holoprogram, after all! (Pauses) Shit! I'm getting ahead of myself. I'm . . . now where in the hell are my trousers? Oh. There they are. (Pauses) Where was I? Oh yeah. B'Elanna and the martial arts program. (Sighs) Maybe it was a mistake to trick her into making that bet. She didn't m-m-m-phf-f-f-. . . (Sighs) mind at first. But when she had to deliver the final blow, she froze all of a sudden. I guess the idea of giving in to her Klingon side had appalled her. Instead, she stormed out of the holodeck. If we hadn't encountered that alien in the corridor, she probably would have gutted me with her bat'leth. Doc was right. I must like to live dangerously. (Sighs) Time to deal with our new visitor. End personal log.


STARDATE 50918.73:

Another bizarre adventure in the Delta Quadrant for Voyager's intrepid crew. For the second time, we had our ship taken from us. Only the Nyrians used more subtle methods than Seska and the Kazons. Very clever, really. They transported the crew, one-by-one, to their habitat . . . or prison. While they were transporting us off the ship, they transported their fellow Nyrians to Voyager. The gentleman B'Elanna and I had stumbled across on Deck Six, turned out to be the first . . . and leader of the whole operation. The Captain and Tuvok eventually discovered a way to regain Voyager . . . but not before B'Elanna and I ended up in another argument.

While on the Nyrian habitat, B'Elanna and I managed to make peace over our first argument. But good old Doc opened his big fat mouth . . . Okay, it wasn't all his fault. Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to his comment about B'Elanna's tendency to push people away. But the Doc was right. She does use her temper to keep others at a distance. Just as B'Elanna was right . . . (Sighs) She was right that I used humor to hide my own feelings. B'Elanna shut down the Doc's vocal subroutines to keep him from making it worse between us. It didn't help. By then, I had lost my temper and told her that she was afraid of making friends, and walked away before she could reply.

We made up - again. Of course, not after our little adventure in the Nyrian habitat. Dodging Nyrians in something that resembled the Artic Circle was no mean feat. Nor was preventing B'Elanna from succumbing to hypothermia. We eventually found ourselves back in the Voyager compound - with our arms wrapped around each other. Very embarrassing. I think Nagasawa was laughing. After our return to Voyager, B'Elanna found me in Holodeck One. We didn't say much, but we made our peace. And the smile she had on her face . . . God, it was beautiful! And so is she. End personal log.


STARDATE 50950.19:

B'Elanna and I were supposed to meet for lunch, this afternoon. Instead, I found her inside Holodeck Two, in the middle of a program. It seemed someone had created a program called Insurrection Alpha and it's all about a Maquis takeover aboard Voyager. It seemed so intriguing that I asked B'Elanna to reset it for me. The main character is a Starfleet Security ensign, who joins the mutiny out of his or her dislike of Tuvok. Only I botched it up. First, I betrayed Chakotay by warning Tuvok on the Bridge. Then, I rejoined the mutiny and ended up cleaning plasma conduits. Disappointing way to end a good story. End personal log.


STARDATE 50953.4:

I've decided to play along as a full-fledged mutineer. I hope it's more fun this time. End personal log.


STARDATE 50955.38:

What a relief it is to be finally out of the holodeck. I never thought I would say that, but I never thought I would be trapped inside one of the holodecks, trying to keep from getting murdered by a holographic Seska.

And to think, all of this came about, due to the imagination of one Lieutenant Tuvok, Chief of Security. During the early months of our journey, he had fears of a Maquis mutiny and created a program to prepare his junior officers for such an event. When his fears proved groundless, he abandoned the program. Unfortunately, Seska discovered Insurrection Alpha, about a month before she left and made some . . . adjustments. In case Tuvok decided to complete the program. Well, two years and five months later, Tuvok decided to complete it - after I had volunteered to do the same, myself. 

Seska really laid out some traps for us. Which included getting shot by Chakotay, having the Doc put nitric acid on my wound, nearly being incinerated in one of the Jeffries tubes and execution by Seska. Whew! Thanks goodness the Captain added an attack by aliens to delay our execution. And thank goodness Tuvok managed to booby-trap that phaser. End personal log.


LOG SUPPLEMENTAL:

The Captain and others had suggested that Tuvok and I create a new story, together. Sounds like a good idea. Maybe I should follow B'Elanna's advice and add a little passion to it. A romance between characters similar to a handsome hotshot pilot and a feisty engineer, perhaps? End personal log.


STARDATE 50974.8:

We had a party for Kes, today. Ironically, it wasn't to celebrate her birthday, since that happened some four days ago. In some possible future, Kes became infected by chronoton radiation and later, began traveling backward in time. B'Elanna and the Doc found a way to bring her back in temporal sync with the rest of us. Kes didn't say very much on what happened . . . or should I say, what will happen. In fact, she seemed eager to write a report on a certain race of aliens we might encounter. Not long after B'Elanna, Harry and I left the Resort, we encountered her and again, tried to get more information on the future. She continued to be mum on the subject. However, she gave me the oddest look. I wonder why. End personal log.


STARDATE 50979.46:

Sad news today. Ensign Ane Jetal died from wounds she had suffered in an alien attack. Both she and Harry had been wounded pretty badly, during an Away mission. I was in Sickbay, when the Doc dragged me into assisting them. Kes was unavailable at the time. Poor Doc. He had the unfortunate task of choosing who to treat first - Harry or Ane. He chose Harry and Ensign Jetal died. End personal log.


STARDATE 50982.65:

Something happened to the Doc, this afternoon. He went beserk in the Mess Hall, not long after Ensign Jetal's memorial service. I guess he felt guilty for being unable to save her. The Captain decided to wipe his memory of the entire incident, much to Kes' distress. I heard she was furious. But not even Kes' anger was able to change the Captain's mind. End personal log.


STARDATE 50984.94:

Very chilling experience, this morning. B'Elanna came across what happened to our missing probe. It turns out it has been discovered by the Borg. Now it's official. Voyager has entered the heart of Borg space. You know, the idea of settling on some planet, light years away doesn't sound all that bad. End personal log.


STARDATE 50986.02:

Not long after our discovery of being in Borg space, preparation for surviving the upcoming journey began. The Captain had planned on taking the ship through an area unaffected by the Borg called the Northwest Passage. Only one problem. We would be traveling through a space affected by spatial distortions. But that's not all. The Borg is also on the run. It seems they are being hunted down by another race. It was a sight to behold - all those cubes zooming by, practically ignoring us. One cube did bother to stop and scan us. But it turned around and followed the others. Tuvok later discovered that all of the cubes had been destroyed. He had also picked up a strange reading. The Captain has ordered him, Chakotay and Harry to investigate. All I can say is that I'm glad I'm not going. End personal log.


STARDATE 50987.24:

Harry, Tuvok and Chakotay's little Away mission nearly ended in disaster. And if the Doc doesn't find a way to help Harry, disaster might just happen. (Sighs) Harry is in serious trouble. The Away mission came across an alien aboard a Borg cube filled with dead and injured drones. According to the data that Tuvok had collected, the Borg called these aliens, Species 8472. And according to Kes' telepathic flashes, Species 8472 are determined to wipe out the galaxy. If that's so, why are they only going after Borg targets? Poor Harry had an encounter with one and now his cells are being eradicated inside out. The Doc is trying to keep him stabilized. I only hope that he succeeds. End personal log.


STARDATE 50988.54:

The Captain has made her decision. We're going to form an alliance with the Borg. Judging from the expression on Chakotay's face, I guess he thinks it's a bad idea. And I have to admit . . . I heartily agree. I'm not saying that we should form an alliance with Species 8472, but Kes' visions aside, we don't really know much about the war between them and the Borg. But, she is the captain, and so . . . a Borg alliance it is. God! An M-class planet would really look great right about now. End personal log.


STARDATE 50991.02:

Just have time for another break. I feel as if I've been glued to the Helm station for the past three days. Well, the Captain has her alliance with the Borg. She also found herself stuck on one of the cubes, after an attack by a Species 8472 bio-ship. However, she's still alive. And unassimilated. She ordered Chakotay to match the cube's speed. Not a difficult thing to. And there is more good news. Harry has recovered. I don't know what miracle the Doc had performed, but performed one, he did and Harry is alive and completely recovered. End personal log.


STARDATE 50993.46:

Species 8472 struck again and destroyed the cube that the Captain and Tuvok were on. Fortunately, we managed to beam them off before it blew up. Both the Captain and Tuvok were injured. However, in the Captain's case, her injuries were severe and now Chakotay is in command. We also have five Borg drones in Cargo Bay Two from the now destroyed cube. (Sighs) What is the point in complaining? If all of us get out of this alive, it will be a miracle bigger than the one Doc had performed on Harry. End personal log.


STARDATE 50995.84:

We did it! We defeated Species 8472, thanks to those new weapons developed by the Doc, Tuvok and that Borg drone. We destroyed a few bio-ships in fluidic space and destroyed more in normal space. Species 8472 have ended the war. Unfortunately, our lone Borg drone, who survived Chakotay's purge of Cargo Bay Two, tried to send Voyager to the nearest Borg cube to have us assimilated. The Captain and Chakotay overcame their differences and came up with a plan to stop her. It worked, but not before she knocked me down on the Bridge. Ouch! Chakotay and B'Elanna were able to disconnect her from the Borg Collective and now, she's stuck aboard Voyager. With us. End personal log.


STARDATE 50999.37:

We've survived the Borg and Species 8472. And since today is New Year's Eve, Neelix and I have decided to host a party on Holodeck One, using the Resort program. After five days of being in the middle of a galactic war, we need a little fun. Harry and I were supposed to escort B'Elanna to the party. But I asked Lyndsay Ballard to talk him into escorting her, so I could have B'Elanna to myself. I hope my plan works.

I just realized that today marks the end of 2373. Looking back, I have to admit that it has been one bizarre year. We started out battling the Kazon and ended up fighting even more dangerous adversaries. And we even got to Earth - well, in the wrong century, but it was Earth. More importantly . . . at least for me, I've fallen in love. Twice, actually. The first time, I had to leave Rain behind in the late 20th century Earth. Too bad. She was one of the few people I had an immediate connection with. As for the second time, I can only hope that I'll have better luck in the following year. That is, if B'Elanna can finally let her guard down. Oh well. Happy New Year. And end personal log.


THE END