Author:Deborah Cook

Archive: PK Elite archive only, please

Disclaimer:everything and everyone in here is borrowed from paramount, don't sue me.
just in case you miss it
John Harris = Tom Paris
Gregory Wu = Harry Kim
Ti'Amara = B'Elanna Torres

Do You Believe in Reincarnation?

"You! Chinee! Haul this aboard!"

'Chinee? What the hell is a Chinee?' Captain Gregory Wu glanced up from the inventory list he was examining, looking over the scruffy looking sailor presuming to give him orders.

"Who might you be, sailor?" he asked mildly.

"Curran. And you don't follow orders very well, sailor," the man answered, eyes narrowed.

Wu looked him over carefully. ~this~ had come highly reccomennded by Captain Thomas Janeway? "You're my first mate?" He asked skeptically.

"You're--" The man began, stunned. "Here, now! Cap'n didn't say I'd be workin' fer no chinaman! No sailor'n his right mind'd set sail on a ship without a real Captain!"

"Well, if you're feeling light-headed, i suggest you finish hauling your sorry carcass aboard. Otherwise, get off my deck," Wu replied sharply. Damn. This was the third first mate he'd lost. It was looking more and more as if he'd have to set sail without one, which would mean selecting one from the crew. God alone knew the last time he'd tried ~that~ had been a disaster.

"I'm not leavin' my post!" Curran bellowed, "You take your sorry yella' rear off this ship, or I'll kick it from here to kingdom come!"

The captain blinked, startled. This was the first of them to try and kick him off his own ship, though. He turned slightly to nod at his cabinboy, who was peeking around the corner at them.

"I hardly think i'm going to give you my ship because you don't like me," He said dryly. "If you don't remove yourself from it, I will have you removed."

Curran launched himself at Wu suddenly, driving him to the ground with such force that the captain saw stars for a moment.

There was a sudden roar behind them, and Curran was forcibly removed from captain Wu. He stumbled to his feet, dimly realizing that the splash he heard was Curran going overboard.

Gregory Wu allowed a moment for his eyes to focus, then bowed carefuly to the muscular amazon standing before him. The older sister of his cabinboy, Ti'Amara was his personal bodyguard. A fact which put him in the contempt of most new crewman. At least until they offended her, or tried tormenting her brother. Neither of which happened more than once.

Ti'Amara nodded curtly, gave a careful look around, than departed as abruptly as she had appeared.

Wu sighed, wishing he didn't need a bodyguard of any kind. Over the last three years he had managed to scrape together and train a fair to middling crew of men (and the occasional woman) out of the few who didn't object to a "chinee" captain.

For some reason the few and favored who made it to first mate status were less tolerant. What was one more voyage pulling double duty, anyway?

"Raise the anchor! We'll sail with the tide!" he bellowed, turning away from the shore.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What do ye want done with this scum, Cap'n?" Aron asked, tossing the wounded man to the floor in front of him.

Captain John Harris looked at the traitor dispassionately. "Throw him overboard," He said shortly. "Any man that'd betray his Captain'd betray me as well. We've no need of a snake in our midst."

"But you promised--" The wounded man shouted frantically.

"Never believe a pirate, Mr. Stibbons," Harris said as the Naval officer was dragged away. "Not that it'll do ye much good now," He added, somewhat amused. Some men shouldn't even ~expect~ to be allowed life.

"Aron, what spoils did we bring in this time?" he asked

"Well, Cap'n..." Aron said nervously.

"Well, what?" Harris asked impatiently.

"Well, we brought in enough loot so's we don't really think we need you anymore, Cap'n," A rough voice said from outside. A beefy man banged the door aside and thudded into the room. "I'fact, Cap'n, we was thinkin' o' throwin' you overboard."

"Oh. I see," the captain said dryly. "And just how far did ye think ye'd get without me, then?"

"Ye done showed us where the ships cross the channels, how to get aboard... what else do we need? I think ye've outlived yer use, Cap'n. We'll just be lettin yer go now." The giant let an evil smile cross his face as he spoke.

John Harris smiled faintly to himself. this wouldn't be the first mutiny he'd survived, and he had no doubt there'd be others. His crews died out or disbanded after he was gone, no matter how good they were. They simply didn't have his sources of information.

He heard a soft splash outside his cabin window, indicating that the few crewmen he knew without a doubt were loyal to him had just gone overboard.

"Well. And what method of gettin' rid of me were ye considerin'?" He asked calmly.

"Why, yer own favorite way, o'course," His former first mate replied cheerfully.

Perfect. Well, almost. Life would be infinitely easier if they let him jump, preferably with a running start, but this would do.

Garret Carriman yanked his former captain up by the collar and dragged him out on deck.

"Go on, then, Cap'n. Jump," he suggested, grinning.

Harris looked at him, deliberately hyperventilating, then took a brief running start and leaped head-first over the side of the ship. There were several startled and dissapointed exclamations as the assembled pirates slowly dispersed.

"Ahoy!" The lookout shouted from above. "Lifeboat to port!"

"Deserters?" Captain Carriman said angrily. "Nobody deserts my ship! Hard to port!" he bellowed at the helm. 'After 'em lads!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John arrowed straight down, kicking his legs hard, trying to get far enough beneath the ship that he wasn't dragged into it when it started moving again. There was no way he'd outrun it, so he'd see if he survived long enough for it to leave.

When his lungs began burning, he changed from downward to swimming straight toward the area he knew his reduced crew to be in.

He ~felt~ the passage of the ship above him, kicking up turbulence and knocking what little breath he had left out of him. He righted himself with difficulty, thanking whatever gods had given him his ability for direction, and swam upwards.

Lungs burning, muscles aching, he swam for what seemed like an eternity until his head emerged from the water, and he gulped huge burning lungfulls of blessed air.

He almost choked as the sound of cannon fire accosted his ears. Sureley Carriman wasn't...?

Harris forced his fatigued muscles to respond, moving sluggishly into the proper configuration. He sawn slowly to a spot that allowed him to see past the small pirate ship. Carriman was firing cannons at a lifeboat. You couldn't hit a lifeboat with a cannon, it wasn't a big enough target. Harris thought vaguely that they might overturn the small craft, but only if they hit the water rather closer than they were currently.

He struck out wearily in the direction he knew land to be, and the tiny lifeboat tacked around to follow. They'd catch up to him in about an hour; sooner if he kept up this pace. He was getting too old to be surviving mutinies every few years. He considered the possibility that it might be time to retire from the pirateing business. Perhaps not.

The sound of oars in the water behind him interrupted a sort of daze that he'd fallen into, and he rolled over onto his back, floating while the boat drew alongside him. Nathaniel Aron, along with one "cabin boy" who was close to thirty years old, and a ravishingly beautiful swindler were all that were left of his "crew". Aron he had inherited from his father, the "cabin boy" was a trained bodguard with respectable acting abilities, and the woman was a professional swindler whom he'd agreed to give safe passage to for the duration of her journey about 2 years ago. Her journey didn't seem to have ended yet, which suited him just fine, since she would be their major source of income for the next few weeks. Until he managed to 'aquire' a new ship and cargo. And yet another new crew.

Brigitte and Aron balanced out the ends of the boat while Garrett hauled him aboard. Harris collapsed at the bottom of the boat, eyes closed, breathing heavily.

After a moment, he pointed wearily in the direction he'd been heading. "That way," he sighed. He'd have to take his turn at the oars, eventually. Not now, though. Later. He moved about long enough to lay his wet head in Brigitte's lap, and then drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ti'Amara slammed her hands down on the table violently. "He touched me!" she said angrily.

Gregory sighed. "I'll agree, he's a vile bastard, but you cann't go around throwing people overboard for that. I won't have any crew left! Half the crew came in here demanding you appologise!"

Ti'Amara stared at him, looking dangerous. "You wish me to appologise to this.... scum?"

Oh, good heavens. Never that. "You don't have to appologize," he said placatingly. "I just wish you would be... a little more lenient with the crew. We've been at sea a long time, and you are a beautiful woman. Take it as complimentary. And you have my permission to kill anyone who tries anything, but, please, make sure they actually mean you harm? Please?

She looked at him for a moment, frowning. "We have been at sea together far longer than these few weeks," she said slowly, "and yet you have nevr treated me as these do," she added, motioning angrily in the general direction of the rest of the ship.

"My... proclivities... lie elsewhere," he replied carefully. "And i expect that information to remain between these walls."

Ti'Amara nodded shortly, still angry, then turned and left without another word. Captain Wu sighed, wondering what an Amazon warrior would make of that.

"There's been a lifeboat sighted, sir!" Timor said, exploding into the room with his usual youthful fervor.

"Anyone aboard?" Wu asked sharply.

"Aye! Three of 'em! And one of 'em's a woman!" the cabinboy replied, running back out to watch the rescue.

Wonderful. Another woman to protect for the length of their journey. He couldn't afford to turn and take these people back where they'd come from, he'd have to drop them at the port in India. Assuming they wished to stay there, of course. If not, they'd pay for thier passage back home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'My, My,' Captain Harris thought to himself as an exotic young man peered over the rail at his tiny craft. 'What wonderful creature is this?'

A ladder was lowered for them, and he climbed wearily upward, leaning heavily on the rail at the top.

"They have weapons," growled a menacing voice to his right.

"As does every man alive, Ti'Amara," The asian man said reprovingly to a muscular woman standling stiffly nearby. "We should at least listen to thier story before we throw them overboard," He added, a glint of mischief lighting his eyes.

'Oh, my, yes. This is why pirates have such terrible reputations. If only i were that kind of a pirate.' "Captain John Harris," He said, sticking out his hand.

"Captain Gregory Wu," The exuisite piece of art introduced himself. 'Was that just a hint of interest behind that firm handshake? Did he linger just a little too long before letting go of my hand? Or is it my imagination?'

'Maybe i shouldn't steal his ship. Then again, maybe i don't want to.' "You seem to have fallen on hard times, Captain Wu," Harris said, looking around at the battered vessel.

"It's a tough business," Wu replied diffidently.

Harder even than most, with that beautiful, but unmistakibly foriegn face. Harris let his eyes stray downwards to the body accompanying that face while Wu's attention was on his ship. He looked up to find Ti'Amara's eyes drillng holes into his skull. 'Uh Oh. Someone doesn't ike having her master admired by strange men.' He had a feeling Wu would never carry that tiny little spark of interest he had observed anywhere unless Harris could gain the trust of this... bodyguard.

John Harris removed his sword (an admittedly flashy weapon, but with a keen edge, and offered it, hilt first, to the amazon woman, all to quickly for her to do more than place her body between himself an Wu.

Glaring at him suspiciously, she snatched the profered weapon out of his hand and threw it overboard.

"Ti'Amara!" Wu said sharpy.

Harris winced. He'd had that sword for years, now; It was perfect! 'Take a deep breath, John. You want this man, and you're not going to get him if you upset that... that... damned childish woman!'

"That was a very expensive sword," he said irritably, then instantly regretted it 'No, Dammit! Idiot! You don't want him to feel any obligations toward you! You want a personal relationship, not a business one!'

"I'll replace the sword at whatever it cost you," Wu offered instantly.

Harris waved the offer away, hoping the matter would be forgotten. As a distraction he offered, "I should really introduce my crew... such as they are," He indicated Brigitte with an elgant wave of his hand, calculated to spark interest. No reaction. Damn. Maybe he had been wrong.

"This is Brigitte Nelson. She was traveling with us when..." 'When what, Harris? When my Pirate crew mutinied and tried to kill me? "..When my ship was lost. This is Nathaniel Aron, my steward, and Garrett, my bodyguard." Double Damn. That got the Amazon's hackles raised. Maybe truth hadn't been the best policy here.

"Not that i think i'll be needing him. Ye obviously aren't pirates. Still, no reason to let him drown now is it?" he added, looking straight at Ti'Amara. She seemed somewhat mollified. Wu raised one elegant eyebrow at the sudden inclusion of his "accent". Best to avoid that in the future. It didn't seem to have the same affect on Gregory Wu that it did on his pirate crews.

"Now then, Captain Wu. I realize that picking up shipwrecked travelers such as ourselves is an inconvienience, and all four of us will probably over-extend your ship's resources. We do have some provisions of our own that we'll share, and my crew is willing to lend a hand in the rigging, if you like. Other than that, we can share one cabin, or we can sleep in the hold, if a cabin is unavailable."

"The first mate's cabin is empty on this trip," Wu replied absently. His eyes flicked for an instant to Brigitte, then back again to John. "You can sleep in there. It's a bit cramped for four...."

Harris strangled the suggestion that he sleep in the captain's quarters, and smiled. "We'll manage, Captain. Thank you." He gave his crew a commanding look, jerked his head towards where he knew the first mate's cabin to be, on such ships as had such a luxury, and threw in a hopeful glance at Brigitte.

She smiled prettily at him, and twitched her hips as she passed. She knew exactly where his inclinations lay, and apparently hadn't missed that look Wu had thrown her.

Harris rather hoped it was only the assumption tht he and Brigitte were lovers that kept Wu from showing his interest. Brigitte was a randy little thing, and would soon disabuse him of that notion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gregory Wu watched his new passegers depart for thier own cabin, thinking that if it hadn't been for that unspeakably rude comment about the state of his vessel, he might have invited the Captain to share his own quarters, big strapping man that he was.

John Harris was a tall man, with broad shoulders and well-defined muscles. Not a lot of muscle, just very well defined. Very. He watched Harris' retreating backside thoughtfully, lookig up to catch Ti'Amara glaring at him. He grinned at her mischeviously. "Not to worry, Dear. He seems to preffer girls." As dissapointing as that was.

Ti'Amara didn't seem much appeased. Then again, nor was he.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Brigitte," Harris said as he shut the door firmly behind him.

"Why are we all sharing quarters?" Brigitte demanded, "He would have rousted some of his crew had you asked him to."

"And they would just have ended up right back in their own beds. With company," Harrs replied caustically. "I didn't want to put him through too much trouble."

"Ah. So, you want him to like you when you steal his ship out from under him and kill half of his crew," she replied tartly.

"This," John harris waved a hand around him to indicate the ship in general, "Is not my first choice for a new vessel, I think we'll wait until we get to wherever he's going and pick up a better one."

"She's a sound ship, Cap'n, Fer all she's a bit battered," Aron spoke up, looking around at them.

Harris glared at them all, irritated. Why couldn't they just agree with him. He did not want to steal this ship! Not from him.

"I want," he said slowly, deliberately, "The captain, not the ship. And I will have him. Do I make myself understood?" Harris took in the wary looks from his small crew, and throttled his barely controllable rage as best he could. This was why he was a pirate, and not a merchant captain. This was why he did not serve with good men. There were a few, a very few, who, for reasons he didn't understand, could escape the killing anger that overcame him at times. These four around him were among that select few. They'd been with him for years, and he'd never done anything to jeapordize any of thier lives. Maybe, just maybe...

"Clear's crystal, Cap'n," Aron replied calmly. Brigitte nodded quickly, while Garrett just watched him.

John took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "Brigitte, should you decide to entertain the sailors, make a little noise about it. I want him to understand that we are not... together. Aron, throw out some rumors, will you? That should get him interested again."

The three people in this world that were closest to John Harris scattered quickly. He rarely chose a lover, but when he did, he was very serious about it. God help the man who came between him and his conquest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gregory stood facing the sunset, keeping his eyes on the ledger,and his ears on a conversation taking place a few feet away over a tankereds of ale. "Ain't no lady, Mate. That's a woman!" Hi bosun said, leering.

"Thought she was wit that Cap'n Harris, or I'da gone after'r m'self," A sailor returned.

"Naw. Said she was jist a passenger oh his ship, jumped overboard when the mutiny started."

"Mutiny, huh? What'd the Cap'n do to deserve that?" Asked the sailor curiously

"Don't know, Mate, ""replied the Bosun, "Said some 'bout the first mate bein' a pirate-like. Just took over. What'd a woman know 'bout it, though, eh?"

The sailor shrugged in reply. "You know what the woman does know," he said conspiratorily, "I heard, that Cap'n Harris?" He paused, grinning at the bosun.

"Does what?" the man demanaded shortly.

"Not what he does, now, what he don't. He, uh... Don't like girls, is what he don't," The sailor replied, sniggering.

"Don't he now. Well, that's his business. Long's he don't chase my tail, i don't care who he buggers. Now. 'bout this woman..."

Wu tuned the conversation out, not in the least interested in one of his sailor's sexual exploits. 'Well, now. So he doesn't like girls, eh?' He looked up as he heard Harris' deep voice roll out over the ship, examining the other captain carefully. Harris turned as though he felt Gregory's eyes on him, staring back intensely.

The captain inhaled sharply, and looked away. There was certainly some kind of interest there!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harris smiled to himself as captain Wu glanced away. Now, how to go about taking this a step further... perhaps if he suggested a private meeeting to discuss fees for thier passage? But that would be bringing business into it again, he still didn't want that.

'Perhaps I am going about this wrong. Wu seems comfortable enough with himself and his tastes, if I ask him outright, he might consider... Consider what? You're a horribly possesive man, John Harris, and you haven't met the lover yet who could tolerate you.'

Harris strode towards the other captain brisky, stopping just inside boundaries of personal space. "A word with you, Captain?" he asked smoothly.

"Yes," Wu replied, eyes wide. He paused for a moment, scrambling for coherency "My quarters are this way, they'll do for a more private setting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harris nodded, follwing where Gregory led him. 'My quarters? that's very subtle, captain. "May i have a word with you, Captain Wu? Why certainly, Captain Harris, but first, let's go back to my quarters so i can show you what a nice, soft bed i've got!" Wonderful, Wu, just spectacular!'

"What did you want to speak to me about, captain Harris?" he asked, shutting the door firmly behind him. Harris smelled wonderful; sort of a spicy-sweet scent. A perfumed soap, perhaps? But that didnt seem to be Harris' style. 'Pay attention, Wu, he's talking to you'.

"....what your interest in the matter.... Shall i begin again?" Harris asked, looking closely at him.

Gregory cringed slightly. "Please, captain, do. I'm afraid i was a bit distracted.

Harris nodded, slowly. "I think i'm in love with you," he said bluntly.

"I beg your pardon?" Gregory replied, stunned.

Harris offered him a ferocious half-grin. "I tried beating about the bush, and i seem to have lost your attention. I thought direct and to the point was the best method, under the circumstances. I want you. I want your body, your mind, and your soul to belong to me."

Gregory stared at him silently.

"I am not a nice man, Gregory," Harris continued, stepping closer, "I steal for a living, and i kill people, sometimes a great many people, and i'm a possesive bastard, and i don't want you outof my sight for the rest of your life."

Harris was standing so slose now that Gregory could feel breath caressing his dry lips.

"Why me?" he asked breathlessly.

"I don't know," Harris replied. "You're beautiful, intelligent... but those aren't my reasons. I've met men more beautiful than you, more intellegent. I have wanted you from the first moment i laid eyes on you." Harris carefully wrapped one arm around the smaller man, leaning forward and down until thier lips brushed together. "I'm not an easy man to live with," he warned softly as Wu responded to the kiss by leaning heavily against the other man and opening his mouth.

"Neither am I," Wu replied, pulling away a little. "Especially with my so-called business going down the privy, as it were," he added dryly.

"Is it?" Harris murmurred into his hair. "I know a much more lucrative one, if your crew has the stomach for it..." he volunteered.

"What, be a pirate?" Wu asked, grinning. I've considerd that, you know. I don't think i'm violent enough."

"That's all right, love, i'm violent enough for us both. You can run my books, they're in terrible shape," Harris replid dreamily, stroking Gregory's back lovingly.

"A pirate, huh? My crew will go anywhere i tell them too," he said thoughtfully. "They're very loyal. Stupid, and unimaginative, but loyal."What would my share be?"

"Half is divided among the crew, and of the remaing half, half that goes to the officers, and half to us, my love. And you may have my share, if you want it," Harris replied, allowing his hands to slide a bit lower.

"I may take you up on that offer," Gregory replied, fairly purring now. "Do you realize, that with proper management of funds, we could have a whole fleet of pirates within just a few years?"

"Could we, now?" Harris replied huskily. "You have to take into account crew loss, and mutinies. Even a good pirate ocasionally loses his ship in the heat of battle."

"Does he?" Wu replied vaguly. I'd make a terrible pirate, then," he added, concentrating on removing John's shirt. Not an easy task, with John so much taller than he. "I've never gotten my own ship sunk. Even in a battle with pirates."

John laughed, pulling the smaller man's shirt off over his head quickly. Gregory gave him an aggreived look, and he obliged by shucking his own shirt and going back to work on his newfound lover's back.

"You've got a fast, hardy little ship," He began.

"John?" Gregory interrupted.

"Mmmmm?"

"Let's talk about it later," he suggested, pressing himself against Harris and moving them both towards the bed. "Tomorrow, perhaps?"

"Ah, yes. Tomorrow. And all the tomorrows after that. You belong to me, you know," Harris said quietly, looking suddenly intense.

"I know," Gregory replied softly. And he didn't mind at all, because John belonged to him, too.