Note: The practice of counting the days a prisoner spends in someone else legal custody towards the completion of a prisoners sentence is actually common practice. At least in Florida, according to a correctional officer I asked.
Disclaimer: Paramount owns the Star Trek Universe. I own my story. I just took the characters just play for fun, not for profit.
Warning: None
Rehab Contract
Copyright by Jan Monroe, April 1998
Tom was setting in the chair in his quarters. Fully himself again, the identity thief was in custody of the earlier victim and well away from Voyager now. The feeling that someone had just given him back his life was still with him. The imposter had hated Tom's life. Too much work and too many different people making demands for someone to just slip into the role without major problems. His professional life as chief pilot, medical student--wait a minute-- doctor's assistant, working on special projects, and his private life with Harry and B'Elanna. Both of whom had very busy lives of their own who mad their own demands. Tom was glad though that the imposter's situation had been resolved before his weekly date with Naomi. The imposter trying to fake taking care of an active three-year-old was frightening.
Tom remembered the time he spent with B'Elanna in the Camaro. In someways making out in the front seat of a car with the radio playing great romantic songs was more satisfying than their other dates. It was an exercise in frustration, but according to most texts from the time that was what it was suppose to be. So close, holding, touching, fantasizing but limited by the environment to just short of the act itself. It was . . . educational. The time that they had spent in her quarters later was even better.
He sat and thought for a while than called out, "Computer, start personal log."
It's been two days since the identity thief was forced to restore me to myself.
Life has been weird lately. The identity thief did do me a favor. He showed me just how much I enjoyed my life on Voyager. The last couple of weeks have been a bad time for me. Always busy, too much going on most of the time and then everything comes to a halt. Working 18-hour days to put the ship back together after the Hirogen, then over two months of calm. Meeting no one, just flying in a straight line. The Doc suggested that I might have a touch of burn out. A condition that is related to overwork and limited rest. Not exhaustion exactly, but that is part of it. All the extreme highs and lows lately have given me the feeling that my life was just one day after another, just an endless circle.
I was glad that B'Elanna forgave me for this last period of "pighood" as she called it. I'm so lucky she didn't dump me or decide to teach me a lesson in the Klingon exercise program. Both would have been equally painful. How do I explain that I was running away from myself rather than from her or the ship?
It all hit me this last month about the "DAY." The "DAY" came during the identity thief's incident and it passed just like every other day. The only one that might have even known about it was Tuvok. The security officer had a copy of the contract that the Rehab Committee required the Captain, the warden, and me to sign. Everyday that I served on Voyager was to count as one day towards the completion of my sentence. Suddenly it was here, it was the "DAY." Even if by some miracle we returned to earth today, I am free!! No "out mate" hearings, no returning to complete the sentence, the Rehab Committee has absolutely no say in my life if we ever get back to the Alpha Quadrant. I have a copy of that contract that I will be happy to show anyone that even suggests locking me up, unless of course it's with B'Elanna. We might kill each other, but what a way to go.
I don't know what is scarier, having prison hanging over my head or knowing that I am free of them forever. I know that I have to control my own behavior. I know that I want to celebrate, but it seems like such an esoteric concern now.
This is getting much too deep for me right now. All this soul searching has to be bad for the soul.
End Log Entry.
Tom got up from the chair with the intention of changing clothes and going to the mess hall for dinner. B'Elanna had to work late so they were to meet at the 2100 on Holodeck One. He was interrupted when his commbadge chirped at him.
"Janeway to Paris." came the voice over the com badge.
"Please report to holodeck 2. I have another project that I want your input on." She ordered.
"Yes, Captian." She cut the link. So much for a quiet dinner.
~~~~~
The Captian had been making preparations since she had read the weekly security report this morning. Over 1,847 days had passed since Voyager left DS9 for its six-week trip. Tom had served his sentence, even Tuvok was surprised when he reviewed Tom's service record when he posted the latest developments. Tuvok had observed that "Lt. Paris can be difficult at time however he seems to always do the appropriate action in the most difficult situations." High praise from the tacit Vulcan.
A party was called for to celebrate Tom's being able to leave a very painful aspect of his life behind.
She had planned it for Tom's bar program with just his friends. Amazingly, after talking to Jenny Delaney and Harry Kim, Janeway discovered that more than half the crew considered themselves his friends. This was amazing because no one had tried to help him during this last period of isolation. Until the identity thief had pushed her over her limit with Paris' behavioral problems, she didn't even realize just how far he had came from a scarred, and scared immature jerk to a respected bridge officer who she trusted with the lives of everyone on the ship. Now if he could just get over this troubling habit of falling apart at unexpected times. If the ship had a skilled counselor, she would require that Tom be in treatment. There has to be an underlying cause for these episodes but no one on board has the skill or training to help him resolve the problems.
The easiest way to announce the party was to put out a message. Only the senior staff was invited for first half hour for several reasons. Only they knew the real reason for the party and because she didn't want to overwhelm him with people. It would be his choice if he wanted anyone else to know. A party to symbolically burn the contract made sense to her, that part of his life could disappear in a flash of smoke [does smoke flash? maybe a ball of fire? whiff of smoke]. B'Elanna liked the idea, it had some very Klingon aspects to it, burning the enemy.
Sandrine's bar program had over thirty different configurations now. Special configurations for birthdays in seven different cultural traditions, dances, pool tournaments, and musical talent nights. She picked the original program with only the Holo-character of Sandrine present. If she understood the relationship between Tom and Sandrine, she had acted as a mother figure during the time after he was thrown out of Starfleet. The idea that he would have to find someone to mother him in a bar was foreign to the Captain. She had to admit that she had read the psychologists report after she had seen that it had been accessed by Chakotay. She still didn't know if she believed everything in it, except maybe the part about Tom being directionless, but the longer she knew him the more she believed. Owen Paris may have been a wonderful officer but he should never have become a parent.
The meal was going to be simple fare, comfort food really, pepperoni pizza; peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; potato chips; simple vegetable sticks; and a special batch of tomato soup. According to Harry, all favorites of Tom's plus a special bottle of 100-year-old Mariania brandy.
The senior staff was waiting for Tom in the holodeck when he came in. Sandrine had a large silver platter on the bar with a paper replica of the contract.
Tom became suspicious when he came to the holodeck and the indicator screen showed Sandrine's was playing. He wasn't surprised to see the Captain, B'Elanna, Doc, and Harry there, but Chakotay and Tuvok were also. "Since someone forget to send me an invitation, just what is this gathering about?" Tom asked.
"A celebration in the name of freedom," the Captain stated. "I thought that we should celebrate your official release date, according to the Rehab Committee's contract. We set up a special party to burn the contract."
"What do you mean, burn it? " Tom asked, thinking that he had misheard.
B'Elanna walked over to him carrying the tray. "This is a replica of the prison contract. We thought that you might like to burn your enemy."
Tom suddenly smiled. The idea was starting to appeal to him. Being able to deliberately burn down a part of the prison sound like a release at least and like his own little piece of revenge at best. The matches were sitting on the tray next to the four-page document. He picked up the matches and struck one. It flamed and he slowly slipped it between the pages under the official letterhead. As it smoked and then finally caught fire he was amazed at how good that simple act had felt.
When the contract was fully on fire the Captain, Tuvok, Harry and Chakotay gathered around. "Feel better, now?" Harry asked.
"Freedom is so nice." Tom answered, half joking but sincerely. The group laughed but not the Captain. She saw the sincerity in his eyes.
The congratulations flowed from everyone. He was slightly overwhelmed by his friends and commanding officers acknowledging that the contract had been an ever present weight around his neck that was suddenly lifted.
The Captain tapped Tom's shoulder, "We are the only ones that know exactly why this party is happening. In a few minutes more people are going to arrive. Do you want them to know or are we just celebrating being ourselves?"
Tom was slow on the uptake this time, it finally dawned on him that she was asking how much of his life should remain private. He stalled by taking a deep breath. "Tell them all of it," he finally said.
B'Elanna and the Captain smiled. Yet another sign of Tom's opening up and letting others in.
The party lasted until 0230. The guest of honor left at 2330 with B'Elanna and most didn't even notice. Doc stayed for the entire party. He watched the crew interact. They were relaxing and their stress levels were lowered noticeably. A party, with limited alcohol, was good for the crew. The Doctor decided to investigate stress.
If he could only think of someone besides Mr. Paris to include in the study. Mr. Paris had to come to sickbay regularly, no one else was that accommodating. Maybe B'Elanna, she came to sickbay to see Mr. Paris.
Oh, well they would likely refuse to even think about it. Extra time in sickbay was not what they would consider a worthwhile activity. Maybe, he could start the study and only do it when they had to come in when they were hurt. It should be often enough for a legitimate study, although that might cause the result to be invalid because injury is a time of increased stress--but for them that was a normal condition.
The end.