"Come on, Torres. You need some rest and relaxation," Tom Paris goaded. "You've been working way too hard. How about dinner on the holodeck? You haven't had dinner yet, have you?" Tom knew perfectly well that she hadn't had dinner yet. She probably hadn't even had lunch. B'Elanna Torres was the most dedicated he could think of. Though he admired it as one of her good traits, it often got in the way of things. Like a relationship. This time he wasn't letting her get away.
B'Elanna Torres sighed, then growled as Tom continued nagging her to take a break. Nothing was going right today. As soon as they had detected a chroniton field B'Elanna's engines started going haywire.Nothing was working as it should. Maybe it is time for a break she thought. "No, I haven't had dinner yet," Torres snapped.
"Great! Meet me in Holodeck two in 15 minutes."
"Tom, I..." B'Elanna's voice was cut off as Captain Janeway came over the intercom.
"All senior staff, report to the bridge."
"Oh well," Tom sighed. "So much for dinner."
"Tuvok, Report," Captain Kathryn Janeway barked out as Lieutenants Paris and Torres arrived on the bridge and each went to their respective stations.
"I am detecting a ship on an intercept course approximately one light year from our current position. It will reach us in 3.64 minutes," responded Tuvok.
"Are their shields up or weapons powered?"
"Negative, Captain." After a pause, "Captain, they are dropping out of warp."
"Slow to impulse, Mr. Paris. Hail them, Mr.Kim."
"Captain, they are hailing us." Kim said in slight shock. Kathryn Janeway's head snapped to the viewscreen.
"Onscreen," she retorted.
"Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. We have been watching you and your crew for a long time. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Jarrel. We are a race that is able to scan alternate timelines much as you are able to scan space. We must ask a favour of your crew."
"It appears that there is much for us to talk about. Would you consider beaming aboard our ship so we may go over the details?" Janeway asked, despairately trying to keep in control. How do they know so much about us?
"It would our pleasure, Captain."
Jarrel removed an item from the bag he carried. It was a red silk, ankle-length dress. He spread it out on the table. Janeway stared blankly at the dress.
"I'm sorry, Jarrel. I've never seen this dress before."
"Excuse me, Captain, but may I see the dress?" Paris asked. Janeway passed the dress to Tom. He examined it closly and sucked in his breath. This is the dress that I gave B'Elanna for her 'birthday'.
Torres, who was sitting across from Paris, also sucked in her breath and blushed. She threw Paris a look which he missed because he was remembering the incident of the dress' arrival. (See Clear As Mud by the P/T Collective.)
"Captain, I believe I can place this dress. I gave it to B'Elanna for her birthday."
"Lieutenant Torres, can you confirm this? Do you still have the dress?" asked Janeway. Was something going on that she didn't know about? The personal lives of her crew were none of her business, but if it got serious, it was important she know for the good of the ship.
B'Elanna felt like she wanted to crawl into a hole and die. She was so embarassed. "Yes, Captain."
Paris was surprised. He thought for sure she had gotten rid of it. She had been very adament about not wearing the dress. Perhaps there was hope yet. He gave her a hopeful look. She missed it. He had to talk to her after the meeting.
Janeway turned to Jarrel. "I see you are sincere. How may we help you?"
"May we speak privately in your Ready Room?"
"Of course," replied Janeway. She dismissed the other officers and Jarrel led the way to the Captain's Ready Room.
Tom cornered B'Elanna in Turbolift 3. "Why didn't you tell me you still had the dress?" he questioned with a smug smile. "We need to come up with an excuse to use it. How about dinner tonight? Shall I pick you up at 2000 hours?"
"If we do dinner it will be in the mess hall eating one of Neelix's latest concotions." She couldn't tell him why she kept the dress, because she didn't know herself. She tried not to think of it's hiding place in her drawer, but everytime she passed she glanced at it. Once she found herself taking it out of the box to look at it. It was so beutiful. Everytime she thought another part of her heart went to the blue-eyed pilot. He could be so caring and considerate. But, he was known as a ladies' man. How could she ever trust him with her heart. She quickly put the dress away and buried it. But, she just couldn't bring herself to get rid of it. Maybe she should burn it so Paris couldn't feel so smug about it.
"So I'll take that as a 'yes' for dinner, 2000 hours in the mess hall?" The turbolift stopped and opened at the Engineering deck. B'Elanna got off and walked down the corridor. Tom took that as a yes.
"We came to you, Captain, because we figured of all the Janeways, you are the only one who can help us. In our universe, Thomas Eugene Paris is a very important individual. His breaking the warp barrier brought Voyager home to the Alpha Quadrant and he is the leader in warp theory. He contracted a rare and fatal disease that is unique to our timeline. After a lot of searching we discovered that you had the ability to find a cure for the disease."
"What is your proposal? Do want to bring your Paris here so we can treat him?"
"It's much more complicated than that, Captain. It will take time for you to find the cure, because we cannot tell you. We would like to switch our Tom Paris with your Tom Paris while you are curing him so that our time will continue as it should?"
"What about our time? Wouldn't the switch disrupt us?"
"I have seen what is ahead for you. There is nothing that our Paris cannot handle. It will only be for a short while. Then we will switch back and be on our way."
"But wouldn't that mess up the time streams?" Janeway wasn't sure she liked this idea.
"You yourself have a Harry Kim that is not your own."
"But that was our ship that split in two. Your talking about a whole nother timeline that is very different from ours. Will our Paris be able to take on the role your giving him?"
"We purposly picked a time when Tom wouldn't be working so that the other role isn't too much stress on him."
Janeway considered it. She still didn't like the idea, but by helping these people they might be able to get help in return. She would leave the major part of the decision up to Paris. If he didn't like the idea, she wouldn't force him. But she was willing to bet he would jump at the chance. "I'll leave the decision to our Paris."
"Could you ask him now, it's very urgent and time is of the essence."
"Very well. Janeway to Paris, report to my Ready Room."
"You asked to see me, Captain?" he asked with his usual broad grin.
"Mr. Jarrel has an interesting propsition for you,Mr. Paris."
"Mr. Paris, Tom, we need your help. I come from an alternate time line. In that time line, Tom Paris is a very important individual. He brought Voyager back to the Alpha Quadrant by breaking the warp barrier. He is a hero and was celebrated accordingly when they returned. But, he is in trouble now. Our Tom Paris has contracted a disease unique to our time. This Voyager has the expertise to cure him. We propse that you switch time lines so he can be treated here. This is extremly important. We need your help." Jarrel described.
"How long would it be for?" Tom questioned.
"Not more than a month." Jarrel responded.
"I guess so." He quriked Janeway a smile, "Never pass an oppurtunity to see what my life could have been like if I'd just done something different."
Typical Tom Paris, trying to turn it into a joke, Janeway thought. "This is not just another time line. There are going to be major differencesthat you aren't used to."
"Is there anything life-threating? Anything you think I can't handle with my wonderful imagination?" Tom asked addressing Jarrel.
"No, we're putting you in a point in time where you will not be working so it will be less stressful. You will probably be on vacation," Jarrel replied.
"So I'm helping to save a time line and I get some shoreleave while I'm doing it." Janeway shot him a look and Paris immediatley became serious. "When am I going to switch into that time line?"
"We would rather have you not know. That way you wouldn't accidentally tell someone in that timeline that you don't belong there. It will happen in the next 24 hours. Nobody is permitted to know about this, it is of the utmost secrecy." Jarrel had to make sure this didn't end up in a big mess.
"Very well, Mr. Paris. Good Luck on this endeavor. Hope to have you back soon." Janeway said in her captain's voice, letting everyone know that this meeting was over.
< P>"Thank you, Captain. "Tom shook her hand and left the Ready Room.Captain Janeway turned to Jarrel. "Are you sure he can handle it?"
"Positive. If he can't then no one else can."