Part 3
They stopped in front of the fourth door from the left. The same
large alien clapped his hand three times and the door sprung
open. On the other side of the door was a very large, easily
three meters by twelve meters, raised platform with a pad on the
top. A soft looking white blanket covered the pad and reached to
the floor. In other words, it was the aliens' representation of
a bed.
Tom turned back to their hosts. "Don't tell me, even out here in
the Delta Quadrant you guys are getting into the Bed and
Breakfast business? Look, B'Elanna, all the comforts of home."
B'Elanna growled.
"Well I know, dear, it isn't your idea of interior decorating, he
motioned to the stark white interior, but they did provide for
plenty of room for...ah...exercise."
"But, I'm not in the mood," she complained, glaring at their
audience. The last thing she wanted to be was on display for a
group of aliens.
The aliens with the spears lowered them to the pair and pressing
a button on the handle an electric shock was discharged from the
end, striking both Tom and B'Elanna. The blast knocked them to
the floor and they cried out in pain.
"You do as we say or it will be worse for you next time," one of
the aliens said stepping forward. He, unlike the others, wore a
red band around his bald head.
He pushed himself up to a sitting position. "What are we supposet
to do?" Tom queried being deliberately obtuse.
"Well, do what you where doing before."
Tom winked at the half-Klingon "What were we doing before,
'Lanna?"
"You know you were, um together," the leader tried to explain.
"Together? Oh, you mean *together*? The leader nodded, finally
he was being understood. "We can't." Tom said bluntly.
"You will," he ordered and the guard pointed the spears at the
pair again.
"Why do you want us to be...together?" B'Elanna asked seating
herself beside the pilot.
"It doesn't matter. Just do it."
Tom laughed. "We just can't do *it*." He turned to B'Elanna and
whispered, "we have to stall them for as long as possible." She
nodded her head indicating that she understood.
"We gave you back your clothes. So just take them off and get
together," the leader explained simply.
"We just can't do it that suddenly, we have to work our way up to
that moment. It's a very delicate process. For instance, we
have to eat. Can't do anything until we eat."
"Eat?"
Tom turned to B'Elanna. "What do you feel like B'Elanna? Maybe
a little seafood, some vegetables?"
"Ummmm, and don't forget the candlelight. Can't do it right
without the atmosphere." B'Elanna played along hoping that Tom
knew what he was doing.
"Of course. So you get the food and the candlelight. You know,
a little table for two maybe would be nice?"
"For two?"
"Yeah, two as in her and me," he pointed to B'Elanna and then
himself. "You didn't think you were invited did you?"
The leader looked bewildered at the conversation and motioned for
the guards to push them into the room.
Tom and B'Elanna took the hint and not wanting to get zapped
again entered the room.
The only piece of furniture in the room was the gigantic bed.
"You want to sit down?" Tom motioned to the bed.
"Not on your life!" B'Elanna wrapped her arms around her body and
walked around the room, looking over every square centimeter of
the place. Tom went to her and place his hands gently on her
shoulders. "I can't do this Tom, especially not if we are going
to be watched like some lab rat!" she spat.
"I know, love, but we have to stall them until Voyager can find
us."
The door to the room opened again and a small table, two chairs,
and candles were brought in, assembled, and the candles lit.
Then two plates of food and two long-stemmed glasses filled with
a purple liquid were placed on the table.
The leader stuck his head in, "I hope that you'll enjoy the
food."
Tom walked over to the table and stuck his little finger in a
mound of a blue marshmallow-like substance and stuck it in his
mouth and grimmaced. "Well, it isn't pizza, but it's not leola
root either. Can't make any promises, Jack. I can call you
'Jack' can't I?" Tom asked with a look of complete well-practiced
innocence.
'Jack' mumbled something under his breath that sounded something
like "What did I get myself into?" and he left the pair alone.
B'Elanna approached the table, her arms still crossed over his
chest. "I'm not going to eat that 'food'."
Tom pulled out a chair and motioned for her to have a seat.
"Come on B'Elanna, we have to eat to maintain out strength. Just
sit down and have something to eat. Just remember to take it
slow. Do what your mother always used to say chew your food very
well before you shallow it."
"My mother never said that, she always said to eat it quick
before the gagh stopped moving!"
Tom laughed and B'Elanna grinned and sat down. He joined her
sitting in the other chair.
They ate for a while each picking at their food. Suddenly a soft
humming sound could be heard. Tom stopped in mid-chew and
swallowed, B'Elanna did the same.
"Did you hear that?" B'Elanna asked.
He nodded. "Sounds like it is coming over by the wall."
The humming became louder until finally the outer wall dissolved
leaving behind shining metal bars.
"Oh look, dear, company for dinner," Tom quipped seeing the
throng of aliens peering in at them from the other side of where
the wall had been.
Looking beyond the crowd, Tom and B'Elanna could see other such
enclosures and inside seemed to be a variety of other aliens or
animals.
"We're in a damn zoo!" B'Elanna roared. She got to her feet and
strode over to the wall. Tom followed her. As she approached
the bars, the aliens on the other side cowered a bit, afraid of
her anger. "Get away from us!" Grabbing the bars with her hands.
she screamed as the bars discharged an energy pulse and collapsed
into Tom's arms. Tom hugged her.
"I hate this place."
"I know, so do I." He pulled her closer to his body. The aliens
were back pressed up against the outer bars. All seemed to be
very interested in the pair and smiled and laughed at them. All
except for...
Who didn't laugh? A child, female, man, and why didn't they?
Can they help Tom and B'Elanna escape? Please send in an
opinion.
You have until next Saturday morning, November 21, to send me
your ideas. I will then take a tally of the vote and proceed to
write the next piece of the story during that weekend. Note the
decision of the judge (namely me) is final.
I would like to thank the 10 people that took the time to vote in
round two, hopefully there will be most people choosing to
participate this time around or I might serious consider quickly
ending this piece.
And again, a special thanks to Marleena for agreeing to post this
story as it develops. Her site addy is
http://www.oocities.com/Area51/Rampart/6467/ She helps to make
this endeavor possible.
(
geocities.com/area51/rampart) (
geocities.com/area51)