Disclaimer:  This is a Voyager story written by a fan for the enjoyment of fans.  No infringement on the  rights of Paramount is intended.  In fact, I sincerely thank them for sharing their universe with us!Rating: PG--only because I think everything should be viewed with parental guidance for any children under  12.Acknowledgments:  I would like to sincerely thank my dear friend and mentor, Vicki, for all of her help and  encouragement during the writing of this story, and especially for her invaluable editing.  I would also like to  thank Lesa and Colleen for the their very helpful suggestions and comments, which I think improved the  story greatly.  Any mistakes still in the story are solely my responsibility.Synopsis: This is mostly a story about a little problem Tom is having, which the rest of the ship is sharing,  though they don't know it.  There is a little bit of P/T in here as well.  The story takes place some time after  B'Elanna has acknowledged her love for Tom and they are an “item.” GREMLINS by Celeste Strauss     Tom Paris was falling asleep at the wheel, so to speak.  His shift had been especially dull--no spatial distortions, no plasma storms, no new planets on the "horizon," no unexplained phenomena whatsoever.  Just distant stars and space.  If Chakotay weren't sitting behind him, he probably would have fallen asleep.       This particular region of space was extremely boring.  Though they had passed several stars, none of them had inhabitable planets orbiting them.  The ship was in bad need of supplies for repair, not to mention food.  Unfortunately, after they passed through Borg space, there was nothing to guide them in any particular direction.  Neelix had never come this far so he was as much in the dark as the rest of them.  Realizing his unintentional pun, Tom smirked.  They were, indeed, passing through a very dark region of space.  Tom was beginning to think that the decision to keep heading in the direction of home may not have been the best one.       It didn't help that he was having trouble sleeping because he couldn't stop thinking about his relationship with B'Elanna . . . his nonexistent relationship.  He wished she would stop avoiding him.  There was no reason for them to be embarrassed about what had happened.  Well--okay, so there was reason to be embarrassed--but she still didn't have to avoid being alone with him.  And he wished he could sleep.  Now that he was acting as the doctor's assistant for at least three  duty shifts each week, he had decided he had better brush up on his knowledge and skills, so he had spent  the past several nights reviewing emergency medical procedures.   Besides, the distraction helped him  throughout the long lonely nights.  But he sure wished he could sleep.     Right now, however, he needed to be careful.  Chakotay still didn't trust him much.  He didn't say anything, but Tom could tell.  The first officer was watching him a little too closely, criticizing a little too quickly.  Of course, if truth be told, Tom didn't really blame him.  He didn't exactly have the greatest track record.  And Chakotay was very protective of B'Elanna.  So Tom was determined to do his best and not let Chakotay get to him--much.     "Commander!"  Harry spoke up from the Ops Con.  Paris jumped.  He really had been falling asleep.  He hoped Chakotay hadn't noticed.     "What is it, Mr. Kim?" Chakotay responded quietly.  Tom could feel the Commander's eyes boring into his back, but he was pretty sure it was mostly a guilty conscience.  When he risked a look back, Chakotay was looking at Harry, waiting for an answer.     "Just out of clear sensor range, sir--up ahead.  I'm getting a strange reading that flickers in and out."     "What is your concern?" Chakotay asked intently.     "Well, sir,  I believe, from what I can catch, that there is an extraordinary energy source ahead.  I can't quite make it out, but . . ."     The commander looked thoughtful.  "Paris, drop back to warp 2, but maintain current heading."  Then he touched his combadge. "Chakotay to Janeway."     "Go ahead,"  Janeway's voice came back almost immediately.  Obviously she had not been sleeping.  Paris shook his head, slightly.  He didn't know how she did it; she seemed to never sleep and never be tired.  Tom wished he could trade places with her and get about 24 hours sleep.  Even with this mystery, he was having trouble keeping his eyes from closing.  Perhaps if it got a little more exciting . . .      "We have an interesting development, Captain,"  Chakotay began.  "You might like to join us."     "On my way,"  Janeway replied, briskly.     Deciding to see if he could determine anything about the mysterious energy reading,  Paris started monitoring his long range scanners.  Nothing.  No, wait!  There it was!  And it wasn't very mysterious.     "Harry," Tom began, but before he could finish Harry called out.     "I've got it!" Harry shouted.  "Sir, this is the signature of a star about to go nova!  I couldn't quite make it out before because of the intermittent tetryon bursts."     "Tetryon bursts?" Janeway asked as she exited the turbolift onto the bridge.  "From what source?"     "I can't tell, Captain.  We're too far away."     "How soon is that star going to go nova, Ensign?" Chakotay asked.     "By my readings, very soon.  I'd say within 96 hours."     "Hmmm," Janeway mused.  "Ninety-six hours."  She tapped her index finger on her lips a few times.  "All right.  Shields up.  Mr. Paris, continue toward the star at warp 2.  Mr. Kim, keep a close eye on that star and try to locate the source of the tetryon beams as we proceed in . . . very cautiously."     "Aye, Captain," Tom smiled and began to work the controls.     "Aye, Captain," Harry frowned and bent studiously over his board.     "Do you think it could be the other Caretaker, Captain?" the first officer asked quietly.     "I don't know, but I'm sure going to find out," Janeway frowned.  "We are not exactly on the best of terms with her, but I'm hoping we will be able to find a way to persuade her to help us return home."  She smiled wryly.  "If for no other reason than to just get us out of her hair."  Chakotay responded with an answering smile.     As the Voyager continued to approach the star system, the sensor readings became more clear.  Both Tuvok and Harry spoke up at once.     "Captain, the tetryon . . . "  Harry began.     "Fascinating . . . " Tuvok stated.     "What?"  Janeway asked, glancing from Harry to Tuvok.  Harry deferred to Tuvok with a nod of his head.      "The tetryon bursts appear to be a natural by-product of the impending nova of this star."  Tuvok informed the bridge at large. Janeway and Chakotay sighed in unison and then grinned at each other.     "Well, as long as we're here, we may as well study this," Janeway said, not quite able to disguise her disappointment.     "Captain, I would recommend caution," Tuvok advised.  "The tetryon emissions are interfering with accurate sensor readings.  However, they are intermittent, acting in a similar fashion to a pulsar.  While we can record sensor data in between pulses, we will have to keep a careful watch on the progress of the deterioration.  We will be unable to accurately predict the time of the actual explosion."     "Understood.  You heard him, Harry.  And, Tom," Janeway began.       "I know, Captain," Tom acknowledged.  "Be ready to run!"     "Exactly."  Janeway smiled to herself.  Tom may be a bit irreverent, but he added spice to the job.     After two days of monitoring and recording data coming from the probes that Ensign Kim and Lt. Tuvok were launching at the doomed star, there was an air of expectant excitement on the bridge.  Every bridge crewmember who could manufacture an excuse to be there had reported for duty.  Word had gotten out that the star was about to blow!  Harry and Tuvok had been carefully readjusting their estimates each time they got a clear reading between the pulses.       "The apparent effect of the tetryon particles is to speed up the demise of the star." Harry was saying.     "Or the demise of the star is producing the tetryons,"  Tom suggested.     "Or the presence of tetryons in the expanding star is purely coincidental," Chakotay smiled.     "Exactly," Tuvok stated.  "We have not, as yet, determined a causal relationship from the collected data.  I would be most interested in the subsequent analysis after we have compiled our sensor readings and probe emissions.  Tetryons have not previously been reported in a nova, to my knowledge."     Suddenly there was a tremendous flare from the star.     "Uh oh,"  Harry began.  "Tom, you'd better get us out of here!"     "I would concur," Tuvok agreed.  Tom immediately worked the controls, initiating a hasty retreat.  As he surveyed the readings coming from his console, he realized that they were not going to get away before the star blew.  The shock waves were going to catch them.     "Everyone, prepare for impact," he warned. "This is going to be a little tricky."  At that moment, there was an enormous flare of light and the star exploded.  Tom was working the controls furiously.     "B'Elanna," he called out unceremoniously.  "Give me all the power you have!"     "Impact in three minutes," Harry warned, trying to keep his voice calm.     "Now we'll see something," Tom muttered.  "Harry, patch in your sensors to my board.  I need it now!   Send it to Tuvok as well.  Tuvok, monitor the shields and be ready to do a frequency modulation."  Tom didn't even realize that he was giving orders, he was so busy working the controls.  "Okay, everybody, hang onto your seats.  Here we go!"     "What are you doing, Mr. Paris?"  Chakotay asked.  Tom didn't answer; he was too busy concentrating.  After exchanging a glance with Chakotay, Janeway nodded at Tuvok and Harry, signaling that they should comply with Tom's request.     Suddenly they were hit by the leading edge of the shock wave from the explosion, which had finally come into range.  The blow rocked the ship forcefully and Tom was thrown forward in his chair, his head cracking against the console.  Feeling a stabbing pain over his right eye, and touching it gingerly, his hand came back red, but he paid no attention as his hands flew over the controls.  The ship was shuddering with the impact and people were sprawled everywhere.  Janeway and Chakotay had managed to keep their seats but Harry was pulling himself back up to his console when suddenly the shuddering stopped.     "All right!" Tom exclaimed as his fingers continued to race over his console.  Again wiping away the trail of blood from his eye, he called over his shoulder,  "Keep those readings coming, Harry.  Tuvok, you're going to need to continue to monitor the shields."     "Tom . . . ," the captain began.        "Don't worry, Captain."  Tom answered.  "We're not going to suffer any more impact damage.  We are riding the wave out of here.  It's called 'surfing'.  The people do it all the time on the oceans of Earth and Sendare.  It's a way of using the power of the waves instead of being overw . . . "  Tom broke off as he concentrated on maneuvers.         "Better." Tom murmured to himself.     "I've heard of surfing." Chakotay said to Janeway.  "But this is the first time, I've heard of a ship surfing the shock waves of an exploding solar system."     "Interesting concept," Janeway said wryly.  "Harry, what's our status."     "Damage reports minimal after the first concussion.  The ship is not suffering much stress from this, due to Tuvok's modulation of the shields and I guess, the position Tom is holding us on the wave . . . but I don't know how he's doing it."     "Practice, Harry, practice," Tom muttered as he once again wiped his hand across his forehead.  Shifting the position of the ship, he was systematically moving over and out of the way of the concussion.  Finally, he was able to slip completely out of the path of the shock waves and he brought the ship to cruising speed.  Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.     "Tom, how did you do that?" Chakotay asked, shaking his head.     Tom grinned.  "I've been practicing this maneuver in simulations ever since I was a freshman at the academy.  There was an incident about that time where a science ship was inadvertently caught in the shock waves from a nova."     "I remember that," Janeway murmured. "They had been studying the nova, but failed to get out of the way in time."     "Of course there were all of the usual investigations and finger pointing," Tom's voice hesitated a fraction, as he realized what he was saying.  "But what struck me was that there should have been a way to handle the ship so that it would not be crushed in the coming onslaught.  About that time, a friend introduced me to surfing.  I noticed the similarity and decided to try it out."     "Fascinating." Tuvok began.  "You simply applied the principles of surfing ocean waves to riding shock waves."     "Well, it wasn't that easy.  I lost many ships in simulation before I got it right.  This is the first time that I've been able to test it out in a real situation."  Tom reached up his hand and brushed his eye.     Harry looked closely at Tom, who was once again wiping blood away from his face. "Tom, are you all right?"  he asked.     Chakotay and Janeway looked at Tom.  Janeway gasped. "Tom, report to sickbay at once!"  she ordered.     "It looks worse than it is, Captain," Tom smiled as he turned to face her.     "Mr. Jornsen, escort Lt. Paris to sickbay," Chakotay said as he came over to replace Tom at the helm.  Still muttering reassurances to everyone, the pilot stood up when suddenly the bridge began to spin and  he collapsed heavily against Chakotay.  The commander caught him before he fell to the deck.     "Emergency medical transport!" Chakotay ordered and  Tom disappeared in a sparkling array.     "You have a mild concussion--nothing serious," the Doctor was saying as Captain Janeway entered the sickbay.     "Well, I'm glad to hear that!" she smiled as she approached the bio-bed.  "You had us worried, Tom."     "I told you it was nothing," Tom said, slightly embarrassed.     The doctor frowned, eyeing Tom suspiciously.  "Well, not precisely nothing," he corrected.  "You should rest for the next 24 hours.  You seem a bit worn down."     "No, no, I'm fine.  I can return to duty now," Tom countered.     "No, Tom.  The doctor said to rest and that's just what I want you to do.  We left the system behind and are once again proceeding on course.  There is nothing for you to hurry back to right now."     Tom was beginning to protest when he stopped short and frowned.  He had caught a quick movement out of the corner of his eye, but when he turned to look there was nothing there.  Shaking his  head, he sighed,  "Well maybe I will rest if you don't need me right now.  I'll just go to my quarters."     "I would prefer that you remain here, Mr. Paris.  I would like to keep you under . . . "     "There!" Tom exclaimed.  "Did you see that?"     "What?" the doctor asked, looking around, puzzled.     "What?" the captain asked, glancing quickly around.     "Didn't you see him?" Tom asked.  "That funny little guy . . . ?"  His voice trailed off as he realized that both the doctor and the captain were regarding him strangely.  "I mean, there was this little . . . Oh, never mind."  He laid back on the bed and closed his eyes.  "Maybe I just need some sleep."  Slowly relaxing, his voice trailed to a whisper.     "Excellent idea," the doctor agreed.  The captain and the doctor moved off into the doctor's office.  As soon as they were out of sight of the injured pilot, Janeway turned to the doctor anxiously.     "Is he really okay?" Janeway asked.  "It's just a mild concussion?"     "Oh definitely.  His head injury is nothing to worry about.  But I did notice signs of exhaustion.  Has he been pulling double shifts?"  The doctor looked sternly at the captain.  "Because I really don't recommend . . . "     Chagrined at the suggestion, Janeway interrupted, "No, of course not.  There has been no reason for extra duty time for anyone.  As you know, except for our brief run-in with the pirates, things have been very quiet and routine for several days."     "Very well.  I'll just keep Mr. Paris here under observation for 12 hours.  After that, unless something unforeseen turns up, he can return to duty."     "Understood, Doctor.  And thank you."  Janeway left the sickbay lost in thought.  Why should Tom be exhausted?  No one was being taxed too hard right now.  Truth be told, things had been pretty boring for a while.  And what was he talking about in sickbay-*-funny little guy?*  She headed to the debriefing room where her senior officers were waiting to discuss the destruction of the star system and their current supply shortage.     "How is Tom?" was B'Elanna's first question when Captain Janeway arrived.  Janeway smiled.     "Tom is fine.  He has a mild concussion and the doctor wants to keep him under observation, but that's all.  Nothing serious."  She experienced a momentary twinge, remembering Tom's odd behavior.  All of the senior staff relaxed at the news, Harry and Neelix exchanging relieved grins.     "B'Elanna," Chakotay asked, bringing everyone back to business, "how is the damage control proceeding?"     The chief engineer bit her lip before answering.  "That's an interesting question," she began.  Janeway's eyebrow raised in inquiry.  "In general, everything is going according to schedule.  But we keep having unexpected setbacks due to inexplicable equipment failure.  It's nothing serious and all easily corrected . . . but there seems to be no reason for it.  It just happens.  And then a minute later, everything is back on track."  There was a moment of silence while everyone absorbed this information.  Curious looks were exchanged across the table.     "You mean equipment just stops working and then starts working again?"  Janeway asked, frowning.     B'Elanna shrugged.  "That's what I mean.  It is only causing minor delays, but it is puzzling."     "All right, stay on it.  Well, we've just been thrown way off course by our recent encounter, but thanks to Tom's amazing 'surfing' skills, we're pretty much intact.  I suggest we return to our original heading and continue to scan for possible resources."     "Aye, Captain." The command crew broke up and returned to their stations.     Paris awoke to the muted sounds of the ship at night.  The lights in sickbay had been turned down, though not eliminated, to allow the patients to rest comfortably.  As Tom was the only patient at the moment, the doctor was working quietly in his office, where a light burned steadily, though its glow was reassuring rather than intrusive.  The doctor never turned himself off when he had a patient in sickbay.     Sighing, Tom looked around the empty room.  His head throbbed a little, but he was definitely feeling better.  That long nap had really helped.  He sat up--a little too quickly--and fell back onto the bed while a wave of dizziness and nausea washed over him.     "Let that be a lesson," the doctor's voice said gently.  When he could open his eyes, Tom saw the doctor bending over him.  "'You should remain in a prone position for a while longer, but if you must sit up--do it slowly."     "Right.  I'll remember that," the helmsman replied sardonically.  "How long have I been sleeping?"     "Twelve hours.  Just as planned."     "What do you mean?"     "I gave you a twelve-hour sedative.  The more rest you get, the better.  How are you feeling?  Are you hungry?"  The doctor was checking the sensor readings and examining Tom as he spoke.     "I'm fine, I guess--aside from the dizziness.  And, yes.  I think I am a little hungry.  What's for dinner?"     The doctor smiled briefly.  "Neelix prepared Alterian stew.  However, as a patient in sickbay, you are eligible to order something from the replicator."     "Thank goodness!"  Tom relaxed.  "Not that Neelix isn't a good cook, mind you, but I never really could warm up to Alterian stew--especially as it is served cold."  He grimaced.  Then he sat up with a start--and promptly fell back onto the pillow.     "I told you to sit up slowly," the doctor reminded.     "I know.  But that little guy was back!"   Tom put his hand to his forehead.  He really wished his head would stop throbbing.     "Little guy?" the doctor inquired, his eyebrow raised.  He looked around the sickbay, curiously.  "What little guy?"     "Doc, this concussion couldn't be causing hallucinations, could it?"     "Of course not. You have a very mild concussion, and though you could experience occasional flashes of  light from your peripheral vision, it is not going to cause anything except a headache, possibly a little  dizziness."     Paris grimaced.  "Well, its causing that all right."  His head was pounding harder since he had tried to sit up.     "Don't worry.  I'll give you something that should ease that."  The doctor put the hypospray to Paris' neck.  Within seconds his headache had disappeared.     "That's great, Doc!"  Tom sat up--slowly this time.  He wasn't taking any chances. "Flashes of light, huh?  Is that going to go away soon?"      "Certainly.  The phenomenon will dissipate as your concussion heals.  It is nothing to worry about.  I  take it you are experiencing this symptom?      "Uh, yeah.  I guess so." Tom was a little hesitant.  He was certainly experiencing something.  That  probably was all it was--flashes of light.  Shrugging his shoulders in dismissal, he looked at the doctor.   "May I return to duty now?"     "Actually, I suggest that you go to your quarters and get some more rest.  It is the middle of Gamma shift.  But, yes, you are released from sickbay."  The doctor turned at that and returned to the paperwork he had been doing.  Smiling at the abrupt dismissal, Paris swung his feet to the floor.  He stood up gingerly, afraid that the dizziness would return.  When it didn't, he sighed with relief and walked out of sickbay.     In the corridor, he hesitated, realizing that he didn't really feel much like going to his quarters.  He knew that he would just end up sitting in the dark trying to think about anything but B'Elanna . . . and failing miserably.  Seriously regretting the fact that he had left sickbay before getting something to eat, he decided to head for the mess hall.  Now he would just have to settle for Alterian stew.     Harry, Seven, and B'Elanna were seated at a table with their heads together when Tom walked in.  Seven was grimacing at the contents of the plate in front of her.  Shoving it away, she glanced up  and caught sight of Tom.       "Lieutenant," she called in her crisp voice.  "Come join us."  Harry and B'Elanna looked up and smiled at Tom, but their smiles seemed a trifle odd.     "Uh-oh," Tom thought.  "What's this about?"  He felt a twinge of jealousy toward Harry.   Picking up his tray, which contained a bread roll and Neelix's current version of coffee--he realized that he just couldn't stomach Alterian stew right now--he walked over to the table.     "How are you feeling, Tom?"  Harry asked with genuine concern.  Feeling ashamed of himself for his earlier suspicions,  Tom smiled and moved to put the tray on the table.     "I'm fine . . . ack!" he jumped back as the tray completely missed the table and fell to the floor dumping the contents all over his pants and splattering B'Elanna as well.  Jumping back, she banged her chair into the next table causing the drinks of the diners to spill and splatter over everything.  There were startled yelps and squeals all around.     "I'm so sorry!" Tom began to apologize. He was reaching for a napkin to help mop up the spills when suddenly he froze.  "Who . . . ?" he began.  But at that moment, Neelix came scurrying over with a mop and broom.     "Don't worry, Tom," he was saying.  "Accidents happen.  I'll have this cleaned up in no time.  Free refills for everyone," he added congenially.  "That should keep the natives calm," he murmured in an aside to Tom.  "No real harm done, eh?"  But Tom wasn't paying any attention.  He was trying to look around Neelix.  Then he turned and surveyed the room.     "Where did he go?"  he muttered to himself.     "Who?" Neelix asked, looking around as well, even though he had no idea for whom he was looking.     "That little guy.  He was in sickbay and now he was here.  Who is he?"     "Who is who?"  Harry asked.  Seven and B'Elanna were looking at Tom in curiosity and concern.     "Tom," B'Elanna began, "perhaps you should go to your quarters and rest.  The Captain said you were suffering from a concussion . . . "     "No," Tom said in a distracted voice.  "I'm fine."  *Just flashes of light?* he asked himself in frustration.   *This is really going to get annoying.*  Shaking his head, he added ruefully, "But I will go change." He smiled at B'Elanna and held out his arm, gallantly.  "May I escort you, Ma'am?"  B'Elanna blushed and frowned.  Harry tapped her hand and gave her an understanding smile.     "No thanks, Tom.  I'll take care of this later.  I have to finish up with Harry and get back to engineering."  B'Elanna was unable to meet his eyes.     "I see," Tom replied stiffly.  "Well, I'll catch you later, then."  He turned and walked out without a backward glance.     "So," Harry said, after ruefully watching his friend's retreat, "back to the unexplained malfunctions.  Have you figured it out yet?"     "No, we haven't.  And it is really beginning to bug me, Harry.  What's more, some of the malfunctions are no longer correcting themselves."     "You mean . . . ?"     "That's right.  Now, sometimes, when something quits working, it stays quit!"  Harry smiled at that and B'Elanna grinned at him, sheepishly.  "You know what I mean!" she added.  At that moment her combadge beeped.     "Lieutenant Torres, we have another malfunction--this one more serious," Carey informed her.     "On my way!"  B'Elanna shrugged at Harry and Seven, downed her coffee and hurried out of the mess hall.  Harry sighed.  He really hoped Tom and B'Elanna could work out this latest setback in their relationship.     "Is something the matter, Ensign?" Seven inquired calmly, as she took a tentative sip of the coffee.     Harry looked startled.  "What?  No, why?  Why do you ask?"     "You just sighed--a slow, noisy, expulsion of air from the lungs--usually indicative of unhappiness or distress."  She paused a moment and then added, "Or fatigue.  I believe sighing also indicates fatigue.  Are you in need of a rest period?"     Harry grinned wryly at her.  "It also indicates frustration, and that's what I'm feeling right about now."     "I see," Seven nodded in understanding.  "The unexplained malfunctions are causing you frustration."     "Well, that, too," Harry agreed.  "But mostly, I'm frustrated with Tom and B'Elanna.  They never do things the easy way."  He shook his head.  Seven looked at him for several moments, her expression indicating confusion.  Finally, she nodded.     "You are referring to their interpersonal relationship, which they have once again managed to entangle with superfluous concerns."     Choking on his drink, Harry looked at her in startled amusement.  "Exactly!" he laughed.      Tom had changed his clothes and then tried to rest, but he found that he just couldn't settle down.  His mind kept revolving around the estrangement between B'Elanna and himself and the appearances of the strange little man, if that was what he was seeing.  Truth be told, he was currently more  concerned about the little man.  The fact that he could never quite see the little guy made him  uncomfortable.  The phenomenon appeared to be more than flashes of light, but less than a defined object-- or person.  Tom was beginning to be afraid there might be something wrong with him.  So far, he was the  only one who had seen the little guy--as far as he knew, and he kept reminding himself of what the doctor  had told him.  It was just a side effect of the concussion.  Nothing to worry about.   Tossing aside his pillow,  he sat up just as  his door chimed.     "Come," he said, wondering who would be visiting.  B'Elanna Torres walked in smiling tentatively at him.     "B'Elanna!" Tom jumped to his feet and then regretted it.  He felt a moment of vertigo but was able to overcome it.  Not before B'Elanna noticed, however.     "Tom," she said as she came and gently seated him.  "I just wanted to see how you were.  You didn't look too well in the mess hall."  She sat down beside him on the bed and brushed an errant lock of his hair back from his face.     He caught his breath.  "B'Elanna, I . . . " he began.  But B'Elanna was speaking, too.     "Tom," she was saying, "we need to talk about what happened last week.   I know I'm the one who didn't want to talk, but . . . I don't like the tension between us.  You're very special to me--a true friend--and I don't want to lose that."     Tom smiled wryly at her.  *So here it is,* he thought, *the 'we can still be friends' speech*.     "I know I have been acting rather strangely, lately--a little distant," B'Elanna was continuing.  "But, Tom, you know I'm a very private person, and to have our--activities in the Jefferies tubes and auxiliary control displayed for the whole crew . . . " She shuddered in remembered embarrassment.  "I needed some time to come to terms with that.  I can't handle being the center of attention and the object of amused speculation.  We need to cool our relationship."  She looked pleadingly into Tom's pained eyes.  Before he could answer her, she rushed ahead.  "I don't mean stop or anything; I just mean be more discreet.  You know, act like normal couples?  Save the -er-physical demonstrations for the privacy of our quarter?" she ended hesitantly.     "Definitely!" Tom gave her a quick squeeze. "We'll keep this at whatever level you're comfortable with--now."  He leered at her, jokingly, even though inside, his heart had soared.  He had been so afraid she was going to leave him.     B'Elanna laughed and punched him playfully in the arm.  "Okay, Love!  Now you get some rest.  You still don't look too good.  I have to get back to engineering and oversee a whole series of diagnostics.  We're going to find the cause of these malfunctions if it kills us."     "Malfunctions?"     "Nothing for you to worry about.  Just get some rest." B'Elanna smiled at him again, leaned over and  brushed his lips with a light kiss and then left.  Tom leaned back and clutched his pillow to his chest, far from  satisfied.  But at least she wouldn't be avoiding him anymore.     *Well, this is getting me nowhere,* he thought, after several minutes of just staring into space.  *I might as well go to the bridge.*  As he walked out of his room, he banged his shoulder against the door.  "Hmmm," he muttered.  "That door is a little sluggish.  Maybe I should notify Engineering."  The thought of an excuse to approach B'Elanna cheered him.     Tom walked confidently onto the bridge and then tripped as he stepped to the lower deck, heading for the helm.  He managed to catch himself before falling flat on his face, though he couldn't discern a reason for his clumsiness.     Harry snickered and murmured to him, "Have a nice trip?"  Tom grinned.  He hadn't heard that line since he and his sister had worn it out one summer when they were kids.  His mother had threatened them with no dessert for a week if she heard it again.  The appropriate response was, "See you next Fall."  Tom was sorely tempted, but he held his tongue.  Glancing back at Harry as he took his seat at the helm, he quickly jumped back to his feet, calling out his friend's name.  Everyone  looked at him, puzzled.     "Is something the matter, Lieutenant?"  the captain asked quietly.     "Umm . . . " Tom hesitated.  What should he say?  It had become increasingly clear to him that no one else was seeing this little man who kept appearing.  Tom wasn't sure what to do about it.  Was he real, or just a by-product of the concussion?  The doctor had said that he was not having  hallucinations, but this was more than flashes of light.  As far as Tom knew, the sensors had not reported an  intruder.     "Drat!" Harry exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention away from Tom.  "My console just went out!"     "What do you mean--out?" Chakotay demanded.     "I mean--out--you know, everything quit working.  Wait!  It's back now."  Harry was shaking his head.  "I'd better notify B'Elanna.  She'll want to check this out."     "I take it, B'Elanna is still coping with the mysterious equipment failures," Janeway muttered.  She pressed her lips together in annoyance.     "Lieutenant?" Chakotay persisted, turning his attention back to Tom.     "I . . . thought I saw something at Harry's console." Tom was reluctant to say more.  He didn't want to end up back in sickbay, and the doctor had said it was nothing to worry about.  He really just  wanted to sit here and fly Voyager.  That was one thing he could always count on to calm him when he was  tense.  Perhaps that was all he needed for this symptom to diminish--just to relax.     Fortunately no one pursued the issue and he sighed with relief.  They seemed to think that he had seen  something a moment before Harry had.  Feeling a little guilty, he slowly sat down in his chair and reviewed  the settings at the helm.  An intrusive doubt kept floating at the back of his mind.  What if there was really  something--or someone--there, and that something was a threat to the ship.  But what if it was only him.   Right now, he didn't know which would be worse.      The turbolift doors opened and closed, but there was no one there.  Concentrating intently on his dilemma, Tom didn't notice.  But Captain Janeway did and she hit her combadge.     "Lt. Torres," she began.  "Please meet me in my ready room in 15 minutes.  And have a full report on these unexplained malfunctions ready."  Janeway had one of her "gut" feelings and she didn't like it.     "Yes, Captain," B'Elanna's voice came back.  "I was actually on my way to see you right now.  Would that be acceptable?"     "Very," Janeway replied.  "Commander Chakotay, please join us.  Tuvok, you have the bridge."  Tuvok nodded his acceptance and Janeway and Chakotay departed.  A moment later, B'Elanna exited the turbolift and hurried into the ready room.  As  she came onto the bridge, Tom glanced back and his pulse quickened.  Then he sighed.  Turning back to his console, he caught Harry's eye.  Harry smiled encouragingly and Tom smiled back, but it was a little forced.  He wasn't quite  sure where things had been left with B'Elanna.     "Captain," B'Elanna was saying in frustration, "We just can't find any explanation for these malfunctions.  We have run every diagnostic we have and we have made up some.  There just isn't anything wrong with the equipment before it fails and there isn't anything wrong after it starts working again.  It's . . . " she wrung her hands in frustration.     "Gremlins," Janeway said, musingly.     "Excuse me, Captain?" Chakotay asked, leaning closer, wondering if he had heard her right.  B'Elanna looked up, puzzled.     "Gremlins," Janeway repeated.  "When I was growing up, whenever anything went wrong for no obvious reason, Aunt Georgie always blamed the gremlins."  Chakotay smiled, but B'Elanna frowned.     "Who are gremlins?"  she asked.     "Little, very curious, very mischievous, creatures, generally unseen, but whose presence is always felt," Chakotay laughed.     "Uh-huh,"  B'Elanna nodded.  "Right."     Janeway laughed.  "They are also imaginary, but a convenient explanation when a more reasonable one is not forthcoming."  She paused.  "But unfortunately, they are not an excuse that we can be satisfied with, in our present circumstances.  These malfunctions could be a very real problem if they happen at the wrong moment."     "Or in the wrong place!" B'Elanna agreed.  "We had a pretty scary experience in Engineering.  The antimatter manifold started to buckle--but before any of us could react, it corrected  itself."     "This is getting serious," Chakotay frowned.  "Captain, I think that I'd like to give B'Elanna a hand in her search for the cause of these malfunctions."     Janeway nodded.  "Keep me informed."     After his shift had ended, Tom invited Harry to join him in the holodeck.       "Which should it be, Harry?  A quick game of pool at Sandrine's or a relaxing evening at the Resort?"     "Actually, I was going to see if B'Elanna needed any help tracking down the malfunctions," Harry replied with a rueful smile.  He knew Tom and B'Elanna were having difficulties and he wasn't sure how his friend would react to being turned down for her.     "What malfunctions, Harry?"  Tom asked, genuinely curious.  "B'Elanna mentioned something earlier, but she wouldn't go into detail." *Of course, she had something else on her mind at the time,* he thought.     "You don't know?"  Harry was surprised, but then he nodded.  "Of course you don't.  You were in sickbay during the last staff meeting.  It's really strange.  It seems we're having equipment failure all over the ship."     "What's so strange about that?  We're always having equipment failure all over the ship."     Harry smirked at Tom.  "You're right!" he acknowledged.  "But this is different.  Now the equipment is fixing itself . . . sometimes."     "What do you mean?"     "Well, it's just like my console, earlier.  Something will just quit working and then a minute later it will be fine.  There is no reason for the failure and no obvious reason for the equipment to resume functioning either."     Tom felt a chill run down his back when Harry mentioned the console.  Could it be possible?  Did that strange little man that Tom kept seeing have anything to do with the malfunctions?  Maybe it was time for Tom to admit to someone what he was seeing.     "Are these malfunctions serious, Harry?" Tom asked with trepidation.     "So far they haven't been.  It's all been pretty innocuous.  Look, Tom, do you mind if I catch you later?  I would really like to check on the status of the malfunctions and give B'Elanna a hand if she needs it."     Tom nodded and continued to walk beside Harry in silence, lost in his thoughts.  When Harry clapped a hand on his shoulder in farewell, he jumped, startled.  He had forgotten Harry was still there.     "Tom," Harry frowned.  "Are you all right?"     "Harry, if I tell you something, will you promise not to overreact and think I'm crazy?"  *Stupid question!*  Tom hadn't noticed that they had been headed for engineering  and was slightly startled when the doors opened and they walked into a flurry of activity.  The two friends had entered from the catwalk level and Tom was able to look down upon the scene.  The first thing he saw was the strange little man scurrying around the console at which B'Elanna was working.  A chill ran through him.     "B'Elanna!" he called, jumping forward.  Once again, he misgauged his step and started to fall..  Unfortunately, there was no handrail where he was standing, as it was the ladder to the next level, and he started to fall over the side.  Over the next few seconds, complete chaos reigned.  Giving a  shout, Harry grabbed for his friend but he only managed to catch hold of Tom's sleeve, which ripped away as  he continued to fall.     Turning at Tom's shout, B'Elanna started to rush toward him.  Just as she moved away, her console exploded in a cacophony of light and sound.  Chakotay had also turned at Tom's shout and started to race forward as he saw the helmsman begin to fall.  When B'Elanna's console exploded, he hesitated for a second, but saw she was okay and turned back to Tom.       As he was falling, Tom had managed to grab onto the end of the rail, but all he succeeded in doing was wrench his arm.  He couldn't hold on, though he had slowed his descent long enough for Chakotay to get into position.   Tom found himself falling into Chakotay's waiting arms and the impact sent them both crashing to the floor, with Tom on top.     "Oomph!" Chakotay grunted.  Moaning softly, he tried to shove the pilot off his chest.  Tom rolled over with a groan as B'Elanna rushed to his side.     "Tom," she exclaimed, "are you all right?"  She gathered him into her embrace and began kissing him.  Although a bit dazed from the fall, Tom was not about to complain.  He submitted willingly to her caresses, wondering what had happened to her plea for privacy in their relationship.     While B'Elanna was cradling Tom, Chakotay tried to pull himself to his feet.  He was a little miffed that B'Elanna had ignored him in her concern for the helmsman.  After all, he had been the one on the bottom.  Harry stepped off the ladder just in time to hear Chakotay groan and see him fall back to the floor.  Hurrying over, he noticed that Chakotay's arm was hanging at an odd angle.  At that moment, B'Elanna also noticed the commander's plight and tapped her combadge.     "Sickbay, we have two injured crewmen.  Transporting now."  Chakotay and Tom were whisked away and the engineering crew turned back to the immediate problem.  What had happened to the console?  Harry and B'Elanna joined forces to track down the mystery.     In sickbay, Tom was watching with concern as the doctor examined Chakotay.  Since his fall was  responsible, he was feeling guilty about the commander's injuries.  He hoped that it wasn't anything serious.       "You have a dislocated shoulder, easily remedied, and some bruised ribs," the doctor was saying to Chakotay.  "You'll be fine."  He administered a hypospray to the commander's neck and then jerked  the arm back into its socket.  "This will be sore for a few days.  I suggest you take it easy."  Then he turned to Tom and sighed.     "Lt. Paris," he began.  "You have spent more time in sickbay on this bio-bed than you have as my assistant.  What happened this time?"     Tom shrugged  his shoulders and then grimaced in pain.  "I tripped," he whispered sheepishly.     "You tripped?" the doctor raised an eyebrow and pressed his lips together as he ran the tricorder over the wounded pilot.  "Well, I would have expected your shoulder to be dislocated, also, from the description of your fall, but you have only torn some ligaments.  Be still."  He pressed a hypospray to Tom's neck and then ran the regenerator over the injured elbow and shoulder.     Sighing, the pilot looked over at the next bio-bed and noticed the commander watching him intently.  "Thanks, Chakotay," he said quietly.     The big man nodded, but continued his scrutiny.  "What was that all about, Paris?" he asked in his gentle voice.     Looking startled, Paris faced him with a frown.  "What?" he asked in confusion.  "Falling?"     "No," the former Maquis grinned ruefully, flexing his shoulder.  "But I think I'd like an explanation for that, too.  I'm talking about your behavior in engineering.  That was the second time you shouted a warning before one of these mysterious malfunctions occurred.  Before," he repeated significantly.     *God, he's good!* Paris thought ruefully.  He hadn't believed that anyone had noticed.  Now was the time to admit what he had been seeing.  Though he was still a little afraid of the consequences, Tom thought that he had waited long enough.  Taking a deep breath, he began to describe his experience since waking up in sickbay after the star's explosion.  Chakotay listened intently, his eyes never leaving Tom's face.  Under that steady gaze, Tom felt himself hesitating, sure that the commander was doubting his sanity.     "Tom," the first officer asked quietly, after Paris had finished his narration, "why didn't you say something before now?"     Running his hands through his hair in frustration and uncertainty, the pilot grimaced.  "At first, I wasn't even sure I was seeing anything," he began.  "It would just be a flash at the corner of my eye--you know how you think you see something, but when you turn to look there's nothing there.  The doc warned me to expect something like that."  The commander nodded encouragingly and the  doctor stopped to listen, his brow creased in thought.     "Every time I thought I saw him, it was obvious that no one else had and I couldn't..." he smilingly  shrugged his shoulders,.. "get a lock on him.  I was almost convinced that I was seeing things, that maybe it  was nothing more than a side effect of the concussion."  He sighed deeply.  "I didn't tell anyone, because I  was pretty sure I would be relieved of duty, and Commander," he looked up defiantly, "whatever else was  wrong, it was not affecting my flying."  Chakotay just nodded for him to continue, not challenging him, and  even smiling a little.     "The first time I really got a good look at the little guy was in engineering.  Right before the explosion of  B'Elanna's console, I saw the little man poking around her station.  When I called her name, the man looked straight at me and then turned and ran.  I was so surprised that I didn't pay much attention to what I was doing and you know what happened next."  Grimacing in pain and disgust, the  lieutenant paused in thought.     "The connection between the malfunctions and the appearance of this little guy didn't really occur to me  until Harry was telling me about them and used his console as an example.  Until then, I hadn't really been  aware that there was a problem with the equipment.  I knew I was having a problem but I kept trying to  convince myself it was only the side effect of the concussion."     "Lieutenant," the doctor interposed. "Were your sightings of this little man accompanied by any physical symptoms?"     "What?" Tom asked, confused.     "Did you feel anything when you saw him--lightheaded, dizziness, disorientation, headache?"     Before Tom could answer, Harry and B'Elanna came hurrying into sickbay to check on the two fallen officers.  Harry, seeing that his commander and his friend appeared to be okay, and hearing the doctor's last words, snorted.     "He's certainly been awfully clumsy, lately," he said with a laugh.  Both the doctor and Chakotay turned to him and demanded an explanation.  Harry was a little disconcerted, but willingly complied.  He quickly described the incident in the mess hall, along with Tom's propensity for tripping over his own feet, which resulted in the commander's and the pilot's current sojourn in sickbay.     "Hmmmm," the doctor, murmured, his eyes narrowing in thought.  "Lieutenant, I would like to run a few tests.  Sit still, please.  Lieutenant Torres, if you wouldn't mind moving . . . "  When B'Elanna had come into sickbay, she immediately went to sit beside Tom and put her arm around him affectionately.  Tom had been startled, but pleased.     Getting off his bio-bed and walking over to the doctor's side, Chakotay asked, "What do you think?"  The doctor was scanning Tom's head.  Just as he moved near to Tom's right eye, the helmsman jumped in surprise.  The scanner and his eye connected and he felt a shooting pain lance through him.  Clasping his hand quickly to his eye, he pushed the doctor back away from him.     "There he is!" Tom shouted, pointing toward the door.  Everyone turned excitedly to look, but saw nothing.     "Are you sure?" Chakotay began, but Tom interrupted.  He had been staring intently at the door as though he were trying to see something.  Then he turned and looked at B'Elanna, questioningly.  Turning back toward the door he nodded.     "B'Elanna," Tom exclaimed.  "You'd better get to engineering right away.  There is an emergency."  Just as he finished speaking, B'Elanna's combadge bleeped.     "Lt. Torres, we have a serious core breach in progress.  Please return to engineering, immediately!"  Alarm klaxons began to sound all over the ship.       Everyone jumped up to hurry to their duty stations, but the doctor caught Tom's arm.  "You stay here," he commanded.  Tom started to protest when Chakotay turned back to him with a bemused expression.     "That's an order, Lieutenant!"     After a half hour of submitting to the doctor's poking and prodding, Tom was ready to explode.  Not knowing what was going on in engineering was driving him crazy.  Apparently, they were dealing with the problem since the ship hadn't been blown to smithereens, but it was still frustrating, sitting here in sickbay with the doctor periodically scanning him and muttering "Hmmmm."       "Mr. Paris," the doctor spoke up suddenly.  "Do you still see the little man?"     "No, Doc, he left with the rest of the crew.  Probably went back to engineering," Tom added, muttering.  The doctor just raised an eyebrow.     "Please inform me, immediately, when you see him again."     "When?"  Tom looked curiously at the doctor.  "Does this mean you believe I am really seeing someone?"     Looking at the pilot in surprise, the doctor replied matter-of-factly, "Obviously you are seeing someone, or something.  There have now been three incidents of your knowing something was going to happen before the fact.  Three are too many to be considered coincidence."   Tom breathed a sigh of relief.     "So I'm not going crazy," he murmured.     "Well, as to that . . . " began the doctor, with a twinkle in his eye.     Just then, Commander Chakotay walked into sickbay, accompanied by Captain Janeway.  As they approached the bio-bed, with Janeway's eyebrow raised in gentle inquiry, Tom noticed a movement behind them.  Before anyone could speak, Tom sat up quickly and gestured toward the door.     "Doc, he's back!" the pilot exclaimed, then fell silent as he watched intently.  He frowned in concentration.     "He is here now?" the doctor asked, fiddling with his console controls.  "Ahhh."     "What is it, Doctor?" Janeway asked impatiently.     "I have adjusted my vision to match the lieutenant's and I, too, can see our visitor.  A diminutive  individual with a decidedly green cast to his complexion, he is standing approximately three feet from us and  gesturing furiously."     Tom sighed in frustration.  "He's trying to tell us something, but I'm not quite sure . . . "     "Wait a minute," Chakotay interrupted.  "Are you saying that you see him, too, Doctor?"     "That is correct."     "But how . . . ?"  Janeway was confused.     Turning back to Chakotay and the captain, the doctor began to explain.  "My tests indicate that Mr. Paris' injury has actually caused a slight phase shift in his visual range.  It was so slight, that not suspecting such an occurrence, I overlooked it in my initial examination." The doctor's voice indicated both embarrassment and chagrin.  "After receiving the clue from Mr. Kim's observation of the lieutenant's unusual clumsiness, I was given the avenue of investigation to pursue.  My suspicions proved correct.  This is a phenomenon which happens frequently in this kind of  concussion, but since there are no symptoms beyond a deterioration in depth perception it is often  overlooked."     Regarding Tom piercingly, Chakotay then remarked, "And now you have caused the same phase shift in your own vision and are able to see our intruder."     "Correct.  I believe that Mr. Paris is also correct.  The alien is aware that we can now perceive him and he is trying to communicate something to us.  His gestures very strongly resemble sign language, but I am afraid, I do not understand.  Though I have been programmed to understand Federation Standard sign language, this is not it."     Watching the alien, Tom found himself feeling extremely curious and frustrated over his inability to understand what the little man was trying to say.  There was no urgency in his gestures, but whatever he was saying was obviously important as he kept repeating the same thing over and over.  He shook his head and sighed.     The captain looked from Tom to the doctor, and then to the spot where their eyes were focused.  Tapping her chin with her finger, and narrowing her eyes, she sighed pensively.  "Doctor," she began, "I would like you to help the commander reconfigure our internal sensors to match the phase shift that Mr. Paris has experienced and lock it into the videos.  Perhaps our universal translators will be able to decipher the message.  And I would like to see this alien, myself."     "Good idea, Captain!" Chakotay approved.  The doctor and the commander got to work at once.  Before they were ready, however, the sickbay doors opened and closed as Tom uttered an inarticulate exclamation.  Janeway glanced at him questioningly.  Sitting up on the bio-bed and swinging his legs over the side, he shook his head.     "Too late,"  he said with a frown.  "I guess the little guy got tired of trying.  He just left."     "Hurry up with those sensors, Gentlemen.  I want to know where he went.  Tell them to be on guard in engineering.  I'm on my way there now."     "Understood, Captain," the commander acknowledged.     "Captain, may I accompany you?" Tom called before she could leave.  The doctor looked up sharply and spoke before the captain could respond.     "No, Mr. Paris!  I want you to remain in sickbay until I can fix your vision.  Recent events have made it clear that you are unsafe walking around."     Tom blushed furiously, but protested. "I'm the only one who can see him right now, besides you," he stated.  "If he is in engineering, I will know it."     "True," Captain Janeway agreed.  "I want Tom to come with me," she told the doctor.  "I promise I will take care of  him."  Tom blushed again as the doctor nodded reluctantly.  Jumping down from the bio-bed, he hurried to accompany the captain.  He stumbled slightly and the captain grabbed his arm.     "Careful," she murmured.  "At this rate, the doctor will never let us out the door."     Entering engineering, the captain looked around expectantly, all the while maintaining a firm grip on Tom's arm.  They had come in on the main level, deliberately avoiding the catwalk, but she was taking no chances.  B'Elanna looked up as they entered.  Smiling, she came over to meet them.     "Everything seems to be under control now, Captain.  I think we must have had help from Tom's mysterious friend, because a good bit of the problem corrected itself before we could get to it.  That gave us just enough time to lock down the magnetic constrictors and avoid the disaster."      Releasing her grip on her companion, Janeway nodded.  "Good," she stated crisply while looking around the room.  "Well, Tom?" she demanded.     He shook his head.  "I don't see him, Captain.  He doesn't appear to be here."     At that moment, the captain's combadge beeped.  "Captain!" the disembodied voice exclaimed.  "We have just experienced a course change.  It appears to have originated in auxiliary control."     "On my way," Janeway barked.  "Try to correct it."  Taking hold of  Tom's arm again, she rushed out of  engineering, exclaiming, "Come on!"     "Captain," Tuvok's voice emitted from Janeway's badge, as she raced down the corridor, Tom in tow.  "Attempts at course correction have been unsuccessful.  Each time we change the coordinates, they immediately revert back.  We have also been unable to lock out auxiliary control."     "Do you know where we are heading, Tuvok?" Tom was unable to resist asking.  The captain nodded her approval of the question.     "Apparently we are heading for a nebula several light years distant.  At our current speed, we should arrive in twelve hours."     "Acknowledged," Janeway clipped, just as they reached the doors to auxiliary control.  When the doors opened, Tom and Janeway stepped inside and Tom drew in his breath.     "He's here, Captain," he stated firmly and then hurried over to the controls.  Reaching out, it appeared to Janeway as though he were flailing around helplessly.  "Leave it alone!" he commanded, and then fell back as though being firmly pushed.     The captain's combadge beeped again.  "Captain," Chakotay's voice began.  "We have finished adjusting the sensors.  You can now use video to see the alien."      Nodding at Tom to activate the viewscreen, she replied to the commander.  "Understood, Chakotay.  We have cornered him in auxiliary control.  Please join us."     "On my way."     When the commander arrived in auxiliary control, he came upon what appeared to be a stand-off.  Tom was blocking the helm controls with his body, while Janeway was blocking the door.  The viewscreen revealed the alien standing near to Tom in an attitude of chagrin, gesticulating furiously.     With a start of surprise, Chakotay exclaimed, "Captain.  Those hand signals are very reminiscent of the ancient sign language of my people.  Even though there were many different tribes with different dialects, they could all communicate with each other through their universal sign language."     "Yes, I remember being impressed with that when I read about it," Janeway responded softly.  "Can you understand him, Chakotay?"     Nodding slowly, the commander responded hesitantly.  "I can understand some of it.  It has been a long time since I used this language.  My father insisted that we learn it, though I remember resisting it strongly--insisting that it was a dead language, unnecessary with the existence of universal translators."  Chakotay seemed to be talking to himself as he began to gesture toward the alien.  Placing  his curled right hand to his chin, with the thumb and index finger forming a circle, he snapped the index finger forward without moving his hand.  Repeating that gesture, he then held both hands in front of his body, palms facing each other, with his left hand slightly  ahead of his right.  He quickly brushed the right palm past the left, following this gesture by holding his right hand in front of his body with the fingers pointing left.  He swung his arm to the right so his palm showed and then swung it back.  "Don't talk so fast," he muttered while performing these actions.  The alien nodded and visibly slowed down his gesturing.     As the alien continued to sign, Chakotay began to interpret. "My people live beyond the stars," he said softly, watching the alien intently.  "I have become separated from them and am alone.  I want to return home.  I must get to the clouds so I can join my people."  Chakotay then pointed to himself with his right thumb and then forming a backwards 'L' with his right index finger and thumb and holding his hand over his heart, he drew it across his chest.  "I understand," he nodded gently.  The alien smiled broadly and started to relax.     Turning to the captain, Chakotay smiled apologetically, "I really am rusty, Captain," he began.  But if I understood him correctly, our friend became separated from his companions in an encounter with the nova.  There is a way for him to return home in the nebula we are approaching.  I think it would be a good idea if we got the universal translator hooked into the visual sensors so we can communicate better."     "I agree," the captain responded.  "But I am impressed, Chakotay," she added with a smile.  "While we are setting it up, can you reassure him that we will do everything we can to help?  Oh, and ask him to keep hands off the equipment." She raised her eyebrow and regarded him with a mischievous gleam.     Giving a surprised bark of laughter, Chakotay said, "I'll do my best."     After the translator had been hooked up, the crew of Voyager learned the alien's story.  It seemed that his people existed in a dimension that was a slight phase shift from that of Voyager.  The alien's people, whom he identified as the Grimla'ch, (though he told them to go ahead and call him Gremlin--he liked it) had developed a tetryon technology which allowed them to jump from dimension to dimension. However, this time, they inadvertently opened their portal right in the middle of a star about to go nova and lost control.  Gremlin had managed to divert himself to the approaching ship.  He didn't know what had happened to his companions and he was worried.  He hoped he would find them safe.     The Grimla'ch especially loved visiting this universe because, according to Gremlin, it was filled with fascinating people and fascinating technology.  They were very curious people and loved tinkering with unfamiliar technology to figure out how it worked.  Gremlin apologized for all of the trouble he had caused.     Smiling graciously, Janeway responded with a twinkle in her eye, "That's okay.  No permanent harm done."     "Have your people really been visiting our dimension and fooling with our equipment for all the years that people have been talking about Gremlins?" B'Elanna asked curiously.     "Oh yes!" Gremlin responded proudly.  He turned to the commander and smiled.  "I am very glad to meet you, Commander.  We spent many interesting visits among your people.  They are the ones who taught us to sign.  But we haven't seen them in many years.  We thought they had all died."     "No," Chakotay smiled, as he spoke and signed at the same time.  "We traveled to the stars."     "I'm glad,"  Gremlin responded.  "It is where your people belong."     During the remaining hours of their approach to the nebula, Gremlin remained beside Tom and the commander.  Since Tom was the only one, besides the doctor, who could see him without looking into a viewscreen, he was most comfortable in the helmsman's company.  But he was also pleased to  converse directly with the commander, without having to resort to the translator.  As the translator was interpreting sign language and then converting it to spoken word, there was a slight delay.  Not so, when speaking to the first officer.  So by unspoken agreement, Tom and Chakotay remained together and became the unofficial escorts of their guest.     When they arrived at the nebula, Gremlin instructed them to scan for coherent tetryon beams.  He looked apologetically at the captain.  "I wish I could offer you use of our technology to return home, Captain," he said ruefully, "but I don't think it will work.  However, I promise you I will discuss your plight with our scientists when I get home and we will try to arrive at a solution.  If we're successful, I will return."     Janeway smiled warmly, "I look forward to it.  But," she added mischievously,  "if you promise not to toy with our equipment, you're welcome to visit anytime.  Don't be a stranger."  Gremlin beamed.     "Coherent tetryon beam located, Captain," Harry spoke up from the ops station.     Gremlin jumped up excitedly and looked around.  "It has been a pleasure, good people," he said, obviously anxious to return home. His mouth turned up in a crooked grin.  "I'm going to miss you all.  I think I just may take you up on your invitation, Captain."  Then he saluted them with a smile and hurried, with the commander and pilot, to the transporter room.  He had instructed them to beam him directly into the middle of the tetryon beam.     "Are you sure this is going to work?" Tom asked anxiously.  He had grown very fond of the little guy.     "Positive," Gremlin responded with a knowing smile.  "I think I'm going to miss you two most of all.  Well, enough of sentiment.  Let's get going!"  He stepped aboard the transporter platform as Chakotay and Tom laughed.  He turned and looked at them fondly.  As the transporter beam took him, his hands moved in a final gesture.  When he was gone, Tom looked questioningly at the commander.     Chakotay smiled.  "God bless you," he said quietly.     After the alien had been safely sent on his journey home, the doctor insisted that Tom return to sickbay so he could correct his vision.   "I want to eliminate at least one source of your continual propensity for injuring yourself," he murmured acerbically as he ran the scanner over the lieutenant.  Tom just snorted.  Preoccupied with his thoughts about B'Elanna, he didn't feel like getting into  one of their usual sparring matches right then.  She had invited him to her quarters for dinner as soon as he  could get released from sickbay.  The invitation pleased him, but he was surprised that she had issued it in so  public an arena.  What was going on with her?     Later, when Tom and B'Elanna were having dinner together in her quarters, Tom began hesitantly, "B'Elanna, I hope I'm not jeopardizing our relationship, but I just have to know . . . "     "Hmmm?" B'Elanna asked, smiling encouragingly as she sipped her wine.     "Um--how come you have been so--er--demonstrative in public, after you told me you wanted to keep our relationship on a more private level?"  Waiting anxiously for her reply, he took a sip of his own wine.     B'Elanna put down her wine and smiled possessively at him. "That's easy, Tom," she began softly.  "When I saw you falling, my heart stopped and I realized I could lose you at any time--especially," she added mischievously, "with your talent for hurling yourself into the path of danger."  Tom grimaced.     "But," she continued, subdued.  "I realized at that moment that I don't think I love you . . ." Tom winced.  "...I know I love you!  And I don't care if the rest of the world knows it too!  In fact, I want them to.  I want them to know you're mine, and no longer in circulation."  Tom smiled contentedly and pulled her into his arms.       "I love you, Tom" she murmured against his lips.     *I love you, too, B'Elanna,* Tom thought, wishing he could voice it.  But he still couldn't shake the feeling that if he spoke the words aloud, the spell would shatter and B'Elanna would be gone.  Knowing  he was being foolish, he couldn't help himself.  He just didn't want to jinx his good fortune.     Pulling her closer, he thought, *Maybe soon.*  The End