As always, I don't own any of the Star Trek characters in this story.   Tom, B'lanna, and the rest of the gang all belong to Paramount and whomever else created them.  But as for Aria, Kail, Takma, Rosin and any other character that doesn't fit in the Star Trek universe, they're mine.  So here's the story.THE  FATES  SERIES"Tortured Souls"Almost a week had passed since Tom Paris's death.  Everyone reacted differently.  Some tried to pretend that nothing had happened, others let their grief show for all.  And one person,  she blamed herself.Captain Kathryn Janeway stared at the Padd in front of her.  On it was a picture of a blond- haired, blue-eyed man in his thirties.  She let a few more tears run down her face.  If only she hadn't led that exploration mission into the space station,  then he would still be alive."It's all my fault,"  she repeated to herself for almost the hundredth time.Chakotay entered the captain's ready-room.  She had spent almost all the time since she had returned in isolation.  So had B'lanna for that matter, but Chakotay knew she needed time to grieve alone.  He just hoped she wouldn't grieve for too long.  "Captain," he said.  She looked up, her face had fresh tears on it. "Tom's service will be held in a couple of hours.  I just came by to see how you were doing."She gave a weak smile, "Thanks Chakotay."  She looked back down at the Padd.  "I just keep thinking, if it weren't for me we wouldn't even be having his service.""You can't blame yourself, Kathryn.  No one could have known what was going to happen in that station.""It still doesn't change the fact that I went against the Prime Directive.  I punished Tom for doing the same thing, and now I do it and someone dies."  She looked up to Chakotay's face.  "I should have been the one to stay behind, not him.  It was my fault.  I was in command."Chakotay shook his head.  "You know Tom as well as I.  He would never allow someone else to take a risk like that if he could do something to stop it."  He walked over to where the captain sat.  "He wasn't going to let you die, Kathryn.  You know how self-sacrificing he is.   He would have never let you do that."Janeway stared into Chakotay's eyes.  They had the same solemn grief as everyone else on the ship.  She knew that he was trying to help her but it didn't work.  It still didn't hide the fact that it was her fault.  Chakotay sensed her indecision.  *She still blames herself,* he thought.  He had no idea what else he could say to her, so instead, he took her in his arms and just held her.   At first she didn't respond, but then she hugged him as tightly as possible.   She felt her grief begin to flood out of her.  She let out a sob and began to cry.Chakotay felt the tension begin to leave her.  She was now shaking slightly in her arms.  Her tears dampened his shoulder but he disregarded it.  This was what she had needed to do all along.  But as the captain there were few people to lend her a shoulder to cry on. *If only Paris knew how much he meant around here.*  Chakotay thought.  He hadn't liked the cocky young pilot at first, but over the years he had formed a grudging respect for him.  He held on tighter to Kathryn.  They needed to be there for one another, now.   He just hoped that the captain realized that as well.B'lanna moved around her quarters like a ghost.  She felt hollow.  Never before had she realized just how much Tom had meant to her.   Now she felt even worse than when she had first heard about the death of the Maquis.  Anger welled up in her for a moment,  *Damnit Paris, why'd you have to leave me?!*But it quickly dissipated and sorrow rushed in to take its place.  She fell onto her bed and began to cry again.  She remembered his smile.  The way his eyes would light up when she was around him.   How he could relieve any tension on the bridge with just a bad joke.   She missed him so much.  She even missed their fights.But no, he was gone.  His service would be this afternoon.  She had to get ready.Janeway had given her a week off to help cope.  It hadn't helped.  Usually she would complain about being away from her engines, but not anymore.  They just didn't seem to matter.She put on her uniform.  This would be the first time she had been out of her quarters in quite a while.   She closed her eyes for a moment.   This was just too hard.**B'lanna**She quickly opened her eyes.  She could have sworn that she had heard Tom call her name,  felt him beside her.   But she quickly dismissed that idea.  Tom was gone.  There was no way that could have been him.  There was no way.*Paris woke up to his constant companion,  pain.  He had no idea how long he had been like this.  Occasionally he could stay conscious long enough to see someone come inside to check on him.  It was the same each time.   An alien would come in.  He looked almost human except for the ridges over his eyes and the pure black irises.   Then he would begin poking around his body.  Instruments would be held all over him.  Tissue samples would be taken and other devices were attached to his body.  Then another one would come in.  It was female.  She would talk with the 'doctor' and ask him how her 'guest'  was doing.*'Guest'* Paris thought bitterly.  *More like prisoner.*He thought about B'lanna.  She probably thought he was dead.  In fact, there were times when he actually thought so himself.  More times, he wished it.  He thought he could feel her for a second.  She was sad.  His heart wanted to break, it seemed so real.  He whispered her name.  ''B'lanna.''   And then fell unconscious again.Takma walked towards her 'guest.'   Doctor Rosin had said that he was recovering quite well.  In another day they could begin the tests on him that she was getting so impatient to perform.  *I want to see just how much of his technology can be incorporated into our own.   If the doctor's assumptions are correct, then we should be able to begin very soon.*Takma had ordered that no medical attention be paid to the life form unless it seemed that he would die.  She wanted to see just how advanced his healing functions were.  And so far she was impressed.  He had been practically a corpse when they had brought him in.  Now he was predicted to be fully recovered in less than a day.  The technology that he held was similar to the Borg.  If she was lucky, she might be able to find a way to make her own collective.   Then the problem with over populated concentration camps would be solved.She looked down at him.  He was looking stronger everyday.  He probably would have recovered much quicker had she not allowed the doctor to run those experiments on him.  But it didn't matter,  in a couple of hours they would approach her private research center.  Not even her husband knew about that one.  Once there, they  could continue the experiments at an increased magnitude.Tapping on the forcefield in front of her, she addressed her guest.  "Hello, there."  He didn't reply.  "You'll be proud to know that you are going to be my favorite project.  I intend to spend quite a while finding out just how you work."She laughed to herself,  "Yes, my husband will be quite envious when he finds out about you.  But by that time he'll be too worried about how to save his own life rather than petty jealousy."*Harry Kim stood outside B'lanna's door.  He hadn't seen her in the past couple of days.  Each time he would come to talk to her she would put it bluntly that  she didn't want to see anyone.   He knew how she felt but he also knew that Tom wouldn't want her lost in grief.  He chimed the door.  A rough "Come in'' came from the other side.Harry entered.  He couldn't see B'lanna anywhere.  *She's probably still getting dressed.*  he thought.  "Umm, B'lanna, I just came by to see if you were ready yet.""Yeah, Harry, I'll be out in a minute."  Her voice sounded hoarse even to her.  He sat down on the couch.  He  hated what was coming next.  The whole reason he had come was to escort B'lanna to Tom's service.   *She's been through so much lately.*  he thought.  *I don't see how she can keep on going.*Harry knew she was strong, but he also knew that she had learned to derive most of her strength from Tom.   They had helped each other in so many ways....B'lanna walked out of her bedroom.  Her eyes were downcast and she couldn't even look Harry in the eye.   The ensign noted her red eyes though and haggard expression.  *She hasn't been getting any sleep either* he noted.  "B'lanna," he said.  "B'lanna are you alright?"She shot him a glare.  "Alright?!  No Harry I'm not alright.  Tom's dead, how the hell can I be alright?!"He walked over to her side.  He never thought he'd be glad to hear her temper.  *At least she still has the strength to knock someone's head off.*"I know how you feel.  He was my best friend.  But I also know that he wouldn't want us to sit around and wallow in our sorrow.  He'd never want to be the cause of your pain.""Yeah, but I was the cause of his."Harry looked puzzled.  "What are you talking about?"She looked away.  "For the past few weeks, Tom and I had been having a lot of fights.  Before we left, I had actually thought about ending it with him.  I never realized how much I loved him until now.  I didn't even get to tell him I was sorry,  to say goodbye..."   Tears ran down her face as she said this. Harry took her hand in his.  "Listen to me Maquis.  He knew how much you loved him, he loved you just as much.  Do you think a few little fights could ever destroy something like that."  He turned her head towards him.  "You might not have had the chance to say good-bye back there but you do now.  So come on; they'll be starting soon."Torres nodded.  "Thanks, Harry.  Just give me a second to clean up.''He watched her enter her bathroom.  He knew how much this was killing her, he was feeling the same way.  *Wherever you are, Tom, I hope your doing better than we are.**Paris shivered in his cell.  From what he could tell, he was somewhere new.  *Where the hell am I?!*His thoughts were interrupted by another's voice.   "I see you've woken up.  It's about time."The voice was female with a masculine air to it.  He looked up to see the same woman that had visited his cell before.  "Who are you,'' he managed to choke out.  It came out in a raspy cough, but she seemed to understand.  She smiled down to him.  Her face was devoid of all warmth and life, it was as if she was thrilled to death to see the sight of his pain.  "My name is Takma.  You'll be seeing a lot of me from now on so you might as well cooperate.''"Like Hell I will," he spat out.  His head was still spinning and he couldn't quite sit up yet, but he felt well enough to be as uncooperative as he could.She gave a slight frown.  "You really should reconsider.  You see I can either make this unpleasant for you or pure torture.  I'll let you decide, but know this, you are mine, and I always keep control over what is mine." She bent down and whispered into his ear.  "And I use any means necessary to make sure of that."He knew that she was telling the truth.  The sound of her voice sent a chill down his spine but he let her see none of his fear.  *This must be the most evil woman I have ever met* he thought.  He had seen her only a few times but his impression remained solid.    Somewhere, something told him he couldn't do anything she said.   Then he thought about Sorores.  No one could know about that station.  He couldn't let that technology get into someone else's hands.   Especially the hands of a madwoman like Takma.He craned his neck up toward her.  She bent down to hear his next words.  What she heard surprised her more than anything in her life.  "I don't give a damn what you do.  As far as I'm concerned I'm already dead so there's not much else you can do to me."No one had ever said this to her face.  Not even her husband had talked to her in such a tone.  She stared into the cold blue orbs of his eyes.  In them she saw a determination no other being had ever possessed.  She would break this one.  Here was a challenge that she wasn't about to back away from.  ''Your attitude will soon change," she said,  an air of confidence settled over her.  "Once you see what my people can do to a person, you won't be so reluctant to help."She got up and left his cell.  On her way out, she spoke to the guard.  "Get that one ready.  I want to 'personally' question him."  Turning to Paris, she said, "I will be looking forward to our next visit."  And then she left.Shifting the rifle in her arm, the guard at his cell turned her head towards him.  Her eyes were the same black that Takma's were.  But in them there was something else.  Kindness.  He took a closer look.  Those weren't the same kind of eyes as the others.  In his mind he could see her eyes,  purple orbs not black ones.  And the dark tresses that served as her hair didn't seem right either.  He could swear that he had seen her before.   A vision appeared in his mind.  It was the same woman, except she had long blue strands of hair and amazingly vibrant violet eyes.  The image soon vanished.  Again he saw the stern gaze of the guard on him.  He looked away.  *Damn, Sorores, what did you do to me?*The guard stared at her prisoner.   *Is this the man I have been sent to find?*  There was only one way to be certain.  As her eyes caught his, she touched his mind with hers.  She sensed his thoughts, his emotions,  his memories of being on the space station.  *This is him,*  she thought. Before she was able to break off her telepathic link, he did something totally unexpected.  She felt him take hold on her mind.  He was able to see her true form, not the disguise she was wearing at the moment.   She was about to stop him from going any farther, but he relinquished his hold before she had the chance.He looked a bit surprised.  But then he turned his eyes away from her and stared at the blank wall.*He doesn't know what he can do.*  She was a bit surprised at her own thoughts.   Somehow she had suspected that he would be a little more understanding of his own abilities.   *Well then, I guess that just means I have a lot of work ahead of me.*She then turned her attention back to her job.  *I still have to keep this facade up until I can find a way to get us out of here.*She let out a silent groan.  That  'way'  was going to be a lot harder than she wanted to realize.*Paris's  'service'  was held that afternoon at 1700 hours.  Janeway had agreed to preside over the ceremonies.  She had managed to put up her professional mask while in the presence of her crew, but Chakotay could see how hard it was for her.  They had all agreed that it be held in the Holodeck in one of Tom's favorite programs.  It was a nature trail that  he had traversed while on Earth.  The sun was shining and the trees around them were abundant with life.   This was a stark contrast to the mood of those present.  B'lanna and Harry stood at the front.   Both were caught in silence.  It seemed that this was the quietest her crew had ever been. Janeway took a deep breath.   They had given Tom a fitting Star Fleet funeral.  In her mind she knew that this would have been the way the Admiral would have wanted his son's service.  But Tom?  There were a few more words that she needed to say before she left.   They might not be as professional as most captains', but she had to get them off her chest.  "Before we leave, I have one more thing to say.''  Her voice was hoarse as the words came out but no one seemed to notice.  "Tom Paris was one of the bravest, most unselfish people I have ever met.  He gave his life so that others might live.  Even though he had made his share of mistakes throughout his life, he took responsibility for them and they only proved to make him a stronger person.   I am proud to say that I had the privilege of being his commanding officer, and I know that there will now be an empty space in our crew that no one will ever be able to fill.  Wherever you are Tom, I wish to you peace and happiness, because you gave that to all of us.''Janeway wiped a tear away, as did all those listening, save Tuvok and Seven.  They seemed to be in their own type of mourning.  The captain stepped down from where she had been standing.  Chakotay was by her side as she walked away.  Everything was silent except for the occasional sob or sniffle from those present.  The captain noticed her littlest crewmember next to her mother.  Naomi was crying softly, as was Sam.*Why did this have to happen?* Janeway asked for the hundredth time.  *Why did this have to happen?!*B'lanna left the holodeck.  She just couldn't stand it any longer.  All the memories of Tom.  Memories of them together.  The dreams that now no longer had a chance to come true.  It was just too hard.  She walked down the corridor to her room.  She just wasn't ready to see anyone else right now.  Deep down, she wondered  if she would ever be.      *Takma struck him hard across his temple with the iron bar in her hand.  So far this was going a lot slower than she had thought.  *No one has ever lasted this long* she said to herself.  It was true, usually it took only an hour or maybe two to get whatever results she wanted.  Either that or her victim would die before she could complete her interrogation.  She had been at it with her new  'guest'  for almost six hours.  Paris was still holding up.  Blood trickled down his forehead.  His body was covered in lacerations.  In fact, most of his uniform was soaked in blood or torn away.  She wondered how he could possibly be holding on to consciousness.  *Perhaps I underestimated this one* she thought.  "Let me rephrase the question," she said in the calmest tone she could conceive.  "How did you get this technology?"He stared into space.  His jaw was clenched shut.  He had been this way the entire time.  The only sign of his pain was in his eyes.  They were clouded over in mist.  Pain reflected out of each orb.  His lack of response only proved to further Takma's anger.  She raised the bar and turned on the switch on its side.  It glowed a faint orange and then she brought it down over Paris's chest.  Tom grimaced slightly as she pulled the bar out of him.  He wondered what the hell that thing was.  Whenever it glowed it would burn through his skin when brought near him.  And it hurt.  Damn, it hurt.  His head was reeling.  He could no longer see.  Everything was just a haze of pain.  *Just kill me now* he silently pleaded.  He knew better than to let his pain show though. If he did then Takma would only feel that she was winning, and then proceed to beat him even further until he finally broke.  No, he wouldn't give her that satisfaction.Takma held the bloody bar out in her hand.  His chest was ripped to shreds.  She wanted him to talk.  She'd give anything for the information he held, but so far she was getting no results.  She couldn't let him die, that would be a waste of resources.  But she had to find some way to get what she wanted.She watched as his head swayed a bit.  He would die if she continued this.  He was  already at the end of his rope as it was.  *I suppose I'll just have to find another way to get the results I want.*The world grew darker around Paris.  He knew he was about to pass out.  With the injuries he had received, he might not wake up again.  *Not likely with my luck* he thought.  Just before his world came crashing down into the darkness with which it had resided for so long in the past week, he heard Takma's last words.  "Well, if you won't talk, I suppose I'll have to go to more drastic measures."  And then he fell into unconsciousness.Takma stared at the man before her.  He had more stamina than anyone she had ever encountered.  Kail stood in the background.  He had enjoyed watching her beat the prisoner.  She had  a certain finesse that intrigued him.  And the man's endurance surprised him as well.  "What do you plan to do with him now?" he asked.  "It's clear he won't talk."She looked annoyed.  "I suppose we will just have to find out what we want for ourselves.  Call in one of the guards.  I want him taken to Doctor Rosin's lab.  We should be able to get better results there."Kail nodded.  Had he been any other species, he would have felt pity for the poor man.  But as it was, he relished that of another's pain.  He tapped his comm link.  "Connley, come in here."The door opened to his left and in walked the guard who had been assigned to Paris.  Security was a matter of complete secrecy.  The fewer people that new about Paris the better.  And then, once they had what they needed, all the others who knew the secret would be 'taken care of'.She approached Kail.  "Yes General," she said."Connley, take this one to the doctor's lab."  He nodded towards Paris.  Connley nodded and then Kail and Takma walked out.  Once they had gone, she walked over to Paris.  She shuddered at what she saw.  Little was left of the man she had been assigned to guard.  He was covered in blood and didn't seem to be breathing as easily as he had before. She gently wiped away some of the blood from his forehead.  "Hello, can you hear me?"He stirred a bit.  His eyes slowly began to open.  She waited until he could focus on her.  She had debated over whether she should reveal her cover to him or not.  But if he could withstand this kind of torture, then he could keep her secret.  "Hey,'' she said again.  "I'm here to help you."He looked at her as if he understood but made no move to speak.She went on.  "I'm going to help you get out of here, but I can't do that now.  We have to wait until the security is down."  She stared into his eyes and created the telepathic link they had stumbled onto earlier.  "If the pain becomes too unbearable, just think of me and I'll give you whatever strength I can to help you through it." He nodded weakly.  Then his head slumped down onto his chest and he fell unconscious again.She pushed a piece of bloody hair off his forehead.   *I just hope I'm strong enough to help.**Naomi hugged her Flodder doll tighter to her.  They had just returned from Tom's service.  Her mom had asked her if she wanted to talk, but she had said no.  The only person she wanted to talk to was Uncle Tommy."Why did they have to go on that stupid away mission anyway?"  she asked.  There was no one in the room, but it didn't really matter.She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear Neelix enter.  "Hey, Naomi." he said.She turned around a bit surprised.  "Oh, hey Neelix."The Talaxian sat down beside her.   He hated that she had to go through losing someone like this.  He had seen his share of pain, and he knew that it was not something a little girl should have to see at her age.  "Naomi I was wondering if you might want to go to the holodeck for a while.  We could play one to the new Flodder programs."  He just wanted to try to distract her from her sorrow."No thanks."He sighed.  "Is there something you want to talk about?"  She seemed to hesitate for a while, but then shook her head."Are you sure," he asked.  "You know that you can tell me anything."She bit her bottom lip.  "Why did they have to go on that stupid away mission?""Well, there was a source of dilithium on the planet and the captain thought it was best if they took advantage of the opportunity and go down and get some.   She didn't know that something like this was going to happen.''"But when Mom went on that away mission, they thought she might not come back.  If it's so dangerous, why does the captain let so many people go?''Neelix looked at his godchild.  How could he explain this?  "Naomi, sometimes people have to do things even if they aren't the safest things to do.  There are always risks in everything.  If the captain said that there could be no more away missions, then Voyager would run out of resources and we wouldn't be able to go anywhere."She still looked a little unsure.  Neelix continued.  "We all take risks.  Sometimes we come through alright." He looked down. "Sometimes we don't.  But if we didn't take these risks then what would we have to live for.''*Doctor Rosin looked over the results.  He had run a post-cellular scan on Paris and so far the results were amazing.  Takma approached him.  "Well Doctor I hope you have some good news."He smiled, "In fact, I have very good news.  It seems that whatever did this, completely reformed his body.""Well, you already told me that.''  She was impatient.  They already knew that this was not his natural biological form.  The doctor had better have better news than that."Yes, but what we didn't know was that his current body structure is not all that it could be."Takma looked puzzled.  "Explain.''Rosin gestured her over to a computer terminal.  An image of Paris's current state reflected off the screen.  "You see his body is only at an intermediate stage.  It seems that whatever 'assimilated' him, for lack of a better term, didn't assimilate him completely.  If we stepped up the process, then we could have a being far more advanced than the Borg at our very disposal."She grinned at the possibilities.  "But what about his cooperation.  He has already been put through torture and didn't break.  If he was so advanced, then how could we control him?''"That's where the beauty comes in.  His brain is so much like a computer that it wouldn't take that much to erase any memories that we find 'unappealing'.""And you could do this."The doctor looked confidently at her.  "It would take quite a bit of surgery, but I believe that it can be done." "Could you down-load some of his memories as well?''  *Perhaps torture wasn't the best way to go about this* she thought. "No, we can erase the memories but there is no way to download them."Takma looked slightly pissed but then her face took on a thoughtful look.  "Alright, do it.  But I want him kept alive.  He's a valuable commodity and I don't intend to lose him.  Is that understood?''Doctor Rosin nodded."Good, then begin your work immediately.  Inform me of the results when they become available."She strode out of the lab without even paying him a second glance.  Rosin gulped.  *Now that is one bitch you don't want to mess with.*Connley wondered what was about to happen to the prisoner she had been assigned to.  She didn't even know his name.  That was something the Empire didn't care about.  At most, a number would be assigned to a prisoner, but more than likely he would just be referred to as 'that one' or a simple 'him' or 'her'.  Connley felt badly.  There had to be something more she could do.  She had found out about Takma's newest project due to one of their spies, but no one else was willing to volunteer for this assignment.   *No one else was stupid enough*  she thought.But she had another reason for volunteering.  This man was important.  She had to make sure that he lived and to do that she had to get him out of Takma's clutches.*At least I still have my cover.* she thought.  *If they manage to find out that I'm not a Parvanian then we're all shit up.*She unconsciously let her fingers touch the points of her ears.  They usually reached at least an inch above her head but were now bound close to her head and covered with a wig.   Ears that long and blue hair didn't fall into the typical small-eared, black-haired class that was known as Parvanians.  She just had to bide her time until she could get around security.  And security here was as high as it came.  Her mind drifted on to the blond-haired man she was trying to protect.  *I just hope you can hold on that long.*Paris wondered how long he could hold on.  He had been in the doctor's lab for hours he guessed.  At least that was how long he had been awake.  He had been slipping in and out of conscious more times than he could remember.In fact, it was getting harder and harder to remember anything.  Images of his family came before his eyes, his life in Starfleet, the time he spent in prison.  Everything was flashing before him.  Something didn't seem right.  The harder he tried to concentrate on one thing, the more it eluded him.   *What are they doing to me?!*The doctor looked down at his patient.  So far the procedure was going well.  It had been fairly easy.  All that he had done was install a neural implant into his cerebral cortex.  Once the device had been charged with poleynetic ions, it had begun to destroy all the synapses that controlled memory impulses.  It wouldn't be long until all the 'unappealing' information was completely erased.Rosin still couldn't believe the complexities of this creatures body structure.  His mind was perhaps the most intricate.  It was comprised of the most perfect blend of biological and mechanical components he had ever encountered.  The elements that were present in his body were just as amazing.  They were like liquid, but never lost the characteristics of metal.  He could come up with no way possible to destroy it.Tom knew that he had to do something.  With all the strength he had left he tried to resist the process.  Rosin frowned.  This man was actually resisting the treatment.  He turned up the dosage.  This was getting interesting.Images of when he first saw B'lanna passed through his mind.  Their time together.  How she had first said that she loved him.  No.  He couldn't lose all that.  He struggled even more."Doctor," a nurse said next to him. "His vital signs are fluctuating.  I can't believe this but he is actually resisting the process."Rosin looked at his console.  If he upped the dosage of ions then he might lose his patient.  But if he didn't, then Takma would be extremely upset at his failure.  *Damned if you do.  Damned if you don't*He upped the dosage.Tom's face grimaced in pain.  B'lanna's face flew passed him.  His other friends from Voyager went by as well.  He tried to stop what was happening but he couldn't.  He remembered B'lanna back on the planet.   The station.  He had to stop this.  Sorores's voice filling his mind,  the assimilation.  He briefly wondered what had happened to her.  But then it was gone.  Everything.  His last thoughts rested on the face of the woman that had guarded his cell.He remembered her words.  He concentrated on her.   He needed help.  A feeling of peace crossed over him and then he fell unconscious. Connley's eyes flashed open.  She felt his pain.  *What have they done to him?!*Concentrating as hard as she could, she sent to him all the feelings of peace and reassurance that she could muster.  Taking on his pain, she tried to help as best she could.  She reached out her mind to him.  He was unconscious now, but having already gained access to his mind, she tried to find out what they had done.  What she found terrified her.  She knew that he had gone through unbearable pain, but what she didn't know was what they had been doing.  As she searched his mind she could find nothing.  All his memories, all his past was gone.   She knew now that she had to act fast.  If she didn't, there was no telling what kind of lies Takma could instill inside him."I take it the procedure was a success."  Takma stated."Yes," Rosin said.  "Now all that is left is to upgrade his system.  I can use the poleynetic implants to trigger an increase in the substance found in his blood stream.  It should then bond to his bones and other organs.  After that we can get rid of any useless organs and mold him into quite the soldier.""Do it.  I need these results fast.  If you can do this to him, then it shouldn't be too hard to perform the same procedures on some of our other not-so-useful subjects."The doctor thought about the implications of the words Takma had just spoken.  He didn't care about all the people that would probably die, all he cared about was himself.  *If she's telling me this, then I might not be so useful once she gets the needed information.*Instead of letting any of his thoughts show he simply said. "I'll get started immediately."Takma nodded and left.  Kail approached her in the hall.  "We found that ship that we first encountered outside the nebula.  One of our probes was able to do a scan of it.  It seems that the occupants are of the same species as our guest.""Do they possess the same 'qualities' as he does?''"No,  however we did find a Borg aboard the ship as well as numerous other races."Takma was silent for a moment.  "Can they outfire us?""No," he replied.  He knew she would be going for the kill."Then send one of the ships we confiscated from the Resistance forces in this area.  I don't want to alert my husband of our recent finding.  It would be better if he thought that the Resistance was after that ship and not himself."Kail turned to leave.  "Oh and one more thing General."Kail turned to face Takma.  "Try and keep the ship in one piece.  I would like to have the ship and a few of its occupants to 'study'."Kail nodded and left.   Takma stood alone.  "Now, all that is left is our guest."*Janeway sat in her ready room.   They were entering a new sector, and that meant new dangers.  She knew as a good captain, she should be concentrating entirely on the subject at hand.  And that subject was how to get Voyager safely through this sector.  But her mind kept drifting to the service a few hours ago.*More like eight hours ago.* she thought.It was now 0100 and the captain was nursing a cup of her favorite coffee.  So far she had taken only three sips.Chakotay was the one who was taking care of her ship now,  the same as when they had entered the void and she had let guilt consume her before.  Only this time she actually had a death on her head.Her head swayed a bit.  She really hadn't been getting enough sleep lately.  If she wasn't careful then she just might incur the wrath of the ship's medical hologram."As if Mr. Paris isn't enough."  The words slid through her mouth without her thinking.  That brought even more depression stirring to the surface.She sat the Padd down on her desk.  If only she had forced Tom not to go then he would still be here.  Her mind slowly began to grow clouded as thoughts of Tom whirled through it.  She never felt the thud as her head fell to the desk top and sleep finally claimed her.That was how Chakotay found her that morning.  He smiled in spite of himself.  There was his captain, the strongest woman he had ever known.  The woman that he secretly loved.  Her head was lying on her desk, one hand still gripped the cold coffee cup to her right while her other one had fallen under the desk.  Auburn hair was draped around her head in a halo.  *She looks like a little girl who stayed up too late* he thought.Gently he pushed the hair from her face.  Dark circles and lines etched her features.  All his thoughts were obliterated as worry took their place.Scooping her up in his arms he carried her to her quarters.  It was still too early for anyone to be up so he didn't have to worry about speculative rumors getting started.  As he entered her quarters she finally stirred.  "What?" she mumbled.  Her lack of sleep had never been so apparent.  She must not have slept in days."Shhh," he soothed.  She quietened down and fell back to sleep.  He laid her down on her bed and took a final look at the woman he loved.  At times like this, he just wished he could take her in his arms and carry her away.  Away from all the responsibility, all the sorrow that a captain had to face.  He would just take her away from it all and be damned with the consequences.Instead he pulled a few covers over her and silently exited.  She would probably wonder how she got to her quarters but he could answer her later.  Today he would take the bridge.  She needed her sleep.  And if she didn't get it now, he didn't know when she would concede to get it again.*Tom Paris felt like his insides were being ripped apart.  When he opened his eyes he realized that his assumptions had been correct.  Above him stood a man with dark hair and black eyes.  Above those eyes were ridged spikes.  For some reason the pain wasn't that unusual.  He thought  somehow,  that he had experienced similar sensations before, but then he couldn't be sure.  All his mind could draw was a blank.  It was like nothing was there.  Like his entire past had been wiped away.Doctor Rosin looked down at his patient.  He was beginning to awaken.  *Not good timing* thought the doctor. He had only a few minutes to go and then he would be finished.  The end results would be a lot more than what he had expected.What the doctor was trying to do was remodel the internal organs of his patient to be 'more effective in combat situations and constitute  more efficient  energy consumption and reservation.'At least that was what he had told Takma.  What he had done was allow the elements in his patients body to bond to the organs and restructure them into more efficient systems.  So far he had only lent a hand to the process that Tom's body had already  begun.Now the man on his table no longer had a digestive or excretory tract.  Replacing them was a new system that actually produced and recycled its own energy.  Along with that it seemed that somehow his body had produced a defense system similar to that of the Borg.  He could now adapt to any kind of weapon or force field that could be imagined.*We'll have to have extra security measures installed around this one* he thought.The nurse finished sealing up all the open wounds.  Despite the new organ systems that his subject had acquired,  Rosin was still most fascinated by how the plasmatic element in the man's blood which had bonded with his skeletal structure.  His patient now possessed a somewhat indestructible skeleton.   The silver liquid that had bonded to form it had the properties of metal and liquid alike.  He wondered what effects this might have on him."Hello there,'' he addressed the man on the table.  "I see you've finally woken up."The man just stared at him.  Rosin couldn't read his expression.  It was something of pain and anger mixed he thought.  But there was also something else there.  *It must be fear.* Paris stared at the doctor.  He had no idea what he was doing here or why this man was operating on him.  Hell, he didn't even know what his name was.He did know one thing.  He couldn't trust this man.  Images of brutality and torture flowed through his mind as he looked at the doctor.  *Wait,* he thought. *A second ago I didn't know he was a doctor.*The pain blurred his mind though and he quickly let go of that question.  More things were becoming clear.  This man was some kind of torturer.  He had killed hundreds of people with his experiments.  And now Rosin was using him as an experiment.*So now I have a name to go with the face.*"Well I can see you're looking much better.  If we hadn't operated when we did you would have died." Rosin lied.  He knew it would be best if the man trusted them.  That way they could get more information much more easily.  He continued his lie.  "You see, you were in an accident and we..."The doctor was interrupted as one of Tom's hands shot up around his neck.  Rosin suddenly wished he had secured his patient to the table before conducting his experiment.  Now the patient had a vice-like grip clenched around Rosin's neck.  There wasn't much he could do except gasp for air.Paris didn't say anything through this interlude.  He thought he could feel someone else trying to talk to him.  It seemed to come from his mind.  **Play along for now** came a voice from his mind. He didn't want to relent.   But the voice kept nagging at him.  *Who are you?* he thought.**I can't explain now but you have to play along if either of us want to get out of here alive.**He wondered why he trusted her.  He didn't know who she was.  He didn't even know how he knew it was a 'she' he was trusting.For whatever reasons he relented his grip on the doctor and let him fall to the floor as he gasped for air.  He decided he would play along.  Right now that was his only option.All of his thoughts were knocked aside as Paris's head began to swim yet again.  His hands began to burn as well.  It felt like something was melting through them.  He tried to see what was happening but all he could focus on was complete darkness.  Rosin got to his feet.  His nurse was standing in the corner of the room utterly horrified.  He turned his gaze to follow hers.  Then he saw it.  His patient's hands were practically being melted by acid.  He stared in fascination as silver tentacles erupted from them and wound around his wrists.  More split through his knuckles.  They joined the others until the entire back of his hand was covered in a cobweb of silver tentacles.  If he had have ever seen Seven of Nine he would have concluded that they closely resembled that of her Borg implants surrounding her hands.  But not having that image to compare the sight before him to, he stared in fascination at Paris's hands.  His patient seemed to be unconscious again.  Rosin wondered about the man's reaction  to him.  He was sure he had erased all the memories from his mind.  *Oh well,* he thought. *I have more important things to think about now.*He touched the silver vines around Paris's wrist.*More important things indeed.*   Connley shuddered for a moment.  She still couldn't get over what was happening to the man in the doctor's lab.  The man she had come to save.   *At least I was able to keep my link with him* she thought.  It wasn't that she was a very inexperience telepath,  she had been trained since she was a child.  But the shields and forcefields that surrounded the base she was in played their toll on her senses.  They had been devised so that no ordinary telepath could break them.  She thanked her ancestry once again for being much stronger than most telepaths.  If it wasn't for that then she would have never been able to keep the link.  She didn't even know if she could now.  *No, I will keep my link* she told herself.  *I am of the Nalyan royalty.  I shall not fail my people.*Her thoughts flew away as Kail's voice crackled over her comm line.  "Connley, get down to the lab immediately.  I want you to keep an eye on the doctor's patient.""Aye sir." she said.  Leaving her cabin, she wondered how she was going to pull this one off.  Sure, she'd been on other reconisance missions before.  But none of them were anything compared to this.  *I just have to smuggle myself and a wounded prisoner out of here.  No big deal.*She had always made it a rule to never lie to herself.  However, this time she couldn't help but break that rule.Kail stood inside the Resistance ship.  His lower lip rose in indignation as he looked at his surroundings.  *How could anyone fly in something like this?*The interior of the ship was composed of nothing more than rusted magnite.  The walls seemed to buckle as the pilot went through the preflight.  "General," said a voice from behind him.Kail turned to face the 'honorary' captain of this fine vessel.  He was dressed in the uniform that most in the resistance usually wore:  civilian clothes.  "General Kail," repeated the captain.  "The ship is almost ready for takeoff.  I was told that I would be getting my orders from you just before we left."Kail smiled.  However his smile only seemed to make those around him even more tense.  "Captain Nikon, your orders have been installed into the ship's computer.  Here is the code."  Kail handed the captain the password.  "Now if you'll excuse me."Kail turned to leave but was stopped by Nikon's words.  "There is only one thing that puzzles me.  Why are we using a Resistance Vessel when it would be much more practical to use an Imperial ship."Issuing a sigh, Kail didn't even turn around as he said,  "I gave you your orders 'Captain'. I suggest that you follow them.  For your own sake that is."  Even without facing him, Kail conveyed his message quite clearly:  shut the Hell up and do what I said or else you won't be alive to question me again.Nikon gulped. "Aye sir." "Good, now if you'll excuse me, Takma has requested my presence."Nikon  watched the general leave.  *I'd better look over my mission outline* he thought.  He leaned up against one of the rust covered walls of the ship.  The one Resistance ship they had managed to capture and it turned out to be a piece of shit.  *You'd think they wouldn't be such a problem if this is the quality of ships in their fleet.*He forced his mind from daydreaming.  He entered the captain's quarters and accessed one of the terminals on the desk.  Using the code that the general had given him, he accessed his orders.  On the screen was a picture of a ship.  It was amazing.  Nikon had never seen anything like it before.  On the screen appeared the words,  USE WHATEVER MEANS, BUT WE NEED THIS SHIP IN ONE PIECE.He took another look at the ship in front of him.  He would feel a lot better if only he had his own ship.  But this ship, this 'VOYAGER' couldn't possibly be too hard to conquer.  After all, he was a captain in the Empire.  And who could stop an Imperial vessel, no matter what it had once been used as.Kail caught Takma just as she was leaving the lab."Takma," he said.  Taking in her appearance he could tell she was excited.   Her eyes had a predator's gleam in them.   A gleam that said, 'I got what I want.'   "I take it the doctor's news was better than first anticipated,'' he said."Much better," she responded.  "In fact, I'd be willing to say that Doctor Rosin just gave me the best news I've heard in a long time."  She began to retell the news that Rosin had just given her.  He stood in awe as the implications of such technology slowly dawned on him."So you're telling me that we have just stumbled upon what would be considered as the perfect soldier," he concluded.The gleam in her eyes increased.  "That's exactly what I'm saying.   This man is even more advanced than the Borg.  If we can harness this technology, then we could assimilate as many soldiers as we wish.  And such an army would come in quite useful against my husband."In any other center, they might worry about security matters instead of discussing such topics in an open corridor.  But as it was, no one would dare report anything that they heard their superiors say here.  And whoever did stumble onto their conversation would be killed before they were able to report their findings."So," Takma continued,  "would you like to take a look at our 'newly-reformed' guest."Kail smiled at her cryptic humor.  "Lead the way My Lady."They headed to the prisoners' cells where he had just been transferred.  Apparently the doctor had stressed the need for higher security measures.   Takma wondered where his eagerness for this came from.  *Perhaps there was more to the bruises on his neck than I thought.*Takma looked through the force field to where Paris lay.   He was still unconscious.  He seemed to be that way a lot.Connley stood to the side of Tom's cell.  She remained alert as she guarded her sole prisoner.  Instead of just her though, there were now three more guards placed at strategic locations around the cell.  Each held a rifle in their arm.  The guns that they held were extremely powerful.  A person shot with one of them at even the lowest level could depend on a very large whole existing where once a body part had been.  The body armor that all her guards wore was the only thing that protected them from the weapon, and that armor could also be shot through.Now she found four guards armed to the teeth against one unconscious man.*Better safe than sorry* thought Takma."Let us in," she ordered Connley.The woman did as she was told and quickly released the force field.   Connley prayed that whatever they were about to do, it wouldn't be to painful for the crumpled man lying on the floor.Kail followed Takma into the cell.   She seemed to hesitate before picking up the man's hand and presenting it to Kail.  He frowned in indignation at what he saw."Do you know what it's for?'' he asked."Not yet, but I assure you we will soon."  She traced the silver cords with one finger.  They wrapped around his wrists and branched out up to his knuckles.  "The doctor said that they conduct electric impulses.   We think it might be an after-effect of the new 'energy-conservation' system that he now has."  She referred to the organs that now replaced his digestive tract.Kail nodded.  His thoughts then turned to another source. "Captain Nikon has already left,  Takma.  He should be within range of the ship within one day."  Of course the 'ship' that he was referring to was Voyager."Good, I take it his vessel was equipped with some of our own weapons.""Of course.  A modified shielding system was also adapted to the ship's previous one." Kail responded.She nodded.  "Well, soon we'll have all our loose ends taken care of.  Come General, the doctor has more information that he can discuss with us in further detail."The two left the cell.  Connley raised the force field once more.  She watched as the two disappeared into the corridor.*If only Takma hadn't ordered more guards to be placed here, then maybe I could get us out.*She knew that the time to act was now.  If she didn't then there was no telling what they would come up with next.   But she had to wait just a few more hours.  It seemed Kail had never considered a spy to be in their midst, otherwise he wouldn't have let such valuable information slip out.  With Captain Nikon making his attack on that ship, most of the security guards would be forced to leave with him.  All she had to do was wait until the next shift for the guards.  There was at least a five minute interval where most of the corridors were left unguarded.  No one ever expected an attack to come from the inside.  All she had to do was wait until then.  After that, her plan would fall into full motion and they'd escape.  *Hopefully escape,* she thought with a bit of reluctance.*Captain Janeway walked onto the bridge of Voyager.  She hadn't remembered leaving her Ready Room last night, but then she had been really tired.  And now here she was, three hours late for her shift."Status report Commander."  she said.Chakotay quickly turned to face Janeway.  She did look a little better, he had to admit."We're running at peak efficiency Captain and there does not appear to be any ships within range of our sensors.''  She nodded to her first officer and sat down in her chair.  She wasn't sure what she had come to the bridge for but something told her she needed to be here today.   It was just this nagging feeling inside her.   She soon dismissed it as a lack of sleep however.*Tom shifted uncomfortably in his sleep.  Pictures of an auburn-haired woman were in his mind.  She sat on the bridge of some ship and was engaged in battle.  She seemed to be the one in charge because she barked out orders to her crew.  He couldn't hear what she was saying but he knew they were in trouble.*She seems so familiar* he thought.  But he still couldn't place the face.  He silently willed her to be alert.  She had to stay on her bridge and get her crew to safety.  He tried to give her as much strength as he could.His thoughts drifted away from the scene before him.  Instead they turned to a woman with dark hair and ridges on her forehead.  She had the same familiarity as the one before, but something deeper lay in the emotions he felt for her.She lay on her bed in tears.  Tom felt her pain.  He could feel her sorrow.  And the two tore at his heart.  He wondered why he felt this way for a woman he didn't even know.   Instead of pondering this he tried to tell her it would be alright.  He found he couldn't talk, just watch.  So he sent her as many strong , optimistic emotions he could.He thought she felt his presence.  She looked up from her pillow and directly toward him.  But before he could do anything he was pulled out of his dream by some unknown force.*B'lanna  sat up in her bed.  She could have sworn she had felt Tom next to her.  *No that can't be* she told herself.But still, there was something that told her not to exclude that  possibility.   Getting out of bed, she couldn't doubt the fact that whatever she had felt, had made her feel better than she had in days.  Something inside her told her that she had to be strong, Tom wanted this.Putting on her uniform, she wondered where this realization had come from.  She still felt sorrow whenever she thought of Tom.   His touch, his kiss, they brought back memories that flooded her emotions.  But from somewhere inside her a voice was now urging her to be strong.Tears filled her eyes as she thought of her mate, but she continued to get dressed.  She had to be in engineering today.  Something was going to happen and she had to be there.She just wished she knew why.*Connley could feel Paris reaching out to someone.  No there were two that he had 'touched'.  *He doesn't even know what he is doing* she thought.She remembered her first time to make a telepathic link to another person.  It hadn't gone that well.  But he seemed to have a second instinct that told him what to do.She heard him toss to one side.  *I have to hurry, we're going to have to make our move soon.*It had been hours since Takma and Kail had left.  The time for their escape was drawing near.  There was only one thing she had to do first.  She had to wake Paris up.  She hated to rip him away from the link he had established, but there was no choice.  If they were going to do this they had to do it now.Gently she nudged hid mind back to his body.  She tried to be as careful as possible but a grunt from one of the other guards caused her to lose focus.  This tore Paris away from his dream and back to the present.Tom opened his eyes.  *What happened?***I'm sorry but we have to leave now.**His eyes widened as he heard the voice reverberating within his head.  It was the same one as in the lab.*Who are you?*Connley sighed.  **I'm the female guard to the left of your cell.  I came here to get you out of here but we have to hurry.**Paris wavered a second.  *Okay, what do you want me to do.***Just sit tight until I get rid of these guards then we'll be on our way.**Connley focused her attention on the guards around her.  None knew what she was about to do.   If she concentrated hard enough she should be able to enter their minds.  Forcing herself inside, the other men in the room were only aware for a split second of her presence.  By then it was too late and three limp bodies remained where three Imperial guards had stood.She swayed for a while.  She silently cursed the force fields around the base.  That had taken more out of her than she was willing to admit.  Getting her bearings she released the force field and approached the man on the floor."Nice job." His voice was rough but stronger than she had first thought."Can you walk?"  She prayed he could.  If not, they were both in trouble.He nodded and she helped him to his feet.   "What's the plan?" he asked."Hopefully, we get out of here alive."*Captain Nikon sat on the bridge of his ship. *Hopefully not my ship for long* he thought miserably.  One thing the Empire didn't tolerate was failure and he had done so on the last two missions he had been assigned to.*I'll make it up with this one* he swore to himself.  After all one ship couldn't stand up to the weapons that he currently harbored.  "Sir, we are approaching the ship," came a voice from the Conn."Have they detected us yet?''  Nikon asked.   They had been approaching the ship by staying close to a nebula.   The captain wasn't scared of a fight but experience told him that surprise was always the best weapon."We have not yet been detected.""Good, take us out of the nebula.  Target their weapons and propulsion.  I need this ship in one piece by the time this is over."B'lanna strode into engineering.  It looked the same as when she had left it.  Ensigns were busy about their tasks.   Joe was overseeing their work. *What did I come down here for?*The feeling still lingered.  She needed to be here.  "Lieutenant?  I thought the captain had given you time off."B'lanna was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of Joe Carey's voice.  "I decided to come down here to see how things were going.   I couldn't let you.."  Her voice was cut off as the entire ship swayed under the force of a blow."What the hell was that?!" B'lanna roared.The answer to her question came form Janeway's voice over the Comm line.  "All crew to battle stations.  Red alert!"Janeway pulled herself up from the floor.  "Report." she ordered."Shields are holding Sir.  It looks like someone is trying to target our weapons."   Harry replied."Who?"  The captain didn't need an answer as she saw the view screen project a ship coming from the nebula.  It looked like it was older than Star Fleet and had seen more battles than a Klingon Bird of Prey."Looks like that's our culprit." said Chakotay."Hail them."   All the hollowness that she had felt in the past few days was slowly filling with silent rage.  She was not going to let anything happen to the rest of her crew."They aren't responding.'' reported Ensign Kim."Well, we tried.  Tuvok target their weapons systems.  Maybe we can get them to talk if they don't have their guns to keep them so busy.""Firing."  Tuvok fired two photon torpedoes at their assailants.  Neither penetrated the ship's shields."They were not able to break their shielding Sir."Before Janeway could reply, the ship was jarred to its side.  Somehow they didn't have much of a problem with the shields of Voyager."Damage." she asked."We've lost Warp." said Chakotay.  "Another hit and we'll be dead in the water."Anger flickered across Janeway's face.  "Get me engineering.""You picked a great time to come back."  said Joe in all sincerity.  He hated to think if he were in charge of this mess."Shut up Carey and keep working.  I want that Warp Drive back on line."  B'lanna was fuming.  Couldn't Voyager manage to stay out of a fight for just one week?"I need a report from down there now."  Janeway's voice flickered over the Comm line."Give me five minutes and I can have the warp drive working again." replied B'lanna.  She was so busy, she didn't care to elaborate.Janeway didn't ask what she was doing down there.  She didn't have the time.  "Do it."  was her only reply.B'lanna grabbed a tool kit.  "Okay Vorik, the two of us are going to replace the fried conduits in Jeffrey's Tube 69.  Joe you're in charge here."She left with Vorik on her heels.  *What a great way to start the day.**Tom Paris followed the woman as she led him into the hallway.  It was still a little difficult to walk but he found  his equilibrium to be returning quickly.   Connley thanked the Spirit that Takma had ordered so many of her men away to take care of that ship.  She felt sorry for the crew, but  a lack in security that large had provided her with the perfect means for escape.She looked around the corner.  It was all clear.  She motioned for Tom to follow her.  It appeared he wasn't as badly injured as she had thought.  "Just two decks down and we'll be in shuttlebay." she whispered.He nodded and they continued on to the lift that would take them down.  Connley couldn't believe her luck.  No one had found her yet.  *Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought.*She should have known better than to tempt fate by that thought, because before she was able to check the lift for any occupants, the doors slid open to reveal a very puzzled Doctor and two very large guards.Doctor Rosin stood inside the lift fingering his neck carefully.  He was on his way to run a few tests on his 'patient' and decided that a couple of extra guards couldn't hurt anything.  He wasn't willing to have his neck ripped off again.The lift stopped on his level.  As the doors opened he was confronted by the site of a guard and his patient standing behind her.  *What the hell.* he thought.He was too stunned to move even when the gun was brought level with his chest and fired.Connley shot the doctor first but wasn't quick enough to take out the other two guards.   They raised their guns at her and before she could blink she felt the excruciating sensation of burning tissue coming from her left shoulder.Pain delayed her senses and instead of shooting them she shot the control panel for the lift.  The doors closed automatically and she leaned against the wall as the shots finally ended."So much for going unnoticed."*Captain Nikon smiled.  Only a few more direct hits and he would have fully disarmed the ship.  He thought of how Takma would reward him for this victory.*A promotion, a Fleet of my own perhaps.*He let the thrill of victory overwhelm him as he ordered,  "Fire at will."It was time for the kill."They are powering weapons again, Captain."  Tuvok's voice was as emotionally detached as always.  It was a stark comparison to the others on the bridge."Is there anyway to penetrate their shields?!"  Janeway was running out of ideas.  They had to do something fast."Captain," came Seven's voice from the science station.  "The nebula that they were hiding in is becoming unstable.  If we were to fire our weapons into it, I do not believe their shields would be able to stand the blow."Janeway gave the former Borg an appraising gaze.  This was just the break they needed.  "How far would we need to be to avert being caught in the explosion as well?"Harry replied, "If we're going to make it to a safe distance we'll have to get the warp drive back on-line."Janeway nodded.  Another blast rocked her ship.  Now all she needed was to call Engineering.  "B'lanna, we need warp now."The half klingon grumbled a few inaudible curses before replying.  "Just a few more seconds... Okay you have Warp 4 but I can't be sure how long it will hold up."*You take what you can get* thought Janeway."Tuvok fire three photon torpedoes into the nebula on my mark.  Once fired I want us at warp 4 out of here.  Understood."The ensign at the Conn said, "Aye Sir.""Good.   Now, Mark!"*Paris caught Connley as she slumped against the wall."So much for keeping our cover," she said.Her left shoulder was covered in a dark purple blood.  Tom could see torn pieces of flesh through her uniform.  If it hadn't been for the armor she was wearing then her arm would have been torn off."Tell me how to get to shuttlebay." he instructed.She looked into his blue eyes.  They were filled with resolution.  She knew somehow that they would make it out of here alive."We can't take this lift so we'll have to use the other one on this floor.  It's down this corridor about..""Don't move!"The voice startled them both.  Connley hadn't anticipated being discovered this fast.  There holding a gun to her head was General Kail and behind him stood eight other guards, all of them with their weapons focused on Connley and Paris."You should have known better than to fire your weapon.  Any unauthorized discharge of weapons immediately set off a silent alarm.  I suppose I am just lucky that I was on this level when it went off."  Kail's voice took on a tone of utter malevolence as he let these words drip from his lips.Tom didn't move.  He knew that if he did the woman beside him would be killed in an instant.  Along with himself.Connley however pushed herself away from Paris and stood face to face with Kail.  She smiled at him as seductively as possible and then spat in his face.He wiped the saliva from his chin and stared at the woman before him.  No Parvanian would ever attempt to do that even if they had defected from the Empire.  He wiped the saliva from his chin.  What was this creature that had the guts to do this.  Instead of voicing his question he back handed her across her cheek and temple.Pain surged through her head as the force of the blow hit her full on.  She didn't have much time before the general had her neck in his hand and was roughly feeling around her face to find her disguise.He succeeded as the black wig she had been wearing came off in his hand.  Ocean blue hair fell below her shoulders.  But Kail paid little heed to that.  He was more struck by the tall slim ears that rose almost an inch above her head.  Paris thought he had seem something similar to that before.  Those ears... The word 'cat' popped into mind but had little meaning to him."You're a Nalyan." spat out Kail.  "I haven't seen your kind in this sector for decades.""Well now you have." Connley ground out.  One thing that she had always learned, never show your fear to the enemy."And I can make sure that I won't see anymore again."  Kail lifted his gun to her head.  Connley held her breath as she looked her enemy in the eye.  If she was going to die it would be with honor.The last thing she heard was the fire of a gun and then darkness surrounded her.*Three Photon torpedoes were released from Voyager.  Nikon dismissed it.  They couldn't penetrate their shields.  Victory was already his.  Soon he would have that ship and Takma's praise would come along with it.Then he noticed that the torpedoes were not aimed at him but the nebula."Oh my S...."His words were left unfinished as a huge explosion engulfed his ship.  The outer shields didn't take long to breach and as they went so did the hull and everyone inside."Okay get us out of here."Voyager was already on its way as the words left Janeway's lips.  They jumped to warp 4 just as the explosion reached where they had been a moment before.All the bridge crew let out an audible sigh as they fell out of warp safely away from the explosion.Janeway fell into her chair.  "Good work people, good work."*Kail pulled the trigger on his gun.  Nalyan's were some of the best warriors ever to exist.  It was a powerful man who could claim to have killed one.But instead of getting his wish, he watched as Paris pushed Connley to the floor and took the brunt of the shot.  Kail's eyes widened as his shot didn't even phase the man.  The laser seemed to not even cause any more pain than a pinprick.Tom grabbed the gun out of the general's hand.  He proceeded to shoot one guard after another as shots continually hit him without inflicting the slightest damage.  Finally Kail was the only one left."I take it you're the one in charge," Tom said.Connley shook her head as she picked herself up off the floor.  She had managed to fall on her bad shoulder and now excruciating pain flowed through her body.  She shook it off.Kail nodded to Tom.  The general was staring down his own gun, and this time it was the dangerous end that was pointed at him."Then I suppose you wouldn't mind escorting us to shuttlebay.  We'll be leaving now if you don't mind."  Tom pushed the general in front of him and shoved the gun into his back.  He turned to Connley,  "Are you alright?""Yeah, I'm fine," she said this through gritted teeth.  "Let's just get the Hell out of here.""You heard the lady," he told Kail.  "Now move."Doctor Rosin lay in the lift.  His head was swimming but by some miracle he was still alive.  However he opened his eyes to find that the floor was now covered in blood all around him.   He closed his eyes again.  The sight of others' blood was one thing, but that of his own always made him a bit queasy.The door slid open.  Takma could have never been prepared for what she saw.  On the floor of the lift was the body of Doctor Rosin, his left side little more than shredded flesh.  But having schooled her emotions throughout her life, she only allowed a brief flicker of shock to pass over her face.  "Get a stretcher!" she ordered to the other guards in the lift.  Then she knelt beside Rosin.  "What happened."He coughed a little but was only able to get one word out.  "Escaped."*That really tells me a lot* she thought.  Allowing the stretcher crew to take him away she stopped a guard in the hall.  "I want to know what's going on and I want to know now!"The man lowered his head.  "I'm sorry I don't.."Takma slapped him hard across his face.  "Then find out!  Now go!"He left at a jog.  She cursed herself for hiring such idiots.*I guess I'll just have to find Kail.  He'll know what's going on.*Kail knew exactly what was going on.  He was leading two escapees to the shuttlebay and once his services were complete he would be extinguished.  He needed a plan and he needed one fast.  His great intellect had already formulated numerous ones but all seemed to end the same way:  him dead."Here we are," said Connley.  She stepped forward and unlocked the doors to shuttlebay.  Tom didn't let his eyesight leave the general.  Kail's time was running out."Keep him here.  I'll go get a shuttle ready."  Connley left."Kail do you know what the Hell is going on around here."  Takma's voice chirped over his comm line.  Paris gripped his gun tighter.  Without words he was able to convey his message to Kail:  don't screw up or you're dead.Kail replied in a tense voice.  "No, I don't"Takma paused for a few seconds then replied, "Well, find out and get your ass down here."Kail smiled inwardly.  That was the chance he had been waiting for.  Unknown to his captors, the message that he had just given Takma was part of a code.  If trouble ever arose he was ordered not to respond in any length as he would usually do.  Then Takma would use his comm line as a honing beacon and find out where he was before she replied.   Maybe his luck was looking up.Connley came out of the shuttle.  "The shuttle's ready, but I can't get the hanger doors open."  She turned to the general, "I suppose you can help us with that."Kail tensed.  Through the corner of his eye he could see something that the other two had missed.   Tom caught a slight reflection from the general's eye.   Quickly he threw himself and Connley to the ground before red laser beams shot through the air where they had just been standing.Kail took the liberty of the moment to its full meaning and ran over to where the guards were standing.    "Kill the woman but keep the other one alive," he barked out and grabbed a gun from the closest guard to him.Takma ran through the corridors.  Shuttlebay wasn't very far now; she could already hear the gunshots.  "What's our status!" she yelled to one of her men.  She had just deployed every guard she could spare to shuttlebay for some reason unknown to her.  The tone of Kail's voice over the comm line had told her that whatever was happening was pretty damn bad.  "There are two aliens trying to escape." came a reply.Takma sucked in a large breath.  She only knew of one alien aboard, and that was her 'guest.'   She wondered how he had gotten out of his cell.  Those thoughts were soon abandoned as she realized that if he escaped all her plans would be ruined."I want them brought in alive.  Do what you have to but the one with the bond hair is not to be killed."Tom and Connley ducked behind one of the computer consoles.  It provided mediocre protection from the shots that rang out around them but something was better than nothing.   Connley gripped her shoulder.   *Why does everything have to involve shooting at me or pushing me on my left side?*But that was usual for her.  She was a trained warrior and there was no way she would fail this mission.  There was just too much at stake.  So instead of letting her thoughts drift to the burning pain coursing through her left arm, she picked up her gun and started picking off the guards standing beside the shuttlebay door.Tom looked at Connley.  She hadn't spared a moment's notice before she had taken her gun and had begun shooting again.  But two against at least twenty didn't play for good odds.He needed a plan, and suddenly he had one."Can you hold them back while I do something," he asked Connley.She didn't let her sight leave the enemy but replied, "Yeah but what are you planning on doing?""I have no idea."  Tom's words puzzled Connley but she didn't say anything.In fact Tom wasn't even aware of what he was doing himself.  Some other instinct had just kicked in and he went with it.  There was no time to be picky.  He had to do something and if his gut told him what to do he had no choice but to listen.His eyes dilated slightly as he placed his hand on the bottom of the console in front of him.  He was barely aware of one of the silver tentacles disatach itself from his hand and implant itself onto the metal of the computer.  Others did this as well and then they punctured through the metal casing into the computer database within.Tom felt himself murge with the entire complex.  He could sense everything that was going around inside the base.  All the information that was held within the computer was suddenly stored within him.  He then accessed the main controls for the level he was on and shut the door to shuttlebay.  As the guards tried to stop the massive door from closing they were inevitably pushed back to the corridor on the other side.  The few that were stranded in shuttlebay were easy for Connley to pick off.Connley then turned her attention to Tom.  She was only slightly taken aback by what she saw before her.  Tom had his hand on the bottom of the console they were hiding behind.  Silver tentacles linked him to the computer inside.  She had seen Borg do the same before but it was still a little surprising to see this man doing it."Can you get the hanger doors open?" she asked.After a few seconds he replied, "Yes.""Then come on.  It won't be long before they can pry those doors open.""They know too much." he said.Connley didn't know what he was talking about.  "What do you mean?""It won't be long before they can do the same thing that happened to me to others.  We have to destroy this place."Most people would be sick by the thought of causing the deaths of so many, but Connley only asked, "How?""Give me a second."  Tom's eyes still had the disconnected look in them.  He transplanted all the information from the databanks into himself.  Now the computers were devoid of any information that was once stored in them.  He then issued a self destruct mechanism to activate with a countdown of five minutes.  After that the tentacles disattached themselves from the console and slid back under his skin."That should give everyone at least a fighting chance of evacuating the complex."  As he said this a siren went off alarming everyone of the imminent destruction of the complex.  "We can open the hanger doors from inside the shuttle."Connley nodded.  Her respect for this man was growing by the minute.  Both boarded the shuttle.  For some reason Tom slid in behind the Conn."So you can fly a shuttle too." she asked.He flashed her a smile.  It was the same one that had made B'lanna melt throughout their relationship.  "Well, we're fixing to find out."Kail approached Takma just as the warning sirens went off.  "Come on we've got to evacuate." he said.Takma was fuming but complied.  "Okay," she agreed and then turned to a cluster of guards.  "You, you, and you." she said pointing to each one.  "I want you to try and get this self destruct sequence off line.  Don't leave until it's done understood."The three guards nodded grimly.  They ran to find a security console to work from.  Each knew that this would probably be their last order but they would rather die in an explosion than face the punishment of disobeying orders.The general and Takma then proceeded to one of the escape pods.  Neither of them would be caught inside when the complex blew.A nurse quickly grabbed an emergency med kit as she heard the siren go off.  She then approached her patient."Come on Doctor Rosin, we've got to get out of here."He slowly nodded and she helped him to his feet.  His wound had been sealed shut but he still needed surgery.   The two then hobbled to an escape pod.  Tom powered the engines and Connley opened the hanger doors.  The information he had just acquired had included the layout of each system aboard an Imperial shuttle craft.  But for some reason he had chosen the Conn instead of one of the other systems like Tacticianal of Ops.  Piloting just seemed the natural thing to do.He jettisoned them out of the shuttlebay and maneuvered them around all the escape pods that were being launched.He climbed into the upper atmosphere of the moon which the station was located on.  As the complex below exploded he guided them around whatever debris came into contact with them by issuing complex spirals and flips to avoid being hit.Once they were safely in space above, Connley made her comment.  "I see you really can fly."He smiled again and then shot back, "I'm just as surprised as you are.  By the way, I never caught a name.""While undercover in the complex, I went by the name Connley.  But my real name is Ariasonya Shantoa Brandwin.""Quite a mouth full." "You can call me Aria," she said.  "I don't suppose you have a name."  She knew that he couldn't remember any of his past but she tried to be polite."I might have had one at one time, but I don't seem to recall.  Perhaps I can find it again."She smiled sadly.  This man had gone through so much and she knew full well that he would have much more to go through as well.Tom broke the silence.  "So, where to.""We're fixing to go pay a visit on a few friends."*It had been almost four hours since the battle, and things were just beginning to quiet down in engineering.   B'lanna was finally forced to leave by a nagging Joe Carrey who kept persisting that he could finish things up down there and that she needed to get some rest.But there was one problem, she wasn't tired.  So instead of retiring to her quarters, she entered one of the holodecks.  Once inside, she wondered why she had come here.  It was the same reason as to why she had entered Engineering when she had.  Some'thing' was pushing her to do this and she didn't know why.She scrolled down the holoprograms on the computer.  For some reason she decided to pull up Tom's list.  Most of them she knew.  There was Sandrines, the 'grease-monkey' program, Captain Proton.  But then something caught her attention.  It was the last entry on the list and had been added only one day before they had left on the away mission.  So far it had never been played.She pulled up the entry.  It was entitled,  'Surprise.' The entire holodeck turned to a lush green.  She found herself standing on a hill overlooking a lake below on one side and on the other was a pasture with cows and horses.  It looked to be set in the Southern region of America on Earth.  Children swam in the water or rode the horses on the other side.*This must be the surprise that Tom had planned for Naomi.*  Everyone had heard about how Tom had promised the little girl a surprise.  But once they had come back without him...Tears began to slide down her face.  She wished Tom was back so badly.  If only he were still alive.She swore she could feel a hand on her shoulder.  With this feeling came a kind of peace.  A gentle acceptance.  It felt like Tom was trying to tell her not to be afraid anymore, not to worry about him, that he was fine.  She turned around to find out who was behind her but all that was there was the gentle breeze of the holodeck.  She wiped away the tears.  Tom would want her to  be happy.  He had died so that she and the rest aboard this ship might live.Closing down the holodeck program, she turned to leave.  But this time however, she wouldn't be leaving to wallow in sorrow in her quarters.  For the first time in days she would get some sleep.She had come into the holodeck an empty shell of her former self, now she left with hope and acceptance filling her soul.  And Tom's 'spirit' watched her leave as a changed woman.Captain Janeway sunk into her ready room chair.  The battle had been won, but now a new battle had arisen.  The battle with herself.All her thoughts took their toll on her.  Guilt.  Pity.  Sorrow.  They all played havoc on her mind.She laid her head down on her desk.  She was so tired.  But every time she went to sleep the dreams would come flooding back.  The nightmares of that day on the station.*There had to be something I could do*  she thought.**You couldn't do anything** came a small voice from inside her.  She couldn't describe it, but with those words came the truth that her guilt had been hiding all along.  'There was nothing she could do.'But now there was something she could do.  Tom had taken her place and given his life because he knew that she was the only one capable of leading this crew.  She had to be strong, she had to fight.  She couldn't sit back and let self Pity take over her.  He would never want that.Slowly she got up from her desk.  Tonight she would sleep in her own bed for once.  And tomorrow she would keep her promise to Tom.  She would protect this crew and get them home. And that was a promise that she would not break.*Aria watched Tom sleep.  He deserved it.  Despite how much he had done in the small battle in which they had just fought, he still suffered from injuries brought on from the doctor's experiments on him.She could sense that he was 'talking' to someone.  Along with the Borg-like qualities he now possessed he also had a telepathic power that was just as powerful as her own.*If only he fully knew how to use it* she thought.  Well that was her job.  She had to get him ready for what was to come.  It was her destiny to guide him into the battle which he would soon lead.She now sat at the Conn.  He had been a little reluctant, but after her continued nagging, he had agreed to get some sleep.    Looking over to where he slept on one of the reclined chairs, she smiled.  He was so amazing.  He was brave and strong, just what she had anticipated.  *And handsome too* she thought to herself.Wait what was she saying.  She was here to help him not be attracted to him.  But hearts never could be swayed by the mind, and Aria was no different.  Her people had sent her to make sure that he would be ready when the Final Battle arose, but all she could think of was how perfect and kind he was.She had anticipated everything.  Everything except falling in love with him.The End...Until Part Three  I would like to thank everyone that has e-mailed me in response to this story.  You have no idea how great it is to know someone likes your work.  I had first thought that I might not write a second part to this series and just hang it up but when I checked my e-mail I quickly changed my mind.  Please write and tell me what you think.  AlysP.S.  On one e-mail I didn't have a chance to notice the bottom line before I replied to it.  I would just like to mention to all of y'all (hey, I'm a southerner, this is how I talk) that the Magnificent Seven are back on the air.  Hopefully they will ride again next season as well.  I know it's not P/T but I like that show almost as much as I do Voyager.  Well, that's it for me, bye.