tp25


	Part 25 Tom sat in the Captain's Ready Room, going over status reports. It had been six weeks since he landed Voyager. After they landed, Tom and B'Elanna put the crew together into teams and sent them to gather they supplies they needed. Because they were so short-staffed, it had taken a full week. Repairs began during the second week of their forced grounding, and after being finished just a few days before, Tom had given the crew shore leave. Suddenly Tom's comm badge beeped, breaking his concentration. "Paris here." "Captain, please report to sickbay." The doctor's voice sounded excited. Tom raised an eyebrow. "On my way," he said, then tapped his comm badge to close the link. Rising from the desk, he left the Ready Room and headed to sickbay. When he arrived in sickbay a few moments later, Tom was met by a very excited doctor. "You wanted to see me, Doc?" "Yes, Captain. I've found a cure for the virus." The EMH smiled widely at him. Tom blinked and stared mutely at the doctor for a moment. "It works?" he finally asked. The doctor beamed. "Yes, it does." He looked questioningly at Tom. "So, who should we use it on first?" Tom considered it, but before he could say anything, the doors to sickbay swished open and B'Elanna Torres entered. She looked around and walked over to where Tom and the doctor stood. "I'm sorry to interrupt," she said, casting a quick look at Tom. Then she turned her attention to the EMH. "Doc, I think I'm in labor." The hologram took B'Elanna by the arm and led her to a biobed, telling her to lie down. Once she was on the bed, the doctor grabbed a tricorder and scanned her thoroughly. Finally, he looked up at her. "You're right, Lieutenant. You are in labor." He looked at the tricorder again before continuing. "How long ago did the contractions start?" B'Elanna thought about it for a moment. "Four hours ago, I think." She looked questioningly at the doctor. "Why?" The EMH appeared surprised. "Four hours ago?" he repeated. When B'Elanna nodded, he sighed. "This should be a quick delivery, then. You're already nine centimeters dilated," he informed her. Just as B'Elanna opened her mouth to reply, another contraction ripped through her, and instead of speaking, she screamed. As soon as the contraction was over and B'Elanna had stopped screaming, Tom commed Harry. "Kim here." "Harry, get your ass down to sickbay. B'Elanna's in labor," Tom informed his friend. "Now?" Harry squeaked. Tom heaved a long-suffering sigh. "Yes, now." "On my way. Kim out." Tom tapped his comm badge to close the link and looked at B'Elanna. "Harry's on his way," he told her. B'Elanna narrowed her eyes. "Good. Then I can rip his dick off," she snarled. Tom winced at that comment. "Are you sure you wanna do that, B'Ela? I mean, you might miss it later." B'Elanna glared at him. "I don't think so. Anyway, if I should miss it, I can always replicate a dildo. At least a dildo won't get me pregnant!" Tom considered it for a moment. "You're right," he finally conceded. "But I still think you might miss Harry's dick if you ripped it off." B'Elanna pouted. "Ruin my fun, why don't you?" Tom sent her a devilish smile. "Of course, you can always threaten to rip it off," he suggested. B'Elanna smiled evilly. "You won't tell on me?" Tom laughed. "Me? Hell no. I wanna see Harry's reaction to that threat." Suddenly he had a thought. "But the Doc might say something about it." B'Elanna and Tom both turned to look at the holographic doctor, who merely raised an eyebrow. "Don't worry. I'm not going to tell Mr. Kim about this conversation. In fact, I never heard it." The EMH smiled wickedly. Tom chuckled. "I think that our good doctor is as curious about Harry's reaction as I am," he said. "My reaction to what?" Harry asked. He'd arrived just as Tom made his last comment. Tom gave Harry his best innocent look. "Nothing, Harry." Harry snorted. "Right," he said, clearly not believing Tom, but more concerned about his wife, than he was about any of Tom's mischievousness. "How are you doing, B'Ela?" B'Elanna smiled. "I'm fine." Just then she had another contraction. "Harry Kim, I HATE YOU!" she yelled. "This is all your fault!" Harry sighed quietly. "I know, B'Ela. I'm sorry," he said, used to his wife yelling these kinds of things at him. He walked over to the biobed and stroked her hair, trying to soothe her. It didn't work. As soon as the contraction ended, B'Elanna glared at her husband, and snarled, "When this is over, I'm going to rip your dick off." Harry's eyes widened and his face turned white, as he backed away anxiously. He didn't get far. B'Elanna grabbed his wrist and looked at him through narrowed eyes. "And where do you think you're going?" she purred. Harry swallowed hard. "Umm. Nowhere?" B'Elanna smiled ferally. "That's right," she agreed. "You aren't going anywhere until I'm finished with you." A devilish glint appeared in her eyes and her smile turned even more feral. "Come here," she ordered, tugging on his wrist. Harry moved forward until he was standing right beside the biobed. "What is it, B'Ela?" "Bend down," she ordered. "I'm going to tell you something." When he complied, B'Elanna whispered something in his ear. Harry straightened quickly, his face taking on a gray hue. He swallowed again. "You wouldn't really do that. Would you?" he asked nervously. Just then the next contraction hit, and B'Elanna's answer was yelled so loud that Tom would swear she could be heard on the bridge. "YES I WILL!" Seeing Harry's gray face and the terrified expression in his eyes, Tom decided that discretion was the better part of valor. "Doc, I'm going back to my reports," he said quietly. "Let me know when this madness is over." The doctor tried to hide his smile, but wasn't entirely successful. "Running away, Captain?" Tom glanced quickly at B'Elanna, then turned back to the EMH. "I prefer to think of it as a tactical retreat." The doctor snorted in amusement, a habit he'd picked up from Tom. "Why, Captain, are you afraid of a woman?" "Damned right, I am," he said, before he practically ran out of sickbay and to the nearest turbolift. Once inside the 'lift, Tom sighed, glad to be out of sickbay and away from the craziness that childbirth appeared to be. He'd prefer the boring paperwork any day. "Bridge." A moment later, the 'lift doors opened and Tom stepped out on the empty bridge. With another sigh, he took a quick look around before walking to the Ready Room. Even after all these weeks, he still hadn't gotten used to seeing the bridge unmanned. The silence was eerie. In the Ready Room, Tom went to the replicator and ordered a cup of tea. When it appeared, he carried it over to the desk where he put it down before he sat in the chair. he picked up the first PADD, intending to get the few remaining reports out of the way. Ten minutes later, he put the PADD down again. He'd stared at the same sentence since he picked the report up, and he had no idea what it said. His mind was busy wondering what happened in sickbay. He was curious as all hell to know what was going on down there, but... {Damned if I'm returning to sickbay. B'Elanna could start threatening me.} This thought reminded Tom of something. "Computer, open a comm link to all crewmembers, except Lieutenants Kim and Torres." "Comm link open to all crewmembers except Lieutenants Kim and Torres." "All hands, this is the Captain. Lt. Torres is currently in sickbay, giving birth. She has already threatened to do some very unpleasant things to Lt. Kim, so I thought I'd warn you in case you need to go to sickbay for some reason. Paris out." When he'd finished his little speech, Tom addressed the computer again. "Computer, close comm link." "Comm link closed." Tom leaned back in his chair, and considered the news the doctor had given him before B'Elanna arrived. The EMH had found a cure for the virus. That was good news. It meant that things would go back to normal soon. Now Tom just had to decide who should be cured first. Captain Janeway was out. Tom didn't want to have her revived until the ship was fully manned again, which meant that she would be the last to come out of stasis. However, with B'Elanna on maternity leave, he would need someone from the senior staff. {Hmm. I'll need someone who can take care of the First Officer's duties, which means that it has to be Tuvok or Chakotay,} he mused, finishing his tea. He considered the problem for a while longer, then made his choice. Decision made, Tom returned to his reports, having no difficulties concentrating this time. Next