Sacred Suffering 

ST:Voyager
P, J, P/T, Crew
PG 
PSuther998@aol.com
Synopsis: Away mission gone wrong. Janeway versus the Prime
Directive. Paris in Peril. This story is set before Unimatrix
Zero.

Thanks to Paramount for letting me play with their toys, I
promise to put them back in the box now this story is done. 

Many thanks to my Beta Readers: PJ in NH, VoyBoyToy, Annie 
M.and 'Mother' AKA Tracy S for their support and willingness
help. For listening to my whining and especially to VoyBoyToy for
her gentle advice: Quit f****** with it already and post it. 

Sacred Suffering
by Phyllis Sutherland
February 2001

Tom Paris, Chief Helmsman of the Federation Starship Voyager, 
opened his eyes to almost total darkness. Where was he? Where 
was the rest of the away team? Slowly, painfully, his memory
returned.

******************

Captain Janeway's Briefing Room 1200 hours Voyager time.

Kathryn Janeway faced her senior staff, hands on hips and spoke.

"We will have to go to gray mode again if we don't find a new
source of energy, and Neelix says we are in severe need of green
vegetables."

"But, Captain, Astrometrics' sensors indicate there are no warp
capable systems within a month's journey."

"Correct, Mister Kim. For that very reason we will be forced to
trade with a pre-warp civilization."

Commander Tuvok's eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline
as he spoke. "Captain, I believe that would be a serious
violation of the Prime Directive."

Harry rolled his eyes in Tom's direction and received a smirk in 
reply that seemed to say "No shit, Sherlock." 

"I am aware of that, Tuvok, but desperate situations call for
desperate measures. There is a class M planet just one day from
here called Ultraine. I propose we check out the local
inhabitants and beam down an away team in disguise. We only need
to trade for enough supplies to keep Voyager going for a month or
two. While Chakotay keeps Voyager in high orbit, Mister Paris
will take the Delta Flyer, carrying an away team led by me, into
low orbit. Part of the away team will remain on board to secretly
beam up some minerals we cannot do without, while the rest of us
bargain for supplies.  They will keep a lock on the away team in
case an emergency transport is necessary. But we must be very
careful that no one sees us transport to or from the planet."

******************

Twenty-four hours later, Tom was settling the Flyer into a low
orbit around the planet. 

The away team had been chosen carefully for physical features
that matched the appearance of the planet's inhabitants. Sensors
had revealed the native populace to be humanoid with pale skin,
hair shading from sandy to red with finely drawn features and
blue eyes. After some slight surgical alterations by the EMH,
Captain Janeway, Ensign Paris, Lieutenant Carey and Ensign
McNeill would be beamed down to the planet wearing replicated
native clothing, with their communicators concealed inside native
ornamentation.

B'Elanna Torres was not happy, since she could only pass 
as a native with extensive plastic surgery she was forced to stay 
behind on the Delta Flyer as backup with the EMH from hell and
his ever present holo-imager. Glaring at the doctor she muttered 
under her breath: 

"Why did the captain give into his nagging and assign him to this 
mission? So what if he volunteered! Does she have to make him 
feel more like a member of the crew at my expense?"

Sitting at the helm Tom hid a slight smile listening to her
grumbling, he hoped the Doc's program was still intact when they
returned from this mission. He knew the real reason the Captain
let the Doc come was in the event someone was severely injured.
B'Elanna knew that also, she just needed to let off some steam. 

After scanning the beam down area for any sign of natives,
B'Elanna proceeded to transport the away team down to the planet 
surface. They materialized in a secluded valley, a few kilometers
from 
the small village Tuvok had located on Voyagers sensors.

******************

"Captain, how are we going to get enough supplies from such a
small village?"

"Well, Mister Carey, while we are trading with the villagers,
Lieutenant Torres will be transporting various needed minerals up
to the Delta Flyer. We will keep the natives busy trading for
foodstuffs, especially plants and seeds for hydroponics. As we
are strangers here we will allow them to overcharge us, that way
I will feel better about taking the minerals."

A slight sound to Tom's right caught his attention. A small
animal resembling a large black Terran house cat, was tangled
in some vines. Without a second thought, he hurried over to try
and free the obviously young animal.

Captain Janeway noticed his intentions and said in a clipped
tone. "Mister Paris, you know you should not approach an 
unknown creature without proper caution."

"Gee, Captain, it's just a baby and it likes me. It knows I'm
trying to help." Carefully he loosened the vines and instantly
the cub or kitten, whatever it was, climbed up on to the
pilot's shoulder and began to make rumbling sounds. Tom stroked
the short black hair, surprised at the reassuring warmth of the
small sleek body. Reluctantly he placed the small creature on the
ground.

Suddenly their world began to shake. Landslide! Rocks of all
sizes were falling from the valley walls carrying away trees and
everything in their path. With a last glare at Paris, Janeway
ordered the away team to run for cover.

Tom started to run with everyone else when he heard a mewling
sound. Looking back toward the sound, he saw the little creature
cowering as rocks fell around it. Running back, he scooped the
frightened animal up in his arms just as a huge tree was uprooted
by a mass of small boulders. He ran, trying to escape the
landslide, but had only covered a few meters before his world
became a vortex of pain followed by darkness.

*****************

As Tom's memory came back so did the pain. He tried to move but
his body felt as if it had turned to stone. When he finally
managed to move his right leg the pain ripped up his leg into his
back. He was really going to catch flack from the Doc about this.
He could just imagine him saying in that smug voice: "Well,
Mister Paris, I see you have been engaging in reckless activities
again. Most people know enough to get out of the way when things
start falling toward them. But I am sure my considerable talents
and your hard head will save you once again."

As his eyes adapted to the darkness, and made out stars overhead, 
Tom realized it was night on the planet. How long had he been 
trapped here? He could see his legs were pinned beneath a tree. 
It was cold, so cold, except for a warm spot on his chest. The
little creature he had rescued lay there, green eyes gazing into
blue.

Captain Janeway and the others, where were they? Had they been
trapped too? Were they all dead? Tom knew he would not survive
long in the cold, but he was just too tired to worry about it
now. Slowly his eyes drifted shut to the sound of the young
whatever-it-was, trilling. Soon, even in his sleep, he felt his
body begin to grow warmer.

*****************

The away team stopped, watching in horror as Tom Paris
disappeared beneath the huge tree. Instantly, the Captain
called for an emergency beam out. Knowing she had done all
she could for her young officer, her duty now was to get the
others to safety. As debris continued to crash down around them,
she ordered the remaining crew to get out of the danger area.
B'Elanna and the Doctor would have to help Paris. 

Night had fallen before the away team regrouped and found
shelter. The Captain felt the valley was too unsafe for them to
continue in the darkness. 

"Janeway to the Delta Flyer. B'Elanna, how is Tom?"

"Captain, something went wrong, we lost our lock on him." 

"What do you mean? Are you saying you didn't get him?"

"We were transporting a load of galacite ore onboard when you
signaled for the beam out. Then when we tried to locate Tom we
couldn't get a lock on him. The Doctor says something uncovered
by the quake is giving off EM radiation and it is blocking the
transporter signal. What's wrong, where is he?"

Damn! Why did things always seem to go wrong for Tom Paris? 
She had to fight the urge to go back for her missing officer at
once, but Janeway knew her first responsibility was to those
crewmen she knew were alive. Only when the danger to the away
team was over could she search for Paris. The team would have to
wait for sunrise before they could begin their search for
Voyager's chief pilot--if only to take his body back to Voyager.
Right now she needed to give some measure of hope to B'Elanna.

"B'Elanna there was a landslide and Tom was caught in it. He
was separated from the rest of the team. I'm sure we will find
him when daylight arrives. You know the Paris luck he always
bounces back."

The planet's temperature had dropped sharply with the setting of
the sun and the away team huddled around a small campfire trying
to keep warm. Captain Janeway's thoughts were fixed on the young
man who had become so much more than an observer in the last five
years. If he had survived the landslide, could he survive the
bitter cold of the Ultraine night? 

At first light they headed back down into the valley where they
had last seen Tom Paris. Luck was not with them though. When
the away team returned to where the young man had disappeared
they found a large group natives from the village already there.
Members of the group were gazing down on and gesturing at
something laying in a fissure in the valley floor.

The Voyager group joined them and Janeway gasped when she
realized they were looking at the bruised and bloody body of Tom
Paris wedged in the narrow crevice. The sides of the fissure had
fortunately prevented the tree that pinned his legs from crushing
him completely. Beside and on top of the motionless body lay a
group of maybe eight larger versions of the creature for whom Tom
had risked his life. Oh, God! Was he dead, were they eating his
body?  A slight movement and a moan told the captain that Tom was
still alive, at least for now. Ready to order an emergency
transport Janeway remembered the Prime Directive.

Regretfully, they could not call for transport in front of these
primitive people even if they could find out, what among the
debris, was interfering with the transporter.

*****************

Janeway sighed as she gazed out at the village that surrounded
the temple where they were staying or being held, she wasn't
sure. She thought back to the events of the morning. Returning
to the site of Ensign Paris' accident, she was surprised to find
a group of natives working to free Tom. She explained that the
injured man was part of their trading party and offered to help
them. She was worried about the large catlike animals surrounding
her officer but as she watched, they slowly rose from their
places around and on top of the pilot and moved with sinuous
grace into the trees, all but the young black one Tom had
rescued. Working together, the two groups labored to free the
injured pilot. Luckily, due to the way they were dressed, the
Voyager team was able to blend in with the natives so well no one
questioned their presence. 

During this time, Janeway learned that the strange animals that
had been laying on the young pilot, were actually sacred to
the H'tuoseud. From what she could understand, the Rocoz, as the
creatures were called, were empathic and their shared body heat
was the reason Voyager's pilot had survived the frigid cold
during the night. It seemed the Rocoz youngster had formed some
sort of empathic link with Tom and had refused to be separated
from him. 

By surreptitiously listening to the H'tuoseud talk, Janeway had
discovered that the natives considered the attention the Rocoz
bestowed upon Tom to be a blessing on their village. As such,
only their priests were permitted to tend Tom's wounds. She had
no way to check on his condition since they were never left alone
with him and Tom's medkit was missing so they had no tricorder.

"Captain?"

"Yes, Mister Carey?"

"I found it."

"Found what?"

"Tom's knapsack with the medkit."

"Is the tricorder still working?"

"Yes,"

"Ask Ensign McNeill to help you distract the priest while I try
to check Tom's condition."

Concealing the tricorder under her tunic, she walked over to her
injured pilot. Keeping a careful watch as the other two
distracted the priest, she slowly scanned the injured young man. 
With the blood and dirt cleaned off, he looked a little better,
but not much. Temperature 38.4 Celsius, fracture of both the
medial and lateral malleoli of the ankle, concussion, three
cracked ribs -- right side, blood seeping from his liver forming
a small haematoma, numerous cuts, scrapes and contusions. It was
even worse than she thought. He needed Voyager's EMH, not a
bunch of native priests chanting over him. 

Janeway knew Tom understood her position, but would he ever
forgive her for the suffering he was going through? In a soft
whisper she told him, "Hang in there, Tom, we'll be back on the
Delta Flyer soon. I'm sure B'Elanna or I can figure a way out of
this mess."

Tom's normally pale face had taken on an ashen hue; sweat beaded
his forehead, but he managed a weak version of the infamous Paris
smile as she gently brushed back the sweat-dampened hair. The
black Rocoz looked at her and blinked its vivid green eyes as if
in approval. Now that she had the information she needed the next
step was to find a deserted area and contact the Delta Flyer, and
talk to the EMH and Lieutenant Torres.

The door opened to admit the H'tuoseud healer into the room to
perform another treatment on Paris. Since Tom had been chosen by
a Rocoz the temple rules demanded that the main treatment was to
wait for their God to cure him. Every two hours the priests would
come to pray over the injured man, while the healer examined him.
Paris went through agony each time the healer handled him and
examined his injuries. He poked, prodded and replaced bloody 
padding but really didn't do much more than burn incense
and tell the young man to trust in the power of the gift.

Janeway had asked the healer if they could give him some type of
painkiller before they handled him and was told no: his suffering 
was a test of his courage and faith. With the sound of the
priests chanting mingled with her officer's cries of agony
echoing in her ears she left the room.

Thirty minutes later she found herself in an abandoned shed and
proceeded to contact the EMH and give him the tricorder results
along with all the information she had been able to obtain about
the H'tuoseud and their religious beliefs.

********************************

Tom Paris' world exploded with pain, God, why couldn't the 
damned witch doctor leave him alone!

<Oh, God! Someone help me.>

Through the waves of pain came the touch, gentle and caring, she
was still with him. Somehow he knew his benefactor was female,
but that was all he was sure of. He could feel the soft warmth of
her body against his, sense her fear. Tom struggled to open his
eyes, to look into her green ones and accept the comfort she
gave.

<Why?> Tom asked, as he had asked each time before.

<Why did you help me, Bright One? Suffer such injury for one you
did not know?>

<But why have you stayed?>

<In the way of my clan, I have chosen you as being worthy of
The Gift. Because you try to hide what you truly are behind a
wall of laughter, does not mean I cannot see into your heart and
know your soul is pure.>

<You're wrong. I have done things, things that...>

<Quiet, you must rest and let the joining bring you ease.>

<Wait! Your name, what is your name?>

<I am called Thrisssh, sleep now.>

As the priests left, the injured man gratefully slipped once more
into blessed darkness where B'Elanna waited in his dreams and
there was no pain.

*****************

*CRASH*

"ghay'cha'!"

*CRASH*

"baQa'!"

"Lieutenant Torres, please contain yourself, this will not help
Mister Paris. I know Tom means a great deal to you but this 
display of emotion is not helping him."

"Doctor, you heard what the captain said. Tom is seriously
injured and she's letting some Denlbya'ngan Qatlh of a priest put
him through hell rather than break her damned 'Prime Directive.'"

"Captain Janeway is doing her best to extract the ensign from
this predicament and as Mister Paris would say, we need to keep
our cool. Why don't you read the information on the H'tuoseud
religion the captain sent us, while I collect some items for
Captain Janeway and write instructions for their use? You might
find something that will help the away team and facilitate their
rescue."

B'Elanna turned to face her console with a whispered:

"petaQ."

"I heard that, Lieutenant." 

*****************

Captain Janeway sat beside the bed where her injured pilot tossed
and turned in agony. Tom had insisted he understood her position
but that didn't make her feel any less guilty. It had been 3
hours and she had not been able to get away again to contact the
Delta Flyer. The pilot had drifted in and out of consciousness.
Calling out for B'Elanna one moment and the next thinking he was
on the holodeck with Harry Kim reliving the adventures of Captain
Proton. But it was the moments of lucidity, like now, that were
the hardest for her. She had finally persuaded the priests to let
her administer some basic first aid to Tom but it was too little
to do more than give him some momentary comfort, they refused
permission for her to even splint his ankle. As she dipped a 
cloth into a bowl of cold water she asked herself again if the 
Prime Directive was worth it. Wringing out the cloth and wiping 
the pale face of her officer she felt like crying, but her tears
would not help Tom Paris, just give her a small measure of
release.

"Captain, Thrisssh is weakening."

Janeway took the young man's hand in hers and asked. "Who is
Thrisssh?"

"My friend, the young Rocoz, she is getting weak. I'm worried
about her. Each time she tries to ease my pain, her voice in my
mind grows fainter."

What did he mean ease his pain? Voice in his mind? It must be
delirium brought on by infection in his wounds. Squeezing the
hand she held, Janeway wiped the sweat from the young face again
and whispered, "Tom, you need to rest and worry about yourself. I
will ask the priests if they can help your friend."

Paris struggled to sit up. "But, Captain, I ..."

*cough*

*cough*

*cough*

The harsh coughs wracked his body and Janeway pushed him down 
on the bed. "Tom, you have broken ribs. You must stay still."
Wiping his lips after a particularly harsh cough, she was shocked
to see traces of blood on the cloth. She had to find a secure
place and contact the EMH before Tom Paris died on the altar of
the Prime Directive. 

"Lieutenant Carey?"

"Yes, Captain."

"If anyone asks, I am going to look for a priest to help the
animal, then I intend to go for a walk in order to meditate. Try
to lower Ensign Paris' temperature with cold compresses and keep
him from moving around too much."

Joe Carey watched his captain stride out of the room, before
moving over to the chair she had placed beside the bed. Dipping
the now warm cloth in the cold water, he gently placed it on the
flushed face. "Damn it, Paris, don't do this to me. If you don't
get busy and get better the Chief is going to break more than my
nose." A soft sound from the sleek black Rocoz drew his
attention, gazing into the intense green eyes he smiled and his
heart felt lighter.

Finding seclusion in small wooded area away from any buildings,
Janeway was about to contact the Flyer when she heard movement
behind her. Turning she found herself facing a larger version of
the Rocoz Tom called Thrisssh. Equally intense green eyes
trapped her in their mesmerizing depths.

<Starstrider, your young one and mine are in danger.>

<Who are you? What did you call me?>

<I am Shrisssh of the Rocoz, Starstrider. You are from the stars
are you not? My youngling has seen this in the mind of your
youngling. She tries to ease his pain but she is too young and
your ways are not the ways of this world. They both weaken.>

<What do you mean, she tries to help him?>

<Thrisssh, my youngling has formed a link with his mind and even
now tries to absorb his pain. For generations my people have
helped the H'tuoseud in this way. Once we hunted each other for
food, then the first joining took place between a H'tuoseud male
and a young Rocoz. The two had formed a comradeship despite the
history of conflict between our clan and the tribe. When the
Rocoz male, who was called Hrissst, found his friend injured in a
fall he tried to comfort him and the nature of the gift was
discovered. Now when the young of my species reach the proper
age, they seek one worthy of the gift and form a link. But
Thrisssh chose too soon, she is too young, that is why she cannot
absorb enough of his pain. What she can absorb is overpowering
her and she weakens.>

<Do you mean some type of telepathic link?> 

<Yes, with the joining comes an empathic ability to absorb the
other's pain. The cub must be sure to choose well because the
link soon becomes permanent broken only by death.>

<But Tom Paris is not really a H'tuoseud.>

<True, so we have no way of knowing if the joining will save him
or if we will lose both. If we break the link within 24 hours
Thrisssh will survive and someday be able to choose again, but
past that time the link will be eternal.> 

<Eternal? What do you mean?>

<Thrisssh would not be able to join with another. As long as
the link is only temporary she has the choice of giving up the
memory of the joining. Thrisssh might one day give the gift to
one who can stay with her. I do not think your youngling would
be happy staying here with our people and Thrisssh> 

<But it has been almost that long already. On my ship our Doctor
can treat En... my youngling and save his life. But there is a
problem.>

<This thing you call the Prime Directive?>

<Yes.>

<This is a good rule but difficult to live by. I am under no such
stricture therefore I initiated this meeting. You intend to
have your healer try to remove your young one's pain while the
two are joined. You must not. Such means might kill my young one.
We have lost younglings in the past when priests used other means
to fight the pain. Sometimes both are lost because of the link.> 

Janeway paled but agreed. She must find a way to remove Tom from
the temple and sever the connection before it was too late. With
a parting glance the Rocoz elder disappeared into the trees.

*beep*

"Captain Janeway to B'Elanna Torres."

"Captain, how is Tom, is he... Is he all right?"

"B'Elanna, he is very ill. I must talk to the Doctor."

The EMH, who stood beside B'Elanna, spoke up. "Yes, Captain, 
what can I do?"

Janeway proceeded to tell the EMH about Tom's condition and 
about the joining. "Doctor, we must get Tom off this planet in
the
next few hours or we may never get him back alive."

"Captain, Lieutenant Torres has been studying all the facts you
have obtained on the local inhabitants. She has a plan that will
incorporate the H'tuoseud religious beliefs without violating the
Prime Directive. It will be at least another hour before we know
if her idea is even possible. On a happier note, she has isolated
the mineral that was the source of the EM radiation interfering
with the transporter signal. It was a localized vein and there is
no trace of the mineral in the area surrounding your location."

"Good work. Now, what is your plan, Doctor? I can't just let you
and B'Elanna..."

"Captain, we don't have the time to waste explaining all the
details but be assured Lieutenant Torres will not proceed if we
are not sure it will work."

"Enough!" B'Elanna interrupted the Doctor impatiently. "We don't 
have *time* for this! I'm going to do this, with your approval or
not. 
You can toss me in the brig for all I care! Just let me save Tom
first!"

*****************

Captain Kathryn Janeway of Voyager paced back and forth in the
room where Tom Paris lay. What good was all her authority when
she could not keep one of her crew from being tormented? It had
only been an hour since she talked to Torres and the EMH, but to
her it seemed like an interminable amount of time had elapsed.

"Captain?"

"What is it, Mister Carey?"

"It's Tom, I mean Mister Paris, he's calling for you."

Turning, Janeway walked over to the bed and sat down on the chair
placed beside it. Damn, Tom looked like hell. How much longer
could he hold out?

The pilot turned his head in order to look her in the eye and in
a voice barely above a whisper said. "Captain, please I can't
take any more. Thrisssh is killing herself trying to help me. I
don't deserve her trust. I don't deserve her sacrifice."

"Hush, Tom, try to hold on a little longer."

"Please, don't let the priest touch me anymore, just let me die."

"Tom, you don't mean that."

"It would be better for everyone. No more Paris screw-ups. Just
tell B'Elanna that I....."

*Cough*

Tell B'Elanna I tried....

*Cough*

The young officer struggled to speak but the coughing robbed him
of his voice. His chest heaved, fighting for each breath. Bloody
froth once more marked his lips.

Janeway placed a hand on the young man's chest to quiet him and
could feel the heat radiating from his body. His fever was
getting worse. "Thomas Eugene Paris, you stop that talk right
now. You are not to even think about giving up and that's an
order." 

Dipping a cloth in the bowl the priests kept full of cold water,
she proceeded to wipe sweat off the ghostly pale face, the only
colour a spot of bright pink on each cheek and two pain filled 
blue eyes. A slight sound drew her eyes to the other side of the 
bed where Thrisssh lay at Tom's side. Green eyes trapped gray 
and she felt the delicate touch of the Rocoz in her mind.

<Why does he hold his value so low? His mind becomes so 
chaotic with memories and regrets that I can no longer speak 
to him. >

<He has made some mistakes in the past that still haunt him.>

<I sense that you are very important to my Bright One, why does
he feel he has lost your trust?>

<In his desire to help save a world from destruction, Ensign
Paris made a choice that brought him into conflict with his
duties on Voyager. I came down hard on him, maybe too hard, 
but I was so disappointed, I felt betrayed. My world was shaken, 
my anger blazed and Tom was its target. We had a special bond 
that I am afraid is forever lost. But he has my trust and
admiration 
still,

<Who is the dark haired female who also fills his thoughts?>

<My Chief Engineer, B'Elanna Torres. They're very close.>

<He worries about her. She is a flame that burns true in his
heart, but I sense their path is not always smooth.>

<B'Elanna is a force of nature and I believe they are very much
in love.>

"Captain Janeway?"

"What?"

"Captain, the priests have brought food, Lieutenant Carey sent me
to relieve you for a bit."

"Thank you, Mister McNeill, but I am not hungry."

"With all due respect Captain, you need to eat and keep up your
strength, Ensign Paris would want you to take care of yourself."

*****************

Stepping into the dining alcove Janeway gave Joe Carey a weak
smile and sat down at the table. "Well, Lieutenant, how's the
food?"

"I never thought I would miss Neelix's cooking, but I wish we
were in the mess hall, listening to Paris ragging on him about
the 
food. Captain, we have to get him out of this torture chamber 
and back to Voyager's Sickbay."

"I understand your feelings, Mister Carey, but we cannot risk
contaminating this culture any more than we have. The impact 
on an emerging civilization could be catastrophic. B'Elanna and 
the Doctor are working on a plan now, we have to trust in them."

"I do, but it is hard to watch him slipping away minute by
minute."

Suddenly a scream shattered the quiet of the room.

"NOOOOO, leave me alone, don't touch me!"

"What the...?"

"McNeill, what's going on in there?"

"Joe, I need help. I can't hold him."

"Stay away from me, you damned witch doctor!"

Throwing off the other man's hold Tom surged up and off the bed
and desperately tried to flee. But in his delirium he had
forgotten his broken ankle.

Janeway crossed the room just as Tom's ankle crumbled under him
with a sickening sound. She tried to prevent him falling, but the
weight of the tall pilot's body dragged her down to the floor,
where she sat cradling him in her arms. Thank heavens he was once
again unconscious. At the sight of the further injury to the
already fractured ankle, Janeway came to a decision. Damn, the
all-mighty Prime Directive! She owed Tom her life and the lives
of her crew many times over.

"Tom, hold on, we are going home." She whispered, knowing he 
was past hearing her.

However before she could call for immediate transport, the
communicator in her hair ornament beeped faintly,
followed by the Doctor's whispered message:

"Emergency Medical Hologram to Captain Janeway. We are 
ready to put our plan in motion. We need to do it with several of 
the H'tuoseud in the room."

"Acknowledged, Doctor. Can you tell me what your plan is now?"

"Sorry, Captain but it needs to be clear to everyone that you are
as surprised as the H'tuoseud priests. Simply activate your
communicator when everyone is assembled."

"Captain, how...how's Tom doing?"

"He's hanging on, B'Elanna, but you need to hurry. Janeway out."

"Mister Carey, when are the priests due to examine Mister Paris
again."

"Less than twenty minutes, Captain."

"Good!" Let's get Mister Paris back onto the bed. Gently the
two men lifted the injured man from her hold and placed him on
the bed.

<You are taking him away?>

<Yes, Thrisssh, we have to do it now, before we lose him, and you
need to break the joining before it becomes permanent.>

<He needs someone who believes in the goodness of his soul.
Someone who will buffer his heart from the pains of doubt.>

<We will discuss this later, if the Doctor's plan works.>

"Captain Janeway, the healer is here with two other priests."

"Thank you, Mister Carey, I will be right back."

Ducking into the dining alcove, Janeway tapped the ornament in
her hair. Suddenly there was a commotion and she heard the
priests chanting furiously. Stepping out of the alcove she was
stunned to see an apparent living version of the H'tuoseud God.
She barely had time to register astonishment when the apparition
moved forward without making a sound and picked up Tom Paris as
easily as she would pick up a child. In a frantic move, Thrisssh
leaped onto the unconscious pilot just as the familiar hum of a
transporter filled the room.

*****************

The H'tuoseud "God" rematerialized in the aft cabin of the Delta
Flyer with Tom Paris in his arms. Gently he placed his burden on 
the shuttle's only small biobed. B'Elanna hurried to take the
injured man in her arms. But she stopped short when a bundle of
black fur snarled at her.

<You will not hurt him!>

"Of course not, I love him."

<Ah, you are the one called, Balane.>

"My name is B'Elanna. Who are you?"

<I am Thrisssh, his friend.>

"Lieutenant Torres, don't just stand there, assist me. I need you
to readjust my appearance. It will not do for my Mister Paris to 
see me in my present guise. I don't wish to subject him to more 
stress."

"Yes, Doctor!"

Working feverishly on the injured pilot, the Doctor managed to 
stabilize him. Now he could work on repairing the battered body,
while Torres adjusted his mobile emitter and attempted to change
him back to his normal appearance. 

<Tell me, dark one, who is this one whose mind I cannot talk to?>

<He's our Emergency Medical Hologram. He's different, but he's an
excellent doctor and will save Tom.>

<He is the one I saw in my Bright One's mind. The being made from
light?>

<Yes,>

*Moan*

*cough*

"B'Elanna I need your assistance. Mister Paris is coming around
and I need you to hold him still while I work on his ankle. The
pain will be excruciating without any sedation or analgesic, but
according to the captain's report, painkillers may be harmful to
Mister Paris' little friend."

"No! Keep away from me," the wakening Tom struggled against the
hands holding him.

B'Elanna tried to calm her agitated lover. "Easy, Tom, it's the
Doctor, he's trying to help you,"

<I will break the link with him now, so you may treat his pain in
your own manner. I can see he will be well cared for.>

"Not Doc, witch doctor! Have to get away."

It took all of B'Elanna's Klingon strength to hold her lover and
prevent him from moving away from the EMH.

"Mister Paris, it's me, the Emergency Medical Hologram, you are
onboard the Delta Flyer. You must lie still while I heal your
injuries enough for you to survive the trip back to Voyager. I
see your head is as hard as ever, but you have developed a nasty
little infection. The osteogenic stimulator we have onboard is
not sufficient to heal your ankle completely, the damage is
severe to Voyager."

Dazed blue eyes looked into the brown eyes of the woman he loved.
"B'Elanna?" he breathed, still not quite believing, in his
disorientation that she was really at his side. 

"Yes, Tom, it's me," she responded. Her smile was gentle and
reassuring. As her fingers lightly caressed his face, Tom sighed
and relaxed, he was home. 

With a weary smile he said: "Whatever you say, Doc. I'll never
complain about your bedside manner again."

"Humph, I seriously doubt that statement, Mister Paris."

While the doctor replaced his instruments in the Delta Flyer's
medkit, B'Elanna helped Tom to a sitting position. Wrapping her
arms around him she hugged him tight.

"Tom Paris, what am I going to do with you? Why is it always 
you these things happen to?"

"Gee, I don't know, B'Elanna. Just lucky, I guess."

<He was injured saving me.>

<Thrisssh, what are you doing here.>

<You are here.>

"B'Elanna, this is Thrisssh, my friend."

"We met earlier, Tom."

Dark eyes met green and B'Elanna felt the touch in her mind
change slightly and she knew Thrisssh was probing her. Rather
than tell her to stop, she opened her mind to the gentle touch.

<You do care for him.>

<Yes, I love him very much. I can never express how grateful I 
am to you, for what you did for him.>

<I only gave him the gift I felt he was worthy of. Our Bright One
is strong and brave, but vulnerable at the same time. I sense I
can leave him safely in your hands. > 

*****************

Meanwhile down on the planet the rest of the away team were as
stunned as the priests. Captain Janeway realized the 'God' must
have been the Doctor in disguise. Only B'Elanna could have
rewritten his programming in such a short time. Judging from the
stunned looks on the faces of Carey and McNeill, they had not 
yet figured that out. Burying her face in her hands to hide her
smile, Janeway appeared overcome with grief.

Joe Carey shook off his shock and moved as if to comfort his
captain. Low enough for only her to hear, he asked, "Captain?
Ma'am, was that who I think it was?"

Janeway could only nod, afraid to trust her voice.

Looking over his shoulder Carey said: "McNeill ask the priests to
leave us alone to grieve for our lost friend."

As the Ensign ushered the priests out of the room they were
babbling in awe and delight. One priest placing his hand on the
young man's arm tried to reassure him.

"Your friend has been granted the greatest of all honours and
while we morn your loss with you, we celebrate the great honour
bestowed on him and through him on our village. 

Several hours later Janeway said farewell to her hosts and the
away team left the village loaded down with gifts. The H'tuoseud
felt their village had been doubly blessed because Tom had been
chosen by their deity. This was the greatest event in their lives
and they refused to take payment for the supplies Janeway had
bargained for.

Trudging down the trail until they were sure they could no longer
be seen by the villagers, Janeway called for transport. She was 
eager to find out how her injured pilot was doing and then plot 
the fastest course possible back home to Voyager.

"Welcome aboard, Captain."

"It is great to be back, B'Elanna. How is Tom doing?"

"I'm doing fine, Captain."

The captain was glad to hear the irrepressible ensign's voice.

"Well, Mister Paris, you are looking somewhat better than the
last time I saw you."

"Turning slightly pink the young man said, I'm sorry for all the
trouble I caused. But I saw the landslide and...."

"And you acted on impulse as usual. But we can put all of this
behind us now. But what about the empathic link? Has it been
broken?"

< Yes, I have severed the link and would return to my family. It
must be a great adventure to travel between the stars as you
do, but my place is here. I will bid you farewell Bright One and
good journeying.> 

Looking into the green gaze for the last time, Tom felt sorrow,

<Thrisssh, what can I say? How do I tell you...?>

<Good-bye, Bright One. Believe in your goodness, in your worth, I
leave you to the care of she who is your other half.>

Forcing a smile, the handsome pilot said goodbye to his friend.

With a flash of green eyes in the direction of B'Elanna Torres
the little Rocoz stepped onto the transporter pad and vanished in
a sparkle of light as B'Elanna transported her down to the
planet.
Within moments the Delta Flyer was headed home to Voyager.

*****************

Two Rocoz sat in a clearing looking up at the night sky.

<Little One, why did you lie to them? You did not sever your
link completely so you could clear your mind of him and one day
bestow the gift on another.>

<No, I did not. The memories are too precious to surrender. I
would have journeyed through the stars with him if fate had meant
for me to do so. But he has her, his soul mate, she will guard
his gentle heart and wounded soul.> 

    Your memory floats in my mind like the night breeze 
    The gentleness you hide behind your many jokes
    The pain of a soul battered by the storms of life 
    Laughter and joy when you think of your loved one
    How you risked injury or death to save a stranger
    I will never forget my bond with you, Bright One.

With one last look at the night sky Thrisssh and her mother
disappeared into the trees.

*************************

On a distant speck in space called Voyager two lovers slept their 
bodies entwined. And if occasionally a gentle trilling crossed
the blond man's subconscious and brought comfort against dark
thoughts who did it harm.

The End

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