Emotions Series 02 Basic Emotions Read online

  left the room.

  "I don't like this," B'Elanna said as she put on the jacket.

  "I don't either," Tom agreed, zipping up his jacket.

  A moment later, they felt the sensation of being transported.

  When the feeling cleared, the couple instantly felt the biting

  wind. They wrapped their arms around themselves as the snow fell

  around them.

  "We materialized in a blizzard!" Tom shouted bitterly.

  "Let's get out of here!" B'Elanna yelled, "We have only a few

  minutes before that Hirogen shows up."

  Tom nodded as he took her hand, and headed off in an unknown

  direction. The two could barely see anything, thanks to the heavy

  snowfall. They just hoped the hunter was going to have a rough

  time as well.

  At that moment they heard Wotrel shout, "I am coming for you,

  prey!"

  The couple looked at each other, their faces betraying their

  fear. They trod faster through the deep snow. Barely getting

  anywhere, yet hoping they wouldn't run into the hunter.

  "Where are you prey?!" Wotrel's yell came to their ears, "You

  can't run forever!"

  Tom tripped in the deep snow and would have fallen if B'Elanna

  hadn't caught him. He whispered his thanks and they continued on.

  "It's freezing!" B'Elanna growled as her teeth chattered.

  "Nice of you to notice," Tom answered, his own teeth chattering.

  B'Elanna glared at him, "Shut up, you! Let's keep moving."

  Tom looked at his wife. She appeared to be in the first stages of

  frostbite. His own hands and feet felt very cold as he trod

  through the snow. He rubbed his hands together then blew on them.

  He looked over at B'Elanna as she blew on her hands.

  "Feeling any deja vu, yet?" Tom asked, lightly.

  B'Elanna stared at him darkly, "This is worse, Paris. We weren't

  in a blizzard last time."

  Tom nodded, "I know. We also weren't being chased by a

  bloodthirsty hunter, either."

  "I can smell your fear, prey!" Wotrel's voice came to their ears,

  "You will make fine trophies on my wall!"

  At that, Tom grabbed his wife's hand and took off at a dead run.

  He did not want to know where Wotrel was. He wanted to get as far

  away from the hunter as possible.

  "Tom, stop!" B'Elanna said after awhile, "I'm tired! Slow down!"

  "We can't, B'Elanna," Tom mentioned, "If we do, that Hirogen will

  win. There's no telling what he'll do."

  "Let's at least rest, Tom!" She pulled him to a stop. The force

  of the pull caused him to loose his balance. He fell, splaying

  his arms and legs, toward the ground. He stared up into her eyes

  filled with concern.

  "Are you all right?"

  "Yeah, the landing was soft. Care you help me up?"

  B'Elanna smiled slightly as she helped him to his feet. The two

  then continued on, hoping they weren't heading toward their

  pursuer.

  Chapter 12

  Hours later, Tom couldn't feel his fingers or toes anymore. He

  put his hands under his arms to warm them. He began to curse the

  Hirogen for not giving them gloves. He looked over at B'Elanna.

  Her face was pale and her eyes were drooping. She also had her

  hands under her arms.

  "Want my jacket, Lanna?" Tom asked, concerned that she might be

  experiencing hypothermia.

  B'Elanna looked at him. He could see the frost forming on her

  eyebrows. He suspected that his face also showed signs of

  frostbite. Her expression showed signs of lethargy.

  She shook her head, "You need your jacket, Tom."

  "You need it more than I do, B'Elanna," he said, starting to take

  his jacket off.

  "Tom," she said, stopping to stare at him, "you'll die without

  it! I couldn't stand to be alone in this without you. I'm fine

  with just my jacket." Tom was about to protest, but a dark

  glare from her kept him quiet. He nodded and put his arms around

  her, just as he did when they were lost in that frozen habitat.

  He just wished they could be transported from this habitat as

  well. He knew better, though. The only way they would be beamed

  away was at sunset. They would also be beamed to their cell

  instead of Voyager. *Anywhere is better than here,* Tom thought

  as he led B'Elanna further into the blizzard.

  Suddenly, he felt B'Elanna go limp. He stopped and stared at her.

  He grew alarmed when he saw her eyes closed. He shook her

  sharply.

  "Come on, B'Elanna!" He shouted, "Wake up!"

  He continued to shake her until her eyes flew open, and she hit

  him across the face.

  "Stop shaking me!" she shouted, ignoring the shocked expression

  on his face. Tom smiled as he rubbed his cheek, "Welcome back,

  B'Elanna. Let's keep moving."

  "Tom," B'Elanna said, sitting down in the snow, "can we stop for

  a bit?"

  "No, B'Elanna," he said, forcing her back on her feet, "We have

  to keep moving. For your sake and our children."

  The mention of their children sent a new surge of adrenaline

  through her body. She nodded, grabbed his hand, and led the way.

  *That's my girl,* Tom thought as he felt himself becoming drowsy.

  He shook his head, and tried to keep up with the fast moving

  engineer.

  * * * * * *

  The two were now walking arm in arm, trying to share each other's

  body heat. B'Elanna was walking slow, her eyes barely open. She

  felt light headed and numb all over. Being chilled to the bone,

  she barely felt Tom's arm around her.

  She stumbled several times, nearly bringing Tom down with her.

  She mumbled her apologies each time, though he said nothing.

  Tom kept looking at B'Elanna ever so often to see if she was

  still with him. Her face was extremely pale, her breathing

  was shallow. Tom knew he had to keep them moving, and keep her

  close to his body.

  Suddenly, Tom heard a deep growl. Knowing it didn't come from

  B'Elanna, he stopped in his tracks, quickly looking around. He

  strained eyes and ears, to see or hear what new danger was coming

  their way.

  Tom heard the growl again. Spinning around to face a pair of

  glowing yellow eyes glaring at him, the owner of the eyes soon

  walked into his view. He gasped in fear at the huge creature that

  stood before him.

  *Gods, what is that!?*

  Before him was a huge cat-like creature. It was black with white

  stripes. Its fangs protruded from it's mouth like a Prehistoric

  Smildon. Its tail was long and thick as a snow leopard's.

  The creature growled again and took a step toward them. Tom

  backed up, keeping his wife behind him. He knew the creature

  could sense her weakened state, and would attack them at any

  moment.

  "Nice kitty," Tom said softly, "Stay right there. That's a good

  kitty."

  The cat hissed, causing Tom to jump. He closed his eyes and

  sighed. He then sensed B'Elanna fall to the ground. He spun

  around to get to her. At that moment, the creature decided to

  pounce. It roared as it launched itself at them.

  Suddenly, a shriek pierced the calmness of the habitat. Tom />
  looked up to see the creature fall to the ground dead. He looked

  around to search for their savior, but saw nothing. A moment

  later, he heard a rumbling. His heart leapt into his

  throat as he realized what that was.

  *Avalanche!* His mind screamed.

  "Come on, Torres! Get up!" He shouted as he lifted her to her

  feet. He then lifted her into his arms, and tried a run for it.

  Before long, the rolling snow caught him and lifted him off his

  feet. It took him and B'Elanna for a ride before it buried them

  deep in snow.

  Chapter 13

  Tom Paris slowly opened his eyes. He stared at his surroundings

  to find himself in the Hirogen's infirmary. He closed his eyes

  again and sighed.

  *I never thought that I'd miss Doc and Sickbay,* he thought, *but

  I do."

  "It's a wonder you two survived, if Wotrel hadn't killed that

  beast you two would have been his supper. But, Wortrel's greed

  for relics cost him his own life."

  Tom nodded, thinking that if Wotrel hadn't been so greedy both he

  and B'Elanna would probably now be dead.

  "I healed your wounds, human," the Hirogen doctor continued

  gruffly, "I'm having trouble with your companion, though."

  At that, Tom's eyes grew wide. He sat up, fear in his eyes. He

  ignored the throbbing in his head as he asked, "Where is she?"

  Brizat moved aside to show B'Elanna lying on a bed across from

  him. She was deathly pale and showing signs of extreme frostbite.

  The Hirogen stared at Tom.

  "I can't heal her," he said, "her injuries are too extreme for

  our instruments."

  "Let me go to the shuttle, Doc," Tom said desperately, "There are

  instruments there that can heal her. Please, I need her. I love

  her!"

  Brizat stared at him, "Love her?"

  Tom nodded, "We're mates. We have two children back on Voyager.

  They'll never see their mother if you don't let me get the

  regenerators!"

  Brizat looked from Tom to B'Elanna then back again. He nodded and

  the pilot sighed in relief.

  "You will come with me," Brizat said.

  Tom looked up, shocked, "I'm not leaving her alone."

  The Doctor saw the desperation in the pilot's eyes, but also the

  fear of leaving his mate. Finally, Brizat said, "I don't know

  your shuttle. I don't know what your equipment looks like. You

  will have to show me."

  Tom thought for a moment then nodded, "Lead the way," he said as

  he jumped off the bed and followed the doctor.

  * * * * * *

  Tom punched in the access code to the shuttle. The door hissed

  open, and he stepped in followed by Brizat.

  Once inside, Tom went to work to look for the medkit. In his

  search, he went to the bed, and came across the picture of the

  boys. He stopped and picked it up. He stared longingly at the

  image. He touched each face as he fought back the tears.

  "What do you have there?" Brizat asked, going to him. Tom wiped

  a tear off his face. He gave the picture to the Doctor, and

  continued his search.

  Brizat looked at the picture, and saw the two children. They

  looked very much alike, except for their hair and eyes. He looked

  back at the pilot and said, "They are your offspring?"

  Tom stopped his search to look at him. He then nodded, "They're

  twins. They're only eight months old."

  Brizat stared at the picture and replied, "Twins are almost

  non-existent among Hirogen. You are fortunate."

  Tom nodded as he rejoined the doctor. He held in his right hand a

  small rectangular box. He lifted it toward Brizat as he said, "I

  found the medkit. Let's go."

  Brizat didn't move, but stared passed the much shorter human. He

  jutted his chin toward the bed.

  "Do all your shuttles have such beds?"

  Tom turned around to look at the satin covered bed. Memories came

  flooding back to him, and he instantly felt a need to return to

  B'Elanna.

  "No," he answered sadly. "Our crew arranged for this shuttle to

  have a special bed. It's for our honeymoon."

  "Honeymouse?" Brizat asked, cocking his head to one side.

  The pilot smiled slightly and shook his head, "Honeymoon. It's a

  tradition among humans for a mated pair to go on a special

  vacation .. ah.. trip to...uh...celebrate their...union with one

  another. This planet was supposed to be our honeymoon spot."

  Brizat looked at the bed then back at the sad human, "I'm sorry."

  Tom stared at him, stunned at this Hirogen's apology. He gave the

  doctor a small smile, "Let's get this to B'Elanna."

  Brizat nodded and followed Tom out of the shuttle.

  * * * * * *

  Several minutes later, Tom was telling Brizat about B'Elanna's

  past.

  "Her father left her?" The doctor asked.

  Tom nodded, "She never knew why. She believed it was because she

  was too Klingon."

  Brizat stared at the engineer as Tom finished healing her. Tom

  then scanned her.

  "She's healed," the pilot announced after a moment.

  "Lodar should be informed, so she has time to recover."

  Tom smiled and nodded, "Thank you. I'll stay with her if you

  don't mind."

  Brizat agreed, "You can tell me how you became mates."

  Tom blushed and looked at B'Elanna. He then smiled and said,

  "This could take awhile."

  "We have all day."

  Tom nodded, took a deep breath, and began, "It all started with

  an engagement party..."

  Chapter 14

  The Captain and Chakotay stood outside of Tom and B'Elanna's

  quarters and pressed the annunciator button to announce their

  presence.

  "Alera, will you get that? I'm trying to change Kyle." Harry

  asked as he struggled with the easy-one-step diaper.

  "I hope you remembered to cover his . . ."

  "Argggh!"

  Alera shook her head at the sound of Harry's scream as she

  reached the door and signaled it to open.

  "Ahhh, welcome Captain, Commander," Alera said as she bade them

  to come in. "Please have a seat, ummm Harry should be along

  shortly."

  "Good evening, Ensign," Janeway said as they walked past Alera

  and sat down on the sofa. "What's Harry up to?"

  "He's...ah...trying to change Kyle."

  Harry hearing the commotion from the living area came out with a

  giggling Kyle tucked under one arm and a squealing Lucas under

  the other. "What's going to out here Alera. . oh good evening

  Captain, Commander."

  "Harry, it looks like you've got your hands full here why don't

  you give me one of the little angels," Kathryn Janeway offered.

  "And I'll take the other one," Chakotay spoke up.

  "Besides, Harry," Janeway added noticing the streak of wetness

  that ran from his left shoulder down to a mid-point on his chest.

  "I think you might need to change."

  Harry Kim blushed a deep shade of red as he handed little Lucas

  to the Captain and Kyle to her First Officer. "You're right,

  Captain, little Kyle has a deadly aim. I'll be right back."

  Harry retreated back to the back bedroom an
d changed while the

  little boys gurgled and cooed at the senior officers.

  It wasn't long before all four adults were seated in the living

  area while the Captain and Chakotay played with the little boys.

  "You know Harry and Alera, these are two of the best behaved

  babies I've ever seen," Janeway said as she tickled Lucas under

  the chin which elicited a huge grin which displayed some newly

  acquired teeth.

  Chakotay bounced little Kyle on his knee as he had seen his

  father and uncles do to his little cousins -- all babies seemed

  to like to be bounced.

  Chapter 15

  It had been approximately four hours since the Hirogen had beamed

  Tom and B'Elanna back down to a desert area on the surface of the

  planet to begin their third hunt. This time they were clad in

  loose tan shorts and tops. They had been allowed to bring some