Captains log, Stardate 48316.8, Acting Captain Thomas Eugene Paris recording.

Acting Captain? I still can't figure out how *that* happened. None of the crew even like me, let alone trust me. Problem is that the command crew, what was left of them after Voyager got hauled into the Delta Quadrant anyway, is in a coma. That Lunatic the Ocampa call a ‘Caretaker' should learn to clean up his own damn mess, instead he sticks me and Voyager with a dead first officer, a comatose Captain, and no one except an ex con/ex maquis/ex fleeter with *any* knowledge of command protocols. Stupid computer wouldn't turn the command codes over to Rawlins because he didn't attend command training at the Academy, and without those codes you can't run a ship for any length of time. Somewhere out there my father just felt a shiver climb his spine and is wondering why it feel's like someone just walked across his grave I'm sure. Still at least my ‘senior staff' seems to have some trust in me, a couple of them even like me... well one of them anyway. Let it be noted that the following officers deserve commendations, hopefully not posthumously, should these records ever reach Starfleet.

Ensign Harry Kim, for performing above and beyond the call of duty to rescue Captain Janeway from the Caretaker's Array.

Lieutenant (Jg) Christopher Rawlins, for Commanding Voyager under extreme circumstances and aiding in the rescue of two Starfleet officers, one maquis engineer, and three Civilians. Myself included.

Lieutenant Joe Carey, for his handling of the ships Engineering department after the death of the Chief Engineer.

Ensign Jetal, for handling the bridge position of Ops in the absence of Harry Kim. A position, for the record, well beyond her normal duties and responcibilities.

And finally Crewman Sawra for handling the position of Chief of Security in the absence of whoever the hell was supposed to be handling that job. The computer still won't tell me that particular secret.

"Computer, pause log."

Tom Paris let out a long breath and sank back into the chair of the Captains ready room, slowly massaging his temples as his head pounded at the whirl of events that had swept him along. A week ago he had been rotting in the New Zealand penitentiary, working on a random piece of equipment just to pass the time when *she* had arrived. Command Red, Strong voice, and certain other attributes that he couldn't help but notice. And offered him away out. Out. The word had sounded so sweet a week ago, but now he seemed destined to be spaced by the inevitable mutiny that was coming. That bitch Janeway had hauled him out of a relatively comfortable prison just to seal his death warrant in the bloody Delta quadrant of all places. After all, its only a matter of time before they hack the Starfleet codes and don't need me anymore. And I don't have any friends in this crew to protect me, Harry aside. Tom's thoughts were decidedly glum as he thought back to the events of a few days ago.

* * *

"A graviton beam might disperse the wave." Cavit was trying to look confident but Paris just shook his head silently and wrapped his arms around the rail he had decided to secure himself to. This was going to get very rough.

"Do it."

Paris almost told them off right there, he had seen the navigation screen over Stadi's shoulder and he knew they weren't going to evade this one with some half baked graviton beam. Someone had aimed that wave at them, of that he was sure, there is no way in hell that Voyager just happened to be dead center in the waves path with no way to out maneuver it.

"No effect!

He ignored the yell and simply dropped to the floor just as he heard Cavit scream "Brace for impact!"

Then everything went black.

When the world swam back into existence Tom groaned and tried to focus. Voyager's bridge was in shambles, the air was filled with smoke and instruments were sparking from the overloads caused by the impact of the displacement wave. But the first thing he really took any note off was Captain Janeway lying on the ground in front of him with Cavit crumpled in a heap at her side. Pulling himself over to her he reached for her throat, checking her pulse with two fingers.

"Paris? Tom? What happened?" Harry Kim was pulling himself from behind his Console his eyes widened as he looked around the bridge and settled on his new friend taking his new Captains pulse, "Tom! Is she?"

"She's alive. Barely," He didn't bother to spare a second glance at Cavit, the way the man's head was twisted Tom knew he was already gone, tapping his combadge he called, "Paris to Sickbay, get a team up to the bridge Immediately. The Captain's injured, I think she has spinal injury and a possibly concussion."

"Sickbay?" Paris hit his badge again, trying to contact Sickbay,

"Harry, is the Com system down?"

"Uh, no. Its still good."

Paris looked over at Kim sharply then back around the bridge, finally spotting a crewman picking herself up off the floor, "Crewman, get over here and escort the captain to Sickbay. Harry we need that Viewscreen online NOW."

"Yes Sir. Uh I mean... well I," Kim was flustered, he knew Paris wasn't an officer but he certainly *sounded* like one.

"Now Harry. And screw the Sir stuff. I'm not Starfleet, just trying to stay alive for another day."

"Uh right Tom. Viewscreen coming up."

Tom was kneeling beside Stadi when the Crewman arrived at the Captain and tried signaling for an emergency beamout, "Harry get them to Sick bay ok?"

"Right. On their way."

Paris didn't look back when he heard the transporter beam behind him, instead he closed Stadi's unseeing eyes with one hand and slid her clear of the conn, taking her place as the viewscreen finally came online.

"Harry what the hell is that?" Paris found himself staring at a huge station of some sort, twisting in space and firing some energy weapon constantly out into space.

"Its a space station," Harry winced at Paris' sharp glance, he should have known that Paris would have known *that* much already.

"Alright then, what's with the energy discharges? Is there a ship out there that its firing at?"

Harry's hands flipped over his console, trying to get the sensors back online, "there is a ship out there, I can't get an ID on it but its not the Stations target, those energy bursts are being directed to a planet in a nearby system."

"Ship? Get an ID on it."

"No transponder, trying to get a clear shot of its markings but its twisting just out of range."

"No sweat, that I can fix," Paris tapped in a few commands into the panel in front of him, "Warp engines offline, Impulse... also offline, well at least we have thrusters."

Voyager's thrusters flared and the nimble vessel moved through space toward the drifting ship.

"Got it, its the maquis vessel we're chasing! The Liberty!" Kim's voice lost its excitement when he noticed something else, "She's empty Tom, dead in space."

Paris just stared at the maquis vessel, a few months ago he would have been on it, "Scan the array Harry. Look for human life signs. Or Bajoran for that matter."

A thought occurred to Tom at that point, "Harry, where exactly are we? I don't know about you but that doesn't look like any space station I'm familiar with."

Sheepishly Harry called up the star charts and set the computer to comparing them to their recently acquired scans of the local area, a moment later the response was on his screen and he blanched white, "Tom? According to this we're nearly 70,000 light-years from the badlands. We're in the Delta Quadrant."

"What?? Check that again!"

"I did, several times already. That displacement wave tossed us across two thirds of the galaxy."

Paris sank back into the seat. This was well over his head, he needed some serious help.

"Paris to Sickbay."

"Yes?" The voice sounded annoyed at something, probably pissed off at Paris for something.

"Is the Captain going to be ok?"

"I don't know. Now if you'd kindly let me get back to work."

Paris just said fine and closed the connection. Looking back at the bodies behind him he slumped a bit further in the chair, the Captain was severely injured, the first officer was dead, who was left?

"Harry, who's third in Command?"

Harry just looked back at him with a helpless look on his face.

"Computer, who is third in command of Voyager?"

The computer paused for a long moment, giving Tom and Harry the opportunity to look at each other quizzically, before droning its answer, "That information is classified."

"Classified? What the hell do you mean classified?!?"

"That information is classified."

Tom looked over at Harry, who shrugged and tried himself.

"That information is classified."

"Computer, who classified that information?"

"Captain Kathryn Janeway."

"Great, just bloody beautiful," Paris cursed silently but passionately in five languages before continuing.

"Computer, who is next in line of command on voyager?"

"Lieutenant Mackenzie."

"Location of Lieutenant Mackenzie?"

"Lieutenant Mackenzie is in Security."

"Ok, that's something. Paris to Lieutenant Mackenzie."

There was a long pause before a response came through, "This is Ensign Delaney, Mackenzie's dead. He was caught in an explosion down here."

Tom gave up, "Harry, get some people up here to fill the empty stations,"

Maybe harry will have some luck with that blasted computer, Tom tried to forget about the annoying computer and focus on the massive station floating beside them for a moment before he heard a strange sound and spun around, only to find that Harry wasn't there any more, then was swept up himself some type of transporter.

By this time the only moving thing left on Voyager was an extremely annoyed hologram saying, "Doesn't anyone know how to turn the program off?"

* * *

Tom Paris looked up from his reverie to the terminal that was waiting for him to continue.

"Computer, continue recording."

Voyager entered the badlands on Stardate 48313.4 to look for the missing Maquis ship and was hit by a displacement wave that swept the ship almost 70,000 light-years across the galaxy. We arrived next to ‘the Array', a huge space station that was the cause of our unexpected 'trip'. The caretaker, the entity that controlled the Array, transported the Entire crew of Voyager, and presumably the Liberty to the Array for genetic testing, initially placing us in a holographic 'waiting room' before beginning the tests. When we were returned to Voyager we found that we were missing two crewmembers. Harry Kim and Kathryn Janeway had been taken by the Caretaker.

* * *

"Paris to Sickbay"

"Sickbay here, where did everybody go? And why has the Captain not returned for treatment?"

"She's not there Doc?"

"No she is not here."

"Computer, how many crewmembers are unaccounted for?" Paris was hoping that Kim and Janeway were simply displaced.

"There are two crewmembers missing."

"Damn. Doc, how many people you got down there?"

A brief pause then, "Fifteen, why?"

"Any fit for duty? I need somebody at tactical and at Ops and I need them now."

"I'll check," Another pause, "I'm sending Crewman Sawra and Ensign Jetal."

"That's great Doc, thanks," Paris relaxed a bit, "Do you have anybody from the command staff down there?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

Tom sighed, "That's ok Doc, just keep healing the casualties and wish us all some luck."

Paris could have sworn he heard the Doctor mutter something about subroutines and luck but decided not to ask. "Bridge to Engineering."

"Carey here."

"Carey, you in charge down there?"

"Yes sir. The chief is dead Sir, we're still running damage control down here. We'll have Warp drive in thirty minutes. Impulse is already online."

"Good work Carey. Are you or anybody else down there command rated?"

"Uh, No... Why?"

"Never mind, just keep up the good work and get the Warp drive back online ASAP."

"Yes Sir."

Paris started cursing and didn't stop until the turbolift opened and Sawra and Jetal stepped onto the bridge. His eyes followed the attractive brunette who stepped over to the Ops station, "Jetal?" he asked hesitantly.

She eyed him coldly, "Yes."

Paris decided he's better play this careful, "The Captain and Harry Kim weren't sent back with the rest of us. Scan the array and try to find them."

He could see the young woman swallow as her eyes flared with a touch of anger but he ignored it, at least she was doing what he asked. A moment later she looked up and shook her head.

"Damn."

A flashing light dropped Jetal's attention back to her board, "There's another ship out there and its powering up its engines."

"What? That's the Liberty. Hail them."

"No response."

Paris cursed for a second in french, "Scan them see if the Captain and Kim got sent there by accident," He moved quickly to the helm and plotted a pursuit course.

"They aren't on that ship, at least their combadges aren't. I'll try to scan for their DNA."

"Sawra can you get a tractor lock on the Liberty?"

Sawra just scowled at his controls and shook his head, not looking up.

"Pursuit course laid in, I'm going to engag-"

"They aren't there Paris."

Tom looked up at Jetal, "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure!" Anger fired in her eyes, who was he to question her?

"Alright. Any Ideas where they are?"

"How should I know?"

Paris shook his head, this wasn't getting him anywhere.

"Sawra, Contact security, have them break out some phasers and meet us in the Transporter room."

Sawra looked at Paris for a long moment, making Tom think he might disobey, "Alright. Lets go."

* * *

The Caretaker was less then helpful, refering to us as a ‘minor bipedal species' and talking about responsibilities and debts. He then became agitated and sent us back to Voyager with a wave of his hand. Ensign Jetal, luckily, had continued working in our absence.

* * *

"Well that was useful," Sawra was standing with the rest of the security detail on Voyagers Bridge where the entity had unceremoniously dropped them.

"We're going to have to go back. We can't leave them over there."

Two of the security guards nodded in agreement with Paris, but the other two looked to Sawra as if waiting for the order to arrest the convict who had taken over the bridge.

"What good does that do us? The Entity will just beam us back here."

"I don't know but considering the circumstances I'd rather take that chance then just abandon Harry and Captain Janeway," Paris was getting as pissed as Sawra now and it was beginning to show.

Ensign Jetal decided to break up the conflict that was growing, "They might not be on the Array. Those Energy bursts are directed to a planet in a nearby system, they seem to be some type of power transfer... the entity could have piggybacked a transporter signal on them."

Sawra frowned, "Sounds like a hell of a longshot."

Paris agreed privately but it was a shot at least, "We'll take it. Worst case scenario we come back here and ask the entity again."

Paris was already across the bridge, keying in the course to take them to the planet. He heard one of the guards whisper something to Sawra about the brig but relaxed when Sawra shook his head and waved them off the bridge, stiffly taking the tactical station.

"Engineering to Bridge."

Paris slapped his badge, "Bridge here, go ahead Carey."

"We just got the Warp drive online, keep it under warp three for now though ok?"

"Good work Carey. Thanks."

"No problem, Carey out."

Paris keyed was about to go to warp whe he noticed a debris field coming up and stopped, turning back to Sawra his eyes fell on Comander Cavit's body.

"Ensign, get somebody up here to clean up the bridge and have the casualties transported to Sickbay."

Jetel didn't respond, just entered the commands into her station, moments later Cavit and Stadi's bodies were swept away in a sparkling blue beam.

"Sawra, how are the shields? If we have to cross that field I want to have a saftey margin."

Sawra looked at him then bent to his console, "Shield strength is at ninety percent, we can handle the field as long as you dont *crash* us into something."

Tom just turned back to his board, seething underneath and itching to say something he knew he'd regret later, but he also knew that Sawra had good reason to distrust him. Dammit, he himself had just told Harry that he ‘wasnt a good luck charm'. Luckily for Tom even he couldn't figure out a way to blame *this* mess on himself. He could take Sawra's remarks and Jetel's looks if they just listened to him long enough to get Harry and the Captain back.

Between Jetal's work with the transporter and three crewmen from ships services the bridge was actually fairly clean by the time they arrived at the debris field. Paris guided the ship through the field slowly, treating the controls with deliberate caution since Engineering hadn't had time to check them out fully yet. Less then halfway through Jetal attention was again drawn to her board.

"There's a ship in here."

"The Liberty?" Paris asked, calling up evasive manuevers in case the Maquis had decided to take their chances.

"No, too small for that. A bit larger then a shuttle, probably a small freighter from the looks of it."

Paris made a descision, "Hail them."

"Onscreen."

Paris and the others watched a curious looking alien stare at them through the viewer for a moment from a rather peculiar angle, the alien then reached out and began twisting the screen upraight while he was talking, "Whoever you are this is MY salvage. I found it first."

Paris fought to hold in the laughter that was threatening to erupt from him, "Uh we're not interested in your ‘salvage' mister..?"

The alien's demeanor instantly changed at that, "Neelix. And since your not interested in my salvage I'm very glad to meet you."

* * *

It was at this point we learned that the entity in the array was called ‘the caretaker' and were able to enlist the aid of the freighters owner a Mister Neelix in exchange for, of all things, water. Neelix informed us that a people known as the ‘Ocampa' would most likely have our crewmembers and that he might be able to help us contact them. He was rather sketchy about the whole deal though and I asked Crewman Sawra to keep an eye on him for the duration of his stay.

With Neelix's ‘help' we located an encampment of a species he called the Kazon and transported down to negotiate with them. Neelix was again vague on what exactly we were negotiating for. The Kazon were less the enthusiastic to see Neelix again, as he had apperantly ‘borrowed' some water from them at some point and was only now returning to pay them back.

* * *

"Mr Neelix here has informed us that you might be able to help us find a species known as the Ocampa?"

The Kazon looked at Paris speculativly, "Ocampa? She is Ocampa," he roared with a sweeping gesture toward a badly bruised young woman standing by some buildings.

"Why would they interest you? They make terrible slaves, they live only ni-"

Paris interrupted him there, "How much do you want for her? I'm interested in purchasing her from you."

Paris didn't see the startled looks on his companions but heard an indignant sound from Neelix's direction and motioned to Sawra with his hand behind his back to keep an eye on their new ‘guide'.

The Kazon Maj was looking at him aprovingly, "I'd be very interested in the technology you have that makes water from air."

Paris frowned, "I'm afraid its not that simple, we don't actually create water in the manner Neelix described. His understanding of our technology is limited."

"Still I find it very interesting."

Paris decided on another Tact, "I'm sorry but that beaten girl over there isn't worth that to us."

Three gasps were heard behind him, plus one angry yell from Neelix, Paris growled under his breath and spun on Neelix.

"Sawra, have one of your people take *Mr* Neelix back to the beamout point and wait for us."

Sawra looked undecided for a moment then reluctantly ordered one of his men to escort, the now struggling, Neelix away.

"Now back to business?"

The Kazon looked at him incredulously for a moment before laughing out loud, "Indeed, I will part with my Ocampan trespasser in exchange for the water you brought as demonstration. But I will to speak with you further about that technology."

Paris looked at him, uncertain whether the Kazon was threatening him or trying to strike a bargaining point, "Agreed. In the meantime however I must interrogate the Ocampan about the whereabouts of my people."

"Of course. But we will meet again."

* * *

Back on Voyager things turned ugly quickly.

"Starting your own Harem Paris?"

"Shutup Sawra, we need to talk to her, and to do that we needed her out of there."

Paris and Sawra's ‘discussion' was interrupted by Neelix screaming from outside the transporter room, "You bastards can't have her! I should have known better to trust you people!"

Neelix's cries grew quieter as the security man forced him down the hall and Paris turned back to the small Ocampan woman they had just ‘bought', "Are you alright?"

The young woman shrunk back from his outstretched hands ever so slightly, barely moving but obviously avoiding his hand.

"It's alright, just follow me and we'll get you some medical help. Come on," He spoke softly trying to get her to trust him, he was altogether unprepared for her reaction.

"If you think I'm going to trust you after the way you treated Neelix your insane!" The timid little woman was suddenly gone and a iron will had taken her place, Tom had to smile.

"I figured you two knew each other, Neelix's reactions on the surface seemed out of place for the free trader he claims to be. Come, we'll get you some medical attention then we'll go talk to Neelix and see if he's calmed down enough to listen."

They entered Sickbay only to find it completely empty.

"What the? Where's the Doc?"

Sawra growled, "Computer activate EMH,"

"Please State the nature of the Medical Emergency."

Paris looked around around in confusion, "What happened to the CMO?"

"He's dead. Sickbay took a hell of a hit, we lost the entire medical staff. Two doctors and three nurses."

"Great, this damn trip keeps getting better and better doesn't it?"

The Doctor meanwhile had taken note of the battered face of the young Ocampan and had ushered her to a biobed and begun treatment, "I assure you, whoever you are, that I am a well trained Doctor and am versed in the highest levels of Federation medicine."

Paris blinked at the Hologram, Did I hurt its feelings?, "I'm sure you are Doc, and I'm sorry for doubting you. Is our guest here going to be alright?"

"Discounting the fact that I'm a Doctor not a fortuneteller and the fact that I have no data on her species I believe so. The bruising and abrastions are superficial, and she doesn't appear to have any internal damage," the doctor spoke in clipped sentences as he ran a dermal regenerator over the young woman's face and neck.

"Paris to Security."

"Security here," Paris winced at the tone in the creman's voice.

"Has Mr Neelix calmed down yet?"

Over the comlink Paris could hear Neelix shouting various threats and the occasional word that the universal translator garbled, Paris guessed he was cursing. The translator was never good with cursing.

"Never mind, just escort him down to sickbay. Someone here wants to speak with him."

Paris acknowledged the response and closed the channel, turning to Sara he asked, "Sawra could you and Jetal try to find a command line officer. I'm getting sick of this."

Sawra looked at him in surprise and nodded, heading out the door, tapping his badge as he went.

"Five milligrams Cordrazine."

Paris turned back to the Ocampan woman, automatically handing the doctor a hypo in the process.

"Miss uh...?"

She just glared at him, still angry but apparently softening since this time her glare didn't make him feel like crawling under the nearest rock.

"Fine, We'll wait for Neelix," Watching her carefully Paris saw her face soften even more, and he knew that bringing Neelix was the best descision.

When Neelix was brought in Paris saw a moment of indecision on the little man's face, he was torn between going for Tom's throat or going to the Ocampan's side. Tom was very glad when the expression of adulation swept across the little guy's face and he strode to the woman's side.

"Kes my darling, I'm so glad your alright. I only wish I had been able to get you out of there without getting you into more trouble,"

This last was snapped out with a glare in Tom's direction.

"Relax Neelix, and you as well Kes. Your both free to go, but I do hope you will help us contact the Ocampa so we can rescue our missing crew."

Kes apeared mollified by Tom's assurances but Neelix was still holding onto his anger, "Then why did you have me *drug* of by your goon?"

Paris almost chuckled when the ‘goon' stiffened at Neelix's words, "You were going to blow the deal Neelix. What was your plan anyway? Start a firefight to pull her out of there?"

Neelix at least had the sense to looked a little downcast, "I hadn't thought very far ahead."

"Obviously not," Paris replied dryly, "In the future I hope you inform us before you consider starting a firefight that involves any of my people."

Paris didn't notice the look on the security officers face when he bit out the words ‘my people' in cold anger at Neelix. The crewman quickly hid his look of surprise and stepped back slightly, watching Paris intently for a moment.

"Uh, yes of course. I'm sorry Mister Paris."

"No harm done Neelix," Paris looked between his two guests, breathing deeply, "*this* time. Now if we could get down to the buisness at hand? I really need to know where our missing crew members are."

"The Ocampa live beneath the surface of the planet Mr Paris, we don't have any way to get down there now since the tunnels I knew about have been blocked by now."

"Please call me Tom, and I don't think that will be a problem. We can simply beam down. Doctor? Is she fit to be released now?"

"Of course," The EMH seemed vaguely insulted at that.

"Ok, we'll head up to the brdige and see if we can find this underground world of yours," Tom stopped in mid turn and looked back at the doctor with a somber expression on his face, "Uh Doc, did Starfleet give you medical authority in situations like this?"

The holographic Doctor looked at Paris strangely, "Mister Paris I seriously doubt if Starfleet had the Delta Quadrant in mind for *any* of its policies."

"I know that Doc, I meant about having lost our entire medical staff?"

"Oh. Yes I have the neccesary command codes and subroutines to handle the extended duties of the CMO for a limited time," Paris could have sworn that the doctor looked embarrassed.

"Good. Doc your going to have to start entering the Casualties into the ships computer. Leave the Captain and Kim as MIA until further notice. Oh and Doc?"

When the doctor looked up from the Pad he had started working on Paris continued, "Good Work. Thanks."

The hologram was still staring at the door a full minute after Paris had led the ship's ‘guests' and the security crewmen out.

* * *

I left Leutenant Rawlins in charge of Voyager while Sawra, O'neal, Neelix, Kes, and Myself transported through the breach in the barrier Ensign Jetal was able to locate using ships sensors. The Ocampans were friendly but, for the most part, uncooperative concerning the fate of our missing crewmen. It was the commonly held belief that their fate was in the hands of the Caretaker and interference would be an insult to their 'god', for lack of a better word.

Still with the help of Kes we were able to locate the facility they had been treated at and we confirmed that two of them, a timid male and a very angry female had been there but had vanished shortly before our arrival. At the time I was heartened to hear that The Captain was back on her feet and apparently healthy enough to be pissed. We split up the away team to speed the search, finding them proved simple enough but getting to them was another story.

* * *

"Paris to Sawra."

"Sawra here."

"I found them, they're on their way back to the surface, call for transport back to Voyager and I'll head up the hard way to make sure they're safe."

"Acknowledged, Sawra out."

Paris was just starting to climb the winding stairs when the ground quaked and he was thrown down, "What the hell was that?"

A moment later his badge chirped, "Sawra to Paris."

"Go ahead."

"The Caretaker is firing on the planet, Voyager says he's sealing the energy conduits. They can't beam us up, too much interference from the blasts."

"Damn. Alright, follow us up the stairs, We'll wait for you at the top. Cantact me if you have any trouble."

"Alright, Sawra out."

Paris began quick timing it up the stairs, Neelix and Kes following behind him. Several minutes of exaustive exercise later he caught a glimpse of two figures moving above him.

"I see them!" Paris got his second wind and pushed on faster to catch up with his quarry.

Finally arriving on the same level as them he recognized Kim immediately and smiled brightly, "Harry Harry Harry, Getting swindled by that Ferengi wasn't enough for you?"

Kim smiled back at him, obviously tired, "Nope. Figured I'd give em some work in Sickbay too."

Paris laughed until he caught sight of what Harry was showing him, there were growths on his wrist and neck.

"Damn Harry, you do know how to get into trouble don't you. Is the Captain alright?" Paris's gaze rose from his friends injuries to the figure he had assumed was Captain Janeway only to find himself staring into the eyes of a very beautiful young woman.

"Captain? She's not with us Tom. Isn't she on the ship?" Harry's voice had taken on a note of urgency.

Tom looked grim, "No, we never got her back from the Array. Looks like we'll have to go knocking on the Caretaker's door again."

Paris eyed the woman who was sitting beside the tired Ensign, "half Klingon right?"

Tom barely acknowledged her nod, almost losing himself in the flame of anger he saw in her eyes, "Then your probably heavier then our dear Ensign here if he were soaking wet. Kes, you and Neelix help Harry."

Paris leaned down and caught the half klingons arm and pulled her up,bracing her against him he started up the stairs ahead of the others. Tom was trying to concentrate on the task at hand but the woman's presence at his side was suddenly occupying a fair portion of his attention. Luckily a short time later they reached the top of the stairwell and entered a rocky tunnel, which was blocked a short way in by an energy field.

"Don't touch it!" Kes was adamant, "We're told it can burn your skin off."

Not needing to be told twice the group proceeded through a small gap in the field one by one, only to fnd themselves at a dead end a short distance further along. Paris examined the readings from his tricorder, trying to determine their distance from the surface.

"Neelix, your phaser."

Paris and Neelix took careful aim and fired at the ceiling of the cave, vaporizing a sizable section and exposing the open sky to their view. Neelix boosted Tom up so he could climb out then he pulled Neelix up after him. Between the two of them they evacuated the small cave in a few minutes and contacted Voyager.

"Mr Paris, glad to hear from you. We lost contact with Sawra and O'neal about ten minutes ago, are they with you?"

Paris cursed under his breath before responding, "No they're not, Beam everybody but me aboard and have them taken to sickbay for examinations."

"Aye."

Neelix looked at Paris incredulously, "Your not going back down there are you?"

Looking helplessly between the determined Paris and the love of his life Neelix quickly made a descision, "the fool needs company," he gave a resigned shrug.

"Correction Voyager, Neelix is also staying behind. Beam the rest directly to Sickbay."

"Sickbay, Aye. Good luck... sir."

"Thanks Rawlins, keep em safe. Paris out."

Tom and Neelix dropped back into the cave and started back down the shaft, looking for the two wayward cremembers they had left below. By the time they found Sawra and O'neal another tremor from the Caretakers guns had shaken the stairwell loose, leaving Sawra in a very delicate position and O'neal too badly injured to be of much help.

"Neelix, get O'neal to the surface. I'll help Sawra."

Neelix pulled a very pale O'neal to his feet and began the upward trek with the shaken crewman leaning heavily on him. Paris took in Sawra's position with a glance and began to gingerly lower himself within range to reach the dangling security guard.

"Save yourself Paris, this section is going to give."

"I don't think so Sawra," Paris gave him a wicked smile, "I kinda like the idea of you owing me something. Besides I might need a body guard once the dust settles and everybody on Voyager realize who's been giving the orders lately."

Sawra chuckled, a dry rasping sound that worried Paris. Tom grabbed the dangling mans arm and slowly hauled him bodily to the upper platform, pausing only once to resecure his grip and grab Sawra's other hand. A few minutes later the two of them were clambering back up the stairs and through the tunnel, finally being pulled clear of the cave by Neelix.

Exhausted Paris limply slapped his combadge, "Paris to Voyager, four to beam directly to Sickbay."

Paris didn't even hear the acknoledgment, just felt the tingle of the beam sweep him away as the desert world faded from sight and was replaced by the familiar look of a starfleet sickbay. The first sight that greeted him was Ensign Kim and the half Klingon beauty lying on biobeds with the doctor busily working over them.

"Doc I think Sawra's got problems with his lungs," He helped the Crewman to another biobed and initiated the beds scanners.

"I'll thank you to leave the diagnosis to me *Mister* Paris," The EMH strode over and basically shooed him from the room, "You look healthy enough to me, get out of here and leave medicine to the professionals."

Standing outside sickbay Tom felt a sudden wave of anger sweep over him, replaced almost instantly by a self mocking laugh that echoed through the corridor. He didn't let that last long, clamping it solidly under his mask of control he strode to the turbolift and called for the Bridge.

"Ensign Jetal, did you have any luck finding out who exactly is in command of this bucket?" Paris strode onto the bridge, concealing his reactions to the glares that greeted him.

Jetal glared at Paris, "Leutenant Rawlins is next in line of seniority."

"Excellent," Paris turned to Rawlins, "Sir, I have to report that the Captain wasn't in the Ocampan habitat. Ensign Kim says that she was never sent there."

Rawlins looked at Paris with a strange look on his face, "Where is she?"

"Probably never left the Array Sir."

"I see. So what now?"

Paris looked at Rawlins oddly, "We go back and ask the Caretaker again. I mean, I think we should go back."

"Alright then, lets do it. Plot us a course back to the Array."

"Yes Sir."

A short time later Voyager smoothly glided in on aproach to the Array, the entire bridge crew staring in aprehension at the small swarm of vessels Neelix had identified as Kazon shuttles and mid range craft.

"Their hailing us."

Rawlins seemed to stop for a moment, deliberating, "Onscreen."

The Kazon Maj Tom had spoken to earlier stared back at them from the viewer, scowling around the bridge of Voyager until his eyes centered on Paris.

"Paris! Fascinating vessel you have. Are you here to investigate the caretaker's strange behavior as well?"

Paris locked eyes with the Maj, "No, we intend to rescue one of our missing crewmembers the Caretaker has apperantly decided he wants to keep."

The Maj watched the eyes of the others standing around the room Paris was in, taking in their reactions. One of them, a female standing back and to the right behind some console, was glaring at the back of Paris's head as if trying to kill him with looks alone. Another in the same position but to the left of Paris simply looked disgusted, if he could read these peoples faces at all. Judging from these two the ship was not under solid leadership, if any of *his* officers reacted that way around him he would have them killed. It was the man in the gold uniform behind Paris that bothered the Maj however, he had almost responded instead of Paris but seemed to relax when Paris relieved him of the responsibility. The color's of their uniforms was intriguing, every one but Paris was wearing gold. The Maj shook his head and decided to leave the problem until later.

"I'm sorry Tom Paris but I have no intention of allowing anyone with your level of technology to board the Array," He hoped the Voyagers wouldn't call him on this, at least not until his backup arrived. He had a distinct feeling that it would be a bloody battle.

"We don't leave our own behind. Interfere with us at your own Peril Maj," Paris tried to guage the Kazons determination, "Be warned, hostile acts now will most definitely affect any future relations you might have been contemplating."

Taken aback the three people behind Paris just stared at him blankly, telling the Maj considerably more about any so called future dealings then he thought Paris would have liked him to know.

"That would be unfourtunate, but it doesn't change my position Paris,"

The Kazon clipped the the signal and sent the attack order to his‘fleet'.

"The Kazon are coming in on attack vectors!" Jetal anounced as the Kazon shuttles vectored in on them.

"I'm plotting some combat maneuvers now. Tactical, get a lock on the ship the Maj is on, lets see if he likes being under the gun. Rawlins we've got to get somebody over to the Array to look for the Captain."

Rawlins was looking around the bridge when Paris heard a familiar voice, "I'll do it."

Tom risked a quick glance behind him, "Harry get back to Sickbay, your not up for a mission like this."

"Maybe not, but I am a section chief and I'm going to do this."

Paris gave up, he had more imortant things to do then argue, "Fine, take a security detail with you."

Kim nodded and left the bridge quickly, not really understanding why he was arguing for permission with Paris of all people. Meanwhile Paris found himself struggling to evade the attacks of smaller and more manueverable vessels while trying to give the crewman at tactical the best possible shots at the flitting ships.

"I've locked onto the vessel you designated Mr Paris, He's holding back, just around the apex of the Array."

Paris smiled, he'd figured that would happen, "Alright, lock onto any targets of opportunity and fire at will. I'm going to try to dance us over there and give our dear host a tap on the shoulder."

Voyager twisted and dodged the flitting kazon vessels, following no apperant pattern but always winding up a bit closer to the vessel the Maj had communicated from. Two Kazon shuttle were destroyed in rapid succesion by phaser fire from Voyager when Paris flipped the ship around and flew directly at the massive Array.

"Paris!"

Tom ignored Jetel's scream as he pulled out, looping Voyager around a girder, and popping up cleanly behind the Maj's ship.

"Lock tractor beams on him, and take out his shields and weapons."

Pinpoint fire from Voyager shattered the smaller vessel's defencive capabilities and a tractor beam immobilized it. Tom was certain he was imagining it but he thought he could see hesitation in the flight patterns of the other ships already but the illusion was shattered when the crewman at security was forced to open fire again, disabling a Kazon shuttle that had made a charge to free his Maj. Paris decided to press home the advantage while he still had it.

"Hail our dear Maj."

The Kazon looked more then a little harried when he finally responded to the hail, "What do you want Paris?"

"Call off your ships. We just want to get our crewman in peace, and hopefully convince the Caretaker to send us home."

Paris had him and he knew it, "Alright. I'll call off the assault. For now."

The signal cut, Paris turned to Jetal, "Ensign, I don't like that ‘for now' he added. Scan for incomming ships."

Jetal bent to her console, "You called it. They have backup incomming, about three minutes away."

"Damn. Paris to Away team."

"Kim here."

"Your going to have to hurry, the Kazon have reinforcments arriving, ETA less then three minutes."

"We've got a signal from the Captain's combadge, I think we can get to her in time."

"Go. Paris out."

Paris looked over the sensor readings passing through his console,

"Jetal, is that incoming ship as big as it seems to be from here?"

"Yep. Looks like the Kazon's are calling in the big Guns, we should be flattered."

Paris cracked a wry laugh, "I would be but I have my doubts if they called them for us. I think they're making a play for the Array."

"Whatever," For a moment Paris thought he heard a smile in Jetal's voice but it certainly wasn't evident on her face when he turned.

"Tactical, arm the photon torpedo's. We might have to buy Harry and the others some time ."

There was no responce but Tom saw the arming lights apear on his display. The minutes ticked by as they watched the Kazon battleship close while they waited for word from Harry.

"Whoa! The array is starting to build up a massive energy load!"

Paris didn't say a word, he just lept over his own chair and rushed over to Jetal. One look at the readings was all he needed, "Jetal get our people out of there NOW. Pull power from any system you need, just punch through the interference."

Paris was back at his seat punching in an escape course before anyone could question him.

"Somebody patch me through the intercom!" Paris paused a moment while his order was carried out, "All hands, this is the bridge. Prepare emergency high speed maneuvers and possible concussion."

Paris looked back at Jetal who was becoming frustrated, "I cant get through! The interferance is too strong."

"Alright, lets get as close as possible, maybe we can get under the field."

Voyager broke from its position, slipping closer and closer to the Array as Paris guided it in on thrusters. At five hundred meters the nerves on the bridge had become tangible, he could hear muffled curses and even the crakling of tendons from Rawlins grip on the Captain's chair. By the time he had hit one hundred meters even he was sweating, a ship Voyagers size wasn't meant to manuever this close to anything without a dozen computers and at least three tractor beams guiding it.

Fourtunatly for the sanity of the crewmembers on the bridge at twenty meters Jetal let out a yell.

"Got them! Paris the energy buildup is reaching critical!"

"Send the Kazon a warning! We're out of here," Tom's hands flew across the board, activating his preset program with a single touch and then immediately began entering the minor adjustments to the subroutine that were inevitably required.

Voyager lept to warp eight, hurtling clear of the Array as it exploded. Tom watched with the rest of the crew as the huge Kazon mothership dropped from warp directl into the blast radius of the explosion and was caught in the shockwave, literally shattering under the pressure. A few of the smaller ships had escaped but not many, and Voyager was well out of their range before Tom reduced speed to warp three and adjusted course in the general direction of the alpha quadrant. Turning from his post he eyed the people manning the bridge.

* * *

I couldn't believe it. The oldest of the three people who had just manned the command stations of Voyager with me couldn't have been more then twenty years old. Rawlins may have been a leutenant but he had obviously entered Starfleet from one of the junior officer training corps. Jetel and the security man at tactical looked like they were in their teens, I suppose that explains why they listened to me rather then chucked me in the brig, they were just kids. Not that I'm an old hand at this but I have at least six years on Rawlins, all I could think at the time was how glad I was that we got the Captain back. Shows what I know.

I excused myself from the bridge and headed for sickbay, hoping to speak with Captain Janeway. I wasn't prepared to find her on the Biobed next to Kim, motionless and very pale.

* * *

"Doc, is she going to be alright?"

The EMH glared at Paris for a moment before returning his attention to Janeway, "I don't know, I've repaired the spinal injury but the blow she took to the head has caused swelling. I don't suppose you know what exactly hit her?"

Tom looked at the doctor quietly for a moment, "I think it was Commander Cavit. He was running across the bridge when the shockwave hit us. The Captain, she leaned forward for some reason. The Comander was flung into her by the impact."

"That would explain my earlier examination of the Commander. The impact was fatal for him. The Captain appears to have been somewhat luckier."

Tom's attention was drawn to movment from the Captain's bed and then her weak voice as she struggled to say something.

"Leute... leutenant commander... Tuvok, where?" Janeway's face relaxed suddenly and she lapsed back to sleep.

"Doctor? Who is Lt Commander Tuvok? I was checking the ships registry and he's definitely not listed."

"I do not know Mr Paris. Perhaps simply a friend?"

"Maybe," Tom was unconvinced, it would have to be some friend for her to be thinking about him at this point.

* * *

The Captain lapsed into a Coma shortly afterwords, and I can't seem to find any record of a Leutenant Commander Tuvok in the starfleet records, so I havn't been able to decipher the Captains words. Two days passed before we managed to figure out who all had survived the encounter with the Caretaker, not because there were that many casualties but rather because the head of Voyager had been rather neatly snipped off. I was, however, shocked to learn that we had actually managed to pick up some crew a short while later. Both Neelix and Kes expressed an interest in joining us, at least for a short while, on our voyage home. I think we may have picked up a valuable resource in Neelix but its difficult to tell. His type rarely knows quite as much as they think they do, but then again that goes for most of us.

* * *

Neelix stepped into the room that Mr Kim had identified as Voyager's briefing room, a quick glance around uncovered Tom Paris concentrating fiercely on one of Voyager's computer terminals. The young man was apperently oblivious to his entrance, only looking up when Kes daintily cleared her throat.

"Uh Tom?," Kes spoke hesitantly, the last time she had a chance to speak with this man she had underestimated him and treated him rather badly.

Paris looked up and smiled brilliantly, his warm expression taking both of his visitors by surprise, "Yes Kes?"

"We uh... Well," Kes broke off, uncertain how to continue.

Neelix decided to help her out, "We want to go with you," Not that I'm entirely certain why. No one but Kes could talk me into this foolhardy an act.

Paris looked at them blankly for a moment, "Go with us? You do understand where it is we're going don't you? Not to mention how long it'll take us to get there?"

"We do," Kes seemed enthusiastic enough, "and we want to be a part of your Voyage."

"Not that I wouldn't welcome your company," Kes' face fell at Tom's words, "But this is hardly a cruise ship. We won't have time for passengers."

Neelix jumped in, indignant, "We wont be passengers! We'll be valuable colleagues."

"Colleagues," Paris repeated, rather stupidly in Neelix's opinion.

"Yes! You need a guide? I'm your man. A cook? You havn't lived until you've tried my Anglebask. I'll make it my duty to anticipate your needs before you have them," Neelix grinned, "And I anticipate your first need will be... Me!"

When Paris grinned back at him Neelix relaxed, his love was going to get what she wanted. Although he had trouble understanding what she saw in these people. Sure they had some nice technology, but they were infuriatingly reckless and altogether to cavalier about life. And this Paris individual was the worst of a bad lot from what he'd seen, a walking hormone factory that he would have to watch every minute of every day to protect Kes. Neelix sighed, But what my love wants, my love will get.

Paris looked between the two, "Sounds like a great arraignment to me Neelix," Neelix beamed, "Why don't you ask Lt Rawlins? He'll have to make the descision."

Neelix and Kes looked at each other in confusion, "Then why did he and Harry tell us to ask you?"

Tom looked at them blankly for a moment, considering what he had just heard. ‘This isn't good. No, not good at all.'

* * *

That conversation left me with some very serious questions. After assuring Neelix and Kes that they had my blessing if they wished to join us I immediately went to confront Ensign Kim and Lt Rawlins concerning my situation on Voyager. I found, to my chagrin, that Rawlin's position as senior officer was somewhat shakier then Ensign Jetal had led me to believe. He was assigned to Voyager as an extension to his academy training and had no real place inside the Voyager command ranks. Additionally he had entered the Academy as a Lieutenant via one of the officers training programs, as I had suspected earlier, and had yet to complete his second year at the Academy. Ensign Kim was the only senior officer left and he hadn't completed command training so the computer adamantly refused to release the command codes to him despite the best efforts of the Doctor and the remaining crew. Leutenant Rawlins was scheduled for Command schooling following Voyagers shakedown cruise, but was obviously going to have to settle for some serious on the job training. For two days it seemed like a serious impass since without the Command codes Voyager would eventually be reduced to a paralyzed vessel because even standard maintanence couldn't be accomplished without certain command authorizations. Ensign Kim was working on cracking the codes but hacking wasn't his specialty, which is ironic since it was Kim who finally figured out a way around the computers refusal. Much to my shock.

* * *

"Computer, are there ANY officers on board that can assume the command of Voyager in the absence of the Captain?"

"There are no Starfleet personnel with the necessary training."

The small group was growing increasingly frutrated, Kim had tried everything he could think of but the computer wouldn't release the codes. It wasn't a serious short term problem but in the long run the command codes were vital to the continued operation of the vessel.

"Maybe we should just forget about getting the computer to release the codes for now and try to hack through them," Joe Carey had reported to the bridge from Engineering when he had been stonewalled by the computer during his repair attempts.

"Thats an option, lord knows every species in the galaxy seems capable of overriding the first couple layers of security codes."

A low chuckle rippled through the room, Kim's sarcastic comment stemmed from the stories passed around the academy whenever some hostile group or another commandeered a starship.

"Wait a minute, wait just a damned minute," Kim's comments snapped the attentions of the others in the room, Paris, Carey, and Sawra looked on expectantly.

"Compuer, you said that no Starfleet personnel were capable of assuming the command codes?"

"Affirmative."

"Is there anybody on board capable of assuming the command codes."

"Thomas Eugene Paris has the neccessary training."

The room was silent for a moment before Tom yelped out, "What? but I'm an ex-con!"

Kim was looking over some material, "Doesn't matter Tom, there's an old regulation here that actually covers this... well sort of. Its almost two hundred years old, hasn't been used in almost that entire time. It specifically allows discharged officers to take command of a vessel if they are the only person with the command training. And it doesn't make any distinctions about *how* the officers were discharged."

Paris fell back into his chair, "You have got to be kidding me."

"Sorry no. Computer transfer command codes to Tom Paris."

"Wait a minute! I never said I would-"

"Tom we don't have a choice. You can just enter the codes for Rawlins if you want but we need access to those codes."

* * *

So I find myself officially in command of Voyager. More or less. The crew is largly hostile, and only Rawlins, Kim, and Sawra tend to listen to me even now. I don't want to think about whats going to happen if we encounter hostiles with this kind of rift between command and the lower decks. Lord knows i can't blame them, I'm not much of a Captain... hell I wasn't much of a Leutenant when i wore the pips. That truth was driven home a few minutes ago.

* * *

"Tom, where's Torres?"

Tom looked at Harry blankly for a minute, he didn't know any Torres did he?

"The Maquis who was with me on the planet."

Tom looked surprised, how did he manage to forget her?

"I don't know Harry, lets find out," Tom spotted Sawra, "Hey Sawra come over here for a sec."

The big security man walked over smiling amiably, "Whats up?"

"You know where that maquis woman we picked up on the Ocampan planet is?"

"Sure, she's in the brig. She's been there since the Doctor finished with her."

Tom and Harry looked at each other in shock, Tom snapped out of it first "Come on you two lets organize a jail break."

Sawra walked behind the two, somewhat puzzled, "Why are we going to let her out? She's Maquis."

"Come one Sawra, whats she going to do? Bomb Cardassia prime?"

Tom laughed at Harry's joke, "If she can figure out how to get Voyager there to do it I'll authorize the torpedoes. Think about Sawra, we can't keep her in the brig for 70 years."

Reluctantly Sawra had to concede the point, Voyager's brig was definitely not made for a long term stay.

* * *

B'Elanna Torres was prowling her cell, pacing to and fro behind the electrostatic field like a caged beast. The security officer sitting behind the desk outside had long ago retrieved a phaser from the arms locker to help quell the shivers her glares had sent up his back.

'Locked up. Should've know this would happen, but like this?!?'

B'Elanna growled deep in her throat, she should have guessed that Starfleet would hold a grudge even this far from their precious Federation. 'Thats not fair, afterall I am a terrorist. A danger to their ship and crew.' Torres almost laughed out loud, holding it in simply because she was worried the security man might stun her he was so nervous. Considering her history and genetics she'd probably be more of a threat to the crew if she had remained in Starfleet, by now her temper probably would have claimed several victims. That train of thoughts quickly took its toll. For three days she had been avoiding this, channeling her anger against Starfleet, Harry Kim, Voyager itself... and most often against the blue eyed blond that had helped her through the Ocampan tunnels. Now though her, not inconsiderable, rage was deflected inwards to batter her already weak defences.

* * *

Entering the Security office the trio was struck by the depressed image the Maquis presented, "Come to gloat Starfleet?"

Kim was too toungue tied to say anything so Paris spoke up, "Actually we're here to break you out."

Torres looked at the lopsided grin the blond man flashed her and straightened, "Why? Isn't this your mission?"

"I tell you what Torres, You promise me you wont kill any Cardassians until we reach the Alpha quadrant and We'll let the mission go screw itself. Deal?"

Paris heard a snort from behind him but wasn't terribly clear on who was laughing, the hesitant grin on *her* face was consuming his attention.

"Deal."

"Good, Sawra release the field. Say Maquis, whats your full name?"

The field came down and the woman stepped out, "B'Elanna Torres."

"B'Elanna Torres? Chakotay's pet klingon?" Paris's voice was very low, the words meant for himself alone but Torres fist striking his jaw served to notify him that her hearing was above average.

From flat on the ground Paris opened his eyes, blinking the stars clear, to see Harry and Sawra trying to manhandle the furious woman back into the cell.

"Wait, wait. I deserved that," Paris painfully hefted himself up and gingerly worked his jaw, "I'm sorry Ms Torres, I was just thinking aloud. Thats what a lot of the Maquis called you when Chakotay recruited you."

The two men hesitantly released the shaking woman, watching her carefully, "How do you know that?"

"Because I was in Chakotay's cell for a short while," he winced, "I'm Tom Paris."

"The traitor," B'Elanna's voice was ice cold.

"I never betrayed the Maquis. At least not until I agreed to help Janeway look for you in the badlands," Paris responded with an equally cold voice, "And quite frankly I think that I'm going to pay for that betrayal for a good long while."

B'ellana apeared somewhat mollified but still stared at him with contempt in her eyes, "Whatever. Do you know where the Liberty is?"

"No they cut and run several days ago ago. Probably thought we were going to try and take them in."

Tom watched her wince when he said 'cut and run', he didn't blame her for it either. Chakotay had left her for dead, not that the man had much choice of course. He did have a crew to protect. "We'll keep an eye out for them. For the moment we're on course for the Alpha Quadrant, They'll probably do the same. In the meantime you're free to move about the ship, but do me a favor and don't start swinging everytime somebody says something to insult you. It'll be a very long trip for both of use if you can't keep at least some of that temper in check."

Tom saw Harry wince as B'Elanna flash him an knowing glare and wondered what that was about, but shrugged it off, "Oh, one other thing. Stay clear of the Bridge and Engineering for the time being unless you have a security escort. Last thing I need right now are a bunch of complaints about security breeches, right Sawra?"

Sawra grinned at him, "Right."

"Harry, why don't you help Ms Torres find some quarters. I have a log entry to make."

* * *

Tom Paris slumped down in the Captains ready room and activated the terminal.

Captains log, Stardate 48316.8, Acting Captain Thomas Eugene Paris recording...