Redemptions of the Heart

By Oprelia

Rating: PG-13

Code: P, J/P

Category: VOYAGER

Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance

Beta: H. Louise

Spoilers: Worst Case Scenario, Scorpion Part One, Collective, Child's Play

Disclaimer: STAR TREK: VOYAGER and all its characters contained within this story are owned exclusively by Paramount Pictures Corporation. No copyright infringements are intended.

Author's Note: Tom's relationship with the Admiralty is borrowed with permission from The Undead Begonia's 'Assumptions' story which can be found on JuPiter Station. I highly recommend that story.

Chapter Twelve

This Is Tommy Calling Pathfinder

*****

Tom was still smirking when he arrived outside Seven of Nine's domain; the Astrometrics Lab. Advancements in the hyper-subspace technology, coupled with the upgrade of the MIDAS Array had allowed the team at Pathfinder to extend the time that a stable wormhole could be maintained. A series of powerful emitters were attached to the MIDAS Array during the upgrade, allowing the Pathfinder engineers the ability to direct multiple tachyon beams towards the quantum singularity. The resultant effect was that the trans-galactic comm. link could now be active for a full eight hours every standard day.

The party that spread around the ship, which occurred after the news of the success lasted all throughout the night and into the morning. There were lots of requests for a hangover cure in the hour preceding the start of Alpha Shift the next morning. His father was instrumental in the research and upgrades to the Pathfinder Project. His singular determination to succeed in increasing the comm. time to Voyager resulted in the completion of the research and upgrades well ahead of schedule.

Realising the importance of the conversation that was about to occur, Tom gathered his thoughts before striding through the doors. Inside he saw Icheb silently working on the consoles.

"Good afternoon Icheb," he greeted the young man.

"Hello Tom. Welcome back. I had wanted to see you back earlier however sickbay was off-limits and Seven of Nine suckered me into staying here so she could serve you your soup," Icheb said as he hugged the pilot.

Tom couldn't help but laugh at the term the young Brunali used.

"I see that you have been watching more of my television programs while I was away," said the bemused pilot as he returned the hug. He had missed the young man while he was absent. He had been giving Icheb advanced piloting lessons these past few years and he had also taken the task of getting Icheb to loosen up. The results were clear to see.

"Yep. I have found this antiquated form of entertainment quite different to the interactive holodeck programs. I have found it very relaxing to sit down and watch the television programmes you have given me. I do not have to interact with the characters and I'm not required to make informed decisions to the direction of the story. I have enjoyed watching the television but you must not tell Seven. She will say that it is an inefficient use of my time on an archaic form of entertainment. She would tell me that I should be using my time on less frivolous endeavours, even though she enjoys other forms of entertainment with the Commander which are just as frivolous," Icheb said while he anxiously waited for Tom's reply.

"That's all right Icheb, your secret's safe with me. I can already see that the vernacular has rubbed off onto you." Tom reassured him.

"No way!" said the disbelieving ex-drone.

"There you go. You did it again. First it was 'suckered', then it was 'yep'. Now it was 'no way'. I don't think that you should worry about it too much. You are adapting. Becoming less Borg. That was the reason I asked you to watch them in the first place" Tom explained.

Icheb had actually come a long way in his social development than Seven. Part of the reason was that he was teaching the young man instead of the doctor. While the Doc was good at teaching Seven, he just didn't have the depth and experience to be able to relate to the young man. It was for those reasons that he took Icheb under his wing. Sort of like an older brother to a younger brother. Icheb had no family left after his parents had sent him back to the Borg. When he had found out the true motives of Icheb's parents, he had felt horrified that Icheb's parents would sacrifice him not once but twice. They did not realise they had lost such a unique and special individual from their cold hearted actions.

He did not want Icheb to feel unloved like he did when he misunderstood his father's feelings and actions towards him so he made sure that he would spend time with Icheb, make sure that he interacted with the crew. His generosity and kindness towards Icheb during his darkest hour, when he was still mourning the loss of his wife and child, made people fully realise the inherent goodness that Tom had. The crew saw the strength that he possessed when he helped a young man to feel loved and welcomed while he needed help himself. His actions drew silent praise and approval from everyone on the ship, even those who treated him with indifference because they were still prejudiced towards him due to his history.

His musings were cut short when Icheb spoke again.

"Tom, why are the Borg on board. Are they going to reassimilate me? I have not been able to hear any conversations from the Hive Mind since they boarded the vessel and Seven said that she could usually hear the Collective when they were in the vicinity. I believe that they have disabled our interlink frequencies to the Collective. Both Seven and I have not been able to hear the Collective during their entire occupation of our cargo bay," he explained.

Icheb did not want to be reconnected to the Hive. His time spent on Voyager had been unforgettable, especially the times he spent with Tom. He really enjoyed the piloting lessons and the holodeck programs that Tom created for him. He would do just about anything to remain an individual.

"I don't think that we are privy to the true reasons the Borg have for being on Voyager, Icheb. However when I was with the Alpha-Prime, he was nothing but kind to me," said Tom.

"The Alpha-Prime is here? On Voyager?" the astonished youth asked. Even he knew of the Borg classified as the Sovereign, the most important Borg entity in existence. Its presence aboard this vessel was a significant honour and a matter of utmost importance. The knowledge of the Borg that he had retained since being liberated from the Collective included the knowledge of the existence of the Alpha-Prime, the Sovereign that contained the vast repository of the Borg's assimilated knowledge.

"Yes he is and he has control over the Collective after the last Queen died. Only the senior staff knows of his identity and of his presence on the ship so I must ask for your discretion," Tom said. He knew as a Senior Officer, he could order Icheb to remain silent but since he befriended the young man, he knew he could trust the youth with his life.

"I understand Tom. I will not disclose this information to anyone. I will treat it as 'Top Secret' and so it is strictly confidential. Only the boss, or in our case, the bosses will know," Icheb said with a wiggle of his right eyebrow. "Should I disclose the information, I'll replicate for you the axe myself. Now I know that you didn't come to Astrometrics to chat. What can I do for you Tom?"

"You're getting better with those words Icheb. I need to contact Pathfinder. My father will be anxious to hear from me," Tom said as he suppressed a chuckle.

"All right. So it will be a message from Tommy calling Pathfinder," Icheb said with a smile as he moved over to the side controls to initiate the signal. The large view-screen in Astrometrics suddenly changed to the view of Pathfinder and Reginald Barclay's face.

"Lieutenant Commander Paris, how relieved I am to see that you are well" Barclay said, relief evident on his tired face.

"Hi Reg. How are you?" Tom asked when he saw the engineer who was responsible for the success of the Pathfinder Project.

"I'm much better now that you have been found. What happened?" Reg asked.

"I don't think that I'm allowed to discuss our missions with you Reg. I believe that it will be up to Starfleet Command to decided whether or not I'm allowed to divulge our missions. You should know that Reg!" Tom replied exasperatedly.

"Yes, you are right. I'm just glad that you are safe that's all. Are you trying to contact Admiral Paris?"

"Yes Reg, is he there?" Tom asked. His father was usually there to supervise the only link between the ship and the Federation.

"I'm afraid not Tom. He went to report your recovery to the Admiralty personally. I must say that this past month we have been quite anxious while we followed the news of the search for your shuttle. We were all overjoyed when we received word that you had been recovered, only to be quite worried when word came that you were very ill. How were you cured?" Reg babbled. He was so happy that his superior's son was healthy that he forgot to stutter.

"I apologise for putting you all through this," Tom said, ignoring the last question. "I didn't realise that you would all be worried about me. I'm sorry to cut this conversation short but I must speak to my father. May I be connected to him please?" Tom asked.

"Certainly. Thanks for talking to me Tom, and on behalf of the entire Pathfinder team, congratulations on the return of your health," said Reg.

The screen changed to say "Transmission Redirected" and a few seconds later the screen changed into a room with a long table dominating the centre with twenty seats filled with some of the most influential people in Starfleet.

"Dad!" Tom greeted his father with emotion.

"Tom! I'm so glad you're all right. How are you? Commander Chakotay's report was quite brief," said Admiral Owen Paris.

He stood up from his seat to greet his son and everyone else in the room followed his example.

"Yes dad. I'm better now. Kathryn and the Doc made sure of that," was Tom's reply as he moved towards the centre console, directly in front of the large screen.

"Tommy boy!" greeted Admiral Benjamin Williamson.

"Uncle Ben! What are you doing there? I'm sure I heard you rant and rave about the fact that you absolutely detested the obnoxious know-it-all's of Starfleet. I distinctively remember you making a declaration to everyone who would listen that you would only return to Starfleet Headquarters if it was a matter of life or death," Tom said while trying to conceal a smirk but failing miserably.

The rest of the admirals in the room openly laughed except for the sole Vulcan in the room who instead raised an eyebrow in amusement. Everyone knew of Ben's reluctance to work inside Starfleet Headquarters. He was usually seen in the Judge Advocates General Office pouring over legal work for Starfleet than enduring the people with whom he calls the 'fools of Starfleet'".

"Well that's the crux of it Tom. It was about a matter of life and death. It was because of you he came back. We have all been extremely worried about you!" said Admiral Jaclyn Williamson, Ben's wife.

"Hi Auntie J, It's good to see you," Tom saw his other blood relatives and greeted them too. "Grandpa John, Grandma Susan, Uncle Bob, Uncle Jimmy, Auntie Jan, Uncle Andy, Auntie Vikki, Auntie Jen," Tom greeted his ten relatives.

"Who else is there?" Tom rhetorically asked as he scanned the room. "Hi Uncle Bill, Uncle Vatir, Uncle Pat, Uncle Jimmy, Uncle Nicky, Uncle Ritchie, Auntie Mel, Aunt Tina and Uncle Mickey. I'm so very glad to see you all. I have missed you," Tom said to his honorary uncles and aunts. They were also Admirals in Starfleet or Generals in the Marines but one of them was his Vulcan tutor.

"Hello Tom, we've missed you too," General Michael Davies said and everyone agreed.

"Have you met my protégé yet?" Tom asked as he beckoned Icheb towards the view-screen

"No Tom, we haven't. I gather that you are teaching him how to fly?" asked Uncle Ben.

"Of course Uncle Ben. What else would I be teaching him? His name is Icheb and we rescued him from the Borg on Stardate 53507.2. He is good at just about everything they teach at the Academy. I'm teaching him how to fly, to get him relax and to have fun," Tom explained to his extended family.

"I have never understood Tom's insistence on attaching the attributes 'fun' and 'relaxing' on such an mundane chore like piloting," Ben said to the people in the room. The others laughed at the ongoing ribbing that had started since Tom first sat on a flight simulator.

"Only someone as uninteresting and boring like you would say that Uncle Ben. Besides, you are only jealous that I have a natural talent for flying while you had to learn yours," was Tom's quick retort. He too was smiling at the barb but Icheb was clearly confused.

"I do not understand Tom. I have found piloting to be an unforgettable experience as the shuttle moves under your very command. The skill of a pilot is not something that can be learnt from a manuel. Nor can it be quantified. I find it exhilarating," Icheb said to his mentor, puzzled by the banter.

"I'm glad that you fell that way Icheb. That has been what I've been trying to convey to you all along. Flying is instinctual. You can learn all you want in a flight manual but during crunch time, those manoeuvres fly out the window," Tom said to his protégé. "Uncle Ben was joking when he said that piloting was mundane. He had actively encouraged me to learn how to fly when I was young. He is just continuing a saga that had commenced the moment I had asked to sit in a Starfleet flight simulator."

"I see. I'm sorry for misunderstanding you, sir." Icheb directed his apologies to the high-ranking officers on the screen.

"No apologies are necessary, Icheb. Tom is an excellent pilot. I can guarantee that you will have lots to learn from Tom," Tom's father replied to the young man. "Now if you would excuse us Icheb, we would like to speak with the Commander in private. Go and have some fun while the Commander gives his report."

It was time for official business and Icheb realised that.

"Yes Admiral. I will go to Holodeck One and watch some more TV. It was a pleasure in meeting your acquaintances, Sir's and Ma'am's. Just terminate the signal when you have finished your chat, Tom," Icheb said. He said his goodbyes to Tom and walked out of Astrometrics. Tom's father waited until Icheb had left the room before he spoke again.

"TV, Tom?" he asked his son. His eyebrow was arched while he waited for an answer.

"I had suggested that he watch some TV to have some fun. He quite enjoys my television programmes," he said to his father.

"Television? More twentieth century stuff?"

"Yes dad. He likes it very much. I'm trying to help him to grow, as he becomes accustomed to his individuality. We still have a way to go but he's getting there," Tom protested at his father's tone.

"Okay Tom. It's time for business. Captain Janeway had been sending us very brief reports during the search for your shuttle. She had not given us any detailed reports about your incarceration, nor did she give us a full report on your treatment and recovery. We have given her some leeway due to the emotional hardships she had endured while you were missing, however it is time for us at Starfleet Command to be fully informed on the facts of your ordeal," Tom's father said.

"We would like you to present a verbal report to us now which must be supplemented by the written reports from Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay, Commander Tuvok and yourself," Admiral Ben Williamson added.

"Yes Admiral. I am prepared to file my report," Tom replied in all seriousness. All traces of humour from the earlier banter had disappeared. His father had trained him when he was young on the correct behaviour when addressing important people and he was using his training now.

"Captain Janeway wanted to be present during this conversation but I persuaded her that it wasn't the best time for her to meet you. She doesn't fully know all my skills yet and I didn't want to reveal them to her in this fashion. She also doesn't understand the rapport I have with certain members of the Admiralty and I didn't want her distraction while I was filing my report," he added. His father nodded his head in agreement. Now was not the time for revealing those facts to her.

Seeing as the conversation was finished, another Admiral began the official proceedings.

"By general consensus of all the Admirals in this room and the two Generals from the Marine Corps, the Vulcan civilian Vatir of Vulcan and the retired Admirals' John and Susan Paris of Earth may be present during this official report. Does Lieutenant Commander Paris object to their presence?" Admiral Masterson asked. Vatir was Tom's tutor since he was a child and was not a part of Starfleet while his two paternal grandparents were now officially retired from Starfleet.

"Negative, Admiral. I give my consent to the presence of the civilians Vatir of Vulcan and my grandparents. He has been my tutor and friend since I was three years of age and my grandparents both know the Starfleet regulations concerning such matters," Tom replied

"Noted. Then let the recording show that the Civilian Vatir and retired Admirals John and Susan Paris have been granted permission to witness this report. Please note that all information revealed in this report is strictly confidential and must not be divulged to any external party," Masterson commanded to the three civilians.

"I understand. I will abide by those restrictions and will refrain from divulging any information presented in this report. I understand that I will be liable for prosecution should I breach this agreement," Vatir calmly stated to the assembled officers.

Vatir had an irrational desire to be present when his former student revealed the reasons for his disappearance. He had been extremely concerned when he learnt that Voyager had lost contact with Tom's shuttle. He knew he was being both irrational and illogical to require the knowledge surrounding Tom's disappearance but Tom had long since breached those walls he had constructed around his emotions. He was no longer able to think logically when Tom was the topic.

"We also understand. We have been in Starfleet for many years and we both know the regulations," Tom's grandfather said.

"That is correct. We will abide by the regulations," his grandmother added.

"The civilians have agreed. You may commence your report, Lieutenant Commander Paris," William Masterson said.

"Yes Admiral," Tom replied and he commenced his report. He kept it as dry and emotionless as possible because the report would be used for official reviews.

He began his report by explaining the reasons why he was out on his own, that it was a test flight in a region of space that Voyager's sensors had determined was a region devoid of activity. He described the tests that he had done when the Luzwai vessel detected him. He recounted the conversation he had with the Captain of the Luzwai vessel and the altercation that followed. He then reported the methods he used to escape the hostile vessel. At this point Uncle Jimmy interrupted him.

"How did you get captured? How did they disable the armour?" James Bennington asked.

He was the directing officer of the defence division in the Engineering Corps and he had heard about the strengths of the ablative armour. Starfleet Command had prohibited the Voyager crew from transmitting any information or specifications on the technology that Admiral Janeway had bequeathed them. They had contaminated the timeline already and the Admiralty wanted to minimise any further damages. Starfleet's official position in regards to the technology was that Voyager required the upgrades to maximise the crew's probability in returning to Federation Space.

The Admiralty recognised the dangers the vessel faced in the unknown regions of the Delta Quadrant so they reluctantly allowed the crew to operate the technology. They were not allowed, however, to divulge any of the technology to any parties whatsoever. Admiral Bennington had protested loudly on the exclusion but the Admiralty refused to alter their decision.

"They used a high frequency metrion energy weapon with a modulating frequency of 233.5826 terahertz. The weapon destabilised the molecular cohesion of the ablative armour. I believe it breaks down the bonds that hold the links together. The weapon also overloaded the armour generator. I did not have a lot of time to look at the specifications of the weapon when I hacked into their systems," Tom explained to his uncle.

All the officers in the room knew about the devastating effects of metrion energy particles. It was troubling though that a race had found a way to harness or produce the volatile energy particles that broke down conventional shields. Only the Admiralty knew of Starfleet's failed attempts to create a metrion weapon. Metrion particles were extremely volatile and could not be stored. They were known to erode the conventional shield systems that were exposed to the particles and they were also known to interfere and damage electronic systems once the shields were down.

That was the reason why the scientists had not been able to analyse the particles properly. They were only thought to exist in nebulas and those nebulas had their own classification. Metrion Nebulas were distinctive in their red colour and the highly energised particles that created lightning-like storms. All personnel knew Starfleet's standard orders concerning these nebulas. The order was to avoid those nebulas unless the time of exposure is minimal.

"Okay. I might ask a few more questions about that later. Please continue," Uncle Jimmy replied.

Tom continued his report. He described his capture and interrogation by the Luzwai before he was interrupted again. This time his Auntie Jan interrupted him.

"How well did you lock down the shuttle, Commander? Are you certain they were unable to breach the security systems?" Janice Bennington asked.

"Yes Admiral. I was able to initiate a lockout over the primary computer core with a fractal encryption code," he replied to his aunt.

The humans in the room all nodded their heads in understanding while Vatir just tilted his head in acknowledgement of the statement. They all knew of Tom's skills with a computer and his ability to unlock many Starfleet security codes. His grandparents had taught him his first set of algorithms when he was young and he was also able to persuade Vatir to teach him other methods to unlock security systems when he was a child.

What they didn't know was that he was able to crack virtually any code he encountered. They didn't know how far he had developed his skills around computer systems. When he had found Tuvok's training program 'Insurrection Alpha', he had easily bypassed the encryption protocols of the program to find out the author. He did not want anyone to discover his hacking skills though so he had re-encrypted the program and told B'Elanna and Harry he could not deactivate the security protocols of the program.

He was also able to decrypt the Borg algorithms he had encountered thus far. He was actually able to utilise a computer system far more efficiently than Seven and was able to do things to the computer that even Seven couldn't do. He had spent many years learning about computer systems and so he studied both the hardware and software systems in detail during his free time to reach his skill level.

"So were you able to access the Luzwai systems?" John Paris asked. Tom's grandfather wanted confirmation that he didn't let the opportunity slip by.

"Yes, sir. I did that after I escaped from my cell. I copied everything I could before I left the ship, but I haven't had the time to look at the data yet" he replied.

"Good, Commander. You may continue your report," Ben ordered as he approved of his nephew's actions.

Tom recommenced his report and he talked about his incarceration and the interrogation that occurred. He described the beatings, the threats and his treatment at the hands of his captors. The flag rank officers in the room did not bother interrupting Tom's recitation of the events surrounding his interrogation to inquire whether he was certain he did not divulge any information about the Federation. They all knew that Tom underwent the Admiralty Tactical Courses before he began studying at the Academy. It was a precaution in the likelihood that Tom was captured for information due to his links with the Admiralty. He had easily surpassed those tests so they knew that Tom would not be susceptible to most physical, chemical, psychological and telepathical forms of coercion.

He described his escape from his cell and he told them how he utilised the skills he learnt in prison to disable the force fields and his escape from the ship. That concluded the report on his capture. Silence ensured as they digested his report.

"You reported that you were injected with a pathogen. Describe it for me please," ordered his Aunt Vikki.

"Yes Admiral. The pathogen was highly virulent and extremely contagious. It was attacking my cells on three levels: my DNA coding, my chromosomes and my actual cells.  The pathogen was even worse than the cellular attack of Species 8472 that Harry Kim experienced during our alliance with the Borg," Tom reported.

"Then how were you cured?" she asked. "I am assuming you are cured or else you would not be here."

"That is correct, Admiral. I was cured through a complete and complex genetic reconstruction of my cellular code. My cells were being destroyed or corrupted by the pathogen as it dismantled my DNA coding and my chromosomes were being damaged or destroyed. The damage was proliferating quite rapidly by the time I underwent the procedure. The reconstruction was necessary because my body had deteriorated too badly and it was on the verge of collapsing," Tom informed the people in the room.

"The procedure also altered my body since my organs were shutting down before the procedure. The reconstruction had to repair or replaced my damaged organs. The new genetic coding does not match my initial genetic code so you can say that I have been genetically enhanced," Tom explained.

This revelation earned a few frowns. There were laws prohibiting genetic enhancements.

"Tom, you know of the laws against genetic enhancements. So does your EMH. Why did he agree to those enhancements!" his Aunt Vikki demanded. Several of the other officers were also showing their disapproval.

"The Doc had nothing to do with it. He could not find a cure. The Collective cured me," Tom hurriedly explained.

This shocked everyone including Vatir.

"The Borg! How do they come into this?" demanded William Masterson.

He was not a relative of Tom but one of the many Admirals in Starfleet that babysat Tom when he was young. Tom affectionately called him Uncle Bill and the other Admirals had similar names that were given by Tom when he was young. He had a close affinity with the Admiralty that no other person had.

"Well... After I was rescued, the Luzwai come looking for me. I believe they sent three vessels and they attacked Voyager. I was in sickbay under quarantine when it all happened so you must ask Captain Janeway for her report. From what she has told me, the Borg came to help us. They were in the system repairing the damage from an ion storm when we dropped out of warp. Even though they were damaged, the sphere came and defended us. After the Luzwai were destroyed, the Borg beamed into our Cargo Bay because the sphere was damaged beyond repair. They assimilated our database and became aware of my illness. I was then transported out of sickbay with the Doc's holoemitter, which was then assimilated. Using the technology, they created a chamber to heal me," Tom explained.

There was a moment's silence as they digested this new information.

"So the Collective now has twenty-ninth century technology," Admiral Masterson slowly stated.

"Yes Admiral. So far they have used it only to construct a healing chamber for me," Tom said.

He could see the concerns everyone had for the technology from the future, which was now in the hands of the Borg. "I can understand your concern everyone but the Borg are peaceful now. They have done nothing but help us since we encountered them a week ago. I even yelled at them for killing B'Elanna but now I forgive them. It was the Queen's fault but she is dead now. They are now friends," Tom tried to explain his feelings towards the Borg to his uncles and aunts.

"So far, son. How can you be sure?" asked his father.

"I don't know. I just do. Can't you trust me on this? As a father trusts a son?" he asked plaintively.

"I trust you Tom, but are you still my Tommy? You said that you were enhanced. What has changed?" Owen asked.

He didn't want to lose his son again after all it took him years to realise the gifts that Tom had. He had been blind before but now he could see and he didn't want to let go of his son that he loved very much.

"Yes dad. I am still your son... Well I am still me, You can say that I have evolved. I strongly suggest you question the Doc about my changes. He has given me a full examination and physical. He can report to you my results," Tom suggested.

"Okay son. We will do that," his father agreed.

"I have to tell you something about the Borg on this ship. According to the reports by both Captain Picard and Captain Janeway, The Queen controlled the Collective. She 'Was The Borg' and she brought order to chaos. When we infected her with the neurolytic pathogen, she lost control over the Hive Mind and died as a result of the pathogen. I haven't been told the full details yet but now the Sovereign is in control. He is the Alpha-Prime and he is the one who healed me," Tom explained.

"So the Borg Alpha-Prime is now on Voyager is he?" Auntie Jessie asked.

"Yes Admiral. He actually has full control over Voyager's primary systems. He hasn't committed any hostile acts towards the crew though," Tom observed.

"I want you to question the Alpha-Prime more thoroughly. You know the procedures. You have been given the training in this. Find out if this Sovereign is a threat to the wellbeing of your crew. If they have any hostile intentions, you must remove this threat. Do it yourself if you must but it must be done expediently," Admiral Masterson ordered. He did not trust the Borg since they had killed so many Federation citizens.

"Yes Sir. I understand my orders."

Silence reigned before Tom remembered something.

"I also have to report that the Alpha-Prime asked me to give him a name so I named him after you Uncle Ben." said Tom impishly.

"Oh, and why was that?" Uncle Ben asked. The rest of the occupants in the room except Vatir were smirking now.

"Because he reminded me of you." Tom cryptically replied.

"And what, pray tell, were the attributes that he had for him to resemble me?" he asked as grins replaced the smirks on his companions' faces.

"Two words Uncle. 'Control Freak'," and Tom burst out laughing, with the rest of the room laughing with him.

"That was an excellent observation Tom," Vatir said with amusement clearly on his face.

"I'll get you for that, Tommy Boy," Ben replied as he laughed with them.

Vatir, Tom's former tutor waited until the laughter died down before he posed his question to Tom.

"I am curious to know more about this Borg Sovereign. You have clearly attached the masculine description to the Alpha-Prime. Why is that? Previous Queens were female in gender, according to reports of Captains Picard and Janeway" Vatir asked.

"The Borg Alpha-Prime isn't supposed to be the male equivalent of the Queen, even though he is currently fulfilling that role. I deduced that piece of information from what he has revealed to us. I don't know the circumstances of the transfer of control to him, but I do know what he was before the Queen died. He is the repository of all the data the Borg possesses. He, as the Sovereign, was under the direct control of the Queen and it was through him that the Collective could function. He apparently stores all the assimilated knowledge in his head, which is unique among the Borg. He resided in Unimatrix Two, which was a Borg Planet that had a higher defence priority than the Unicomplex, which was where the Queen resided. Without him, the Collective would collapse. When he gained control over the Collective, he chose not to follow in the Queen's goal of perfection. That is his explanation anyway," Tom said, shrugging his shoulders at the last statement.

"Tom, you must use your training and skills to verify his story. Find out all you can about the Borg and his intentions. If he is hostile, terminate the Alpha-Prime and the Collective will collapse, unless he lied about that aspect.  See if you can regain control over the ship," Uncle Mickey ordered.

"Yes General. I understand my orders. Is this report over?" Tom asked.

"Yes Tom. I officially declare this report over," Admiral Masterson replied.

"Thanks Uncle Bill. I want to say that I have missed you all. All the jokes, all the games, everything. I even miss Uncle Ritchie's 'squeeze me to death' hugs and Auntie Mel's horrible singing," Tom said as his eyes started to water. He walked up the steps to the upper platform so that they could see his face clearly. But most of all I've missed you daddy," Tom said as he touched the screen where his father's image was.

His eyes also teary, Owen stood up and walked towards the screen. "I've missed you too Tommy, and when I heard you were missing, I thought that I lost you again. I love you Tom and I'm very proud of you."

They were both openly crying now as they let their emotions free. Even though they had reconciled years ago, Tom still felt touched when his father declared his love and pride in his only son. It was something that Tom would never grow tired of. After they gathered their composure, Owen returned to his seat so that the others could voice their similar thoughts. They told Tom how they all cancelled their appointments and meetings to rush to the Pathfinder Project when they heard that Tom was missing.

They had always reported to Pathfinder in the morning when the data link was established so that they were present when Owen received the latest update on the search for Tom. When Voyager did not send a report yesterday, they were beginning to get anxious while Owen had sent a request for an update. No reply was received for that request or the other requests that were sent during the eight-hour window.

They were so nervous when Owen arrived in the conference room this morning with a serious expression on his face. They had feared the worse until Owen gave a big smile, which they had not seen since he became a father to Tom. They were so relieved to hear that Tom was okay that the expulsion of their collective breaths was extremely loud in the small room.

They were all discussing the skirmishes that occurred between an unknown hostile race on the borders of the Federation, Cardassian, Klingon and Romulan Empires during these past few months. The other three 'powers' also reported similar altercations between the same type of vessels. Between the four of them, they had lost quite a few ships but the unknown race had yet to destroy any installations belonging to the four races. They were so heavily engrossed in the discussions that they were surprised when they received a redirected call from Pathfinder.

"How did Kathryn take the news of your disappearance?" his grandmother asked, after they had returned to their seats. They had each talked to Tom after Owen had finished his conversation with his son.

"Oh No! I forgot to tell you the news," Tom exclaimed as he smacked the side of his head.

"What!" they all asked anxiously. They hoped that Kathryn was all right. Seeing their anxious looks, he tried to reassure them that everything is all right.

"It's nothing bad everyone. Calm down. I have some good news," he explained and everyone physically relaxed. "My dear family, before I left on the test flight I asked Kathryn a very important question. One that has profoundly changed our lives!" Tom said excitedly to the people in the room. Tom had adopted all this babysitters from the Admiralty as his uncles and aunts into his family when he was a young lad. They all inturn acknowledged Tom as a nephew as well and it was a honour to be loved by Tom.

"What did you ask?" they all asked together. The suspense was killing them.

"I asked Kathryn to marry me and she said yes!!" Tom said with joy.

Congratulations started immediately. They were all happy for him. They could clearly see the love he had for her. They all mourned with him when they received word on the death of his wife and child. He had been terribly unhappy for so long after the death of his first wife so they were glad that he was happy again with a women that he loves.

"Congratulations Tom. I'm glad you found someone to fill that void in your heart. I know you love her dearly and I am very happy that you have found love again. You have my blessings. I can't wait to tell Gretchen the happy news," Owen said as he wiped tears from his eyes.

"I've already asked for her consent in marrying her daughter, dad. She had given me permission to approach her but I haven't had time to tell her the good news. Please give her my thanks for me," he asked and his father nodded his head in agreement.

His former protégé was marrying his only son and he couldn't be happier.

"Yes Tom, congratulations. We are very happy for you. We will tell your other aunts and uncles and I'm sure they will be happy to hear that you have finally popped the question to her," his grandpa said who was holding his wife's hand. The rest nodded and added their blessings as well.

"Thank you all, you don't know how happy I am to hear you approve of her. She is my heart, my joy and my life. I'm so lucky to have found her," said Tom as fresh tears fell down again.

"Yes Tommy. We know. We know how much you love her and we wish you all the joy and happiness in the world," said his Uncle Bill. "When I tell Uncle Haysie the news, he will also be overjoyed," William said as he referred to Admiral Hayes by Tom's pet name.

"Thank you. If there is nothing else, I believe that I should head off to question Ben. I think you should also get a report from the Captain and the Doc. They can answer some of the questions I haven't answered yet," Tom said.

"Okay Tom. Tell Captain Janeway that we will contact her in two hours. While they are giving their reports, you can question the Borg. You take care of yourself. Don't get into any mischief... well not too much mischief anyway," Admiral Masterson said.

"Yes Uncle Bill. Goodbye everyone," he said to his father and his relatives and friends.

"Goodbye Tom" was the reply from everyone and he walked over and severed the link.

He needed to prepare for his talk with Ben now but before that he had to contact the Captain to give her a message from the Admiralty.

"Paris to Janeway."

::: Yes Tom? ::: she said from the bridge.

"Admiral Masterson will be contacting you so that you and the senior staff can give a combined group report of the search and rescue to the Admiralty. The Doc must also give a report on my health," Tom informed her.

::: Understood. When will he be contacting us? ::: she asked. She needed time to prepare her report.

"In two hours."

::: Okay. I'll tell the senior staff to prepare themselves to give a report. Are you going to give your report as well?::: she asked.

"Negative Captain. I have already given my report to him. I have something else to do though. I'll have to meet you tonight," he said as he walked out of the lab onto deck 8's main corridor.

::: What do you have to do? :::

"I have to question Ben on his plans by order of Admiral Masterson and General Davis," he replied.

He hoped she knew who they were. He didn't want to explain any further his orders because she might get worried. Apparently she did know them.

::: I see. I'll see you tonight then :::

"Acknowledged. Paris Out," he said as he severed the comm. link.

He now had the uncomfortable and unenviable task of interrogating the Borg Alpha-Prime without said Alpha-Prime knowing he was being interrogated.

*****

Author's Note

Hi Everyone!!

This is actually my very first Author's Note that I've ever written. Yay!!!!!!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who have reviewed so far. I know I should have done it earlier so I apologise for my tardiness.

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rogue-vulcan - My very first reviewer. I was so happy that the first person to review liked my story. I was smiling for hours after your review!!!

snow queen2 - I had to make B'Elanna and Miral die for my story to progress. I don't have anything against B'Elanna but I am a J/P fan so I had to get rid of her for the romance between Kathryn and Tom. Since Tom really loved B'Elanna and I tried to make this continue after canon ( with a little change in the last 10 minutes of the end), he would not leave her for Kathryn unless B'Elanna was not there anymore.

katta15 - I want to thank you for your kind words. I have read your stories and I really like them.

Cat C - First off, your suggestion about the signed reviews really helped me. I didn't even know I had that selected!!!!. Second, your comments were very appreciated. I have loved your stories, especially 'Redemption' and 'Consequences' and to see that you liked my story was a big confidence boost. That 'Fleet Background' will pay a 'huge' part later.

Sam - Thank you for your review. When you reviewed I didn't have a beta yet and so I didn't realise how poor my writing skills were. I went back and saw your point and rewrote some parts of it and had it reposted. I now have the initial chapters with my beta now and she will help me correct any other errors that I have missed. I'll be reposting the earlier chapters at a later time with the improvements. Once again I thank you.

SabineQuinn - I had forgotten that Neelix had left when I wrote him in. Here in Australia we were still in Season 6 so I had watched the rest of the series on tape. I was watching Voyager on TV when I was writing the chapter and so I forgot that he left in Homestead. Since you alerted me I have removed him and replaced him with Chell.

LinZE - Thanks your vote of confidence!

Sarah - Thanks for your wonderful support. I'm glad you have liked my story.

King_O_I - Don't worry, More will be coming. A lot more if my muse lets me. I'm glad you like my story.

sloans_interrogator - Thanks for your kind words!!!

winjan - Tom didn't want Kathryn with her because of two reasons. The first being that the Admiralty had a funny sense of humour which she would not be accustomed to. When they were around Tom, it was like being with a totally different group of people. As you can see in Chapter Twelve, Tom grew up in the inner circle of the Admiralty. They baby-sat him when he was inside HQ and they all fell to the Tom Paris charm. The second reason is that he didn't want Kathryn to know all his secrets. Although he has come a long way, he is still a bit insecure about himself. He hasn't told Kathryn everything about him but he doesn't know that she does know through Owen. More on that in the later chapters!!! I hope that explains that to everyone who might have been curious.

KorinaStone - Thanks for your review. Minor changes will be explained later though.

Raven Sage - I must say that you are one of most frequent reviewers. Your comments always make me laugh and you have also given me some inspiration! Especially in Chapter Eleven!!!!! Your continued support is greatly appreciated.

*****

I would also like to thank two very special people.

H. Louise, My wonderful beta. You have given me many points and help in the unfolding of this story. You have given me lots on info about the Star Trek universe and you have given me lots of ideas.

Michelle - I would also like to thank you for your messages. You have given me lots of support and you have been a wonderful friend. I have enjoyed our discussions on many topics and I'm glad that you have been here with me every step of the way.

*****

Now I know that the last few chapters have been dealing with Tom and his changes. I have also used these last few chapters to discuss the history surrounding the pilot and it has been necessary for me to give you those details so that you will understand the later chapters. I think that we are around the halfway point in this story and the action will heat up soon. I have a couple more chapters to do with Tom's background and then we will be onto the actions.

For any of my readers who are wondering, I didn't give Tom any telepathic, telekinetic or empathic abilities. Tom is not 'perfect'. He is still human. He has only received enhancements on his original abilities. He still has flaws and we will see them later on.

Once again I would like to thank all my reviewers for your kind support.

To my other readers I hope will drop a line and give me some comments, to tell me whether you like it or hate it.

Regards

Oprelia

    Next: Chapter Thirteen