Mr. Kim's Wild Ride

by 
Darrel W. Beach 
Jan, 1996

Disclaimer: The characters of Star Trek: Voyager are the sole property of 
Paramount Studios.  The Xausans, however, are my own creation.  Please do not 
redistribute this story without acknowledging my name or this disclaimer.

Please direct all feedback (no flames please) to dwbeach@sasktel.net. 

Chapter 1
 
	Captain's Log, Stardate 49597.1: In our on-going search for raw
materials, Neelix has directed us to a nearby star system inhabited by a
people known as the Xausans.  He has assured us that the Xausans are a
friendly, charitable people, so we aren't anticipating any problems obtaining
the supplies we so urgently need.  In addition, in light of the recent
encounter with the Vidiians, I plan to schedule some shore leave for the
entire crew once we contact the Xausan government.

	Captain Janeway ended the log recorder and turned to look out at the
streaking patterns of light.  The fact that such a sight was possible was a
great credit to the abilities of her chief engineer.  The relentless
determination (and Klingon temper) of B'Elanna Torres was a catalyst for the
incredibly rapid repairs made to the warp propulsion and SIF systems.
Granted, the Voyager could only achieve Warp 2, but that still meant reaching
Xausa III in a matter of weeks as opposed to several years.  The lieutenant
was to be commended for her hard work.
	Also due recognition was her Operations officer who, under extreme
duress, saved the life of Ensign Wildman's newborn daughter. The extenuating
circumstances of the rescue were rather awkward, however: both Ensign Kim and
the baby originated on a duplicate Voyager created by an unusual nebular
divergence field and subsequently destroyed by the captain's doppleganger.
It was simply easier to think of the two survivors as their own; the semantic
paradox of the entire event just gave her a headache.
	The chirp of the communications channel stole her attention away from
the window.  "Kim to Captain Janeway."
	/Were his ears burning?/ she thought with a smirk.  "Janeway here."
	"Captain, we're receiving a response to our hail from Xausa Three."
	"Thank you, Mr. Kim.  Patch it through."  She sat down at her desk
and activated the monitor in front of her.  An alien humanoid figure appeared
before, his hair grayed at the temples.  "Thank you for hearing us. I'm
Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager."
	"Salutations, Captain Janeway," the man replied.  "I am Ambassador
Tolis, liaison to His Majesty Prince Gaav, ruler of Xausa III.  The prince
welcomes you to the Kingdom on behalf of the Queen and the royal court."
	"Please relay our thanks to the prince for his gracious hospitality.
With the help he is providing us, we are assured to get our ship back to full
working order in no time."
	The ambassador supplied a gratified smile.  "The Xausa Kingdom has
prided itself for its affability for over three millennia.  When we heard of
your plight, we were moved to extend any assistance you required. It is our
way."
	Janeway smiled and nodded.  "Nonetheless, the gesture is still
appreciated.  Ambassador, if I might ask, would it be all right if my crew
were allowed to visit your world for the purpose of relaxation?  They are
badly in need of a rest."
	"I am sure His Majesty would insist upon it," Tolis replied merrily.
"In fact, he hoped to invite you and your staff to a welcoming feast when you
arrive."
	"That sounds lovely - we would be honored to accept his invitation.
We should be entering your system in about five days, barring any
difficulties."
	"Ah, excellent!  I will inform His Majesty right away.  Be well,
Captain Janeway."  The ambassador's face disappeared from the screen.
	She couldn't erase the huge grin plastered on her face.  Given the
past relationships the crew had established with some of the other races in
the Delta Quadrant, the captain more than anticipated an amicable first
contact.  And hopefully this encounter with the Xausans wouldn't turn out the
same way as with the Sikkarians.

	Ensign Kim worked with due diligence at the Operations console,
making sure that the ship's resources were appropriated fairly.  Knowing that
their supplies were in a critical state only added more pressure to the task.
He didn't even bother engaging his duties of scanning the outlying area of
space for possible wormholes; he was too distracted with thoughts of his
rather unique situation on the ship.  By now he was quite comfortable with
everyone and everything around him, but the idea of serving on a ship that
was and yet was not his still frequented his conscious.  He had hoped that by
immersing himself in his work the thoughts would recede, but unfortunately
they did not, could not, when everything served to remind him of how
different and how exactly identical it was.
	Captain Janeway emerged from her ready room looking like a child on
Christmas morning.  At least that's how Chakotay would have described her
when he moved to give her possession of the center seat.
	 "I take it your conversation with Ambassador Tolis went well," he
commented, taking the station to her left.
	 "I'd say it went very well, Commander," she replied cheerfully. "Mr.
Tuvok, please open ship-wide communications."
	 Tuvok entered in the key sequence.  "Channel open, Captain."
	 "Attention, all personnel, this is the captain.  As all of you may
be aware, we are en route to Xausa Three in search of supplies needed to
completely repair the ship.  I have just been in contact with their ruling
body, and they have consented to give us any assistance we require.  In
addition, they have allowed us access to the planet's surface; thus, I have
prepared shore leave schedules for the whole crew.  Be sure to check the crew
roster at least twelve hours prior to orbital entry.  Janeway out."
	 She glanced about the bridge to observe the reaction to her news,
and wasn't surprised with what she saw.  With the exception of Tuvok, she saw
many tired faces smiling with relief and happiness.  It wasn't hard to
imagine that everyone on the ship looked the same way.  She turned to her
first officer, who was just barely able to keep from bearing his pearly
whites through a grin.  "Commander, I want you to assemble the senior
officers for a meeting in the Observation Lounge at 1500 hours.  I have some
news I wish to share with them."
	 Chakotay studied her intently with curiosity.  "I don't suppose
you're going to let me in on your little secret?"
	 Amusement sparkled in her eyes.  "Not a chance.  You'll just have to
wait along with everyone else."
	 His bright smile finally broke free.  "Aye, Captain."  He began
making preparations for the meeting, laughing inwardly the whole time.
	
	The crew had been buzzing with excitement the moment the Voyager
dropped out of warp.  By this time, details of their hosts was common
knowledge.  It was very unusual to encounter an entire star system ruled by a
monarchy, even with the level of technology they possessed; the sheer
magnitude of the population alone made the choice of political system seem
rather ridiculous.
	 Ensign Kim was still trying to wrap that idea around his head when
the electronic chime of the door sounded.  He was greeted with the presence
of his two best friends.
	 "Well, Harry, ready to go?" inquired the fair-haired pilot.  Tom had
been one of the people most eager for shore leave.  `After spending three
weeks down in Engineering with B'Elanna, you'd be ready to get off the ship,
too' he had joked.
	 Harry smiled back at his friends and moved to the door.  "Sure,
let's go."
	 Making their way to the transporter room where the officers would
beam down to the reception, B'Elanna, Tom and Harry chatted idly about their
time off.  Rather, B'Elanna and Tom chatted; still preoccupied with his
former train of thought, Harry supplied barely more than one or two word
responses.  It didn't take long for the other two to notice.
	 "Harry, you're being awfully quiet," the half-Klingon remarked.
"Something on your mind?"
	 The ensign looked startled, as if he had been caught sleeping on
duty.  "Oh, sorry.  I guess I'm still trying to figure out how a monarchial
structure could successfully govern a planetary system with over half a
billion inhabitants."
	 "Hey, whatever works," Tom casually noted.  "Ours is not to question
why, as they say."
	 As they reached the turbolift, Tom moved his hand over his mouth as
if to engage in a confidential discussion.  "Hey, maybe if we get lucky,
we'll run into a couple of duchesses willing to show us a good time, if you
know what I mean."
	 The comment received the anticipated response: B'Elanna's death
glare rivaled in intensity to a Level 12 phaser blast.  Harry couldn't help
chuckling at Tom's blatant baiting as the turbolift doors closed.


Chapter 2
	
	It was like emerging from a time warp to find one's self in the 
Middle Ages - well, almost.  The illusion that the Xausans were a pre- 
industrial civilization was marred only by the telling signs of advanced 
technology that dotted the huge palace they found themselves walking through. 
Still, the great stone archways and halls bespoke a history centuries old. 
Harry imagined he could wear his Beowulf costume and inconspicuously walk 
among the masses.
	 Suddenly the passage opened up into a huge dining hall.  The senior 
crew looked about in utter fascination at the expansive room, from the 
tapestries that lined the walls to the colossal hardwood dining table adorned 
with an uncountable number of prepared dishes and nearly as many guests 
standing before their chairs.  They were escorted to the head of the table 
where Prince Gaav awaited, flanked on one side by Ambassador Tolis and by a 
woman on the other.
	 "May I present His Honored Majesty, Prince Gaav of the Kendri 
House," flourished the ambassador, "and his wife, Princess Salia."  The 
princess curtsied at her name; the prince bowed slightly.
	 Janeway took a step forward and curtsied before the royals.  "I am 
Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager, and this is my 
first officer, Commander Chakotay," she indicated with her hand. Chakotay 
bowed to the hosts.  "May I also present the rest of my senior staff: 
Lieutenant Tuvok, Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres, Ensign Harry Kim, Lieutenant 
Tom Paris, Neelix and Kes."  Each bowed or curtsied as their names were given.
	 This time the prince bowed more graciously, and a smile blossomed on 
his lips.  "Welcome, all of you.  It is an honor to have such noble- hearted 
travelers as you present in these great halls.  We have heard tales of your 
plight for many intervals.  Imagine our delight when we had the opportunity 
to meet you in person and possibly assist you in your endeavors to return to 
your home."  Then, sweeping his gaze across the table, he continued.  "Now, 
please, come sit and eat.  My attendants have prepared a most wonderful feast 
for your arrival.  It would be best to enjoy it while it is still hot," he 
added with levity.
	
	The evening had turned out to be quite pleasant.  The feast itself 
had proven to be extraordinary, with superbly delectable food and lively 
conversation.  Prince Gaav was enraptured by Janeway's and Chakotay's tales 
of the fated crews and their lonely escapade homeward through unfamiliar and 
hostile territory, almost to the point of weeping, and made it a point to 
provide a copy of the Xausans' small library of navigational star charts.  
Now it was Janeway's turn to almost cry.
	 A social reception followed the banquet, during which the officers 
were introduced to the other guests, mostly other members of the royal family 
and the prince's ministerial staff.  Paris' eyes had lit up when introduced 
to one of Prince Gaav's nieces, who was quite coincidentally a duchess, very 
attractive and even more single.  Not long after the introductions were 
concluded he had stalked off in search of the young dignitary, dragging a 
hapless Ensign Kim behind him.
	 Before anyone had realized, twilight descended upon the festivities. 
Janeway and Chakotay both agreed that the evening was a huge success, and 
thought to corral the rest of the party to retire for the night.  As they 
looked for their hosts to bid them good night, the captain slapped at her 
comm badge.  "Janeway to away team: please rendezvous at the main foyer in 
five minutes."
	 She figured that would be enough time; none of them would have left 
the palace grounds.  By her last recount, Neelix and Kes were going for a 
walk through the garden, Tuvok was busy studying the various species of 
flora, and the other three were off mingling with the other guests.
	 They could find neither the prince nor his wife on their way to the 
foyer, but they did spot Ambassador Tolis.
	 "Ambassador," Janeway called out.  "Have you seen the prince or his 
wife?  We were going to wish them a good night."
	 Tolis smiled apologetically, if not also mirthfully.  "I'm afraid 
that His and Her Majesties have already retired for the evening.  They tend 
to tire easily."
	 Chakotay and the captain grinned at the subtle fib.
	 "That is unfortunate.  I was hoping to see them before we return to 
our ship."
	 Tolis looked surprised.  "You're not staying?  We have rooms already 
prepared for you."
	 That was unexpected news.  "I'm afraid we weren't prepared to stay 
here overnight.  Perhaps tomorrow."
	 "Captain," Chakotay interjected, "perhaps this is a decision left up 
to every member of our party; there might be some people would like to stay 
down here."
	 Janeway cocked an eyebrow at her second-in-command.  She wanted to 
burst out laughing at the way he asked to stay ashore without saying it, but 
suppressed it.  "I suppose you're right, Commander.  We'll be convening with 
them in a couple of minutes - we'll take a head count then. Good evening, 
Ambassador."
	 Everyone except Tom and Harry were standing at the foyer when they 
arrived, but they still had another minute.
	 "Well, everyone, it appears as though we've been offered overnight 
accommodations.  I know it's a little short of notice, but you have the 
choice of staying here tonight if you want to.  I believe Commander Chakotay 
has already expressed an interest in staying," she added, turning to show him 
the laughter in her eyes.
	 "Oh, Neelix, wouldn't it be so romantic to spend the night here?" 
Kes purred, wrapping herself around the Talaxian's arm.
	 The effect had certainly not escaped the attention of Neelix, nor 
the crowd who watched him fidget with excitement.  "I - well, that is - ah, I 
think that sounds like a *very* good idea!"
	 Both Tuvok and B'Elanna asked to return to the ship, stating that 
their jobs demanded it.
	 "Fine.  That leaves Tom and Harry.  And speaking of which, where are 
they?" Janeway asked, annoyed that the two hadn't shown up on time.
	 Chakotay hit his commbadge.  "Paris, Kim, what's keeping you?"
	 The ensign's excited intonations answered.  "Sorry for not reporting 
in, Commander.  Lady Celin and her sister offered to give us a tour of the 
palace, and, uh, we're actually still in the middle of it.  But Lieutenant 
Paris and I were wondering if we could have permission to stay planet-side. 
They say they can get rooms for us."
	 The captain took over the comm line.  "Yes, ensign; Ambassador Tolis 
has already made preparations, and you can stay.  But let me make one thing 
clear:" she reprimanded. "You are still Starfleet officers; I expect you to 
behave as such."
	
	"Understood," Harry replied with masked helplessness, glancing behind 
him to see Tom snaking his arms around the two young women.  He had a sinking 
feeling that Tom wouldn't be thinking too much about Starfleet behavior as 
the night progressed.
	 "Well, ladies, I think it's time we resumed our tour," he stated 
with mock seriousness.
	 Still giggling like a school-girl, Lady Celin - Celin, Harry had to 
remind himself; she preferred to be addressed without any titles - entwined 
her arm with the ensign's and continued leading him down the broad stone 
staircase, followed closely by the Conn officer and Driva, Celin's sister. 
Celin indicated that they were headed down to the palace dungeon before the 
interruption, and now Harry's excitement returned.  Much of the Xausan castle 
reminded him of the ancient structures he'd visited in Middle Europe during 
his days at the Academy.  His adrenaline always surged when he thought about 
the times of savage survival, nobility and chivalry. The Xausans seemed to 
embody all of that, although savagery had given way to technology.
	 The smell of mildew strengthened as they neared the end of the 
staircase, the electric torches on the walls casting a sickly white glow 
about them.  After another fifty feet they encountered a small alcove and two 
huge wooden doors.  A small stool was perched in the corner between the two 
doors - the guard's post, Harry surmised.  One of the doors was already ajar, 
but the room within was quickly enveloped by darkness.
	 "Are we going to need hand torches?" he asked, staring into the dark 
unknown.
	 "Not necessary," Celin answered. "Thermostatic lamps were mounted 
into the walls a long time ago.  Just walk in."
	 Sure enough, as he ventured into the chamber a series of lights 
began to click on, illuminating the once-hidden cells.  Both men marveled at 
the sight: the prison cells were amazingly sterile and bright.
	 Noticing the apparent awe of the spectators, the duchess answered 
the unspoken questions:  "The dungeon cells haven't actually been used in 
over fifteen centuries, but maintenance crews are brought in every few years 
or so to keep the rooms in good shape.  Our great ancestor, King Nial IV, 
used to show them off to visitors such as yourselves, and it's become 
somewhat of a tradition.  No doubt your captain will be brought down here 
during your stay."
	 Tom looked at his friend ruefully.  "Hey, Harry, do you think the 
captain will look good behind bars?"
	 The two women both giggled, and Driva playfully slapped the pilot's 
arm.  "Oh, don't be silly, Tom.  All offenders stay in the garrison down in 
the city," she teased.
	 The four exited the dungeon; Celin, Driva and Tom started up the 
stairway, but Harry remained in the alcove.  "Hey, what about the other room?"
	 The stair climbers hesitated; both girls looked uncertainly at each 
other, then at him.
	 "Um, I didn't think you'd want to go down there," Celin replied 
sheepishly.  "No one's been down there for centuries."
	 That only fueled the fire in his eyes.  "C'mon, Tom, help me with 
the door."
	 With a considerable effort, the door slowly swung away.  Kim and 
Paris were affronted with a cloud of dust and stale air, forcing them both 
into coughing fits.  The haze made it impossible to tell if there was 
anything in the room, but fortunately there was a wooden torch hanging on the 
wall two meters into the interior.  Unholstering his phaser, Ensign Kim 
grabbed the torch and ignited it, the phaser beam's intensity compensating 
for the extreme period of neglect.  The bright orange flames conducted an 
eerie dance of shadows along the walls as he motioned the others to follow 
him down the next set of stairs.  Tom looked about with timid curiosity; the 
ladies followed with trepidation.
	 Harry lit more torches as he encountered them, providing slightly 
more illumination.  Wanting to share the experience, Tom grasped a torch of 
his own, waving it experimentally in front of him.  By now there was enough 
light to discern the contents of the room: it was a torture chamber.
	 At first glance, Harry marveled at how similar the various apparati 
were to the ones he had seen on Earth.  Upon reflection, however, he realized 
that the parallelism inherent to the devices would be attributed to the 
similarities in humanoid physiology and skeletal structure.  Still, it was a 
thrill inspecting each ominous instrument of rusted metal and rotten wood.
	 "Um, Harry?" the helmsman meekly asked, nervously eyeing a 
gruesomely dilapidated truss.  "Can we get out of here?  This place is really 
starting to give me the creeps."  The hairs on his neck were standing on 
edge; he couldn't get over the impression that someone or something was 
watching them.
	 The ensign snapped his head around, as if suddenly wakened from a 
trance.  "Hm?  Oh, yeah, I guess so."  He was disappointed he couldn't stay 
longer and drink up the history of the macabre chamber, but he could clearly 
see how uncomfortable the other three were.
	 With a resonating thud, the torture chamber was sealed off from the 
outside world once more.  Celin wasted no time in clinging to Harry's arm. 
"Oh, I am *so* glad that's over!  I don't think I've been so scared in all my 
life!"
	 Harry was just now getting a bit uncomfortable with the duchess' 
constant closeness, but he contributed it to her acclaimed fear of their last 
tour.  His friend's questioning look, however, was not making him feel any 
more relaxed.  "Well, it's getting awfully late.  It would probably be a good 
idea if we went to bed."
	 Celin looked at him hesitantly.  "Of course; we'll show you to your 
rooms," she replied, leading him back up the stairs.
	
	Harry couldn't help but make a mental note of the integration between 
the ancient and the modern as he looked about the room.  The vestiges of 
modern comfort, from the heat element to the lighting modules, almost seemed 
out of place with the stone hearth and portrait paintings. Most peculiar and 
symbolic of the melding was the central piece of the chamber: the bed, having 
a sleek, angled frame affixed with an antique brass canopy.
	 He was about to turn down the sheets when a visitor rapped on the 
door.  Crossing the room and donning a night-robe, he opened the door to Tom 
Paris, brandishing a bottle of Xausan rum.  "Hi, Harry.  Care for a nightcap?"
	 "You know very well I don't," Harry said sourly.  "Acid indigestion, 
remember?"
	 Tom pushed his way into the room.  "Yeah, I know," he admitted, a 
smirk playing at his features.  "But I needed some excuse to come talk to 
you."  He dropped himself into an easy chair and took a swig from the bottle.
	 Harry watched him with suspicion.  "All right, let's talk; what's on 
your mind?"
	 The lieutenant gazed languidly about the room.  "Well, I'm not the 
one to make any hasty conclusions, but it looks like Celin has got a thing 
for you.  Too bad, really - I was hoping to put a move on her myself."
	 Harry gaped at him in bewilderment.  "What are you talking about?" 
he sputtered, although he knew to what he was referring.
	 "Are you kidding me?  She was hanging on you all night!  Face it, 
Harry - she wants you."
	 The young man's eyes were wild with panic.  "My god, yes, I know. I 
didn't want to see it.  No, I can't let her do this - I have to tell her 
about Libby."
	 Tom was absolutely floored.  "Harry!  Have you lost your mind?  A 
very attractive woman is fawning over you, and you're not going to make nice 
with her because you're still hung up on a girlfriend who's probably moved on 
with her life already?  Geez, it's been over a year - I think you should be 
re-evaluating your priorities."
	 Kim's features hardened into steel.  "I think you should go now."
	 Tom returned an indignant expression.  "What?  You expect me to feel 
sorry for what I just said?  Harry, you're going to be one very lonely, 
stressed-out guy if you don't stop living in the past.  I'm just looking out 
for your best interests."
	 The ensign wordlessly held the door open, his face still awash with 
cold fury.  Tom grudgingly got up and walked out reiterating his feelings on 
the matter.
	 Harry was too worked up to go to bed yet, but all he could do was 
pace the room.  Tom was his best friend, but the pilot always insisted on 
looking at the negative and prodding him to do the same - same as always. Was 
Tom so jaded by life that he only expected the worst out of every situation?  
If so, was it right to force others to lose hope as well, to abandon everyone 
and everything back home so easily?  Harry wasn't about to give up that hope 
yet - he couldn't.
	 This line of thinking wasn't helping him relax at all.  To free his 
mind he studied one of the paintings that decorated the chamber: two warriors 
engaged in combat in a forest.  The rich, dark natural colors contrasted 
nicely with the grey and white metals of armor and blade.  Harry swore he 
could hear the sounds of metal on metal and the primal cries of aggression.  
To live that life, fighting for honor and survival - that was something you 
couldn't get from any holodeck.
	 Fatigue finally came to him, and he welcomed it.  Disrobing, Harry 
settled into bed and succumbed to slumber.  He dreamed of a young courageous 
knight, battling against all odds to keep the love of his fair maiden.

Chapter 3
	
	Harry was pleasantly awakened when she adjusted her chin deeper into 
the crook of his shoulder, her soft breathing tickling the hairs on his neck. 
 How wonderful it was to feel the warmth of her body next to his, as if they 
hadn't been with each other in ages.  His hand found the arm she draped over 
him and caressed it affectionately.
	 "Mmph," purred the still-sleeping bed partner.
	 Harry's eyes popped open: that didn't sound like Libby!  Suddenly he 
remembered where he was.  He jumped out of bed at warp speed and looked back 
just in time to see a very startled yet drowsy Celin.
	 "Celin!  What the hell are you doing in my bed?" he shouted.
	 She looked to be in a total state of distress.  "I-I don't 
understand. I thought this was what you wanted!"
	 The adrenaline running through his system fully awakened him, but 
his mind was still a bit fuzzy.  "I'm afraid I don't follow you.  When did I 
ask you to sleep with me?" he asked sternly.
	 "Last night - you suggested it would be a good idea that we bed."
	 Harry's hand struck his forehead as if in reflex to Celin's 
misinterpretation, then slowly he pulled it down over his eyes - wishing that 
the awkward encounter was a mere hallucination - then atop his mouth, which 
was hanging open.  He was both embarrassed and relieved by the situation, 
laughing nervously as a result.  "Celin, I think you misunderstood what I 
said -"
	 "What, suddenly I'm not good enough for you?" she replied 
scathingly. "Don't you find me attractive?"
	 "No, no, it's not that," he stammered out at the unexpected turn of 
the conversation.  "You are one of the most beautiful women I've ever met. 
But that doesn't mean we have to sleep together - I mean, I hardly even know 
you!"
	 Celin regained some her composure, despite the fact that she was 
clothed with only a bed sheet.  "I admit, I thought the decision was a bit 
rushed, but we learn never to question how fast the male chooses to mate once 
the partner is selected."
	 "Well, maybe that's how you Xausans establish relationships, but 
that's not how we do it back home," Kim explained.  "On Earth, both partners 
have a say in determining how the relationship progresses, and it usually 
involves a lot of time and hard work and compromise to make one successful."
	 He sat down on the bed beside her and looked at her compassionately. 
"That's why it could never work out between us: I doubt that Voyager will be 
here for very long.  Besides, I already have a girlfriend back on Earth I 
hope to get back to."
	 "I'm afraid it is you who does not understand," the duchess stated 
flatly.  "I have chosen you.  By law, you must become my husband."
	
	Chaos still reigned inside Harry's head while Celin escorted him down 
for breakfast.  /This is utter lunacy/ he thought fretfully.  /We've known
each other for less than twelve hours, and she wants to marry me?/
	 When they reached the parlor where the morning meal was to be held, 
he noticed Tom and Driva were already present, the former closely evaluating 
the exotic dishes already set out.  Fresh thoughts of last night's 
confrontation made the ensign irresolute to confide his current problem with 
the audacious pilot.  Tom was his closest and best friend, but he still hated 
him for bashing his fidelity to Libby.  Only when the lieutenant looked up 
and gave him a happy grin did he decide that he was still too angry to 
reconcile.
	 "Hey, look who's finally up!" noted the chipper Paris.  "Sleep well, 
Harry?"
	 Total silence greeted him, as the young ensign ignored the question 
in favor of perusing the table of fruits and sweet breads.  It was a surefire 
method of breaking the lieutenant's cheerful mood.  Somehow he didn't think 
now would be a good time to tell Harry of the miraculous hangover cure Driva 
had introduced to him.  For whatever reason, he suspected he was the cause of 
Harry's ill disposition.  However, he just had to make sure his suspicion was 
right.
	 "You ought to try the mehsla," he offered, pointing to the lime- 
colored fruit.  "It tastes just like honeydew melon."
	 He watched as Harry picked the mehsla from his plate and put it back 
on the table.  /Yep/ he concluded, /he's mad at me all right./  He would have
to devote some time to remembering what he said or did to get on Kim's bad
side.
	 "Oh!  This is marvelous!" came the gleeful cry from Neelix, who had 
just been shown in, Kes by his side.  He scurried over to the tables and 
poked about the displays.  "Fresh gullberries, mehsla, gehr-kesh, Prellian 
sweet buns!" his eyes dazzled.  "Food fit for a king - or, in this case, a 
prince!"
	 In the meantime, Kes spotted Harry sitting quite apart from the 
others, picking away at the morsels on his plate.  While Neelix delved into 
the breakfast selections, she pulled a chair up alongside the somber-looking 
ensign.
	 "Good morning, Harry.  Are you enjoying the buffet?" she asked, a 
perfect lilt in her soft voice.
	 Harry briefly glanced at her, then back at his meal.  "It's all 
right, I guess."
	 The Ocampa studied him carefully, as if reading his emotions like an 
open book.  "You know, you look pretty serious for someone who's supposed to 
be relaxing.  Would it be okay if I ask what the problem is?"  She paused to 
take a peek across the room.  "Does it have something to do with Tom?"
	 Kim heaved a sigh.  He didn't really feel like talking to anyone 
about it right now, but the concerned look on Kes' adorable face buckled his 
reluctance slightly.  "Tom and I had a little disagreement last night, and it 
looks like he isn't having any regrets about what he said."
	 "Oh, I'm sure he'll come around," she replied, giving a fond look to 
the pilot, who was busy conversing with the two duchesses.  "He just needs a 
little time to sort things out."
	 "Ah, there you are, my dearest!" called out the Talaxian.  "You 
really must try these - they're the finest fruits you'll find in this 
sector!" Noticing Harry's dour expression, Neelix handed the heaping dish to 
his companion and lowered his voice to an acceptable level.  "Looks like 
someone could use a boost in morale.  Troubles, Mr. Kim?"
	 Harry looked reluctantly at the two.  /Great, now they're ganging up 
on me/ he thought wistfully.
	 "I know I usually find it helpful talking to someone when I have a 
problem," he further prodded, trying to get the ensign to open up.
	 "Harry considered the suggestion.  "Maybe you're right, Neelix, but 
I think this is a matter I should discuss with the captain or the commander 
first.  Thanks anyway."
	 "Well, we did bump into Commander Chakotay on our way here," Kes 
suggested.  "I believe he was going to meet the captain in the courtyard. 
They might still be there."
	 Harry thanked the couple for their helpfulness and left the parlor, 
brushing aside Tom's attempts to corral Harry into the little group's 
discussion on the way out.  With any luck, Captain Janeway and Commander 
Chakotay would still be in the courtyard.
	 Unfortunately, the two senior officers were already gone, obviously 
being escorted about the premises by Prince Gaav as Celin had mentioned. 
Dejected, he looked out across the lush expanse of scenery as the morning sun 
cast its warming touch upon his face.  He needed to put some distance between 
Celin and himself, but didn't think stepping outside the castle walls was 
adequate enough.
	 Leaving a message for the captain with one of the palace servants, 
Harry contacted the transporter room to beam him back.  Perhaps B'Elanna 
could use an extra pair of hands in Engineering.

Chapter 4
	
	Captain Janeway walked into Main Engineering to find a bustling team 
of officers steadily working away.  Her heart leapt with pride at the sight; 
even knowing that the Voyager would be here for a couple of weeks didn't stop 
the Engineering crew from working as hard as they could.
	 She found Ensign Kim hunched over one of the consoles with Lt. 
Carey. As she closed the distance between them she could hear them talking 
about the structural integrity field generators.
	 "My guess is that some of the graviton polarity sources were taken 
out by those proton bursts, and they're probably not isolated to the primary 
generator either," Carey remarked as he guided Harry over a display of the 
ship's energy flow.
	 "Yeah, you might be on to something there.  We should take a look at 
the secondary units first though; it would be a good idea to degauss the 
primary generator while we're here, so the other one should be operating at 
full strength when we take it off-line.  Still, we might want to inspect the 
waveguides, just in case."
	 Janeway smiled; she couldn't have asked for a better Ops officer 
when they embarked from Deep Space 9 over a year ago.  So eager to 
contribute. "Ensign Kim, I understand you wished to speak with me?"
	 Harry jerked his head over his shoulder in surprise.  He had been so 
busy helping out in Engineering he had forgotten the message he left at the 
palace.
	 "Captain!"  He glanced over at Carey.  "You'll have to get started 
on this without me, sir."  Then he turned back to Janeway.  "If you don't 
mind, Captain, I'd like to go somewhere more discrete."
	 Kathryn regarded the sudden veil of seriousness that shrouded itself 
over the ensign.  "All right, to my ready room then."
	
	She looked exactly like a deer caught by a set of halogen beams. 
"You're engaged to be married?" she cried, her voice increasing in volume 
with each word.  She didn't know with whom to be angry: Harry, Lady Celin, or 
Tom for chasing after the duchess in the first place.  "Mr. Kim, could you 
please tell me how something like this could possibly happen when we've only 
been here for one day?"
	 Harry was obviously humiliated by the way his cheeks colored.  "I'm 
not sure what led her to choose me to be her husband, Captain.  All I know 
for certain is that she took my statement out of context when I said Tom and 
I should be shown to our rooms for bed.  Next thing I know, I wake up and 
find her sleeping next to me and she tells me she's picked me to become her 
mate!"
	 Janeway paced the floor, working out all the information in her 
head. "Sounds like some sort of cultural practice to me.  I think I'll to 
have to have a discussion with Prince Gaav about this.  In the meantime, I 
think it might be best if you remain aboard - resume your activities in 
Engineering - until this situation is resolved."
	 She tapped her badge.  "Janeway to Chakotay."
	 "Yes, Captain?" the badge responded after a few seconds.
	 "Commander, I have a research assignment for you to perform.  See 
what you can dig up on Xausan courtship and mating rituals."
	 "Captain?"  It sounded as though she had just caught Chakotay's 
attention.
	 "I'll explain later, Commander - oh, and if you run into Lieutenant 
Paris tell him to report back to the ship immediately.  I'd like to keep him 
out of trouble if I can," she added, speaking more directly to Harry than her 
first officer.
	 "Aye, Captain," answered a confused-sounding Chakotay.  "Chakotay 
out."
	
	For the rest of the day Harry absorbed himself in Engineering, 
assisting B'Elanna with various problems.  He had even taken time to inspect 
and repair a few of the triphase waveguides that were discovered to be 
damaged.
	 During a brief lunch break he finally broke down and told the chief 
engineer what had transpired earlier that morning.  She responded in true 
Klingon form, balling her fists in barely contained rage and asking if he 
wanted her to talk some sense into the duchess, Klingon style.  He reminded 
her that it was usually bad for relations when you manhandle a relative of a 
planetary ruler, but thanked her for the consideration.  Feeling somewhat 
embarrassed by the outburst, B'Elanna promised to bring him some leftovers 
from the upcoming banquet, stating that they'd be a far cry better than what 
Ensign Chell might be preparing in the mess hall - not that it was a knock 
against the Bolian's culinary expertise.
	 Lt. Paris had wandered through Engineering later in the afternoon, 
hoping to pull the ensign away from his diagnostics to shoot some holographic 
pool.  However, he was met with less than amenability from the young man.  In 
fact, Harry acted as if the lanky pilot didn't occupy normal space-time, 
which didn't go over too well with Tom.  But before he could pursue the 
conversation further, Torres intercepted him and dragged him out of the 
engineering section.
	 "B'Elanna!  What do you think you're doing?  Let go!" he growled, 
struggling to break free of her tritanium-like grip.
	 "Can it, Paris," she barked, pinning him against a bulkhead to stop 
his squirming.  "Harry's got enough problems already without you trying to 
pick a fight."
	 Tom quickly submitted.  "Huh?  What kind of problems?"
	 B'Elanna looked at him with surprise.  "You mean he didn't tell you?"
	 His expression turned to annoyance.  "He hasn't said a word to me 
all day.  He's obviously mad at me about something, but he won't say 
anything. Tell me what?"
	 She was conflicted: if Harry had wanted Tom to know he would have 
told him already, but Tom still deserved to know.
	 "Lady Celin is forcing Harry to marry her."
	 Tom's jaw dropped to the floor.  He tried to say something, but 
neither his mouth not his vocal chords would respond.  Fragments of last 
night's altercation began to return.  /Jeezus!  I knew she had a thing for 
him, but whoa!  No wonder he's so upset./
	 "He just needs a little time to himself right now," she added.  They 
looked at each other for a few uncomfortable moments, trying to think of 
something to change the subject.
	 "So," she said at last, "are you going to the dinner again tonight?"
	 "Uh, yeah, I was planning to.  You?"
	 "Yeah, me too."
	 Tom regained a small measure of his confidence.  "Hey, want me to 
come around and pick you up?"
	 Torres returned an awkward half-smile.  "Okay.  Stop by my quarters 
around 1730 hours."
	 Both lieutenants tried to collect themselves, then headed off in 
opposite directions: Paris off to the holodeck to challenge Gaunt Gary to 
some 9-ball, and Torres back to Engineering.
	
	"Good evening, Commander," Janeway said pleasantly once the transport 
completed.
	 Chakotay returned a welcome smile, then glanced upward at the quiet 
sky.  "I'd say we're in for another pleasant evening, Captain."
	 Janeway matched his gaze.  "Yes, it certainly is quite wonderful.  I 
wonder if they deploy a weather control system of some sort?"
	 Chakotay's eyes flashed with amusement.  /Always the scientific
mind,/ the first officer mused wryly.
	 The landing party was once again escorted to the dining hall.  
During the passage, the two senior officers fell back from the group.
	 "So, were you able to uncover anything about these people's courting 
practices?" the captain whispered.
	 He looked at her grimly.  "Some - they won't let anyone into their 
Hall of Records without prior permission.  Apparently, it is the woman's 
responsibility for choosing a suitor whom she sees as the ideal partner to 
produce offspring.  Once she makes that decision, the male is basically 
bonded to her; a marriage ceremony is usually nothing more than a symbolic 
announcement.  The only power the male has is deciding when to sire."
	 "Oh, great," she murmured irritably.  "We're at the whims of a 
starry- eyed teenaged duchess."
	 The pieces of the puzzle seemed to suddenly come together for 
Chakotay.  "You mean - Paris?"
	 The captain shot him a discouraging look.  "A good guess, Commander, 
but I'm afraid you're wrong.  It seems the Lady Celin has developed a crush 
on our Ensign Kim."
	 He felt the wind get knocked out of him.  "*Harry?*" he choked out.
	 She tipped her head once in acknowledgment.  "I know; it surprised 
me as well.  In any case, it looks like our top priority is getting passage 
into their Hall of Records - we need to get as much information about this as 
possible - and I think I know exactly who can help us," she added just before 
they entered the huge dining hall.
	
	He was absolutely exhausted.  Harry couldn't remember the last time 
he had spent so much time in front of an engineering console since graduating 
from the Academy.  It wasn't even 2100 just yet, but all he wanted to do was 
sleep.  *No clarinet tonight - probably don't have enough energy to blow* he 
chuckled.
	 Slipping out of his uniform and into his pajamas, Harry turned the 
bed down.  But before he retired, he moved to the viewport and looked down at 
the blue-gray planet below.  He smiled at the thought of B'Elanna's promise 
to bring him a doggie bag from the banquet: she hadn't realized that he 
would've had to eat in the mess hall anyway.  However, his humour was eaten 
away by melancholia and bitterness.  Celin's selfishness had robbed him of a 
great opportunity to experience the surroundings of Xausa III.  He hoped 
Captain Janeway could straighten out this quandary soon before they were 
ready to break orbit.  Catching the sight of a twinkling star, he wished he 
could still be back exploring the Xausan terrain.  Then he settled into bed 
and drifted off.
	
	An hour later Lts. Paris and Torres walked up to Ensign Kim's 
quarters.
	 "I hope Harry decided to eat in the mess hall; I'd feel awfully 
stupid if he waited all night for this," B'Elanna commented, holding up the 
foil-wrapped package.
	 "Are you sure Harry's here?" Tom queried, pushing the door chime. 
"He's not answering."
	 "Yes, I'm sure; Andrews told me he was coming right here after he 
finished calibrating the field emitters."  She was getting irritably 
impatient - what was Harry doing?
	 After a few more unsuccessful hails, she'd had enough.  She ordered 
the computer to override the lock.  The doors hissed open and the two 
solicitors entered the room.  The bed looked like it had been slept in, but 
Harry was nowhere to be found.
	 A pang of worry stabbed at the half-Klingon's heart.  "Computer: 
what is the location of Ensign Kim?"
	 "Ensign Kim is in his quarters," it replied.
	 Her temper boiled.  "No, he isn't.  What the hell is wrong with the 
computer?"
	 Nothing, I'd say," Tom broke in, holding up Harry's uniform, the 
commbadge still fastened to the left breast.
	 "Computer, confirm using biosignatures: where is Ensign Kim?" she 
barked out, worry clearly registered in her voice and facial features.
	 It was a few seconds before the computer announced, "Ensign Kim is 
no longer aboard the ship."  

Chapter 5
	
	Something was different.
	 With his mind and body slowly pulling themselves back into 
consciousness, Harry didn't know what it was exactly, but there was a 
quantifiable difference.  It was just a feeling - no, it was a sensation.
	 The blankets - they felt coarse against his skin.  Then came the 
realization that he was no longer wearing his pyjamas.  The mattress was too 
lumpy and scratchy.  His foggy mind cleared up enough for him to make the 
conclusion that this was not his bed, and he was definitely not on Voyager.
	 Now fully awake, Harry removed his mask to look at his surroundings. 
He found himself in a small room he didn't recognize.  There were absolutely 
no adornments; the room merely consisted of a slipshod table and chair, a 
small window so caked with grime it barely let light pass through it, and the 
bed he found himself in.  The place was filthy, but understandably so 
considering the floor was bare earth.
	 Getting out of bed, the ensign looked more closely about the room. 
Draped around the back of the chair was a harness and a long narrow claymore- 
styled sword.  At the foot of the bed he found a pile of clothes, which he 
assumed were his.  Inspecting it he realized that it was his Beowulf costume.
	 Obviously Tom was attempting to mend fences between them by running 
one of the ensign's holodeck programs - or a modification or combination of 
several programs, as he didn't recognize the room - and somehow transporting 
the unsuspecting sleeper without him knowing about it.  It showed all the 
marks of a classic Paris practical joke, right down to the missing sleep 
wear. No doubt someone told him everything that had happened, and had done 
this to break the tension of the situation.  Harry would have been mad at the 
lieutenant if he wasn't already, yet ironically the prank did its job; Harry 
snickered at the feat, and his walls of resentment crumbled slightly.
	 Harry put on the costume to avoid any embarrassment of getting 
caught half naked when the program ended.  "Computer: end program."
	 Nothing happened.
	 Harry was puzzled.  "Computer: exit."
	 Still nothing.
	 "Computer: arch."
	 Either the computer was malfunctioning, or this wasn't the holodeck. 
If the latter was true, then where the hell was he?
	 Harry didn't panic: he had been trained by some of the best 
instructors at Starfleet Academy in handling unexpected situations.  Still, 
he could hear the warning bells in his head.  The best defence against the 
unknown was information, and he knew he wouldn't find out anything where he 
was now.
	 The door opened into a small hallway, with more doors identical to 
his own.  He guessed he was in some sort of lodging.  The room at the far end 
of the hall was open, so he decided to investigate.  It appeared to be some 
kind of washroom, although there was no evidence of indoor plumbing: all it 
contained was a long metal tub, a smaller basin resting on a table, a wood- 
burning stove and a mirror - the first reasonably modern convenience he had 
seen thus far.  The washroom - or more accurately, washing room - was open to 
the exterior, most likely to provide access to a woodpile for fueling the 
stove.  It was fenced off to keep predatory animals and curious passersby 
from intruding, yet still provided a sufficient amount of light for 
visibility.
	 Harry caught a glimpse of someone in the mirror, startling him, but 
was even more surprised when he realized it was his own reflection.  He was 
at a loss to explain his appearance, however; he looked nearly as unkempt as 
his room: shoulder-length hair, matted from the night's rest, and a thin 
mustache and beard that suggested he had never shaved once since puberty.  He 
began to think of this less as a holodeck simulation when an amusing thought 
occurred to him: he looked like Genghis Khan!
	 He smiled at the absurdity - the only pictures he had seen of the  
ancient Mongolian ruler were merely artists renderings - but pushed the 
thought aside.  His problem was now alarmingly serious.  There was no way his 
hair could grow this much overnight; how long had he been asleep?  The more 
questions he came up with, the more disconcerted he became.
	 "Were you looking to wash up?" a female voice suddenly coming from 
behind him asked.
	 Harry jerked around to find the source, a young Xausan woman.  That 
at least answered a few questions as to his whereabouts, but leaving a few 
more in their place.  She looked comparable to him in age and height, and was 
quite attractive despite her stringy mouse-brown hair and simple clothing.
	 "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she apologized.
	 Harry swallowed his heart back into his chest.  "I didn't hear you 
come up behind me," he panted.
	 The young woman smiled and blushed with embarrassment.  "Sorry - 
I've always been light on my feet.  I just saw you come in here and wanted to 
know if you needed a hand drawing some water for the bath."
	 "Um, no, not right now, thanks," he replied restlessly.  "I didn't 
catch your name, Miss -"
	 "T'Lissa," she responded exuberantly.  "I help my father here at the 
inn, although if he had his way I'd still be at home tending the farm with my 
mother and brothers.  What I'd really like to do is travel to Boltec, but 
Father would never hear of it - he thinks it's too dangerous a trip for me to 
travel alone."
	 She blushed again when she realized what she was doing.  "Oh, just 
listen to me - telling you my whole life story before I even give you a 
chance to tell me who you are!  My parents say I don't know when to stop 
talking - they're convinced I like to hear the sound of my own voice."
	 Harry smiled warmly at the inn-keeper's daughter; he saw some of 
himself in her.  "That's okay, T'Lissa.  I think you have a pretty voice." He 
paused for a moment.  "My name's Genghis.  Genghis Kim."
	
	For a while Harry forgot everything about the last two days.  He was 
content to spend his morning chatting with T'Lissa, even while she prepared 
his breakfast in the tavern.  He took care, though, not to give away who he 
was or where he really came from - wherever he was, there were no signs of 
the technology he had seen on Xausa III, and his observations of the 
talkative young woman indicated that she was unaware such technologies even 
existed.
	 "Please, Genghis, tell me more of your amazing adventures," pleaded 
the hostess as she tended to the slab of mutton roasting in the fire pit. 
"What became of this sorcerer, the Caretaker?"
	 The smell of flame-broiled meat urged his stomach to rumble - he was 
surprised at how hungry he was.  "Well, we helped the Caretaker defeat the 
terrible Ogla Clan from enslaving his kingdom by destroying the Caretaker's 
magic before the Ogla could use it against them.  Unfortunately, the 
Caretaker was very old and did not survive the battle.  And without his help 
or his magic we could not transport ourselves back to our homeland."
	 T'Lissa put a hand to her chest.  "Oh, how heroically tragic! `The 
Tale Of The Voyagers' - you and your friends are a brave and noble lot to 
sacrifice your only direct way home to rescue a people you never knew.  I 
pray the Great Power sees you on a safe journey."
	 "Thank you, T'Lissa.  I just wish I hadn't lost my way; the Voyagers 
are probably a great deal ahead of me," he replied, eyeing the meat as it 
sizzled on the fire.  He should have asked if they had any fruit - what he 
wouldn't give for a piece of mehsla right now.
	 As if on cue, T'Lissa removed the fare from the flames and served it 
on a dish before the hungry guest.  "Genghis, could I ask something of you?"
	 "Sure," he replied, hastily tearing into the breakfast.
	 Her eyes blazed with the fire of excitement and adventure - he could 
see it when she jumped into the chair beside him.  "Take me with you.  You've 
lived a life of incredible adventure, standing down fearsome enemies, 
triumphing over great perils.  I'd like to experience part of your adventure."
	 He swallowed a mouthful.  "No, I don't think so," he answered with 
out hesitation, following it with a slurp of mead she had poured him.
	 T'Lissa looked ready to cry.  "Why not?" she whined.
	 "T'Lissa, you don't want to go where I'm headed.  It's too dangerous 
for someone who lacks skill in survival and battle techniques.  I haven't 
even got a clue what's out there.  I'd never forgive myself if anything 
happened to you."
	 T'Lissa visibly deflated, sighing heavily.  "I suppose I'll just 
have to wait for an eligible merchant to come along so I can claim him.  Then 
he'd have no choice but to take me away from here."
	 That last statement stopped Harry for a moment, bringing back the 
memory of Celin's imposed marriage proposal.  He had to figure out a way to 
get back to the Voyager.
	
	"What do you mean, he's gone?"
	 "I mean there's no trace of him being on or leaving the ship, 
Captain," retorted the engineer, her anger and frustration visible in her 
words.  "It's like he just disappeared."  B'Elanna Torres was furious with 
herself for not having found a solution to Harry Kim's unexplained 
disappearance.
	 Janeway's face was masked with pure professionalism.  "I'm not 
willing to accept that answer, Lieutenant.  No one simply vanishes into thin 
air without some explanation.  Run a full sensor sweep on the planet and on 
the surrounding space for any alien ships, just in case."
	 "Aye, Captain.  Torres out."  She still looked visibly upset when 
the screen blacked out.  The captain could feel the first signs of a headache 
coming on.
	 "It isn't exactly good news, is it?" commented the first officer, 
who had overheard the whole conversation.
	 "Commander, you certainly have a flair for understatement.  This 
definitely complicates our situation with the royal family.  Lady Celin was 
already starting to make noises about the ensign's absence from tonight's 
banquet.  I doubt it will be much longer before she informs Prince Gaav of 
what she's doing, and I'm sure he'll want some answers."
	 Chakotay thought about it.  "Well, we could tell them he's working 
on a ship's problem that only his expertise can solve."
	 Janeway frowned.  "That might buy us a little time, but I'm worried 
the prince will demand to have Harry brought to them anyway."
	 "Maybe, but it should give us time to get acquainted with their 
cultural history.  How soon did Ambassador Tolis say we could visit the Hall 
of Records?"
	 "Tomorrow morning."  The captain brightened up a little.  "If we're 
lucky, I'll be too busy when the prince makes his call.  You know how I hate 
to be interrupted when I'm in the middle of something," she remarked with a 
conspiratorial smile.

Chapter 6
	
	B'Elanna Torres paced the floor like a caged animal.  Reports from 
the long-range scans were due any minute, but she didn't believe they would 
find anything.  So far nothing she tried had turned up any information about 
Harry's disappearance.  No one aside from the ensign himself had entered or 
left his quarters since she and Tom visited him two days ago, and the last 
record of activity showed him going *into* his quarters, not out.  There were 
no signs of residual energy patterns that might indicate weapons fire or 
transporter activity - unless the Xausans possessed a different kind of 
transporter technology, she once thought until scans of the planet returned 
negative.
	 A beep from one of the consoles alerted her.  As expected, there 
were no ships even remotely close enough to suspect them of abducting Ensign 
Kim. She had to fight the urge to punch a hole through the bulkhead, shaking 
with the pent-up up energy.
	 Hoping to diffuse her Klingon temper, Lieutenant Paris tried to talk 
her down.  "Whoa, take it easy, B'Elanna."  He placed a hand on her shoulder. 
"It's not going to help Harry if you spontaneously combust."
	 Torres stiffened at Tom's contact, but then relaxed at the lame 
joke. "I suppose not.  It's just so frustrating though; I've tried looking 
for anything that might give us a clue, but nothing's worked.  It feels like 
I'm missing something, but I don't know what it is," she spat out the last 
few words, tensing up again.
	 "Hey, don't forget, you've got other people here to help," he said 
encouragingly.  Tom knew she was having a difficult time dealing with Harry's 
absence, as he himself was.  There was a strong bond of friendship amongst 
the three of them.  It distressed the pilot to no end that the possibility 
existed he might not ever see Harry again, without an opportunity to make 
amends.
	 He moved to her other side, putting his attention on the console 
display.  "Have you looked at the ship's sensor logs yet?  Maybe we're 
overlooking something."
	 The engineer harumphed while pulling up the sensor records.  "If you 
think you can do any better - take a look.  This is what was recorded at 2145 
last night," she stated, pointing to the screen data.  Then she tapped a few 
keys.  "The life-form readings indicate that Harry's asleep.  Now watch what 
happens at 2149."
	 Tom watched the display with intrigue as the ensign's life signs 
suddenly vanished.  "Okay, now what's unusual about that - other than the 
obvious, I mean."
	 She looked at him incredulously.  "Don't you see?  It's how he 
disappeared that's so unusual.  None of the other readings changed - no 
unusual energy matrices, displacements or discharges, no spatial or temporal 
anomalies - nothing."
	 B'Elanna turned the information over in her mind again.  It looked 
like the only thing that would come of it was another impulse to hit 
something.  There just wasn't any information out there; it was as if someone 
had snapped their fingers and made Harry disappear by magic....
	 The realization hit her like a photon torpedo.
	 "Oh, no."
	
	As far as she was concerned, Kes was the perfect accomplice to join 
Captain Janeway on the trek to the Xausan's Hall of Records.  From the 
Doctor's many reports, she knew the Ocampa girl was a quick study, and it 
would be advantageous to have someone able to recall information precisely 
after limited exposure.
	 At first the guards would not allow them to enter the archive. 
Janeway was quite annoyed with their attitude until Ambassador Tolis 
contacted the guards a few minutes later.  Upon hearing about the situation 
the ambassador expressed his sincerest regrets to the captain, not expecting 
them to show up so early.  The two visitors were promptly shown in after that.
	 Janeway was impressed with the vastness of information; everywhere 
she looked, books were either piled in huge stacks or stored on shelves.  Kes 
appeared to be in a trance, eyes glazing at the sight of thousands of 
publications surrounding them.
	 "Kes, are you sure you won't need someone to translate the text for 
you?" Janeway questioned.
	 The Ocampa's attention never left the scores of books.  "I don't 
think so, Captain.  Yesterday I had an opportunity to study a few books from 
the palace library.  It took a few hours and some tutoring, but I think I got 
enough of an understanding of their written language to interpret it myself."
	 It never ceased to amaze the captain the many extraordinary 
abilities the young woman possessed.  She was blessed with mental abilities 
still new or untapped, an insightful wisdom atypical for most beings her age, 
and a hyper-porous mind capable of absorbing an unfathomable amount of 
information quickly.  A pity that her species was so short-lived; the Ocampa 
were a truly remarkable people.
	 They spent nearly half an hour just searching the indices and 
rummaging through the multitudes of bound scriptures until at last they found 
the volume they were looking for.  It took Kes several minutes to decipher 
the ancient alien text - the syntactic structure differentiated slightly - 
but shortly afterward she was transcribing the words as if she had known the 
language since birth.
	 "Hmm, this is interesting," she mumbled after several minutes.
	 The captain, almost asleep with boredom, suddenly perked up.  "What 
is it, Kes?"
	 Kes carefully reread the previous paragraph.  "Well, it appears that 
Commander Chakotay's report wasn't completely accurate.
	 "The Xausan marriage custom dates back over four thousand years ago 
when the current ruler decreed that women should have the sole right to 
choose their mates.  He did it because there were two princes vying for the 
hand of his only daughter.  The two rivals came from equally wealthy and 
powerful kingdoms that threatened to engage in war over the courting.  In the 
end, the king decided to let his daughter choose whom she should marry in 
order to prevent the conflict, as a union would cause an overwhelming 
advantage for either party.
	 "The king's decree quickly evolved into a set of laws concerning the 
process of courtship and marriage.  A woman could basically make a claim to 
any man, but was constrained by the Xausan political caste system; in other 
words, she was limited to men of similar or lesser social standing.  Very 
rarely could a woman improve her social status through marriage - more often 
than not marriage was a means of finding a husband to produce stronger, 
healthier offspring.
	 "The only exceptions to the custom occurred for members of royalty - 
the elite class.  The male gender was also given the opportunity to select 
their own mates, which grew out of necessity when the male population of the 
elite outnumbered those of the women for an extended period of their history. 
It was then allowed for an elite male to refuse the proposition of a woman of 
his caste if he desired another woman even more."
	 "Incredible," Janeway remarked, her voice almost hushed, "how one 
man's decision could have such a profound cultural impact on an entire 
species."  She let her statement hang in the air for a few moments, 
reflecting on her words, before slipping back into her authoritarian role.  
"Kes, is there anything in there we could use to our advantage?"
	 Kes continually bobbed her head back and forth between the ancient 
tome and the PADD.  "I'm not quite certain yet, Captain.  Most of the wording 
is ambiguous, and could be interpreted in any number of ways.  I'd need time 
to study this more thoroughly."
	 "Take as much time as you need, Kes - it would be a great help to me 
to have someone well versed in this to back me up when I talk to the prince."
	 After what seemed like hours to the captain, Kes finally completed 
the transfer.  The young Ocampa appeared despondent, however, at finishing 
the task, admitting guiltily that she would as soon lock herself in the 
archive until she had read each and every book in storage.  Neither of them 
could suppress a grin at her passionate, if not obsessive, desire for 
knowledge.
	 Janeway watched as she returned the book back to its proper place. 
Kes lingered, panning her vision about the great library once more.  Turning 
to go, she brushed her fingers across the bindings of the books on the shelf. 
Suddenly she jerked her hand away, sharply drawing in a breath.
	 Janeway immediately made a move toward her.  "Kes?  Are you all 
right?"
	 Kes looked slightly disoriented, her attention drawn to the volume 
in front of her.  "I'm fine, Captain.  When I touched this book I just got 
this sense that something or someone familiar was inside it."
	 Kathryn's eyes grew wide with alarm.  She would have liked to have 
dismissed her implication as an impossibility, but her scientific background 
rebuked the impulse.  Even past history had given rise to evidence of several 
ways a person or ship could travel back in time.  And those thoughts unnerved 
her. Being stranded 70,000 light years from Federation territory was 
difficult enough - getting stranded in time would only compound the problem.  
"Are you absolutely certain of that?"
	 Kes removed the volume from the shelf, flinching at the psychic 
reverberation as if it was a mild electric shock.  She calmly centered 
herself and placed a palm over the cover.  "Yes, the feeling's much stronger 
now."
	 Without opening her eyes, Kes opened the book.  Captain Janeway's 
face drained of all color: on the very page Kes had displayed, embedded in 
the alien script, was a picture of a poorly groomed Ensign Kim, sword in hand 
and hair flying wild.
	
	The sun was nearing its highest point by the time Harry quit from the 
country inn.  Although inevitable, he found it difficult to bring himself to 
leave.  He enjoyed T'Lissa's company, even if she did attempt to influence 
his decision to take her along on his odyssey - `Just in case you changed 
your mind' she insinuated.  T'Lissa was still very companionable despite her 
ambition and talkative nature.  And she had enjoyed listening to his 
creatively composed life story, as much as he did telling it.  Harry felt 
they could have developed a strong friendship had circumstances been 
different.
	 He availed himself of the opportunity to bathe while he was there, 
grateful that at least the Xausans had evolved to the point where they 
recognized the importance of cleanliness.  He had no idea how long it would 
take to reach Boltec; T'Lissa had guessed it would be at least a full day's 
journey on foot - her father would occasionally make weekend business trips 
to Boltec, but he had the luxury of a steed to expedite the travel.  The 
young woman even offered to provide Harry with a mount, but he considered it 
inequitable to accept.  Thus, he figured it wise to make himself as clean as 
possible before heading out.
	 Fighting the bright glare of the sun with the back of his hand, 
Harry appreciated the prudence of that decision; already he was sweating 
profusely in his leathery costume.  He also congratulated his astuteness for 
asking T'Lissa for several canteens of water and rations of fruit and cured 
meat. Imagine his delight when he discovered that mehsla was indigenous to 
this world - honeydew was one of his favorite fruits.
	 After an hour of walking down the dusty gravel road, Harry wished he 
had left earlier in the morning.  The blazing intensity of the summer sun 
bore down on him hard, rapidly depleting his energy.  His light armour 
absorbed his perspiration, making it heavier and clammy, and caked with mud 
from the dust he kicked up.  The sword rested uncomfortably on his waist, 
bouncing limply off his leg with every stride.  The road itself was barren 
and quiet, not a single traveler to be seen in either direction.  Harry 
surmised that most wayfarers made their journeys very early in the morning or 
later in the afternoon when the sun was low, thus avoiding the scorching heat 
and threat of dehydration or heat exhaustion.
	 He finally decided to duck into the foliage off to the roadside. The 
brushwood would slow him down, but the protective shade from the trees was of 
much greater importance to him.  But first he needed a rest and a drink. 
Encountering a felled trunk, Harry sat down and took a few droughts from a 
canteen.  He also chewed down a strip of jerky; the salty meat would help 
prevent muscle cramps.
	 "So, if it isn't the notorious Genghis Kim," a voice suddenly rang 
out from behind his shoulder.
	 Harry abruptly swung around to see who was behind him - much too 
quickly to keep his balance.  The ensign toppled backwards onto the ground, 
his legs still resting on the tree trunk.  The stranger appreciated the 
pratfall, producing a rich throaty laugh that greeted Harry's ears almost 
maliciously.  The voice sounded vaguely familiar, as if he knew the person to 
whom it belonged.
	 Struggling to his feet, Harry faced the unknown visitor and 
immediately recognized him.  The clothes may have been different - robes 
imitating the style of Louis XIV - but the face was unmistakable.  The image 
of that man's face on Voyager's forward viewscreen would be forever burned 
into the ensign's memory.
	 Harry Kim's eyes darkened to obsidian as he stared coldly at the 
flamboyantly dressed character.  "Q.  Somehow I'm not surprised that you're 
involved with this."
	 The capricious entity grinned roguishly.  "Well, I just happened to 
be in the neighborhood.  I thought I'd drop by to exchange a quick hello with 
your Madame Captain, but I was distracted by your escapades instead.  I must 
say, you certainly know how to keep an omnipotent being amused - quite an 
achievement, actually."
	 Harry stiffened.  "I'm so glad I could entertain you," he snapped 
sarcastically.  "Would you care to tell me where in the Xausan system you've 
taken me - or maybe I should be asking you when?"
	 Q regarded the shaggy ensign with mild surprise.  "Aren't you the 
clever one?  Makes me think there might yet be some hope for you pitiful 
creatures," he remarked indifferently, spurring a deeper frown from the 
ensign.
	 The omnipresent being tediously smoothed out his robes.  "Well, 
congratulations for figuring it out.  Yes, you're still on Xausa Three about, 
oh, three thousand years ago, give or take a few centuries."
	 Harry took one aggressive step toward the entity before checking 
himself.  He would have liked to punch Q squarely in the face if not for the 
fact that his molecules could be disassembled with a mere thought.
	 Q's benevolent expression soured.  "So that's how you want to repay 
me for doing you a favor?  That's gratitude for you," he sulked.
	 "Favor?"  Harry almost laughed.  "You effectively kidnap me, and you 
call it a *favor?*"
	 Q suddenly burst out in peals of laughter, resonating through the 
wilderness like ripples in a pond.  "Oh, you misguided little fool!  I did no 
such thing.  I merely gave you what you wanted: to experience the natural 
beauty of this world, while at the same time living out the life of adventure 
you've always dreamed of."
	 The ensign lost his footing in the conversation.  "What - how did 
you know about that?"
	 Q rolled his eyes in exasperation.  "I take back what I said earlier 
about hope for your kind.  How do you think I know?" he condescended. 
"Suffice it to say, I wasn't that far away when that tin can you call a ship 
came to this world.  And it wouldn't take a mind reader to know what was on 
your mind, my dear boy."
	 Harry regained a measure of aplomb despite feeling like a heel for 
asking such a palpable question.  "Okay, dumb question.  What I'd really like 
to know is why you brought me here, and when you plan on returning me to 
Voyager."
	 Once again Q looked pained.  "I already answered your first 
question; I gave you a chance to live out your fantasies in an environment 
convenient to your unique circumstance," he replied stately, sweeping the 
landscape with arms spread out wide.
	 Then he looked playfully at Ensign Kim.  "You're going to have so 
much fun you'll forget all about your current petty concerns.  I'll come back 
for you later when you've tired yourself out.  Just don't get yourself 
killed, and everything will be just fine.  Ta-ta now!" he added with a little 
wave. And in a burst of light, Q was gone, leaving Harry to wonder if things 
could possibly get any worse.

Chapter 7 

	Quickly checking that his supplies were securely fastened to his 
belt, Harry set off once again in the direction of Boltec.  After Q's 
appearance, he debated whether or not he should actually continue his journey 
to the city.  After all, he had no intention of being Q's "puppet-du-jour". 
However, recalling their conversation, he realized that he was destined to 
become involved in some kind of adventure, regardless of his intention to 
cooperate.  /Might as well enjoy the scenery while I can/ he concluded.
	Freeing the blade at his side, Harry trudged through the thick growth 
of weeds and shrubs of the forest's interior, taking a few experimental hacks 
to clear away the foliage in his path.  The sword was at first awkward to 
handle, forcing the ensign to wield it with both hands to steady the blade 
and prevent injuring his wrists.  It took him about fifteen minutes to get a 
feel for the weight and balance of his weapon before he felt comfortable 
using it in just his right hand.
	The hours passed slowly, the sun creeping toward the tree line like a 
spider descending from its web.  Harry felt like he had been walking for 
miles when he heard the sounds of a horse-drawn cart on the road approaching 
from whence he came.  Hoping to requisition passage to the city, he started 
making his way back to the thoroughfare.  He quickened his pace considerably, 
however, the moment he heard the sudden development of a confrontation.

	The wheels rattled and groaned as the wooden cart made its way alone 
the weathered and travel-worn road, pulled by the cloven hooved rh'vasi with 
apparent effortlessness.  The old wagon made more than its fair share of 
trips to the marketplace over the many cycles, but it managed to hold 
together and do its job all the same. The driver played idly with the reins, 
pausing a moment to wipe the perspiration from his brow with the cuff of his 
sleeve.  Although the day was approaching dusk, the sun's punishing effects 
still hung heavily in the air, and it would remain a while yet before the 
earth would cool off.
	Stefik glanced behind him to survey the health of his transport.  It 
was always a challenge with produce, especially during the warmer season, but 
thankfully he could not yet discern any signs of spoilage.  With any luck the 
total complement of his fare would still be fresh enough to sell when he set 
up his booth the next day.
	"Good thing we started off before sunrise this time, eh, Casha?" 
commented the driver to his steer, not expecting an answer.
	Hoping to dispel a growing thirst, Stefik reached back and picked up 
a canteen by its leather strap.  Parting his lips around the nozzle, he 
leaned back and let the water wash the stickiness from the walls of his 
mouth.  He smiled in contentment as the cool sensation of the liquid crept 
down his chest and into his stomach, then he replaced the stopper in the 
canteen and set it back in the cart.
	In a sudden explosion of noise and motion, Stefik just barely noticed 
a mount and rider before Casha reared on her hind legs, almost knocking him 
off his seat.  He pulled back hard on the reins to get the animal under 
control, trying to keep his own rising panic at bay.
	Once Casha had calmed down, Stefik found the road impeded by two men, 
each one atop a v'shil.  The lead man was rotund but well-muscled, obviously 
an experienced warrior who knew how to handle a pint of stout as well as a 
blade.  The other man appeared to be less familiar with either of his 
companion's habits: rangy and slight.  Both, however, looked like they had 
not seen water for quite some time; Stefik swore he could almost smell their 
foul odor from where he sat.
	"Well, what have we got here, Weq?" remarked the big man, scowling at 
the lone traveler.  "Looks like someone's trying to cross our road without 
paying the toll."
	Weq grinned darkly, staring directly at Stefik.  "Not a wise move, my 
friend."
	The big man pulled up a few paces in front of Casha, who nervously 
tried to back away but could not escape the confinement of her harness. 
Stefik knew how the animal felt: he desperately wanted to flee in panic, but 
knew he'd have no chance of eluding the two muggers.
	"Hand over your purse, and I'll consider your passage."
	Stefik fumbled about with the tie-strings of his money bag, trying to 
loosen it from his belt.  The big man sidled up to the driver's bench the 
moment it came free and snatched it away from the farmer's trembling hand. 
Immediately the man's sour visage grew worse as he tested the weight of the 
pouch, then inspected its contents.
	"What is this?  Do you mock me with this pitiful sum?" he bellowed 
angrily, making Stefik cower in fright.  He shrieked as the big man grabbed 
him by the collar and yanked him up out his seat.  The pirate's rank smell 
stung his eyes and nose, but it didn't concern him much at the moment.
	"Please don't hurt me!  That is all I have to give," the young farmer 
whimpered.  "The crops were poor this year and -"
	"LET HIM GO!!"
	Startled, the big man lost his grip on Stefik's shirt and turned to 
look in the direction of the voice.  Stefik fell back onto the bench, but 
also looked around for the owner of the voice.
	There, on the other side of the road about twenty metres away, stood 
a peculiar-looking man wielding a sword in front of him.  The stranger had 
long stringy hair on his head and face (his face - so featureless!), and wore 
strange clothing.  /Definitely not from this area/ Stefik thought.
	"Get lost, stranger," the big man growled, moving his v'shil between 
his victim and the interloper.  "This is no business of yours."
	It was clear to see that the stranger was at a disadvantage 
physically, yet surprisingly he appeared to bear down even more, his hands 
gripped firmly to the hilt of his sword.  His gaze scarcely wandered from the 
bandit's large figure, only glancing once or twice at Weq to assess his role 
in a potential conflict.  "When someone tries to take advantage of a helpless 
individual, it becomes my business," the stranger replied, his voice as 
steely as his gaze.
	He was not going to back down, Stefik could see it in the man's 
stare. There was a single-mindedness and propensity in helping those in need 
there, blazing fiercely like a torch.  Stefik prayed to the Great Power for 
some miracle to assist this man in turning these foul ruffians away.

	Like anyone else who was a member of Starfleet, Harry was well 
instructed in tactical exercises.  He also knew how to stay rational during 
tense situations such as the one he had just put himself.  Nevertheless, he 
wished he wasn't about to engage in a sword fight with an opponent of unknown 
skill.  Sure, he had spent years practicing swordsmanship - thanks to his 
interest in Medieval History - but always in a holodeck environment, usually 
against holographic combatants: there was no risk of getting hurt.  While he 
didn't doubt his own skill, one lucky strike was all that would be needed to 
take him out of the fight.  No safeties this time, no computer programs to 
interrupt.
	Harry glanced briefly over at the second interloper to keep tabs on 
his position.  At least it appeared he'd only have to face the bigger man: he 
looked like he'd have trouble putting up a fight against Kes, let alone the 
ensign.
	The marauder sneered maliciously at him and pulled out an equally 
pernicious weapon from his side.  "Then prepare to suffer at my hand, fool!"
	Harry readied himself as the man's steed reared and abruptly bolted 
directly at him.

Chapter 8 

	Chakotay walked into the observation room, a bit anxious to hear what 
the captain had dug up from the Xausan Hall of Records.  Whatever information 
they found, it was of enough consequence for Janeway to call a senior 
officer's meeting even before beaming back to the ship.  He didn't know if 
that was meant to be a good sign or not, but he hoped so.
	B'Elanna had nearly jumped out of her chair the moment he entered the 
room, but the resigned look on her face when she saw who it was indicated 
that she too was anticipating the captain's arrival.  Tuvok, in his typical 
Vulcan manner, probably couldn't have appeared less disinterested in the 
meeting, sitting at his usual position scanning a PADD - security reports, 
most likely. And Tom Paris, he noticed, looked rather sullen and distant, 
which was unusual considering how he'd spent his shore leave so far.  Well, 
maybe not so unusual, the commander reconsidered. /Harry was probably Tom's 
closest friend on the ship.  Still, didn't think he'd take Harry's 
disappearance quite so hard./
	The doors to the lounge slid open, drawing B'Elanna's attention 
again. Chakotay turned and saw Neelix enter the room, craning his neck like a 
chicken looking for grain.  The commander could almost sense his friend slump 
back into her seat with disappointment.
	"Commander," petitioned the Talaxian, "I rushed right up here as soon 
as I could.  Have Kes and the captain returned from the surface yet?  I was 
just down in the kitchen preparing dinner when you called - and incidentally, 
did I tell you what Ensign Chell did to my kitchen yet?  None of my pots and 
pans are where they're supposed to be stored.  Why, it took me almost half an 
hour to -"
	"Neelix," Chakotay interrupted, almost a little too impatiently.  Now 
didn't seem like the best time to be discussing the galley's ergonomics. 
"They should be here any moment now.  Perhaps we can discuss this later."
	Just then the doors opened up once again, this time with Captain 
Janeway striding purposefully into the room, Kes following two steps behind. 
Neelix hastily convened with his companion and escorted her to her seat. 
Chakotay fell into step behind his commanding officer as she passed by him to 
her own chair.
	"Good, you're all here; we can start," she stated, settling in for 
the meeting.  "Commander, have you received any problems from Prince Gaav 
yet?"
	"Not exactly, Captain," Chakotay hesitated.  "I was contacted by 
Ambassador Tolis this afternoon - it seems Lady Celin is getting concerned 
with Ensign Kim's sudden and unexplained absence from the palace.  I told him 
the shore leave rotation schedule was responsible, and that Ensign Kim 
probably just forgot to mention it to the duchess."
	"Clever," remarked the captain.
	The commander sighed.  "I thought so, too.  Unfortunately, Lady Celin 
contacted the ship herself a few hours ago and asked to speak with Harry.  I 
had to tell her that he was currently on duty and couldn't be disturbed, and 
that he'd return her call as soon as he was able.  She didn't seemed too 
pleased with that idea, but she accepted it nonetheless.  With any luck that 
will buy us at least until tomorrow morning before anything else happens."
	Janeway nodded once in approval despite the grim information and 
turned her attention to the other side of the table.  "Lieutenant Torres, 
have you been able to uncover any information that might suggest a cause to 
Ensign Kim's disappearance?"
	"Yes -" the engineer blurted out.  "- I mean, I believe so, Captain, 
although you may not like what I have to say."
	B'Elanna uploaded the passive sensor log and explained the readings 
to the rest of the staff, pointing out the exact moment when Harry blinked 
out of existence.  Everyone seemed intrigued by the event, except for Tom, 
who merely stared at his clenched fists resting on the table.
	"For a long while the readings made absolutely no sense: aside from 
Harry, none of the conditions in his room changed even in the slightest.  In 
other words, Harry's vanishing act was physically impossible.  Then it 
occurred to me: whatever was responsible for making Harry disappear has the 
ability to defy the normal principles of physics.  And what's more, this 
wasn't a natural phenomenon; I really don't have any proof, but I'd say that 
what happened to Harry was deliberate."
	Throughout B'Elanna's presentation, Janeway intently studied the logs 
until at last she caught on to her implication. "You think Q is responsible 
for this, don't you?" she asked flatly.
	Torres anxiously shifted her weight from one foot to the other.  
"It's the only conclusion I came up with that could explain what happened and 
make sense."
	The countenances around the table were grave: the events of their 
first encounter with the Q were still fresh in everyone's memory. 
Surprisingly, however, Janeway seemed to relax back into her chair.  "Well, 
that would probably explain what Kes and I found in the Hall of Records," she 
remarked.  To the puzzled looks directed at her, she continued, "While 
searching for the data on Xausan marriage customs, we quite accidentally 
stumbled upon this."
	With the press of a few buttons, the captain produced the image of 
Harry filed by her tricorder.  Everyone in the room was completely 
thunderstruck by the black and white figure.  She glanced over to Kes, her 
cue to begin the explication of their unusual discovery.
	"The book we recovered this from is apparently just a small part of 
an anthology on Xausan history and legend.  I couldn't find a specific date 
linked to this entry, but the book itself describes dates back to an era 
approximately twenty-seven to twenty-eight hundred years ago."
	"Pardon me for asking," Lt. Paris interjected bitterly, "but why 
would Q just zap Harry onto an alien planet three thousand years ago?"
	Janeway glared at the lieutenant, clearly displeased with his 
undisciplined behavior.  "I believe we've gained enough knowledge - even 
personal experience - to know that Q may have no rational motive behind the 
actions he commits."
	"So, Kes, what exactly does this book say about Harry?" Chakotay 
asked, hoping to get the conversation back into neutral territory.  The 
captain looked ready to scrap with her Conn officer, and vice versa.
	Kes wasted no time.  "The book contains passages describing an 
intrepid wanderer named Genghis Kim and the adventures of his band of warrior 
comrades.  They really aren't considered to be much more than folk tales, but 
`The Tale Of The Voyagers' does have a lot of references connoting the 
incidents with the Caretaker and the Kazon upon your arrival here in the 
Delta Quadrant.  Plus, there are similar stories describing other events 
we've experienced, although they are somewhat obfuscated: for example, one 
passage makes recount of altercations with a tribe of cannibals which Genghis 
termed `The Soul-Stealers'."
	Chakotay gave a sidelong glance to the captain.  "The Vidiians?" 
Janeway nodded in agreement.
	Everyone in the room was intently interested in what Kes had to say - 
well, except Neelix, who simply looked baffled by the conversation.  "Genghis 
Kim?" he muttered to himself.
	"Well," posed B'Elanna, "now that we know where Harry is, I guess the 
next question is, how do we bring him back?"
	The chirp of her communicator answered before the captain could 
speak.  "Bridge to Captain."
	She tapped her badge.  "Janeway here."
	"Captain, we're being hailed by the royal office, by Prince Gaav 
himself; he want to talk with you in private."
	That was unexpected and unwelcome news; obviously the duchess wasn't 
willing to wait until morning to cause further problems.
	"Understood, Ensign.  I'll be right out."  Janeway looked back up at 
the table.  "I guess we'll have to finish this discussion later.  Dismissed."
	As the officers filed out of the lounge, Neelix tugged at Chakotay's 
sleeve.  "Commander."
	"Neelix, I won't be able to look at your kitchen just now," the first 
officer started.
	"It's not that, Commander.  Actually, I have a different favor to ask 
of you right now."
	Chakotay groaned on the inside.  "What is it, Neelix?" he asked 
evenly.  "Well, I don't want you to think I wasn't following the conversation 
- I know we were talking about Harry and all, but - " he replied hesitantly, 
"who is this `Genghis' person?"

	Janeway paced straight through the bridge, taking no time to 
acknowledge the current crew on duty.  "Have Prince Gaav's call patched 
through to my ready room, Ensign," she directed brusquely toward the Ops 
station.  She barely heard the "Yes, ma'am" before the doors to her office 
closed.  Sitting down at her desk, she stopped and took in a deep, slow 
breath, preparing for the face-off with Gaav, and activated the terminal. 
"Your Majesty, what a delightful surprise; to what do I owe this call?"  she 
asked winsomely.
	The prince's expression appeared somewhat grave and reluctant.  "My 
apologies, Captain, for being unable to contact you under more agreeable 
circumstances, but it has been brought to my attention that the Lady Celin 
has encountered considerable difficulty in communicating with one of your 
staff - a Mr. Kim, I believe.  I was wondering if there might be something 
you could do to facilitate some resolution to this problem."
	Janeway maintained the pretense of geniality while she spoke.  "Your 
Majesty, I can tell you that, unequivocally, my people are duty-bound to 
follow my orders.  However, what my crewmen do during their free time is 
strictly their business.  I may be their commanding officer, but that does 
not give me absolute power over them - the Federation does not work that way. 
 I can certainly discuss this situation with Ensign Kim, but I'm afraid that 
whatever course of action he chooses to take will ultimately be his decision."
	"That is most unfortunate," Prince Gaav replied disconsolately.  "Are 
you aware of the relationship that has been established between your Ensign 
Kim and the Lady Celin?"
	"If you are referring to their engagement, yes, I am well aware of 
it. I am also quite aware that this engagement was construed under a verbal 
misunderstanding , and that Ensign Kim had not purposefully intended to court 
Lady Celin."
	"Oh dear, that would explain why your Ensign Kim has been refusing 
communication, wouldn't it?"  Obviously, the prince had not been divulged of 
this particular piece of information, by the distressed tone in his voice.  
"I am truly sorry for this, Captain; had I known, I might have been able to 
avert this calamitous circumstance.  However, Lady Celin has already formally 
announced her intentions to marry.  By our law, it must be so now - not even 
the Queen herself can proscribe the ceremony."
	"That may be, Your Majesty, but that still won't stop us from trying 
to find some precedent to stop it.  I hope that won't be a problem for you."
	The prince held up his hands in concession.  "I assure you, Captain, 
in light of the situation, you won't get an argument from me.  Lady Celin, 
however, probably won't be as cooperative.  I should inform you, though, that 
you'll only have until the day after tomorrow to resolve this dilemma: the 
Queen will be arriving at that time to attend the ceremonies.  I won't have 
any other choice but to insist that you deliver your Ensign Kim to us."
	The turn of the conversation surprised Janeway: rarely had she 
encountered a leading planetary official advocating the obstruction of a 
relative's wedding.  "Thank you, Your Majesty.  Your assistance is greatly 
appreciated."
	Prince Gaav smiled and nodded.  "May the Great Power guide you to 
success, Captain.  Be well."  The screen snapped off immediately thereafter.
	Janeway reclined into her chair, basking in a small euphoria.  Their 
predicament seemed not as dire as it once was.  Of course, the predicament 
still had to be resolved....
	"Commander Chakotay, to my ready room, please.  Kes, please join me 
in my ready room.  We have work to do."

Chapter 9 

	To Harry, the fight seemed to last for nearly an eternity, although 
in reality it was waged in less than ten minutes.
	The hardest part of the battle had been getting his opponent to 
dismount: he figured his chances of victory were greater if they were both on 
equal footing.  The burly bandit attempted several rushes, each one nearly 
knocking the ensign flat on his back from the force of impact resistance.  At 
each clangour of steel Weq would erupt with a barrage of jeers aimed at Harry 
or shouts of encouragement to his comrade.  The traveler watched in silence, 
quailing at each blow.  This continued for several minutes, until Harry 
figured out the timing of his opponent's charges.
	On the next pass he was able to dodge the man's attack, dropping to 
his knees, and retaliated with a swift glancing shot at the v'shil's flank. 
The animal, not appreciating the assault, reared suddenly.  The rider, off- 
balance from his own strike, was easily sent flying from his saddle.  He hit 
the ground hard, forcing the weapon from his hand and sending it skittering 
away.  The bandit was severely winded from the impact of the fall.  His 
mount, however, decided it had had enough and sprinted off down the road.
	Harry slowly picked himself up off the ground and walked over to his 
fallen opponent.  He picked up the weapon and tossed it into the bushes, 
making sure the man had no opportunity to reclaim it.  Then he knelt down and 
yanked the man up roughly by his collar and pressed his sword under the man's 
chin.
	"I suggest you and your friend get lost for a long while," Harry 
growled.  "And if I ever see you again, you'll a lot more than your horse."
	He withdrew his sword and pushed the man away in the same motion, 
then stood up and walked over to the traveler.  Weq scurried over to attend 
to his partner, but kept his attention focused more on Harry, as if to ward 
off a blind ambush.  It seemed to matter little, however, as the tired old 
wagon resumed its course down the dusty road, carrying with it more payload 
that what it had started out that morning.

	"Many thanks, brave sir," lauded the wagoner.  "If not for you, I 
dare not say how much peril to which my life would have been subjected."
	Harry flushed with embarrassment, unused to such high praise.  "I 
just saw a person who needed help.  It's part of my job to help people in 
trouble. Genghis Kim, at your service."
	"Stefik Jorece," Stefik returned, shaking Harry's hand, then gestured 
to the animal pulling the cart, "and this is Casha."
	Harry couldn't help but smirk at the farmer's personification of the 
steer.  "A pleasure to meet you, Casha."  The rh'vasi grunted as if aware it 
was being addressed.  "So, Stefik, any idea when we'll reach Boltec?"
	He glanced up at the sky.  "Well, I think we should still be able to 
make it to the sentry before sun sets, thankfully.  Finding a room becomes 
more difficult once dusk falls."
	The conversation lapsed into silence for a few minutes.  Stefik 
scrutinized the face of his passenger, trying to figure out his place of 
origin and failing terribly.  Stefik was not a well-traveled individual, but 
he was not ignorant enough to not recognize the fact that Genghis Kim was not 
a local.  He didn't have any the markings common to the people he knew.  "If 
you don't mind my asking, Genghis, you're not from around here, are you?"
	Harry had leaned back in his seat and drunk in the scenery around 
him. He closed his eyes and sighed in contentment as a soft breeze washed 
against his sweaty face.  "It's a long story, Stefik."
	Stefik regarded his passenger with some curiosity.  "Then no doubt 
it's worth telling.  We still have a long trip ahead of us, you know."
	Harry grinned.  "This begins with 'The Tale of The Voyagers'...."

	By the time they had reached Boltec, Stefik was as wrapped up in 
Harry's yarns as T'Lissa had been.  Whatever esteem he held for his traveling 
partner had increased by orders of magnitude when they finally passed the 
city gate.  He had even sworn an oath to keep an eye out for Harry's 
compatriots and direct them toward Boltec.  Harry didn't bother discouraging 
him, though.  /He'll probably lose interest and forget about it within a week 
anyway./
	Their trip ended at the Dragon Horn Inn, Stefik's usual lodging.  The 
innkeeper, though - much to Stefik's chagrin - had no other rooms to let 
Harry, which he admitted was an infrequent occurrence.  He did, however, 
kindly suggest a few other places where the ensign could find a night's stay. 
No doubt Stefik planned to show off his new friend to the other residents 
over a mug of ale, but he would have to settle with telling the stories 
instead. Harry wished him a pleasant evening and a successful day at the 
market should they fail to meet again, then set to the streets in search of a 
room for the night.
	The sky had shifted from a brilliant red to a mixture of dull orange 
and chartreuse.  The lamp-lighters were out in full force with their torches, 
scuttling about while there was enough light to keep out of the way of other 
street traffic, although it had thinned out considerably in the last hour. 
Many shops were in the process of being locked up for the night; few others 
remained open to cater to the evening crowds.  The stone and mortar buildings 
impressed Harry o how remarkably well the Xausans had preserved these 
structures so far into their future - his present.
	Harry found himself railroaded by his train of thought.  He really 
wanted to be back at home, or on Voyager - just anywhere but here.  It had 
been fun for a while, but now he was just tired of being here.  He missed his 
friend - even Tom, despite his resolve never to speak to him again.  He 
missed Captain Janeway.  He missed his parents.  And he missed Libby most of 
all.
	He wondered when Q was planning to send him back.  Did Q have any 
intention of returning him, ever?  The Q's concept of time was vastly 
different from his own; he could be stuck here on Xausa Three for the rest of 
his natural life.  Harry couldn't stand the thought of that.  *At least I 
wouldn't have to marry Celin* he thought in morbid humour.  Unfortunately, 
that didn't cheer him up much.
	The idea of being stranded on this planet finally drove home the 
realization that Harry would probably never see his girlfriend ever again. 
And as Tom had said, she had likely moved on with her life, believing him 
dead.  Only now he would be, dead for countless centuries, on a world 65,000+ 
light years from Earth.
	Now Harry felt totally guilty for the way he had treated Tom.  The 
rakish pilot had honestly been trying to help him face reality, and he'd 
returned the favor by slighting his existence.  He hoped Tom would forgive 
his behavior, if he ever made it back to apologize.
	"Hey!  Watch where you're going!"
	Harry suddenly snapped alert, now just aware of having walked into a 
pedestrian in front of him.  So preoccupied was he that he had neglected to 
pay attention to where he was going.  "Oh, sorry about that," he apologized. 
"Are you okay?"
	The person whom he had nearly run over didn't seem impressed with the 
sudden courtesy.  "Idiot," she muttered, continuing her pace.
	Harry watched her walk away when a hanging sign above one of the shop 
doors caught his eye.  The lamppost gave off just enough light to highlight 
the words on the placard: The Kourat's Nest, one the establishments 
recommended by the owner of the Dragon Horn.  He entered, hoping to get a 
room and a hot meal.
	He wasn't disappointed either.  The manager still had a few rooms 
left, and the food, while not as exotic as the dishes Prince Gaav had 
presented the away team, was as delicious as the banquet selection he had 
tasted only a couple of nights before.  Harry didn't care if the Xausan 
innkeeper had served him leola root stew: the fresh air and activity had left 
the ensign with a such a ravenous appetite, he probably would've eaten 
anything put in front of him.
	His hunger satisfied, the weight of the day's activities finally 
overcame Harry.  Gathering up his possessions, he wearily trudged up two 
flights of stairs and down the hall to his room, fourth door on the right. A 
long night's sleep would be more than welcome.  Locking the door behind him, 
Harry removed his grungy leather vest and elk-skin leggings.  The foul smell 
of his own stink made him want to choke, and wish he had another change of 
clothes, when he spotted the basinette in the corner.  Making a few quick 
trips to the communal bathroom (and imagine his surprise and relief to 
discover they had indoor plumbing - even if it was just cold water!), he 
collected enough water to cleanse the grime from his body and wash his linens.
	He was about to pull off his shirt when he heard an irregular tapping 
at the door.  Perplexed at who might be calling, Harry opened the door, 
greeting a suddenly confused and startled man.
	"You're not Goral," the man astutely pointed out.
	The ensign waited, hoping the man would volunteer some explanation 
for the comment.  None looked to be forthcoming, though.  "Uh, no," he 
replied nonplussed.  "Can I help you with something?"
	The stranger knit his brow in consternation, appearing to struggle 
with the idea of forming a coherent sentence.  "This is the third floor, 
fourth door on the left, isn't it?  I was supposed to meet Goral on the third 
floor, fourth door on the left."
	The corner of Harry's mouth tugged upward.  "Try your other left," he 
remarked, pointing to the door directly behind the caller.
	The visitor looked over his shoulder, a look of embarrassment 
crossing his face.  "Sorry to disturb you, sir," he sheepishly apologized.
	Harry gave him a friendly little wave as he closed the door, then 
resumed his task of bathing.

	Llud tapped on the door using the secret code Lord Goral instructed 
him to use.  He still felt a bit silly for knocking on the wrong door, but he 
always had difficulty discerning his right from his left.
	The door creaked open, revealing a tall, shadowy figure.  "It's about 
time you showed up.  Get in here, now," he grumbled softly.
	Llud scuffled his way into the room.  "Sorry, your Lordship.  I got 
lost."
	Goral shut the door hurriedly.  "Will you keep it down!" he 
reprimanded.  "I told you not to address me by my title.  Do you want 
everyone in the building to know I'm here?"
	Llud hung his head, abashed.  "I'm sorry, Goral, I didn't mean to -"
	"Oh, never mind," Goral sighed.  The man was a pathetic idiot, but 
without him his plan had no chance of success.  He crossed the room and 
picked up the dagger lying on the night table.  "You do know what to do with 
this, don't you?" he prompted, placing the weapon in Llud's palm.
	The slow-witted man perked up with confidence.  "Yeah, sure. Tomorrow 
afternoon, the queen will be giving her address to the people in the main 
square for the annual Harvest Festival.  As it is customary, she will walk 
down Centre Street to the square, to demonstrate her bond with the masses.  
And that's where I will kill her with this knife."
	Goral smiled horribly.  "Very good, Llud, very good indeed.  Our fair 
people will suffer under her authority no longer.  You should feel honored 
for taking such a vital role in their liberation."
	Llud beamed from the praise, but his expression shifted to concern. 
"And you'll assure me that I will be rewarded once you become king, your 
Lordship?"
	"Trust me, Llud," he answered innocently, "when I assume power, you 
and your whole family will be well taken care of."  /I'll make sure they all 
get front row seats for your execution before I have them removed from your 
property./
	Goral showed the unwitting conspirator to the door, a false smile 
still plastered on his face.  But once the door closed, the fiendish nobleman 
chuckled evilly.  For years he plotted to depose his twin sister from the 
throne to take his rightful place as ruler of the Xausan Kingdom.  All his 
life, the fact that S'Rel was proclaimed heir despite being born twelve 
minutes later tormented him.  He should have been heir; he was the eldest 
child!  The constant anguish of facing an unfulfilled destiny ate at his ego, 
driving him to secretly devise a method of overthrowing Queen S'Rel, even 
while he pretended to support her in her reign.
	But when he'd found out she was with child, his bitter obsession 
pushed him past the point of sanity.  He couldn't allow the child to be born, 
otherwise his chance for power would be forever lost.  And the only way to 
ensure that happened was to make sure his sister perished.  How fortunate it 
was that he came upon Llud, an ironsmith by trade, but a simpleton by nature. 
By convincing him that S'Rel was leading the state toward political ruin, 
Goral would dispose of two problems in one fatal act of brutality.  And more 
important, no one would ever be able to implicate him once the loose ends 
were mended.
	Soon, his ambition for absolute power would be fully realized.

Chapter 10 

	Thin shafts of morning sun worked their way through the loose seams 
of the shutter, challenging the quiet darkness of the room to subdue them.  
One column, however, was fortunate enough to work itself upon the warm skin 
of a slumbering soul.  It danced and teased until its victim succumbed to its 
will.

	Harry slowly became aware of the tickling sensation on his nose that 
was dragging him out of sleep.  He finally had to reach up and scratch it 
before he sneezed.  By then he knew it was pointless going back to sleep.  
Besides, he'd have to get on his way pretty soon.
	He gingerly crawled out of bed and pulled back the shutters.  The 
bright light of day stabbed at his eyes, forcing him to squint and turn away. 
 It would take a few minutes for his eyes to adjust.
	Once dressed, Harry went back to the window.  The street below was 
already teeming with life, the townspeople either milling through the various 
shops or curiously inspecting the wares of anonymous street vendors.  The 
scene reminded Harry of the open markets in Chinatown where he grew up.  Some 
fresh fruit would make for a great breakfast, and he'd get more exposure to 
the Xausan culture as well.
	The atmosphere of the market pulled Harry in like an undertow.  As he 
walked among the early morning shoppers, taking in the sights and sounds of 
the bazaar, for a short while he felt like he was once again back home 
walking through those streets in Chinatown.  He sampled through the many 
displays of fresh fruit and produce, and a variety of baked goods and craft 
items while chatting up with the local vendors.  It was then that Harry 
learned of the queen's public address at midday.  He had been planning to 
leave shortly, but with the opportunity to see one of Xausa's historical 
leaders was too entreating to pass up.  After all, Queen S'Ral could have 
been one of Xausa's most important rulers in history - how could he not want 
to witness someone that important?
	People were already starting to gather out in the streets by the 
square, who were all no doubt eager to get a good view of the queen's 
arrival.  Not wanting to be tossed about like a sack of potatoes, Harry 
worked his way to a street corner about a block away.  To get a better view 
he climbed up onto the street lamp.  Glancing about he spotted the face of 
the man whom he met briefly the night before.  Just thinking about how the 
poor man looked so embarrassed by knocking on the wrong door made Harry 
smirk.  He could sympathize how it felt to be in an awkward situation.
	The sudden uproar of the crowd deflected Harry's attention back to 
the cobbled road.  There, about seventy-five meters away, was the queen's 
procession.  It was not particularly spectacular or elaborate, but then it 
was probably meant to keep the queen within the realm of her subjects.  The 
procession was preceded by two lightly armed soldiers, about twenty feet in 
front of the queen herself and her attendant.  Harry could see from the robes 
she wore and the way she carried herself that the queen was with child, and 
fairly heavily at that - seven or eight months he guessed.  He pondered in 
wonderment why on earth she would be walking down the middle of a city street 
in such a condition.  He certainly hoped that one of the two men following 
her was a physician in case she collapsed from exhaustion. Another pair of 
soldiers brought up the rear.
	Harry watched as the two guards crossed in front of him.  While 
following them he caught a form of movement in his periphery, and looked over 
in time to see a second flash of light deflected from a metal object. It was 
the stranger from last night, wielding a dagger!
	Everything else was immediately tuned out.  Harry's Starfleet 
training took over.  With the instincts of a wild animal, he launched himself 
from his perch directly toward the queen.

	Llud had rehearsed the event in his mind at least fifty times since 
he woke up this morning, but nevertheless he felt anxious about his 
assignment.  There were certainly a lot of people in attendance, and they 
didn't seem too displeased with the queen's presence.  But Lord Goral knew 
what he was talking about, being her top advisor.
	The two guards passed by the smith.  Llud looked past the queen to 
spot Lord Goral giving him the order to proceed.  Breaking away from the 
crowd, Llud walked right toward the queen and drew the knife from his jacket. 
She hadn't even noticed him approaching until he cocked his arm up to strike.

	The Harvest Festival had always been  Queen S'Ral's favorite event, 
ever since she was a young girl.  The people of the city were always so 
friendly and so eager to be visited by the royal family.  At least that's 
what she always believed.  Right now it seemed the world had descended into 
madness.
	One moment she had been looking out at the happy faces of the 
villagers.  In the next moment all she could hear was the piercing shriek of 
her hand-maid, Naria.  She only had a moment more to turn and realize that 
she was being assaulted.  Time slowed: S'Ral stood paralyzed in fear as the 
man before her raised his weapon.  She stared deep into the cold, inscrutable 
eyes of the assailant, his instrument hung high above, flashing with deadly 
intent.  Her heart was pounding with reckless abandon, as if sensing that its 
need of use would soon be cut short.
	As if in stop-motion, the attacker's arm slowly fell down upon her, 
and for an instant she felt guilty for not giving her unborn child a fair 
chance at life, even though she was ready to die.  But the end did not come. 
Even as the sharp edge closed upon her, another hand reached out and 
deflected the blow away.  At the same time another stranger was crashing 
against her would-be killer, spilling both of them to the ground.

	Harry didn't even have the resources available to determine how close 
the man had come to stabbing the queen.  All that mattered was stopping the 
progress of the knife.  As he watched it descend he flung himself into the 
air with every ounce of strength he could muster at the man, lancing out at 
the dagger with an outstretched hand.  At the last moment he found the other 
man's wrist, his momentum angling the attack away from the queen.  The rest 
of his body followed through, colliding with the assailant, forcing them to 
the ground.  The man had clearly not anticipated the collision, the dagger 
easily wrenched out of his hand from the impact.  From the expression on his 
face Harry could see how scared and confused the man was.
	Cognizant of his surroundings, Harry looked up to see what was 
happening.  The crowd looked panicked and bewildered.  Queen S'Ral was 
sitting squat on the ground clasping a rended sleeve, a look of shock glazed 
across her face.  Her attendant and one of the men from the procession were 
kneeling beside her, obviously shaken but more concerned with the queen's 
health at the moment.  The other man was busy shouting orders to the guards.
	"Seize that man!  He has made an attempt on the Queen's life!" Goral 
screamed.  Llud's failure outraged him, with thanks to some overzealous fool 
with a penchant for heroism.  He had to restrain himself from charging over 
and strangling the interloper with his bare hands.
	The guards were kind enough not to knock Harry back to the ground 
when they grabbed Llud.  Harry scrutinized the felon carefully.  His eyes 
seemed to plead forgiveness to the man who had just apprehended him.
	"Oh, please, no," the man begged.  "I'm sorry, your lordship.  I 
didn't mean to wrong you.  It was an accident."
	Goral scorned the prisoner.  "You have committed treasonous acts, 
fiend, and shall be punished accordingly."  To the guards he addressed  "Take 
him and have him executed immediately."
	"Hey, wait a minute!" Harry interceded, motivated by the captive's 
look of abject terror and betrayal.  "Shouldn't you find out who his 
accomplice is?"
	Goral looked at the ensign curiously.  "Accomplice?  It seems quite 
clear to me that this contemptible excuse for a person acted of his own sick 
mind."
	"Why would you suspect this man of having an accomplice, young sir?" 
asked the queen, who had managed to calm down and regain her footing.
	Harry turned his attention to her.  "Your Majesty, I suppose you 
could say I know this man.  I met him last night, although through chance. He 
was to meet with someone in the hotel I was staying at, and he admittedly 
confused his right hand with his left when negotiating his direction. Surely 
a man this confused could not have conceived of such a plot to murder you.  
Someone had to have put him up to the deed."
	"What nonsense," Goral protested, trying to keep the worry out of his 
voice.  "The rantings of a man who probably consumed too much of the sprits, 
and suffers from the delusional imaginings of his own mind.  Did we not catch 
this man with a dagger in his hand that he did try to murder you with, Your 
Majesty?  Such a crime is punishable by death from execution, and I assure 
you -"
	"Oh, do be quiet, brother," S'Ral interrupted.  His counter seemed 
irrational - the young man looked to be in control of his faculties. Besides, 
whether or not Goral's utterances were veritable, she enjoyed contradicting 
him.  "Suppose I believe that what you claim is true, young man.  How do you 
intend we find out who the accomplice is?"
	"He happened to mention the name of the person he was meeting with," 
Harry offered.  "It was...uh, what was it now...oh, yeah, Goral."
	It seemed as though every citizen in the square caught their breath 
in surprise.  S'Ral looked askance at her brother.  "What do you know of 
this?"
	Goral turned a lovely shade of scarlet.  "Obviously he must be the 
accomplice, and means to implicate me in this scandal to save himself. Arrest 
him, guards!"
	"Guards, cease!" she ordered.  "If he was the accomplice, why would 
he disrupt his own plan?  No, I think not."  She commanded to have Llud 
brought before her.  Pointing to Harry, she asked "Citizen, you will admit me 
the truth.  Is this the man you worked for?"
	Llud stared at the ensign for a moment, then shook his head.  "No, 
Your Majesty."
	She repeated the question, this time pointing to Goral.
	Llud looked uncomfortably at the queen, Lord Goral, then back again. 
"Yes, Your Majesty.  Lord Goral thought up the whole plan."
	"LIES!" Goral erupted furiously.  "He speaks falsehoods!  The 
traitor!"
	"Guards!  Arrest my brother for treason," snapped the queen.
	The remaining guards ensnared Goral before he could get away.  The 
two perpetrators were then escorted to the town prison, with Goral crying 
bloody murder the whole way.
	With that taken care of, Queen S'Ral set her attention on Harry.  "I 
extend my utmost gratitude to you, young sir, for displaying such courage and 
bravery."
	Harry graciously accepted.  "Thank you, Your Majesty, but I was just 
doing part of my job.  I did nothing that any other loyal citizen couldn't 
have done."
	"Nonsense," she chided.  "Your selflessness saved not only my life, 
but the life of my child as well.  Such courage should - oh!"
	Queen S'Ral staggered from the pain, but kept from falling by Naria's 
support.  S'Ral's husband appeared at her side instantly.  "My wife, what is 
wrong?"
	The queen's face was troubled.  "I'm not sure, husband.  This pain 
started just after I was attacked, only now it is much more pronounced."
	Harry then realized what was going on.  The stress from the attack 
had forced her into labor prematurely.  "If you have a hospital, you'd better 
get there quick: the queen's going to have her baby!"

Chapter 11 

	Captain Janeway practically exploded from the turbolift the moment it 
stopped.  To say she was anxious to implement her plan to exonerate Harry 
from his own marriage was putting it mildly.
	"I have to admit, it is a rather clever idea, even if it is somewhat 
unusual," Chakotay remarked, jogging up alongside of her from the turbolift.
	"Well, one thing's for sure, Commander: we certainly weren't having 
much luck finding a loophole," she replied as she turned a corner. "Sometimes 
the only way to beat your opponent is to turn their own rules against them."
	The first officer reflected on her statement for a moment.  "Even so, 
do you think this will work?"
	Janeway paused only briefly to cast a sly look at him.  "It'll have 
to."
	Chakotay chuckled and shook his head as he followed Janeway into 
Sickbay.  If he didn't know better, he'd swear his dry sense of humour was 
wearing off on her.
	The Doctor was quietly working away at a medical display terminal 
when the two senior officers entered.  Kes noticed them and smiled genially, 
but the Doctor was apparently engrossed in his work, oblivious to their 
arrival.
	"Doctor, are you busy?" Janeway inquired.
	The Doctor stiffened - it should be obvious to any observer that he 
was working on something.  He wondered if it was a common occurrence among 
humans to poignantly ask obtuse questions.  He certainly had enough 
corroborating evidence to make such a hypothesis.  "Ah, captain.  I was 
merely doing some medical research, but I suppose I can work on it later," he 
commented with a trace of irritation.  "What can help you with?"
	"Doctor, I was wondering if it would be possible somehow to use the 
information in Ensign Kim's medical file to determine if he has any royal 
ancestry."
	The interface frowned at her.  "Might I remind you, captain, that the 
EMH program was designed for treating medical problems, not to be used as a 
historian's tool."
	Janeway eyed the hologram with frustration.  "That's hardly the point 
right now, Doctor.  Besides, don't all medical patients have to provide some 
form of family medical history for their examinations?"
	The Doctor opened his mouth to make another complaint, but suddenly 
stopped to consider the argument.  "Hmm, I never thought of that.  But I 
still don't see how that can help you.  Medical histories don't provide that 
kind of information."
	Janeway fixed a grim look upon the interface.  "I'll be honest with 
you, Doctor.  It is imperative that we be able to make some tie between 
Ensign Kim and a royal family in Earth history.  Frankly, I don't care if you 
have to make something up - the Xausans won't have any way of verifying the 
information we give them.  But we'll have to give them something believable 
enough to pass for the truth if they do contest it.  And we'll need it by 
oh-seven-hundred tomorrow."
	"Oh, I should have no trouble coming up with something good with
*that* much time," the Doctor jibed.
	The EMH program could act much *too* human at times, Janeway 
considered.  "Then I'll leave you to your assignment, Doctor.  Come on, 
Commander; I'll need your help convincing the other part of my plan to go 
along with it."
	Chakotay grinned again.  Knowing B'Elanna, the captain was probably 
right to ask for assistance.  While it was true she had set aside differences 
with Ensign Kim, B'Elanna had a tendency to set on a rampage when cornered 
into a situation she didn't feel comfortable with.  The captain would need 
someone at least capable of restraining the half-Klingon from reigning 
destruction upon whatever she got her hands on, including the captain.
	Once the officers disappeared from Sickbay, the Doctor sighed in 
exasperation.  "Of all the things I could be doing right now.  This proposal 
of the captain's is absolutely ludicrous.  Where would I even begin?"
	Kes had apparently been thinking about the problem throughout the 
conversation.  "Doctor, would there be any way of using the medical database 
and the computer archives to trace Harry's lineage?"
	The Doctor contemplated his assistant's suggestion.  "It would seem 
unlikely.  The medical database only contains general factual information, 
not any particular case files."  The EMH processed the information a few more 
times until a possible solution presented itself.  The Doctor crossed the 
room towards a terminal.  "However - it may be possible to use a sample of 
Mr. Kim's DNA string to identify some hereditary conditions and use them to 
match up with medical information of people in the historical archives.  The 
archives commonly include information about deaths caused by illness and 
other diseases."  He began punching instructions into the terminal.
	Kes beamed at the interface with respect and admiration.  "Doctor, 
that's brilliant."
	The hologram shrugged the praise aside.  "Yes, I know."

	What surprised Chakotay the most was not that B'Elanna agreed to 
cooperate, but by the fact that she didn't put up any resistance to the idea 
at all.  Her eagerness to assist demonstrated to him that you never know a 
person as well as you might think.  Obviously the relationship between the 
two was closer than he realized.
	"The moment I heard what Harry was being forced into, I felt I had to 
something to help him.  And if this is the only way to keep Harry out of the 
clutches of that pampered bimbo, I'll do it."
	Janeway looked pleased with the outcome in Engineering.  Of course, 
it was natural for Starfleet officers to accept orders from their captains 
whether they liked them or not, but she knew the significance of having 
Maquis crewmen under her command, especially crewmen who were as 
temperamental as B'Elanna Torres.
	"That definitely went better than I expected," she commented as they 
piled into the turbolift on the way to the bridge.  "We're only missing one 
piece of the puzzle now, and I'm afraid there's only one person who'll be 
able to help us with it."
	Before either of them realized, Janeway and Chakotay found themselves 
in the captain's ready room.  Q was reclined comfortably in the captain's 
chair, his feet propped up on her desk.  "Greetings, Madame Captain.  I was 
just in the neighborhood and I couldn't resist passing by without saying 
hello."
	Janeway glowered at Q for sitting in her chair.  "What a coincidence, 
we were just talking about you."
	"Moi?" he exclaimed with mock surprise.  "I'm flattered, Captain. But 
then I suppose I'm all you ever talk about, don't you?"  He dissolved in a 
flash of light, only to reappear behind the captain's shoulder.  "Face it, 
Kathryn, you just can't get me out of your head, can you?"
	Janeway squirmed away from Q's close proximity.  "Knock it off, Q. 
I'm in no mood to play games."
	The omnipotent entity grinned devilishly.  "Then what *are* you in the 
mood for, Kathryn?"
	Chakotay stepped in before Q could cause an incident.  "We don't have 
time for this, Q.  We know you're the one responsible for Harry's little 
history lesson.  Why don't you do us all a favor and bring him back, now."
	"Oh, keep your loincloth on, Hiawatha," Q answered testily.  "I'll 
return your precious little Harry safe and sound as soon as he's finished his 
vacation.  I promise, he won't miss the party being planned for him."
	Q vanished before either one of them could get a word in edgewise.
	"Damn him," Janeway muttered, pounding her desk with dissatisfaction.
	"Well, at least we know Harry will be here for the ceremony," the 
first officer commented, trying to be optimistic.
	Janeway looked at him grimly.  "I'm afraid that doesn't exactly 
instill me with much confidence, Commander."

Chapter 12

	0700 rolled around too quickly in the captain's opinion.  Time always 
seemed to fly out the proverbial window whenever there was a crisis with a 
deadline.  Despite all hopes, Harry failed to show up during the middle of 
the night, and as a result affected her own night of sleep.
	Sickbay was completely devoid of life when Janeway entered, which 
really wasn't unusual; however, given the current dilemma, she half-expected 
Kes and the Doctor either working or waiting for her at the door.
	"Computer, activate the medical emergency holographic program," she 
barked out.  In an instant the Doctor shimmered into existence.
	"Good morning, Captain," the hologram responded, almost chipper.  "I 
believe I have something for you."
	He led Janeway to a display terminal and pulled up a file which 
resembled a crude tree structure.  He spoke while scrolling through the file. 
"I used my superior medical expertise of DNA tracing to infer that Ensign Kim 
is a direct descendant of Emperor Akihito, the sovereign ruler of Japan in 
the late 20th and early 21st century.  I was able to determine that the 
ensign is - or was - susceptible to the same degenerative disease that killed 
the emperor.  The disease itself is completely curable nowadays, but it 
should be enough to convince the Xausans."
	"Good work, Doctor," she commended.  "You obviously did a thorough 
job here.  But I do have one question: why didn't you call me as soon as you 
were finished?"
	The Doctor gave her an odd look.  "You never indicated that you 
wished to be informed immediately, Captain."
	/Well, ask a stupid question/ Janeway mused.  And no point in dwelling 
on the matter either: the wedding was now less than four hours away, and they 
still needed a groom to rescue.

	Harry would have left long ago, had not the king invited him to stay 
so the queen could thank him properly.  He felt that the queen's gratitude 
had already been sufficiently expressed before she wound up in the clinic, 
but he couldn't refuse: it would be rude to do so.
	Ultimately he was tracked down by Stefik and dragged away to recount 
the details of his daring rescue of the queen and his other adventures, until 
such time as Queen S'Ral called for him.  He only hoped they didn't have too 
much trouble with the baby's delivery; it was only premature by about three 
weeks.
	It had been a long day, just waiting for the word.  Not even his own 
stories could distract Harry from the passage of time.  Daylight faded; the 
twelve hour mark came and went without notice.  The next thing Harry was 
aware of was being prodded awake by Naria - he had fallen asleep in his chair 
in the lounge of the Dragon Horn.
	Dawn had already broken, bathing the skyline in a ochre hue as Naria 
escorted the sleepy ensign through the city streets to the clinic.  From what 
the attended told him, the queen finally gave birth to a baby boy after 
fourteen hours of labor.  Both mother and son were healthy and well, 
thankfully.  Queen S'Ral decided to take a nap shortly thereafter, not waking 
up until six hours later.  As tired as she no doubt was, she still exuded a 
regal and composed appearance, undoubtedly through no small effort either 
Harry mentally noted.
	"Ah, Mr. Kim, I'm so pleased you could be here," she calmly addressed 
him.  "Please, come to me."
	Harry obliged her, taking a position at her bedside.
	"I cannot thank you enough for saving my life and my son," she 
stated.  "I would also like to thank you for exposing my brother of his 
debauchery.  What a fool I have been to be so completely trusting of his 
counsel when all along he designed to overthrow me.  You think I would have 
noticed something about him in all the time we grew up together."
	Harry wished he could have said something to raise her spirits.  How 
awful it must feel to be betrayed like that, by your own flesh and blood.
	Instead, S'Ral's mood lightened at the sight of her newborn carried 
into the room by the waiting nurse.  The new prince had apparently woken up 
from his own nap, and now demanded his mother's attention.  She was more than 
willing to accept him as the nurse offered him to her.
	"Mr. Kim, I'd like to introduce you to my son, Prince Nial," she 
announced.  "In light of my debt to you, I would consider it an honor if you 
would consent to being my son's guardian protector, and such rank as to befit 
those responsibilities."
	The offer was not unexpected, but it still came as a bit of a shock 
to Harry.  "I'm, uh, flattered you think so highly of my abilities, Your 
Majesty, but I'm afraid I can't accept your offer.  It's not that I wouldn't 
want to, but I'm separated from my friends, and it's really important to me 
that I rejoin them.  You see, we're trying to find our way back home; it's a 
mission I can't abandon.  I hope you'll understand why I can't accept."
	Queen S'Ral lowered her head despondently; even the child fussed and 
whimpered to lament the ensign's decision.  "It is indeed regrettable, Mr. 
Kim, but I do understand your loyalty.  Here, I would like to at least give 
you the privilege of holding my son."
	Nial didn't appreciate the gesture much, however, and made his 
feelings quite well known as he was transferred into Harry's arms.  Harry had 
to laugh over the sudden tantrum.  "Whoops!  Maybe I wouldn't have made a 
very good guardian after all!  We wouldn't want him cranky like this all the 
time, now would we?"
	He cradled and rocked the infant prince until he finally settled down 
and eventually fell asleep.  "That's better."  He gently handed the child 
back.  "You have a great son there, Your Majesty, and I get the feeling he'll 
be in for some great things in his life.  Now if you'll excuse me, I really 
should be getting on my way."
	With a brief farewell, Harry exited the clinic and started on the way 
out of the city.  Heeding the call of his stomach but remaining conscious of 
the time, he picked up some fresh fruit from a farmer's kiosk for breakfast. 
Then he quietly passed through the west gates of Boltec and dissolved into 
the roadside brush of the Xausan countryside.  Minutes later, no one would 
even have guessed Harry had ever been there.

	Tom hustled down the corridor.  As usual, he was running behind 
schedule for bridge duty and had yet to get breakfast.  He'd probably have to 
settle for a single cup of Neelix's coffee again and stomach it for four 
hours.
	He started into the turbolift and stopped dead in his tracks.  In the 
lift was a person dressed in a grungy warrior costume and looking as though 
razors or scissors had never been invented.  But despite the appearance, Tom 
was surprised to find that he knew this person.  "Harry?"
	The ensign himself looked a bit bewildered, busily chewing on the 
sweet tangerine-like fruit he had just recently purchased.  "Tom?" he 
returned, his mouth still half-full.  Swallowing, Harry cautiously reached 
out to touch Tom's cheek, hoping he wasn't hallucinating.  Finding his friend 
not to be a figment of his imagination, Harry enthusiastically embraced his 
friend.  "Tom!  It's you!"
	"Ugh!  I'm glad to see you to, Har, but do you mind?  I just 
showered," the navigator reviled, attempting to pry the foul-smelling 
wanderer off.
	"Oh, sorry.  I didn't get the chance to wash up last night.  Maybe I 
should change clothes."
	Before he could go anywhere, Harry was pulled back into the 
turbolift.  "No dice, Harry," Tom replied, waving a hand in front of his 
nose.  "As ripe as you are, the captain will want to know you're back.  There 
are a few things you have to get caught up on.  And since I'm on the way to 
the bridge anyway, I'll escort you."
	Tom's explanation was punctuated by the rumbling of his empty 
stomach.  Harry pulled a second piece of fruit from his pouch, and held it up 
to Tom's face.  "Tengar?" he offered, smirking.

Chapter 13 

	All that occurred since Harry suddenly found himself in the turbolift 
passed by in a blur.  It was he could do to keep his attention focused on the 
activity going on around him.  The looks of surprise and relief from everyone 
he saw were comforting in a disconcerting kind of way. He found it 
particularly odd - yet gratifying - when B'Elanna hugged him hard enough to 
crack a few ribs before his smell overpowered her.
	After his briefing with the captain, everything made a lot more 
sense, even if it did seem inconceivable.  Apparently his marriage to Lady 
Celin was scheduled to take place in just over three hours, and the only way 
out was to convince the royal family that he was a noble descendant to a 
former Japanese emperor.  This cooked-up scheme would then give him the right 
to select his own bride, to which B'Elanna had volunteered.  Harry found 
himself in awe of the engineer's sacrifice; while they had become close 
friends since the incident with the Caretaker, he never once believed she 
cared for him enough as a friend to walk down the aisle for him.  He'd 
certainly have to thank her for her bold commitment.
	But that would have to wait for now.  He still had several things to 
do to get ready for the wedding.  A shower, a shave, and a clean uniform were 
foremost on his list of activities.

	The assembly of guests in the cathedral was considerable, a full 
house to be exact.  Royal marriages had a penchant for attracting large 
numbers, and today was no different.  The hall was heavily scented with the 
fragrant perfumed flowers dressing the walls and pews of the church, the 
sunlight softly blended by the mute colors of the stained-glass windows.
	Prince Gaav glanced at his timepiece and stifled a sigh: things were 
not looking good for his Alpha Quadrant guests.  It now seemed evident to him 
that they had failed in their efforts to stop the proceedings; he surely 
would have heard from them before the public had been welcomed into the 
affair.  He looked over to his left at his mother, Queen Siwara V, and 
father, King Mevit - twin models of stoic reserve, perched in their thrones 
directly behind and above the archbishop.  He could only speculate how they 
would react if they knew exactly how their niece had coerced her fiancee into 
this ceremony.
	Moments later the head usher escorted Voyager's senior crew to their 
reserved seats in the front row.  The men wore the traditional dress uniform, 
while the female officers exercised the option of wearing formal apparel. 
Janeway wore an elegant and traditional garb; a turquoise chiffon full- 
length ballroom gown and white ballroom gloves.  B'Elanna's attire was more 
unconventional, as she sported an ivory knee-length strapless dress and a 
matching bolero jacket.  Kes modeled a "Midsummer Night's Dream" appearance, 
wearing a soft green cotton dress and stockings, and a small Xausan 
whiteshade tucked behind one ear.  Despite the diversity of clothing, it 
could been upon that all of three were stunningly fitted.
	Once they settled into their seats, the fluting strains of the 
cathedral organ began to echo through the rafters, bringing a loud murmuring 
crowd to a still.  Almost in unison, Harry and Lady Celin emerged from 
opposing vestries to convene before the clergy.  Celin carried a triumphant 
and joyous expression right up to the pulpit.  Curiously, Harry returned an 
odd little smile when they at last met, just prior to the fading of the 
organ's tune.
	The priest stepped up to the pulpit and signaled for quiet in the 
great hall.  He prepared to give his sermon, but nary a word had been uttered 
before the ensign stepped forward past the pulpit, approaching the queen's 
throne.  Nearly all in attendance - including the Queen herself - were 
ruffled by the sudden disruption.
	"Your Majesty, my apologies for causing a disturbance to this 
ceremony, but I refuse to lend myself to this marriage."
	A collective gasp of horror and shock rumbled through the church. 
Nothing like this had ever happened before.  Celin was so enraged she was 
speechless, a scarlet flush blossoming from her neckline to her cheeks.
	After a moment Siwara managed to find the words the bride could not 
express herself, still maintaining the poise of a calm exterior.  "Young man, 
I may not have had the luxury to acquaint myself with you or your particular 
culture, but I would gather that you could not have remained so ignorant of 
ours to not realize the blasphemy you are committing.  Explain yourself."
	"Certainly, Your Majesty.  It is true, that this arrangement was 
committed through a lack of understanding of your laws, and that a plead of 
ignorance was futile."  Harry pointed back to his colleagues seated behind 
him.  "Our failed efforts in this mattered spurred us to much research of 
your laws and customs to prepare for this ceremony.  It was thus raised to 
our attention that any man of royal heritage has the right to decline any 
proposal in the event he has designs on another woman, as it is specified in 
your scripture.  I'd like to exercise that option now."
	"*What?*" Celin blustered out.  "How is this possible?  Since the
first night, I have heard your friends refer to you by your common name.  If
you are of royal stature, why do your peers not speak of you by rank or
title?"
	"Celin, where I come from, people are not concerned with social 
status, because in effect it no longer exists," he deliberated.  "No one is 
separated into upper or lower classes; we are all equals.  I deserve no more 
privilege than the rest of my friends; I have to earn their respect, just 
like anyone else."
	"Do you have any proof to substantiate your declaration of rank, 
young man?" the queen conducted.
	Before Siwara completed the request, Captain Janeway produced a PADD 
from her handbag and delivered to Harry.  In turn, Harry passed it to the 
queen.  "This PADD shows a trace of my family history."
	Minutes passed as she examined the information on the tiny screen, 
her face betraying nothing to the eyes fixed upon her.  Finally she set the 
PADD down and looked at the ensign.  "Very well; I will admit this as valid. 
You will hereby be acknowledged as Lord Harry Kim, executive of the province 
of Tochigi."
	The announcement caused a stirring among the guests, astounded by the 
unfolding events.  Lady Celin, her confidence utterly shaken, scampered off 
to the vestibules, not wanting anyone to see her burst into tears over her 
life-shattering crisis.
	Janeway was ready to notch up a victory when Queen Siwara decided to 
make the day more interesting.  "So, Lord Kim, where is this woman of yours 
that was chosen over Lady Celin?  I did not travel all this distance to 
witness a joining that never occurred."
	Harry fought to suppress a look of disappointment from showing - it 
appeared there would be no easy outs this day.  At least the captain had the 
foresight to prepare for this contingency.  B'Elanna stood up to get the 
queen's attention.  "I'm here, Your Majesty."
	"May I present B'Elanna Torres, a fellow officer and very close 
friend of mine from the starship Voyager," he announced.
	Siwara eyed the lieutenant.  "You have consented to this bonding, Ms. 
Torres?"
	"I have, Your Majesty," she replied resolutely.
	"Very well then, proceed with the ceremony."
	Retreating from the dais behind the pulpit, Harry walked down to 
escort his bride-to-be to the podium, gracing her with an appreciative smile. 
"I really want to thank you for doing this, B'Elanna.  As a friend, this 
really means a lot to me," he said softly.
	"Hey, I couldn't let that scheming little harlot steal my friend 
away.  Besides, you're the best Ops officer Voyager has," she whispered back, 
an impish smile on her lips.  Then with a stony look, she added.  "But I 
wouldn't be expecting much of a honeymoon, Starfleet."

	Captain's log: supplemental.  It is with great relief and pleasure to 
report that we succeeded in our endeavour to keep Ensign Kim a member of our 
crew, even if we did have to resort to some unorthodox methods to do it. Both 
Ensign Kim and Lieutenant Torres have agreed to consider the event null and 
void, although I'm sure the Xausan ceremony will put their friendship under 
new scrutiny.
	A week has passed since that event occurred, and we are nearly ready 
to resume our course for the Alpha Quadrant.  My compliments to the crew for 
doing such a fantastic job of getting the ship back to working order. 
Everyone and everything on the ship appears to be returning to normal.

	Harry spotted Tom retreating to his quarters.  Now that repairs were 
essentially complete, he finally had some time to make amends with his best 
friend.  "Hey, Tom, you busy?"
	The navigator peered back over his shoulder.  "No, not really.  I 
just got off shift.  What's up, Har?"
	"We need to talk about that argument we had, Tom."
	He looked glumly at the ensign.  "Oh, right.  Come on in, make 
yourself comfortable."
	They entered Tom's quarters and sat down facing each other, saying 
nothing.  Neither one knew exactly how to start or who should go first, but 
each knew what had to be said.
	"OK, Harry, here's the deal," Tom finally uttered.  "I sometimes get 
pretty opinionated when I have too much to drink.  The stuff I said about you 
and your commitment to Libby, that was out of line.  I stepped all over your 
private life, and I want to apologize for that; I had no right."
	Harry held up a hand.  "No, Tom, you were right, in a way.  I've been 
so completely obsessed with this notion of finding a way home and picking up 
right where we left off, that I haven't considered that there might not be an 
easy way home.  Up until recently I think I couldn't accept the reality of 
our situation, that it'll take a whole lifetime to get home.  It's just that 
so much of my life is back there, and all of a sudden it's gone, out of reach.
	"Are you familiar with the concept of soul mates, Tom?  Libby was 
mine; she was what made my life complete.  Some people can live their whole 
life searching for their kindred spirit and never find it, but how many 
people can claim to have found theirs and face the prospect of never sharing 
a life with that person?  I felt like dying when the captain ordered the 
Caretaker's Array destroyed, even though I knew it was the right decision.  
But when Q stranded me in the past, I finally realized how foolish it is to 
forsake all that I have now in the hopes that everything will return to 
normal tomorrow - after all, tomorrow may never come.  I suppose maybe some 
soul mates are meant to spend some time apart from each other for a lifetime 
or two, you think?"
	Tom smiled playfully at his friend.  "Anything's possible, I guess, 
although personally I don't believe in that stuff.  Everything in life is 
opportunity, Harry; it's up to you to decide when to take it.  And speaking 
of which, you certainly got a good deal out of that Xausan wedding, if I may 
say so."
	Harry colored with embarrassment.
	"You know, it's surprising how similar the Xausan culture is compared 
to our own.  Maybe it's one of those socioevolutionary things that comes from 
being a humanoid species - you know, species with common characteristics 
develop common beliefs and customs....  So, what kind of kisser is Lieutenant 
Torres anyway?"
	The ensign chuckled - same old Tom.  "You don't expect me to kiss and 
tell, do you?"
	A glint of mischief flashed in the pilot's eye.  "Just consider it 
research, Harry; I have to familiarize myself with the field, don't I?"

Epilogue 

	Harry Kim gazed out the port in his quarters at the starfield warping 
by.  There was a small comfort in watching the peaceful void of space distort 
around them: it looked just the same as it would in the Alpha Quadrant.
	He reflected back upon the events that occurred during their hiatus 
on Xausa Three and what had resulted from them.  It was a disaster, no doubt 
about that, but it had not been without a productive element.  Because of 
that fiasco, he had managed to move on, to make a peace with himself he once 
thought was unattainable.
	He picked up a framed photograph of his former fiancee from his night 
stand and studied the exuberant expression on her face.  Libby would always 
remain a part of his life, he knew, but no longer would it be unfulfilled by 
her absence.  Opening a storage compartment, Harry took one last look at his 
soul mate, then buried the picture underneath the drawer's contents.
	It was time to look for a new kindred spirit, here on Voyager.