Archive of Our Own

Coming online in prison sucked. Coming online and going feral when they tried to rape him was justified. The prison guards had been shocked that this could have taken place and wanted to reprimand him but luckily a guard first, then a doctor had found out just what he was. A Sentinel. A concept Tom had thought extinct in modern times, only seen on old movies about Sentinels and their time when they had been around. Not so much a myth anymore.

The federation had scrambled to cover up the whole incident but luckily it had caught Kathryn Janeway’s attention and with it Tom’s get out of jail card. Being a Sentinel on a starship could always be useful, would always be a protector and eyes and ears everywhere.

Tom knew the previous incident that had brought him to prison had been an accident. Now that he knew what he was, it was clear that he had a few senses online early (all the reading material was available now) and zoned because no way would he have willingly caused an accident and then actually got caught by the Federation. With the new odds now, Tom was released and reinstated, even getting a promotion much to Paris’ Senior’s dislike. Being far away from Alpha Quadrant’s main grid was a pretty good idea. So he agreed to follow Janeway, the only one he actually trusted now and already accepted as pack. She would know about his abilities and could draw him out of a zone on the bridge. And luckily, no one would actually suspect anything since the last reported Sentinel had been Malcolm Reed.

The first day was a catastrophe as far as Tom could tell. Standing in the Delta with the Maquis of all people (with Chakotay) was worse than death for Tom. He had taken Harry under his wing right away and also Tuvok was okay even if they had a few differences to work out but all in all it was good. Adding the Maquis to Voyager after all the shit they had said about Tom was actually pretty hurtful. Tom could hear them everywhere whenever they mentioned his name.

Not arguing back and defending himself not an easy task given his online status as a Sentinel. Sadly, the measuring system was outdated - before Reed even - but the doctors and anthropologists were certain that Tom was an Alpha Prime Sentinel. Capable of mental abilities even sharper senses and reflexes. The initial crisis after stranding in the Delta was Tom’s first aid training. The EMT Hologram was pissed at Tom’s lack of knowledge but after Tom was the only one left, he ordered Tom around. Using his senses of smell, sound and touch was nearly better than that of the (damaged) scanners.

He could tell when someone was close to dying; where the fractures were or which organ sounded strange. Without initially knowing any of this, Tom had worked with it until they were stable and he could get some rest. The first repairs done, Tom was back to navigating even if it proved to be quite difficult though the long range sensors picked up their location on the Delta Quadrant compared to the other stars around them.

Luckily, Tom could also avoid Chakotay for now. Their brief encounter on the bridge had been enough and Tom was sure he was close to hitting the other man when Kathryn had interrupted and taken control. Now, assembling a ground party was interesting. Tom was the best bet to shuttle them down and given his skills, Janeway wanted him around. Tuvok was probably suspecting something but had no real way of knowing. Harry had befriended Tom and nearly backpedaled when it was mentioned that he had killed someone bit it had been Janeway herself that had entered the mess and spoken up: “If Tom were truly guilty, not even his father’s influence would have gotten him anywhere. He is the best pilot and right now we’re damn lucky he’s with us. No one else thought it an accident but me so I’ll give him the doubt. Let him prove his worth to the crew without prejudging him.” She then had looked at Tuvok and together they had sat down with Tom and a still present Harry.

After that it had been okay for a while. Until shuttling down with the first away team.

Meeting Kes was a surprise for Tom. So far Tom hadn’t known how to work his mental abilities but connecting with Kes in the first few seconds was brilliant. She was surprised about him for a few seconds but didn’t show it before she mentally showed him how to erect shields for his mind to avoid the other peoples from reading his mind like an open book that he apparently was.

That first brief friendship cemented their trust in one another and the chance to flee the place. Tom was close to second last, Chakotay being last, when the staircase crumbled underneath and Tom looked at Chakotay, stricken and telling him it would be better if he’d let him fall down. Tom’s instinct told him what to do right away. As much as Chakotay didn’t like him, Tom had always respected the former Maquis captain and hoped to regain the other man’s trust. Grabbing the bigger man, Tom helped him up, his high adrenaline response, famous for all the Sentinel-Primes, kicked in and left him with enough strength to get them up the stairs and to the shuttle.

Kes’ thoughts about him flying them out and Kathryn’s worry about Tom literally being the only pilot currently on Voyager made Tom realize this needed to change. Tom’s protective instincts had made him single out each person’s heartbeat, smell and voice. He would recognize them anywhere now.

After gaining Kes and Neelix for the crew, Tom was instructing two Maquis and two Fleet crewmembers in flying the Voyager down in the holodeck. That Janeway had recognized the peculiar situation with their single other pilot in the Beta Shift meant a tough time. Thankfully they got pretty decent cadets for the helm and Tom used the remaining spare time with Kes and the doctor to brush up on his medical knowledge.

Kes thankfully contributed in growing herbs (and still after all these years and technological advancements, herbs were the best medicine along with the vegetables instead of replicated ones).

Tom programmed a bar from his early days. He always found refuge there after tiring stressful days at the academy. Also, Janeway’s doctors back when he first came online (the one on board that had died) had told him to find a soothing place to meditate. Meditation so wasn’t Tom’s strong suit though and he mostly fell asleep instead.

Therefore, programming the holodeck became a soothing mental mind frame like flying that kept him calm. Navigating the Voyager from one disaster through the other just showed his skills even if he flinched every time a heartbeat across Voyager faded. Another human gone. He also hated that he wasn’t able to hear anything past Voyager’s metal hull. Space simply swallowing all sounds.

Learning Kes’ mental mind and its difference to Tuvok’s was pretty surprising. The clean, emotionless mind of Tuvok was as alien as the space around them to Tom’s senses. Tuvok, without knowing it, he was being scanned by Tom to regularly make sure he was sensing the tactics for security so Tom could calm his instinct to make sure everyone was safe.

Kes’ mind was quick, fresh and friendly like she just was. Meditating with her was easier than with Tuvok ever would be. She taught him much about his mental shields and also realized about Tom what was so special about him and what he really wanted to keep hidden. Even the doctor didn’t have access to Tom’s medical files unless Kathryn agreed it unsealed. To simply hand out the files about the near assault Tom had faced and the resulting coming online and his senses was something that was private knowledge and as rare as this nowadays was, Tom hated to be a spectacle. Thankfully ever since medicine was suited for Sentinels and Guides even if it wasn’t needed as much anymore. Kes’ neutral help also stabilized his senses more and he didn’t have troubles with spiking or accidentally listening in on people’s conversations half a ship away. He over all became steadier in his self and his spirit Guide. A golden eagle.

The holodeck program he used for his meditation sessions with Kes was his own as well but unlike Sanderine’s he’d keep that one as private as possible. He had told the Captain when she had asked about his mental frame of mind one afternoon. He had shown her around his holo-landscape and she had asked to get a similar one from him for the crew to use, all in trade for more replicator rations and free space every three and four days for his meditation with Kes or on his own (since Tom had tried to meditate in his quarters but failed due to the noise around him whereas in the holodeck he couldn’t hear the sounds). It worked surprisingly well for him to be stable.

The first few weeks passed by rather quickly and Tom had somehow gained the reputation of sleeping with the alien women they met simply because he was friendly to him and they flirted with him. The thing was, Tom knew he would spike if sleeping with a woman was about to happen. The perfumes they usually wore for once and then the whole scent pile felt wrong to him which according to the few readings he has is a sign that his guide might very well be male or intersex or trans. Tom really didn’t mind either way. He’d experienced with all and found that he actually found all genders attractive. Pansexual was quite common these days with undefined aliens coming into the mix.

That was all the reasons other took for him to be judged as sleeping around on every alien planet with the local hotness. Not that he found the women taking him to her place sexually attractive. Tom really just wanted to be nice and had tried repeatedly to get out of the situation of going home with the woman. Not that anyone actually believed him now.

Tuvok’s mind meld brought only so much relief and Tom was glad that his mental shields came so naturally now. It was barely an effort to keep Tuvok or the device out, not seeing the murder he didn’t commit of a nice woman. It was hammering on his shields though but Tuvok trusting what he saw in his memories was enough.

Of course Kathryn never wavered in her belief and trust in him. Not for one second could Tom feel her waver in her trust. Probably because she knew about him being a Sentinel and unless a dire threat happened, Tom’s nature simply was pro-life. He wasn’t capable of killing anyone anymore if he wanted to. Not that he ever wanted to kill someone. Also, he knew in a protective feral moment he would kill to protect his tribe. But otherwise, a very big reason had to be presented for him to kill someone.

The trial also showed Tom that Harry liked his company but so far they haven’t migrated to very good friends just yet. Tom knew Harry had a good heart and would be his best friend eventually, even if Tom kept a rather big secret about whom he really was.

Surprisingly, Tom being knocked out to plant the murder on him, hadn’t registered with his senses. Telling Kathryn this brought her to the idea that the whole thing had been planted on Tom’s mind when the Sentinel had been drugged over dinner. That was a much more likely situation in Tom’s head and with enough meditation he also managed to restore those memories and shove the fake ones away. Rather easy said than done. Nonetheless, Tom was more than happy to be back onboard of Voyager and with his tentative friendships to Kes, B’Elanna, Neelix and Harry.

Surprisingly, Chakotay’s mistrust in his actions (presumed anyways) was really hurting. Tom thought the blond didn’t know why. Chakotay and he had managed to be civil at least so why the distrust in Tom stung so much was a mystery to Tom. Given that Chakotay overall acted as his bodyguard but wasn’t friendly.

Maybe Tom imagined they had been friends back at the Maquis. Maybe because Chakotay had always stood just behind the helm, talking to him much like he still did, without realizing it. Something about Chakotay standing there had always unsettled Tom in the way that the older man was prone to falling in case of an attack happened, another feeling was content with having the other so close around him. Whatever the case, Tom felt unsettled now.

The change came eventually but first, Kathryn and Tom got stuck together and get much closer. Stranded in a shuttle on a weird planet Tom and Kathryn were ambushed by the local aliens and marched through some vast empty fields and mountains littered with rocks. Thinning his mental shields, to read what was going on in the other’s heads was exhausting Tom to the degree that his sense of touch spiked. Kathryn had calmly talked to him for a whole while until Tom came back from his zone. The aliens thankfully had taken a rest of their trekking and language problems were going on so that Kathryn and Tom could actually talk about it after Tom’s zone.

“Have you gathered anything about their intentions?” Kathryn asked hopefully.

“No, their patterns of thinking are too different. Probably why zoned quite a bit earlier there.” Tom replied: “I gathered there is another party not too far away now that are speaking the same patterns so I take it they take us to their settlement.”

“Is that a problem? What does your empathy and intuition tell you?” the captain asked. She knew exactly what Tom was and how the intuition of a Sentinel worked. Normally anyways.

Tom considered for a moment: “We should get away when we can. I can avoid them and take us back to where we left the shuttle easily enough. Just be ready to move when I tell you to.”

Tom did just that. Tell Kathryn when and Tom ran for a pitchfork of paths leading around some rock stones there in the mountains before Tom moved them around in circles to avoid them. Luckily they didn’t have guns to shoot at them but Tom also gathered that being captured would actually be pretty bad and result in pain or death. Or rape, in Kathryn’s case. Not that Tom would tell her that part.

The trek back was rather interesting since Tom knew where exactly to find fresh water and how to avoid the local evil aliens. All together they made it back to the shuttle safely thanks to Tom’s skills and Kathryn later asked for how close the aliens had been before.

They had had a constant distance of at least ten kilometers between them which once again showed Kathryn just how strong gifted Tom really was. Given, in a rural setting, the senses would be more easily blocked by babbling sounds and basically all stuff interfering. So basically, Kathryn was surprised and Tom knew he had impressed the Captain.

The next mission that went haywire was one with B’Elanna and it started off badly. She was distant to him for a long time until someone actually touched her and tried to experiment on her after Tuvok had already been knocked out and only Tom was left. Tom’s feral episode had left B’Elanna staring at Tom in shock, him standing there in blood, bodies around him and still snarling, pretty much out of it.

Thankfully, B’Elanna’s upbringing as partly human made her knowledge about what had happened solid. Every Earthling knew about the great Sentinel Dying Out when technology had proceeded past a certain point.

“Tom, it’s okay. I’m safe now. Tuvok is just passed out. We’ll be fine. You did good on your pride, Sentinel.” She told him carefully, calm and honestly.

Tom reacted instantly and dropped the rock he had been using as a weapon and focused back on her: “Bel?”

“I’m okay. Are you good?” she asked, relaxing a bit.

“Probably,” Tom replied.

“Does anyone know about you?”

Tom shook his head: “No, just Kathryn and Kes due to the mental part. I zoned when the men were killed and I covered it up. Then when I was captured I probably spiked. I didn’t even know what had happened until I went feral in prison and was diagnosed as a Sentinel Alpha Prime.”

“A high leveled Sentinel would consider everyone Pride,” she realized.

“Always. Ever since we stranded here in the Delta Quadrant. Probably even before then, given how protective I was of Chakotay’s crew during my trial.” Tom admitted and realized that he hadn’t thought about it like this before but it actually was quite true.

B’Elanna shrugged and accepted how different Tom was now compared to before. She had let judgment from hearsay cloud her own judgment but Tom’s reaction now had been a clear tell.

Tom’s mental ability was stable now, B’Elanna being the first friend to know now. It eased some part in Tom’s mind that had been tense without him consciously knowing.

“Anything I can do to make you feel better?” B’Elanna asked him seriously and honestly. Tom knew he could trust her now with anything. Before, she had ben civil but hadn’t much like him due to their history. Now though it was a different matter. Asking for the tools to help Tom out was her means in making sure everything was fine. He simply smiled at her in relief and handed her a datapad with the information on them.

She opened the studies and frowned: “Blair Sandburg. Wasn’t he the first to write an anthropological detailed paper on Sentinel and guide partnerships that revolutionized the traditional thinking of Guide and Sentinels?”

Surprised that she knew that much about the subject, Tom nodded: “This is the best reading material there is. No one after that rewrote anything, just adding bits and pieces to it basically. The modern papers are simply about the physical and psychological and neurological built of Sentinel and Guides and their reactions to changed environments, medicines and alien foods.” Tom explained: “But Sandburg’s study is on how to draw out a Sentinel that is spiking, how to Guide for a Sentinel what to expect when it comes to protecting their own Guide and Pride. This is more hands on knowledge. Doc would need the others but they’re stored in the databases anyways so the first time I’m up for treatment or yearly physics, he’ll know.”

“No hiding this forever,” she agreed.

“Sadly, no. I wish I could hide this forever because it can get really annoying to be special. I was being starred at enough for having been in prison. If it comes out that I actually zoned, its going to be bad.”

“But you won’t zone again. You have Janeway there on the bridge with you, maybe even Harry if you trust him enough and then there is Tuvok who trusted you when you were accused of murder on the planet. They all trust you already even if they don’t know why their instinct makes them trust you, yet.”

“Probably,” Tom agreed. It was a common theme he needed to think about. Being on the bridge meant higher risk of zoning and if Kathryn wasn’t around one of these days, it would be bad.

Slowly, he gained the trust of the other crewmembers basically through his mad flaying skills and a few risky maneuvers he did. Then they had one incident where Tom was the last of the Alpha shift and had bridge command while the others were held hostage on the ground of the one planet they had wanted to relax a few days on. Tom had rigged the holo-emitters and reprogrammed the doctor to stand in as captain while he had taken Neelix down to the ground with him and rescued the command staff. While they had tried to downplay the seriousness of the situation, never again would all of them head for the ground at once.

The crew had respected and acknowledged the effort Tom had shown in bringing them back and through B’Elanna they realized Tom was loyal to the bone and would do anything he could to get each single member home in one piece.

The free holo-Sandrines was now the place many agreed on paying for a few games that went to Tom’s credit so he could be convinced to work on other programs to be either sold or communal.

When Harry found out Tom was a Sentinel it was trivial. They were hanging out in the mess hall when an attack hit them. People around them screamed, Tom zoned due to the mental distress and loudness. Harry had touched him and Tom came back to himself: “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing,” Tom replied automatically.

“Tom-“

“I zoned,” Tom admitted and pushed off the floor, hurrying to go to the bridge with Harry.

“You’re a Sentinel?” Harry hissed surprised: “How?”

“Not now, Harry. I’ll tell you everything later. Please. Only the Captain, Kes and Bel know so far.”

Harry nodded in agreement and followed Tom into the lift and the bridge where chaos was going on.

*

A crewmember got sick. On an away mission and quarantine as well as the doc’s checkups didn’t catch it. They caught a virus and Tom’s senses were hit. He first didn’t realize it. It started with having troubles hearing then smelling, tasting then seeing and finally touch. Janeway had been talking to him at that point and Tom had jumped on sounds, flinching and wrinkled his nose. Since Janeway had been getting the reports of sickbay, she had caught on: “Tom, you need to see the doctor.”

“What? Why?” Tom asked irritated and closing his eyes abruptly when the light got too bright for a second.

“You sense things that you normally should be blocking easily,” she explained.

Tom frowned again but nodded: “So he’ll be next to know.”

Kathryn agreed: “I guess.”

Resigned, Tom went to sickbay and Kes took one look then hurried over to help him with his mental shields so they weren’t all over the place and disrupting him further. The Doc appeared next to them: “Ah Mr Paris, what can I do for you today?”

“The Captain sent me,” Tom replied: “She didn’t tell me why but I am sensing things that I should normally block out.”

The doc frowned a second but the protocols protecting Tom’s private information were overwritten: “You mean as a Sentinel this is unusual?”

Tom nodded and shared a look with Kes while the doc took some scanners: “Yes I can tell you seem to have caught the virus but it is actually different with your immune system.” He typed and fiddled around some more: “Lay down, I’ll prepare something that should help you. Now that I know about your status it should be easier to handle what I need to do the next time, considering your very different physiology. Quite lucky it didn’t cause you more troubles much sooner.”

Tom didn’t bother replying to that. Didn’t know what since the doc now knew and hadn’t made a huge deal out of it. Maybe the doc already knew him better than most, given all their time spending on training Tom to be a field medic and them attacking the programing code for his personality.

The Doc started talking again, a sampler working on Tom’s bloodwork: “I guess you don’t want it public knowledge that you are the first Sentinel and a Prime at that in one-hundred-and-fifty years?”

Not replying at first, Tom knew being on a heart monitor had its own tell so the doc continued: “Or is it the fact that we’re stranded here, seventy-five years from home and no perspective of a suitable Guide?”

“Doc, please don’t lose another word about this. It’s bad enough not finding a Guide here as it is,” Tom replied, bitter and hurt reaching Kes’ before Tom reigned it in mentally. Kes’ wide eyed stare was enough of a tell how much it actually hurt Tom to have that empty spot inside him and knowing it won’t ever be filled.

Not having anyone to share the shields with was probably leading him to an early grave as it was. Nonetheless, Tom always hoped that maybe they found someone in this Quadrant with a perfect match. Not that the odds were good, considering but hopefully better than not having a Guide and probably not managing a relationship with anyone on board due to zoning and spiking quite a lot when up close and personal. Tom also hated thinking of the void he had inside him so he usually avoided thinking about that by ignoring it and keeping his thoughts busy on other stuff.

The doctor then injected Tom with the serum and indicated the biobed: “Please lay down and relax. I have added the white noise generator so you should be resting quite well without the sounds of Voyager.”

Nodding and laying back down, Tom closed his eyes, knowing the serum needed a short while to work through his system and having him sleeping and keeping him warm was favorable to the healing abilities of the serum.

Opening his eyes again, Tom realized that quite a few more patients were brought in, effected by one or another thing. Tom hated seeing them sick but luckily the white noise was still working and he couldn’t hear them. The mental component with it was enough for now to block easily but Tom didn’t doubt that once he could hear the sick crew members’ instinct would make him seek them out to check up on them.

Sometimes he hated coming online so late in life and so far away from home. Those people here were his pride without him doing anything. On Earth he could have picked a place and be contend with it. Here, not so much a choice but a given.

The other thing was, he was actually feeling some crew members that felt off somehow, like they were hiding something or another and trying to keep it a secret. Tom of course could seek them out if he wanted to but he respected people’s private lives and didn’t seek the information.

Overall, things quieted down a little. Tom got better, frowned at by various bridge members, mainly Chakotay and Tuvok, since the others didn’t know him that well or knew about him. The Captain had looked at him hopefully and he had nodded but once he sat down she had activated the console to write him and he had replied that he was fine now and the Doc knew.

Thankfully, Chakotay had always perfect timing somehow, like an instinct driving the other man to stand behind Tom and be there when things went sour on the bridge. Or when Tom was close to zoning or spiking. That happened more than Tom liked to admit even to himself but with help it was easy to maintain. Alas, Tom’s annoyance at Chakotay that the man asked for his attention in the moments Tom needed a distraction from staring at the screens and using his touch to interface with the helm.

When the other man stepped closer, Tom’s senses fell on him right away with smell and sound, distracting him in the perfect moments.

It made Tom doubt the other man was simple that, another man. He at least had an empathic sense of what Tom was feeling and with Tom shielding his mind tightly, only for Kes to sometimes knock on his shields in acknowledgment that they both are fine. He would speak to Kathryn about this, he guessed. This was more than just irregular and a coincidence after the nth time this happened.

Not to mention in a crisis when Tom and Chakotay were forced to work together. They simply were clicking and working seamlessly until one of them remembered the past and their history that was anything but stellar and healthy.

Learning from Kathryn that Chakotay was meditating quite some time was a surprise to Tom. Even more so when Kathryn told him that Chakotay had used one of his programs of nature to go on spirit walks to meet his spirit guide. Tom’s surprise at that was telltale and Kathryn smiled: “I doubt that he means the same spirit walks you do as a Sentinel. The only resemblance is the origin of the stories and were they come from.”

“Yes, but most people that aren’t connected to the spiritual plane aren’t able to see animals much less talk to them,” Tom sighed: “It could be that Chakotay is a Guide.”

“Do you think so?”

“Kathryn, every single time I fear I might zone on the helm, Chakotay is suddenly there and present behind me. I’m not quite sure he knows what he’s doing but it’s telltale.” Tom sighed: “What spirit guide does he have?”

“A timber wolf,” Kathryn replied and Tom winced. She frowned with the question telltale in her eyes.

“Wolf guides are usually those of Alpha Primes. Either of a Sentinel or a Guide. Any mundane person that ever requested a spirit animal and found theirs, it’s always something small, but never, not once in the recorded history has a mundane seen a wolf.”

“So the chances that Chakotay isn’t a Guide?”

“Are zero,” Tom said: “And the biggest problem about this would be that he attuned to me since he always knows when to approach me,” Tom sighed: “And I already use him as my main focus point.”

Kathryn seemed to think about this for a moment: “Is he hiding? Do you know if he knows about this?”

“I don’t think he is aware,” Tom sighed: “it would be too much of a disrespect to not follow a spirit animal’s advice and the advice of one would most certainly always be to connect with their Sentinel. I think the spirit animal wouldn’t tell him about his status unless Chakotay knew a Sentinel was around. Given the history of Sentinels and Guides, it would be better for him not knowing.”

“Did he come online with you?”

“Doubtful but he could have triggered me,” Tom said: “I came online slowly when I started with the Maquis. Strong Guides can trigger Sentinels and Sentinels can trigger Guides.”

Kathryn sighed: “The Doctor?”

“Could potentially make some tests so we could find out. So could Kes and Tuvok. Given that we never got along in the first place, I would be a poor choice.”

“I think you would be the best choice for him to meditate with. Maybe this could bring you together if you’re destined to be together?” Kathryn asked with a glow in her eyes: “If he really is your Guide, Tom, what are the odds that you both end up here in the Delta Quadrant?”

It was quite worrisome, that was what it was. Tom nodded his agreement to the meditation sessions anyways and hoped the other man would be complying.

The next few days passed quickly and the Commander only once asked why the Captain had ordered him to meditate with Tom, given that they had come to respect each other, could talk civil to each other but weren’t friends. Luckily, Chakotay had just taken their position as councilor.

Tom knew that so far they were on thin ice and their entire relationship could crumble under their enforced time meditating.

That, or the telltale outing as a Sentinel.

Before they could meet up for their first ever meditation session, they were engaged in a battle and Tom had to do some amazing flying to get out of the worst damage the weapons of the other ship could do to them.

Neelix and Kes had been asked to the bridge to help Janeway confer about the species and what they could possibly want from them.

“Test subjects,” and “technology” sounded serious enough that they didn’t even try to hail them a second time instead of getting out of there alive.

The only hiding in space had been an asteroid field. And those were always around when one needed them, that and mysterious nebulas. Tom navigated the Voyager into the field and expanded his senses to know when the hull would be hit. That and the shields of Voyager were the things he focused on.

Kes was stepping up to him, Harry and Kathryn busy while B’Elanna was down in the engine room. Tom winced when an asteroid was scratching part of the hull where the shields had failed and Kathryn eyed him, Tom saw the reflection, before focusing back on the flying and navigating. Some asteroids were actually as big as the Voyager herself.

“Tom?” Kes asked quietly and provided a distraction at the right moment: “Thin your mental shields so I can know when you’re in trouble.”

Mentally opening up for Kes was easy given that part of his focus was already with lowered shield so it was no hardship to let her read him. The navigating alone was getting trickier the further in they got.

“Sensors?” Kathryn asked and Tuvok and Harry replied one after the other: “I can’t get a good read on them.”

“Me neither, Captain. Maybe we should consider shooting the biggest asteroids to avoid getting further hits to the shields?” Harry suggested.

Tom smiled and nodded at Harry. Kathryn looked at Tom: “Do you get the ship following us?”

A few people frowned at Kathryn’s question, given that Tuvok and Harry both had mentioned not getting them due to interference.

Nodding at his helm-partner, Tom indicated the other, his trainee, should take control for a second, Tom looked at Kes who squeezed his shoulder, well hidden from view of most of the crew before Tom dropped his shields.

The noise of the Voyager was easy to keep out, given that Voyager was familiar. The empty space and asteroids hitting each other or the shields wasn’t making any noise either while Tom expanded his senses what must have been about a hundred kilometers but in space, that was nothing and given that he had no sounds between them, his range was increased to that on a planet’s surface.

He smacked right into them. The sound of the engine of the alien ship as alien as the language and strange biofeed he got from them. Not being prepared, Tom sighed and looked at the Captain over his shoulder: “A solid distance but I don’t think they followed us in.”

“Thank you,” she said and Tom nodded at his helm-co-pilot and took control back: “I’ve plotted a course,” he said after a few seconds: “We should be out of here in half an hour.”

“Tuvok, Harry,” Kathryn addressed them: “Shoot at the asteroids. I’m certain they won’t get any readings.”

“We could release some technical waste into space so if they launch a shuttle, they think we shattered on an asteroid?” Neelix suggested.

Kathryn liked that idea and ordered him to go ahead and prepare along with some other crewmembers.

Tom’s senses were still focused on their enemies and Kes nudged him carefully to let him know to ease up. He needed to be separated from this a little because he could feel a zone coming on. The strain on using his abilities were taking its toll.

Getting them out of the asteroid field took him nearly half an hour and he turned to look at Kathryn briefly while Kes was moving away from him now. The Captain seemed to see the strain around Tom’s eyes because she nodded at the man: “Why don’t you take a break Mr Paris?”

“Thank you, Captain,” Tom replied and consciously rubbed a hand on his temple to ease the pain from a headache. He could feel the problems in trying to get his senses under control and back to normal hearing range.

He didn’t succeed and stumbled into the elevator. Neelix was frowning at him but didn’t mention it while Kes was slipping an arm under Tom’s shoulder: “Infirmary or-?”

“Holodeck,” he replied: “Same closed environment without worrying the doc,” Tom let himself be dragged along.

Kes pretty much just dumped him in the black space with the grid before she looked at him, read him and left the room.

The quiet and the darkness was soothing on Tom’s senses as well as the lack of any input even if he could still smell Kes’ body and the hint of medical equipment. The sounds were a dull hum of the energy flowing through the walls into the holo relays and emitters.

Mentally, Tom was still connected to everyone on Voyager simply to make sure that everyone was accounted for and hadn’t been injured. He assessed the overall mental health of the crew before he moved on to close himself off from everyone.

Trying to meditate in the black environment was as hard as meditating anywhere else. Tom had troubles getting a grip on things and felt the uniform was rather itching even if the undergarments he was wearing were silk replicas.

Eventually, he was interrupted form his meditations by a chime on the door and B’Elanna’s worried voice: “Tom? The Captain mentioned you’ve been here for six hours now.”

Damn, time had passed quickly and Tom still barely felt any better than when he first entered. Maybe he should simply head over to his quarters and sleep: “I’m okay, B’Elanna.”

She entered and looked around in surprise of finding no program running: “Why are you sitting in the dark?”

“No visual stimuli. Every program that has been designed has visual, objects and sound factors that I tried to avoid. An empty room that is closed off from Voyager is the best to no sensual input. Even the doc wouldn’t have done anything else.”

“Why were you requiring a quiet place to begin with?” she asked carefully: “Sensory spikes?”

“More like a zone. Or better yet, very close to one. I was mentally keeping an eye on the alien ship that attacked us, the mental health of the crew and the sounds the asteroids were making against the shields and hull, that were carried inside the ship.”

“And a very tricky maneuvering,” B’Elanna said simply: “You good to grab something to eat?”

“Yes,” Tom replied and stood up, following her out.

The door opened and the shields nearly failed due to the ship’s sounds and smells. He winced slightly and shored up the senses, quickly dialing them down and thickening the mental barriers. He really needed to learn what was average and what wasn’t.

Arriving in the mess was easy, given that they just came out of a crisis and the repairs were keeping most of the staff busy while it was late enough that the other part of the staff was already asleep or on their shift.

Neelix was looking at him in surprise and waved him over: “Mr Paris, I have some tomato soup for you. Well, at least that tomato-lookalike from this galaxy that you are so fond of.”

“Thank you, Neelix,” Tom smiled and held out his tray for the soup. It really was just like normal tomato soup and it was always bland enough not to agitate his taste buds when he was sore or close to a spike already. He still wondered how Neelix knew about his taste buds being sensitive. Tom quickly smelled the other tray of food and his nose wrinkled unconsciously. B’Elanna saw this and quickly steered her tray over.

B’Elanna also took the soup. Ever since she knew about Tom’s abilities, she tended to stick to the same food he did which apparently had tipped off Neelix: “Neelix cooks better ever since you commented on all the ingredients he used once.”

“Really?” Tom asked: “I can’t remember that.”

“It was about four weeks ago,” B’Elanna said: “Your back was turned to Neelix so I don’t think you noticed but you were talking about one of his better dishes but complained that he used too much of one spice.”

Tom looked at her in surprise: “Am I his guinea pig now?”

B’Elanna shrugged: “He cooks your favorites,” she took a sip of the soup and some of the rosemary bread that Neelix had adapted: “that’s a win for you and I know if you eat it, it can’t be bad.”

Smiling, Tom looked up when the door to the mess opened and Chakotay and Harry were coming in, talking and heading for Neelix. Harry saw him and called over: “What are you having?”

“The tomato soup and bread,” Tom replied and without thinking, Harry chose the tomato soup, same as Chakotay after seeing that B’Elanna also had the soup even if she loathed soup.

Harry sat down on the table with them while Chakotay hesitated, given that he and Tom still weren’t too friendly with one another even if Chakotay really did act like his bodyguard at times given that life-debt thing in his culture. Tom didn’t mind much though.

“What’s wrong with the other food Neelix has on offer?” Harry asked once they were a few spoons in.

Tom shrugged a shoulder: “Smelled like rotten eggs or something.”

Chakotay frowned: “I didn’t smell anything.”

Harry, B’Elanna and Tom all froze in their movements and Tom saved it: “Maybe I just got a whiff of it when he opened the lid to present his meal?”

“That and you love tomato soup,” Chakotay replied. It surprised pretty much everyone on the table that Chakotay knew that about Tom, given that they weren’t usually having meals together.

“True,” Tom said and scrapped his bowl clean before cleaning it up with the rosemary bread.

B’Elanna sighed: “Damn I’m tired.”

Tom snorted: “Ask me about it.”

“You did some really amazing flying,” Chakotay complimented: “I’m really surprised you were also able to tell how far away the other ship was.”

Harry nodded: “Tom’s good at that.”

Chakotay nodded: “Did you meditate after the Captain sent you off?”

“Yes,” Tom replied: “At least I tried. I’m actually mostly falling asleep though because meditating is hard on me but required.”

Chakotay wanted to ask more but B’Elanna interrupted: “That’s why you were sitting in the holodeck without any program playing?”

Tom shrugged. Harry looked at Chakotay calculating before saying: “Or you just didn’t want to pay the points.”

“I’m sure Kathryn would have allowed the usage given that she asked me to help Tom out with meditation,” Chakotay admitted: “If you are available, Tom, how about tomorrow after the shift?”

“Sounds good,” Tom nodded eagerly: “Hopefully you have some insight that I’ve been missing and can’t follow through due to not being Vulkan and asking Tuvok.”

“I tried his methods once and failed as well. If you used him as your reference point, it isn’t surprising you are not getting anywhere,” Chakotay said: “There are different types of meditation I’ll show you later.”

Tom nodded his thanks and looked at Harry and B’Elanna with a smile. He knew both were in the know, he knew they talked about him and Tom had told them that no-one else knew so far. They were keeping Chakotay from finding out even if the other man might just realize who Tom was soon enough.

Add Tom’s suspicions about Chakotay and he was in for a rather restless night.

His shift was over rather quickly, given that the night had dragged on and on. The flying wasn’t anything as fancy as the day before and everyone was really glad that they weren’t being followed or had a huge crisis to be dealt with. If everyday was that hectic and dangerous, Tom doubted they would make it those seventy-five years.

As soon as the beta shift arrived, Tom left the bridge with a nod at Harry while Kathryn and Chakotay were both in the turbolift with him.

“Heading off for mediation now?” she asked and eyed both men. Chakotay spoke while Tom just nodded: “Yes, given that Tom looks like he had a sleepless night, I hope we’ll be successful.”

Tom shot Chakotay a dirty look but Kathryn had realized that he had been sleeping badly – or not sleeping at all – as well: “Tom, let me know how it went?”

“Of course, Captain.” He replied and hated his weak mind and that he had so many troubles getting his senses under control.

Making their way to the holodeck, Chakotay entered first: “Any preferred program?”

“Not really,” Tom replied. He could use different programs to better close off mentally from the whole crew.

Chakotay started a prairie looking area and indicated a small, soft looking patch: “I usually meditate here if I am not in my quarters.”

Tom nodded and sat down, impressed: “Comfy.”

“What method were you using so far to clear your mind?”

“Not really clearing my mind,” Tom replied: “I’m one of those that even if I try to clear my mind, thoughts come flittering back. Hence my troubles with meditation.”

Chakotay nodded: “No wonder. There is a different method where you can simply analyze every thought and where it comes from as well. You can skim over the thoughts as well and let them fade like background noise. Then there is the walk through, where you listen to someone guide you through a mental relaxing program or you try to imagine a place where you’re comfortable.”

Tom nodded: “Then I think we’ll start with the walking through?” he shrugged: “It sounds best to keep me from my own thoughts?”

Chakotay nodded simply and took out his pouch. He didn’t open it but Tom knew it was a point of focus for the other man.

Chakotay crossed his leg and faced Tom: “Have you found your spirit animal?”

Tom shifted uneasy: “I did,” he confirmed.

“What is it?”

“A golden eagle,” Tom replied. He waited for Chakotay to mention anything special but when the other man barely reacted, Tom sighed in regret.

“You being a pilot it is rather logical,” Chakotay answered: “Can you close your eyes and focus on your eagle enough to have him with you wherever you go?”

Tom smirked. Now Chakotay would be in for a surprise. He softly called out: “Charlie,” and a golden eagle appeared, materializing from thin air.

Chakotay’s surprise was telltale, given that the other man nearly jumped to his feet: “What?”

“Meet my spirit animal,” Tom said: “Ever since prison I’ve found him a rather good companion. Luckily, Kathryn was able to spring me free before I went mad as a Sentinel.”

Chakotay’s surprise was telltale: “You’re really a Sentinel?”

Tom shrugged: “Not many know about this but yes, I’ve come online abroad your ship and probably zoned or spiked when the accident happened.”

“Is that why Kathryn got you freed?”

“A few people in the Starfleet know. Given that I’m the first Sentinel in over hundred years, they reinstated me. It is impossible for me to kill anyone I consider friends or pack and no matter what, I considered you and your crew pack.”

Chakotay nodded dumbly: “So you need the mediation to balance your senses? Is that why Kathryn, Harry and Kes are mothering you?”

“I believe so. B’Elanna and the doc are the only others that know though I guess Tuvok suspects me. It is unnatural for a human to have mental shields he cannot penetrate and even if I tried to be careful, he might have picked up on it.”

“So you can see and feel everyone on board of this ship?”

Tom shook his head: “More or less. I try not to violate anyone’s privacy but it is helpful to know who is freaking out and sense enemies like yesterday.”

“This is remarkable.”

Tom shrugged uneasy: “I need the meditation to not slip into a zone or let my senses spike. And a spirit animal is guiding me.”

Chakotay nodded: “I have a timber wolf as my spirit animal.”

“Call him,” Tom said: “Maybe you’re lucky and can profit from my connection to the spiritual plane to call him here.”

“Kay,” he called out and the wolf appeared right there. Chakotay was surprised when the wolf walked over to Tom, nudged him and then turned to the eagle that was grooming itself to settle down on the ground. Chakotay was surprised: “Are they programmed into the holodeck?”

“No,” Tom replied: “Anyways, this doesn’t help me meditate for now.”

“No, I imagine not,” Chakotay answered: “I’m sorry to be rather surprised and as a result distracted.”

Tom shrugged it off and watched Chakotay calm himself down and then lead him through a meditation session.

Coming out on the other side, the spiritual world, all covered in blue, Chakotay was there with Tom now: “How can I be here with you?”

“I think you have figured that one out already,” Tom replied easily and the wolf was on Tom’s feet, rubbing himself on his legs.

Chakotay’s nod was hesitant and surprised: “So my spirit guide always said the truth.”

“About what?”

“Me being special and having mental abilities. I once met an alien race that were telepathic but they never got a single thing from me. It was after Kay had told me to erect mental shields in my mind.” Chakotay said: “I always thought it was just from meditating since everyone I meditated with could always see their spirit animal.”

“They can always see their spirit animals, yes, but they usually don’t talk back,” Tom shrugged: “I also think that I was triggered online by being close to you.”

“How?”

“You’re a Guide. You’re able to be alone and are stable even if you might always have felt a big hole of loneliness.” Tom sighed: “I have troubles with my senses and I’ve just been online for less than a year. I don’t even want to imagine what it would be like if my whole life had been like that. They probably wouldn’t have allowed me to leave Earth much less fly as I always wanted to.”

“So you flying for me after Starfleet?”

“I believe my piloting error that I confessed to was me coming online. I never made a mistake before and I’m a good pilot. I tried to cover it up but I guess my Sentinel nature prevented me from really feeling guilty about it and forced me to tell the truth. I know I wasn’t online then, though.” Tom sighed: “Flying for you and being caught on the first mission probably was just the same. I still think that if you are my Guide, fate managed to get me online before meeting you but it was chaos –namely Tuvok – that managed to get me captured before I was fully online.”

Chakotay frowned: “When did you know you were online?”

“When I was attacked and I fought back without coming out of my feral episode did they realize what I was. I reacted to sounds and mental distress that I shouldn’t be feeling. The New Zealand prison has telepaths that read me and knew what I was.”

“Tom, I really think I am your Guide,” Chakotay admitted: “I just don’t know if we will get along.”

“What, you playing my bodyguard after I saved your life isn’t enough?”

“I thought we’re even,” Chakotay replied and referred to one or another time where Chakotay had saved their collective asses and Tom.

Tom laughed and nodded: “Sure, but Chakotay, if we don’t bond right now, I might need more help from you than ever before. I mentally started to imprint on you the second I was sure you are a Guide. I feel as if you’re my Guide.”

“How do you need my help?”

“Probably just keeping my senses in check and helping me meditate so that I don’t break out in hives.”

“That is a thing?”

“Oh yeah,” Tom nodded: “The uniform is scratchy at times, dust and sand from planets we visit can chafe me, focusing on one of my senses can cause a zone…”

Chakotay was about to say more when suddenly a great light appeared and Q showed up in their spiritual world: “Ah, I see you have finally managed to be together in the spiritual world?”

“Q?” Chakotay asked surprised while Tom frowned: “Have you been playing around with us again?”

“No, my dear Sentinel. The thing is, we Q’s were originally designed to watch over time and the universe and you, Sentinel and Guides are part of it even if most Sentinels died out over the years and millennia. Other, parallel universes called us Ancients once, others God.”

“Why are you here?”

“Mainly to help you out. You see, those spirit guides are connected to us Qs in a way. We feel when a Sentinel and a Guide meet that fit together. You fit. We designed fate that you would meet but unfortunately we cannot always be on your heels and as a result, you were separated again before you were able to bond. As a result, Chakotay here thinks you betrayed him and the resulting problems are telltale. If you are not careful, you might be too late to fully bond.”

They were pretty much stunned at Q’s revelation: “Oh don’t look at me like that. I mess around a lot and I may be responsible for quite a few jokes in the past but trust me when I say that we’re designed to protect you. Even your beloved Blair Sandburg barely knew the basics. Sentinel and Guides were spread out through the universe but unfortunately, they died away. Some people like you, remembered the Sentinels and Guides while others won’t. Keep your abilities hidden to as many people as you can.”

Chakotay was about to open his mouth and ask a question when Q disappeared: “Well, that explains a few things.”

“Not nearly enough,” Tom said: “I won’t pressure you, Chak. If we need the time to bond, we do need it.”

Chakotay smiled: “Already starting with the nicknames?”

Tom shrugged: “You know that about me,” he replied: “anyways, if we cannot deepen a mental bond at this stage, I’d like to return to the world now and ask if you have any ideas about me keeping my senses stable.”

They blinked open their eyes, looking at another and smiling a bit: “Tom, I might have to read up on the data before I have any idea.”

“Of course,” Tom said and tried to hide his disappointment. Chakotay’s touch on his arm was startling him but not unwanted.

“Have you got the reading material?” Chakotay asked.

“Oh, yes, I do. I’ll send you the files when I return to my quarters. I have them on different servers and not available for everyone. Oh and you might tell the Doc about this because your physiology is slightly different and some medications can affect your mental abilities and as a result cause you disorientations or headaches.”

“I’ll see to that, thanks.” Chakotay said easily and together they made their way out of the holodeck.

Tom went back to his quarters to watch some movie while he sent Chakotay the data he had gotten from the main servers of Starfleet and the Terran library. He had gotten the access to all of Blair Sandburg’s work as well as any and all knowledge available. In total it was actually less than one petabyte of data and easy to carry on a single datapad.

Days passed like this and Tom was glad that Chakotay was more and more available to him on a mental level. On the bridge, Tom now had a constant open shield for Chakotay and Kes, whereas Chakotay’s range was much greater and easier to connect with than Kes. Chakotay had talked to Kes a few times as well to get pointers from him and overall explore his mental gifts now that he was more sure about how to handle them and what he was supposed to be doing.

Chakotay’s hand on his shoulder, the heartbeat or his smell were nice distractors on the bridge when it was tough and very welcome. Janeway had looked at them with a frown but Tom wouldn’t be telling her anything. Chakotay was her Commander and friend so he should confine in her if he felt like it. So far they were getting closer as friends, suddenly with the mental barriers falling that they had more in common than originally thought.

B’Elanna was throwing him looks every now and then while Harry was smiling approvingly at their increase in conversations and friendlier interaction. Chakotay now looked at Tom whenever the other man was in the mess as well and simply picked whatever it was that Neelix had dished out. It was helpful to know on what Tom was basing his knowledge on, even if Tom tended to pick his favorite foods.

The change in nearly everything came when they were attacked yet again. They had met some aliens they were finalizing trading with when Tom frowned and checked his scanner. He was on the planet with the away crew and Chakotay was going to lead the negotiations with Tuvok as security.

Given that Tom had been listening in when Chakotay had talked to Kathryn about being a Guide and also thinking to be Tom’s Guide, the Captain had made sure they would be going to missions together.

“Tom?” Chakotay asked, easily picking up on the Sentinel’s mood now that they had their shields thinned enough to pick up each other’s emotions. A neat trick that Chakotay had found in Blair’s studies and given that Tom wasn’t likely to zone now, they were risking the experiment. Hence, Chakotay had realized that Tom was worried.

Furiously typing on the scanner, Tom looked at Tuvok to answer the question: “I saw some humanoid shape.”

Tuvok frowned: “Lieutenant, I doubt that –“

“Where?” Chakotay interrupted Tuvok and barely looked at Tuvok when he whispered to the Vulkan: “Tom’s a Sentinel and I’m his Guide.”

The surprise on a Vulkan’s face wasn’t easy to read but given that they were empaths, they could tell that Tuvok had reacted to some level. He quickly typed away on his scanner as well: “Mr Paris, do you see different spectra than regular humans?”

“I believe so,” Tom replied: “I came online when I was in prison so we haven’t actually taken the time to test everything yet.” Tom replied and looked around: “It was a flicker, like a frequency not matching up.”

“Cloaking technology?” Chakotay asked and was glad that the locals had decided to let them talk for a little while.

Tom shrugged: “I scanned for any and all and it should indicate those. A lifeform that just lives on a different level wouldn’t be showing up.”

Chakotay reached out for Tom’s hand: “Expand your senses, I’ve got you.”

Tom did. It was easier to focus on his sight to look around them, easier to smell the finest details and hear the frequencies and lifeforms. He shook his head, trying to let go of the feeling of Chakotay’s hand to focus on the pressure in air around him. When that didn’t work out, Tom sighed and used his mental capability.

Chakotay realized what he was doing and helped out as much as he could. They didn’t find anything.

“Damn, I’m not crazy.”

“I trust you, Lieutenant,” Tuvok said before Chakotay could voice it. He dropped Tom’s hand and looked back at the scanner.

“Can you try to keep an ear and eye out?” Chakotay asked carefully: “I will notice when you’re in trouble.”

They couldn’t find any trace of what had happened but Tom found it smart to send a quick message up to Voyager for Harry to read. He knew the other was also watching the frequency Tom was sending the typed text on, after all the typed text was stealthy.

Given that they were handling negotiations, they finished their discussion and headed back to the aliens, finalizing the deal they made.

All in all, it was peaceful and what they needed. They were on their way back to Voyager not too much later and gave a report to Janeway. In the meeting, Harry addressed Tom: “What about the thing you wrote me?”

“I thought I saw some humanoid shape but I couldn’t detect it,” Tom said and looked around the room: “Given that I scanned every frequency and couldn’t detect anything, I thought it a fluke but still reported in case it was necessary later on.”

Kathryn nodded: “We scanned the planet and where you were located but couldn’t detect anything. We’ll keep an eye out in case some ships come up.”

They were dismissed and headed for the mess, quickly grabbing a bite together before heading off to sleep since the daytime of the planet was colliding with their usual work schedule.

What Tom hadn’t counted on, was being woken by invisible forces that were dragging him through the ship and knocking him out.

Tom woke again, his head hurting and winced when he put his hand away and it came off bloody.

“Tom?” B’Elanna asked carefully and Tom realized that pretty much the whole crew were gathered in the mess hall and invisible things were holding guns; those were visible.

“I’m okay,” he replied: “Stay quiet for a moment.” He told her and then focused his vision, smell, sound and touch on the shapes he could see. It was easier than he thought, given that he knew every single crewmember and was able to single them out. That and the mental pressure of the alien: “I’ve got them.”

B’Elanna frowned: “Those are the ones from earlier?”

“Yes,” Tom said and those crewmembers sitting closest to him were looking at him. Ayala and Wildman were the first to notice them talking.

B’Elanna looked around the room: “We’re missing a few.”

Tom closed his eyes: “I don’t sense any crewmember being killed. All heartbeats are accounted for.”

The gasp of Wildman and Ayala were telltale. Tom ignored them: “The Captain is unhurt but Chakotay isn’t.”

Harry was next to them and turned his head sharply to look at Tom: “They’re not gonna live if you’re done with them?”

“No,” Tom replied.

“Sentinel?” Samantha asked carefully from beside him: “You know?”

“About your pregnancy? Yes,” Tom replied: “I picked up the baby’s heartbeat a while ago. It’s still good.”

She nodded her thanks and Ayala was shifting to sit between her and the next invisible man. Tom smiled at that instinct to protect children and pregnant women. He looked around the room: “No one else seems to be hurt.”

“No, they dragged us here unconscious and waited for us to wake. The guns were leveled at people that got too close.” Ayala explained.

Tom looked at a few crewmembers opposite him and used his fingers to tap out a few signals for the other men.

“Can you really see them?” Harry asked.

“I can,” Tom replied: “Their necks look delicate.” That was all the warning anyone got. The crewmember opposite him started a commotion with the one sitting next to him and as a result, all invisible turned to him.

Tom’s adrenaline response kicked in and he got up and jumped at the first guy, killing the man by snapping the neck and reaching for the gun that he threw at one of the other security members. Tuvok was strangely not present.

Before the crewmember could even point the gun into the right direction, Tom had efficiently killed the remaining four kidnappers and stood there, panting. He tilted his head in a telltale way and then stalked up and down the room, agitated.

No one dared interrupting him.

No one but Kes: “Tom?”

Tom looked at her: “Chakotay and the Captain.”

She nodded in understanding: “I know. Someone is guarding the door I take?”

“Yes.” He turned on the spot again and walked towards the door twice before Kes carefully interrupted him and held her medical equipment up. Tom nodded and she quickly fixed his wound on the back of his head. He started pacing right after she was done.

“Sentinel Alpha Prime,” B’Elanna said: “Use the vents.”

Tom’s look at her was with a smile and he nodded, quickly scrambling to get a few things together. Ayala, Kes, Harry and a few others were scrambling to get to help him, obviously knowing exactly what was going on in Tom’s head, given that he had shown his hand as a Sentinel now.

Neelix was there next to them, asking B’Elanna questions about Tom that she quietly answered. All the while, some others of the crew were blindly reaching for the still invisible bodies that they could touch for some reason. Tom was just disappearing in the vents when he saw that someone pressed a button and an ugly alien was showing up.

Tom quietly went through the shafts, crawling at speed to drop down outside the mess hall and quickly and efficiently disarming and killing the invaders. Tom knew those aliens hadn’t hurt Chakotay but logically he knew they invaded his territory and as a Sentinel he couldn’t let them live and get away with it.

He loathed that part of him.

He opened the mess door quickly and gave them the all clear before he was running towards where he could hear Chakotay and Janeway being held. He also realized how many invaders were left on the ship given that he knew what to listen for now.

He activated his comm to Tuvok who he realized was in the holding cells: “I’m on my way to free you, then I’m giving you a scanner to localize them before saving my Guide.”

Tom was configuring the scanner and arrived at the cells a few seconds later.

“Understood,” Tuvok replied and looked him in the face, accepting the scanner: “Protect your tribe, Sentinel Prime.” Tuvok said and it spurred Tom on in a way he hadn’t realized was possible.

The way to the bridge where the Captain and Chakotay were being held by four invisible aliens was behind him in seconds and the need to be closer and done with this was even more urgent than he thought.

He could also hear the crew making its way - with Tuvok’s help - throughout the ship, fighting and getting back what they had lost now that they could feel them.

Tom pressed mentally to Chakotay’s mind and the pressure he got in return was a relief. Then Chakotay whispered slightly: “Harry’s station, your seat, Captain’s chair and Tuvok’s station.”

Tom was a hundred percent certain those aliens hadn’t heard him, given how low Chakotay had spoken. For Kathryn it must have sounded like a soft murmur. Tom did enter then right away, having gotten a phaser on the way, he was quickly aiming at Tuvok’s station, then Harry’s before running over, snapping the alien’s neck who was sitting in the Captain’s chair before turning around and shooting at the one sitting in his chair.

Realizing quickly, that the aliens weren’t “breathing” anymore, Tom focused on Chakotay, seeing the man’s forehead right below the tattoo, bloody and bruised. Kneeling down quickly, Tom took Chakotay’s face in his hands, worriedly looking at the other man: “Guide.”

“Sentinel,” Chakotay replied instinctively and covered Tom’s hands with his. He looked into Tom’s eyes before the blond pressed a kiss to his lips. Chakotay returned the kiss before drawing back to breath and tell him: “I’m fine, Sentinel.”

Tom’s forehead carefully touched his now, Tom’s fingertips carefully running over the bruised skin and feeling the edges of the wound: “Nothing damaged but we should head to see the doctor.”

“Of course, Sentinel,” Chakotay said and Kathryn cleared her throat: “Tom?”

“All clear, Captain. They used cloaking technology. I felt my Guide’s injury all the way to the mess where we were kept. I think I told the whole crew about my status then and there.” Tom didn’t move away from Chakotay even when the door opened and Tuvok with Ayala and Harry were coming in. Tom heard B’Elanna in the background muttering about the engine.

“Did you?” Chakotay asked with a smile.

Tom nodded and when Kes was coming close with a medical kit, Tom turned and snarled at her, shoving Chakotay behind him and nearly attacking Kes.

Thankfully, the woman was a telepath and Tom’s shields were frayed so she moved away while Chakotay was reaching for him quickly, wrapping his arms around the blond man: “Tom, I’m good, please, I’m good.”

Startled, Tom looked around the room and frowned looking at Kes and she nodded, picking up on his apology before he voiced it: “Sorry Kes… oh god.”

She smiled at him: “I believe that it is new for all of us that we had been attacked in our home and you as a Sentinel are more territorial when we are attacked. Given that Chakotay is your Guide and you aren’t bonded, it was my mistake to approach you without being careful.”

Kathryn stood and walked a few steps to them as well: “Tom, Chakotay needs to see the Doctor or Kes.”

Tom nodded: “Logically, I know that.”

Kes simply pressed the medical first aid to Tom’s hand and looked at Kathryn: “Luckily, we tend to forget that Tom is a trained field medic, he can take care of his Guide.”

Accepting the skin repair tool, Tom also checked the scanner quickly before closing the wound. It was unnecessary given that he knew Chakotay had no serious injury and the wound had stopped bleeding but it was better for the pain management and the swelling to go down.

Also, with addressing each other by their title, Tom found it hard now to not touch Chakotay, to not focus his senses on him and to keep his mental shields up and as tight as ever.

Kes seemed to pick up on it: “Captain, I think our Alpha Prime Pair need some rest.”

Kathryn smiled at the small woman: “Excellent idea, Kes.” She turned to look at the Commander: “Take care of him. He might not remember what the did tomorrow.”

Chakotay nodded and took Tom’s arm, making them both stand and head out the door and away. He really hoped not to see anyone on the way, given that Tom’s reaction to Kes hadn’t been ideal and the mental barrier between them was thinner than ever.

“Tom?” he asked the Sentinel, aware that their reaction to acknowledge another had caused quite a rift in their tentative bond. They were headed one course now.

“You know what you started when you replied to me,” Tom answered: “Can you live with it?”

“I can,” Chakotay replied: “I’ve been certain about this for quite a while now.”

Chakotay had strategically lead them to Tom’s quarters and let Tom enter first. He knew a new smell, even if it was Chakotay’s room, might upset the man further than it was good. Both were undressing rather methodically and heading for the sonic showers. The need to get clean after the aliens had attacked them was a strong one and very important for Tom’s Sentinel senses not to be compromised by enemies.

The uniforms were dumped into the sonic cleaner and they stepped into the cubicle together. Tom was careful to be around Chakotay, as if the bigger man needed the tenderness and was breakable. Chakotay let the man, given that he had been attacked just that day.

Knowing what was to come, Chakotay was getting slightly nervous. He had read about the bonding and knowing that he had to drop every shield he had. It wasn’t easy, given that he always had them erected ever since he had first built them up.

Tom mentally knew what bothered Chakotay and smiled at the other man: “Care for some tea?”

“Oh spirits, yes,” the relief that was coming out with a breath as well was telltale and Tom smiled at the other man.

“I may have acted out of it, Chak, but I’m fine now.” He shrugged: “Though it isn’t quite as simple.”

“No, I don’t think so,” Chakotay said and watched Tom go to the replicator and order them some tea. He placed the mug in front of Chakotay and they settled down on the bed, which in itself was strange, given that they hadn’t bothered taking on some cloths.

Tom’s eyes traced the tattoo and he wondered if he could feel the ink under the skin, given that he hadn’t traced the line earlier.

They settled the blankets into their laps and faced each other more formally. The only good thing was, that in the spirit world, they had been naked as well and as a result were now rather used to it. It took some of the awkwardness.

“I was so scared that something had happened to you,” Tom admitted: “I could feel the pain, I could hear you further away, I could smell your blood.” He paused: “I went feral.”

“I guess this is something no one has any experience with,” Chakotay replied: “Reed and Tucker are history.”

Tom sighed: “I know,” the Sentinel replied: “But we cannot ask anyone.”

“T’Pol,” Chakotay replied: “She was around.”

Tom sighed: “Yes, but it’s not like we can call her from here and ask her.”

“No, but we might eventually when we built the communication,” Chakotay replied: “Not that we could wait that long. I think our learning curve will be rather exponential.”

“As long its not a sine curve,” Tom replied dryly: “I can live without stepping back and whatever.”

Setting the empty mug on the floor, Chakotay took Tom’s hands in his: “We’ll be fine. I bet if it’s really dangerous, Q would pop up and tell us.”

“Or I would just show up when you’re about to screw your brains out. Or not out, but more like, bonding and…yeah well... merge brains?” Q said and popped his feet on the table while sitting in Tom’s chair, spinning around to face them: “Oh don’t look so startled. I’ve been watching you and I must say it was rather impressive, young Sentinel, what you did there.”

Tom frowned: “When we bond, will you watch the merging that our bonding is complete? I don’t want to end up like Sandburg that is only partially connected to his Sentinel simply because no one ever bothered to study it.”

Q shook his head: “Blair and Jim refused to fuck each others brains out, as I would say, and as a result they were only partly bonded. Hence when Blair nearly died, it was Jim’s strong will not to let him go that called me to interfere. Add that Blair was holding on and trying to escape to the spiritual plane to be there for his Sentinel after his death. I had to interfere but as a result, I fully bonded them. Once they were mentally connected, it was impossible for them not to end up in a relationship.”

“So we’re doomed to either be together or are not fully bonded?” Tom asked surprised.

“Not necessarily. As you might have read, you Primes “need” the stable bond but can “survive” without it. But given that I saw your relationship, I don’t doubt one bit that you are not eventually ending up in bed together.” Q said and frowned: “Let me rephrase that. No matter what universe you’re in where you’re a Sentinel and a Guide, will you not end up together.”

Chakotay wanted to reply something but was interrupted when the spirit animals showed up then and there. Q looked at them with a frown: “Ah yes, my communication tools. If you may have noticed, those two are connected to every Q and will guide you. You should listen to them.”

Q stood up then and snipped a finger, making Chakotay and Tom lie in bed next to each other all of the sudden: “And I’m out. And no, I won’t be watching. I have much better things to do, thank you very much.”

With that, Q was gone and Tom and Chakotay were finally able to bond.

The End
06.01.16