| TOM PARIS :
WIT AND WISDOM Page 1
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| TOM PARIS :
WIT AND WISDOM Page 1
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Sometimes fear can be a good thing. Keeps you from taking unnecessary chances. Courage doesn't mean that you don't have fear. It means you've learned to overcome it.
Paris to the fully human Torres [#14 Faces] |
Ugh, I hope I never see another leola root, and you're certainly not feeding any of that hideous broth to my niece, or nephew, whatever it is. #Paris [#23 Parturition]
Nothing personal, but I just don't have an affinity for hair in my food.
To be honest, if you weren't around, I'd be knocking at her door. But I respect you Neelix, and that's that. Everything you heard those guys saying about me - well, it was true. But it's not who I am any more, at least not who I want to be. This upside-down mission to the wrong side of the galaxy has given me a second chance. And I don't intend to blow it.
If you ever doubt yourself, just look into her eyes, see the way she looks at you. You'll never doubt yourself again.
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I was staring at the velocity indicator. It said warp 10, and then as I watched it I suddenly realised that I was watching myself as well. I could see the outside of the shuttle, I could see Voyager, I could see inside Voyager, I could see inside this room. For a moment I was everywhere, I mean everywhere, with the Klingons, back home, other galaxies, it was all there. I don't know how else to explain it. It was like, well, no, it wasn't like anything.
Paris to Janeway (and the Doctor), on his historic transwarp flight [#31 Threshold] |
Here lies Thomas Eugene Paris, beloved mutant.
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Breaking the [transwarp] threshold: it was incredible but somehow it doesn't mean as much as I thought it would. ... I guess I went into this looking for a quick fix. I thought making history would change things, not just my service record - my reputation. ... Yeah, but I'm starting to realise that it's not other people's opinions I should be worried about - it's mine. Seems, captain, like I still have a few barriers to break. I just hope they're not theoretical impossibilities.
Paris to Janeway [#31 Threshold] |
Of course, the first one is always the hardest to get over. ... Every now and then, even years later, something reminds you of her - a certain smell, a few notes of a song - and suddenly you feel just as bad as the day she told you she never wanted to see you again. If you want to know the honest truth, Doc, you never completely get over a woman you really cared about.
I've always considered myself a drifter. You know what that's like, Neelix - freedom to do what you want when you want, no rules to follow, no one depending on you, right?
This isn't about anybody except me. I've done this to myself, just like always. No matter where I go or who I'm with, I make a mess of things. The unmistakeable conclusion has to be that deep down I don't want any friends or a family or a home, or I wouldn't keep sabotaging the possibilities.
Tuvok, has anyone ever told you, you're a real freakasaurus?
I didn't tell the truth. I made a mistake, which happens to people, but if I'd admitted that mistake it would have been a lot better. But I lied about it. And it nearly ruined my life.
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I'm your friend, and I have to watch out for you when your judgement's been impaired. If you let these instincts take over now, you'll hate yourself, and me too for taking advantage of you. I won't do that.
Paris to Torres [#58 Blood Fever]  |
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Yeah, I know, you're afraid that your big, scary Klingon side might have been showing. Well, I saw it up close and, you know, it wasn't so terrible. In fact I wouldn't mind seeing it again someday.
You make it sound like you're treating a sick patient. I'm not sure you can diagnose and cure a family.
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Think about what's happened to us here on Voyager. Everyone left people behind, and everyone suffered a loss. But look how it's brought us all closer together. We found support here, and friendship. And we've become a family, in part because of the pain we shared. If you turn your back on this program, you'll always be stuck at this point. You'll never have the chance to say goodbye to your daughter, or to be there for your wife and son when they need you, and you'll be cheating yourself of the chance to have their love and support. In the long run, you'll miss the whole point of what it means to have a family.
Paris to the Doctor [#64 Real Life] |  |
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I would have thought all that hot Klingon blood would have kept you warm.
Paris to Torres [#66 Displaced] |
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I guess we should have known Seska wouldn't let a little thing like death stop her from getting even.
Paris to Tuvok [#67 Worst Case Scenario] |
We all have a past. What matters is now.
Since when is not wanting to spend time with the Doctor a capital offence? You'd have to throw the whole crew in the brig for that one.
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Why don't we make a schedule, a fight rotation. We can optimise our resources. I can start one, then you can start one.
Paris, arguing with Torres [#95 Night] |
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Spaceman First Class, Protector of Earth, Scourge of Intergalactic Evil, at your service.
Paris introduces himself as Captain Proton, on the holodeck [#95 Night] |
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That is exactly what we're designing: a 24th century warp-powered, ultra-responsive hot-rod. If we make this thing look mean enough, other ships are going to think twice before taking us on.
Paris about the Delta Flyer [#97 Extreme Risk] |
It's a date! These things can't be rushed. They've probably just finished dinner, a couple of drinks and now they are moving past the polite stage.
Personally, I don't go out with girls from other galaxies.
I've never been very good at playing by the rules. That doesn't mean that serving under your command hasn't changed me, for the better. At least this time I broke the rules for a reason, for something I believed in.
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First of all, he's a megalomaniac, so it's a good idea to appeal to his ego. ... use grandiose language, he likes to be called sire, and it helps to say things like 'the clever fiendishness of your evil plan is brilliant'.
Paris, briefing Janeway about the holo-villain Dr Chaotica [#106 Bride of Chaotica!] |
Surely there must be another way to explore your spirituality? Go to church or something? Look, I'll read the scrolls. I'll learn Klingon. We'll figure this out. Together.
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Look at those lines. It's a work of art. That ship wasn't assembled, it was sculpted. I think I'm in love.
Paris to Torres and Seven [#125 Alice] |
...then came this moment of clarity when suddenly everything made sense. ... I was flying! No matter how many starships I've piloted since then I'm still chasing that feeling.
Warp-drive, shields, transporters - we're travelling in the lap of luxury.
We collided in a corridor during a Borg attack. I said, 'Excuse me.' Since we were at red alert and about to be destroyed I think it was very considerate of me.
No, actually I was going to congratulate you. I mean, she's not a Borg, she's not a hologram, she's not dead. Looks like you might have found yourself the perfect woman.
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So we 'scrape shields' occasionally. It keeps things interesting.
Paris to Torres [#149 Drive] Well, you've got that tough Klingon exterior. I didn't think you liked the mushy stuff. Paris to Torres [#149 Drive] |
