TOM AND B'ELANNA'S COURTSHIP, page 5

#149 DRIVE

In this episode Tom proposes marriage to B'Elanna, but the course of true love does not run smooth at first.

Paris and Kim are testing the new Delta Flyer. While dodging asteroids in an asteroid belt, they are challenged to a race to a nearby comet by an alien female called Irina. The Delta Flyer wins but Irina's power transformer overloads and her cabin is filling with nyocene gas, so they beam Irina to the Delta Flyer where Kim offers Voyager as a repair facility. Aboard Voyager Irina tells Paris and Kim that she is entering a race, which gains their interest.

Doctor: "I've been looking forward to my holodeck time all week. Why can't you borrow 3 hours from someone else?" Torres: "Yours are the last piece to the puzzle . Tom and I have finally managed to get a weekend off together. I've been trading favours with members of the crew so that we could get the holodeck to ourselves." Doctor: "A romantic getaway." Torres: "That's the idea, yes." Doctor: "Well, ordinarily I wouldn't hesitate to obliged but I've been looking forward to indulging myself in a new hobby, something human doctors have been enjoying for centuries. I've already booked the tee time." Torres, very downheartedly as a ploy: "Well, if your tee time is more important than our happiness, our first chance to be alone in months..." Doctor: "Fine, take my 3 hours." Torres: "Thank you." Doctor: "So, what program are you planning to run?" Torres: "Something new, called Gedi Prime." Doctor: "I've heard of that, the vacation paradise that makes Risa look like a tourist trap. Torres: "Endless kilometres of crystalline beaches, mood reefs, bi-luminescent waterfalls-" Doctor: "And a championship golf course, if I'm not mistaken. Why don't I just join you?" Torres: "Somehow I don't think that would add to the mood." Doctor: "Don't be so sure. You haven't seen me in a bathing suit."

Paris: "The Antarian Trans-stellar Rally: three segments covering 2.3 billion kilometres." Kim: "With obstacles ranging from dwarf star clusters to K-class anomalies." Paris: "Two-man crews and most importantly each ship is limited to sublight speeds. It's the ultimate test of ship design and piloting skills." Tuvok: "Not to mention a serious drain on Voyager's resources. You're suggesting we reassign 15 crewmen to modify the Delta Flyer." Paris: "The race has very specific guidelines." All the ships have to use enriched deuterium fuel. The Delta Flyer's not equipped for that." Kim: "Irina agreed to lend us a fuel converter." Paris: "Captain, this race is more than just a sporting event. Until recently this region was a war zone. Four different species fought for nearly a century to control it." Kim: "Now for the first time they're competing peacefully to commemorate the new treaty that ended the war." Paris: "This race embodies everything the Federation values - a peaceful co-existence, free exchange of ideas." Janeway: "I think it's a great idea." Paris: "You do?" Tuvok: "You do?" Janeway: "Absoluely. This competition is just the sort of break we need. It would give us a chance to make some friends and allow the crew a little R&R. Request granted." Paris: "Thank you, Captain." Janeway: "One thing, gentlemen, now that we're in this race, we're in it to win."

Paris visits Sickbay intending to get the Doctor to approve a leave of absence for the Rally. He finds the Doctor playing golf. The Doctor tells him he has already approved his leave of absence, for his romantic getaway with Torres. Paris had forgotten about his getaway with B'Elanna. As he makes for Engineering, Paris says: "Do me a favour, Doc. Keep a lock on my bio-signs." Doctor: "What for?" Paris: "'Cos in about five minutes there may be a medical emergency in Engineering."

"You're early!"

Engineering.   Torres, surprised but pleased to see Paris: "You're early!"   She takes him to one side and they kiss. "You're packed?" she asks.   Paris: "Not yet. Erm, actually, there might be a little problem.   Torres: "Problem?"   Paris: "I have a chance to pilot the Flyer in a race, a really unique race, and the Captain thinks it a great idea so I guess I got so excited that I forgot about our plans. But I, I don't have to do it. The Captain would understand."   Torres: "It's alright."   Paris: "No, no, I should've remembered. It's just that this seemed like such an amazing opportunity. Pilots from all over-"   Torres: "I said it's ok."   Paris: "Really?"   Torres: "The holodeck will always be here. This race won't."   Paris: "I do not deserve you."   Torres: "You're right about that."   Paris: "So, erm, we'll plan this vacation for another time."   Torres: "Sure."   Paris, as he backs away and leaves: "I, I'm going to make this up to you, I promise."

Later Torres goes to the messhall which is empty now that it is late at night. She has clearly been thinking a lot about her relationship with Paris. Neelix: "Late night? Can I get you anything?" Torres: "No, thanks." Neelix, suddenly putting on a limp: "Oh, ow, oh, ow." Torres: "Are you ok?" Neelix: "Oh my feet. I haven't had a chance to sit down all day." Torres: "If you're thinking of cheering me up, don't bother." Neelix: "Who, who me? Never." Torres: "Oh, by the way, you can have your holodeck time back." Neelix: "What about your weekend with Tom?" Torres: "He just cancelled it." Neelix: "Does he have any idea how much planning it took?" Torres: "No, and you're not going to tell him either. He just entered this big race and he's really excited and I don't want to spoil it for him." Neelix: "I'm sure if you tell him how important this weekend was to you he'll reconsider." Torres: "Probably, but he should be able to make him do what makes him happy." Neelix: "What about what makes you happy?" Torres: "It's time I faced facts, Neelix. Tom and I just don't belong together." Neelix: "Then you're not in love with him any more?" Torres: "I didn't say that." Neelix: "B'Elanna, if you still love each other-" Torres: "Maybe that isn't enough." Neelix: "Call me a hopeless romantic, but I still think it is." Torres: "No, there's a Klingon phrase my grandmother used to use. Mogh'tah: [don't know spelling] it means 'bad match'. That's what Tom and I are. I just hate that it's taken me three years to realise it." Neelix: "If you're really such a mogh'tah, it must have been an awful three years." Torres: "No. Tom is a great guy, and we've had a lot of fun together, and that seems to be enough for him, but not for me." Neelix: "Why aren't you saying all this to Tom?" Torres: "I plan to. After the race." Neelix: "By which time he'll already have disappointed you again. I may not know as much about Klingon tradition as your grandmother, but somehow keeping Tom in the dark doesn't seem very honourable. My feet are feeling better, I should get back to work."

Voyager's request to enter the Delta Flyer into the Rally is accepted. Janeway meets with the race co-ordinator, Ambassador O'Zaal, to work out the details. O'Zaal to Janeway and Chakotay: "Well, I hope the race you've just entered doesn't end before it begins." Janeway: "It's that serious?" O'Zaal: "The peace is still very fragile. Every decision I make, no matter how trivial, is looked upon as symbolic." Chakotay: "So every time you make a concession to one participant-" O'Zaal: "Another is offended, yes." Janeway: "Maybe we can help." O'Zaal: "That would be wonderful, but how?" Janeway: "By providing neutral ground for the pre- and post-race activities. Since we've never taken sides in your conflict you couldn't be accused of showing favouritism." O'Zaal: "If your racing skills are as sharp as your diplomatic instincts the other teams won't have a chance."