By Coral
Disclaimer: All hail Paramount, for we are as nothing next to them...
Chakotay and I were going over the morning's reports in my Ready Room. PADD's were piled on my desk like a miniature tower of Babel… and I'm not exaggerating. Most of them were run-of-the-mill problems aboard Voyager. The weekly letter from the Leola Root Hater's Club, asking me to ban the stuff, Neelix's arrangements for Talent Night, and other ship's status reports. It wasn't until Chakotay said "Last one," that things looked slightly more interesting.
"Well?"
"Hang on, I'm just checking this one for the Tom Paris Practical Joke Trademark."
Now my curiosity was piqued. "Hurry up, then." I took a sip of coffee from the mug on my desk as I waited for him to finish and actually deign to tell me what all this was about.
"Okay… This seems to check out. It's from Paris. He wants to know how we'd feel about a wedding aboard the ship."
I frowned. We hadn't had this discussion in a while. Skipping the big issue, I asked, "Has Tom proposed to B’Elanna then?"
"If he has, this is the first I've heard of it," was Chakotay's reply. Which meant he probably hadn't yet, as Chakotay and B’Elanna are very close friends, and I think he'd be one of the first people she'd tell.
"Which means he's probably going to…" I mused aloud. I grinned at Chakotay. "What do you think she'll say?"
"Hmmm… something along the lines of 'I swear I am going to kill you, Paris!'"
I laughed. "Tell him we approve. We can't regulate the crew's personal lives out here, Chakotay. Besides, if possible, I want to see B’Elanna's face…"
He laughed as well. "One last thing. Neelix asked me to ask you if you'd be putting in an appearance at Talent Night tomorrow."
"I forgot that was tomorrow," I sighed. "I suppose I could make it into the audience for a while."
"I hear that the best part will be the finale," Chakotay said mysteriously. "Neelix assures me it's going to be a big surprise."
"I might make it," I repeated.
Yes, the finale at Talent Night was a big surprise. B’Elanna was sitting next
to me, gasped. "Kahless, it's Tom! He didn't tell me he was doing anything!
What could he be doing?!"
"Turning into a lizard?" I quipped. "Eating a whole pizza in two bites?"
We shut up as Paris started talking. "This isn't a very big finale, and it might not even work out the way I hope, but here goes…" He took a deep breath. "B’Elanna Torres, and I know you're out there - will you marry me?"
B’Elanna let out a strangled gasp of surprise. Everyone's eyes turned in our direction. B’Elanna stood up with a bound. "Tom Paris, I am going to kill you for this!"
I could barely stop myself from laughing as I heard her response, so close to Chakotay's guess. It was such a shame that he couldn't have been here himself.
"Oh no!" Paris yelled in mock horror. "Someone call Tuvok! We're about to have a murder on our hands!"
"The Doctor might be a better choice," B’Elanna called out. She walked out of our row and ran down the aisle to the stage. Leaping up, she knocked Paris to the ground with one blow and, amidst gales of laughter, growled, "That's for embarrassing me like that. Yes."
We burst into cheers at that. It looked like Neelix had a morale booster on his hands - a wedding, Voyager's first.
END
Sequel: The First Wedding