The Other Torres | A Star Trek Fanfiction *Book 1*

The Caretaker-Chapter 3

"I'm not reading any life signs on the Maquis ship." said Harry, Tom took note that Amanda looked ready to collapse and grabbed her arm just in case. "What about on that, that array?" Janeway asked.

"Our sensors can't penetrate it" said Harry, "any idea what those pulses are that are coming from it, Mister Kim?" asked Janeway. "Massive bursts of radiant energy. They seem to be directed toward a nearby G-type star system." said Harry when Amanda lost consciousness causing Tom to catch her, Rollins takes Amanda from Tom and takes her to Sick Bay. "Try hailing the array." said Janeway when Carey's voice came over the comlinks "Engineering to Bridge. We have some severe damage. The Chief's dead. Possibility of a warp core breach." "Secure all engineering systems. I'm on my way." Janeway orders. "No response from the array." just as Rollins walks back in from Sick Bay "Ensign, get down to Sickbay. See what's going on. Mister Rollins, the Bridge is yours." "Aye, Captain." Harry makes his way to the Turbolift when Tom follows him "Harry, wait for me." said Tom.

Tom was worried about Amanda so was Harry but Tom was worried because she never judged him for what he did.

Tom and Harry arrived at Sick Bay it's on fire Tom heads over to the deceased doctor and nurse and sees their burns "They must have been right next to the console when it exploded." said Tom as Harry grabbed asbestos gauntlets and an extinguisher and puts the fire out.

Janeway pins her hair back up and enters engineering. Something goes bang. " Warning. Warp core microfracture. Breach imminent." the computer states. "What's the warp core pressure?" asked Janeway "Twenty one hundred kilopascals." replied Carey. "Lock down the magnetic constrictors." ordered Janeway "if we lock them down at these pressure levels, we might not be able to reinitialise the dilithium reaction." said Carey. "Warning. Warp core microfracture. Breach imminent." said the computer again "we don't have a choice. We've got to get the reaction rate down before we try to seal it." said Janeway.

In the sickbay Harry activates the EMH while Tom stands at Amanda's bedside, she's still unconscious and her head's bleeding still and there's also dry blood around the wound. 

"Computer, initiate Emergency Medical Holographic programme." said Harry walking past Amanda's bed. 

A balding human male appears, he's the EMH. "Please state the nature of the medical emergency." the Holographic Doctor said "multiple percussive injuries." Harry told him "status of your doctor?" the Hologram asked. "he's dead." said Harry bluntly. The Doctor walked out the the medical area "Point four cc's of trianoline." said the Doctor "Trianoline?" asked Harry. "We lost our nurse too." said Tom to the Doctor as he healed and woke up Amanda. "How soon are replacement medical personnel expected?" asked the Doctor.

Amanda groaned as she woke up, she nearly fell off the biobed when Tom caught her arm, she smiled. "that could be a problem. We're pretty far away from replacements right now." said Harry "how far?" asked Amanda not remembering "70,000 light years" said Tom. The Doctor gives one man a hypo then hands it to Kim.

"Tricorder" Harry hands the Doctor a tricorder, he sighs "Medical tricorder. A replacement must be requested as soon as possible. I am programmed only as a short-term emergency supplement to the medical team." said the Doctor. "Well, we may be stuck with you for a while, Doc." quipped Tom smugly almost, Amanda snorted. "There's no need for concern. I am capable of treating any injury or disease. No concussion any more. You'll be fine. Clean her up." said the Doctor to Tom referring to Amanda.

Tom and Amanda share a look before Amanda disappears suddenly, Harry and Tom look at the each other shocked the Doctor doesn't notice the half Klingon sudden disappearance so they don't mention it.

Back in engineering Janeway's telling Carey what to do like the Captain she is. "unlock the magnetic constrictors." she said. Carey complied "constrictors online." "pressure? Janeway asked "it's working." Carey informed her "twenty five hundred kilopascals and holding." he continued on, Rollins voice came over the combadges "Bridge to Janeway. We're being scanned by the array, Captain. It's penetrated our shields." Janeway frowns "what kind of scan? Bridge? Janeway to Bridge, respond." she said, Carey vanishes into thin air just like Amanda did in Sick Bay, "Initiate emergency lock-off." Janeway ordered before she vanished too. 

Kim and Paris help a man onto a biobed as the Doctor examines a woman on the next one

"You're not seriously hurt. You can return to your station." said the Doctor. As the woman starts to sit up and vanishes. Then everyone else vanishes too. "This is the Emergency Holographic Doctor speaking. I gave no permission for anyone to be transported out of Sickbay. Hello? Sickbay to Bridge. I believe someone has failed to terminate my programme. Please respond." said the Doctor. 

The corn is as high as Harry's eye. Palomino ponies graze. A middle-aged woman comes off the verandah of a big white clapperboard house carrying a tray.

"Come up here. Come on, now. I have a pitcher of lemonade and some sugar cookies." said the woman. Every crew person has a tricorder. Amanda is nowhere to be seen she just vanished. "Captain?" asked Tom cautiously. "Don't believe your eyes, Mister Paris. We've only transported a hundred kilometres. We're inside the array." said Janeway scanning the surroundings. "There's no indication of stable matter. All this must be some kind of holographic projection." said Harry also scanning. "Oh, you poor things. You must be tired out. Come on and sit down and rest awhile. Have a cold drink, hmm?" asked the woman "no, thank you. My name is Kathryn Janeway, captain of the Federation Starship Voyager." said Janeway "Now, just make yourselves right at home. The neighbours should be here any minute. Oh! Why, here they are!" said the woman as another group of people arrive.

"Well, good to see you. Welcome." said an old man with a banjo. A young woman joined him she would have to be his daughter "we're real glad you dropped by." the daughter said "Now we can get started. You're all invited to the welcoming bee!" said the woman. "Let's have some music!" said the man with a banjo.

The old man starts playing and the farm folk dance. "The crew's scattered around this farm, Captain, but they're all accounted for. Except Mandy Torres." said Tom "Move around. Scan the area. See if you can find anything that might be a holographic generator. Mandy?" said Janeway realising Tom had called Amanda 'Mandy' instead of her birthname "Amanda said Harry and I could call her that when we were on our shift break, Harry already called her Mandy to begin with" said Tom before he went off.

"Have some nice fresh corn on the cob. Fresh corn on the cob. Corn on the cob. Corn on the cob." said the woman offering food. "Can you tell me why we're here?" asked Janeway "Oh, we don't mean you any harm. I'm sorry if we put you out. Why don't you just put your feet up and get comfortable while you wait?" said the woman cheerfully. "Wait for what?" asked Janeway curiously. "Isn't anybody hungry? Come on now, make yourselves at home. I'm sorry if we put you out." said the woman, she was starting to get annoying now.  

Harry and Tom walk around the house. A dog follows them. When the daughter shows up "hey, let me show you around. The root cellar's right over there." she said "what's down there?" asked Harry "potatoes, onions. But it's real private." said the daughter flirting with Tom, Harry rolls his eyes "Paris, she's only a hologram." he said "no reason to be rude." replied Tom, Harry continues scanning and stumbles upon something wrong with the barn. "Whoa." he said "What?" asked Tom pushing the daughter away so he can help. "Sporocystian life signs. What's in the barn?" Harry asked the daughter. "Oh, nothing but a big old pile of hay. Hey, come on, let's go see the duck pond. There's nothing in there. It's just a dark, smelly barn. Hey, do y'all want some devilled eggs? Huh?" the daughter asks trying to keep Harry and Tom out the barn.

Harry and Tom move her aside and enter.

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I'm thinking of making Amanda and Tom get stuck in the microfracture on that planet in episode 3 of season 1 that way there might be some foreshadowing for their relationship.

Amanda will also take B'elanna's spot in Blood Fever.

Tom and Amanda will get together in Blood Fever at the very end in the Turbolift.