Star Trek Voyager: Season 2

Deadlock

"Counsellor, may I join you?"

I looked up from my PADD and saw Samantha. I smiled and gestured for her to sit opposite me. She returned the smile and slowly sat down- she was due to give birth any day now and we were all excited.

"So how are we doing?" I asked.

"Oh, we're doing just fine, thank you." She said, smiling.

"How long do have until the baby's born?" I asked.

"I'm due tomorrow and..."

Her face suddenly contorted in pain as she gripped her stomach.

"Samantha, what's wrong?" I asked.

"I think I'm having a contraction."

My eyes went wide as she hissed in pain again.

"Oh yeah! It's a contraction, all right."

I shot up, helped her stand up and said "Let's get you to sickbay."

She nodded and we walked out. Every now and then, she had to stop because of the pain. I kept telling her to take slow, deep breaths. We eventually reached sickbay and the doc forced me out. I sighed and decided to go to the bridge. As soon as I arrived, I was bombarded with questions.

"How is she?"

"Has the baby been born yet?"

"What's the gender?"

"How long until we know something?"

I threw my hands up and yelled "Guys!"

They all stopped and waited for me to speak.

"She's in labour. No baby yet, so please calm down."

7 hours of pacing, wondering, worrying and waiting later, we still had no news. Sickbay was on lockdown unless it was an emergency. The Captain and I were pacing back and forth, hands on our chin. Tom sighed and faced us.

"This is ridiculous. It's been seven hours. How long does it take to deliver a baby?" he asked.

"As long as it takes Mr. Paris." The Captain replied.

"Indeed. During the birth of our third child, my wife was in labour for ninety six hours." Tuvok said.

I stopped pacing and turned to Tuvok, shock written on my face.

"4 days? Really?" I asked.

"I have learned that pregnancy and patience go hand in hand." He replied.

"You know, I didn't expect to be this nervous. It's not even my child." Chakotay said, looking at me and smiling.

"In a way, this child belongs to all of us. It is the first baby born on Voyager. I'm just not sure whether I should be welcoming it on board, or apologising." The Captain said.

"Captain?" I asked.

"Voyager isn't exactly anyone's idea of a nursery, and the Delta Quadrant isn't much of a playground." She replied.

"My father had a saying, Captain. Home is wherever you happen to be." Chakotay said.

Suddenly, there was a beeping from one of the consoles. I turned round and saw Tuvok rapidly pressing buttons.

"Captain, long-range sensors are picking up heavy subspace communications ahead. They're Vidiian."

"All stop. A ship?" she asked.

"At least twenty ships within sensor range. I am also detecting a G type star system with two inhabited planets. Life signs, Vidiian."

"Sounds like we're headed right into their territory." Chakotay said.