OK, this is Tom's life story, told in his POV! This story is dedicated to
JoAnna, for giving me the idea w/ B'Elanna's Story (read it, it's great)
and Jessica. No, not the Jessica with all the fan fics here, a different
Jessica. How do you know you're the Jessica? If these next few phrases
have any meaning to you: "John and Kate! John and Kate" "The purple goo
turned into a '57 Chevy" "Reflecty Eyes"

TOM'S STORY
By Lauren  Taylor

I was born in San Fransisco to Owen and Margeret Paris. San Fransisco's
an alright place to live, as long as you aren't me. I've always wanted
freedom, open spaces, anything but city life. I think that's why I've
always wanted to be a pilot. My dad was a Starfleet officer, lieutenant
when I was born, now admiral, so there was no chance of moving. I had two
older sisters, Amanda and Molly, who weren't the least bit interested in
Starfleet, the complete opposite of me. I can't remember a time when I
didn't dream of the Academy, being a pilot on some huge starship,
exploring unknown galaxies, soaring through the open skies. That dream
came true, but not after many hardships and pitfalls.

I don't remember anytimes with my father when I was growing up. We never
did the typical father/son things. No fishing trips, ball games, hikes
through the woods, nothing. Mom was always there, but she had three kids
to take care of, so I didn't get much attention as a kid. 

When I was fourteen, I had my first date. Her name was Theresa Weinstein.
We went to dinner twice, and to a dance at school. We were both at the
Institute then. She later found out that she had to move to New York. She
promised to keep in touch, but I never heard from her. The thing I hate
the most is that I didn't even care. I just saw it as an opportunity to
meet new girls, try to find the right one. Even at fourteen, I already
knew that I wanted to get married, and start a family. I never considered
that a starship wasn't the greatest place to raise a family.

The year I turned sixteen, my whole life changed. Dad was gone a lot
then, he had become an admiral, and was always off somewhere. Most of the
time, I never even knew where he was. Mom started feeling tired all the
time, and sick. At first, she worried that she was pregnant, but we soon
found out that wasn't the case. She was admitted to the hospital at
Starfleet, but the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with her.
She died two weeks after my sixteenth birthday. I thought that that was
the toughest thing I would go through in my life, but, as it turned out,
there would be tougher things to get through.

At the age of eighteen, I was finally accepted into the Academy.
Everything was starting to look better after that. At least, I thought
so. I was assigned to lead a group of three cadets on a flight mission.
There were a few problems with the mission. I made a few mistakes, and
later falsified the reports. The mistakes I made cost the cadets their
lives, and it cost me my future with Starfleet, so I thought. 

I fled and joined the Maquis before Starfleet caught me. They found me
there, and sent me to a penal colony in New Zealand. I never heard from
my dad or my sisters after that.

A few years later, I had my first visitor there. A Starfleet captain
named Kathryn Janeway. She told me that she had served with my father
when she was an ensign, on her first space mission. She was about to take
command of the Voyager, which was on a mission to find a missing Maquis
ship. Her former security officer and friend, Tuvok, was a spy on that
ship. Janeway wanted me to come on board Voyager as an observer, since
they would be flying through some dangerous regions of space, and she'd
heard that I was "the best damn pilot in Starfleet".

We were set to leave from Deep Space Nine. It was there that I met my
first real friend, Harry Kim. For the first few days, he was the only one
who would talk to me as a friend. Even the captain still treated me like
a criminal. Then, we were sent to the Delta Quadrent, which, in a strange
way, was a blessing in disquise for me. I was finally free. The captain
made me her cheif conn officer, and gave me the chance to start my life
over again. I've made one big accomplishment thanks to being on Voyager.
I am the first person to complete a warp ten flight. Sure, the results
weren't that great, but I did it. Remember how I said that I've always
wanted to have kids? I've got them. Sure, they're three lizards with the
captain as their mother, but I'm not complaining. I've developed close
friendships with many of the people on board, namely Harry, Kes, Neelix,
and B'Elanna. No loves in my life, yet. I've had my eye on B'Elanna for
awhile now. There's something special about her, something I can't quite
describe right now. 

THE END :~)

Legal junk. Paramount owns these people, except for the people I made up.
This is my story. MINE! MINE! MINE!
Comments can be sent to ME at Lauren35@juno.com