Part 53

Paris had the nerve to practically toss B'Elanna into the turbo lift. She crashed against the rear wall and slid to the floor. The harsh movement sent the blood in her head crashing against her eardrums, drowning out Paris' voice as he instructed a location to the computer. The doors slid shut and the lift slid into motion.

B'Elanna stayed crumpled on the floor, partially out of the discomfort from unpleasantness the motion of the turbo lift was causing her still unsteady sense of balance and partially because from this position she had an excellent angle of attack.

Paris was leaning against the panel left of the door, phaser aimed steadily at her. He was watching her closely, obviously suspecting she was going to lunge at him any second.

Which, of course, was exactly what she was going to do once the narcotic took effect.

Didn't want him to know that, though. She kept the sneer of contempt she so desperately wanted to produce off her face, allowing the natural expression of genuine disorientation and discomfort to remain instead.

She could feel the drug beginning to work. A coldness was creeping up her spine, spreading to her limbs. She couldn't help but wince when the sensation passed through her injured wrist. The sedative might actually have been dampening that pain, as much as it had hurt when Paris had grabbed it.

Paris jerked when she flinched. She glared at him, and couldn't resist a taunt.

"Break your wrist, shall we?"

He didn't respond, eyeing her with distrust.

The feeling eased over her hands and feet, disappearing. Her body felt taut and ready to spring, but her head was still thick and drowsy. She remained still, waiting for her vision to clear. She knew the advancement rate of the narcotic, but she didn't know the length of this turbo lift ride.

The sensation slid over her shoulders and crawled up her neck. Her vision immediately blackened, the oddest feeling of complete rest falling over her. It dissipated, leaving her vision sharp and clear, feeling extremely alert.

As much as she had never liked the process of the drug, the results were always spectacular. The sedative's effects were gone. She was ready to put Paris out of commission and join Chakotay and the others in Engineering.

She hoped the satisfaction she was feeling was manifesting itself as an inconspicuous expression on her face. Paris wasn't staring at her strangely, so she presumed she wasn't looking as pleased with herself as she felt.

Still, there was the problem of her useless wrist, and the fact that he had a phaser, to deal with.

But, she wasn't drugged half out of her mind. That made the fight fair.

Fair in the sense that she was going to win.

She folded her legs out from beneath her, well aware of Paris watching her. She shifted so her back was again the wall, then bent her knees.

She sat still, long enough for Paris to decide she had just rearranged herself for comfort, not out of any dangerous intentions.

That was when she sprang to her feet and lunged at him.

Part 54 | Index page