Paths Converging

Paths Converging pt 1
Leonie — 13 Oct 1998, 7:40 AM

Slowly he moved himself to the upright position.

He kept his eyes closed.

His heartbeat slowed and he knew that he was spent. He felt tired yet awake, exhausted yet invigorated. It was always like this; the rush, the ecstasy giving way to the feeling of contentment. He reached out with himself, with his Par and checked.

His head, his neck, his chest, his arms, his hands,
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His thighs, his legs, his toes.

All were as they should be.
All male,
All uniquely his.

Warmth from another source spread throughout his body. From back to front; his chest radiated it, and it seemed that his blood transported it to other parts of his body. Heartbeats were synchronized at first, and then slowly the one became two.

***

Tim had been feeling restless of late and was at a loss to understand why that was his given state. On several occasions, he and Madame D'Alaireux had engaged in sharp words over trivial matters and it concerned the two of them greatly. All the Visions that he had taken and the Ponn Farr meditations that he had engaged in had revealed nothing to him. He was at a loss. This went on for about a week before the appropriate action, which needed to be taken, came to him in a dream. The next morning, he went into Madame D'Alaireux's room. She was dressed and stood waiting, knowing that he would come to her in his need. He said nothing, but she being the seer that she was, needed no words. She brought out the Experesso Java maker and began setting it up.

Tim sat cross legged in front of the fire as Madame D'Alaireux prepared the black liquid. He closed his eyes and felt his Par move through his body, ensuring that he was fit for the experience, that lay ahead of him.

When the preparations were complete, Madame D'Alaireux put the small cup of the steaming black liquid in front of him took her place in the back of him. He drank the liquid and set the cup down. She leaned against his back and put her arms around him as he began to shake. She added her strength to his and slowly, he began to stop shaking. Suddenly he went limp in her arms and she began to see what he was seeing...........

pirates..........the ship...........treasure....gold!!

Madame D'Alaireux watched as pirates with tight black leather pants and thigh high leather boots fought each other. Shirts became ripped with the sword play and blood splattered everywhere. Suddenly, one of the pirates opened a chest and there was gold. He raised the chest over his head, laughing heartedly as the others watched. He tipped the chest and the bounty began to fall.........

gold......coins, falling...........to the earth........gold........

Paths Converging pt 1: cont
Leonie — 13 Oct 1998, 7:43 AM

A symbol in gold.......

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Triangle....

A fight, a man and woman fighting. ......another symbol in gold.......
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Q...........

It fell to the earth, embedding itself in the soil.

Madame D'Alaireux felt her self rising from the soil, from the ground, from the Earth, She watched the planet turn on its axis. Sun and moon rose and set thousands of times, millions of times. It seemed as if the earth were spinning off its axis and then it slowed down and the continent of North America got larger and larger until Madame D'Alaireux could see clouds, trees and shrubs and something else.............

A man walking among geese....passing tress....
the trees,
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numbered trees with markings on them

Straight markings. Dark brown marked with the light brown of exposed bark. A cry....., The man was being chased by a group of cowboys......on foot. He ran but he was in no hurry.............

Suddenly there was no place to run, Calmly the man turned and faced his attackers.

The trees began to sway, then to bend and then to swirl. They formed one shape.......

A snake.

It was thick and fat and it danced in front of the cowboys. It grew even larger before their very eyes. The cowboys seemed unafraid. One approached it and the snake stuck out his head and showed its fans

Hissssssss

As it came towards the cowboy, it seemed to be coming towards Madame D'Alaireux. When it seemed like it would swallow her up, darkness descended.

The Vision had ended.

***

Madame D'Alaireux slowly increased the distance. Timmy took his time in opening his eyes and smiled. Silently she walked from the back of her companion to his front. They spoke no words at first. Each took a full ten minutes in silence to absorb what they had just experienced.

Paths Converging pt 1 con't
Leonie — 13 Oct 1998, 7:44 AM

This was their normal ritual after either one of them had engaged in a Double Expresso Java Vision. It was one of the most powerful visions that any person can have. It was not a Vision that one engaged in at whim. In fact it was often said that the Force of the Universe was the one which directed the seeker as to the appropriate time of the Vision. It was suggested that a companion be taken on the journey so that the strength of two would be used in order that the seeker could withstand the act of the Vision. This companion should be someone who was close to the seeker, someone whom the seeker could trust. The Vision was known to call forth the deepest darkest secrets of a person and the companion must have the courage and the strength to be with the seeker in the Vision during those times.

Both Tim and Madame D'Alaireux knew that everyone who they came into contact with speculated on the exact nature of their relationship. Especially after his unfortunate accident and subsequent healing. They never told. Oh they hinted, made sly remarks and sometimes ignored the suggestive comments that were made, but they never admitted one way or the other to the exact nature of their relationship. They knew the type of ties that bound them together; the ones which formed their bond. And that was all that mattered.

"When will you leave for the Delta Q?" Madame D'Alaireux asked softly.

"As soon as I finish packing." Tim answered her.

However he made no move to begin.

***

Several hours later, Tim was standing in Madame's stable deciding on which horse to take. Madame D'Alaireux watched him

"Take Navarre."

Tim calmly went and saddled up George. "Nah, I think George here could use the experience of a long drive."

Madame D'Alaireux thought for a while and then nodded, "You're right, he could use it."

Tim made sure that all of his provisions were securely fastened to George and nudged him towards Madame D'Alaireux. They looked at each other for a long time before Madame said.

"Hurry back"

Tim raised his hat and lowered it again. Without another word he turned George around and set out.

Madame D'Alaireux watched him until he was a spec on the horizon and then walked back to her house.

VC: Paths Converging Part 2
Leonie — 25 Oct 1998, 9:55 PM

The stranger leaned back in his seat on the Delta Flyer. He hated train rides, he would have preferred to have come to Voyager City via horseback, but it was a long ride and it had been a cold winter. The thaw was going to be long in coming and as much as he enjoyed riding, it made more sense to take the train for this trip. He removed a piece of paper and a photograph from his pocket and gave a long look at it. It had been a while. He remembered that time, when their dreams were fresh and new, when the world seemed to be ripe and ready for the picking. Now things had become jaded and tarnished. It seemed as if the forces of that same world had conspired to drive them apart and force them to take such differing parts. His path had led to disaster. It had led to spending the last five years in prison.

He looked down and noticed that his hands were clenched. He unclenched them slowly as his thoughts continued to wander. There was no undoing of that now. There was no reason to keep looking back to the past, seeing what could have been done differently. He had done that for five years in a cell because it was the only thing that he had to do. Now it was time to pick up the pieces of his life and move on to greatness and the first place for that to occur was in Voyager City.

***

He folded the piece of paper and photograph and replaced it in his pocket. He had no idea why he felt the need to keep looking at the photograph. He had long memorized the face of the woman whose essence it captured. He sighed. This was it, his last mission for the fleet. It had just become too unpredictable and just too dangerous for him. He closed his eyes and remembered the time when life in the Fleet was the only life that he wanted. It was his proudest day when he left home to join the organization, without so much as a good-bye to his Ma and Pa, far less a forwarding address.

His old life had ended and he had embraced his new one with all enthusiasm of his youth. There was never a mission too dangerous for him to volunteer for. No weather too harsh for him to carry out his duty. Now after 15 years, the job seemed hollow. The body count was getting harder and harder to justify to his conscience every year. He felt as if now it was time to settle down, to find himself a sweet girl and get married. A year ago when the thought had entered his head, he had dismissed it, blaming its occurrence on the job that he had been working on at the time. But the thoughts did not go away. When his best friend on the fleet had quit to become a Trail hand, it jarred him out of his denial and had made him face his discontent. The disastrous results of the last mission forced him to make a decision and in doing so, he had handed in his resignation to the fleet.

Strangely enough he felt at peace with his decision to leave the Fleet, even though he had no idea what he would do next. That was the best part of this last assignment. His best friend was in Voyager City. Once he was finished with the assignment, he would find the ex-Fleeter and talk to him; see what life was like on the outside, what it offered him. Then he would make his decision. He had saved a tidy little sum from his earnings, not having squandered it in the last 15 years and he realized that it was more than enough to help him set up in whatever endeavor he wanted to pursue.

He only hoped that this assignment was as easy as the Fleet said it would be.

Paths Converging Part 2 cont
Leonie — 25 Oct 1998, 9:57 PM

"Sir?"

He had known that porter had entered the car even though he had been in a sound sleep when the even occurred. It was part of his training and his reflexes were still razor sharp for his age. He pretended to be asleep because he didn't want the woman who had sat down next to him to start her inane chatter again. Now it seemed that the porter had come intentionally to speak with him. He gave a staged sudden awakening.

"I'm sorry to disturb you sir, but there has been a mix up. You are supposed to be in a seat ten rows back."

"You're only now bringing this to my attention?" He asked incredibly.

"The woman whose seat you are occupying has just taken a closer look at her ticket and realized that she was in the wrong seat. Since this seat is better than the one you are currently occupying, she asked to be moved." The porter's eyes rolled and this action combined with the tone of his voice carried the silent message to him

*Women!!*

He decided that it would be wise not to draw attention to himself.

"It's fine, I'll move."

"If you'll come with me sir."

***

He was wide-awake when his new seatmate walked into the carriage car. Inwardly, he cringed. There was something about this stranger that made him do just that. He seemed to have an aura about him. He was at a loss to say exactly what it was, but it spelt *Danger* He knew that type. He had been 'friends' with one too many of them unfortunately. He stared out the window and feigned indifference.

***

He saw the reaction of his seatmate and sighed. Why did he get seated next to an ex-felon? He recognized who he was, but he also knew that the action was not reciprocated by the stranger. As he put his bag in the over head rack, he glanced at the seat number

47

Well that explained it. Four and seven were unlucky numbers for him.

***

"One horse for two weeks, that would be ten bits."

He winced. The price was a bit steeper than he had expected, but not unreasonable. Besides Ramoran looked like a fine stallion, capable of great speed and stealth. He paid Larson and left.

Larson looked at the stranger closely as he walked out of his livery.

*Hmm, he even walks like him. I certainly hope that he doesn't ride like him*

It didn't matter one way or the other to Larson. He had charged extra for insurance.

***

"One room for two weeks and a half"

"That will be sixty bits" Quark said gleefully. If this person were anything like the man that he looked like, this would be a very profitable sale indeed.

The man sighed. He hated dealing with Fearing.

"For that price I could stay at the Ritz-Kradin for a whole month and get free meals. Fifteen bits"

"Thirty and we have a deal"

"I don't think so Ferengi. Now do I have to call the Marshal here to inspect your gambling tables or will I get my room for a week and a half for fifteen bits."

He held out the money and Quark snatched it knowing that he had been beaten down to a fair price.

"Fifteen bits it is." He said, his voice laced with resignation. "Room 2B, here's the key. And it doesn't come with free meals." Quark called out to him as he mounted the stairs.

*Well I struck out on that little opportunity, but maybe I can make up for it.* Quark thought to himself.

His ears were still tingling. There was profit to be made. He knew that the presence of this person in town would spell trouble for the Delta Q and Voyager City. In this town, trouble always equaled an opportunity. He just had to figure out how to realize it.

Paths Converging Part 2 cont #3
Leonie — 25 Oct 1998, 10:00 PM

"One room for two weeks please."

The receptionist stared at the stranger standing in front of her. It took all of her concentration to not to openly stare at him. He was absolutely gorgeous.

"That will be 30 bits please, half payable now and the other half payable upon leaving."

The man withdrew the money from his pouch and paid the Ritz-Kradin receptionist. He then took the pen that she had offered him to sign his name in the register. Subtly he lay his left hand on the desk as he signed the book.

"Well that settles it, he's married. They always are. Either that or taken. This town is pure torture for a single gal. All these stallions running about in the coral, and all belonging to someone else. Well, it still makes for a good view."

She was startled when the stranger handed the book back to her.

"Have a pleasant stay in our town.....sir"

His handwriting was barely legible.

He grinned and tipped his hat as he left. In retrospect walking around with a wedding band was one of the best ideas that the Fleet had come up for him while he was on assignment. It was noticeable, it made a statement and best of all it prevent women from falling all over his feet every time he got within speaking distance of them. Of course there had been one or two exceptions, but all in all, it worked. He never allowed himself to get involved with anyone when he was on the job. He had learned the hard way to keep his job separate from his personal life.

Now he had a job to do.

It shouldn't be too hard to find Caroline.

***

"Here you are Mr. Miles. The package just came in yesterday by post" Miss Peggy Lou handed the parcel over to him.

Prospector Miles looked at the large square package covered in brown paper and he noted the address from which it was sent. He gave a rare smile,

*It's here early, excellent.* He hadn't expected the package quite so soon. With the arrival of this new piece of equipment he would be able to complete construction on his project a few days early. Not that there really wasn't any rush for the project to be completed, but this was the way that Terry Miles was. Once he got started on something, it was impossible for him to stop until it was completed.

"Thank you Miss Peggy Lou." He paid her for the extra postage that the parcel had incurred and then left. On his way out he encountered Mrs. Janeway entering the general store.

"Mrs. Janeway." He tipped his hat to her as passed her.

"Mr. Miles" She responded with a quick nod of her head and went straight into the store. The smile found its way back to his lips.

"What will it be Mrs. Janeway?" Miss Peggy Lou said by way of greeting.

"I'm going to need two new spurs."

Peggy Lou nodded and went into the back to get them. As she was wrapping them, B'Elanna said,

"That sure as a large package that Mr. Miles was carrying."

"Sure was." Peggy Lou replied. She bent closer towards B'Elanna and said. "Been getting them nearly everyday for the past two weeks. Rumor has it that he's building some new machine to help him find gold in the old mine."

"That mine was a big bust years ago. Ain't no amount of gadgets is going to make him find gold there, because there is none to find."

"I don't know about that. Remember the gold nuggets that Mr. Tuvix found before he was murdered. Maybe there is gold there, but no one has been able to find the mother lode yet. Maybe Mr. Miles' machine will be able to find it."

"Hmm....."

Paths Converging Part 2 cont #4
Leonie — 25 Oct 1998, 10:02 PM

B'Elanna grinned. She recognized that look in Miss Peggy Lou's eyes. The woman was a shark when it came to money."

"Don't even think about it, Schoolmarm Ruth has him wrapped around her little fingers."

"How do you know that?"

"She's always going on about the things he could do with his hands."

"Maybe she means his ability to build gadgets."

B'Elanna gave a snort.

"You're almost as bad as Tom. Trust me it has nothing to do with gadgets or needlework."

Peggy Lou laughed.

"I know, I know, but still looking at him I find it hard to believe what Miss Ruthie is rumored to have said about him at the Housewives' Club"

"Well different strokes for different folks, besides Miss Ruthie is a bit strange herself. Oh sure she may look and act like your typical schoolmarm, but I have a feeling that underneath it all, she must be as strange as he."

B'Elanna knew she was being malicious but she couldn't help it. She still looked at Schoolmarm Ruth funny because of the way she had been with Tom.

"Well we'll see what happens." Peggy Lou said as B'Elanna prepared to leave the store.

***

"Has everything been OK Mr., Miles?"

Terry jumped. He had been so lost in thought that he had not seen Miss Shelly come up to him. He had been concentrating on the stranger who was sitting in the window booth. He recognized who the man was and what his presence in Voyager City would mean for him.

"Everything was fine Miss Shelly. Thank you."

He paid her for lunch and made his way out of the restaurant. When Miss Shelly recognized the size of tip that he left. She called after him.

"Much obliged Mr. Miles."

Turning around, he tipped his hat and went through the door with his package.

As he put it in his buggy, he reflected on the things that he still had to get done. He knew that this day would come and now that it was here, he cursed himself for being caught by surprise. He had become complacent in his preparations. He sighed deeply. He doubted that he was going to get any sleep that night.

***

"We're sorry to interrupt, but did you see that stranger over there?"

B'Elanna and Tom looked up from their lunch at Tom and Shelly's Dinner to see the proprietors glancing nervously at the man sitting in the window booths.

Suddenly the stranger looked in their direction and B'Elanna found herself staring into ......

Her father's eyes.

She gave a sharp intake of breath.