DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters. They are the property of Paramount.
CHALLENGE: Truth challenge by Odon-A mysterious virus infects Voyager that forces everyone to say what they really think. I don't just mean B'Elanna and Seven, but everyone! Language people, watch for my language.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.

A Little Truth
By Tina LaMarch

 

-1-

B'Elanna groaned and opened her eyes. "What the Gre'thor was that?"

"It appears to have been a subspace rift. It damaged the warp nacelles as well as formed a small breach within the cabin itself. I was able to keep the ship from exploding but not prevent your injury." Seven carefully picked up the engineer.

"Kahless you're strong. It's very troubling."

"Why is that Lieutenant?"

"You turn me on and piss me off. Ow, my head." Seven hurried to place the half-Klingon on a bunk. She turned on the medical tricorder and examined her.

"You have a slight elevation of temperature and concussion. After I have treated you I will return us immediately to Voyager that you might be examined and the shuttle can be repaired."

"I like it when you get all strong and kind of solicitous." B'Elanna laughed and then groaned putting her fingers to her bloody forehead ridges. Seven's ocular implant went up and after finishing her ministrations went forward and changed course.

As soon as they landed on the ship, B'Elanna insisted on walking to Sick Bay under her own power. "Quit hovering Seven. I am not going to die less than a deck from the Sick Bay."

Seven sped up to open the turbo lift for the half-Klingon. "You know you have an amazing ass Seven?" At Seven's concerned and confused look B'Elanna looked chagrinned. "Wow, did I say that out loud? Must have bumped my head harder than I thought."

"Indeed."

They got to Sick Bay with no other discussion. After ensuring that the engineer was at least in the general vicinity of one of the biobeds for ease of treatment, Seven summoned the Doctor. "Please state the… oh, using the old frequent sick bay flyer miles are we Lieutenant?"

"Smarmy self righteous…." B'Elanna was only stopped from leaving by the rather firm hand of Seven of Nine on her shoulder.

The Doctor made several passes with his tricorder. "Hmmm."

"Hmmmm? I don't like hmmmm Doc."

"I dislike it as well," added Seven.

"You have been exposed to a virus. It seems fairly innocuous at this point but I will need to monitor it. I am surprised that the pattern buffers didn't catch it."

"I walked."

"You couldn't have dealt with the concussive injury without being aware of the elevation of temperature. You never take a chance of exposing the ship to unknown viruses and parasites. Seven I will need to check you as well."

"Should we begin some sort of quarantine?"

"Did you happen to catch the service number of the turbo lift you were in? In all likelihood, it has been on every level of the ship in the time it took for me to come online and begin berating you. If this little bug is passed through either contact or air, it's already traveling."

"Seven?"

"I was concerned for your well being and did not notice the number of the turbo lift."

"Shit."

"Seven has been exposed as well. Her nanoprobes are fighting it. Maybe when they work it out we'll have a way to treat this if it turns nasty. I will quarantine the areas between here and the shuttle bay and otherwise institute a watch at this point, though it is rather like locking the barn after everyone has scampered. I'll be in my office letting the captain know. Thank goodness it has shown no aggressive symptoms at this point."

B'Elanna lowered her head into her hands. "Seven, the next time I get all stubborn and 'I can do it', just knock me down and do it right, would ya?"

"I will comply."

-2-

Harry hurriedly corrected his mistake. Tuvok looked at him. "Is there something the matter Ensign?"

"I accidentally enter the wrong combination of commands. I'm correcting it now Commander."

"It is good that you spotted your mistake immediately."

"Yes Commander although it would have been better if you hadn't caught me fixing it." The Vulcan swiveled to look at Harry. Tom was smirking a little.

"No kidding Harry. Been a lot easier. But you fix it now then they can't give you shit for staying up all night making lousy moves on Megan."

"They weren't lousy just ineffective. They were good lines and usually the boy scout routine makes up for my lack of finesse."

Paris snorted. Tuvok's eyebrows were in his hairline and he looked from one to the other. "Are you both unwell? You are acting in a juvenile manner on the Bridge. It is illogical. Greatly amusing, but illogical and juvenile."

The two younger men turned to look at the Vulcan who just thought about what had just come out of his mouth. He tapped his comm badge and called for the Doctor.

"What can I do for you Commander?"

"I appear to be saying things that I do not ordinarily say. I am concerned that it may be signs of an illness."

"God forbid a Vulcan say anything out of character."

"No shit," chorused both Paris and Kim who blushed deeply.

Everything was silent for several long moments. The Doctor said, "It appears you are not the only one. Call up the reserves and I would like to see all three of you immediately."

"Understood, Doctor. Tuvok out."

Tuvok, Paris, and Kim were soon on their way. Captain Janeway walked onto the Bridge which was being run by Chakotay.

"Status Commander."

"The ship is in one piece, half the Senior Staff is in the Sickbay, possibly sick. I think they're being babies, and I am learning the folly of going commando in this uniform."

The Captain stood stock still looking at the Commander for several long moments. "I could have warned you about the going commando thing."

-3-

The Captain came into the sickbay. "Doctor, what the hell is going on around this madhouse of a ship?"

"Each person has a series of mental filters, meta-programs some enterprising individual in the twentieth century called them. This little virus courtesy of your engineering chief apparently disables certain filters. Thus, people speak their minds. I find myself surprised at how many people I thought were speaking their minds, weren't."

"Like who?"

"Lt. Torres, she has been making some fairly interesting comments to our resident Borg. Of course, there's Lt. Paris who has been talking long term commitment with Ensign Kim. It's fascinating."

"Fuck fascinating. Fix it. Mental filters are all that keep my crew from killing one another. God help us if anyone tells Neelix the truth about his cooking." The Captain moaned into her hands. "I'll be with my favorite fantasy women. Yell if you get anything." Janeway walked over to Seven and B'Elanna and sat down. She turned red as she recalled what she just said and walked out of the Sickbay at just short of a run.

B'Elanna watched Janeway run out. "Wonder what's with her? Hmmmm. She has a nice ass too. Not as good as yours, but worthy of respect and admiration." She took in Seven's raised eyebrow. "What? You don't even notice me throwing myself at you in true Klingon fashion and I'm supposed to pretend other asses don't exist? Totally unfair."

"I do notice you. I am aware of your arousal. I was waiting for you to announce your intentions."

Their discussion was interrupted by Harry Kim who came to sit with them. "Hey guys."

"Hey Starfleet. What's the what, Boy Scout?"

"Tuvok thinks I smell funny and Paris wants to take me over his knee and spank me for not noticing the chubby he gets when we play Captain Proton together."

B'Elanna roared with laughter. "Oh this virus was worth it to hear that."

Harry started chuckling and Seven raised her implant. "Chubby?" inquired the former Borg.

"I'm not the only one getting aroused around unexpected individuals. I thought he might have had something for you Starfleet, didn't know he's that gone." B'Elanna laughed and patted Kim's shoulder. "Now get away from me. I'm trying to make time with the Borg here."

-4-

B'Elanna was starting to think that this virus made the ship like any station bar in any quadrant on payday. She smiled. The Doctor, after realizing the entire ship was already affected, announced that everyone should get back to work and either avoid everyone else on the ship or try to make allowances. B'Elanna did…to a point.

Seven came into engineering and several rather blatantly sexual remarks later, B'Elanna found herself in the middle of a group of her crewmen nursing black eyes. "For the rest of you," she roared, "If you want to make remarks about her ass or her tits, I suggest you speak under your breath. If I hear you talking about my Borg that way again, black eyes will be the least of your worries. Now get to work!" B'Elanna stomped into her office followed by the amused looking Borg.

"Your Borg Lieutenant?"

"Oh for Kahless's sake call me B'Elanna. It's useless for you to call me Lieutenant, you don't respect it anyway."

"I do not respect the rank, but I do respect the individual who carries it. I respect you greatly B'Elanna."

"Since when Tall Blonde and Built?"

Seven raised her implant at the name. "Since we met. Your honest dislike was refreshing, although I am beginning to understand that your honesty had limits during many of our confrontations."

"I am hardly going to go around telling the least responsive woman on the ship that her body, brains and sheer stubbornness are turning me on. That's a set up for disaster."

"Or another interesting way of initiating a mating ritual." Seven slipped the Astrometrics power requirements on B'Elanna's desk before nodding at the laughing Klingon and departing.

B'Elanna took a look at the PADD and walked out. She tossed it to Vorik and told him to get on it. She signaled Nicolleti over. "Susan I need you to go down and get with Crewman Douglass. He's dicking around down there and I need his reports on my desk."

"The silly little man. I'll definitely have to get with him. Do I have time to stop for chaps and a crop? That boy needs encouragement."

B'Elanna put her face in her hands and mumbled out between her fingers, "Sure whatever, just get my reports before you ride 'em cowgirl."

B'Elanna stood where she was until Nicolleti was out the door. She walked tightly into her office before howling with laughter at the pictures in her head. When she caught her breath she said, "Must be getting over this thing, didn't ask her what kind of saddle she uses."

-5-

Janeway was at a total loss. She had called her first officer a giant wooden git. He responded by calling her a sexually frustrated hag. Somehow the books managed to miss this situation. From the security reports she was seeing madly scrolling on her screen from other decks, the situation on the bridge was actually the calm center of the storm.

"Sickbay to Captain Janeway."

"Please tell me you have a cure."

"Actually, Seven was able to adapt her nanoprobes and based on their work, my skills were more than sufficient…."

"Cut the self-aggrandizement!"

"Right. I will begin distributing the cure shortly Captain."

"Start here before I tell Chakotay what I think of his other personality issues, Doctor."

"What other personality issues?"

"Shut up you sappy tree hugging balless wonder."

"Be right there Captain."

"Thank you Doctor. Janeway out."

"I have balls. I have big balls! If your shivelled up nun self wouldn't faint with wonder, I'd show 'em to you."

"Please don't," chorused the rest of the bridge, bar the Vulcan who was still trying to meditate and dispatch his security teams at the same time.

B'Elanna came into Astrometrics and leaned in the doorway. "So would you be annoyed by me initiating something with you?"

Seven turned and approached B'Elanna. She stood at ease and tilted her head. "I would enjoy initiating something with you B'Elanna. I would particularly enjoy initiating both dating and recreational copulation with you."

B'Elanna raised her eyebrows. "I'm going to miss this virus. I like hearing you speak your mind."

Seven's head tilted. "I thought you were aware, I have not been affected by the virus since shortly after we arrived in Sick Bay."

"So how come you never told me you'd be interested in um, sex with me before?"

"You have never asked."

"Good point. I will have to speak my mind more then."

"Indeed B'Elanna."

Captain's Personal Log- It has been three days since the Truth Virus has been eradicated from my ship. Things are slowly coming back to normal. Five relationships have ended, and several new ones have begun. Most surprising are the ones involving my senior staff. I am glad to see Harry and Tom together. Perhaps Harry can defuse some of Tom's more explosive tendancies. Chakotay and Nicolleti. I will never see what they see in one another. Even thinking about it disturbs me to no end. Most delightful of course is Seven and B'Elanna. I really should take them to task for the sex in inappropriate places, but every time they get together I end up with another PADD of ideas on getting us home faster. More power to them I say. End log.

Janeway took another deep drag of her coffee. "Hmmmm, wonder what Crewman Celes is doing tonight." She chuckled into her mug.

The End

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