Archive of Our Own

Harry hasn't been able to get the words out of this head, even days later.

'There's no one back home who's going to care one way or the other whether I'm alive.'

He frowns at his station and lets his eyes become unfocused, absent-mindedly scrolling through the results on the screen in front of him without actually seeing any of it. He has no reason not to believe Torres, which only makes it worse. She didn't even seem upset about it, just resigned, like she was stating a fact.

'There's no one back home...'

That doesn't mean there's no one, though, right? Maybe not back in the Alpha quadrant, but what about here? They're all in this together, and Voyager is their home, now. Might be their only home for a long time, really, and if Voyager is their home, that makes her crew family. So, no, Torres might not have any family waiting for her in the Alpha quadrant, but she's got a new family here, and it's up to said family to prove it.

"Harry!"

Harry jolts in surprise, head snapping almost painfully towards Chakotay who'd obviously been trying to get his attention for a while. "Commander!" Harry's voice cracks and he winces. "Yes, uh, sorry, what did you say?"

"I was asking if you'd finished those scans that Gamma shift had started."

"Oh, right." Harry holds back another wince, hands quickly sweeping over his station as he tries to relocate the scan results he’d somehow closed when he’d let his mind wander. After a few awkward moments he finds them and shakes his head. "Uh, no. They’re almost done but something is causing interference and I’ve been trying to clear things up a bit but I, uh, haven’t had much luck."

"Any idea what's causing it?"

"Oh. Not really." Harry drops his gaze to the computer console and starts random tapping at things so he doesn’t have to keep looking at Chakotay. "I’ve been trying to pinpoint the problem but I don’t think I can. Not from here, at least."

A second passes - two, three - before Chakotay clears his throat. "And where could you figure it out from?"

"Uh...main engineering?" Harry looks up again and realizes everyone on the bridge is staring at him. Even Tuvok. Great.

Chakotay’s lips twitch. "Was that a statement or a question?"

"A statement?" Harry’s tone lifts and turns that into a question, and his eyes close briefly. "A statement, sir."

The Commander’s chin slowly drops to his chest as he stares Harry down in ever-growing amusement. "Then maybe you should go to main engineering and figure this out?" He’s full-on smirking now. "I know it’s a pretty big scan, but twelve hours is starting to push it, I think."

"Right, sir." Harry gives a jerky nod. "Yes, sir. I’ll go get on it. Now." Another nod, an internal grimace. "Sir."

Harry takes off for the turbolift as Chakotay calls for another officer to relieve him, and he nearly runs into the bulkhead despite the short distance between his station and the lift doors.

Once in engineering, he locates a free console and activates the computer interface to start analyzing systems and processes. It doesn't take him long to find where the interference is originating from, and the next several minutes are spent trying to figure out out to clear it. The task itself wouldn't normally take Harry very long, but his mind is more focused on Torres and what he could do for her. A party, maybe? Something with her friends and closest co-workers, to help bring them all together. But he doesn't know anything about Torres, and it should be at least a little personal if it's done with her in mind. Right?

Harry distractedly taps at the station he'd commandeered and glances at the officer working next to him, debating whether or not he should interrupt their work to ask if they know anything about Torres. Surely the people who work with her on a daily basis would know something. He's still debating with himself and shooting the occasional sideways look at the other officer when the man in question turns and approaches Harry.

"Ensign, may I be of assistance to you?"

Harry notices the rank pips first, and the pointed ears second. "Oh, hey, Ensign, uh..."

"Vorik."

Harry nods. "Ah, Vorik. I'm Harry. Kim," he says, trying not to grimace.

"I am familiar with your name, as I have memorized Voyager's entire crew manifest," Vorik says, giving Harry's still-fidgeting hands a pointed look. "You appear to be distracted, so allow me to repeat myself: may I be of assistance to you?"

Harry immediately stills his hands and instead uses them to lean himself against the console. "Is it that obvious?"

"Your stilted speech and 'fidgeting' are clear indications of mental distraction," he explains, eyes flicking over the screen in front of them. "And you've just caused a cascade overload to the secondary antimatter containment buffers by rerouting power from the primary antimatter containment buffers."

As soon as the words leave Vorik's mouth an alarm starts wailing nearby, and Harry can’t stop the full-body flinch he experiences when it’s immediately followed by what he assumes are some very colorful curse words. They’re spat in Klingon, though, so he can’t be completely certain what’s being said, but it’s obviously not good.

"Damn it!" There's some very angry stomping from above and Torres appears on the upper level, leaning over the railing in an attempt to figure out where the noise is coming from. "Now what's gone wrong?"

Harry opens his mouth to explain, or apologize - both? - but Vorik beats him to it. "Lieutenant, if I may, I believe I know the problem and how to remedy it."

"Then do it," Torres says with a dismissive wave of her hand, already returning to her own work. "I've got enough on my hands as it is. Hogan! Where the hell did my flux coupler go?"

Harry stares at Vorik, automatically moving out of the way as the vulcan starts to clean up the mess he'd just made. "Thank you."

"There is no need to express gratitude," Vorik says as the alarm is turned off. "I do know what the problem is, and how to correct it."

It's said so matter-of-factly, and Harry can't help but smile. "Right. Well, still. Thanks."

Vorik makes eye contact just long enough to give Harry a small nod.

Harry watches him work for a few more minutes, fingers idly tapping against a nearby bulkhead, before breaking the silence. "So, Vorik. You work with Torres," he says, holding back the urge to smack himself in the face because duh. "Do you know anything about her?" 

Vorik lifts an eyebrow and pauses for a moment in thought. "I know that she is Voyager’s Chief Engineer; that she holds the rank of Lieutenant; that she was part of the Maquis crew which joined Voyager’s crew upon the destruction of their own ship-"

"Okay, yeah, I know all that. Everyone does." Harry waves a hand around. "I meant things that most people don't know. Like her favorite color. Or her favorite food. What kinds of music does she like?"

Vorik turns and nearly frowns at Harry. "I do not know the answer to any if those questions. Lieutenant Torres and I do not converse beyond what is required in a professional setting. Perhaps you should speak with the other former Maquis crew members."

"Right! Of course!" There’s something to be said about having a vulcan nearby when your brain decides to go offline. "I’ll do that. Thanks, Vorik!"

Harry faintly hears a muttered, "Illogical," as he hurries out of engineering with new-found determination. He'll obviously have to wait until after Alpha shift ends before he can track anyone down, but at least he's got somewhere to start, and that knowledge has Harry feeling excited and re-energized.

At least until he gets back to the bridge.

"The mission was a success, then, Mister Kim?" Chakotay says the moment Harry exits the lift, and Harry freezes.

"Sir?" Apparently his brain is still AWOL.

"The interference?"

"The..." Harry's eyes widen. "The interference!" Because somehow he'd totally forgotten why he'd gone down to engineering in the first place. He opens his mouth to apologize, but Chakotay doesn't give him a chance to.

"Great work, Harry. And great timing." The Commander gestures towards the officer who'd relieved Harry. "Ayala just reported the completion of the scan. Guess it was already almost done before the interference, huh?"

Harry just blinks, confused. "Uh, yes, sir, it was."

He takes his station back from Ayala and confirms for himself that the scan has, in fact, been completed. The only thing Harry can think of to explain it is that Vorik must have realized what he'd been doing before he'd messed things up and proceeded to clear the interference himself. Harry begins to analyze the scan results and vows to track the vulcan down at some point to thank him. Again.

The rest of Alpha shift passes quickly and as Harry continues with the analysis, he tries to recall who of Voyager's crew used to be Maquis. As far as tracking down people who would know Torres on a personal basis goes, he thinks going back to main engineering would be his best bet, but he also knows that Ayala used to be Maquis, and he's literally right there on the other side of the bridge. Once their shift ends, Harry uses his close proximity to the turbolift to get to it at the same time as Ayala does, but the other man directs the computer to take him to deck two - the mess hall most likely - and he's gone before Harry even gets a chance to say anything.

Harry has the lift take him back down to main engineering, hoping to have better luck there, but it quickly becomes apparent that learning more about Torres is easier said than done.

He recognizes three officers huddled near the warp core as being former Maquis, but they immediately become suspicious of his inquiries about Torres and suddenly Harry is the one being questioned. Interrogated, really, and Harry is actually grateful when they’re interrupted by Torres herself ordering one of the three officers back to work. He takes the opportunity to escape to the other side of the room, and though he spots another former Maquis at a nearby console, there’s something about the betazoid that has Harry backing out of engineering altogether to take his search elsewhere.

He runs into Seska and Jarvin while making his way to the mess hall, but one look from the bajoran has Harry doing little more than awkwardly waving at them before moving on as quickly as possible.

Harry finds Chell at a table in the mess, talking animatedly while Ensign Tabor patiently nods along at the right moments, and he approaches them with fingers crossed. He almost immediately regrets asking about Torres, however, as Chell starts on a tangent, pointing out how great of a worker she is, how skilled she is, how lucky Voyager is to have her. Somehow, that leads into Chell going on about how great of a worker he is, emphasizing the many, many, things he's done so far during their voyage, and though Harry is almost certain he couldn't have accomplished even half of what he claims to have, the overly talkative bolian doesn't exactly give Harry a chance to say anything. Tabor simply offers an apologetic shrug, and Harry take the hint, dragging himself to an empty table on the other side of the room and resisting the urge to smack his head against it.

He barely registers the steps approaching his table. "Hey, Neelix."

"Good afternoon, Ensign! How have you been this fine day?"

Harry tries to smile. "I’m fine."

"Uh-oh!" The talaxian grabs the chair across from Harry and plops himself down into it. "Your words say one thing, but your face says something else. Care to tell your good friend Neelix what’s bothering you? I’m a pretty good listener, you know."

"Yeah, I know." Harry actually does smile then, if only briefly. "It’s just that I was talking to Torres a little while ago. You know, while we were working with that Romulan. And- well, long story short, I wanted to do something nice. To cheer her up. I thought maybe a party? Like a surprise party, with her friends and coworkers."

Neelix perks up. "A party? That’s a wonderful idea!"

"Yeah, I kinda thought so, too, but I don’t know anything about her. Or parties." Harry knows he’s pouting, but he can’t bring himself to care at the moment. "Like, what food should there be? And how much? Should there be music? What about decorations? I have no idea what I’m doing."

Neelix stretches across the table and claps Harry on the shoulder. "Now, don’t you worry yourself over all of that, Mister Kim!" He pulls back again and gestures towards himself. "I may not know much about Alpha quadrant music, and I’m still learning about the foods the crew likes, but I certainly know a thing or two about parties."

"You’ll help me?"

"Of course!" Neelix straightens himself in his seat, a hint of pride bleeding into his voice. "As Chief Morale Officer, it’s my job to ensure the emotional well-being of every officer is fulfilled."

"God, Neelix, you’re a lifesaver," Harry says with a little laugh. "You think we could do it here?"

"I wouldn’t have it any other way!"

And that’s how Harry finds himself sat in a corner of the mess hall with a little party planning group consisting of himself, Neelix, and Kes. It’s only when they’re trying to figure out how many people there would be, and how much food Neelix would have to prepare, that Harry realizes he should probably run everything by the Captain before they keep going. 

He leaves the others at their table after asking the computer where the Captain is and soon finds himself standing before her in her ready room. Commander Chakotay is there, too, and after explaining everything to them, they both approve of the party. Chakotay even offers to inform the former Maquis officers about the party himself, being more familiar with who Torres is closest to, and Harry very nearly hugs him out of gratitude.

When Harry gets back to the mess hall, it’s to find that Tom has joined their makeshift planning committee, eagerly throwing around ideas. Chakotay passes through not long after Harry gets back, and they have to push a few tables together after Chell demands they let him help, Tabor in tow. They even get a heads up from Vorik, whose sensitive ears not only clue him in on what they're doing, but also pick up on an approaching Torres, which keeps them from blowing the surprise when she walks through the doors. Torres gives them a strange look - understandable considering who all makes up their group - but simply shrugs, grabs a tray of food, and drops herself at a table far enough from them that they’re quietly able to continue working.

It’s nearing the end of Beta shift by the time they call it a night, and though they have limited resources to work with, Harry is noticeably excited with a skip in his step for the rest of the night. The excitement ends up turning into nervous energy by the time Harry wakes in the morning, and Alpha shift seems to drag on forever. The other bridge officers spend the time stifling amused looks, and as soon as Alpha ends Harry makes a mad dash to the turbolift, Tom’s laughter following him off the bridge.

When he reaches the mess hall, Kes waves at him from where she's arranging various platters of snack foods, and he might not know what it all is, but it’s perfect as far as he’s concerned. The tables and bulkheads are draped in what look like strings of popcorn which have been dusted with different spices to add color, and each table has a little display made of various fruits, vegetables, and...

"Bones?"

Neelix comes bustling out of the kitchen, a tray of food in each hand. "Leftovers from the stew I made last week. Waste none, I say!" He hands the trays to Harry before returning to the kitchen for more. 

Kes walks over and takes the trays from Harry. "Seems like something klingons would approve of, I think."

Harry watches her place the trays with the rest of the food and nods. "Yeah I guess so."

The doors open then and Tom walks through, giving a little whistle of approval. "Not bad, you guys. You know, considering we had like a day and almost nothing to work with."

Harry rolls his eyes. "Gee, thanks, Tom."

Chakotay arrives next, followed by Captain Janeway and Tuvok, and soon officers are streaming in from all over the ship. It's not long before Harry deems it time to call for Torres, and he turns to Vorik excitedly.

Vorik furrows his brows briefly. "I still maintain that it would be quicker and more efficient to simply have the Captain order the Lieutenant to our location."

Harry groans a little. "It’s a surprise party, Vorik! We have to surprise her!"

Neelix nods in agreement. "It is a little suspicious if she’s ordered here."

Vorik glances at the Captain, who merely looks back at him expectantly, and nearly sighs as he taps his comm badge. "Vorik to Lieutenant Torres."

"What is it, Vorik?"

"I am currently in the mess hall, Lieutenant," Vorik says, lifting an eyebrow in Harry's direction. "Mister Kim has identified a rather...unique problem which must be addressed immediately."

A frustrated sigh comes through his comm. "Well you’re there. Can’t you deal with it?"

"Negative, Lieutenant. I am quite certain only you would be capable of handling the situation."

Another sigh. "Alright, alright. I’m on my way. Torres out."

Vorik clears his throat. "I estimate that, taking into account the increased pace resulting from the Lieutenant’s current emotional state, she will arrive in approximately one-point-three minutes."

Harry claps his hands together. "Okay, everyone, get ready!"

Tuvok levels Harry with a pointed look. "I believe we have ’been ready’ for the past six-point-eight minutes, Ensign."

Janeway lightly smacks her Security Chief on the arm. "Oh, shush, Tuvok. Just make sure you say ’surprise’ at the right time." Tuvok opens his mouth, to no doubt argue with her, and she points a finger at him menacingly. "Consider that an order."

"Yes, Captain."

The room falls silent and Harry doesn’t need a vulcan’s sensitive ears to know when Torres is nearing the mess hall, grumbled curses muffled but still loud enough to be heard even through the closed doors. "Computer," he says in a rushed whisper, "lights off!" The room goes dark and Harry holds his breath, body tensing as the doors open with a whoosh.

The grumbling cuts off and Torres abruptly stops in the open doorway, backlit by the light streaming in from the corridor. "I’m assuming this is part of the problem?" The hand not carrying her tool kit gestures at the darkened room in general. "Harry? Hello?" Torres huffs and plants her free hand on her hip. "Computer! Lights on!"

"SURPRISE!"

Torres jumps a good few inches in the air and clutches at her chest. "What the hell?!"

Harry hurries forward, trying not to fidget. "It’s a party. For you. And everyone else, in a way," he says, motioning towards the room full of people. "But mostly for you."

Torres blinks a few times. "Okaaaay," she says, taking everyone and everything in. "Why?"

Harry figures she probably doesn’t want their conversation, previous or current, known to everyone, so he lowers his voice enough that only the vulcans can overhear. "It’s just- you know how you said you don’t have anyone waiting for you back in the Alpha quadrant? No family?" Torres’ eyes narrow a little and he hurries to finish explaining. "Well, I was thinking that...we’re all in this together, probably for a long time so...even if you don’t have any family there, you do have family here. Now."

Torres stares Harry down for a few moments before dragging her gaze around the room again. She clears her throat and raises her voice enough to be heard by more than just Harry and the vulcans. "Not sure this is the kind of family I’d choose."

Several chuckles can be heard and Tom steps up to the engineer, going so far as to drape an arm around her shoulders. "No one gets to choose their family. Not even when they’re a family of choice, ’cause they end up choosing you."

Neelix, probably recognizing that Torres isn't big on emotional displays, chooses that moment to declare the party officially started. There's a bit of a mad dash for the food, because it's food, and Harry pushes his way over to where Tom and Torres are filling their plates. The three of them manage to escape the hoard of hungry officers and find themselves at the same few pushed-in tables that had been used to plan the party. They're joined by Vorik, surprisingly, and a few quiet minutes pass as they nibble away at their chosen snacks.

The silence is eventually broken by Torres dropping her fork onto her plate. "Hold on," she says, pointing a finger at Harry and Tom. "You got a vulcan to lie in order to help you guys?"

Vorik's head snaps up so quickly it's a wonder the movement doesn't hurt. "I was entirely honest, Lieutenant, I assure you." He actually looks offended, and Harry has to bite his lip to keep from laughing.

"It's true," Tom says, chuckling. "There was a problem - you not being here - and you were the only one who could fix it. If you want to blame someone, blame him." He flicks his fork towards Harry. "This was all Harry."

Torres rolls her eyes and picks up her fork again, smirk tugging at her lips. She glances at Harry before softly kicking at his shin under the table. "Not bad, Starfleet." Harry smiles, and she lets her smirk turn into a smile of her own. "Thanks."