The Charade   Author: Leone   Part: 2/3   Rating: PG   Codes: P, VOY/X: WP   Archive: Got my other stories? Go ahead. Otherwise, ask   Feedback: tarrashenna@yahoo.com   Disclaimer: Nothing but the story belongs to me. Star Trek   belongs to Paramount and any characters from Xena: Warrior   Princess belongs to Renaissance Pictures. (Except the gods, they   belong to themselves)   Summary: Sequel to "The Choice". If you have read that one,   this won't make much sense.   ****************************************************   Part Two   The God of War entered the doctor's office, followed by the   CMO and the two most senior officers on Voyager. The first   officer was the last to enter the room, and therefore the one who   closed the door after them.   Ares saw the doctor's slightly worried expression and reassured   the hologram. "Don't worry, Doctor. Asclepius will be here in a   moment. If any of the crew should need medical attention, He   will take care of it."   Thus calmed, the EMH moved to his desk and sat down, not   considering the fact that his was the only seat in the office.   War, however, noticed and with an elegant wave of His hand, He   produced three more chairs. He waited until Janeway and   Chakotay were seated, then sat in the last available chair, making   Himself comfortable. He knew this would take some time. "I   promised to answer the questions you have as a result of Tom's   little slip before he fell asleep," He remarked. "I must warn you,   however. If I find the questions too personal, or intrusive, I will   tell you so, and not give you an answer." Seeing three nods of   acceptance, He asked, "So, who will begin?"   Not surprisingly, Janeway was the first to speak. "How can You   be Tom's father?" she asked.   Ares lifted an eyebrow in obvious amusement. "Kathryn   Janeway, didn't your mother ever tell you about the birds and the   bees?"   Janeway flushed in embarrassment. She hadn't thought of how   her question would sound. "Let me rephrase that," she said   without answering. She considered it for a moment, then asked,   "Why are *You* Tom's father? I mean, I always thought he was   Owen Paris' son," she added.   Ares sighed. He had suspected that question, but since He hadn't   read her mind out of respect for Tom, He hadn't known for   certain that she would ask.  "Well, there's a story behind that,"   He replied, then added, "And an explanation why everyone   thinks that Owen Paris is Tom's father."   "Will You tell us?" Janeway requested respectfully.   Ares grimaced slightly. It wasn't something He was particularly   fond of remembering, but He had to if He were to tell His   audience the story of how He came to father Tom Paris. "If I tell   you, you can't repeat it to anyone." Ares looked at each of His   companions seriously, holding their gazes until they nodded in   agreement.   When He was satisfied that none of the three from Voyager   would reveal the secret, Ares started His story. "I don't know if   any of you know, but Tom's mother was born and raised in   Greece, and although she later turned her back to most of what   she'd been taught as a child, she never stopped believing in Us."   Ares gestured to Himself, then the goddesses in the main area of   sickbay.   Ares waited until He had the attention of Janeway, Chakotay and   the doctor again before He continued with the story. "When   Tom's mother was 23, she met Owen Paris and the two of them   fell in love. Owen Paris courted Tom's mother for a year before   she agreed to marry him, and eleven months later, she gave birth   to the couple's first child, a daughter. Tom's mother gave the girl   the Greek name Cathleen, which means 'pure'."   Ares was quiet for a moment while He summoned three goblets   of wine. He handed one each to Janeway and Chakotay, knowing   that the doctor couldn't ingest real food or beverages. War drank   from His own cup, then spoke again. "About a year and a half   after Cathleen's birth, Tom's parents had another daughter. This   one received the Greek name Doreen. It means 'beautiful'," He   informed His audience.   Ares took another drink of His wine, then materialized a small   table and put His goblet on it with an air of distraction. Then He   went on. "It seemed that those were the only children the couple   would have. For the next few years, Mrs. Paris got pregnant   twice more, but miscarried both times. She would often pray to   Hera, the Goddess of Marriage and Childbirth to give her a son,   but all her prayers went unanswered. Then one day, a little more   than thirty years ago, I received an unusual appeal for help." War   looked at His enchanted audience. "It wasn't the fact that it was a   request for assistance that was surprising. I get those daily. No, it   was the source of the plea that amazed Me. It was enough to   make Me investigate in Person..." He trailed off, lost in   memories.   *****   In the past   Ares arrived in the room that was the source of a prayer for help   from someone totally unexpected, without His usual bright flash   of light. Invisible to mortal eyes, He studied the dark-haired   woman who was kneeling on the floor, wondering what exactly   she needed His help for. Well, there was only one way to find   out. Unless, of course, He read her mind, which He had no   intention of doing at this point. She would have to tell Him what   she wanted. With a flex of His powers, Ares let Himself become   visible.   At the flash of blue light, the dark-haired woman looked up.   "Ares," she said in surprise. She hadn't really expected Him to   answer her prayer, and certainly not in Person.   "You don't usually ask for My help, Eugena," Ares said, "So, I   decided to visit you, and hear what it is you want."   Eugena bit her lower lip, hesitating for a moment. Then she   gathered her courage and said, "I need Your help to give my   husband a son." She couldn't meet Ares' eyes.   It took most of Ares' control not to reveal the surprise He felt at   Eugena's words. After an instant of silence, He spoke. "Eugena,   look at Me." He waited until she obeyed, then said, "You should   ask My mother for assistance, not Me. I'm the God of War, I   can't help you with this."   "Lady Hera doesn't answer my prayers. I've had two   miscarriages, and haven't gotten pregnant since the last one,"   Eugena told Ares. She swallowed and gathered all her courage,   then told Him exactly what it was she wanted Him to do.   Looking straight into the dark eyes of War, she said, "I'm asking   You to give me son and to let everyone think that my husband is   his father."   "Let Me get this straight," Ares said. "You want Me to father   your son, and then expect Me not to have any contact with him?"   Eugena lowered her eyes and nodded, indicating that that was   what she meant.   "I see," Ares said, then went silent as He considered Eugena's   demand. For that was how He thought of it, no matter how she   had phrased it. After several minutes, He finally spoke again. "I   have a few conditions that you must agree to if I am to fulfill   your request." He met her eyes and, seeing that He had her full   attention, named His terms. "First, My nephew Asclepius will   deliver the child."   When Eugena nodded her acceptance, Ares went on. "Second, I   will name the boy." Noting the protest on Eugena's face, He held   up a hand before she could voice it. "It's non-negotiable," He   said firmly.   Eugena hesitated for a moment longer, then nodded reluctantly in   agreement, knowing that she didn't have a choice. She saw the   satisfied expression on War's face, but didn't comment. She just   waited for Him to reveal the rest of His demands.   "Third, if at any time, your son feels that he can't ask your   husband for help, I *will* do My best to assist him in any way I   deem necessary." Ares waited for Eugena's reaction to this.   Eugena didn't protest. In fact, she was relieved. She remembered   how there were things that her brothers didn't feel they could   discuss with their father. Especially when they reached puberty.   She was glad that there would be someone her son could talk to   if he felt he couldn't speak with Owen.   Ares read Eugena's thoughts and was pleased by her reaction. He   waited until she turned her attention back to Him, then informed   her of His last condition. "Finally, I reserve the right to tell our   son who I am when he turns fifteen."   "No!" Eugena's sharp protest was immediate and instinctive.   Then she saw Ares' eyes turn to ice, suddenly reminding her that   He was the God of War. She swallowed nervously and softened   her tone of voice. "I mean, that isn't really necessary, is it?"   "Yes, it is," Ares contradicted her. "As My son, he will have   certain rights that I can't give him until I've acknowledged him."   Noting Eugena's sudden panic, He reassured her despite His   anger at her protest. "I will only need to claim him as My son in   front of the Olympian Pantheon, and he must recognize Me as   his father. The mortal world doesn't need to know."   Ares didn't point out that as a demi-god, the child would also be   immortal, and have some kind of godly powers. That was the   reason He wanted Asclepius to deliver the boy. Ares planned to   suppress both the immortality and the godly powers immediately   after the birth.   War also failed to mention that He had no intention of obeying   Eugena's wish that He didn't have any contact with his son until   he reached fifteen. Instead He waited for her to agree to let Him   tell the boy the truth about his paternity. He didn't really need   her consent, but wanted it nonetheless.   It took a while, but finally Eugena sighed in defeat. "As You   wish," she said, accepting the fact that she didn't have any   options if she wanted Ares to give her a son. Then she gave Him   a quizzical look, silently asking whether He would grant her   request.   The ice in the dark eyes melted when Ares smiled and reached a   hand out to help her up from her kneeling position. Once she was   standing, He pulled her into His arms, bent his head and captured   her lips in a gentle kiss, telling her without words that He would   give her the son she wanted.   *****   A bright flash of light startled Ares out of His memories. He   stopped speaking and looked at the new arrival, frowning when   He saw whom it was. "What is it?" He snarled, annoyed at being   interrupted, but knowing that His nephew wouldn't disturb Him   unless it was important. Even *Strife* wasn't that insane.   The dark blonde god didn't even flinch at this sign of Ares   threatening anger. Although He did apologize, it was more out of   respect for His uncle, than because of any sense of fear. "Sorry to   bother You, Uncle, but there is a... slight problem."   Ares narrowed His eyes dangerously. "And You can't take care   of it Yourself?" He inquired. When His nephew shook His head   'no', Ares asked, "What's the problem, Strife?"   The God of Mischief hesitated and threw a quick glance at the   three from Voyager, clearly indicating to Ares that He didn't   think it was something Their audience should know about.   Ares considered His nephew's silent message for a moment, then   decided what to do. "Tell Me what the problem is," He   requested, switching to ancient Greek, knowing that Strife was   the only one present that would understand Him this time. He   also knew that even Voyager's universal translator wasn't   programmed to recognize the antique language. TBC