The BLTS Archive - Withhold No Sacrifice II Redemption of The Soul by Jennifer Presley (jlpresley@aol.com) --- Disclaimers: Paramount owns all recognizable characters and settings, the rest are mine. Permission granted to archive on ASC. Author's Note: This story takes place approximately 7 weeks after the events of "Withhold No Sacrifice I: Choices and Regrets". --- I tilt my head back as the droplets of rain find their way through the cracks in the wall. I remember when I was a girl, and my mother told me that rain was the sky's way of crying. After all, everyone and everything has times when they need to cry. I can't, though. Not even after 6 weeks of hiding in this dismal shelter, cut off from the only existence I have known for 4 years. Cut off from my ship, from my friends-my family. From Chakotay. In my weakest moments, I imagine them sailing happily through the stars, their former Captain forgotten on the hostile world left behind. Then shame floods me, and I wish I could cry. But I can't, I won't let myself. Tears are weak. And I, Captain Kathryn Janeway am far from helpless. I am the indomitable woman who has led my crew through many obstacles in the Delta Quadrant, and I do not cry. Not even when I saw the absolute devastation of the world that is my new home. Not even when I sacrificed my life so that my crew could live. Not even when I watched my once-proud ship limp out of the atmosphere, leaving me behind, friendless. Not this woman. Not Kathryn Janeway. --- 6 weeks and 2 days. I have been Captain of Voyager for such a short time, but yet, it feels like a lifetime. I still have trouble reconciling the drastic changes that have been wrought in my life over the past couple of months. A great portion of it was wiped out by the accident that almost cost my life, and the woman who had such a mysterious pull on me is gone. Captain Kathryn Janeway. Status: Unknown The blinking of the lights on the PADD mock me. This used to be her PADD, it's not mine. This ship, this crew-we are all hers. Or, at least we were. Now they are mine. --- Tom came not to me today, asking me about my intentions. I had to tell him I didn't know. Obviously, we need to continue towards the Alpha Quadrant. That is after all, our primary mission. It is how Kathryn...Captain Janeway would have wanted it. I had been rereading my personal logs for the past few years during the time I was convalescing. Trying to get a feel for who I was, and who I am supposed to be. It seems that I was the spiritual leader of the crew, but I have been unable to regain the beliefs that I once held. Like the tattoo etched on my forehead, they are of the old Chakotay. I am the new Chakotay. I am not the same man I once was. Everything changed in a heartbeat, due to the anomalous lifeform that crossed our path. And then when I was just beginning to feel comfortable with my new life, it was demolished with three words. "Leave me, Chakotay." Leave her, leave Kathryn Janeway behind on Padranor V to spend the rest of her life hiding from the light. Leave her so that we might live, that we might someday make it home. Leave the woman behind that I once loved. I did, you know. I told her that I would stand by her side, ease her burdens, and most of all, to be her friend and confidante. But after the accident, everything in my life was so nebulous. I had a hard time adjusting to what I had lost, and reconciling who I was with who I am. Kathryn was a part of that uncertainty, and her avoidance of me only heightened my perception that what had once been even slightly a possibility, had grown so remote as to be impossible. We talked occasionally, we even shared a meal or two. The last night on Padranor before the insurgents launched their attack, we even danced. But then the unthinkable happened. Voyager was attacked, and seriously damaged. The only way for the ship and her crew to be preserved was for Kathryn Janeway to turn herself into the victors. It came as no surprise to me or anyone that she had accepted this pronouncement readily. My last sight of her was her proud carriage, chin raised slightly in defiance, blue eyes shining as Voyager lifted off the surface. In that moment, I realized one thing. One immutable fact that I had ignored after she had denied any hope of a relationship with her. I never stopped loving her. That part of the old Chakotay I still carry with myself. And that is why I left her behind. Because I loved her enough to obey her last command. --- The dreams returned last night. I woke up in a sweat, my hand clenched to my mouth so as not to alert the rebel forces to my presence in their headquarters. The irony of it struck me as particularly funny. Chakotay did say once that I really had a perverse sense of humor at times. Here I was, the most hunted woman on this planet, the object of a manhunt so intense that every square millimeter of land and housing was searched. And I was hiding right under their noses. Of course, in this case, I say noses figuratively. The Padra have long, vertical slits that function as their olfactory organs. Luckily for me, their sense of smell has been particularly undeveloped, or they would have been able to smell me. I can't even remember the last time I had a real bath; the water leaking through just doesn't even come close to cleansing me as I could have hoped. Beggars can't be choosers, however. To this day, I still don't know what our crime was, why we became the focus point for an insurrection that devastated the infrastructure of this planet so intensely that it is only a matter of time before this society is entirely wiped off the face of the planet. Why my beloved ship and crew had to leave me behind. The dreams make the uncertainty worse. Sometimes they are pure nightmares, and I am running from something or someone I can't see. My heart racing, the pounding of my feet on the ground knocking the breath from my body in ever-increasing gasps. I try to hide, but it always finds me. Sometimes I'm on Voyager, and things are as they once were, before Chakotay's accident. We are dining in his quarters, laughing over Tom and B'Elanna's latest exploits in the Jefferies tubes (Have they ever learned?) when suddenly the laughter dies. His dark eyes are looking at me, a strange mixture of wonderment and desire. Slowly his hand reaches up, and gently caresses my cheek then my hair. And for once, I don't plead protocol, but instead meet him in a tender kiss that leaves us both shaking. Those are the worst. I wake up, and for one brief moment, I'm happy. Then, the realization of my situation reasserts itself, and I grieve for my old life again. --- That last night of my old life, things has seemed fine. There was no hint of the ugliness that would mar the next sunrise. We had beamed down to Padranor for the feast in the Great Hall to meet with Liege Tarle... --- "Captain Janeway, welcome to Padranor." The lithe figure dressed in a flowing purple gown bowed ceremoniously. "On behalf of our people, I wish to offer whatever assistance you desire." Janeway returned the bow, smiling widely. "Thank you, Liege. It is an honor for us to be your guests." She turned and motioned towards Chakotay. "May I present Commander Chakotay, my First Officer." "Ah, yes, Commander. Welcome." Liege Tarle led them towards a long table, covered with bowls of fruit and assorted delicacies. "Please, help yourself." Janeway nodded as the Liege glided away to welcome the next group of dignitaries. "Are you okay, Commander?" She had noticed how carefully he had bowed to the pompous man, and how his coloring was a little paler than normal. "I'm all right, Captain." Chakotay smiled slightly. "Just a little dizzy right now." He closed his eyes for a brief moment. "It's passing now." Janeway looked at him, concern showing in her eyes. "Chakotay, why don't you go back to the ship? There's no need for you to be here tonight, and it might do you good to lie down for a while." He shook his head. "No, I'm okay." Hesitating, he met her gaze. "Really, Ca...Kathryn, I'll be fine." "Well, all right." She looked at him dubiously. "But if it worsens, I want you to see the Doctor immediately." "I will, I promise." Hoping to deflect her attention, he motioned toward the canapes. "This all looks delicious, doesn't it?" Janeway grinned. Leave it to Chakotay to try and distract her with food. He always said she didn't eat enough.... At least he used to. Her smile faded slightly, but then she nodded. "Yes, it does. Let's get some and then go sit down to eat." They quickly served themselves, before the rest of the guests mobbed the food. The Padra had invited them to this welcome banquet, and the majority of the crew was already in attendance, milling about the Great Hall. Chakotay led Janeway to a table set away from the crowd, and held her chair out for her as she seated herself. "Thank you, Chakotay." She gingerly picked up a green puffy piece of dough. "This looks like something Neelix would make." As Chakotay laughed, she tasted it carefully. "Tastes like it too." Grinning, she pushed it to the far side of her plate. Chakotay eyed his own, then shook his head and smiled. "No, I think I'll pass also." He lifted a small yellow berry and placed it in his mouth. "Mmm, this is good." He handed one to her. "Try it." Janeway bit into it, savoring the sweetness that exploded in her mouth. "You're right, they are really good." She snatched another off Chakotay's plate. "I wonder what they are called." "Hey, leave that alone!" His dimples flashed. "Get your own." She laughed with him, suddenly feeling a lot happier than she had in weeks. Chakotay himself looked more peaceful this evening. Ever since that evening when she had closed the door on a relationship with him, had lied about her feelings, she had tried to regain some modicum of their friendship. Chakotay had never mentioned the meeting to her again, but at odd times she would get the feeling that he knew she had lied. Perhaps....her musings were cut short by a boisterous voice. "Ah, Captain, Commander." The Liege appeared at their sides, seemingly out of nowhere. "I trust you are finding our comestibles to your liking." He pointed to the green puff. "The raglan is our most popular dish." Janeway and Chakotay exchanged looks of merriment as she answered. "Yes, Liege Tarle. I must say, I have never had the pleasure of tasting something so...interesting before." Covering up her humor, she pointed to the berries. "These are very good, may I ask what they are called?" The official beamed happily. "Those are cala berries, and are one of our biggest crops, though they still grow in the woods in some areas too." He waved at someone across the room. "Please excuse me, I see someone I must speak with." He gave Janeway one last nod, then glided away. Chakotay watched him leave, his smile fading rapidly as he began to frown. Janeway opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong, when he turned back to face her. "I don't trust him, Captain." "What do you mean, Chakotay?" Janeway glanced around their immediate area, then leaned over so they could talk without danger of being overheard. "What is wrong?" He met her gaze, his own slightly confused. "I don't know. I just have a feeling that something is wrong." Chakotay looked down at his hand, resting next to hers on the table. "He...I just can't explain it, Kathryn. There is something about him that I just don't like." Janeway's hand covered his, and she squeezed it gently before releasing it. "I think I know what you mean, Chakotay." Shaking her head, she sighed. "I was hoping it was just me, but if you are getting the same feeling, we need to be especially cautious around him." She sat back as Tom and B'Elanna walked up to their table, holding plates heaped with food. "May we join you, Captain?" The gleam in Tom's eyes revealed that he had seen at least part of their exchange. "We're not interrupting anything, are we?" He glared at B'Elanna when she elbowed him. "Not at all, Lieutenant." Janeway hesitated for a fleeting second, then moved her chair closer to Chakotay's so the others could sit down. "We were just discussing the wonderful cuisine the Padra have to offer." Chakotay nodded in agreement, his face placid. "Yes, you must try the raglan puffs, Tom." He smirked and pointed to the appropriate item on the other man's plate. Tom gave it a dubious look, but seeing their innocent expressions, picked it up and popped the whole thing in his mouth. He had just started to chew when he began to choke. A panicked expression appeared on his face as B'Elanna began to pound him on the back. Janeway grinned as he went to pick up his napkin, then raised her eyebrow when Tom looked at her before spitting it out. "Isn't it just divine, Tom?" "Umm, uh huh." Once it was out of his mouth and safely stowed out of sight in his napkin, Tom picked up his glance of punch and quickly drank the entire contents. The baleful look he shot the other three as they laughed at him spoke volumes. B'Elanna tossed her raglan puff on his plate. "Here you go, helmboy. Seeing as how you like them so much." He was about to throw it back at her, when Janeway cleared her throat and gave a small shake of her head. "Lieutenant, it's not polite to throw food in public." Tom nodded, then signed resignedly. "Yes, ma'am." He picked up his fork and began to cautiously investigate the rest of the food on his plate, looking for something edible. Music began in the background, and as they ate, couples began to flood the hastily cleared dance floor. There was a mixture of the Padra natives, and a few brave couples from Voyager too. The music was muted, unlike most of the Padra traditions, and Janeway began to absentmindedly hum along, as she watched the dancers. She heard Tom ask something, but didn't respond. "Captain?" Chakotay's voice broke into her reverie. "I'm sorry, Commander." She turned her attention back to the table. "What did you say, Lieutenant?" "That's all right, Captain." Tom had a look of deviltry on his face. "I just asked the Commander if you two were going to dance." Janeway flushed slightly, as if Tom could have read the wish in her mind. She was opening her mouth to protest when Chakotay stood, and held his hand out to her. "May I have the pleasure, Captain?" The question was phrased formally, but Janeway could see the earnestness in his gaze. And something else too....desire? "Of course, Commander." Janeway placed her hand in his, and rose to her feet. He led her to the dance floor, and as couples parted to allow them entrance, Chakotay faced her. He placed his right hand gingerly on her hip, then grasped her left hand in his. Gently they began to move with the music, and as their eyes met and held, their world narrowed until it only encompassed them. Janeway felt her heart beating faster as she moved, feeling the heat emanating from him. The look on his face was solemn, but she could tell he was experiencing the same sensations as she. She didn't notice when Chakotay dropped her left hand, and pulled her closer to his body, allowing her to wrap both of her arms around his neck. They stayed that way until the sounds of applause intruded into their senses. Drawing back from him, Janeway found all the eyes in the room on them, and she fought to hold her blush back. Glancing up, she found Chakotay staring at her, and the raw desire in his eyes unnerved her. "Ah, thank you, Commander." She nodded at the onlookers, then escaped back to their table. Chakotay followed, trying to understand the quick change in her emotions. Tom and B'Elanna had also moved to the dance floor, so they sat alone quietly for a few minutes, before Janeway worked up the nerve to leave. "Thank you for the wonderful evening, Commander, but I need to return to Voyager now and prepare for tomorrow." She could tell Chakotay saw through her feeble excuse, but he was gracious enough to allow it to slide. "Of course, Captain." The confusion on his face almost tempted her to stay, but she quickly left before anything else could happen. Then the next day, her life had changed forever. --- "Captain? May I join you?" The sound of Paris' voice jolted Chakotay, and he sat up quickly, splashing hot tea in his lap. "Damn it," He hissed. "Sorry, Tom. Of course." He gestured towards the chair on the other side of the table. "What's on your mind?" Tom hesitated briefly, pinning his earnest gaze on his commanding officer. "Captain Janeway is, sir." Chakotay stared at him, surprise evident. "What about her, Lieutenant?" He tried to ignore the sadness that her name evoked in him. "I..." The younger man's voice trailed off as he tried to find the words to express himself. "I keep wondering if there was something we missed, something we could have done to get her back." The obvious suffering in his voice spoke to Chakotay, as much as the words. "Tom, I don't know what to say." Chakotay stared into his cup of tea, absently swirling the liquid, watching the particles rise and fall with the eddy. "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about her, that I don't ask myself those same questions." He paused, his mind calling up the sound of her voice. *Come back to me, Chakotay* *Leave me, Chakotay* The two phrases, seemingly contradictory, haunted his dreams. He spent many hours when he should have been sleeping, running various scenarios through his mind. What if they had done this? What if they had tried that? Would it have made any difference in the end? Sighing, he met Tom's gaze again. "I just don't know." "What if..." Tom's voice trailed off and he stared at his hands speculatively. "What if we went back?" "You know we can't, Tom." Chakotay pushed back from the table slightly, keeping his eyes on the younger man. "The weapons of the Padra cut through our shields like they didn't even exist. Whatever it is they had that nullified our attempts to mutate the shield harmonics, unless we can counteract that, we wouldn't be safe going anywhere near Padranor." "What about a shuttle?" The sudden sound of B'Elanna's voice caused both men to jump slightly. She touched Chakotay's arm lightly as she sat next to Tom. "Tom and I have been talking to Seven, and I think we have come up with a way to modify one of the older shuttles to accept a cloaking device and a new shield design similar to the ones used by the Borg." Chakotay's eyebrow lifted at her mention of Seven. "You've been working with Seven?" The incredulity in his voice would have amused them at any other time. "Yes, damnit. I'm quite capable of working with her on something important." B'Elanna snapped, the strain of the past few months catching up with her. "Whoa." Chakotay sat forward, glaring at her. "Watch it, Lieutenant." His voice softened, and he grasped her hand. "Come on, B'El, you know I didn't mean it that way." B'Elanna blushed, then nodded. "I'm sorry, Chakotay. It's just this whole thing is getting to me." She bowed her head, in an attempt to hide the tears that were rising to her eyes. "I miss her." Tom pulled her to him, resting her head on his shoulder, while his hand gently stroked her arm. Chakotay watched the two of them, the longing on his face open to anyone who might look at him. "Me too." His whisper was too soft for them to hear, and then he cleared his throat. When they looked up at him, he smiled softly and nodded. "If you can get it to work, we'll go back for her." --- A chance. Not much of a chance, but it's better than nothing. (Sigh) Two months ago, I never would have thought I'd be sitting here, missing Kathryn so much it actually hurts. I wish I could say I have remembered everything about her that I loved, but I can't. I've resigned myself to the knowledge that what I've lost will not be regained. I've finished all my old logs, and I have a curious melancholy about all the things I used to do. It is really odd how patchy my memory is. I can remember building Kathryn the bathtub on New Earth, but I don't remember telling her a legend of an angry warrior. I can remember destroying my ship to save Voyager, but I don't remember the Kazon. Or Seska. (Rueful laugh.) I suppose that's for the best. I don't think those are memories that I'll miss too much. I decided to try and contact my spirit guide, out of curiosity. I don't know if it's because I couldn't remember the ritual words, or because I honestly don't care anymore, but the attempt was ultimately unsuccessful. When I read the words I once wrote on the importance of my spirituality, they don't sound like me. What is the same about the two disparate people I have been and have become is one thing, and one thing only: we both love Kathryn Janeway, and want her back. From reading my log from the day of the accident, I know that the old me had decided to move on, to try and forge a life without Kathryn. And now, I've been forced into by circumstances beyond my control. But this only points out another glaring difference between us. I will do whatever it takes to get her back. Come hell or high water, I will get her back. --- Two weeks later --- I have never been this inactive in my life. This sitting here, day in and day out seems so foreign to me. I can't believe that my life has been reduced to cowering in a hidden corner, waiting for whatever fate may befall me. Yet, what else can I do? I have no friends, no way to defend myself. Just a dirty, tattered uniform, the only remnant of the life I used to know. I no longer even have my combadge, it was taken from me immediately upon my capture by Tarle. I think he considered it a prize, to be gloated over in company. Or perhaps he thought it's loss would break me. If so, he was wrong. --- Scrambling carefully through the dense underbrush, Janeway moved towards the cala berry vines that grew in abundance a short distance from her hiding place. It was the middle of the night on Padranor, and she had found that the sentries tended to forget about their duties at this time. She had gotten quite adept at slipping out of her cubbyhole in their headquarters and scavenging her meals. When she reached her destination, she sat and determinedly began filling her pockets with as many of the berries as she could, stopping to quickly eat a few before she would continue on with her mission for the evening. When her pockets were full, she rose to her feet, and began to creep silently to the northwest, keeping a wary eye out for any unexpected surprises. It was only a short walk before she reached the small pond that she had located on a previous excursion but had never taken the opportunity to use. Biting her lip, she glanced around before divesting herself of the ragged uniform, then she stepped gingerly into the cool water. It felt wonderful to her, and she allowed herself a long moment to just relax in the embrace of the liquid, before she grabbed a handful of sand and began to scrub at her skin and hair. It wasn't quite like the bathtub that Chakotay had built her on New Earth, but it wasn't as if she had too many choices at the moment. Chakotay...it seemed like ages since she had last seen him, since she had last heard his voice. In fact, it had been so long that she was beginning to forget what he looked like, the nuances to his voice and his expressions. It seemed the only time she could really remember him, or anyone else outside her limited existence, is when she slept. And then her dreams were filled with him, and the endless possibilities that they had once shared... No. She shook her head determinedly. She couldn't afford the energy wishing for things to be different. If onlys and what ifs would only detract from the vigilance that she needed to maintain to continue on in her current state. She exited the pond, and stood shivering for a moment in the pale light that shone, before her teeth started to chatter and she pulled her uniform back on. Then, she began the return journey to her hiding place, to await the dawn of another day in hell. --- The raised voices from the room below her roused Janeway from the restless slumber she had drifted into upon her return to the rebel headquarters. Stealthily, she moved to the small hole she had discovered would allow her a limited view of the activities in the main room. There was a small group of Padra in the room, 3 males and 4 females. Two of the males were arguing, their hands sweeping about in grand gestures. "No, we can't risk it!" The taller male with pale orange hair slammed his fist into a wooden table. The others started in surprise at the noise. "If Tarle keeps up his pursuit of the fugitive, they will find this place within a few weeks. We have to move, and soon." The second male snorted in disbelief. "Where would we go, Salan? What place would be safe from Tarle's forces?" His voice softened, and he looked beseechingly at the others. "We have to make our stand. There are too many of us to think about relocating. There has to be a way." "With what weapons?" The oldest female spoke, her quiet voice resonating with sadness. "We used them all in our attack on the Voyager. We are defenseless." Janeway drew in a sharp breath at the mention of her beloved ship. She had known that the rebels had been the ones to attack Voyager, but she had never been able to discover why. Tarle certainly hadn't been in the mood to explain when she had been taken into custody, and she had escaped 2 days later. But not before his guards had inflicted numerous beatings on her, in retaliation for her imagined crimes. Her thoughts returned to the argument taking place below her. Salan shook his head. "I don't have all the answers, Mesla." He sat heavily on a block. "But this whole thing is our fault, we should never have attacked the stranger's vessel. We brought this whole mess on ourselves, and on her." One of the females moved to stand next to Salan. "This is no time to place blame. There is no way we can make up for our past transgressions against her and her people. We can only hope that she is somewhere safe, and that Tarle will not find her again. He will certainly kill her if he does." Salan was quiet for a long moment, seemingly lost in thought. "All right, Jehal. We will remain here. The time has come for us to stand up for ourselves, and to take responsibility for the strife that has overtaken our people. We owe it to them, and to ourselves." He turned, and exited the room, the others silently following him. Janeway remained where she was, her mind in turmoil. What was she to do? --- "Damn!" B'Elanna's curse was clearly audible above the din in the shuttle bay, as she tried to finish the connections between the shuttle's system and the new Borg technology that Seven had constructed. The laser welder had slipped and landed on her forehead and as she rubbed at the blossoming bruise roughly, she picked up the welder again. "How's it coming, B'El?" Tom's voice broke into her thoughts, and she swore again. "Everything is fine, Helmboy!" She finished the last circuit, then quickly pulled herself out from under the piloting console. Accepting his hand grudgingly, she got to her feet and brushed off her uniform. "What's our status?" He frowned, then gently brushed his lips over the mark on her forehead. "We're about 3 days out from Padranor. Chakotay and Tuvok are still arguing about whether to land the ship on the L-class planetoid we passed by on our escape from Padranor, or whether we can risk taking Voyager in closer." They had exited the shuttle, and B'Elanna stopped to survey the camouflage paint job that Ensign Nicoletti and Crewman Vargas had undertaken. "Susan, you need a bit more on the starboard nacelle." Turning her attention back to Tom, she sighed. "As much as I would like to suggest taking her in and blowing the crap out of them, I think it's safer to keep Voyager as far away from the Padra as we can. There is no way I can get the cloaking device to effectively hide the ship, as it is, I'm not sure how well the shuttle is going to be cloaked. We can't afford any mistakes if we want to get Captain Janeway out safely." "We will." Tom looked at her steadily. "We have to." --- "Are you ready, Lieutenant?" Chakotay spoke, his voice a calm center to the storm that had overtaken the bridge as they prepared for the final test of the shuttle's new technology. B'Elanna and Seven had finished all modifications, and Tom had taken it out, to test the new systems. "All systems are a go, Captain." The pilot answered. "The question is, are you ready for me?" He couldn't quite disguise the anticipation in his voice. Chakotay nodded. "We're set, Mr. Paris." The words were barely out of his mouth when Paris sent out the signal that he was beginning his attack run. "Tuvok, are you getting anything on the sensors?" "Negative, Captain. There is no sign of the Valiant." Tuvok responded. A sudden shaking jolted the bridge crew. The Valiant suddenly appeared in front of Voyager, with Tom's triumphant shout echoing out of the speakers on the bridge. "Got ya!" Chakotay smiled, the first sign of pleasure he had shown in a couple of days. "Good job, Tom. Now it's our turn." He looked over at Kim. "Harry, are they ready?" "Yes, sir." The young man affirmed, before looking up. "Tuvok and I modified the starboard phaser banks to emit the same type of beams as those of the Padra weapons." "All right, then." Chakotay nodded to Tuvok. "Tom, activate the Borg shielding." There was a brief pause, then a faint blue field enveloped the shuttlecraft. "Fire, Tuvok." Shimmering scarlet rays shot out at point-blank range, striking the shuttle amidships. At least, they appeared to, as the shuttle shook but without any damage. Tuvok continued a few seconds longer, before he shut the phaser banks down. "No damage to the shuttlecraft, Captain." A second later, confirmation came from Tom in the form of a barrel roll, and cheers resounded throughout the bridge. Chakotay hit his fist on the armrest, releasing the pent-up breath he had been holding. "Congratulations, everyone." The happiness he felt welling up inside him was overwhelming. "Let's go get our Captain!" --- The roar of the rebel group met Janeway as she carefully slipped out of the building, and moved towards the sound. In the three days since she had overheard the leaders discussing what to do, the governor's forces had moved towards the camp and she knew that an attack was imminent. She had stayed awake the last day and a half, contemplating the options that were available to her. In the end, it was a fairly simple process. The Prime Directive had already been thrown out the window, and could not be factored into the picture. She made her decision in the late hours of the night, and knew it was the correct one. Hesitating for a moment, she took a deep breath, then walked around the corner of the building, ignoring the startled gasps and quiet that quickly fell over the gathered forces. Walking steadily, her head up, she kept her eyes on Salan who had turned and was staring at her, his mouth slightly agape. Janeway drew to a halt, a short distance from him. "I am Captain Kathryn Janeway, but I think you knew that already." "Welcome, Kathryn Janeway." Salan greeted her, his surprise fading rapidly. "I wish to apologize for our part in the trouble that befell you and your crew. It was a mistake, a grave mistake on our parts. We should never have fired upon you." Needing to know the answer, Janeway asked bluntly. "Why? Why did you attack my ship? We had done nothing to you." "It is a long story, Captain. Our world was once peaceful, our people prosperous. Until Liege Tarle came along, and began the systematic destruction of our society, and our way of life." Salan waved his hand at the group that surrounded him. "We became outcasts, wanting to keep our old ways, the ways our people have lived for generations." "I don't understand, Salan." Janeway frowned. "How did he get away with it? Didn't anyone do anything to stop him?" Jehal answered her this time. "We tried, Captain, but we were unsuccessful. We had been stockpiling our weapons, waiting for the day when we could overthrow him, but then your ship arrived." "We thought you had come to assist him in wiping us out, Captain." Salan took the tale up again. "Your people attended the feast in the Great Hall, and you seemed friendly with him. We had heard tales of your fierce weapons, and could not take the chance of you assisting him." He laughed hollowly. "Our weapons had a greater affect on your ship than we had hoped, and then Tarle decided to blame the violence on you, and demanded your arrest." "I know it is of no comfort, but we never meant for this to happen, Captain. We only wanted to drive you off." Salan ended his explanation, and looked at her sadly. Janeway opened her mouth to answer, when a sudden shrilling noise erupted above them. Her head jerked up as an explosive landed on the building behind her, the flaming debris arcing outward. She crouched, and felt Salan's hand on her arm, tugging at her to follow him. The shrieks of the wounded filled the air, the stench of flesh burning filling her nose as they ran. Taking cover under the shelter of the trees, Janeway grabbed a crude rifle that was thrust at her. The fight had begun. --- "Take us lower, Tom." Chakotay spared a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure everyone was strapped into their seats as the Valiant was buffeted by a fierce wind. They had entered the atmosphere of Padranor a few moments before, and he had begun scanning for any sign of Kathryn. "Head for where we left her first." "Understood, Captain." Tom bit his lip as he manipulated the controls. A few seconds later he nodded. "Okay, we're here." The shuttle steadied as the wind's force dropped considerably. Chakotay shook his head, there was no trace of her. "Well, it was worth a try. Head for Tarle's palace, maybe he's keeping her there." He felt a hand on his shoulder, as B'Elanna leaned in for a look at the scanner. "Don't bother scanning for her combadge, I doubt that petaQ would have left it with her." "I know, B'El." Chakotay gave her a half-smile, then returned his attention. "Still nothing." Tom whistled. "Look at that." Chakotay looked up, and saw a great plume of smoke rising in the distance. "Looks like a forest fire." He turned back to his instruments, frowning. "No, I'm reading massive energy disruptions. There's some type of fire fight happening." "You think the insurgents are attacking again?" Tom glanced over at him. "Must be." Chakotay paused, before meeting the pilot's gaze. "But we can't investigate right now, we need to find the Captain." "Agreed." Tom checked the coordinates, then programmed a grid search pattern into the navigation computer. "Let's hope our luck holds and they don't pick us up. As much as we think we're prepared for their firepower, I really don't want to test it." Chakotay grunted, his attention trained on the display in front of him. "Nothing. I'm increasing the band width and search range." B'Elanna moved back to sit next to Seven and the 3 security guards that were jammed into the rear of the shuttle. All they could do is sit and wait for something to happen. --- Janeway ducked as a projectile whizzed past her, embedding itself in the trunk of a nearby tree. So far, they had been able to hold off the main force of Tarle's soldiers, though casualties were high on both sides. She knew it was only a matter of time before they were completely overpowered. "Captain!" Jehal crawled up next to her, and handed over a fresh weapon. "Here, this one is loaded." She nodded to him, then dropping to the ground, she moved to a new spot, then began firing again. Her left arm ached from supporting the heavy, unwieldy weapon and her eyes burned from the smoke, but she was ignoring the discomfort. Suddenly, her attention was centered on a small knot of the advancing force, it wasn't, it couldn't be. It was. Tarle was there, looking supremely satisfied at the carnage that was wrought around him. He was gesturing with what appeared to be a sword, telling his troops where to aim their weapons. Then, as if sensing her gaze, he turned and looked directly at her. --- "There is no sign of her." Chakotay glared at the offending instrument, as if it was the scanner's fault. "She has to be here." They had been searching for over an hour, but had found no trace of their missing Captain. "Perhaps she is dead." Seven spoke matter-of-factly, ignoring the outraged looks directed at her. "It is eminently plausible that Liege Tarle may have executed her as soon as Voyager left Padranor." "No." Chakotay's voice was even, but left no doubt as to his feelings. "She is not dead. I won't believe that." "Your reaction is not logical, Captain." Seven reproached him. "Logical or not, Seven, I would know if she was dead." He cut her off when she opened her mouth to speak again. "Don't ask me how, just trust me. I would know." She raised an eyebrow, looking for a moment like a blonde Tuvok, but remained silent. Chakotay swiveled back, staring blankly out at the scorched landscape. The area around the Liege's palace had not had a chance to regrow, and from the looks of the smoke billowing from the scene of the current battle, it wouldn't get a chance to anytime soon. *Kathryn, where are you?* Suddenly he sat up. "Tom, move us closer to the fighting." "Aye, Captain." Tom overrode the autopilot, then banked the shuttle to the left. Within 10 minutes, they were within 5 kilometers of the battle. "How's this, Chakotay?" "This is good." Bending over his instruments, Chakotay began his scans again. Within a minute, an acknowledging beep sounded. His head jerked up, and he met Tom's startled gaze. "She's down there somewhere." He began to fiddle with the controls, trying to fine tune the scanning equipment. "Damn, the smoke is too dense. I can't get a lock on her." "Here, let me try a skeletal lock." B'Elanna reconfigured the targeting scanner on the transporter, then shook her head. "This isn't going to work either." Chakotay ran through the possibilities in his head. There were only 2. Looking up, he saw the same thought on the other's faces. Nodding to them, he turned to face the pilot. "Tom, send a coded message to Voyager. We're setting down, and we're going to go in and get her." --- "Janeway!" Tarle's voice rang out, the anger in it unmistakable. Narrowing her eyes, she stepped out from the sanctuary of the forest, not acknowledging Salan's cries for her to stop. "Tarle, this time it's just between the two of us." The fighting around the two slowly approaching each other died off, as all eyes watched the face off. They stopped an arms length apart, glaring at each other. "This is an honor, Captain. Finally, I will get the chance to finish what I started." Tarle dropped his sword, then pulled off the coat he was wearing. "Just you and me." "You're not going to win, Tarle." Janeway handed her rifle to Jehal, who had followed her out. She had already taken off the constraining uniform jacket, and stood before him in her turtleneck, her arms scratched and bleeding from the numerous cuts inflicted by the foliage. "Really, Captain." He scoffed at her, then began to circle her like a predator. "I drove your ship off, didn't I? And you can' t honestly expect these weaklings to overpower my superior troops, do you?" He feinted towards her, then fell back. "Tell me you didn't think these mere rebels could have attacked your ship without my help, really now, Kathryn." "I didn't expect more from a coward, Tarle." She was determined not to rise to his bait. "I knew you were behind the attack on my ship. " She dodged as he lunged, swinging his meaty fist towards her stomach. It glanced off her upper arm, causing her to momentarily lose her balance, but she was still able to swing her right foot around and catch him in the knee. He grunted in pain, but was able to keep his feet. Turning back, he aimed a quick jab at her with his right hand, then when she moved to deflect it, he hit her in the face with his left. Stars exploded, and she gasped at the sudden pain. She was knocked back a step, and only her Starfleet training allowed her to remain on her feet. Thinking she was stunned, Tarle moved in, and it was his turn to gasp as her brought her leg up and aimed a kick square at his stomach. Only, it hit a little lower than she expected. Tarle moaned in agony, and fell to his knees, his hands covering himself as she stood a short distance away, panting. "Had enough, Tarle?" She smirked at him. Roaring, he leapt to his feet and headed directly towards her. As tired as she was, she couldn't move fast enough and he was on her in an instant, driving her to the ground. She felt her left arm snap from the force of her impact with the ground, and then felt his fists raining blows on her unprotected midsection and chest. She tried to fend off his blows with her right arm, but she felt herself slowly losing consciousness. As if in a dream, she suddenly heard a familiar voice calling to her. "Kathryn!" --- Chakotay moved swiftly through the trees, his tricorder out and searching for signs of Kathryn's whereabouts. He had left Paris and one of the security guards behind to guard the shuttle, over Tom's rather vehement protests. But Chakotay had won, pointing out that they might need to make a quick escape, and Tom was the only pilot in the group besides himself. "Captain." Seven stopped suddenly, looking off to the right. "I think I hear the Captain." Chakotay stopped, momentarily caught off by her use of the title twice. "Wha-where, Seven?" She pointed, and he immediately began to run in the designated direction. Due to her Borg implants, Seven had exceptional hearing and vision in her left eye. Within a few hundred yards, he heard shouting. Following the sound, he came upon a sight that he would never forget, as long as he lived. Kathryn was fighting Tarle, surrounded by a dead bodies, and covered in soot and blood. He opened his mouth to call out to her, but stopped, not wanting to interrupt her concentration. The others came up behind him, and he grabbed B'Elanna's arm when she made as if to join in the fight herself. "No!" He whispered fiercely. She hissed angrily at him. "Chakotay, you can't let this continue! He'll kill her!" He tightened his grip on her arm. "B'El, he'll kill her if you distract her. We'll have to wait until they are separated." Chakotay released her when he saw the comprehension on her face, then turned his attention back to Janeway. She had just felled Tarle with a foot to the groin, and Chakotay smiled grimly, before the man got to his feet and charged her. "No!" Chakotay was moving before he even realized it. Kathryn was down, and Tarle was beating her senseless. Chakotay didn't care any longer about the consequences. "Kathryn!" At the sound of his voice, Tarle swiveled, his eyes widening at the sight of the enraged Starfleet officer. He barely had time to jump to his feet before Chakotay was on him, his head lowered and catching the shorter man in the sternum. The crack of bone echoed loudly throughout the clearing, and Chakotay barely felt the pain in his neck, as Tarle howled his outrage. "Shoot them!" He gasped out to his troops, who had stopped firing entirely and were watching the fight avidly. B'Elanna and Seven had run over to where Janeway was lying on the ground, the security guards offering cover for the three women. Gently, B'Elanna covered up the older woman with a small blanket from the survival pack she carried, before pulling out the medical kit. "Captain, can you hear me?" One eye cracked open, and Janeway managed a quiet yes before the comforting blackness closed over her and swept her away. Grabbing out a hypospray, B'Elanna administered a pain reliever, then hit her combadge. "Tom, we need help. The Captain is hurt badly!" She heard his acknowledgement, before looking up to see Chakotay rising to his feet, blood pouring from a cut above his eye. Tarle lay silent, his chest rising and falling jerkily. Chakotay spared one last glance at the defeated man, before moving back over to fall on his knees at Janeway's side. "How is she?" He took her right hand in his gently, caressing it with his. B'Elanna looked up, her expression grave. "Her left arm and 5 ribs are broken, one of which has punctured her right lung. We have to get her to sickbay immediately." "Where's Tom?" Chakotay asked, his voice cracking. "We've got to get her out of here before the fighting starts again." "I don't think that will be a problem." A man spoke from his left, and Chakotay looked up, instinctively moving to cover Janeway from any danger. "Who are you?" "My name is Salan. I'm the leader of the force opposing Tarle, and I consider Captain Janeway a friend." He stood as close as the security guards would allow. "Your Captain is extremely brave." Chakotay opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by the sudden roar of engines as the Valiant appeared, hovering just above the treetops. Tarle's forces ran for cover as Tom brought it in for a landing, carefully avoiding the corpses that littered the ground. As soon as it touched down, he cracked the hatch and emerged, pushing a portable gravbed in front of him. He ran over to the small group huddled around the unconscious woman, and within a minute, they had Janeway lifted gently on it, and as Tom and B'Elanna guided it back to the shuttle, Chakotay accepted Salan's hand to rise from his knees. "Thank you." Chakotay turned to leave. The Padran native caught his arm, and nodded towards Tarle. "What about him?" Chakotay gave the fallen Liege a cold glare, before nodding to Salan. "I'll leave that up to your people. We're done with him." Then he followed the others onto the shuttlecraft, and two minutes later they were gone. Salan watched the shuttle until it disappeared from view, then he turned his attention back to face his people. "The fighting is over." He walked over to Tarle's side, pulling out his sidearm. "Your reign is over, Liege." The final shot of the day rang out over the clearing. --- As soon as the Valiant left the atmosphere of Padranor V, Tom accelerated to full impulse, and began heading towards the planetoid where they had left Voyager. "Valiant to Voyager, come in please." As soon as Tuvok answered the hail, Chakotay spoke. "Tuvok, the Captain is injured. We need to get her to sickbay as soon as possible." "Understood, Captain." His voice calm, Tuvok acknowledged the seriousness of the situation. "We will rendezvous with you in 15 minutes." Chakotay gently wiped at the blood and dirt on Janeway's face, thankful that he had decided in the end to have Voyager follow the Valiant, though staying a short distance away from the planet, just in case. "Hold on, Kathryn. We'll be home shortly." Then, he whispered in her ear. "Come back to me, Kathryn." --- Three Days Later --- *Chirp* "Enter." Chakotay was staring blindly out the viewport in his room. He didn't turn around as he heard the door open. "Yes?" "Chakotay?" He whirled around at the sound of her voice. Kathryn was standing just inside his door, looking a bit nervous. Her uniform hung limply on her frame, she had yet to regain the weight she had lost while on Padranor. Otherwise, she looked luminous in the starlight that flooded his room. "Kathryn!" He moved over to stand next to her. "I told the Doctor to notify me when you were released, I was going to escort you back to your quarters." She laughed softly. "I overrode your orders. I wanted to surprise you." Then she winked. "After all, I've demoted you to Commander for failing to follow my orders." Chakotay smiled, then brought his hand up to brush against her cheek. "I'm quite happy with my punishment, ma'am." He sobered, then whispered. "As long as it means having you back." Kathryn covered his hand with hers, as tears began to slide down her cheeks. "Thank you for coming back for me." "I couldn't have lived with myself if I hadn't." Chakotay was crying himself, then he enfolded her in his arms. "I'm just sorry it took us so long to come back." He looked at her, and then leaned down to kiss her. The first touch was tender and only lasted a moment, then they stood silently, content to hold each other before he moved back and led her over to the couch. They sat next to each other, holding hands tightly. "We have a lot to talk about." Chakotay spoke simply, his eyes holding hers. "There is so much I need to say to you, and I don't know where to start." Then he stopped. "No, that's not quite right. The first thing I need to say to you is that I love you. I never stopped loving you, even after the accident." "I lied to you that night." Kathryn looked down. "I said we were only friends, but that was a lie. I love you Chakotay, and I'm sorry for lying to you." He raised her head to look at him. "It doesn't matter, Kathryn. What matters now is that we have a chance, and the time, to make things right." Kathryn nodded. "We have plenty of time." He laughed, and then they kissed again. --- The End