Voyagers
By Maquis Leader
Chapter 5: Sacrifices
Time passed quickly for the Voyager crew. The hard days blended together into a blur. Working eating sleeping – the cycle endlessly repeated.
“Sam’s having trouble sitting for very long.” Kes’ gentle face was concerned. “Neelix thinks we can arrange for her to help us with the cooking.”
“What will it take?” Kathryn looked up from the fruits she was peeling.
“The refinery foreman has a fondness for alcohol.”
“Alcohol? We don’t have any – do we?”
“Neelix has been fermenting leola root. Its quite good.” The tips of her ears turned pink.
“Give it to the foreman.” Good lord! Was there nothing Neelix couldn’t do with that damned root? “Who else has been drinking this stuff?”
“Just a few people, Kathryn, and not very much.”
“Tell Neelix to make sure it doesn’t get out of hand.” She arched an eyebrow. “It would be too easy for people to try to drink their problems away.”
“He only makes a small amount at a time.” Kes smiled. “He was trying to make syrup so he could make pancakes.”
“Leola syrup?” Kathryn burst out laughing.
“Kes!” Harry ran into the mess hall. “There’s been an accident!”
“I’ll get my things.” She ran to the small bathroom where she kept her medical supplies.
“Who’s been hurt?” Kathryn wiped her hands on a rag.
“Chakotay.” Harry’s eyes were wide and frightened.
The rag fell from her numb fingers. Before she could run for the door, it opened again and Tuvok and Vorik helped Chakotay in. Blood dripped down his chest and onto the floor.
“Lay him on the table!” Kes pointed to one of the empty tables. “Kathryn, I need clean hot water.”
“I’ll get it!” She ran to fill a pot with water. Her hands were shaking. Please! Oh please let him be okay! Setting the pot on the cook fire, she ran to Chakotay’s side.
“Just lay still.” Kes was carefully cutting his shirt off. Blood oozed out of an ugly gash across his chest. “What happened?”
“I was putting a moosel down. Went to cut his throat –“ He gasped as she pulled the cloth away that was stuck to the edges of the wound. ”He started kicking.”
“Why did you get so close?” Kathryn smoothed his hair back from his face.
“I thought he was dead. Guess he was just stunned.”
“I’m going to have to sew this up.” Kes told them. “Kathryn, check the water and see if it’s hot, we’ll have to clean the wound out as much as we can.”
“I don’t think it’s had time to get hot yet.”
“Kathryn, I’m all right.” Chakotay patted her hand where it rested on his shoulder. “Go check the water.”
The water was just starting to simmer and she glared at it, willing it to heat faster. Glancing over at Chakotay, she saw that Kes had laid out several clean rags and her sewing kit. Finally, the water started boiling. Carrying it carefully, she sat it down on the chair next to Kes.
“Take one of the rags and soak it in the water for a few moments. We need to wash our hands.” Pouring some of the hot water into another pan, Kes added some of Neelix’s leola home brew to it and both women scrubbed their hands off.
Kathryn’s eyes stung at the aroma. “That’s strong stuff.”
“Makes a good disinfectant.” She wrinkled her delicate nose. “It would probably take paint off as well.”
Carefully, they used the wet rags to clean the wound out. Chakotay never moved or made a sound, but Kathryn knew from his clenched jaw and the whiteness of his fingers as he gripped the sides of the table that he was in a great deal of pain.
“Kathryn,” Kes dropped the last bloody rag back in the water. “Would you go into the bathroom and get the clean rags from the cabinet? We’ll need those to bind the wound up when we’re done.”
Uncorking the bottle again, Kes quietly ordered Tuvok and Vorik. “Hold him down. Chakotay, this is going to burn.” She gave him a moment to gather himself before she poured the liquid along the gash.
Chakotay’s hoarse scream brought Kathryn flying back to where the two Vulcans were holding him on the table. His body twisted under their hands as Kes poured the homebrew on the cut a second time. Catching his thrashing head, she held him still and rested her forehead against his.
Calmly, Kes set the bottle aside and picked up the needle and thread she had soaked in the brew. She sewed together the edges of the ragged gash as gently as possible.
Closing his eyes, Chakotay forced himself to relax as the needle bit into his skin again and again. Kathryn’s hands were soothing, stroking his face and hair. Opening his eyes, he looked up into her worried face. “It’s my own fault.”
She forced a smile onto her frozen face. “Trying to take one down with your bare hands? Taking this back to nature stuff a little too seriously, aren’t you?”
“My grandfather would be ashamed of me. I forgot to check to be sure it was dead before I got close to it.” He bit his lip as Kes knotted off the thread.
“No doubt he’ll tell you so the next time you seek a vision.” Too late she recalled that his medicine bundle had been torn apart and the akoonah taken.
“No doubt.”
“I’m going to put on a light bandage for now.” Kes told Kathryn as she laid a strip of clean rag across the wound. “It’ll stay clean, but let the air in to help it heal.” After she finished bandaging him, she stepped back while Tuvok helped Chakotay to his feet.
Swaying dizzily, he hung onto the Vulcan’s arms for support. Gradually the floor stood steady under his feet and he made his way slowly across the roadway to the cabin he shared with Kathryn. “Don’t forget to get the meat, no sense letting it go to waste.” He gasped as he sat down on the bed. “I’m looking forward to eating this one.”
“Vorik has returned to retrieve the kill.” Tuvok assured him.
“This is the only pain medication we have, Kathryn.” Kes held up a bottle of aspirin. “Give him two of these every four hours.”
“Aspirin. Might as well be nothing.” She clutched the small bottle.
“I’ll bring him something to eat in a little while. He lost a lot of blood, we’ll need to keep his strength up.” She took Kathryn’s hand. “He’ll be fine.”
The blue eyes were calm and reassuring, but Kathryn found no comfort there. With no medical supplies and no doctor, Chakotay could easily die. Lifting her chin a notch, she squeezed the Ocampa’s hand and smiled a false smile.
Chakotay slept fitfully that night, moaning in his sleep, and by morning he was awake and exhausted. His face was marked with pain. Reluctantly, Kathryn left him in Kes’ care and went to work. Kissing his forehead, she promised she’d check on him at lunch and left before she could change her mind.
At lunchtime, she rushed back to the cabin to find Chakotay covered in sweat and tossing restlessly beneath the blanket. Despite their precautions, the wound was becoming infected.
When Kes peeled off the bandage, it revealed red streaks radiating out from the wound and an ugly yellow pus was collecting along the entire length. “We’ve got to clean the wound out again.” Her face was troubled. “Kathryn, it might be best if you waited outside.”
“No, he needs me.” She brushed the raven hair back from his eyes. “I’ll talk to him and let him know I’m here, maybe it’ll help him.”
Tuvok, Vorik, and Ayala helped hold Chakotay down while Kes slit the stitches open and cleaned the wound. He screamed and cursed them in his delirium believing they were Cardassians.
Kathryn did her best to soothe him, holding his head still and talking to him in a calm quiet voice. Tears rolled down her cheeks as he twisted away from her, cursing her and calling her a murderer. Words in his native language and in standard damned them all to several versions of hell. When he passed out, his body suddenly going limp, she rested her forehead against his and wept.
A hand rested on her back briefly. Looking up, she saw Tuvok bending over her. Concern lurked in the dark eyes.
“There’s nothing we can do now but wait.” Kes had rewrapped the wound and was rubbing her forehead. “We’ll have to try to keep his fever down and hope he’s strong enough to fight it off.”
“He’s strong enough.” She brushed a trembling hand over his tousled hair. “He has to be.”
Throughout the remainder of the day and into the night, Kathryn bathed him trying to bring down the fever that raged through his body.
Chakotay rambled from one hallucination to the next. One moment arguing with his father over his decision to go to the Academy and the next snapping out orders to an unseen crew. Her heart broke when he called out for his father and sister, crying piteously over the ashes and ruins of his home. He mixed his two languages together in a jumble as if he were caught between the two worlds and could make sense of neither.
Towards morning, Kathryn gave up hope. Chakotay was going to die. Without medical care he was going to die. Getting up from the bedside, she placed one last kiss on his sweat covered brow. Stepping outside to where Tuvok was sitting on the steps, she announced. “I’m going to kill Seska now.”
“As you wish.” He followed her down the roadway. "Do you have a weapon, or will you be using your bare hands?”
“I’m going to rip her heart out.”
“You may experience some difficulty tearing through her ribcage. I would suggest you use a knife.”
She stopped and turned to look at him. “Are you making fun of me?”
Tuvok arched an eyebrow. “Vulcans do not ‘make fun’ of others. However, I am trying to point out the futility of your actions.”
“Thank you.” She held out her hand. “Lend me your knife.”
“This will not help Chakotay.”
“Maybe not, but I’ll feel a hell of a lot better if that bitch is dead.”
“No, you will not.” He held the knife out, handle first.
In the face of his impassive Vulcan calm, Kathryn felt ashamed. “You’re right. This won’t help.” She turned back to her cabin. “We need medicine. The Kazon have it and they won’t give it to us.”
Tuvok paced alongside of her. “Perhaps someone else would be able to acquire it for us.”
“B'Elanna. She’s in the Kazon compound.”
“I will go – “
“No.” She laid a hand on his arm. “I’ll go, you’re needed here.”
“As Captain, your safety is my primary concern. Therefore, I will go with you.”
“Let me say goodbye to Chakotay.” She went back inside and knelt beside the bed. He was moving restlessly and muttering about Kirk’s tactical strategy in the battle of the Mutara Nebula. Taking a rag from the basin of water, she washed his face and neck. “I love you, Chakotay.” She choked on her tears.
“Chakotay’s people don’t say goodbye.” Ayala sat on the other side of the bed drawing a wet cloth over Chakotay’s forehead. “They believe it means the person won’t be coming back.”
“If he dies – “
“Seska dies.” He looked up at her. “I’ll see to it.”
With a final kiss to the tribal marking on Chakotay’s forehead, Kathryn rose and walked out of the cabin.
A 10K run wasn’t fun even in good shape. At least she didn’t have to carry a fifty pound pack like she’d had to at the Academy, but Kathryn was still grateful whenever Tuvok called for them to slow to a walk. When they finally reached the outskirts of the Kazon camp, they stopped to rest and recover their strength.
“I’ll see if I can find B'Elanna.” Kathryn gulped down a swallow of water. “Hopefully, no one will care if we drop in for a visit.”
“It’s possible they will simply take us back to the camp. Perhaps I should go first, that way you will be able to try another course of action should that happen.”
“I don’t like us splitting up.” She bit her lip. “I don’t see any guards around the buildings, they don’t seem too concerned about anyone coming in.”
“Perhaps no one else has ever left the camp and run toward the Kazon.”
“Perhaps.” Kathryn smiled. “I’m sure we’re not what they’re used to.” She got to her feet and dusted her pants off. “Lets go.”
Walking into the compound, they noticed Kazon warriors lounging around drinking and gambling. The few females that were visible were doing menial tasks.
Kathryn stopped one woman. “I’m looking for B'Elanna.” She tapped her forehead. “B'Elanna?” The woman pulled away and went back to her work.
After a few more attempts, Kathryn shook her head in frustration. “This is getting us nowhere.”
“Maybe you’re just not asking the right people.” Came a familiar voice from behind her.
Turning, she found Tom Paris leaning in a doorway. “Tom! I’m so glad to see you!”
“Are you?” He smirked.
“I need to see B'Elanna.”
“She’s working.” He pushed off from the doorway and walked over to her. “Isn’t that what you’re supposed to be doing?”
“We need a med kit. Chakotay’s been hurt.”
“So?” He seemed puzzled, as if he didn’t see why that was important.
Kathryn couldn’t believe Tom could have slipped so easily into his former lifestyle. “He’s going to die.”
“Jeez, I already saved the guy once – no twice – already! What is it with this guy?”
“Just show me where B'Elanna is.” She said coldly.
Turning to the Kazon, Tom spread his arms. “Did you hear that? She’s still giving orders!” They laughed. “We’re not on your ship, Captain, you don’t give the orders around here.”
“Tom, please.” Her pride was easy enough to swallow to help save Chakotay. “Please tell me where B'Elanna is.”
“I could do that.” He walked around her. “But she can’t help you. She’s a slave, the same as you are.” He trailed a finger over her cheek. “Sometime engineer and sometime bed warmer. She’s a hot fuck – but she’s still a slave.”
“Will you help me, Tom?” She stepped away from his touch.
“Maybe.” He turned to the watching Kazon warriors. “What do you think? Should I help her?” He cocked his head listening to the suggestions they shouted at him. “It’s kind of a split decision, Captain.”
“Please, Tom.”
“You know, I’ve never fucked a Captain before.” He stepped closer. “Ensigns, Lieutenants, a Commander once or twice. No Captains, though.”
“Is that what it’ll take, Tom?” Kathryn glared at him. “Is that what you want to help me?”
“I want you.” He hooked a finger in her shirtfront and pulled her closer. “On your knees, begging me for it.”
Pride and fear fought in her. Pride wanted her to slap his face and walk away. Fear whispered that Chakotay was dying and she should do anything to save him. Slowly she sank to her knees in the dirt.
Tom’s hand cradled the back of her head gently and pulled her face to rest against his stomach. “That’s better. But let’s go inside first.” Twisting his fingers into her hair he pulled her to her feet.
Tuvok stepped between them and the doorway Tom had been leaning in. “You will not hurt her.”
“Or what?” He sneered.
“I will stop you.”
“Tuvok, no.” She shook her head. “I’ll be all right.”
“You’ll be better than all right, Captain.” He pushed her past the Vulcan. “Or you won’t get the medicine. Oh and Tuvok, if you interfere –“ He smirked. ”You won’t get what Chakotay needs and I’ll still fuck her.” He leaned closer. “And I might just give her to them when I’m done.”
Inside, Kathryn watched Tom lock the door. How could she have been so wrong about him? On Voyager he’d seemed genuinely happy and so unlike the bitter man she’d met at the penal colony.
Stepping closer to her, he took her hands. Squeezing them, he smiled at her and pulled her into his arms. “I am happy to see you.” He whispered.
Stiffening, she wondered what his game was. Did he actually expect her to enjoy this?
“I need you to scream.” Sliding his hands down her arms to hold her hands again, he stared earnestly into her eyes. “Scream.” He whispered again.
“What?”
“I’m sorry.” He backhanded her, knocking her to the floor. “You heard me! Strip!”
She jerked back as he helped her to her feet.
“That’s more like it! Now off with the bra! I want to see those tits!” he grinned at her as he shouted. From outside came the sound of laughter and cheering.
Had he lost his mind?
“Don’t tell me no!” He looked at the mark on her face. “Sorry about this.” He slapped her again knocking her to her knees again.
Her ears were ringing as he lifted her up and led her to sit on the bed.
“It would help if you screamed.” He dabbed at her bleeding lip. “Off with the pants, bitch! Now, on your knees!”
Understanding washed over her as she heard another burst of laughter from outside. Tipping her head back, she shrieked.
Tom’s eyes lit up. “You know you want it!” He leaned on the headboard and began banging it against the wall. “You like that? You want more?”
Laughter bubbled up inside her. “Stop! Please!”
He continued to bounce the headboard off the wall and yell out as she tried not to burst out laughing. Luckily, her strangled pleas for mercy sounded as if she were suffering.
Outside the laughter and shouting continued until, with a final resounding bang of the headboard against the wall, Tom shouted. “I’m coming!” And fell over on the bed next to her with his hand over his mouth to stifle his own laughter.
After a few minutes to catch his breath, he went into the bathroom and came back with a wet rag. “Sorry, but you need to look like I slapped you around a little.” He said quietly.
“I understand. I think.” She held the rag up to her throbbing lip.
“It’s important that they think I won’t help you. Just trust me.”
“I do.” She threw her arms around him. “I knew you hadn’t turned on us. I can’t wait to tell –“
“No.” He pulled back. “You can’t tell anyone. It’s too dangerous.”
“But – “Kathryn hugged him again. He was right. With Seska around, she could easily betray Tom to the Kazon.
For a moment, he relaxed against her. Resting his head on her shoulder as she rubbed his back comfortingly. With a sigh, he pulled away. “Here, I have some things for you.”
She took the small bag of combadges and stuffed them down the front of her shirt.
“B'Elanna’s set them to vibrate so they won’t give you away. Hide them on the inside of your clothes.” He handed her a combadge and four pips.
“Where did you get these?” Kathryn pinned the combadge on the inside of her shirt and added the pips to the small bag.
“From someone who doesn’t need them anymore.” Grabbing a duffel bag off the table, he headed for the door.
Before he opened it, she stopped him. Tugging at her shirt, she ripped off the top two buttons. “A little more realism.”
“Remember to act beaten down.” He winked at her. Opening the door, he pushed her outside. “Come on, Captain, get moving.”
Tuvok caught Kathryn’s arm as she stumbled. The Kazon laughed and shouted. Now that she had a combadge, she understood their crude comments. Her cheeks turned pink.
“I’m going to drive the Captain back to the camp.” Tom grinned at the crowd. “There’s a nice place to stop on the way back for another round of playtime.” Tugging her along, he led her to a ground vehicle.
She climbed in and settled in the passenger seat, her head hanging and her shoulders slumped.
Stopping Tuvok before he could get in the vehicle, Tom shut the door. “Hoof it, buddy.”
On the way to the camp, she dug through the bag. When she found the med kits, she couldn’t help the sob that burst out.
“Hey, Captain, he’ll be okay.” He patted her knee. “The big guy’s tough.”
She nodded wordlessly, cradling the precious medicine to her chest.
“B'Elanna will be out in a few days and tell you everything we’ve been doing.” Tom knew she wasn’t really listening, but felt the need to talk. “We need Harry and whatever he’s got on that virus. I’m going to take him back with me.”
“You’re going to take Harry?” That penetrated her fog.
“He’ll be fine.” He patted her knee again. “Mad at me, but fine.”
“You’re not going to let him know what you’re really doing?”
“Too dangerous. He’ll think that he and B'Elanna are working on our escape. And that I’m just being the same old Tom Paris.”
“Harry never saw the old Tom Paris.”
“Yeah, well, he will now.”
Even though she understood the need for the deception, Kathryn still ached for Tom and what this was doing to him. “After we get out of here, everyone will see the real Tom Paris, I promise.”
“Sure, if they let me come along.” He shook his head. “They may shove me out an airlock.”
“Not once they know the truth.” She waved away his protest. “I’ll see to that. And I’ll bet B'Elanna will, too.”
“Whatever you say, Captain. Just hope nobody shoots me before you get chance to explain.” He slowed the vehicle as they pulled into the camp. “Remember what just happened – you got the medicine because I forced you to have sex with me.”
“Tom, I don’t –“
“You have to. Just say you don’t want to talk about it. Your face and your shirt should be convincing enough. Tell them B'Elanna snuck the combadges to you.”
When the vehicle stopped in front of their cabin, Kathryn jumped out and ran inside. Behind her, Tom yelled out. “Anytime you need something, Captain, let me know! There’s plenty more where that came from!”
Inside she ripped open the kit and pulled out the tricorder. Chakotay was weak, his vitals were dangerously low and he was barely breathing. Administering the medications recommended by the tricorder, she took his hand. “Chakotay, you’re going to be all right. Hang on just a little longer.”
“Where did you get this?” Kes was rummaging through the duffle bag.
“Tom.”
“What happened to your face?”
“It’s not important.” She watched the slow ragged breaths he was taking. She waved Kes away when she tried to use the dermal regenerator on her battered face. “No, then they’ll know we have it. Hide it, hide it all somewhere safe. Get the combadges to everyone. Tell them to wear them inside their clothes.”
“Tom couldn’t have done this.” The big blue eyes pooled with tears. “He just couldn’t.”
“Kes – “ She bit back the truth. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Harry was shoveling cormalite when the foreman motioned to him. Putting down the shovel, he followed the man into his office. Tom Paris was leaning against the man’s cluttered desk.
“Hey, Harry, how’s it going?”
“What do you want?”
“To see you, of course! To deliver you from this life of tedious labor.”
Harry shook his head and turned to leave. “Drop dead.”
“Hey, come on!” Tom grabbed his arm. “Is that anyway to treat an old friend?”
“You’re not my friend!” He jerked his arm away. “You’re a traitor! A backstabbing traitor!”
“Because I don’t want to die working in these mines? Come on, Harry, is this really how you want to spend the rest of your life?”
“I’d rather stay and die with my friends than live with my enemy!”
“Beautiful sentiment. I’ll carve it on your tombstone.” Tom stepped closer until he was in the younger man’s face. “You can get your stuff and come with me now. Or I can send the Kazon to get you. Like they did B'Elanna.”
Harry had a flash of her still form being dragged away. “I – I have to talk to the Captain.”
“By all means.” He grinned. “And give her my regards.”
Harry turned and walked out of the office.
“You want the boy, huh?” The foreman grinned. ”He’s pretty, had an eye on him myself. Figured I catch him alone in the mine one day and put it to him good and hard.”
Tom’s skin crawled. “The extra holo’s should make up for losing him. There’s some real young pretty stuff there.” He started to leave. “You know, that Seska, she’s slim enough… could look like a boy from behind…”
“Yeah, I could have fun with her…” The foreman looked up from the holos. “Me and Tkel could both play with her. Good idea.”
“Happy to help out.”
The foreman went back to scrolling through the holos. “Nice, very nice.” He undid the fastenings of his pants and slid a hand inside. “Very nice.”
Leaving the man to his twisted pleasures, Tom stepped outside to oversee the loading of his cormalite. “Ayala, good to see you, and Dalby, say hi to everyone for me.” Ignoring their hateful looks, he closed the vehicle’s hatch and drove back to the cabins.
Stopping at Chakotay’s cabin again, he went inside. He was shocked by the other man’s appearance. “How’s he doing?”
“Better. His vitals are coming up and the fever’s dropping.” Kathryn smiled at him. Her lip was swollen and her eye was beginning to turn black.
“I’m sorry, you know, about having to hit you.” He said softly.
Harry came in before she could answer. “The Captain says I have to go with you, so let’s go.”
“Ready when you are.” He pulled Kathryn to her feet and forced a kiss on her mouth. “Thanks for the good time, sweetheart. Hope the big guy appreciates it.” Her hand cracked across his face. Grinning despite the pain in his jaw, Tom pushed Harry out the door.
The ride to the Kazon compound was long and quiet. Harry was staring out the side window refusing to talk to Tom. At the compound B'Elanna came out of her quarters and threw her arms around Harry. “It’s so good to see you, Starfleet!”
“You too, Maquis.” He hugged her tightly for a long moment.
“All right, enough of that.” Tom pulled her away. “Get your stuff and move it into my quarters.”
“What for?” She stumbled as he shoved her toward the door. “What are you doing?
“You’re a slave.” He grabbed her arm and stared earnestly into her eyes. “You do as you’re told, remember?”
“I – uh – “ B'Elanna realized he wanted her to play along.
“You’ll be staying with me from now on.” Tom grinned at Harry. “Don’t worry, kid, I’ll share her sometimes. She’s got plenty to go around.” He slapped her on the bottom.
“You son of a bitch!” He rushed at Tom only to meet a fist in his stomach. Gagging, he dropped to his knees.
“Watch your mouth, boy.” He grabbed a handful of the black hair. “That mine boss wanted your ass, don’t tempt me to give you back to him. Wrapped up with a bow.”
Watching him go into his own quarters, Harry staggered to his feet. “B'Elanna, you can’t let him do this to you.”
“Harry, it’s okay, really.” She led him inside. “Help me get my things.”
“Make him come and get you.” He watched the emotions that flickered across her face. The sadness and pain he could understand, but where was the anger? “Did he beat you, too?”
“What?”
“The Captain came to him for help and he beat and raped her!”
“He –“ Oh Tom, what have you done? “He hasn’t beaten me, but it’s not like I have a choice.”
“You can fight –“
“Harry!” She slammed her hands down on the table. “Just shut up!”
“I’m sorry.” It had to be tough on her, no sense in him making it worse. He helped her gather her belongings.
“Tomorrow, I’ll take you with me to work on one of the ships. I’ll get you close to the computer core.”
After she left, he sat down and pulled out the PADD with his virus. Better to work on it and not think about what might be going on next door.
“The Captain was here?”
“Yeah.” Tom was sitting on the bed. Tipping up the bottle he was holding, he took a long swallow. “She needed a med kit. Chakotay was hurt.”
“Chakotay?” Her heart froze.
“He’ll be okay, now. I’m sure when he beats the crap out of me, he’ll be in fine shape.” He tipped the bottle up again.
Taking it from him, she set it on the bedside table. “Harry told me a crazy story about you beating her up.”
“I did hit her a couple of times.” He grinned. “We made it look like I forced her to have sex with me to get the med kit.”
“Aren’t you carrying this a little too far?”
“Do you want to take the chance?” He took her hand and pulled her onto the bed. “With Seska there, it’s too dangerous.”
“Can’t we let Harry in on it?”
“Are you kidding? We cleaned him out playing poker, remember?”
“True.” She settled comfortably against his side. “But don’t think you can hit me and get away with it.”
“Never.” Tom kissed the top of her head. “And I’m sorry in advance for being an obnoxious pig.”
“So, I’m your sex slave, huh?” She sat up and straddled his hips. “I have to pleasure you?”
“That’s the general idea.” He slid his hands up under her shirt.
“Guess I should get busy then.” Tom groaned as she ground her hips into his.
Harry retreated to the small bathroom as the banging on the wall grew louder and faster.
“Chakotay? Can you hear me?”
His head hurt.
“Chakotay?”
Kathryn? His mouth was fuzzy.
Kathryn smiled as the dark eyes flickered open. “Hi there.”
“K – Kath –“ Chakotay swallowed.
“Here.” She held a cup of water to his lips.
Sucking the water down greedily, he gasped at the pain in his head. “Hurts.” A soft hiss against his neck and the pain receded. “What happened?”
“Do you remember the moosel? The cut on your chest?”
“No.” He closed his eyes. “Don’t leave.”
“I won’t.” She kissed his forehead.
“You left.” His hand groped for hers. “You were gone.”
“I know.” She clasped his hand in hers. “I had to get something. I’m back now.”
“Good.” He drifted back to sleep.
“How is he?” Kes brought in a basin of water and clean rags.
“Better. He drank a little water and talked to me.”
“He’ll be up and around in a day or so.” she pulled back the blanket to his waist. Dipping one of the rags in the warm water, she handed it to Kathryn.
Sliding the wet rag over his face, Kathryn smiled. “Too bad he’s not awake to enjoy this. Getting a sponge bath from two women has to be every man’s fantasy.”
“I am awake.” His dimples flashed as she looked up.
“Shame on you.” She kissed him.
“Me? You two are the ones doing the bathing.” He reached up to pat Kes’ cheek. “You’re too young for this.”
“And you’re too weak.” The tips of her pixie like ears turned pink. “I think I’ll go help Neelix with dinner.”
“How long have I been sick?”
“Four days.” Four horrible awful frightening days!
“Where’d you get the hypospray?”
“Tom.”
“Tom?” He blinked the cobwebs out of his eyes. “What happened to your face?” He touched his fingers to her bruised cheek.
“It doesn’t matter.” She wrung the rag out in the water again before starting on his chest.
“He hit you?” Chakotay pushed himself up. “He hit you?”
“Lay back.”
“What did he do?” His eyes searched hers. “What did he do to you?”
“Nothing.”
“Kathryn, no! No!” He struggled against her hands for a moment before collapsing back on the bed. “Why, Kathryn, why?”
“He had a med kit and you were dying.” She blinked back tears. “It doesn’t matter.”
“I’ll kill him!” He pulled her down onto the bed with him. “I’ll kill him.”
“I love you, Chakotay.” Tears trickled down her face onto his chest.
“And I love you, Kathryn. I’m not angry at you.” He kissed her cheek. “I’m angry at Tom. He used you and he’ll pay for it.”
Should she tell him the truth? He’d be angry with her when he found out. She nuzzled the bronze skin. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Tipping her head up, Chakotay gently kissed her bruised lips. “ Don’t cry. I love you and what he did doesn’t change that.”
“I know.” Here’s hoping you’ll still love me when you
find out I lied to you.
Over the next several days, Chakotay regained his strength, gradually moving from the cabin to working in the refinery with Kathryn and the women. After a day of chipping the green crystals out of their rocky cases, he was ready to go back to swinging a pick.
“My fingers are numb.”
“Poor baby.” Kathryn rubbed some of her hand crème onto his hands.
“Tell me again how you have the easy job.” He flexed his stiff fingers.
A sound outside caught their attention. The door opened and B'Elanna came in. “Well, isn’t this cozy?”
“Jealous?” Chakotay hugged her.
“In your dreams.” She hugged Kathryn before sitting on the bed next to her. “I’ve got news.”
Quickly she outlined the plan to steal one of the smaller ships and use it to carry the crew to the Big Ship. “They’re going to stock it for a raid on a nearby system. That’s when we go.”
“What about weapons?” Kathryn asked.
“We – I should have phaser rifles in a few days.” She stumbled, almost giving Tom away. “Harry’s working on the virus. We’re going to plant it in the computer core of the other ships so we can activate it with a single command.”
“All we’ll have to worry about is a ground attack.” Chakotay rubbed at his aching hands. “They’ll come running when the shuttle lands.”
“If we can get everyone in fast enough, it won’t matter.” B'Elanna tapped her hidden combadge. “We’ll let you know we’re coming – give you 10 maybe 15 minutes to get everyone ready.”
“It sounds good.” One thing still worried Kathryn. “Seska’s been quiet. We need to make sure she’s not up to something.”
“Tuvok’s keeping an eye on her. She’s spending a lot of time with the two foremen at night.” Chakotay didn’t tell her exactly what Tuvok had told him was going on. Seska was finally getting the treatment she deserved.
“Tom said he set her up with some friends.” B'Elanna shrugged. “I don’t know what that means.”
“She has a knack for survival.” Kathryn shook her head.
“So do we, Kathryn.” B'Elanna grinned. “So do we.”
“It’s been a pleasure doing business with you Taxil.” Tom slipped the data chip in his pocket.
“Glad to be of service, TomParis.” He smiled. “I have another item you might find interesting.”
“Really?” He leaned against a container and watched Harry struggle with the cormalite. “I dunno, I think I’ve got everything I need.”
“So this ship of humans doesn’t interest you?” Taxil tapped obsidian colored finger against his lips. “This ship that left you behind?”
Voyager? “Possibly. It depends.”
He handed Tom a PADD. “This is the ship, TomParis?”
“Yes.” It was Voyager and the index date was just a month ago. “I suppose I’d be interested.”
“I thought perhaps you would be.” The alien studied him. “Are all humans so pale?” He touched the blond hair.
“Some are. Some are as dark as you.” He fought to keep from clutching the PADD as the alien took it back. “I don’t have any more cormalite, Taxil, give me a few days.”
“Cormalite. No, I don’t need anymore of that right now.” He trailed a finger down Tom’s cheek. “I’m sure we can find something else to trade.”
Harry leaned against the shuttle and rubbed his back. Tom had pulled him away from his work to lug containers around for him. This Taxil guy gave him the creeps with his shiny black skin and orange eyes. As he watched, Taxil patted Tom’s cheek before walking away.
“Come on, Harry.” Tom walked to the shuttle and got in.
“Done for the day?” He asked sarcastically.
“Not quite.” Running through the launch sequence, he guided the shuttle out of the bay of Taxil’s ship. “I want you to tell B'Elanna she’s to spend the night with you. I’ve got another meeting with Taxil and I won’t be in until late.”
“I’m sure she’ll be thrilled.” Maybe this would be one night where she could sleep. He’d be able to as well without hearing the headboard bounce off the wall.
“Come on, Harry, here’s your chance to find out if all those rumors about Klingon women are true.”
Getting up, Harry stomped to the back of the shuttle.
“What time is it?”
“Two minutes after the last time you asked.”
“I hate it when he takes off to meet with scum like this.” B'Elanna threw herself down on the bed. “I keep thinking he won’t come back.”
“And that would be a bad thing, how?” Harry didn’t look up from his PADD.
“I’m worried about him, Harry.”
“Why?”
“Why? Because…” Oh, Kahless, because I love him! The pig!
“Why should you care? He – he forces himself on you.” His face flushed. “Every night I hear you – and – I hope he never comes back!”
“You can hear?” She felt color rush up her face and down to her toes.
“Yes, the banging against the wall and the – “ Harry put the PADD down. “Two, sometimes three times a night! Why don’t you fight him, B'Elanna? You’re stronger than he is! And I’ll help you!”
“Harry, it’s – it’s –“ Why couldn’t she be as quick as
Tom with these lies?
“You can’t care for him?”
“Yes! That’s it!” She pretended to slump dejectedly. “I can’t help it.”
“It’s a typical response.” He knelt and took her hands. “Sometimes captives fall in love with their captors. But it’s not real! You have to fight it! He’s rotten and evil and you’re so innocent.”
“Oh, for – “ B'Elanna gaped at him. “Tell me, Starfleet, have you always been this gullible?” Hurt flashed in his almond eyes. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore. Tom is on our side. He’s helping us.”
“Now who’s gullible?”
“Today, Tom was getting us starcharts.”
“Starcharts?” Harry thought back. Whatever Tom had gotten from the alien had been small and he had slipped it inside his vest.
“To help us find our way home. He’s gotten us combadges, med kits, and some weapons.”
“But, he hit the Captain.”
“He had to.” She pulled him up to sit on the bed next to her. “If the Kazon find out what he’s doing, they’ll kill him.”
“Why didn’t he tell me? I thought we were friends.”
“You are. It’s killing him, Harry, to have everyone believe he’s turned his back on us.” Tears burned her eyes. “It’s killing him that they believed it so easily.”
He didn’t know what to say so he settled for putting his arm around her so she’d have a shoulder to cry on.
“Did he say why he had to meet with Taxil again?” She scrubbed at her eyes.
“No, just said he’d be back late. Maybe it’s another game of retq.”
“Maybe. But he’s got the cormalite we need for the weapons already. Eggplant will be on the third moon day after tomorrow.”
“Eggplant?”
“Purple skin and green hair. Tom says he’s fat and looks like an eggplant. He’s bringing us phaser rifles.”
“Tom was talking to Taxil while I unloaded the containers. He was looking at something.” Harry shook his head. “I don’t know what exactly. He was touching Tom. The guy creeps me out.”
“Touching him?” A tendril of fear crawled up her spine.
“His face and his hair.”
Fear strangled her. “Touching him? Oh, Harry, what if – what if he – “ B'Elanna couldn’t finish the thought.
“What?” A horrible thought exploded into his mind. “No. No!” He shook her. “We’re jumping at shadows!”
B'Elanna got up and rushed for the door. Harry followed her as she went next door to the quarters she shared with Tom. Together they sat down to wait.
B'Elanna jerked awake as the door opened. “Tom!”
“B'Elanna, you’re supposed to be with Harry.” Tom’s voice was hoarse and tired.
“I was worried.”
He walked slowly into the room. “Go spend the night with Harry.”
“She was.” Harry sat up and yawned. “She told me the truth, too.”
“Good, great. Go away, both of you.” Tom set a PADD on the table and moved carefully toward the bathroom.
“Tom, are you okay?” She put her hand on his arm.
“Fine, sweetheart. Just fine.” His smile was weak. “Look over the info and see if you can plot a course for Voyager.”
Taking the PADD, Harry’s eyes widened. “This is only a month old! She’s not that far ahead, either!”
“Good, now go away.” He hissed in his breath as B'Elanna put her hands on his shoulders. “Please, just leave me alone.”
“What did he do to you?”
“Nothing I didn’t agree to. It doesn’t matter.” The room started moving around him. “Just need to sleep…”
She caught him as he pitched forward. “Harry! Help me get him to the bed.”
Harry helped her lay Tom on the bed. “I’ll get a med kit.”
Carefully stripping off the shirt, she gasped at the bruises and bite marks on his neck. When Harry brought back the kit, she sent him to the bathroom for hot water and towels. “Oh, Tom, why did you let him do this to you?”
“We need the information.”
“Not this bad.” She kissed his bruised and swollen lips gently before he pushed her away.
“It’s okay, B'Elanna.” He sighed and turned his face away. “Please go away.”
“Look at me.” She turned his face to her. “I love you, Tom. No matter what he did. I love you.”
The baby blue eyes were full of shame. “You can’t. You don’t know what I did. You can’t love me.”
“But I do.” She stroked the sweat soaked hair. “I do, you insufferable pig.”
“If that ‘s your idea of sweet nothings – “ He bit back a groan.
Scanning him with the tricorder, she frowned. “Harry, you should leave.”
“But – “ For the first time he noticed the blood on Tom’s pants. “If you need me, just call.”
After he left, B'Elanna carefully peeled Tom’s pants off and rolled him onto his stomach. His hips and buttocks were marked with bruises and what looked suspiciously like bite marks.
Tom buried his face in the blanket as she examined him. “Please, B'Elanna just go.”
Silently, she ran the tricorder over him again before picking up the dermal regenerator. “You’re not bleeding very much. You’re lucky. There’s more damage than I can take care of with this, but you don’t need surgery. You’ll be sore for a few days.”
“I know.”
Running the regenerator over his back, she watched the marks vanish. “Can you roll over?” Sighing, he rolled over onto his back. “When did this happen before?”
Leave it to B'Elanna to catch that slip. “Right after I was sent to Auckland. There was someone who was very happy to see Admiral Paris’ little boy.”
“Didn’t the guards do anything?”
“They weren’t around. The guy hid in my quarters.” The memory played out behind his closed eyelids. The hours he’d spent tied to his bed, gagged so no one could hear his screams. The hot breath on his neck and the voice in his ear as he was raped again and again. “I didn’t tell anyone. I hurt like hell for days, but no one knew.”
“He knew.” She ground her teeth together.
“He would just smile at me. A week later, he got into a fight with another prisoner and they sent him to the maximum security facility on Europa.” He sucked in a sobbing breath. “Don’t tell, B'Elanna, please don’t tell.”
“I won’t.” She kissed his tears away even as her own fell onto his face.
Carefully, she healed the sex bite marks on his chest and stomach. Fresh tears fell as she saw the marks on the insides of his thighs. “This Taxil, he’s a dead man.”
“He was pretty gentle, all things considered.” Considering
the degrading things he’d made him do. Be honest Tommy! He asked and you did
it. You did it all for him!
“Doesn’t make me hate him any less.” She’d noticed Tom’s body was covered in a slick oil and the tricorder had indicated there was a mild muscle relaxer in his system. At least Taxil hadn’t been the kind to beat or torture him like some would have done.
“He wanted me to stay with him.” He laughed softly. “But I told him I was taken.”
“Damn straight.” She growled.
After injecting him with pain meds and a broadband antibiotic, she helped him into the shower. Stripping, she got in with him and began to wash him clean.
Later, she held him in the darkness with his head cradled on her breasts.
“Don’t leave me, B'Elanna.” Tom whispered.
“Never.” She tightened her arms around him. “Never.”
“You agreed to three containers.”
“I’ve changed my mind.”
“We had a deal.” Tom ground his teeth in frustration. “Three containers of cormalite for seventy five rifles.”
“Deals changed.” Eggplant smirked. “Majh Jotrel doesn’t know what you’re doing, does he?”
“Of course he does. Why else would I be here?”
“Because you think you can kill him and take over, I’m thinking.” His sharp teeth showed as he smiled. “Two more containers or I tell him.”
“Two more containers?” He pretended to think it over. If the Kazon leader found out, he was as good as dead. “Okay, okay, two more.”
“Excellent.”
“But once I’m in charge, I expect a discount the next time we deal.”
“Of course!” Eggplant smiled broadly. “You are so much better to deal with than those dogs. Much more civilized.”
Just keep thinking that, asshole. “Let me tell my boy here to unload two more containers for you.” He stepped inside the shuttle. “Harry, how many life signs?”
“Two besides Eggplant. There’s one in the bow and one down on the lower decks.”
“Can you jam their communications?”
“I think so.” Harry looked up from the console. “What’s up?”
“Deals gone sour. He’s demanding two more containers or he tells the Majh I’m buying weapons.”
“We don’t have any more cormalite.”
“I know that and you know that.” He smiled grimly. “But Eggplant doesn’t know that.”
“We don’t have time to get anymore.” The Kazon were planning on sending warriors to the big ship in three days.
“Even if we had more, Harry, I wouldn’t give it to him. He might screw us over anyway. You wrestle out one of those empty containers we were going to put the rifles in.” Tom tucked an extra phaser in his jacket. “Pretend it’s heavy. I’ll get Eggplant out of the way.”
“Then what?”
“Once I’ve got him out of the bay, you find the guy on the lower decks and take him out.”
“Take him out? You mean – “
“I mean kill him, Harry.” He handed him a phaser. “It’s him or us. I’ll get Eggplant and head for the bridge, that’s probably where the other one is. Meet me there.”
“Can’t we just stun them?”
“Kid, we can’t risk having them get to the Kazon. Just be thankful there’s only three of them.” Harry’s brown eyes were wide. “Sometimes you have to kill, Harry.”
“I know.” He watched Tom grab a bottle from one of the lockers. Starfleet had trained him to kill if necessary, but he didn’t know if he really could.
“Harry.” Harry looked up. “Consider it an order if it makes it easier. Find him and kill him, Ensign. Think of the crew.”
“Yes, sir.” He tucked the phaser in his jacket.
Outside, Tom held up the bottle. “My people have a tradition of toasting a deal.”
“Toasting?”
“A drink.”
“Ah, yes.” He looked over Tom’s shoulder. “Your friend doesn’t look happy.”
“Well, there’s this girl he’s had his eye on and her owner wants one of those containers of cormalite you’re getting. He’ll get over it.”
“Women are easily replaced.” He waved a purple hand dismissively. “Let’s have this ‘toast’.”
Following him to his cabin, Tom broke the seal on the bottle of brandy. Pouring two glasses, he raised his. When Eggplant raised his to meet it, Tom slid the phaser out of his jacket and fired.
Standing over the body, he lifted his glass again. “Skoal.”
Ten minutes later, he had the small bridge secured. Tapping his combadge, he waited for Harry to respond.
“Kim, here.”
“You secure down there, Ensign.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Burn the body. Set it up to max and get rid of it. Then meet me on the bridge. Paris out.”
Harry looked down at the body at his feet. The violet skinned woman had a surprised look on her face and her long green hair was spread over the floor. “I’m sorry.” Grimly, he thumbed the phaser to its maximum setting and fired.
Tom was taking the ship out of orbit when Harry climbed up to the small bridge. “She’s warp capable, Harry, maybe up to warp 5 if I’m reading this right. We’ll have to hide her until we’re ready to leave.”
Harry sat down at one of the side consoles. He listened silently as Tom explained how helpful having a second shuttle would be. All he could think about was shooting a helpless woman in the back.