Janeway yawned and stretched.  "I think I will too.  I feel almost guilty for not inviting the entire crew to come along."  She smiled and yawned again.

Tom grinned at his seemingly sleepy captain..  "I think you're gonna have a more tough a time re-adjusting to Voyager than I am."

Janeway smiled and closed her eyes.  "Well, you'll just have to make me a holo-Unastair, won't you?"  She opened her eye and peeked at him.

He grinned.  "For you, hell no.  If I make one, I'll be spending all my time there."

She laughed.  "You wouldn't let your poor tired captain join you?"

He smiled.  "All right," he relented.  "Anything for my captain."

She shook her head tiredly and looked at Seven.  "You've been awfully quiet, Seven.  What's on your mind?"

Seven returned her gaze.  "Nothing," she replied quietly.

Tom grinned.  "I know what she's thinking about.  Or who rather."

Seven eyed him.  "I believe I know why the Doctor finds you so irritating."

Tom's eyes and grin widened.  "Oh-ho really?  Is that so?  After getting you two together you insult me to my face and he insults me to you."

Seven sighed irritably.  "It was a joke.  My apologies."

Tom shook his head and smiled.  Kathryn was at a slight loss.  "You and the Doctor are together?" she said, unaware she had been behind in ship wide talk.

Seven pursed her lips.  "It isn't an official courtship," she explained.  "We are merely exploring the possibilities."

Janeway smiled.  "And what have you discovered?"

Seven knitted her brows in thought.  "I have discovered that the concept is no easier to understand than previous to our relationship.  As soon as I believe I understand something it changes, becomes even more difficult to understand.  This romance is inefficient and puzzling."

Tom sat up, a little concerned.  True, he and the Doc exchanged many insults and quips, but he did like the Doc and didn't want to see him hurt.  "Do you wish to continue the relationship?"

Seven nodded to Paris's relief.  "Though I do not care for the inefficiency of the situation, I cannot end it.  I do care for him and even though at times I find not understanding tiresome, I do enjoy him and enjoy our time together."

Janeway gave her a lop-sided smile.  "Is that the Borg equivalent of saying you love him?"

Seven considered.  "I believe so," she said softly.

Tom smiled about to comment, but was cut short as the Flier jarred violently.

"What the hell is happening?" Captain Janeway said as the shuttle continued to jerk and shake.

"I'm on it," Tom said, swinging immediately into action.  "We've hit a veretrion pocket.  I can't...get control."

Seven's fingers swiftly moved over her console.  "Transferring power from sensor's to shields," she reported.

Tom shook his head.  "The Flier might hold with that, but if I can't regain control we might go down on the next planet we pass."

Janeway pushed a strayed lock of hair behind her ear as she silently worked over the controls, trying to compensate for all the turbulence.  Veretrion pockets were rare, but when they were encountered they seemed to wreak havoc on any ships that happened to hit them.  "Damn," she muttered, unable to help much.

The Delta Flier rocked and shook and finally spiraled out of control.  There was a planet nearby and all Tom had time to do was yell, "Brace for impact!" before the Flier went spiraling through the skies of the alien planet.

Her eyes fluttered open and she winced.  Her whole body ached, but the pain concentrated in her left arm.  Trying to move it, she groaned in pain.  Moving was futile.  She simply lay there, staring at the Flier's walls that now served as a ceiling.  She could hear the rustle of someone else waking.  "Ensign Paris?  Captain Janeway?"

"I'm ok, Sev," Tom said, then was silent.  "Captain Janeway is unconscious."  She could hear the familiair beeps of a tricorder.  "She has a few broken bones.  Damn, I think my wrist is sprained.  How are you feeling?"

Seven took a deep breath.  "I believe my left arm is damaged."  She swallowed as Tom made his way to her.

Opening the tricorder, he scanned her.  "It's broken in several places.  Here, let me help you."  He helped her up and sat her against what used to be the ceiling.  He stood after she was sitting firmly and went to Janeway, picking her up.

"Tom," she moaned.  "What happened?"  Her eyes opened and she groaned.  "Never mind.  I think I get the idea."  She sighed as he sat her down beside Seven.

"There isn't much I can really do for broken bones.  Not without sickbay," he said, taking a few more scans.

Janeway closed her eyes, wincing in pain.  "How far from the rendevous point were we before the crash, Tom?"

Tom sighed.  "Not too far...maybe twnety minutes away.  I'll see about turning on a tracking signal just as soon as I give you two some pain killers."  Janeway nodded and looked around the Flier as Tom gave her and Seven a hypospray.  Everything was such a mess.  Tom stood after checking them out and went to the Delta Flier's consols.  "Well, at least it's on," he muttered.  "Sensors: out.  Weapons: gone.  Just about everything is damaged.  I don't think we'll be getting the Flier off the ground.  Man," he groaned.  "It's going to take me weeks to fix this.  At least I can turn on a distress signal.  I might even be able to disguise it so Voyager alone will be able to read it, but they'd have to be pretty close to get it."

Janeway licked her lips and nodded softly.  "Good, Tom," she said.  "Proceed."

He came out from the front and looked around.  Scratching his head he picked up a stray blanket that had fallen from an open compartment.  He knelt down and tied it around Seven's arm making a sling.  "There," he muttered, sitting down.  "Now all we do is wait until tomorrow."

Janeway sighed.  "My body says that's too long a wait," she said, laughing gently.

Tom smiled softly.  "We'll make it."  He looked around.  "Maybe I should go out and take a look around."

Janeway shook her head, looking out at the forest through the front window.  "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why?" he asked, absently playing with a strip of cloth.

She looked again uneasily out the window at the darkness.  "I don't know.  There's just something I don't like about that forest.  Wait until day light."

He nodded.  "Yes, Ma'am."

Chakotay sat up in the command chair, about to leave the bridge for dinner.  "Harry, scan the area and see if the Delta Flier is anywhere near the rendevous point.  I'm sure they would appreciate us picking them up early since we can."  While Janeway, Paris and Seven had gone to Unastair, Voyager had gone with a people called the Menghar to assist them in repairing their space station.  Repairs had gone faster than anticipated, so Voyager had left early to get the the rendevous point, knowning the Flier would be waiting.

Harry frowned.  "According to my readings they are no where near the meeting place."

Chakotay mirrored his frown.  "Looks like sleep'll have to wait.  Increase speed to warp 5.  When we get there run a long ranged scan to see if they are there anywhere near.  Until then, everything can run as usual but after dinner I want all senior staff to report back to thier posts, just in case.  I don't like this."  He stood and retreated from the bridge, on his way to the mess hall.  He didn't want to look at this pessimistically, but for some reason he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.  The Flier should be at least within sensor's range.  He absently took a plate from Neelix and sat down.  B'Elanna sat with him.
"Hello, B'Elanna," he said with a smile.  "Where you made aware of what's going on?"

She nodded and scratched her temple uneasily.  "Yeah.  Harry informed me.  I hope everything's all right."

Chakotay nodded and smiled.  "I'm sure everything is just fine, B'Elanna.  Knowing Kathryn she decided to stay for an extra day.  I hear Unastair is a pretty nice place to visit."

B'Elanna smiled.  "Yeah and I'll bet Tom is having a lot of fun there without me.  Damn repairs," she said with a shake of her head and a smile.

Chakotay chuckled.  "Oh, you know you loved every minute you spent."

She smirked.  "Yeah a real sucker for work," she said smartly, spooning some of whatever this was that Neelix had made into her mouth and wincing.  Chakotay took a bite after her.  "Making sure it didn't kill me first?" she asked.

He laughed.  "No.  Not at all.  Just preparing myself for the taste ahead.  And no, not a sucker for work, but a problem solver.  I've known you for a long time now and I can tell that you really enjoy what you do."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she admitted, taking another bite and sighing.

The Doctor sat in sickbay, staring at his terminal screen, not seeing a thing that was on it.  At the moment his mind was racing through every possible thing that could have happened to the shuttle.  He didn't like this one bit.  I shouldn't have let her go, he thought.  He sighed.  She wanted to learn more about medicine.  For me.  And I let her go.  I could have taught her here.  Stop it.  Everything is fine.  They probably just strayed from the course to study something.  He sighed again, closing his eyes, seeing her eyes in his mind.  Those wonderous blue eyes that he could stare at for an eternity.  If something had happened to her he didn't know what he was going to do.  No.  Nothing happened.  She would come back to him and tell him all about Unastair and the new medical techniques he could use.  She would.

Seven sighed.  As the minutes progressed, so did Janeway and Paris's need for idle conversation.  The conversation had started when Captain Janeway had asked Paris how he and B'Elanna were doing and eventually had wound it's way into her corner.  They were curious about her and the Doctor still.  "There is one thing I do not understand," she said.  "He does not wish to engage in sexual activity."

Tom's eyes visibly widened and Kathryn smiled gently.  "Perhaps he isn't ready?" she suggested.

Tom shook his head.  "We're always ready," he said without thinking, then blushed as his captain eyed him.  "Well, I am, anyway," he said, trying to exlpain, turning redder.  "What I mean is, well...tell us about your problem, Seven.  What's happened?"

Seven pursed her lips, ignoring Captain Janeway's chuckling and Paris's embarassment.  "I have noticed his gaze linger on me on several occasions and he tells me that I am beautiful often with that same gaze."  She knitted her brows, puzzling through it.  "He does not flush or increase temperature and this makes it difficult for me to anticipate his intentions.  I have asked him severeal times if he wanted to engage in sexuality, and he always answers that he does not.  It was my understanding that sex was part of a romantic relationship."

Tom took in a breath and said, "Well, Sev, it is.  From what you desribe it seems like he's simply waiting to make sure you are ready for it..."

"You sound like a doctor," Kathryn observed, cutting in.

Tom wiggled his eyebrows.  "The doctor of love."  He ignored Janeway's rolling her eyes.  "Anyway, Sev, I think he just wants to be sure that it's something that you want too, that you aren't just doing it because you think he wants to or you think it's just another part of the relationship.  It's a very special thing when two people who love each other consumate that love for the first time and I think he wants everything to be perfect for the both of you.  The time just has to be right."

Janeway whistled in surprise and appreciation.  "I'm proud of you," she said.  He grinned.

"Perfection is an admirable goal," Seven said.  "When will I know the time is right?"

Tom bit his lip in thought.  "Well," he said finally.  "You just know."

"I believe I have heard a very similar line of advice before," Seven said dryly.  "Oh yes.  You, Ensign Paris, have said it before.  Is this to be another thing you cannot give me an exact explanation of?"

He smiled.  "I'm afraid so.  Remember, Seven, love and romance isn't always exact."

She considered.  "I believe I still hold to my previous opinion."

"Oh?"

"Human emotions are confusing and inefficient."

Harry chewed the inside of his cheek, scanning again.  "Nothing," he reported.

Chakotay rubbed his eyes.  "Well, this is getting us no where.  Track the Delta Flier's course all the way to Unastair and scan every planet and sector on the way."

"Aye, Sir."  Harry yawned, preparing for a long night.

Janeway yawned and opened her eyes slowly, the brightness of morning shining through the shuttle's front window.  She couldn't move anywhere or do anything, so she sat there in thought.  Her leg was starting to hurt again and her arms and hip.  She imagined Seven would awaken to a throbbing arm too, and Tom to a pained wrist.  She glanced over to see him stirring as he was waking.  "Hey," he said tiredly, sitting up.  "Morning."

She nodded, wishing she could stretch.  "Morning.  Are the replicators offline?" she asked.

He smiled, yawning.  "Hungry?  Yes, Captain, I'm afraid they are.  I'm going to have to go out there and see if there is anything we can eat."

Kathryn yawned in response to his yawn and nodded.  "You have permission."

He smiled, looking around the shuttle.  "I'll return shortly," he said, going to the back hatch and exiting.

She shook her head and closed her eyes.  She could feel herself dozing off and finally couldn't control herself as sleep visitied her again.  About an hour later she could hear Seven stirring beside her.  She opened her eyes slightly as the Borg sat up, eyes barely open and face wincing at the brightness.  "Good morning, Seven."

Seven rubbed her eyes.  "Good is hardly the word I would use to describe it."  She winced and rubbed at her arm.  "Where is Ensign Paris?" she asked.

Janeway looked out the window.  "He's out seeing if there is anything to eat out there.  I still don't like that forest."

Seven stood up.  "Do you wish me to go and search for him?"

She yawned again.  "Actually, yes.  I'm not sure how long I've been asleep, but something tells me he should have been back by now."

Seven looked around and found a stray phaser.  "I shall return," she said, leaving Janeway alone.  The back hatch was closed, so she opened it.  She stepped outside the shuttle and closed the hatch again to keep Janeway safe in case something was wrong.  The forest seemed quiet except for the soft breeze that travelled soft through the branches on the trees.  She could hear animals that were hiding and due to her acute hearing she could hear the man whisper, "Another one," before she was shot down.

"I think we've found them," Harry said excitedly.  "I'm picking up a distress signal.  Very faint.  The third planet in this system.  The shuttle is still intact, but I'm only picking up one lifesign."

Chakotay stood and eyed Harry for a moment.  Sighing sadly, he said, "Tuvok, take a team down and see what's happened."

"Aye," Tuvok said.  "Ensign Kim, accompany me."

When they got down there Tuvok keyed in the access code to open the shuttlecraft.  "Tom," Harry called.  "Captain?"

"Harry," Captain Janeway answered.  Tuvok and Harry made their way to her.  "Boy am I glad to see you."

Tuvok leaned down and took scans.  "She needs to get to sickbay as soon as possible.  Where is Ensign Paris and Seven of Nine?"

Janeway nodded towards the hatch.  "Tom went to see if he could find food.  Sometime later I sent Seven after him.  Neither came back.  I knew there was something wrong with this planet."

"Captain, I suggest we get you back to Voyager and scan the planet when we return," Tuvok said.

Janeway nodded.  "Agreed."

Tuvok stood.  "Tuvok to Voyager.  Emergency medical beamout."

They roughly drug her through the complex and down into their prison.  "We will be rescued," she said defiantly, earning a hard slap from the guard.

"You and your friend will be here for a long time," he ammended.  He opened the door to the cell where Tom was and shoved her in.  Behind him was a young woman.  She dismissed him and eyed Seven and Tom.  "Welcome to Drakmor Facilities.  I am Doctor Deann Moroe.  Here at Drakmor we do tests on live subjects to aid us in the creation of biological weapons for our war.  I would offer you a tour, however we do not let our test subjects out of their cells until they are to be used."

Seven stared at the doctor defiantly.  "We will resist."

Moroe smiled.  "We'll see about that."  She stood there and watched.

Seven looked around, seeing countless prisoners.  She turned to Tom, who sat on a pallet.  He didn't look good.  "Ensign Paris, are you damaged?"

He opened his fevered eyes and smiled wanly.  "You could say that I suppose," he said.  "They decided to see how their latest illness would work on me.  I think they got it right."  He closed his eyes again and leaned against the wall.

Seven leaned down and looked at him.  "You're temperature is three degree's above normal."

He sighed tiredly and still smiled.  "I'll just rest.  I'll be fine."  He looked up at her.  "If you make it back, tell B'Elanna I love her, will ya?"

She pursed her lips.  "That request is invalid.  You will be able to tell her yourself."

Tom nodded.  "Yeah," he said.  "I will."  He closed his eyes and smiled.

Seven watched for a moment.  His heartbeat and brain was slowing until finally his system stopped all together.  "Ensign Paris?" she said, checking his pulse in case her scans were wrong.  Nothing.  She stood and turned to the doctor, blue eyes ablaze.
"You will treat him," she said icily.

"I can't treat him.  He's dead.  It seems that this illness is a worthy study.  Now it's your turn.  Guards," she called.

They came and opened the cell and Seven shouted, "I will resist!" as she prepared to fight.  She was overpowered, however, and they drug her behind the doctor.  Seven regained consciousness just as they carried her into the room.  There were tubs of a white gellatinous plasma all around the room, each containing bodies.  "Remove her garments," the doctor said simply.

Captain Janeway felt better now that she was healed and back in her command chair.  "If you do not return my crew I will be forced to take action against you," she was saying to the leader of the Drakmori.  "You've scanned my ship.  You know what we can do.  I don't give a damn about your war.  All I want is my crew and we'll be on our way."

Minister Jecari bit his lip and considered her arguments.  "Fine," he said smartly.  "Two more test subjects aren't worth the setback you would cause me.  I'll get your crew.  If they're alive," he added.  He snapped his fingers and a retainer came to his  side.  She couldn't hear what he told the man, but he nodded and left.  "I'm contacting the Facilities now.  If you would wait?"
Janeway nodded.  She wasn't in a good mood and might seriously have leveled Drakmor if they refused to comply.  She watched the screen and waited patiently for their response.  Finally the retainer came back and whispered something to Jecari.  Jecari looked visibly upset.  "Captain Janeway," he said, eyes wide.  "I'm...afraid to tell you.  They've already been used in experiments.  Experiments that proved...deadly.  I..don't know what to say.  I'm sorry.  I'll have their bodies returned to you."

Janeway was numb.  She could't believe it.  For a moment all she could do was stare at Jecari.  "Fine," she said in a controlled voice.  She was fighting the emotion that threatened to take her.  "Give me the coordinates and I'll beam them aboard."  She didn't give him a chance to answer as she stood and turned to Chakotay.  "Go and tell B'Elanna while I inform the Doctor."

Chakotay nodded sadly, not able to believe the news himself.  "I will, Kathryn.  Are you okay?" he asked, concerned.

She grit her teeth and answered, "No," as she left the bridge.  She dreaded what she was going to have to tell the crew, the funerals that would take place.  It didn't even seem to be real.  Tom and Seven, dead?  It couldn't be true.  She sadly stepped into sickbay, the doctor activated already.

He turned and asked cheerily, "What can I do for you?"

She choked back tears that threatened to assail her.  "Doctor," she said gently.  "It's Tom and Seven."  She shook her head and wiped her now wetting cheeks.  "I'm so sorry."

All he could do was stare at her.  "No," he said softly.  Suddenly two forms materialized.  They were wrapped in cloth.  He could tell which one was Seven and he stared in horror.  He didn't know whether he could do this, perform autopsies on them.

Janeway walked to him.  'I'm sorry," she said softly, taking his hand.

"I," he said.  "I'm okay.  I'll be okay.  Please, let me work."

Janeway nodded and left.  The Doctor went to where she lay on the floor and upwrapped the cloth around her face.  It looked like she was asleep.  She was beautiful.  He touched her face.  "Seven," he whispered, picking her body up and holding it to him.  If he had programmed tears he was sure they would have flooded sickbay.

"We'll get out of here," he said to her as she stared at the wall in the tiny room they were in.  "We'll find a way."

"Hope is irrelevant," she stated simply, scratching where the metal rod lay buried under her skin.  "Resistance is futile.  They think we're dead."  She stared continually.

Paris ran his hands through his hair.  "Damnit, I am not giving up and neither should you.  I plan to get home to B'Elanna.  Now, if you don't want to help me and see the Doctor again, then fine.  Sit there, but damnit I will not be resposible for you staying behind and breaking his heart."

She slit her eyes.  "What is your plan?" she asked without hope.

"When that big guard comes we have to overpower him.  Then we steal one of their shuttles and get the hell out of here."

She smirked.  "Easy to say.  Impossible to execute."

He sighed.  "We have to have hope or nothing we do will work.  Now are you with me or not?"

She considered, then sighed.  "I will assist you."

The guard came as usual and Seven stood prepared to fight as Tom stood back to give room.  He set their food down and glared at their quiet.  It was then Seven attacked, Tom joining the fight.  It took alot, but they did manage to overpower him and take his phaser.  Not knowing where or even if they had shuttles made this a tough plan to see to success, but Tom wouldn't give up until he was dead.  Seven now seemed to have a little optomism as they raced the halls.  They rounded a corner and bumped into the doctor.  Tom thought fast and grabbed her, holding the phaser to her head.  "All right, damnit.  We want out.  We're not going to play any of your games, or be in any more of your experiments.  I'm going to kill you right now if you don't arrange for us to get out of here."

"How did you get out?" she demanded.

Tom rolled his eyes and tightened his grip on her.  "No questions.  Where are the shuttles?"

"I'm not going to tell you," she answered.

"One more time and I will kill you.  Where are the shuttles?"

She grit her teeth and sighed.  "Two halls turn left.  Make a right at the first four way pass.  Straight down the hall is where they are kept."

Tom helped her firmly and began walking.  "Great.  If I find out you've lied, a split second later you'll be dead."

She huffed.  "I haven't lied.  Do you think I'm a fool?"

"Good," he said.

A few guards came out from a hallway.  "Stop this.  You know you can't escape," one said.

Tom held the doctor firm.  "Well, if you insist we go back then you'll be short a doctor.  The most important one, if my guess is correct.  Want her dead?"

The guards were at a loss.  They stepped aside.  Tom and Seven walked past, dragging the helpless doctor with them.  "You won't get far in a shuttle," she said defiantly.

"Oh yes we will," he said.  "You'll be joining us."

The Doctor slammed everything around sickbay, trying to find the tricorder Seven had given him.  Harry sat there on the biobed with his broken wrist.  "Are you okay?" he asked gently.

"Fine," the Doctor fumed.  "Just perfect."

Harry looked down at the floor.  "I'm sorry," he said.  "I know you loved her."

The Doctor stopped and closed his eyes.  "I don't want to talk about it," he said quietly.  He picked up the tricorder and went to Harry, scanning.  Harry waited as the Doctor fixed the wrist, not saying a word, a haunted look in his brown eyes.  Then he looked up and said, "All fixed.  Take care of yourself."

Harry slid off the bed and left sadly.  Nothing would ever be the same.  The Doctor set the tricorder down and sank to his knees, sitting against the biobed and staring blankly at the floor.  He had never experiance pain like this and he didn't know if he would ever recover from it.  It was at this point he realise just how much Seven meant to him.  She meant everything.

"Well," Tom said, out of breath.  "We made it into a shuttle."  The doctor was tied up.  "As soon as we get to Voyager I'll see you are dropped on the nearest planet."

She slit her eyes.  "You won't escape."  The shuttle lurched as the Drakmori fired on it.

Tom shook his head.  "Yes we will.  If we don't make it to Voyager then we'll be dead.  Why not just give us back since you already had your clones?"

"Because we needed to keep your fresh DNA.  Your physiology is closest to the Meredri, therefore you were the best test subjects," she answered.

"Shields are at seventy percent," Seven announced.  "Fifty."  She looked hopeless again, Tom noted.

"Damn," he whispered.  "Weapons are just about out."

"Shields are gone," Seven said.

"The system is failing.  We're sitting ducks."  Tom rubbed his chin.  "Goodbye, B'Elanna."  He stared at the screen as the Drakmori ships closed in and suddenly another ship came into the scene, firing on the Drakmori.  "What the hell? he said.

"No!" Moroe shouted.  "Kill me," she said.

Tom and Seven turned.  "Kill you?" he asked.

She nodded.  "You must!"

"Why?"

"We are being hailed," Seven said.  Suddenly a man appeared on the screen.

"Hello," he said.  "We've been watching your little fight.  So, you have managed to capture the infamous Deann Moroe.  My name is Helladri of Meredri.  We're prepared to make you an offer.  If you'll hand her over to us, we'll see you get back to your ship."

Tom smiled.  "It's a deal."  He turned to Moroe.  "Looks like you'll be living for a little while longer."  She stared, the hopelessness in her eyes mirroring what had been in Seven's.  "Looks like you'll be seeing the Doc again, Sev."

She smiled and nodded.

He was standing there, scanning something.  Sickbay was very quiet.  Usually music would be playing loudly or his voice would fill the emptiness.  She really should tell him she was back.  Janeway had given that to her, the opportunity to surprise him.  But she found she enjoyed watching him.  It was time though.  "Doctor," she said into the calm.  "I am undamaged."

He turned and gaped.  "Seven?" he said.  "My program is malfunctioning again, isn't it?  You're just a fantasy."  He looked so sad.

She shook her head.  "No.  Those bodies that were sent to you were clones.  Ensign Paris and I fought our way our of the Drakmori compound.  We were returned to Voyager by their enemy, the Meredri."  He didn't know whether to believe it or not.  Yet, there she was.  Alive.  She watched him as he stared in disbelief and then took things into her own hands.  She went to him and placed her lips over his, kissing him gently.  She watched him close his eyes, reveling in her kiss and just that little thing endeared him to her.  She wrapped her arms around him.  "I love you," she said.

He held her tightly.  "I love you too," he answered, resting his head against hers, just breathing in the scent of her and thanking everything in the universe that she had been returned to him.