Chapter 4
�It�s all right � I�m � it�s just a headache,� Kathryn breathed out, clinging to his arm, as everything began to swim in front of her eyes.
�Medicinal side effects,� the EMH concluded after a quick scan. �We need to get her to sickbay � it is best for her to lie down.�
Chakotay nodded, tapping his comm badge. �Chakotay to the Bridge.�
�Go ahead, Commander,� Tuvok�s voice responded.
�Can you get a lock on us?�
�Affirmative.�
�Good. Prepare to beam three straight to sickbay and start the lift-off procedure.�
There was a short silence and then a hesitant response: �Acknowledged for the first part, Commander, however, there may be a slight problem with the latter. The aliens appear to have some sort of device that keeps a lock on our engines. We will not be able to lift off.�
Chakotay cursed under his breath. He should have realized that their escape had been too easy � something had to have been wrong. Sedaar had his own way of insuring the prolonged stay of his �guests.� �Can you isolate the location of the device?�
�Affirmative, Commander. It appears to be inside some sort of a power plant � should be about 100 meters to your right.�
�Understood.� He glanced at the red-haired woman who hung half-conscious on his arm. He thought that their troubles were finally over; that she was safe � they were safe. What a fool he was! Sedaar would never have made it so easy for them to get out.
No, the danger was still there, and Voyager would never be able to soar to safety unless�. He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath, as the solution � the only solution � flashed in his mind in all its clarity. He could do it � for the crew � for her.
Chakotay looked at her again, hungrily drinking in her features, etching them into his memory, as he was struck with an acute, painful realization that he would never even have a chance to say goodbye.
He sighed, composing himself; his voice sounding unusually calm as he gave out his next order. �Commander Tuvok, beam the Captain and the Doctor to sickbay and stand by for lift-off. Prepare to engage the engines as soon as the lock is removed.�
The EMH stared at him in disbelief. �Are you about to do what I think you�re about to do, Commander?�
�It�s the only thing I can do,� came his curt reply.
�But this is madness!� the doctor threw his hands in the air, nearly dropping his tricorder.
�I concur with the Doctor,� the Vulcan intoned. �The building is most likely guarded, and the guards may already have been alerted to the Captain�s absence. Besides, even if you do succeed in your mission, we will not be able to beam you out of that building. Our transporters cannot penetrate there. It means you�ll be left behind.�
�I am perfectly aware of all the implications,� Chakotay said dryly. �I am also aware that the Captain needs urgent medical treatment, and that she and this whole crew are in danger all the while that Voyager stays on this planet. You have your orders, Commander.�
�Understood,� Tuvok confirmed after a short pause and then added in a much quieter voice, �Good luck.�
Chakotay could have sworn the Vulcan�s voice sounded a bit shaky, and he smiled to himself. �That would be something to remember.� �Thank you, Commander,� he said out loud. �Chakotay out.� He turned to the EMH, gently placing his precious cargo into the doctor�s arms. �Take good care of her,� he said hoarsely, blinking away the tears that came unsolicited to his eyes at the thought of never seeing her again. �And say goodbye for me to the crew.� He turned around, not waiting for the response. He did not want to see the look of disapproval and concern on the doctor�s face, didn�t want to risk taking another look at Kathryn and not being able to leave at all.
He squared his shoulders and headed swiftly in the direction of the power plant, as the two figures behind him disappeared in multiple specs of fluorescent blue light.
* * *
No way out. That was it, end of the line. He managed to lock himself up in the generator room seconds before the guards reached it, and the gnashing steel noises behind the door told him that they were now trying to break in; so far, unsuccessfully.
Chakotay leaned against the wall, breathing raggedly after the maddening chase through the hallways of the plant. �Just a few more seconds to catch my breath,� he thought wearily, trying to ignore the smarting pain radiating through his right hip � an unpleasant reminder of his unsuccessful attempt at avoiding a blast from the guard�s phaser.
Grunting, he pushed himself away from the wall and limped toward the steel bulky device in the middle of the room that was surrounded by a ring of blinking consoles. The heavy door was still holding, giving him time to figure out how to turn off the generator, but he knew that his time was very limited. He circled around the colossal contraption, looking for something � anything to get him inside.
Finally he saw it � a tiny slit in the otherwise perfectly solid structure. A slight pressure of his fingers, and the masked door popped open, revealing a small control panel. He reached for what looked to be a manual shutdown lever and jerked his hand away, struck by a painful energy surge. A forcefield. Chakotay muttered another curse aimed at Sedaar.
The screeching sounds behind the door were getting louder and louder every second � the steel was slowly giving way to the continuous assault of the guards. Chakotay covered his ears, trying to shut out the disturbing noise.
�Think! Think!� His mind was working overtime, trying to come up with a way to deactivate the forcefield, to destroy it. Destroy. A light of hope flashed in his eyes, and he glanced briefly at the phaser that he was still holding tightly in his hand.
�Fighting fire with fire,� an old Earth saying came to his mind, as he quickly set the weapon on maximum discharge and fired at the glowing field of energy. He was taking a chance, a slim chance that the polarity of that forcefield would be just the opposite to that of his phaser, and that a direct contact of the two would annihilate both. The phaser became red-hot in his hand, overloading from the massive energy surge, and then the protective screen vanished, evaporated like a drop of water on the asphalt heated by the midday sun.
The door squeaked pitifully behind him, having finally lost its battle with the guards. He heard them break into the room, but did not bother to turn around. He still needed to shutdown the generator, and that was all that mattered to him now. The Athrinians did not waste any time, and a direct blast from a phaser rifle hit him squarely in the back just as he reached for the lever. His fingers clasped convulsively around the metal object, pulling it down under their own momentum, as his body slid heavily to the ground.
�The generator power is off-line,� a computerized voice registered in his semi-conscious mind, and Chakotay smiled triumphantly before slipping into the blackness of the oblivion.