Chapter 9
�On screen.�
�Kah-thryn Janeway,� the Atarri Captain greeted her with an open palm of his hand. �Our scouts were successful in destroying the disrupter beam on the enemy planet. We are clear to proceed.�
�Understood. Thank you, Captain.� Janeway turned to her helmsman, �Mr. Paris, take her down.�
�Aye-aye, Ma�am,� Tom replied, gearing the ship toward the planet.
Kathryn watched with a sinking heart as Voyager began her descent through the Athrinian atmosphere. A single thought kept running through her mind, repeating itself over and over like an incantation, �God, let him be alive, let him be alive, let him be alive�.�
* * *
The blackness was beginning to retreat slowly, ceding its place to pain. His head was throbbing violently, and it felt like it was going to break into pieces. Chakotay moaned, raising his right hand to his temple, as he struggled to open his eyes. His fingers touched something sticky, and he brought his hand before his eyes, staring at it bewilderedly. Blood. Blood seemed to be everywhere: on the floor underneath him, on his clothes, on his face, � in his throat. Chakotay coughed, spitting out the crimson slush. How long was he unconscious? Minutes? Hours? Days? �No, can�t be days. Those vultures out there could not bear to wait that long before another fight,� he thought grimly to himself. He tried pulling himself up, and fell back with a groan, as sharp blades of pain pierced his body with unceremonious cruelty. Gritting his teeth, he dug his fingers deep into the flesh of his palms, waiting for the pain to subside. Few moments later, he unclenched his fists, revealing an uneven line of bloody bruises left by his nails on the inside of each palm, and leaned back against the cold wall, utterly exhausted.
They were going to come for him. Soon, probably. Eager to watch another duel. Boy, would he be a sorry opponent. Well, at least he won�t give these vultures the satisfaction of a good �show.� He gave a short mirthless laugh that ended in a groan, as a careless movement promptly reminded him of the intensity of his injuries. Sighing, Chakotay closed his eyes, silently praying to the forces of slumber to take him back into their powerful web of oblivion.
A series of loud, though somewhat distant rumbling noises disrupted the enveloping shroud of silence that reigned inside his cell, breaking the lulling charms of sleep. His eyes fluttered open, and he sat quietly, listening to the noises from the outside, trying to identify them. The rumbling was getting closer, strangely resembling explosions, and Chakotay frowned in consternation, straining his ears to hear better. Footsteps. He stiffened, directing his gaze toward the cell door. There was no mistake � the footsteps were getting louder, moving rapidly down the corridor, closer and closer.
This was it. They were coming for him. Chakotay pulled himself up slowly, hanging on to the wall for balance. Pain shot through his body with renewed force, despite all his careful attempts to avoid disturbing his injured shoulder. He bit his lip, hard, feeling almost dizzy from the pain. But he was determined to face his enemies standing, and so he made an effort to straighten himself out, ignoring the warm trickle of blood that ran down his chin from his bitten-through lip.
There was more noise behind the door, and then it flung open, permitting those on the outside to get in. Familiar features cut into his pain-dulled consciousness, and he frowned in confusion, taking a slow vacillating step forward.
�Kathryn�.� A jolt of agonizing pain seared through his body, tearing up the last remnants of his conscious mind, and he collapsed, his eyes still able to register the look of horror on her face as she rushed to his side. Then everything went black once again.
***
�Chakotay!� Kathryn cried out desperately, as his body went limp in her arms. He was unresponsive. Her trembling fingers touched the bronze-colored skin of his throat, feeling for a pulse. For a moment she felt nothing, and a wave of panic washed over her, causing her whole body to shake like the leaf of an aspen tree. She fumbled for the tricorder, but her hands refused to obey, and the instrument fell down, clattering against the metal floor. La�Ariya was already at her side, and she picked up the tricorder, running it over Chakotay�s still form. Having finished, she placed her hand gently on Janeway�s shoulder, forcing the latter to look up.
�The device readings are very faint,� the Atarri woman said calmly. �There is still too much interference from the structure itself. I�m afraid your transporters won�t work from here either. We�ll need to get him outside.� And, seeing the silent plea in the eyes of her new friend, La�Ariya added, �He will be all right, don�t worry.�
Kathryn nodded gratefully, reassured somehow by the enchanting serenity of her companion�s green eyes. They gave her back the moral strength, the strength that left her at the sight of her blood-covered and unconscious First Officer.
�Tuvok!� she called out to the Chief Security Officer, who stood, phaser rifle in hands, at the door, scanning the corridor. �Help us move him.�
The Vulcan nodded, hanging the rifle over his shoulder, as he approached. Chakotay was heavy, too heavy even for the Vulcan, and Kathryn silently cursed the impenetrable material of the Athrinian buildings. If only they had use of the transporters�. She listened intently to the sounds of the war waging outside. Without the transporters, they would have to move straight through the line of fire. They would have to proceed slowly, with caution, while every minute of delay could decrease Chakotay�s chances of staying alive. Kathryn shuddered at the thought, urging their little group to move faster.
***
They made it outside, and her heart rejoiced at the sight of the open space. They could contact Voyager now and beam aboard to safety. They ducked behind some building that was left half-demolished by explosions, and Kathryn tapped her comm badge with her free hand, gently easing Chakotay�s head onto her lap.
�Janeway to Voyager,� she yelled, trying to shout over the sounds of the battle, �prepare to beam�.� She cut herself off in mid-sentence, noticing something from the corner of her eye.
�Captain?� her badge crackled, concern coloring the voice on the other end.
�Stand by, Harry,� she said quietly, placing her unconscious First Officer in La�Ariya�s care as she gingerly stood up, readying her phaser. �I�ll be right back,� she whispered in response to the puzzled glances from her two companions.
Bending down slightly to avoid the phaser fire that seared the air all around her, Janeway quickly made her way to the adjacent building in whose protective shadows she spotted a familiar figure. It was him. Squeezing the handle of her gun, Janeway approached the man from behind, feeling her entire being fill with dark hatred that grew with each step.
�Cowering in safety on all fours, I see, eh, Sedaar?� She hissed, watching in satisfaction as he jumped up at the unexpected sound of her voice, his pale blue eyes wide with fear. But the fear subsided somewhat as he recognized her.
He stood up slowly, and his lips spread into a venomous though nervous smile.
�Well, hello, Kathryn,� he greeted her, trying to give himself an air of outward calm. �You left in such a hurry last time, I never had a chance to say goodbye.� He glanced timorously at her phaser.
�You�ll get your chance,� Kathryn quipped, fighting the urge to pull the trigger. �Move!� She motioned with her phaser in the direction of the rest of her group. Sedaar stiffened, reminding her of a cornered animal who was just looking for an opportunity to break free. �Don�t even think about it!� she said tersely. �My phaser is set to kill.� The icy cold tone of her voice told him that she wasn�t kidding, and he complied.
�Five to beam up, Harry,� she said a few moments later, ignoring the quizzically raised brow of her Chief Security Officer and the angry glares of La�Ariya, as they regarded her new prisoner. �Beam Commander Chakotay straight to sickbay and the rest of us to cargo bay 2, and have security ready there. Janeway out.�