to do with you. I mean, it's obvious you don't know anything. After all, even your own people didn't deem you
important enough to try and save you," he chuckled.
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| Savior | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Author: Tiggy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disclaimer: See part 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rating: PG 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Author's notes: Thanks for your feedback, suggestions, bribes and threats. I hope this story's been worth the wait. Enjoy!!! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| V | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When Kathryn woke up the next morning, she felt better than she had in years. She and Chakotay had spent the most part of the night talking; she had finally told him about her real motives and after hours of thorough questioning on his part, he'd finally believed her. He even considered helping her with her 'mission', but he'd also made it clear that the decision wouldn't be entirely up to him. After all, it would be dangerous, and Chakotay refused send his crew into danger for a cause they didn't believe in. Kathryn understood and accepted his reluctance. Already, he had shown far more support than she'd hoped for. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She got up and went to the small bathroom in Chakotay's quarters. If Chakotay came to the decision that he would help her, they'd have to come up with a more permanent solution concerning room assignments. She knew that Chakotay had spent the night on an uncomfortable couch in the galley. He was the Captain, he needed sleep and she really didn't want him to sacrifice it because of her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the same time, a small and more selfish part of her wished to stay in his rooms as laong as possible. She could feel his presence here, and it had a soothing influence on her which could only be surpassed by the calm she felt when he was with her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Her thoughts wandered back to the night before. When she'd first come aboard Chakotay's ship, she had decided not to tell him anythingj. After all, she'd had no real reason for trusting him and she feared that he might try to prevent her from carrying out her plan. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What plan? Be honest, Kathryn, you never really had a plan. Perhaps you should have made one before you started acting. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She sighed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| It didn't really matter now. She couldn't do anything before Chakotay told her about his decision. He knew that time was running out, so he would decide quickly, and then she could go on planning. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| -�- | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chakotay strode onto the bridge looking rumpled and more than a little tired. When Ayala spotted him, he couldn't hold back a witty remark. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Good morning, Captain. Looks like our guest has managed to wear you out last night." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chakotay didn't even do him the courtesy of a warning look. Instead he turned to Kylen, who was sitting at a nearby console. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Kylen, tell B'Elanna, Seska and Lewis to come to the meeting room in 15 minutes. Ayala, I want you there as well." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Hey, Chakotay," Ayala called after him when he turned towards the turbolift. "Won't you tell us more about... what's her name?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chakotay turned around to find more than just a little curiosity written across the younger man's face. He sighed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You'll learn more about her at the meeting." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Then he entered the turbolift, leaving Ayala and everyone else with uncountable unspoken questions on their minds. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| -�- | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When Chakotay entered the meeting room 10 minutes later, he was surprised to find that the others had already arrived. Well, they are certainly eager to learn what's going on. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Usually, there was one less person at those meetings, but Chakotay had intentionally invited Seska as well. He knew that she was the one most likely to oppose his plan. That's clearly an understatement, old man. Maybe I should have brought a phaser to defend myself. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| His mouth turned into a mirthless smile at those thoughts. This was one of those moments when he most regretted having Seska onboard his ship. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He shook his head and took his seat at the head of the small table. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Thanks for coming. As you all know, we have a new passenger aboard our ship. We saved her from the Cardassian science vessel." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Where is she now?" Seska interrupted. "I hope you put her in the brig. After all, we don't know much about her, do we?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chakotay surpressed a sigh. Here we go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No, actually, she's still in my quarters at the moment. And I've been able to learn quite a great deal about her last night." Even Chakotay realised how that must have sounded and tried to cover his mistake by hastily adding "She told me what happened since the Cardassians caught her and also why she tried to send an unauthorised message from my console last night. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Her story is sound. That woman has been through hell during the last 15 years and I've come to the conclusion that we can trust her." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How can you be so sure?" Seska spat out. "I mean, there's no way to prove that she's telling the truth. When you contacted us from your quarters last night, you didn't really give us any details about what happened. Yesterday, we were all suspicious of her, including you. And now, less than 12 hours later, you tell us that we should trust her. Would you mind telling us what has brought on your change of mind?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I know it sounds a bit rash but we talked for hours last night and.. listen, I was going to tell you all about it anyway, so why don't you hear me out and then you can tell me what you think, okay?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| They all agreed, even Seska gave a reluctant nod and so Chakotay began recounting what Kathryn had told him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Wake up!" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strong arms grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up from the hard bunk she'd been lying on. She didn't even try to resist. By now she knew that trying to put up a fight only resulted in even more pain than she already felt in every part of her body. Besides, what point was there in fighting. Even if she'd manage to get out of the underground structure where she was being held, there was nowhere for her to go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She didn't know how long she'd been here, or how long it was since the rangers had come and freed the Admiral. It didn't matter. They wouldn't come back and she'd have to cope without them. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The guard waited only long enough to make sure she really was awake before he once again grabbed her and shoved her out of her small cell and into the corridor in front of him. He lead her through a seamingly endless maze of corridors until they finally arrived at a great door in front of which two more guards were standing at attention. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| They entered the room. Kathryn recognized it as the room where she'd first met Camet. It was large and sparsely decorated. There was a big desk at the far end, with a big chair behind it and a small one in front. The walls were completely bare. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The guard pushed her further into the room and made her sit on the small chair. Then he left and locked the door behind him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kathryn knew that there was nothing she could do but wait. She thought that she would probably be made to wait for quite some time before Camet or anyone else showed up. They probably wanted to give her some time in which she would start imagining what they'd do to her when the time came. She wasn't easily intimidated by those methods. She'd learned enough about torture at Starfleet Academy to know that she had to remain as calm as possible. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Surprisingly, no more than five minutes later, she heard the door behind her open, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps approaching the desk. Kathryn closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, trying to gather all her strength and ban all the fear she was feeling from her face. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When she looked up, she saw that it was Camet who had entered and was nowsitting down on the other side of the desk. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Good morning, my dear. I hope you were able to grab some sleep. I know the screams can be somewhat disconcerting at times." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He gave her one of those cruel and utterly 'Cardassian' smiles. "You know, I've given some thought to what I'm going to do with you. I mean, it's obvious you don't know anything. After all, even your own people didn't deem you important enough to try and save you," he chuckled. |
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| Kathryn tried hard to keep the hurt those words caused from showing on her face. At least they weren't going to torture her for information, she told herself. Maybe they would kill her, but that was almost a pleasant alternative to all the other cruelties Cardassians were said to be capable of. So she squared her shoulders and awaited her sentence. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She realised that Camet was watching her with a strange gleam in his reptilian eyes. She shivered inwardly. Maybe she wouldn't be allowed to die just yet... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You mean that for the last 15 years, she was a whore for some Cardassian monster?" B'Elanna shook her head in disgust. "I'd rather have killed myself than do something like that!" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "B'Elanna, please," Chakotay said in� what he hoped to be a calming voice. "By now you don't know even half of the story, so listen before you judge her." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Klingon woman gave him a doubtful look but didn't say anything further. Instead Ayala spoke up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So when Camet decided that she didn't know anything, he took her as his personal... slave?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "More or less, yes. He took her to his home on Cardassia Prime. There, he locked her away. She was only alowed to get out when he was around and wanted to have some 'fun' with her. After a while, he really seemed to grow fond of her because he started taking her along when he had to leave on a mission. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Didn't she ever try to escape?" Lewis asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Unfortunately, she had more people to think about than just herself. She wasn't the only slave there, you know. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Of course, she can't be sure, but she thinks that Camet holds at all times up to 50 slaves from all possible kinds of races in his mansion. Most of them never stay there for long. He sells them or sometimes... he has them tortured to death just because he likes to watch." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chakotay had to close his eyes for a moment as he remembered Kathryns expression when she told him all about the things she had seen there. He banned the thoughts from his mind and went on. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Camet threatened her. If she tried something stupid, the others would have to pay for it. And from what I've seen, Kathryn doesn't take such things lightly. She wouldn't endanger the others just so she could be safe." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Seska snorted. "Well, there's nothing she can do now. If Camet decides to keep his word and kill or torture his slaves because of her escape, she won't be able to prevent that." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Suddenly, B'Elanna looked up. "But she wants to try, right? That message she tried to send from your quarters last night- she wants to help those people." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chakotay nodded. "Yes, that's right. Unfortunately, that still isn't all..." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kathryn woke up, feeling the sunlight streaming through the window as it warmed her face. She kept her eyes closed and decieved herself into thinking that she was in her ome on earth on a lovely summer's day. Just then, the door opened and a young woman entered the room. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kathryn couldn't tell what species she belonged to. Her skin was a lovely shade of lilac, smooth and almost transluscent. She had raven hair which was tumbling in soft waves over her shoulders and downto her waist. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When she saw that Kathryn was awake and looking at her, she gave her a smile and said "Good morning, I hope you had a restful night with dreams full of love and sunshine." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kathryn was startled by the woman's words. In all the time that she had lived at Camet's house she had never encountered anyone as friendly as this young girl. She recovered from her surprise and replied, "Thank you. I think I have never seen you before. I am Kathryn and you are..." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "My name is M�nij", she responded. "I have arrived here yesterday. I come from a planet called J�rheli. The Cardassians raided our planet 13 days ago. Many were killed." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kathryn watched how M�nij's face grew dark as those painful memories resurfaced. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "When they were done, the Cardassian Gul picked some of the younger women like me and brought them aboard his ship. Two days ago we were then sold at an auction here on Cardassia Prime. I don't know were the others are now." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kathryn felt an overwhelming surge of compassion for the young girl. She had always known that she was leading a dangerous live, being in Star Fleet. But M�nij was a civilian and she seemed so young and innocent. Kathryn knew that she wasn't allowed to even talk to other slaves, but that simply didn't matter at that moment. She got up from her bed, walked over to M�nij and pulled the girl into her arms. It felt good to hold her, she realized. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| For a while they just stood there holding each other, giving each other strength. And for the first time since her capture, Kathryn felt that she had just encountered a friend. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kathryn woke with a start and found that she must have fallen asleep while lying in Chakotay's bathtub. She'd been surprised to find out that in such spartan quarters there was something as luxurious as a bathtub, but she certainly wasn't going to complain. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She thought back to the dream she'd just had, about her time in the underground prison, about Camet... and her first meeting with M�nij... as always when she thought about her, a terrible feeling of guilt swept over her. She knew she'd never be able to let go of that guilt, no matter what she would achieve now. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She had known she was doing something that was strictly against the rules but at that time she simply couldn't help herself. She'd felt so alone- as had M�nij- so they both had been willing to take the risk. Still, Kathryn felt she should have known better. She'd made a mistake, and M�nij had payed the price. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She could still hear her voice. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "One day, Kathryn, one day this will all be over. We'll be free, and we'll find our way back home to the ones we love... it will be a great reunion, and we'll live in happiness for the rest of our days. Don't you ever forget that, when hope threatens to abandon you. This won't last forever." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| And it hadn't, Kathryn thought bitterly, although not in the way they had dreamed back then. At least she hoped that M�nij had indeed found some of her loved ones again where she was now. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She got out of the bathtub and decided to get dressed and wait for Chakotay. She was hungry, but thought it better not to leave his quarters without him. She wasn't used to be among too many people at once. There was a replicator in here, but Chakotay had told her that rations were always sparse. And although he had told her to help herself to whatever she needed, her hunger wasn't too strong at the moment and she wanted to wait a while longer. Besides, she hoped that maybe Chakotay would have lunch with her. That prospect certainly made it worth waiting... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kathryn shook her head. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Where did that come from? One should think that you have more important stuff to think about than to dream about a man you hardly know. You don't even know who those 'Maquis' are. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She made a mental note to ask Chakotay about them when he came back. Then she began to get dressed. She had a rescue mission to plan... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| On to part 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back to part 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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