Disclaimer:  The characters and various scenes from “The Caretaker” and other episodes belong to Paramount, but the story up to the Delta Quadrant is mine, as is my own interpretation of subsequent events.

Rating:  NC-17, references to non-consensual sex

Notes:  This is an alternate universe story, primarily C/T – Chakotay/Torres, although there are elements of J/C in it.  I would like to acknowledge Cassatt whose wonderful saga “Home” gave me the idea of the silver bracelet, and Karen Tomlinson whose ongoing epic “Homeworld” indirectly influenced my description of Dorvan V, Chakotay’s village and his position within the tribe.  Both are stories well worth reading.

 

 

FRIENDS AND LOVERS

By Mary S.
                                                                                                                           
 Part 1:  The Maquis
 

           Chakotay crept silently through the undergrowth surrounding the Cardassian outpost.  A squad of six Maquis crawled soundlessly behind him, careful to follow exactly in his footsteps and avoid tripping any lethal booby traps.  Just ahead, he could hear a muffled curse coupled with the sound of metal scraping on stone.  Apparently, a soldier had dropped his weapon.  A different voice snarled a reprimand before silence fell once more.  The brief exchange, however, had been enough to tell him exactly where the guard was located.

           He turned his head, nodding to the man behind him, and indicated the sentry.  Without a sound, Lon Suder slithered to the side and disappeared in the bushes.  A few minutes later, Chakotay heard a soft thump.  He raised his head enough to look over the line of brush.  There was Suder staring at him, his face expressionless, the Cardassian slumped at his feet.

           Chakotay suppressed a shudder at Suder’s cold-blooded attitude.  He hated to admit he needed the man, but at moments like this, he proved very useful.

           He waved the rest of his team forward.  As far as he was concerned, the sooner they finished this job and got out, the better.

           Quickly, they worked their way into the building, which the sentry had been guarding.  Time was short.  The commanding officer would be back soon.

           Chakotay issued orders in a low, intense whisper.  “Kurt, Dalby, take that side.  Check for prisoners, then set the charges.  Jonas, Seska, you go this way.  Ten minutes, people, that’s it.”

           He checked that everyone was following his orders, then turned to the remaining two.  “Suder, Henley, watch for soldiers at each door of the building, there and there.”  He indicated the opposite ends of the central corridor.

           As they turned away, Kurt called him to a room about halfway along the passage.

           “Chakotay!  Look here!”

           The Maquis leader hurried down the hall to find Bendera staring at a naked Klingon woman, tied face-up on a bench.  Her body showed numerous bruises and cuts, several of which were bleeding sluggishly.   He wondered at first if she were dead, but when he touched her shoulder, she moaned softly, although her eyes remained closed.

           He stared down at her, heartsick.  Her face was swollen and heavily bruised, the full lips cut where she had bitten them in her agony.   Despite the beatings she had undergone, he could tell she was very pretty, and young, probably not much more than twenty.

           It was also obvious that she had been raped, most likely more than once judging by the amount of blood pooled beneath the bench.  Spirits!  What was he going to do?!  They couldn’t take her with them – she was too badly injured, nearly dead, but he couldn’t leave her to the Cardassians either.  She had suffered too much already.

           Before he had time to regret the impulse, he slashed through the ropes that bound her, then gently eased her up and over his shoulder.  Her head bumped softly against his back and she moaned again.

           Quickly, he hurried out of the room just as the others came up to him.  They all ran back towards the door, then darted outside and into the woods, as angry yells rose behind them.  Again, Chakotay led the way, retracing his footsteps as carefully as possible, as the others trailed behind him in single file.

           “How long is the fuse?” he gasped from under his burden.

           “Three minutes, like you said,” replied Bendera.  “Should go up right…about…now!”

           A massive explosion sounded, lighting the night sky with orange flame and sending a blast of heat past their ears as they reached the shuttle. Chakotay catapulted inside, dragged the woman off his shoulder and threw her at Bendera, with a quick order to cover her up with something.  He dived into the pilot’s seat as the hatch slammed shut.

           Seconds later, the little ship lifted off and tore into the atmosphere, unnoticed by the Cardassians as a second set of charges went off.

           Once it was apparent that there would be no pursuit, the crew relaxed, laughing among themselves now that the danger was past.  All, that is, except Seska.  She stalked through the group to the front of the shuttle, a scowl plastered across her face, then leaned on the back of the co-pilot’s seat and addressed the captain.

           “By all the prophets, why did you bring that girl back with you?!  She’s not going to live!”

           Chakotay looked rather surprised.  His voice held a note of reproach.  “I couldn’t leave her there!  I would think you, of all people, would understand that!”

           “Chakotay, do I have to spell it out for you?  She’s nearly dead now! Just look at her if you don’t believe me!  Why waste precious supplies on someone who isn’t going to survive anyway?”

           He stared hard at her, a frown to match hers on his face.  “Fine!  Then she dies!  But at least she’ll die a free woman, not a prisoner of Cardassian butchers!”

           He turned away to look at the console, trying to hold on to his rapidly fraying temper.  He didn’t understand how, given her background, Seska could be so insensitive to the girl’s plight.  Every Bajoran was well aware of the treatment that female prisoners could expect to receive from the Cardassians.  How she could even consider deliberately abandoning someone to that, never mind berating him for saving her, he didn’t know.  He wasn’t that cruel – up to tonight, he hadn’t thought Seska was either, but now he was beginning to wonder.  He stood up and worked his way through his team to the narrow cot at the rear where the girl lay, watched over now by Henley.  She looked up at Chakotay’s approach.

           “She’s hanging on, Captain, although I’m not sure how.  They were pretty thorough, the Cardies.”

           “Is she conscious?”

           “Not really, although she seems to come to now and again.  But I don’t think she knows where she is.  We were able to stop the bleeding, Kurt and I.”

           “Thanks, Mariah.  Klingons are fighters.  Takes a lot to kill one so I guess there’s hope.  Stay with her.”

           “Aye, Captain, you can count on it.”

           Chakotay returned to his seat, grateful that at least some of his crew approved of his actions.  To his relief, Seska had gone to sit with the others, ignoring him, which was just fine with him.

           When the raiding party finally arrived at their base, he had the girl placed in his quarters.   At present, the Maquis had no healer or medic, the last one having been killed several weeks earlier.  Until someone more qualified appeared on the scene, he would look after her himself.

           Despite his limited knowledge and minimal equipment, Chakotay was able to stabilize her condition enough that she was no longer at death’s door.  However, she didn’t seem to improve very much, drifting in and out of consciousness, very weak and unable to move.   He tended to her needs as required, in between inventorying their dwindling supplies and planning the next raid against their enemy.   More than once, he found his eyes drifting away from the PADDs to her face, wondering who she was and how she had ended up in the hands of the Cardassians.

           Nearly a week after their return, Seska tackled him again, upbraiding him for prolonging the inevitable and using up valuable supplies on a hopeless cause.

           This time, Chakotay completely lost his temper and threw her out of his room, almost striking her before realizing at the last second what he was about to do.  He dropped his clenched fist and forced himself to calm down.  Then, he spoke in a low, deadly voice.

           “That’s it!  Seska, either shut up or get out!”

           She backed away, realizing she’d pushed him too far.  Her opinion of him, never high anyway, plummeted to new depths of contempt.  She clamped her mouth shut to keep in an angry retort and stalked back to her own corner in silent fury.  ‘Stupid man!’ she snarled to herself.  She would be so glad to throw off this disguise once and for all!  She was becoming very fed up with human sensibilities.

           Despite his response to Seska’s accusations, Chakotay knew, deep down, that she had a point.  The girl was not getting any better.   He had done as much as he could and it wasn’t enough.  If she was going to survive, he had to get her professional medical attention.

           After considerable thought and carefully examining all the alternatives, he decided to disguise himself as a poor trader and take her to Deep Space Nine, the nearest installation with the proper facilities to treat her.

           The next day, Chakotay loaded the girl onto a shuttle stripped of any possible identification with the Maquis, and set out on his journey.   He knew he would need more than the usual amount of luck both to avoid capture and get treatment for her.

           Three days later, he arrived at DS9 just behind a large supply convoy from Earth.  With a little judicious maneuvering, he was able to slide into the middle of it and dock in turn with all the other shuttles.  No one appeared to notice that there was one more vessel in the rotation than there should be.

           Once on the station, carrying the girl, he made his way carefully to the infirmary, ducking into doorways and alcoves to dodge anyone he met.  His luck held and he was able to reach the medical bay unchallenged.

           Carefully, he laid her on a biobed, then slipped out the door into the corridor.  He quickly returned to his shuttle and took off immediately for Bajor, leaving it at a small spaceport in one of the more remote provinces, where sympathy for the Maquis was strong and no one asked too many questions.

           In twenty-four hours, he had found his way, via a series of transports, back to Deep Space Nine.  He discovered several hiding places in the maze of Jeffries tubes and conduits that snaked throughout the station, coming out only for food and to try to check on the progress of his protégée without getting caught.  Even though he had done all he could for her, he found himself unwilling to leave until he was sure she would fully recover.

           For nearly two days, Chakotay slid through the shadows, sleeping here and there when he could.   Several times, he was sure he’d been detected, but on each occasion, he managed to find a deserted corridor, which he quickly traversed to a busier area.  His Maquis experience stood him in good stead and he was able to disappear easily in a crowd.

           The second night found him stealthily approaching the infirmary.  Up to this point, he had not been able to do more than amble past the entrance, as one of the staff was always on duty.  Now, however, it appeared to be empty.  He sidled in and stood still, looking about for the doctor or his assistant, but was met with only silence.  He could see the girl lying on a biobed further in, and after another quick glance around, walked over to her.

           As he gazed down on her face, thinking how much better she looked, her eyes opened.

           “Who are you?!  What do you want?!” she demanded, trying to sit up.

           “Hey, it’s okay.  I’m Chakotay, I rescued you from the Cardassians.  Do you remember?”

           She was silent, her face a scowl as she sifted through the morass of twisted memories.  “Sort of.   I recognize your voice.  I remember thinking it was something I could hang on to, when I didn’t know what was happening.”  She peered up at him.  “I’ve been wondering how I got here.  Did you bring me?”

           “Yes.  I didn’t have the equipment or knowledge to treat your injuries properly, and this was the closest place, so…” his voice trailed off as he shrugged his shoulders.  “It seemed the best thing to do.   I was afraid you would die if I didn’t.”

           A slight sound behind him made him whirl around, but he could see no one there and thought it must have come from the corridor.

           He smiled down at her.  “I’m glad to see you’re so much better.  I have to leave – I’m not supposed to be here, but before I go, could you tell me your name?”

           She smiled in response.  “Of course.  It’s B’Elanna, B’Elanna Torres.”  She hesitated, biting her lip, then blurted out a request.  “Could I come with you?  There’s no one here I know, nothing for me, and, well, I’m very grateful to you for saving my life.  I’d like to do more than just say goodbye.”

           Her eyes bored into his, the plea unmistakeable.  Now it was his turn to hesitate, knowing he should just go, yet not able to refuse her.

           “B’Elanna, maybe you didn’t realize – I’m Maquis.  Do you know what that is?”

           “More or less.  Does it matter?”

           “Yes, because it means I’m a rebel, an outlaw, on the run from both the Cardassians and the Federation.”

           “Why?”

           “Cardassia claimed my home planet and the Federation allowed it. They abandoned us, even though every person there was a Federation citizen.  Dorvan isn’t the only planet.  There are quite a few colonies in the demilitarized zone in the same predicament.  Since the Federation refuses to protect us against Cardassian atrocities, we are fighting to defend ourselves.”

           B’Elanna nodded slowly, understanding now how her rescue had occurred.  “Sounds like a good cause to me.  I’d like to join you.”

           “All right, if you’re sure.”  He couldn’t help smiling, absurdly pleased that she wanted to come.  “How are you feeling?  Are you well enough to leave right now?”

           A clipped, emphatic male voice came from behind him.  “No, she is not!”

           Chakotay spun around, body automatically tensing to defend himself.  He found a young man, thin, dark-haired, and dressed in Starfleet blue, standing with a red-haired woman clothed in a Bajoran uniform.  For several seconds, they all stared at one another.  Chakotay’s heart sank as his eyes fell on the phaser in the woman’s hand.  This time, he had pushed his luck too far, and now he was going to pay for it.

           However, to his complete astonishment, the woman tapped her commbadge and lowered her hand to her side, although she didn’t holster her weapon.

           “Kira to Odo.”

           “Yes, Major?” came a gravelly voice.

           “I’ve found our intruder.  You can stand down the search.  He’s a stowaway off one of the supply ships, must have slipped onto the station when the crew wasn’t watching.  He’s quite harmless.”

           Chakotay caught his breath, waiting.  Here was an unexpected development.  He had no idea what was coming next.

           The man pulled out a medical tricorder and scanned B’Elanna, muttering to himself as he checked the readings before walking into his office.  Major Kira held Chakotay’s gaze, as she spoke in a hard voice.

           “You realize that I know who you are, I overheard what you told her.  And under any other circumstances, you would now be under arrest.”  She paused.

           “But?”  he asked softly.

           “But, B’Elanna told us what happened to her, and although she didn’t know who had saved her from the Cardassians, it was pretty obvious it was the Maquis.  You brought her to us at considerable risk to yourself.  And, although I’m going against standing orders, I can’t throw you in the brig for an errand of mercy.”  Her voice softened.  “I was in the resistance on Bajor.  I fought the Cardassians, and I know what it’s like.  As long as you do nothing to jeopardize the safety of this station, I’ll turn a blind eye.  But you have to leave.”

           Chakotay was nodding.  “Yes, I understand.  And I appreciate very much the risk you both are taking.”  He turned to B’Elanna.  “I’m sorry, but you see how it is.  I can’t stay any longer.  These people are already taking a big chance for me.  It’s not fair to prolong it.”

           B’Elanna gazed at him imploringly.  “How will I be able to find you?  Please don’t go without me!”

           “I must.”

           She looked down, trying not to cry.  She was over-reacting, she told herself!  He had been very kind to her, but her life wouldn’t come to a screeching halt if she never saw him again.

           Kira spoke up.  “I’ve just had a thought.  Can you wait on Bajor?  When B’Elanna’s well enough to travel, I could bring her to you.”

           B’Elanna caught her breath in sudden hope.  Maybe…

           Chakotay agreed.  “Yes, we could arrange a meeting place, perhaps in the capital where we wouldn’t attract as much attention.  How soon?”

           “Just a minute.”  Kira disappeared after the man, who Chakotay realized must be the resident physician.  She rejoined them a minute later.

           “Dr. Bashir thinks three days.  All right?  I can arrange a reason to go to Bajor; I’ll make sure she isn’t seen leaving.   Fortunately, Commander Sisko has been detained at Starfleet Headquarters for several more days, so I’ll still be in command then.  Makes things a bit easier,” she added enigmatically.

           Chakotay needed no further explanation.  Ben Sisko had a well-deserved reputation for hating all things Maquis, stemming mostly from the defection of his oldest friend, Cal Hudson, and his security officer, Michael Eddington.  The latter had run rings around him, playing him for a fool, and Sisko had vowed to leave no stone unturned in an effort to catch him.  Chakotay was very much aware of the incredible risk Kira and Bashir were taking on his and Torres’ behalf.  If their involvement were ever discovered, they could both well be charged with high treason.  He vowed to get off the station right away.

           Final arrangements were made and in less than an hour, he was on the regular transport to Bajor, just one more face among many.  When, some hours later, Odo questioned Kira about the fate of the stowaway, she was able to reply with perfect truth that she had put him on the shuttle to Bajor and sent him on his way.

           Three days later, the major found it necessary to have a meeting with several members of the Bajoran Council.  No one noticed the slight, cloaked figure who slipped out of the runabout on Bajor once Kira had left for her appointment.  A few minutes later, following precise instructions, B’Elanna carefully found her way to the main plaza.

           She stood motionless, watching the crowd, when she felt a body move close behind her as a familiar, welcome voice murmured in her ear.  “Glad to see you made it.   Take my hand.”

           B’Elanna did as ordered and found herself led through a maze of alleys and back streets.  She stumbled once or twice, but the strong grasp held her steady.

           “Nearly there,” Chakotay spoke for the first time in several minutes.  “Wrap your cloak tightly around you and pull down your hood.  Then walk two paces behind me.  We’re pretending you’re my wife, and we’re from a remote province where women hide their faces in the presence of strangers.”

           She did as he bade, head down, eyes only able to see his boots ahead of her.  They walked steadily through the shuttleport, careful not to appear to be in a hurry, until they came to a small, nondescript vessel parked off to one side.

           Chakotay hurried in and closed the hatch, starting the engines as soon as he reached the pilot’s seat.  B’Elanna fell into the space beside him, glad to sit down as her head was starting to spin.

           By the time she was able to take in their surroundings, Chakotay had requested and received clearance to depart immediately.  He engaged thrusters and they lifted off, going to warp as soon as they were clear of the planet.
 

                                         =^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
 

           Their journey back to Chakotay’s cell took several days as they followed a circuitous route, which doubled back on itself more than once.  Any vessel following them would leave a trail of plasma residue, enough to alert them to a pursuit.  However, each time they crossed their previous course, they found only traces of their own shuttle.  After nearly a full day, Chakotay gratefully concluded that Major Kira had kept her word and allowed them to escape.

           B’Elanna remarked that the major had seemed very sympathetic to his cause.  He agreed, adding that since Bajor was dependent on the Federation for almost everything, and, therefore, in no position to offend its strongest ally, most Bajorans felt unable to openly show their support for the Maquis.   However, many helped in countless ways, and if not for their covert assistance, the resistance probably would have collapsed by now.

           Over the first few hours, Chakotay kept a close, if surreptitious, eye on B’Elanna, concerned not so much for her physical recovery as for the emotional battering she had suffered.  On the surface, she seemed to have made a remarkable comeback, but he suspected that underneath, her wounds were still raw.  In particular, he noticed that if he moved close to her suddenly, catching her off-guard, she flinched and backed away, her hands automatically coming up to protect herself.

           He found himself in a somewhat peculiar position.  On the one hand, he knew her body well – he had cared for her, looking after all her needs, for several days in the camp.   But, on the other hand, as yet they’d only had a few brief conversations, and he knew little about her besides her name.

           As the shuttle continued to follow its convoluted course, he decided this was as good an opportunity as any to get better acquainted.

           They had finished eating a meal and were relaxing in the pilot’s and co-pilot’s chairs when Chakotay started to question her.   He was careful to keep his posture non-threatening and his voice very casual.

           “I get the impression,” he began, “that you’ve spent some time on Earth.  Is that right?”

           “Yes,” replied B’Elanna, equally casual, although she wasn’t fooled for a minute.  She had been expecting him to start asking questions ever since they had taken off from Bajor.  “I spent nearly two years in Starfleet Academy before I…left.”

           “I see.  What track were you on?”

           “Engineering.”

           “Why did you leave?”

           “Let’s just say that one of the very few things the Academy and I agreed on was that I really didn’t belong there.”

           “All right.”  He paused, debating how much he should probe, but he had gone this far.  “Where’s home?” he asked.

           She shrugged.  “I grew up on Kessik Four, but I don’t consider it home.  I guess I don’t really have one, not like most people.”  She tried to keep her voice indifferent, but Chakotay heard the pain underneath.  “I heard my mother went back to Q’onoS after I left for Earth.  I don’t know where my father is – he walked out on us a long time ago.  He’s human,” she added, as if that explained his disappearance.

           Chakotay nodded, understanding now why her facial features were less sharply defined than other Klingons’.

           “What happened after you left the Academy?” he asked after a few minutes.  “Where did you go?”

           “A number of places, anywhere I could find a job.  I worked on several different ships doing whatever needed to be done.  Gradually, I found myself further and further away from Earth.  The last one was carrying medical supplies, or so the captain said, from Bajor to several colony planets.  Now that I think about it, he was probably smuggling weapons to the Maquis.”

           She fell silent, clearly uncomfortable now.  Chakotay sighed to himself – might as well get it over with.

           “What happened?  How did the Cardassians…?”

           “We were attacked by a patrol ship.  Since we were unarmed and couldn’t outrun them, the captain had no choice but to surrender.  He tried to hide me in a corner of the cargo hold, but they found me.   I…”  Her hand went to her mouth as she gulped back a sob.

           Chakotay reached out a hand to her shoulder, patting it gently.  She looked up at him, her eyes wide and panicky.   She took several deep breaths, trying to regain her self-control, then opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out were incoherent sentences.

           “I…they threw me into a cell…they questioned…the captain was…they…he died under torture…then they came for me.”

           She was gasping now with the effort to get out the words, her body trembling violently.   Chakotay rose and lifted her to her feet, then sat down on the floor and cradled her on his lap.

           “Finish it, B’Elanna.  What happened?”

           “They kept asking the same questions…over and over!  Who were our contacts?  Where were the Maquis hiding?  I didn’t know!!” she wailed.  “I kept telling them – I didn’t know!  I tried to fight them off, but there were too many.  They beat me and then…!”

            She turned her face into his shoulder, clenching her teeth in a desperate attempt not to cry.  He sat very still and held her as tightly as he could, trying to give her the strength she needed to go on.   He knew she must have been grievously affected by the brutality she’d received to invoke such a powerful reaction.  Klingons were notoriously strong-minded, considering any sign of weakness to be the worst kind of dishonour.

            Despite her efforts, he could feel his shirt becoming damp with her tears.  Her body shook even harder and a howl of pain and anger burst out of her.  Chakotay rubbed her neck and shoulders gently, trying to ease her shuddering and coax her to relax.

           “It’s all right, sweetheart.  It’s over.  They won’t hurt you again, I promise.  I won’t let them.”  Again and again, he repeated the words in a soft, even tone, letting the sound of his voice gradually calm her.

           Eventually, she lifted her head to look up at him.  He smiled very gently and pushed her hair back from her tear-stained face.

           “Feel better now?”

           B’Elanna thought about it, then nodded.  “Yes, I do.”

           “Good.”  His face turned solemn.  “I want to make you a promise.  Right now.  I will never let that happen to you again!  If I have to kill you, I will not let anyone dishonour you like that – ever!”

           She froze in astonishment, too stunned to respond.   Chakotay gazed at her intently.  “Do you understand what I’m saying?”

           She found her tongue, gasping.  “Yes!  It’s just – for a long time, no one has much cared what happens to me.  I’ve had to look after myself.”

           “Well, now you’ve got me.  And when we get back to camp, you’ll have everyone there, too.   The Maquis are like family – and members of families look out for each other.   You’re not alone anymore.”

           B’Elanna stared at him, speechless.  Finally, unable to find the words to express her feelings, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.   They sat wrapped together for several minutes before he gently eased her off his lap and onto the floor beside him, suddenly aware that his body was responding to her proximity.  With any luck, he hoped, she hadn’t noticed.  She was in no condition right now to contend with his physical reaction to her.
 

                                         =^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
 

           The remainder of their journey proved uneventful and Chakotay was careful not to mention the Cardassians again.

           Once they had returned to the Maquis’ hideout, B’Elanna announced that she wanted to help in whatever way seemed best.  Since her talents and interests lay in engineering, Chakotay immediately placed her on the shuttle maintenance team.  Very soon after, Kurt Bendera told him he had never seen any engineer with as much instinct and natural ability as she had.  He added that if Chakotay had any sense at all, he would put her in charge of the whole damn fleet!

           Chakotay raised his brows.  “That good?!”

           “That good!” replied his friend in no uncertain terms.

           “What about Seska?”

           “What about her?  Torres will be able to keep her in line.  She’s beaten the tar out of her once already!” replied Kurt smugly.

           “She what?!  I didn’t hear anything!  Why wasn’t I told?!”  Chakotay was in full captain mode, demanding answers which Kurt wasn’t really prepared to give.

           “Uh, maybe she didn’t want to bother you.  Seska was mouthing off again and Torres just lit into her.  I wasn’t there – Chell told me.  Said Seska just sat there on her fanny absolutely stunned!  Said it was pretty funny, too.  I guess Miss High-and-Mighty has finally met her match!”

           Bendera paused, then added, his voice cautionary.  “Chakotay, don’t make a big deal about it.  Torres had to prove she could look after herself, and she has.  Seska will be a lot more careful now.”

           The captain was thoughtful.  “Yeah, you’re right.  I keep forgetting she’s half-Klingon, and that so far, we’ve only seen her at her weakest.”

           Bendera chuckled.  “Well, as the old saying goes – we ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”

           Once she had proved she could defend herself, B’Elanna quickly found a niche in the Maquis family.  Her expertise and ingenuity in ship repairs earned her instant respect among most of her colleagues, and her fists coupled with a fearless attitude kept the remainder in line.  Even Seska seemed to be won over, actually going out of her way to tell Chakotay that the shuttles were running more smoothly than they had in years.  With that praise, B’Elanna’s place was secure.

           For her part, she was happier than she had been in a long time.  She was doing what she enjoyed most, in a group of people who didn’t care about her heritage.  For once, she felt she was an engineer first and Klingon second, not the other way around as was usually the case.  Indeed, the only problem she had now was her growing attraction to her captain.  Try as she might, she couldn’t think of him only as her commanding officer.

           At first, she tried to pretend that what she felt was merely gratitude for saving her from a horrible death, but as time passed, and her feelings deepened, she was forced to admit that she was falling in love with him.  She told herself to stop being a damn fool, that he would never look at her that way, and she was behaving like an idiot!  But none of her lectures to herself did any good.  He continued to haunt her at the most inopportune moments and keep her awake at night.  In desperation, she took to working late each evening, trying to exhaust herself to the point where she would fall asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.  That didn’t work, either, she discovered, as his image filled her dreams in ever more sensual ways.

           What B’Elanna didn’t know was that Chakotay was just as drawn to her, and equally as embarrassed, telling himself she was much too young and couldn’t possibly be attracted to someone nearly twenty years older.  Like her, he tried to bury himself in work in order to put her out of his mind.  And like her, he was just as unsuccessful.

           Things came to a head one night when several of the men, drunk on home brew, decided to find out if Klingon women deserved their reputation as sexual savages.  They burst into B’Elanna’s room and pounced on her, waking her from a sound sleep.  She managed to screech loudly for help, then put all her energy into holding them at bay.  She fought like a wildcat, kicking, biting, scratching – catching them quite by surprise.  No one had realized that her small stature was deceptive – she was a lot stronger than she looked and her reflexes were lightning quick.

           Half the camp had been roused by the din and were gathering around her door when Chakotay burst through the crowd in an absolute fury, his voice raised as he threw bodies aside.  In seconds, he was inside the room and smashing his fist into the nearest nose.

           Very quickly, the uproar subsided as B’Elanna’s attackers realized they were on the losing side.  They staggered out the door into the arms of Hogan, Bendera and several others.  The captain yelled for them to be thrown in the brig to sleep it off – he would deal with them in the morning.

           Everyone else drifted away until he and B’Elanna were alone.  He looked her over, unable to see any obvious injuries, then took her hand.

           “Are you all right?  Did they hurt you?”

           She shook her head, panting still.  “No, I was able to hold them off.  I’m fine.  Thanks – again – for coming to my rescue.”

           Despite her assurance, he could see her whole body shaking.

           “B’Elanna, you’re not fine, you’re trembling, I can see it.”

           She wouldn’t look at him, afraid to admit that actually, it wasn’t fear that made her shake but arousal.  At that moment, she could feel her blood boiling hotter and hotter as desire coursed through her.

           Chakotay stepped closer and put his arms around her, trying to comfort her.  She gritted her teeth, attempting to hang on to what control she had left, and pushed him away.

           “I’m fine.  Really.”

           “B’Elanna, please!”  His tone was insistent.   “I want to help!”

           Her eyes snapped up to bore into his as she growled softly.  “You better leave.  I don’t think you mean the kind of help I need right now.”

           He stared down into her face, puzzled, still not comprehending the significance of her tensed body and flushed features.

           “Fine!” she snarled.  “Then I’ll leave!”

           As she turned away, it finally dawned on him what she really meant.  He grabbed her shoulders and spun her around to face him, now easily reading her expression.  She growled again as he stared into her eyes, feeling himself start to react to her.

           Suddenly, voices could be heard nearby, coming closer.  On impulse, Chakotay seized her hand, led her out the door and across to his own room, located in a separate building which also housed their supplies.

           Once there, he pulled her into his arms, prepared to release her at the slightest sign of discomfort.  There was none.  Instead, she reached up, grabbed his head and pulled it down so she could bite his neck just below the ear.  He jumped, startled, then crushed her in his embrace, kissing her hard, almost violently.  She met his aggression with her own, her tongue pushing into his mouth as her body ground against his.

           He tugged at her clothing as she pulled at his.  Panting, they stepped apart only long enough to strip naked.  She grinned with delight on seeing his stiff erection, feeling for it, rubbing it, her hand caught between their bodies as they came together again.

           “I want you,” he muttered.  “Now.”

           Her response was another growl as she took a step toward the bed,  and fell back onto the mattress, pulling him down with her.  He needed no further invitation, spreading her legs and entering her with one hard thrust.  She flinched as a bolt of pain shot through her, her newly-healed passage protesting the sudden invasion.  Then it was gone as she locked her legs around his waist and arched against him, countering his rhythm, hard and fast.  Lust and passion took over, and neither made any effort to hold back.  Very quickly, they both climaxed, feeling their tensions flow away with release.

           Chakotay lay motionless on top of her, wondering what the hell they had just done.  Yet he couldn’t regret it.  The attraction, simmering for days, had wound both of them up like taut springs, ready to let go at the slightest provocation.  He propped himself up on his elbows so he could look at her, anxious to read her expression.  Her face wore a contented smile, reminding him forcefully of a cat who had just licked up a bowl of cream.

           He eased off, then lay beside her, wondering where they would go now.  She opened her eyes and grinned at him.

           “You’re incredible, you know,” she purred.  “Can we do that again?”

           He burst out laughing.  “Give me a few minutes first.  Then, yeah, maybe we can.  But next time, I want to take a little time to enjoy you.”

           She closed her eyes, and turned to snuggle against him.  “As long as there is a next time, you can enjoy me all you want.”

           Her hand strayed across his stomach then trailed over his hip before coming to rest against the inside of his thigh.  “I want to touch you, feel you, all of you,” she mumbled, so softly he could hardly hear her.

           With his free hand, he stroked her face and hair, then tilted her head to kiss her gently.  As his body twisted, she cupped his scrotum and kneaded gently, working her fingers over the sacs, massaging the sensitive spot behind them.  He could feel desire start to rise again and deepened the kiss, his hand coming to rest on her breast.  He tweaked the nipple with his fingers, then leaned over her to suck on it, twisting it with his tongue.  She stiffened and gasped as she reacted to his touch, and her fingers dug in a little harder.

           His hand slid down to her groin, one finger brushing over her pubic mound and across her vulva, before coming to rest against her clit.  She moaned and undulated against the pressure.  His teeth bit her nipple very lightly in response and her hips jerked.

           “Chakotay,” she groaned, then gripped his penis, stroking it, sliding her hand up and down, and rubbing her thumb lightly over the tip.

           He raised his head, panting as lust and need poured through him, tightening his groin, forcing his erection to become even harder.

           Suddenly, B’Elanna sat up, then pushed him onto his back and straddled him.  He grasped her hips as she leaned over him, letting her breasts dangle above his face.  He grinned, then stretched up his head to latch on to one, sucking hard as he closed his mouth over it.  She leaned into him, then sprawled her length on top, wiggling, twisting her way over him.

           Chakotay pushed down on her hips to hold her in place, thrusting against her, and opened his eyes to watch her.  Her head was thrown back, ecstasy written all over her face as she worked herself, and him, closer and closer to the edge.  He felt the orgasm creep nearer, clawing at the last bit of his control.

           “B’Elanna,” he managed to grunt, “I can’t wait…much longer.  I’m …coming!”

           She looked down at him, then in one quick movement rose to her knees and slid over him, taking him all the way inside, feeling him penetrate her to the core.  He groaned and jerked hard against her as she countered, crying out his name.

           He tried to hold back, to wait, but his control was gone, leaving only raw lust and the overwhelming urge to ejaculate in its place.  He thrust hard in short, sharp jerks, his penis ready to explode.  And then he was there, his semen shooting out in great spurts deep inside her.

            His actions were enough to trigger her own release, and she howled her orgasm, uncaring of whoever might be able to hear.

           She continued to ride him as he pumped into her, until eventually they slowed, then stopped, both exhausted and quite out of breath.
 
           B’Elanna leaned over him, hair falling forward as she panted, gasping for air.  He reached up with both hands to cradle her head, his face a delighted grin from ear to ear.

           “What a woman you are!” he exclaimed.  “Unbelievable!”

           She grinned back, then gradually eased off him, his flaccid penis slipping out of her.  She climbed off the bed to stand, a bit wobbly, before heading for the bathroom.

           “I need to get cleaned up,” she explained as she disappeared through the door.

           A few minutes later, she came out, a damp cloth and towels in hand, and proceeded to clean his genitals carefully and very thoroughly, being sure to give his penis an extra loving wipe.

           Chakotay lay back, relaxed, thoroughly enjoying her ministrations.  “I could get used to this really easily,” he remarked.

           She chuckled.  “I’m sure you could.  Now roll over so I can make sure I didn’t miss anywhere.”

           He turned over obediently and felt her wipe between and over his buttocks, spreading his legs to give her better access.  She towelled him dry, then patted his bum.  “All done.  You can turn over.”

           He rolled back onto a dry towel as she returned the cloth to the bathroom, then came back to lie down beside him.  She sat up once to pull up the blanket, then snuggled cosily against him, her head on his shoulder.

           “I could get used to this, too,” she murmured sleepily.

           He kissed her forehead, then closed his eyes and relaxed.  As he drifted off, he wondered what his crew would make of this latest development, then decided he didn’t care.

                                         =^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
 

           Two days later, Chakotay led another sortie, this time on a Cardassian ordnance depot.  The Maquis were always short of weaponry and had found raiding was the easiest way to replenish their stores, with the added advantage of disrupting Cardassian supply lines.  Like any new recruit, B’Elanna was included on the mission in order that the others could see how well she reacted to the sudden pressure of unexpected situations.  Chakotay knew that experience in actual battle conditions was the best way to find out.

           However, he found himself continually distracted with worry about her safety, and began to wonder if bringing her along had been such a good idea.  That led to the next thought – perhaps he shouldn’t be involved with her at all except as just another member of his crew.

           He understood the reasoning behind the Starfleet protocols that discouraged a captain from getting too close to his crew.  But the command structure in the Maquis was much looser.  He had indulged in a brief fling with Seska and had had no qualms about assigning her to dangerous missions.  Why should he feel any different about B’Elanna?  Deep down, he knew the answer.  Seska had attracted him on a physical level only.  Once the novelty had worn off, he had discovered he really didn’t like her very much.

           With B’Elanna, the situation was quite different.  He knew he was falling in love with her and he was pretty sure she felt the same way about him.  He shook his head almost sadly – it was already too late to stop their romance without causing a lot of pain on both sides.
           Determined to be completely honest with her, that night Chakotay sat her down and told her of his fears.  He explained that, at all times, he had to be able to keep focused on the mission; for the safety of everyone involved, he simply couldn’t afford to be distracted as had happened that day.  He expressed his concerns about their involvement and suggested it might be more sensible to end their relationship before it went any further.

           She sat still, never taking her eyes off his face as he spoke.  When he fell silent, she continued to stare, feeling an all-too-familiar sense of abandonment creep over her.  It was happening again, just like always – he didn’t want her anymore.  She turned away, trying to hold in the disappointment, but despite her efforts, a few tears slipped down her cheeks.

           Chakotay watched, worried when she made no sound.  He touched her shoulder and felt her flinch, then heard the indrawn sob that she tried to swallow.

           “B’Elanna, don’t cry.  You’ll get over me.  I’m not worth…”

           She didn’t let him finish, jumping to her feet to face him, uncaring now of the tears pouring down her face.  “I love you, fool that I am!  I’ve tried not to, I told myself what would happen – it always does!  Every time!  But, god help me, I’ve fallen in love with you anyway!”  Her voice became louder as her anger increased until she was almost screaming in frustration and rage.

           Then, as quickly, the storm was past.  She fell to her knees against the wall, huddling there, covering her face.

           Chakotay was horrified.  He didn’t know much about her past, but he was beginning to realize that this was not the first time she had been pushed aside.  To her, it must seem that he had only wanted to use her for his own pleasure.

           He sighed, then knelt beside her, enfolding her in his arms.  “I love you, too, sweetheart, much more than I should.  It’s just…on the mission today, all I could think of was you!  I can’t do that when I have everyone else to consider, too.”
 

           She raised her tear-stained face to his.  “I know that!  I can look after myself, probably a lot better than you think I can.  Please – give us a chance!  Just for a month, a week, a day even!  Please don’t leave me!”

           Her heartfelt plea broke through the last of what resistance he had left.  He sat on the floor and pulled her into his arms, cradling her tightly to his body.

           “I love you, B’Elanna,” he told her again.  “Somehow I guess we’ll work it out.  We have to, because I don’t think I can give you up now.”

           He buried his face in her hair, feeling her nuzzle into his neck, and closed his eyes.
 

                                         =^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
 
 

            A month later, Chakotay sat conferring with his entire crew.  The time had come to relocate once again.  Never able to stay in one place for very long, the Maquis always had to be on the move lest their enemies discover their hideout.  This time, they had stayed longer than usual, but now their leaders had decided it was more than time to be on their way, and were announcing their decision to all the crew together.

           Maquis ships were organized in a much looser fashion than most.  Major decisions were thoroughly examined and discussed by everyone before being implemented.  Of course, in the end, the captain still had final authority, although on occasion, he might find himself having to assert that authority with his fists.

           Today, however, agreement was reached quickly.  Their ragtag fleet, consisting of the Liberty and three shuttles, would move to Meltar Three, a planet located in a minor system on the edge of the Badlands, not far from Dorvan.

           “Is anyone there?  Is it inhabited?” asked B’Elanna.

           “I don’t think so,” replied Bendera.  “Dalby and I did a quick scan of it as we passed by several months ago, when we were on our way to meet the others after a raid.  We added it to the list of potential sites for a camp.  It’s got water and a breathable atmosphere.  Covers the basics.”

           Dalby chuckled.  “No dancing girls, though, Chell.  Sorry.  Maybe next time.”

           His sally was greeted with general laughter as Chakotay rose.  “All right.  Is everyone agreed then?  Good.   We go in three hours.  Let’s pack up.”

           The group dispersed rapidly to make all the preparations necessary for departure.  B’Elanna had her doubts about whether they could actually get underway on schedule, but sure enough, three hours later, the camp had been stripped down to bare ground, the few permanent structures demolished once they were emptied.  To any passing ship scanning the planet, it would be just one more abandoned settlement, an all-too-common sight in this sector.
 

                                         =^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
 

           Meltar Three proved to be one of the more pleasant spots that the Maquis had encountered in their renegade existence.  They found an area of heavily wooded hills, clear streams and, here and there, steep, rocky cliffs overhanging deep caves.  It wouldn’t take much work to bolster the natural defences with sensors and perimeter alarms, thereby creating a formidable stronghold.

           Long practice saw the crew divide smoothly into different teams to set up camp.  While some organized housing, others gathered food and coordinated supplies.  Still others unloaded the ship and shuttles, then set up a separate, secure base where they could be landed for repairs and maintenance.

           Once the essential tasks were out of the way, Chakotay gave everyone a free day to relax and catch up on much-needed sleep.  While ostensibly he felt the crew would benefit from a day of rest, he also had an ulterior motive.

           Since leaving their previous site, he had hardly seen B’Elanna.  She had been heavily involved in the engineering aspects of the move, as well as any emergency repairs during the trip.  Much of the time, she had been moving from one vessel to another, ensuring that each one was operating at peak performance in case of a sudden attack by one of their enemies.  Chakotay had spoken to her only briefly on two occasions while in space, and even after they landed, she had been immersed in helping to arrange the repair and maintenance facilities.

           The captain knew that his newest recruit had become essential, not just to him, but to the whole crew.  Her enthusiasm and energy gave new life to the engineers’ constant battle to keep tired, worn-out ships operational.  And her instinctive grasp of engineering principles, joined with a natural creativity, had led to some ingenious methods of repair and operation.  B’Elanna could come up with impromptu solutions for almost any problem, a rare quality that marked only the very best engineers.  Chakotay blessed the fates yet again for putting her in his path.

           Now, however, he wanted her to himself for a day.  He sought her out, proposing a hike to a swimming hole that Henley had found a few days earlier, while scouting out their surroundings.

           At first, B’Elanna demurred, citing the mountain of work still to be done to properly organize her area of responsibility.  In the end, he was forced to pull rank to persuade her to take the day off.  Once they had started out, however, she was very glad that he had insisted.

           A narrow trail wound away from the camp toward the sound of a creek babbling over rocks.  Very quickly, they were swallowed up by heavy forest, the ground thick with ferns, dotted here and there with moss-covered logs.  Chakotay took the lead, walking at a leisurely pace as he examined the environment around them.  B’Elanna glanced behind her now and then, the action automatic in an unknown area.  She could see little ahead beyond Chakotay’s broad back.

           The path narrowed even more, rising to follow the base of a cliff overhang.  Below them, they could just catch the odd glimpse of the stream through the trees.  They clambered over several large boulders and scrambled to find their footing in the loose dirt of the hillside.

           “Do you know how much farther?” B’Elanna called, wondering where Chakotay could be taking her.

           “Not exactly, but from Henley’s description, I think we’re pretty close,” came the reply.

           He glanced back just in time to see her start to slip as the ground gave way beneath her.  He grabbed on to a sapling with one hand and stretched to snatch her arm with the other.  For several seconds, his grip was all that kept her from falling all the way down to the rocks below.  Then, finally, she was able to dig in her toes, giving him enough purchase to pull her up.  A moment later, she was safe beside him, somewhat out of breath and quite filthy.

           “Looks like I’m going to be doing laundry, too, as well as taking a bath,” she remarked as she brushed off the worst of the grime.

           “It’s warm, it’ll soon dry,” he replied as he turned back to the path.

           “Great.  Just in time to get dirty all over again on the trip back,” she sighed.

           He grinned, but saved his breath for the steep climb in front of them.  They plodded up the last bit of slope, to find themselves looking down at the stream a good thirty feet below.

           The path angled down and they followed it carefully, mindful of B’Elanna’s earlier slide.  However, they reached the bottom without incident and stood gazing around them in awed silence.

           The laughing creek danced its way over giant boulders and small stones before pausing to form a deep pool, which looked ideal for swimming.

           Chakotay quickly scanned it with a tricorder, then the surrounding area.  “It reads quite safe, and I’m not picking up any sign of life.”

           “Good enough for me,” answered B’Elanna, her voice muffled by the shirt she was pulling over her head.  He chuckled, then followed suit.

           In no time, both had stripped off every stitch and dived in.  B’Elanna was the first to surface, spluttering.  “Ohh!!  That’s cold!”

           Chakotay’s head popped up as she spoke.  “You’ll get used to it.  Keep moving.   Come on, I’ll race you to the other side.”

           “Chakotay!  It’s hardly six meters!  Some race!”

           “Oh, come on!  What’s the matter?  Afraid I’ll win?”
 
           B’Elanna Torres had never in her life refused a challenge and certainly wasn’t about to start now.  She struck out without another word, catching him off-guard.  He chased her across but couldn’t possibly catch up over such a short distance.  She turned as she reached the opposite bank and grinned triumphantly.

           “You were saying?” she asked smugly.

           “Warmer yet?” was his equally smug reply.

           In answer, she splashed him hard, then took off for the other side, arms flailing to stay ahead of him.  She pulled herself out just as a wave of water surged toward her.

           “Missed me,” she teased and stuck out her tongue.

           Chakotay barrelled out of the pool, his eyes gleaming for revenge.  B’Elanna leaped to her feet and looked around frantically for escape – there was none.  He advanced on her steadily, backing her up against the hill.

           “What did you say about ‘missing you’?” he growled.

           She stopped as she felt the slope at her back and put up her chin, all but daring him to attack.  He grinned savagely and reached out to grab her arms.  As he did, his foot slipped slightly on the wet rock.  She seized the moment and darted out of his grasp, racing to the water and diving in.

           “I said,” she yelled in unholy glee, “you missed!”

           Chakotay strolled to the edge and waited, his stance nonchalant.  Sooner or later, she had to come out, and when she did…

           B’Elanna, meanwhile, was finding the temperature increasingly uncomfortable as she trod water.  Like all Klingons, she was much more susceptible to cold than humans.  Now that she was hardly moving, she could feel the chill acutely.

           “Chakotay?” she called plaintively, “I’m getting really cold.  Can we call a t-t-truce?”  Her teeth chattered violently on the last word.

           “Well…” he pretended to hesitate.  “I suppose.  But you’ll have to pay a forfeit.”

           “Anything!  I’m f-f-freezing to death in here!”

           “Come on then,” his voice softened as he realized she really was becoming chilled.

           She started to paddle back slowly, but her movements were sluggish as her arms and legs had grown stiff with cold.

           “Chakotay?” she called, her voice laced with sudden fear.  “I c-can’t seem to m-m-move!”

           He was in the water at once, swimming strongly to her side.  In another minute, he had her arms gripped tightly in his hands and towed her back to the edge of the pool.  He grasped her waist and heaved her out, then followed and lifted her up in his arms.  She was shaking violently, her eyes half-closed.

           He rubbed her limbs vigorously, trying to force her blood to circulate more quickly.  She continued to tremble so he lay down on top of her, covering as much of her body as he could with his own.  Gradually, the shaking subsided and the colour returned to her face.

           Chakotay gazed into her eyes, wide now with arousal.  “Feel better?” he asked.

           “Yes,” she purred, then licked her lips and reached for his head.  Slowly, she pulled his face down, her eyes never leaving his until he was too close to focus on.  He brushed her mouth very lightly with his lips, then pressed down hard.

           She responded at once, spreading her legs and shifting until the tip of his penis rested against her vulva.  He eased in slowly, eyes open.  He never tired of watching her face at the moment of penetration.  She wore an expression of absolute delight, which gradually changed to ecstasy, then to fierce passion as lust took over.  Her back arched as her hips surged against his.  Now his own lust came to the fore and he forgot everything else but the exquisite joy of approaching orgasm.

           He drove into her in a steady, hard rhythm that quickly had them both crying out as they climaxed simultaneously.  Her vaginal muscles milked him rhythmically, prolonging their euphoria.  Gradually, they stilled, then lay panting softly, revelling in the sense of oneness that always followed their mating.

           They stayed motionless for another minute, then B’Elanna grunted as a sharp rock made its presence felt underneath her.  Chakotay slid off, then rolled onto his back, letting the heat of the sun soak into his relaxed body.

           B’Elanna watched him, marvelling anew how much she loved him.  She no longer woke up each day fearing that she was about to lose him.  She had learned that once he made a commitment, he stuck to it.  So far, they had managed to keep their personal lives separate from work.  Both had been very careful never to presume on their relationship in front of the crew.  Although the Maquis were all aware of the close friendship that had sprouted up between them, only a few knew of the romantic aspects of it.  For the moment, both were content with the status quo.

           Chakotay opened his eyes slightly to find B’Elanna now propped on her elbows, staring rather blankly at him, her mind clearly somewhere else.  He seized the moment to watch her unobserved, fascinated by the expressions flitting across her face in rapid succession.  Times like these were rare and, therefore, very precious.

             He wondered again how the fates had contrived to throw them together.  He had given up any hope of ever finding a partner, telling himself he should be content with the occasional brief affair.  Outlaws were not in a position to offer any of the amenities which would further a long-term relationship.  He had long since ruled out anyone in his crew and there were just no other opportunities available to him.  To have someone like B’Elanna fall in his lap was more than he had ever dared to dream.

           Her sigh broke into his mental wanderings and he reached up a hand to her face.

           “What is it?” he asked softly, almost sorry to break her mood.

           She smiled down at him and then bent to brush a kiss on his nose.  “Nothing really.  I was just thinking how very lucky I am to have found you.  And that we’re making this work.”

           He chuckled.  “Funny – I was thinking along the same lines.”

           He began to sit up, a frown creasing his face.  “You know, we’re not that far from Dorvan.  Why don’t I take you there?  You could meet my mother and sister.  Would you like to?”

           She broke into a smile.  “Yes, I would, very much.  When do you think we could go?”

           “Let me see when we get back to camp.  If everything is in order, I don’t see why we couldn’t take the next couple of days.”

           He scrambled to his feet and held out a hand to her, suddenly anxious to start making arrangements.  She got up more slowly, looking around, reluctant to leave this beautiful spot.

           “I didn’t wash my clothes, you know,” she began.

           “Never mind,” he answered.  “You said yourself you’ll only get dirty again on the way back.”  He reached for his shirt.  “Come on.  The sooner we get back, the sooner we can start for Dorvan.”

           “It’s not going anywhere,” protested B’Elanna.  “Why the sudden rush?”

           Chakotay paused to ponder her question.  “I don’t know exactly.  I just have a feeling that I should go as soon as I can.”

           She nodded.  “Okay.”  And pulled on her pants.  “Better get moving then, hadn’t we?”

           Within minutes, both were dressed and on the trail leading back to camp.
 

                                         =^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
 

           Kurt was not at all happy with Chakotay’s idea.  “Too risky, man, way too risky.  There are rumours the Cardassians are going to start sending in troops to occupy all the colony planets.  If they do, and you’re there… Chakotay, I don’t have to tell you how delighted they would be to capture you.”

           “Kurt, those rumours have been around for months and nothing’s happened,” replied Chakotay.  “It will only be a day or two.  I need to go.  Now.”  He took B’Elanna’s hand.  “And if they are coming, I have to get my family out of there.  Don’t worry, we’ll be fine.”
 
           Bendera tried once more.  “What about B’Elanna, then?  Are you really going to risk her safety after what happened?”

           His plea fell on deaf ears.

           “I’m going, Kurt.  End of subject.”  Chakotay’s voice held a note of finality.  “And I’m taking B’Elanna with me.”

           Kurt shook his head in defeat, saying nothing more until they were abut to leave the next morning.  “How long will you be?”

           “Two days, maybe three.  Not more than that. If we’re not back in a week, write us off and move the camp.”

           “Okay.  Good luck.  See you soon – I hope.”

           Chakotay slapped his shoulder cheerfully.  “We’ll be fine, Kurt.  You’ll see.”
 

                                         =^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
 

           The five-hour trip to Dorvan proved quite uneventful.  They encountered only one Cardassian patrol ship and were able to successfully evade its sensors, diving into the shadow of a nearby planet before it could get a fix on them.

           Upon reaching Dorvan, Chakotay landed the shuttle in a narrow gully, which he remembered as a good hiding place because of certain natural ores in the rock, which effectively masked all signs of metal.  From there, they walked the two miles into a broad valley, at one end of which was located his old home.

           As they approached, they could see no signs of any trouble.  The village basked peacefully in the warm sunshine just as it always had, its whitewashed walls reflecting the heat, and contrasting nicely with the brightly coloured tile roofs.

           B’Elanna looked around her with interest as they paced steadily down the main street.  “Which is yours?” she asked suddenly.

           “What…?”  Chakotay was concentrating on the plaza at the centre of town.

           “Which is your house?”

           “Oh!  That one, at the end, on the left.”  He slowed as he spoke.  They were in the plaza now, a large circle of bricked pavement surrounding a covered well in the middle.  Several people, lounging in the shade, were staring at them in near-shock.  Two or three were getting to their feet, fingers pointing as they called to others as yet unseen.

           A man about Chakotay’s age ran out of a house, then stopped in obvious astonishment at the sight of them.  Two women huddled in a doorway, gazed at them but didn’t move.

           B’Elanna began to feel somewhat uncomfortable.  “Chakotay, why are they staring like that?”

           “I think they’re surprised to see me.”

           “Why?!  It is your home, after all.”

           “A home that’s under threat by Cardassia.  I haven’t been here for a long time.”

           They stopped at the well and looked around at an increasing number of people, slowly gathering about them.  The crowd silently parted to let through several older men, apparently the tribal elders.  One approached and  looked them over from head to toe.  Chakotay stood motionless, eyes downcast.  B’Elanna, unsure what to do, followed his example.

           Silence reigned over all for several minutes, then the elder’s solemn face gradually broke into a slow smile and he moved forward to clap Chakotay on the shoulder.

           “It is good to see you are still alive, Nephew,” he spoke softly.

           “Thank you, Uncle.  It is good to see you as well.”

           The formalities out of the way, the crowd surged forward, engulfing them with smiles and gentle greetings.  Chakotay spoke to several in his native tongue, his voice happy with a particular warmth in it that B’Elanna didn’t think she had ever heard before.  Many greeted her, too, even though they didn’t know who she was.  That she accompanied Chakotay was enough to make her welcome in their eyes.

           Again, silence fell and the crowd parted once more to show a small, older woman standing on the edge of it, her body tense with shock.

           “Mashoe?  Is it truly you?”  Her voice held a note of disbelief.

           Chakotay stepped forward at once, engulfing the tiny woman in his arms as he reached her, burying his face in her shoulder.

           “Hama!”  he whispered, his voice close to breaking.

           B’Elanna knew without being told that this was Chakotay’s mother.  She stood quietly, waiting, until finally he remembered her and turned to find her, a somewhat embarrassed grin on his face.  She smiled gently, letting him know she didn’t mind.  He beckoned her to him and took her hand.

           “Hama, this is someone very special to me.  Her name is B’Elanna Torres.   B’Elanna,” he continued, “this is my mother, Saloah.”

           Saloah stepped up close to B’Elanna, peering intently into her eyes.  Her face remained solemn as she carefully examined her son’s lover.  For lover she was, Saloah had no doubt of that.  And then she began to smile.  Her face was transformed, dimples appearing in her cheeks, teasing laughter in her eyes, and B’Elanna knew where Chakotay had gotten his smile.  She took B’Elanna’s hand and patted it kindly.

           “You are a good woman, B’Elanna Torres, I can tell.  And you are good to my son, yes?”

           B’Elanna was a little taken aback for a moment, but then she nodded slowly.  “I try to be.”

           “And you succeed.  He looks happy, happier than he has for a long time.  Thank you for giving him that.”

           She turned and took Chakotay’s hand and led them both down the street.  “Come home, children, and we will celebrate.  Come home now.”

           They all trooped down the street, up the walk and into the house in which Chakotay had been born, much of the village trailing after them.  However, once inside, they were left alone.  Everyone would come to visit in the evening after the day’s work was done.

           Saloah bustled about, putting together a meal, making them sit in the most comfortable chairs, and bringing Chakotay up to date on the rest of the family and the state of the village.  The unstable political situation wasn’t mentioned until he brought up the subject.

           “Hama, have you had any trouble with the Cardassians?”

           “No, not really.  They leave us alone mostly.”

           “Have they been here since…?”

           “Once or twice.  I try and stay away from them, son, after what they did to your father.  I’m careful to keep out of sight.  And I keep Nileah out of sight, too.”

           B’Elanna had remained silent during this exchange, but now she raised an eyebrow at Chakotay.

           He answered her unspoken question.  “Nileah is my sister, my youngest sister, the only one still at home.  The other two are gone – one is married and living in another colony, the other works in the main town, where the spaceport is.”

           “How many sisters do you have?”

           “Three.”

           “And brothers?”

           “None.  I’m the only son.”

           She nodded slowly, understanding even better how happy Saloah must be to see him.  The only son.  And his father dead, she knew, at the hands of the Cardassians.

           Her eyes rested on him, seeing him in a new light, as the greatest single hope for his family’s continuation.

           “This is hard on your mother,” she murmured, “your being in the Maquis.”

           He sighed.  “I know, but…after the way they murdered my father, I had no choice, B’Ela.  The Federation did nothing, sat on their hands and threw all sorts of words at me about honouring the treaty they signed with Cardassia.  My father was ‘expendable’ in their calculations.  That he was a citizen of the Federation apparently counted for very little.  I couldn’t let it go, I had to do something!   So I resigned my commission in Starfleet and came back here.   At least, maybe what we’re doing is helping to save some lives that otherwise would be snuffed out by the Cardassians.”

           She patted his hand, then rose and went to Saloah, offering to help.  The older woman smiled and nodded, indicating that B’Elanna could set the table.  Before she had finished, the door blew open and a young woman, who was the absolute image of her brother, burst into the room.  Nileah.

           “Kotay!” she shouted delightedly.  “Everyone is talking about how you’ve suddenly appeared like a ghost!  I didn’t believe them at first but now I see it’s true!  You are a ghost!”

           With that, she threw herself into his arms for a big hug, laughing at him.  Chakotay held her very tightly, again nearly overcome by emotion.  “Nila!  I’ve missed you, missed your laugh,” he whispered into her hair.

           “Now, don’t go all mushy on me!  This is a happy time!  I…” her voice trailed off as she finally noticed B’Elanna standing beside the table.  “Oh!  Who are you?”

           “I’m B’Elanna Torres, Chakotay’s friend.  He brought me with him to meet you.”

           “Ohhh,” drawled the young woman slowly, her eyes dancing.  “Now I wonder why he’d want to do that.  Never has before.”

           Her brother caught her up, silencing her, then glanced at B’Elanna apologetically.  “You must forgive Nila.  She tends to speak her mind.  Tact is not one of her strong points.”

           “That is an understatement,” remarked Saloah.  “Come and sit, children.  The meal is ready.”
 

                                         =^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
 

           Dinner was long over but they continued to linger around the table, trading stories, discussing the latest gossip or, in B’Elanna’s case, just sitting, quietly enjoying being part of a family.   There was an atmosphere in this house which she had experienced only once or twice in her life, and never in her own home, an atmosphere of belonging, of complete acceptance by everyone present.  As well, there was a lot of laughter and joy, and a deep happiness that a family could be together again, if only for a brief period of time.  Various friends wandered in and out, adding to the general noise and merriment, but the atmosphere didn’t change; indeed, their presence seemed to enhance it.

           B’Elanna sat to one side, watching the interaction before her.  She had seen Chakotay in many different situations, as leader, warrior, terrorist, friend and certainly lover, but until now, she had never seen him as part of a larger family.   His reactions fascinated her and, she thought, explained some of the more puzzling aspects of his personality, such as his over-protectiveness of her or his ability to cook.

            She had been really surprised when she found out just what a good cook he was.  But the three sisters explained a lot.  No doubt he had simply absorbed the lessons too, when they were being taught their way around a stove.

           She watched him now, laughing uproariously at some story that a friend had just told him.  She couldn’t remember if she had ever seen him so relaxed.   Life in the Maquis demanded a great deal, not the least of which was the luxury of just spending a pleasant evening with family and friends without constantly having to look over your shoulder.  She sighed, suddenly wishing that they could find a place somewhere, where they would be left alone to live their lives in peace, and no one had ever heard of the DMZ.

           She became aware of sudden movement and looked up to find Saloah standing right in front of her, smiling, but with a concerned look in her eye.

            “B’Elanna,” she spoke softly underneath the general noise, “are you feeling all right?  Tired, maybe?  You look a little…sad.”  She sat down beside her as she spoke.

           B’Elanna started to deny there was anything wrong, but then admitted that she had just been thinking how nice it would be to live in a place like this, surrounded by friends and family, and not have to worry about Cardassians or anyone else.

           Saloah nodded in understanding.  “Yes, it was.  Sadly, those days are gone.   Now, I can only try to keep our life as normal as possible.”

           As she spoke, B’Elanna’s attention was caught by a wide silver bracelet fitted around her left wrist.  Unwittingly, she stretched out her hand to touch it.  Saloah glanced down to see what she was reaching for, then held up her arm as she realized.

           “What a beautiful bracelet!” exclaimed B’Elanna.

           “I am glad you like it.  Perhaps someday…” Saloah’s voice paused, as someone called to her.  “Excuse me,” she said, getting up, “let me see what Tordah wants.”

           She moved across the room to a noisy group, who were apparently involved in a complicated discussion about genealogy.   B’Elanna sat back as the long day suddenly caught up with her.   She felt Chakotay’s eyes on her, and glanced up.  He rose and came to her side, drawing her up to her feet.

           “Getting tired?” he asked in a low voice.

           “A little,” she answered, as she tried to smother a yawn.  “I can just slip out if you show me where I’m to sleep.”

           “You’ll sleep with me in my bed,” he answered firmly.  “And we’ll go together.”  He turned to the crowd.  “B’Elanna and I will say goodnight, but don’t stop the party on our account.”

           A chorus of farewells followed them down the hall.

           B’Elanna glanced around curiously once they had entered his room and closed the door.  It wasn’t large, perhaps three meters square, with a window over the double bed.  The floor was wood, covered with several brightly coloured rag rugs.  A shelf across one wall held a number of small clear bags full of, apparently, coloured dirt, as well as models of starships, while a low bookcase opposite was full of books.  She could see several anthropology texts as well as novels, and at one end, a fat binder labelled “Requirements for Entrance to Starfleet Academy”.  She remembered that one – she’d had it, too.

           The bags intrigued her and she stretched a hand up to the shelf to examine one more closely.  “Chakotay?  What are these?”

           He turned as she spoke.  “Bags of special sand – for sand painting,” he added at her puzzled expression.  He gestured to the wall beyond where three small pictures hung.

           B’Elanna moved to look at them, the intricate stylized patterns amazing her with their detail.  “These are exquisite!  Did you make them?”

           “Yes, a long time ago.  It was one of the few traditions that I actually enjoyed.”  He chuckled softly, then reached for the bags.  “You know, I think I’ll take these with me.  I wouldn’t mind trying to do another one, see if I still can.”

            He glanced around, then opened a bottom drawer in the dresser, pulling out a cloth bag decorated with beadwork in an elaborate pattern.  He dropped all the little bags into it and set it down on the floor near the door.

           B’Elanna looked at the paintings again, fascinated as much by this new aspect of Chakotay’s personality as the work itself.   She bit her lip, wondering if she dared ask if she could have one.   Maybe she better not.  After all, they would probably be a lot safer here than on a Maquis ship that could get blown to pieces at any moment.

             On the wall beside them she noticed two large dreamcatchers, and a clay mask.   Hanging opposite was a drawing on an animal skin of an odd-looking circle, which Chakotay explained was called a medicine wheel.  He lifted it down as he spoke, adding that he had forgotten it was here.  His father had given it to him a long time ago, when he still had hopes that Chakotay would stay with the tribe and not go chasing through the stars.

           “It’s beautiful,” admired B’Elanna.  “Is it just a decoration or does it have a purpose?”

           “Both, I guess, but its primary use is in tribal medicine.  If you get sick, really sick where you’re in a coma, then it is said that your spirit has lost its way.  The stones – here and here – are placed as markers on the wheel so that the spirit can find its way back to where it belongs.”

           “Does it work?”  B’Elanna was intrigued.

           “Yes, it does.  I know it sounds like mumbo-jumbo, but I have seen it work more than once, when every other method of reviving the person had failed.”  He rolled it up carefully.  “I think I’ll take it with me when we go back.  Might come in handy someday.”

           “But who would know how to use it besides you?”

           “I’ll teach you, if you like.”

           “Could you?  I mean, you don’t have to be a member of the tribe to learn how to use it?”

           “No, not at all.  Anyone can learn.  In fact, it would be a good thing for you to know, in case I was injured or something.”

           “All right.”

           Chakotay placed the rolled-up skin with the embroidered bag, then pulled his shirt over his head before sitting on the bed to tug off his boots.  B’Elanna stood motionless in the centre of the room, watching him.  He felt her gaze and glanced up as he stood to drop his pants.

           “Aren’t you going to get ready for bed?” he asked.

           “Yes, I, uh…need to use the bathroom.   Where is it?”

           “Right through that door.”

           She hadn’t previously noticed the door, hidden in a corner.  Now she walked over to open it, finding a small but functional bathroom.  She hurried through her ministrations, then returned to the bedroom to find Chakotay sprawled, naked, on top of the bed.  He grinned as she began to undress, noting her self-consciousness.  She turned her back to him while she peeled off her shirt, then bent over to slide her pants down her hips.  She kicked them off, and pushed them out of the way with her toe, but made no move to turn around.

           “B’Elanna,” he called softly.  “You’re going to get very stiff standing there, not to mention chilled.”

           She didn’t answer.

           He propped himself up on the pillows, trying not to laugh, but she heard the amusement in his voice.  “Why so shy all of a sudden?”

           She turned around, scowling.  “I feel…embarrassed, if you must know.  I mean, your mother and sister, and all your friends, are just down the hall, and here we are, and…ohh!  You know what I mean!”

           He held out his hand.  “Come to bed, sweetheart.  Yes, they know we’re here and they have a pretty good idea as well what we’re doing.  No one cares, it’s perfectly natural.  In fact, they’d be worried if we weren’t doing anything.  Making love is nothing to be ashamed of, it’s part of being alive.  A very nice part, too.  Now, come to bed before you get cold.”

           She had moved closer to the bed as he spoke and now stood just beside it.  He saw her shiver slightly and sat up to pull her onto the bed.  “You’re freezing!  Here, let me warm you up.”

           He pulled her into his arms, pressing her tightly against his body, kissing her face and neck, and rubbing her back vigorously.  Soon she felt warm again and snuggled into him, deciding she was being over-sensitive.  After all, if it didn’t bother him, why should it bother her?

           She closed her eyes, and let instinct take over, undulating against him, feeling his penis become stiff and hard against her stomach.  He pushed back enough to drop his head to her breasts, taking one in his mouth and sucking hard on the nipple.  She threw back her head, trying not to moan too loudly as desire swept through her.   Her hips jerked hard against him as she felt her lust build.

           Suddenly, he flipped her onto her back and nudged her knees apart.  He propped himself on his hands, allowing his erection to just nudge at her entrance, teasing and stimulating her.  B’Elanna felt the orgasm start to boil and knew she was going to come fast and hard.

           “Chakotay!” she gasped.  “I can feel…can’t wait!  Come to me, quick!”

           She spread her legs wide as she spoke, and he drove into her, thrusting powerfully, all the way.  She clamped her teeth shut, trying to hold back.  “Ohh love!” she moaned.  “You feel so good.  Ohh, Chakotay!  Now!!”

           Her body spasmed hard as the climax burst and she lost all sense of everything except him erupting inside her.  Again and again, they drove together, gasping, crying, until finally they collapsed, exhausted.

           Chakotay lay on top of her, panting softly, his face buried in her neck.  She turned her head just enough to gently kiss his temple and stroked his back.

           “I love you, Chakotay,” she whispered, feeling that this moment was as close to heaven as she was ever likely to get.

           He raised his head to look at her, his eyes shining.  “I love you, too, B’Elanna.”  He bent to kiss her very gently, then eased out of her and rolled off the bed.  He disappeared into the bathroom, coming back a few minutes later with a damp cloth.  She smiled up at him, remembering the first time they had made love.  He carefully cleaned her body, then raised her enough to pull back the covers and slide her in.  After returning the cloth to the bathroom, he climbed in beside her and settled down with a contented sigh.

           “Good night, sweetheart.”  He took her hand and kissed it.

           “Goodnight, Chakotay.”
 

                                         =^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
 

           Early the next morning, they were both out of bed and dressed by the time Saloah got to the kitchen.  She greeted them warmly, adding with a sly grin that she hoped they had slept well.

           “Very well, Hama, thank you,” replied her son, chuckling.  “I hope we didn’t disturb you.”

           “Not at all, son.  There was so much noise out here that we couldn’t hear anything else.”

           B’Elanna tried to drink her tea nonchalantly, but knew she was blushing in spite of herself.   A moment later, Nileah bounced into the room, a grin plastered across her face.

           “Hey, big brother!  Did you both sleep well?  Did you sleep at all?!” she teased.

           “Watch your tongue, little sister!  I slept very well, as did B’Elanna.”

           “That’s good.  I thought I heard a lot of moving around.  I was afraid you were unable to get any rest.”

           “Nila,” remonstrated her mother.  “You’re making B’Elanna uncomfortable.”

           At once, Nileah turned to her, her face contrite.  “I’m sorry.  I was only teasing.  I didn’t mean to upset you.”

           “No, no, you didn’t!” protested B’Elanna, now even more uncomfortable.  “I…I come from a very different upbringing, and, well, … you see, I…” her voice ran down and she looked to Chakotay for help.

           But it was Saloah who came to her rescue, patting her hand.  “You don’t need to explain.  Different people have different traditions and ways of doing things.  Here, in our culture, it is customary to tease a couple after they have spent the night together.  It is not meant to be hurtful or to show disapproval.  Quite the opposite, in fact.”

           Chakotay smiled.  “Thank you, Hama.   She wouldn’t believe me.”

           He fell silent, sipping his tea, trying to think how best to broach the subject of them evacuating the planet.  In the past, his mother had been adamant about staying in her home.  She watched him struggle to find the words, then spoke.

           “You’re worried about us, aren’t you?”

           He looked up, surprised that she had read his mind.

           She patted his hand gently.  “Mashoe, you are my son.  Of course I know what you’re thinking.  Let me save you the trouble of finding a convincing argument.  There isn’t one.  This is my home.  I’m not leaving it.”

           “Hama…”

           “No, son.”  His mother wore her determined look.   “We stay.  We’ll be fine.  The Cardassians have not been here for quite a while now, and if they do come…?   Nila and I already have the perfect hiding spot picked out.  Dala and Sela have made their plans, too.  We will all disappear the instant there is any hint that they are going to attack.   The spaceport will get plenty of warning.   We have worked it all out.  And most likely nothing will happen, anyway.  Please…”

            He shook his head in resignation, knowing it was useless to argue further, and rose to his feet.  “Very well.  I’ll accept your decision but I wish you’d change your mind.  Once we’re gone, you have no way to contact us if something should go wrong.”

           “We’ll be fine.  Now, let’s not waste our time together in useless argument.  How long can you stay?”

           He picked up the bag containing the special sand and tucked the rolled skin under his arm.  “We should go now, Hama.  It’s not safe for us or you to stay any longer.”
 
           Saloah’s face fell, but she made no protest, understanding and accepting the situation.  “Take care, my son.  I am glad to see you have the wheel.  It will protect you.  Take care of B’Elanna, too.  She is a very special person.”

           “I will, Hama.”

           Saloah turned to B’Elanna, and took her hands.  “You are a good woman, B’Elanna Torres.  Thank you for bringing some peace and happiness to my son.  I know he loves you very much.  You have family here now.  Don’t forget that, will you?”

           B’Elanna’s eyes were full and she found it hard to speak.  “Thank you,” she managed to gulp.  “That means so much to me, that you can accept me.”

           Saloah pulled her into a quick hug, then drew back and put her hand in Chakotay’s.   “She is the one for you, Mashoe, I can tell.  You both should find somewhere quiet, settle down, make a home together.”

           He smiled ruefully.  “I would like that very much, and maybe someday we’ll be able to, but not yet.”  He bent and hugged his mother tightly.  “We’ll come again when we can, Hama.  Hopefully soon.”

           “You know you’ll always be welcome, both of you.”

           They turned and quickly slipped out the door, noticing the sun just coming up over the horizon.  As they walked out of the village, B’Elanna looked back, trying to fix it in her memory.  To her it seemed to be an oasis of peace and sanity in a very chaotic journey.  She wanted to remember as many details as she could.

           Half an hour later, they found the shuttle untouched, and lifted off immediately.  Chakotay headed away from the planet in the opposite direction from Meltar Three until he was quite sure they were not being followed.  Only then did he swing around onto the proper heading, making sure that sensors were extended as far out as possible.  However, it appeared that their departure had gone as unnoticed as their arrival, and they made the return trip uneventfully.
 

                                         =^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
 

           Two days later, the Cardassians launched an all-out assault against the colonists of Dorvan Five.   The spaceport was the first to fall before any warning could be issued.  Chakotay’s village, like all the others, was completely destroyed, every structure razed to the ground, and nearly all the inhabitants executed on the spot.  The only exceptions were females between the ages of twelve and forty.  Saloah was phasered in the back as she attempted to flee with her daughter.  Nileah was dragged off with the other women to service the troops.  In half a day, all that was left was a smoking ruin.

           It was another day before the first reports trickled into the Maquis hideout.  At first, Chell, who was manning communications that afternoon, wasn’t sure he had heard correctly.  There was a lot of static and background interference as he tried to clear the transmission.  Then suddenly, it came through loud and clear.

            Another Maquis ship had passed by two hours earlier and found the destruction.  They had sent down an away team for a brief look, then taken off when a Cardassian cruiser had shown up on sensors.  But the look had been enough.   Every sign of the colonies of Dorvan Five had been erased from the face of the planet.

           Chell flew out the door and across the compound to the Liberty, where Chakotay was working out the details of an impending attack, scheduled for the following night.

           “Chakotay!” he screamed.  “Come quick!  Something terrible has happened!”

           The Maquis leader dashed out the hatch, terrified something must have happened to B’Elanna.  But then he spied her just coming around the wing, wiping her hands on a cloth.

           “Chakotay!” stammered Chell.  “It’s D-Dorvan!  The Car-Cardassians have attacked!”

           “Oh my god!” exclaimed B’Elanna.  “What happened?!”

           “It’s gone, all of it!   Everything on the whole planet has been destroyed!”

           Chakotay stood motionless, eyes staring, his face paper-white with shock.  He was numb, unable to take in what Chell was saying.

           “Do you understand, Chakotay?!” repeated the Bolian excitedly.  “They’re all gone!”

           B’Elanna moved toward him as he sank to the ground, legs unable to support his weight.  Even as she caught his shoulders, others of the crew came flying up to them as the news spread.   They stood around in little groups, murmuring, unsure if their leader wanted them there or if he would rather be left alone.  Someone had gone to find Kurt and a few minutes later, he came striding across the compound.  He knelt beside B’Elanna and lifted Chakotay’s head to peer into his face.

           The eyes were blank, unseeing, the features slack-jawed, and his skin gray.  Kurt called to the men standing nearest, indicating he needed help to pick up their captain.  Quickly, they made a cradle, three of them carefully lifting his limp body.  B’Elanna followed anxiously behind, like a mother hen fussing over her lone chick.

           They carried Chakotay to his room and laid him gently on the bed, then left silently.  Only Kurt and B’Elanna remained, one on each side, gazing down at him in concern.

           She laid a hand gently on his face.  “I don’t like this, Kurt.  His forehead feels clammy.”

           “Let’s get him undressed and into bed.  He’s gone into shock.  We need to keep him warm and comfortable.”  He paused.  “B’Elanna, this is going to be bad when he comes ‘round.  Do you want to stay?”

           “Of course I do!” she replied indignantly.  “I love him!  I’m not going to leave him now, at a time like this!  How could you possibly even think I would want to…?!”

           “Okay, just so you know it won’t be pretty.”

           “So?!  I don’t care!  He needs his friend and he needs me!”  Her voice held a determined note.  Kurt sighed and began to unfasten Chakotay’s pants.  B’Elanna helped him pull them down, tugging off his boots as well, then, as Kurt hauled him up, she yanked his shirt over his head.   Once he was down to his briefs, they worked his body under the covers, pulling them up and tucking them snugly around his shoulders.

           He had started to tremble before they finished, so now B’Elanna sat down on the edge of the bed and gently stroked his face, murmuring to him soothingly.

           His eyes narrowed, trying to focus on her.  “B’Elanna?” He whispered her name.  And then he screamed as Chell’s words came back to him.

           “No!!”

           He reached blindly for her, holding onto her so tightly that Kurt actually heard the bones in her arms crack.  But she never flinched, bending over as if to shelter him.

           She angled her body to climb onto the bed, so she could hold him close to her, coaxing him to let go of her arms for a minute.  At first, he didn’t seem to hear her, but eventually, he loosened his grip enough that she could put her arms around his shoulders and cradle his head against her chest.

           “It’s all right, love, come on now, let it out.  Hang on to me.  I won’t let go.  Just hang on to me.  I’m here, I won’t leave you.”

           Over and over she murmured reassurance, hoping the sound of her voice could calm the violent trembling, which wracked his body from head to toe.  He buried his face against her, starting to sob in great angry gasps, immersed in the terrible blackness of grief.   Her body and voice provided his only remaining link to reason as he hovered on the edge of insanity.

           For hours, the three remained almost motionless, the only sound the occasional harsh cries of the man on the bed.  The other two were silent, their focus solely on his anguish.  From time to time, one or another member of the crew would come to the open door and look in, hoping that somehow, their captain and leader had come back to them.  And each time, Kurt was forced to shake his head.  Not yet.

           Nightfall was closing in when finally B’Elanna felt Chakotay’s body relax.  She carefully lifted his head to see that his eyes were closed in exhausted sleep.  Slowly, so as not to wake him, she eased her stiff body off the bed.  Her muscles were cramped from the hours spent in one position.  Kurt moved to help her stand as she wobbled to her feet.

           “I’ve got to go out for a few minutes,” she muttered.

           “I’ll be here,” he promised.  “Why don’t you get something to eat while you’re at it?”

           She nodded and walked unsteadily out the door.
 

                                         =^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
 

           The hours continued to slowly pass as the pair watched over him.  Chakotay twitched and muttered in his sleep from time to time, then lay still, but never woke all through the long night.

           Kurt and B’Elanna dozed off and on, she on the bed, he sprawled in a chair.   Finally towards dawn, exhausted themselves, they fell into a deep sleep, unaware when Chakotay woke up.

           He came to gradually, confused, his mind filled with terrible images which seemed very real.  The Cardassians!  He had to kill Cardassians!  They had murdered his family and his people!  They had to be stopped, once and for all!  His life didn’t matter any longer; in fact, feeling the way he did, he would prefer to be dead, anyway!

           He rose, picked up his clothes and made his way outside.  Once past the door, he stopped only to drag on pants and shirt, then silently worked his way to the nearest shuttle.   Inside, he settled into the pilot’s seat and started the engines.

           The unmistakable sound of thrusters warming up snapped both B’Elanna and Kurt wide awake.   In dawning horror, they stared at the empty bed.  Less than ten seconds later, they were out the door and running across the compound, just as the shuttle lifted off.

           Not even slowing down, both veered to the second shuttle, diving through the hatch, and engaging thrusters before it had even closed.

           “Track him!” snapped Kurt as he began to lift off.

           Quickly, they rose into the atmosphere, unable to visually spot the shuttle ahead, although it showed up clearly on sensors.

           “What the hell does he think he’s doing?!” snarled B’Elanna.

           “Looking for Cardassians, I would imagine,” replied Kurt grimly.  “Set sensors to pick up any sign of them.  Maybe we can save him from himself.”

           “God, Chakotay!  If we get you back alive, I’m going to kill you!!” she muttered furiously as her fingers flew over the console.

           “Only after I kill him first!” snapped her companion.

           Onward they flew, out of the solar system, pushing the old shuttle at maximum, but the most they could do was keep pace with their quarry.

           It was over half an hour later before the sensors indicated a Cardassian Galor-class warship ahead to starboard.  Even as they picked it up, Chakotay’s shuttle swerved to an intercept course.

           “Oh god!  Please make him turn back!” whispered B’Elanna, knowing her prayer was in vain.

           Kurt altered course to follow.

            Moments later, they were close enough to see both vessels, phaser fire lancing out from the little craft which had darted right underneath the bigger ship.  Over and round it flew, up and down, again and again dodging return fire by mere millimeters, or so it seemed.

           Then B’Elanna groaned.

           “What?” demanded Kurt.  “What is it?”

           “The Cardassians.  They’ve got a targeting lock on him.”

           “Are we close enough to beam him out?”

           “Yes, but he’s got shields at maximum!”

           Chakotay’s shuttle shuddered as the Cardassian’s phasers caught it full on.  The shields continued to hold for another few seconds, then collapsed.

           “That’s it!” she shouted in triumph.  “His shields are down!”  Her fingers were a blur of motion.  “Activating transporter…come on, come on…Got him!” she shouted, just as the other shuttle exploded.

           Kurt threw their vessel over in a violent turn and went to warp immediately, praying the Cardassians wouldn’t follow.  He held his breath, but after a full minute, concluded they had made a clean getaway.  He let out the air in his lungs with a great poof! and turned around.

           Chakotay stood at the rear of the shuttle, arms hanging loosely at his sides, staring angrily at B’Elanna who was moving toward him, her face contorted with fury.

           “You idiot!  What the hell did you think you were doing?!” she screamed at him, her voice rising higher and louder with each sentence.  “That’s a Galor-class ship!  Were you trying to get yourself killed?!”

           “Yes!!” he yelled back.  “That’s exactly what I was doing!  Make them pay for what they did!”

           “And so you’d leave me, Kurt, all of us, alone?! Making us suffer?!  Is that what you want?!”

           He stared at her, the anger draining out of his face as he realized what she was saying.

           “Answer me, damn you!  Is it?!”

           He lifted his hands despairingly, tears starting to run down his face.  “No, it isn’t,” he replied very softly.

           “Oh, Chakotay!” She threw her arms around him, trying to grasp as much of him as she could.  “I love you so much!  Don’t ever do anything like that again!  I couldn’t bear it.  Promise me!”

           “I promise,” he gasped out between sobs, burying his face in her neck.  “Hold me.”

           “Always,” she vowed.

           They slid down to the floor, clinging to each other, sharing their sorrow, while Bendera silently flew the shuttle back to Meltar Three.
 

                                         =^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
 

           Two weeks later, B’Elanna suggested that she and Chakotay go to Bajor to resupply.  She needed several specific parts of Federation origin to complete modifications to the Liberty’s sensors and phasers, which would enhance both well beyond their original specifications.  The nearest safe place to find them was on Bajor.  She calculated that they could kill two birds with one stone – get the parts she wanted, and give Chakotay and herself a little time to themselves.   Although he seemed to have gotten over the worst of his grief, his eyes were still shadowed with sorrow.  B’Elanna thought that a change of scene might do him some good.

           Kurt immediately approved the idea, and although Seska grumbled under her breath about some people ‘playing favourites’, she was careful not to voice her objections too loudly.

           They started off on the following day, arriving on Bajor nearly forty-eight hours later after a peaceful trip.   They put down in a quiet corner of the shuttleport, just one more among many nondescript vessels, then set out for a particular bar where Chakotay expected to meet the contact who regularly supplied the Maquis with parts and equipment.

           Again, their luck held.  They had no trouble getting to the bar, found the man in question and were able to quickly strike a deal.  Feeling very pleased with themselves, they decided to have a drink to celebrate their success before starting back to the shuttle where they would spend the night.

           Chakotay went up to the bar to order, and while he was waiting, became aware of a dark Vulcan staring intently at him.  At first he tried to ignore him, but eventually gave in and stared back.  The Vulcan’s eyes seemed to bore right through him, making him shiver slightly.
 
           As he turned to pass, drinks in hand, the Vulcan muttered in a low voice.  “I wish to speak with you.”

           Chakotay hesitated, then shrugged his shoulders and nodded toward the table where B’Elanna was sitting.   At once, the Vulcan followed him and sat down without waiting to be asked.

           “Now, what did you want to speak to me about?” asked Chakotay.

           “I understand you are a member of the Maquis,” began the Vulcan.

           The other two stiffened, suddenly nervous.  “Oh?  Who told you that?”

           “You were pointed out to me as someone who could be of assistance.  I wish to join the Maquis.  Can you help me?”

           “Depends.  Why do you want to join?”

           “I am…displeased at the latest turn of events in the Federation.  I believe the colonies on the border with Cardassia have been abandoned, despite their membership in the Federation.  I believe the Federation Council is guilty of expediency, that it has forgotten about honour.  Therefore, I wish to offer my assistance in whatever way proves most useful.  Can you help me?"

           Chakotay stared at him, evaluating, trying to decide if the Vulcan was telling the truth.  Vulcans were supposed to be incapable of lying, or so it was said.  But he wondered if maybe that was an old wives’ tale.  He glanced at B’Elanna, trying to read her opinion from her expression.  She had a frown on her face – clearly, she was undecided.  No help there.   He turned back to the Vulcan.

           “What’s your name?” he asked abruptly.

           “Tuvok.”

           “What’s your background?  What do you do for a living?”

           “I…was in Starfleet for a time, many years ago, but I found I was unable to...conform to their requirements.  Since then, I have spent time on Vulcan, but also wandered through the quadrant, working where I could.  Mostly on ships as opposed to staying planet-side.”

           “What was your training at the Academy?”

           “I specialized in tactics and weaponry.”

           Chakotay’s eyes brightened.  “Hmm.  That could prove useful.”  He looked him over again, trying to decide if the man was worth the risk.  Finally he nodded his head.  “All right.  You’re in.  Meet me on the east side of the shuttleport tomorrow morning at dawn.”

           The Vulcan nodded and rose.  “Thank you.  You will not regret this.”

           “Make sure I don’t.”

           After he had gone, Chakotay looked over at B’Elanna.  “Well, what do you think?  Is he trustworthy?”

           “Can’t tell with a Vulcan.  I guess all we can do is hope.”  She rose to her feet.  “Can we go now?  I think I’ve had enough.”

           “Sure.  Me, too.”

           They slipped out the door, careful not to attract any attention.  The walk back was silent, each lost in their own thoughts.  Chakotay was careful to watch their surroundings but there was no sign of anything untoward.  They reached the shuttle without incident and climbed inside, ensuring the hatch was secured before they settled down.

           With nerves on edge, neither slept very well and both were wide awake well before dawn.  Chakotay went out to stand beside the shuttle, watching for the tall Vulcan.  The parts were due to arrive within the hour.  If Tuvok hadn’t shown up by then, too bad.  He wouldn’t wait for him.

           However, just before the sun peeked over the hills, he spotted the Vulcan coming toward him at a steady pace.  He moved forward to meet him halfway, unwilling to divulge the identity of his shuttle just yet.  They met a hundred meters away, both stopping to size up each other.

           “I see you’re punctual,” remarked Chakotay.

           “I try to be,” responded Tuvok.

           Chakotay stared at him for a moment longer, then made the final decision.  “Okay, come on then.”  He turned away.  After a moment, the Vulcan followed.

           “Welcome aboard,” called B’Elanna, from underneath a console.

           “Thank you,” replied Tuvok.  He glanced around.   “What would you like me to do?”

           “Right now?  Wait for supplies.  Once they’re loaded, we’re off.”

           Chakotay sat down in the pilot’s seat, indicating that Tuvok should take the seat behind B’Elanna’s.

           They waited for nearly half an hour before their contact appeared, somewhat out of breath, but with the promised components.  It took several minutes to load and store them, then another few minutes to bring in and stow the food and medical supplies, which the man had procured.  By the time they were finished, the shuttle was loaded down to the gunwales.

           “B’Ela?  Tuvok?  Ready to go?”
 
           “Yes,” came from both voices, and Chakotay fired up the thrusters.  He hailed the control centre for permission to depart, announcing that he was off on a trading mission to several colonies on the other side of the planet.  Permission was granted at once and they lifted off.

           The trip back to Meltar Three was as routine as the flight out.  Chakotay and B’Elanna found their companion to be a quiet individual who, like all Vulcans, spoke only when necessary or in response to a question.  By unspoken agreement, for the first twenty-four hours of their journey, they took turns watching him, in case he was less disaffected by the Federation than he had indicated.

           But nothing happened.  No starships suddenly popped out of warp to take them into custody, and gradually the two relaxed, deciding his story was genuine.

           Once returned to base, plans were immediately set in motion to take advantage of their new technology.  The process of integrating the latest components into the mishmash already installed on the ships took longer than expected.  Tuvok proved very useful at this juncture, pointing out flaws in their methodology which none of the others had noticed.  Chakotay began to think he had gotten lucky again.

           Prior to completing the work, they carried out a successful attack on a Cardassian outpost, escaping without losing any crew and acquiring a whole new arsenal of weapons, as well as disabling as many enemy ships on the ground as they could find.
 
           That success bolstered their confidence and after only a week, they headed out again on another raid, before B’Elanna had had time to test their newly-installed firepower.

           “Do it on the way,” ordered Chakotay.  “We have a chance to hit a nice fat Cardassian convoy and I don’t want to miss it.  There isn’t much time.  They’re traveling at maximum warp and the window of opportunity is small.  If we’re going to hit them, we have to do it within the next six hours, before they reach the string of outposts here.”  He indicated with a pointer the area he was speaking of, and looked around for any dissension.  There was none.

           “Very well.  We leave later tonight which should allow us to get into position to intercept the convoy here,” he touched a spot on the map, “on the edge of the Badlands.  Everyone agrees with the plan?  No one has a problem with this?  Good.  We leave in four hours.  Get some rest.  We’re going to need to be sharp.”
 

                                         =^= =^= =^= =^= =^= =^=
 

           In hindsight, Chakotay came to the conclusion that the raid was doomed from the start.  The convoy wasn’t where it was supposed to be, and the wonderful new weapons array jammed completely and refused to work despite all B’Elanna’s efforts, which even included a good kick at the balky components when all else failed.  Worst of all, as they hared back and forth along the edge of the Badlands, searching for any sign of the convoy, a Cardassian cruiser suddenly dropped out of warp, phasers firing.

           At that point, Chakotay got a very bad feeling in his stomach.  They were in serious trouble, with nominal phasers and only a few photon torpedoes to defend themselves.  In desperation, he headed towards the Badlands, praying for a plasma storm close by, which the Liberty could dodge through but a bigger ship could not.

           The ship shook under repeated blasts as several consoles sparked.

           The Cardassian captain suddenly appeared on their comm. link.  “This is Gul Evek of the Cardassian fourth order.  Surrender your ship!”

           Chakotay stared in sudden fury – how had they been able to cut into his comm. system like that?  He stabbed at the ‘disconnect’ button and the gul’s arrogant features disappeared.

           More trouble.

           “We’re losing power!” shouted B’Elanna.  “I’ve barely got impulse!”

           “Be creative!” retorted Chakotay, trying to juggle three sets of problems at once.

           “Take weapons off line so I can reroute all power to the engines!” she responded.

           “I would seriously question the wisdom of that suggestion,” protested Tuvok, as vehemently as a Vulcan could.

           “Well,” she shrugged, “you wanted creative…”

           Chakotay debated the merits of each position, then nodded.  “Do it!” he ordered.

           With the added boost to the engines, the Liberty made a last frantic dive away from the warship and into the Badlands, bolting into the first plasma storm they could find.

           To the surprise of the Maquis, the Cardassians followed.

            “Gul Evek must feel daring today,” remarked Chakotay, thinking at least the odds had evened up a bit.  Now, maybe, if they were really lucky…there, the cruiser had been hit by a bolt!  That was more like it!

           “Can you plot a course through the storm, Tuvok?”  he asked.

           “Typically, these storms are wide-spread,” was the reply.   “If I…” He stopped speaking as flashes of light bounced across the bridge, reflecting  off the bulkheads.  Chakotay rose to his feet.  “What was that?”

           “Curious,” answered the Vulcan.  “We have just passed through some kind of coherent tetryon beam.”

           “Source!”  demanded Chakotay.

           “Unknown.”  Tuvok pointed to his display screen.  “But there is a massive displacement wave moving toward us.”

           “Another plasma storm?”

           “Unknown.  But at current speeds, it will intercept us in less than thirty seconds.”

           Chakotay fell back into his chair, his fingers flying over the console.  “Anything left in those impulse engines, B’Elanna?”

           Her voice was confident.  “We’ll find out.”

           “Maximum power!”

           Tuvok’s voice never changed as he continued to report.  “The wave will intercept us in eight seconds…five…”

           And then there was nothing.