Spiders Web
Of all the places to get stranded, they had to have landed on an M class planet that was only inhabited by large arachnid like creatures. Well, this is just thought, In the Delta Quadrant routine never is routine, even a scouting mission can turn sour. A flash lit up the damp cave, signalling that the ion storm that had brought down the shuttle was still raging over head. A hand landed on her shoulder and she automatically drew her phaser."don't shoot, it's just me." A voice sounded next to her "you really shouldn't sneak up on me like that, Chakotay." Janeway responded, "you were too wrapped up in your thoughts to hear me." He countered before he said "there is some tunnels deeper in the cave, we would be warmer there than sitting here."
Chakotay crouched next to her, gently probing her calf muscle "how's your leg?" He asked as he tightened the makeshift bandage that was tied around her calf. "Painful, but I'll be fine." Janeway responded resting her hand over his, when their shuttle had crashed a piece of metal had embedded itself in her leg and they had to remove it before it cause any more damage. "How about you? Janeway asked nodding towards the large third degree burn on his shoulder, where a piece of metal bulkhead had fallen on his shoulder when they made their escape from the shuttle with a med kit and a single survival pack. "I've had worse." He responded getting to his feet,gathering their supplies in the pack and swinging it onto his back, he then extending a hand to Janeway so she could get off the floor. Janeway put her arm over Chakotay's shoulder and he wrapped his around her waist and together they slowly made their way towards the back of the cave.
The light grew dimmer as they ventured deeper into the cave, eventually they turned on their torches and the beams of light washed over the gloom. After venturing another couple of meters Janeway felt something soft and sticky tug at her wrist, Chakotay stopped and shone his torch over the area next to her, long almost transparent strands lined the walls of the tunnel next to their left hand side and there was an occasional concentration of the strands that was coloured white, the torch light extended a couple meters before it faded to darkness. In those few meters of light they saw that those concentrations where cocoons containing the dead bodies of past victims and over their heads stretched a lose thread of the same material which had several strands which were attached to the ones that were already home to corpses and the ones that now encased Janeway's wrist and the fast scuttling that approached them heralded the situation they were now in.
Unfortunately a large arachnid like creature came down the tunnel shrieking and flinging strands of web at them as it came. With her free hand Janeway unholstered her phaser and began shooting at the thing and Chakotay did the same, staying close to Janeway in case her injured leg gave way but their shots only seemed to make it angry. The creature charged towards them flinging more web but this time its aim was better and several of the strands hit her, wrapping around her arms and torso stopping her from shooting at the creature. Chakotay continued to shoot the creature, each shot bouncing harmlessly against its exoskeleton.
He used his free hand to tear at the web around Janeway but had little success as it was sticky and he couldn't relax his guard. Janeway continued to pull at the web with her teeth in a futile effort to free herself. The creature charged once more, one of its legs knocking Chakotay away from her as well as knocking the wind out of him. He heard Janeway gasp in pain as the creature jabbed a long serrated needle like tail into her side. "Kathryn!" He yelled as the creature slowly moved towards her.
He grabbed his phaser and fired at the creature, it shrieked and turned to face him, then suddenly several arachnid like humanoids came from the back of the cave charging towards the creature that was advancing towards him, he managed to get another shot at the creature before the humanoid arachnids swamped the creature. Chakotay climbed to his feet, ignoring the pain from his ribs and rushed over to Janeway. "Kathryn, hold on." He said to her as he tore away the web that encased her torso and wrist with his hands, he managed to free her wrist and remove some of the web that covered her torso. He cradled her limp form in his arms and checked for a pulse. It was there and it was becoming erratic, "hang on Kathryn, hang on." He said, his voice becoming urgent.
He threw the pack of his shoulders and rifled through it for a tricorder whilst he held onto Janeway. Chakotay opened the tricorder and scanned her, his breath caught in his throat, there was an unknown poison in her body and it was slowly killing her. The humanoid arachnids approached their leader placed a hand on his shoulder and made several hissing sounds after a couple of seconds the universal translator translated it to "come, we can help your friend. We mean you no harm, we can help." Chakotay was skeptical but he knew that if he didn't let them help Kathryn would die. He put the tricorder in the pack, one of the humanoid arachnids picked it up and swung it over his shoulder. Chakotay gathered Janeway into his arms and held her protectively against his chest. The leader went on ahead and two of the humanoid arachnids flanked him and the one carrying the pack followed on behind.