14
"Pirates?" Captain Kathryn Janeway sat in her usual chair at the head of the conference room table and gave her helmsman an incredulous look. Commander Chakotay, sitting to her left, was barely able to suppress his laughter.
"Yes, Captain," Tom replied, grinning broadly at her expression. "Pirates."
After two weeks of cruising through space that held nothing so interesting as even a small comet or asteroid, Tom Paris had finally had enough. Sitting at the helm and keeping the ship moving in a straight line left him plenty of time to think. After careful planning, he had sent messages to five select crewmembers, requesting a meeting to propose an idea under the guise of a 'team building exercise.'
Those five were Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay, B'Elanna Torres, Harry Kim, and Seven of Nine. Tom made the group an even six and all six of them now remained seated in the conference room after the usual morning briefing had concluded.
"The holoprogram was originally a typical treasure hunting adventure but I've modified it slightly," he continued, activating a PADD and reaching across Chakotay to hand it to the captain. "Now it plays out with the group dividing into two teams. Identical treasures are hidden in two separate places on an island. Each team gets a map and the computer generates courses of equal distance and difficulty for both to follow to the treasure." Tom paused briefly to take a breath. He was gaining momentum and carefully studying the captain's face as he spoke. Gods, he hoped she'd agree. The boredom was starting to get to him. "After retrieving the treasure, the first team to make it back to the ship at sea wins…and the losers walk the plank," he grinned and hoped he hadn't gone overboard himself with that last statement.
Kathryn put the PADD down and folded her hands together on the table in front of her. She glanced around at the others and noticed they all seemed very interested in the idea, with the expected exception of Seven. She wondered briefly why Tom had wanted to include the ex-drone in this frivolity before letting her eyes settle again on the pilot.
"When exactly would this 'exercise' take place?" Kathryn asked, the corners of her mouth twitching up towards a smile. Tom didn't miss this and knew he'd already won.
"Tomorrow evening, Holodeck Two, 1900 hours. That should give everyone time after Alpha shift to relax a little and grab a bite to eat," he glanced at Harry who nodded enthusiastically and also noticed that B'Elanna even seemed interested in this idea. "I've already reserved the timeslot…assuming you approve, of course, Captain."
Tom gave her his most charming look.
Kathryn waited a beat. She didn't want to be seen as giving in too quickly however she knew as well as any of the others that a distraction from their boredom was hardly a bad idea.
"I approve, Mr. Paris. Assuming there are no bumps in the road between now and then, the six of us will meet tomorrow at 1900," out the corner of her eye, she saw Seven open her mouth to protest and continued quickly. "This will be an excellent team building exercise for all of us." Kathryn looked pointedly in the young woman's direction. Then, with a smile and a nod, she said "Dismissed."
Tom jumped to his feet and moved toward the exit, gesturing excitedly and followed closely by the others. "Excellent – this is going to be a blast you guys. I'll have the costumes sent to your replicators."
"Costumes?!" Kathryn shot a worried look at Chakotay who had remained seated next to her at the table. "What do you mean costumes? Tom!"
But he was already out the door.
/\
"Janeway to Chakotay." It was 1830 the next day and Kathryn was standing in front of her replicator. She spoke through gritted teeth.
"Chakotay here." His reply came quickly and she could hear the smile in his tone.
"I'm going to kill him," she said, pulling the pirate garments out of the unit and holding them up in disgust. "Is your costume as bad as mine?"
"Well, I don't know what yours looks like but mine isn't bad at all. Kind of reminds me of my old Maquis leathers."
Kathryn raised her eyebrows at this and was briefly consoled by the image. Maybe this won't be so bad after all, she thought to herself, looking again at her slightly slouchy black leather boots.
"Fine," she sighed. "I'll see you soon. Janeway out."
In his own quarters, Chakotay laughed softly to himself at her reaction. After her stint as Queen Arachnia, he imagined it must be pretty bad for her to balk at any other costume.
He shrugged on his off-white linen shirt and began to button up, leaving the collar open as the island climate would probably be quite warm. He was glad the basic brown pants were quite comfortable and he eyed the accompanying vest appreciatively. The odd looking three-cornered hat seemed like it might be a bit much but it was all in good fun and he would go along with it. Hopefully Kathryn would do the same.
Chakotay secretly looked forward to whatever the evening's games would bring.
/\
At five minutes 'til, Kathryn stepped out of her quarters in full pirate mode. Looking down the corridor, she saw Chakotay emerge from his quarters and, with dimples in full force, he made his way toward her.
"Nice costume, Kathryn," he said, looking her up and down appreciatively.
She wore a one-piece dress, covered in various silver buttons and laced up adornments. It had loose, billowy sleeves, was quite low cut and airy at the top, and fell just below mid-thigh. It was a deep blood red color, ruffled with black lace around the edges, and was cinched with a wide black belt with a shiny silver buckle. Finished off with worn looking black leather boots and a three pointed hat similar to his own, she looked downright adorable. Chakotay, of course, knew better than to say as much.
"Just because we're going on a different ship doesn't mean I'm not still the captain," Kathryn growled. "I think all of you would do well to remember that."
As they began walking up the corridor to the turbolift, she had to admit to herself that, even though she felt ridiculous in her own get up, Chakotay looked very handsome in his.
The loose off-white shirt accentuated his darker skin tone nicely and the dark brown pants suited him. He wore a vest, open, identical in color to her dress, and a black belt, boots, and hat similar to hers.
"Deck six," she snapped, after the 'lift doors closed behind them.
"Come on, Kathryn," Chakotay gave her a reassuring smile. "This is going to be fun. You did agree to it, after all."
Kathryn turned and gave him a wry look. "I guess I didn't know exactly what I was agreeing to. By now I should know better than to underestimate Tom Paris." Seeing his expression, she allowed a smile to creep onto her face. "You're right though. Fun. I could stand to loosen up a little."
She faced forward again, gave her shoulders a roll and shook her head slightly. He noticed her short cut bob was starting to grow out some and he smiled, watching the ends brush the tops of her bare shoulder blades. I hope she doesn't cut it again, he thought to himself.
They nodded at each other and exited onto deck six, earning curious looks from the three crewmen waiting in the corridor for the 'lift.
Arriving outside the holodeck, the pair found no one so they entered to see the program already running and their four crewmates waiting.
Kathryn was slightly relieved to see that B'Elanna and Seven wore outfits similar to hers, except B'Elanna's was a rich golden color and Seven's a deep blue. Tom and Harry were like Chakotay, Tom wearing the same red vest and Harry wearing a rich gold color like B'Elanna. She assumed the colors of their 'uniforms' were helpful in making it feel more like an actual team building exercise.
They stood on a bright sandy beach and overhead a stunning blue and nearly cloudless sky seemed to stretch on forever. The ocean breeze had a salty tang and felt slightly cool against their skin. Waves lapped gently at the shore, upon which two rowboats were beached with a pile of supply crates and barrels on the sand between them. In the distance, anchored out at sea, they could see the large masts and white sails of the bigger pirate ship. Palm trees dotted the island side view, giving way to denser jungle foliage with hills and a large mountain rising beyond the treetops.
Kathryn was quite amazed by the detail and depth of the program.
"Captain, Commander," Tom acknowledged them with a grin and doffed his hat as they joined the group standing near the supplies.
"This is an extraordinary program, Mr. Paris," Kathryn remarked, enjoying the feel of her boots sinking slightly in the sand.
"Thank you, Captain," Tom nodded and bounced lightly on his toes. "So, lets divide into teams! Guys against gals?"
Kathryn laughed and shook her head. "No way, Tom. You're not going to turn this into a battle of the sexes."
"Alright," Tom took a step back from the group and motioned her to follow. "How about this – you and I will each head up a team and take turns choosing our 'mates from the other four."
"Good idea," Kathryn replied and they moved to stand a few paces apart, facing the others.
"Ladies first," Tom nodded to her with a wink.
"Chakotay," Kathryn said, and inwardly cringed at how quickly she had chosen, as he moved to stand just behind her left shoulder. Admittedly, it was an easy choice; she knew she'd always want him on her team.
"B'Elanna," Tom called next, another easy choice.
But now Kathryn paused, considering the remaining two. Her first inclination would be to choose Seven, however she knew that Harry already got along with Tom and B'Elanna quite well and this was about improving teamwork after all…
"Harry," she made her decision.
The young ensign looked surprised but happy and quickly moved to stand on her right, opposite Chakotay.
"Alright, Seven!" Tom cheerfully gestured to her. "Looks like you're with us!"
B'Elanna now looked less than enthused but Kathryn allowed herself a small smile. Maybe some genuine good would come of this.
Tom now moved towards the supplies between the boats and the groups followed. There were similar piles resting on two separate crates.
"Okay, now each team will receive the same set of arms to aid them. The only thing different in these piles is the maps. Captain?" Tom paused and waited for her to choose.
Kathryn walked to the right one, followed by Chakotay and Harry. Tom, B'Elanna, and Seven moved to the one on the left.
"Three swords, a pistol, a compass and map. That's all each team needs to reach their treasure and bring it back."
As he spoke, they began picking up supplies. Kathryn handed the pistol to Chakotay and the compass and rolled up map to Harry. Tom took his team's pistol while Seven took their compass and map. Everyone got a sword in a sheath.
"The holodeck safeties are on but if you do something that would otherwise get you killed, like fall off a mountain or get trapped under a rockslide, you're out of the game and you team goes on without you." He paused and everyone nodded their understanding. "The catch is, it takes three people to unlock the treasure. It can be done with two but…well, it's easier with three." Shrugging his shoulders he continued, "After the treasure is in hand, bring it back here to the beach and get in a rowboat. The first team to touch the ship," he pointed out to sea, "wins the game!"
"Sounds easy enough," Chakotay spoke up, as he finished attaching the pistol and holster to his belt. Everyone agreed. With the exception of Seven, all of them had been through Starfleet wilderness training and, Seven included, they were sure they had all been through worse.
"I'm assuming our maps and routes are randomly generated?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrows at Tom.
"Yes," Tom laughed. "I don't know what's coming any more than you do."
"Alright," Kathryn said, after making sure her sword was secure in its sheath on her belt. Is everyone ready then?" Heads nodded all around. "Okay, let's do it!"
As if a starting gun had gone off, both teams quickly unfurled their maps. Harry immediately found their starting point and led the way into the jungle, Kathryn and Chakotay close behind, following the little line of dots to where 'X' marked the spot.
/\
Fifteen minutes later, the thick jungle canopy obscured the lovely blue sky and they were stomping their way through dense undergrowth.
Kathryn wasn't paying attention to much of anything besides following Harry. She knew he'd be a good navigator and was pleased she'd chosen him for her team. She wondered how the others were fairing. It was because of this random thought that she tripped over an outstretched root.
Chakotay came up beside her and gently took hold of her upper arm to help her to her feet.
"Should your pirate name be 'Captain Gracie?'" he teased and, after she got her balance, she gave him a soft shove. Harry, deep in concentration, didn't slow down at all so they hurried to catch up.
They traipsed on for another ten minutes or so and became aware that the ground was gradually sloping up. Kathryn imagined their little group made a funny sight, stomping around trees and occasionally pulling out a sword to hack through some thick hanging vines.
Harry finally spoke up. "Listen for running water. We should be getting close to a river that we're going to have to cross."
Kathryn had come up behind him and looked over his shoulder to where he pointed on the map. "Aye aye, Captain!" she replied enthusiastically. Harry started and gave her an embarrassed look, blushing furiously. Kathryn just laughed and gave him a reassuring pat on the back.
They kept moving and the trees began to thin out so that eventually all three could walk side by side. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves overhead but, aside from their muffled footsteps, it was relatively quiet.
Presently, Chakotay stopped and tilted his head to one side. "I hear water." He began walking again, adjusting their course slightly left. Harry consulted the compass and nodded in agreement.
"Lead on, Pocahontas," Kathryn muttered.
Chakotay turned to respond with some biting remark but then she grinned at him and he remembered how he teased her before and figured he probably deserved it. So he simply smiled back at her.
Quite suddenly, the trees gave way and they found themselves standing on the edge of a very deep ravine.
Leaning forward slightly to look over the edge, Kathryn said, "We found the river."
It looked to be nearly thirty meters to the other side with at least a twenty meter drop to the water below and it seemed to never end, stretching as far to the left and right as they could see.
"This way," Chakotay pointed to the left. "I see a bridge."
The three began to move again, picking their way carefully along the rocky edge.
/\
"We're already lost," B'Elanna let out an exasperated sigh and glared at Seven.
The team had just climbed a rocky slope and at the top found more trees but were unsure which direction to take now. It all looked the same.
Seven ignored her and continued to study the map, occasionally checking the compass.
"These archaic tools are an inefficient method of navigation," she finally declared, looking up and handing the items over to Tom.
Tom laughed. "I know you're used to high resolution Astrometrics sensors and star charts but this really isn't that difficult!"
"I did not say it was 'difficult' – I said it was an in-"
"'An inefficient method of navigation,'" Tom cut her off. "I heard you." He smiled to let her know there were no hard feelings before turning around.
From their raised vantage point, he could just make out the beach and the rowboats from where they started. Orienting the map to match and setting the direction with the compass, Tom set about getting them on the right path again. B'Elanna continued to glare at Seven. And Seven would have pouted, if she did that sort of thing.
/\
"Well. This looks safe." Kathryn stood, arms crossed, looking across the bridge. Chakotay and Harry stood on either side of her.
The bridge consisted of thick, slightly ragged ropes, tied together and woven through and around the rotted looking boards they were supposed to walk on. Longer ropes across the top served as handrails. The entire thing swayed slightly in the breeze and Kathryn imagined it was going to move even more once they began to cross. The thing looked entirely too rickety for her tastes. The river below moved quite quickly, rapids that would carry them away if any of this were real.
"At least the holodeck safeties are on," she sighed.
"Yes, but if one of us falls the whole team might as well forfeit. It would be hard for only two to reach the treasure," Harry reminded them.
Kathryn laughed and grasped his shoulder. "And we shall call him 'Captain Brightside!'" she declared, waving her other hand theatrically. Harry blushed and Chakotay grinned.
"I'll go first," Harry said.
"We're right behind you," Kathryn released his shoulder and winked.
Harry tucked the map and compass safely in his vest pocket. He took a tentative step on to the first of the boards. Grasping the hand ropes tightly, he began to carefully pick his way across. Each board gave a faint creak with every step.
"Pocahontas?" Kathryn looked at Chakotay with raised eyebrows.
"After you, Gracie," Chakotay grinned and gestured for her to move ahead of him.
"I hope these nicknames don't stick," she muttered, mirroring Harry's moves and slowly working across the rough boards.
"I don't know," Chakotay replied, a few steps behind. "'Captain Brightside' actually suits Harry quite well!"
They laughed and continued on.
Harry made it to the other side first and stood watching the other two.
As luck would have it, nearly three-quarters of the way across, Kathryn stepped on a board that, for some reason, suddenly cracked under her small frame. Harry saw her eyes widen in surprise but before she could move, she was falling through, losing hold of the ropes.
In a split second decision, Chakotay lunged forward and grabbed her forearm, just as her fingers missed the splintery edge. The broken board fell away on either side and plunged into the rushing water below. Her hat drifted down after it quickly disappeared in the current. In spite of the situation, Chakotay couldn't help but notice how endearingly tousled her hair looked. Then he noticed her slightly frantic expression.
"Well, Kathryn," Chakotay spoke through gritted teeth, laying flat on his stomach on the swaying bridge. "'Gracie' just might stick."
"You know this wasn't my fault!" she yelled up at him. They gripped each other's forearms tightly and she struggled to reach her other hand up, causing her body to swing even more with the motion of the bridge. "Pull me up!"
"I'm trying – quit struggling or I'll just let go!" He flashed her a grin and her body stilled. "You'll probably look adorable soaking wet." She glared up at him. Harry watched helplessly, not wanting to get back on the boards and cause more problems.
Slowly, Chakotay pulled her up enough that she could bring her other hand to grip the next board. With his help, Kathryn hauled herself to the other side. Chakotay remained still as she crossed the rest of the way. Harry offered his hand and helped her on to solid ground. Then Chakotay stood, stepping carefully over the gap, and made his way to join them.
/\
"According to the map, we should be entering a swampy area soon."
Tom had gotten his team back on track and they'd moved on through the trees, feeling the ground move downward in a gradual slope.
Seven had remained resolutely silent and B'Elanna was acting much the same. Any attempt Tom had made at conversation had failed so he'd eventually given up hope.
The air around them began to feel more humid and they presently found themselves at the edge of the swamp, right where the map said they should be. Imagine that, Tom thought to himself.
In some places they could see deep pools connected by shallow streams. The ground beneath their feet was damp and covered in springy moss. The trees were draped with more moss and formed a thick canopy overhead, severely muting the sunlight. The team began slogging their way through, glad for the thick leather boots they wore.
No one noticed the crocodile until it tried to bite Seven's leg off.
She had just stepped into one of the shallow creeks when the animal, floating just below the surface in perfect camouflage, opened its gaping mouth directly in front of her. Seven froze, unsure of what to do.
Before Tom could react, B'Elanna growled and moved over, giving the creature a swift kick in the side. Seven stepped back and the croc snapped its jaw fiercely, twisting in the water toward the half-Klingon. Tom was ready this time and fired the pistol. The shot landed in the water just under the creature's chin. It bucked away from them wildly and slid into a deeper pool.
"You should have killed it," Seven remarked.
"Oh, come on," Tom said, returning the weapon to its holster. "I know it's only a hologram but that's still no reason to kill an animal acting on instinct."
"It would've been one less problem to worry about on the return trip," B'Elanna muttered, continuing on through the muck.
Seven raised an eyebrow at Tom and followed after B'Elanna. Tom shrugged his shoulders at no one and brought up the rear.
/\
Kathryn, Chakotay, and Harry felt like they were making great progress. After the incident at the bridge, they quickly regained their lost momentum and emerged from the remaining stretch of forest to find they were facing a steep rock wall.
Looking up, they could see they were at the base of a mountain whose top was lost in the clouds.
"We must be close to the center of the island," Kathryn said.
"I hope we don't have to climb to the top." Chakotay spoke as he moved to look at the map with Harry.
"Nope," Harry tapped their location on the drawing. "There should be a ledge with a cave somewhere above us. The treasure is in the cave."
Chakotay looked at where he pointed and sure enough, there was a tiny ledge drawn with a darkened half circle on it to indicate the cave opening. The red 'X' of their destination was scratched over it.
Kathryn took a few steps back from the rock face, scanning the area above them.
"There," she said, pointing a little way to the right. About twenty meters up, they could just make out the change in the surface that showed the presence of the ledge. Leading up the rock face below, the team could see a series of well worn hand and foot holds.
"Shall we?" Kathryn walked to the rock.
Chakotay looked at Harry. "I suggest we let 'Gracie' go first, that way if she falls one of us can try to catch her."
Kathryn turned halfway around to fire back but saw both men ginning at her so she shook her head and smiled.
"What would I ever do without you?" Sarcasm was evident in her voice but there was still certain validity to her redundant question.
Grabbing the closest handholds above her, Kathryn carefully began to scale the mountain. Chakotay and Harry took up positions on either side and below her, following just a few feet behind.
A few minutes into their climb, Chakotay happened to look up in searching for his next handhold and realized it might have been a mistake to have Kathryn go above them. He could see right up her skirt.
While he certainly didn't mind the view of her black panties, made of what looked like satin, he was pretty sure that if Kathryn was aware of the show she was putting on, she wouldn't be happy. Wondering if Harry had looked up yet, he glanced over to see the young ensign blushing fiercely and steadfastly studying the rock directly in front of him.
Chakotay chuckled and Kathryn glanced down at him. He looked up and met her eyes, the question plain on her face. He flashed his dimples and shook his head, motioning for her to keep going.
Poor Harry would just have to suffer through it in silence. Chakotay considered this to be a good exercise in taking one for the team.
/\
Tom's team emerged from the swamp without further incident and found themselves at the base of the mountain on the other side of the island. The rock face in front of them was very similar to what the other team was scaling.
Checking the map, Tom explained the location of the cave to B'Elanna and Seven. They began to climb, Tom leading the way with the women trailing begrudgingly behind him.
/\
Kathryn pulled herself up on the ledge. Standing, she brushed her hands off on her skirt and moved to inspect the cave entrance.
Her skirt.
She stopped mid-step. Whirling around, she almost collided with Chakotay, who had come up behind her.
Kathryn narrowed her eyes and began a silent conversation with Chakotay who undoubtedly knew the realization she'd come to but who's look plainly said 'I don't know what you're talking about.'
Glancing past him, her suspicions were confirmed as Harry stubbornly refused to meet her eyes and his cheeks were decidedly flushed. She knew the climb hadn't been that difficult.
"Alright, Pocahontas," she eyed Chakotay again, deciding to drop the matter for just a moment. "Time for you and 'Captain Brightside' to impress me further with your wilderness skills. Lead on to the treasure!" She gestured to the cave opening and Chakotay and Harry moved forward. As Chakotay walked past her, she sneaked her hand out and gave him a quick pinch on his rear.
Chakotay jumped but managed to keep his yelp of surprise from escaping; Harry continued on unknowing. Kathryn steadied Chakotay by placing her hand on his shoulder and stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear.
"Maybe next time you'll think twice about not warning me!" she hissed. "I hope you at least enjoyed the view." She took a step back now and placed her hands on her hips, giving him her best death-glare.
"Always," he replied with sincerity, and his eyes darkened with the deeper meaning she couldn't possibly miss.
The glare evaporated and Kathryn blushed slightly. "Come on, Harry's getting ahead of us again." She moved toward the cave with Chakotay right beside her.
They quickly caught up and Chakotay cleared his throat gently so as not to startle Harry. He put a hand on the young man's shoulder, causing him to stop.
"We should stay close together," Chakotay said. "There's not much light up ahead."
Harry looked forward again and nodded in agreement. He put a hand out to the wall on his left. "Let's move slowly too."
Chakotay kept one hand on Harry's shoulder and looked back at Kathryn. She was just reaching for his other hand and laced her fingers through his, giving him a small smile.
"Lead on, Cap'n!" Kathryn spoke up. Chakotay chuckled in spite of himself. Harry began, once again, to take tentative steps forward.
The trio moved on in silence for some minutes. The darkness before them deepened as the sunlight from the cave mouth receded behind them. After a slight curve in the tunnel, they were momentarily plunged into complete darkness.
"Is this really the only way?" Kathryn muttered.
"I see something ahead," Harry whispered. "More light. Flickering."
Picking up the pace, they covered the remaining length of the tunnel and emerged in a large, dimly lit cavern. The walls were slick with slime and stalagmites rose from the floor to meet their stalactite counterparts. Torches were attached to brackets, spaced unevenly throughout the cave, the source of the flickering light. The cave ceiling must have been very high because it was lost in darkness.
About ten meters in lay the treasure. The top of a stalagmite had been cut off to make a flat sort of pillar upon which rested a miniature treasure chest. The thing couldn't have been more than three inches deep, the same in length and only two inches wide. Kathryn sighed in exasperation as she released Chakotay's hand and moved toward the box.
"We went through all that for this?" She picked up the box and shook it, a mixture of incredulity and triumph in her voice.
She whirled around to congratulate her team but three huge men who dropped from above quickly obscured her sight of them.
They were pirates, dressed in clothes similar to their own but covered in substantially more slime and dirt. The also had swords which were already unsheathed and pointed at each of them.
Uh oh was the only thought Kathryn had time for as the pirate in front of her let out a cry and raised his sword in the air.
"Arrrggh!" The deep growl echoed around the cave and Kathryn ducked and rolled to the side just as the big man brought his sword down. The blade crashed onto the empty surface of the pillar, cracking the side of the rock.
Holding the box to her chest with one hand and pulling out her sword with the other, Kathryn quickly jumped to her feet. She heard the clash of metal off to the side and knew Chakotay and Harry would be locked in battle with the other two. Unfortunately, they were closer to the tunnel then she was and she had the treasure.
The corsair attacking her had pulled his sword from the rock and swung toward her again. This time she was ready and their swords met with a great clanging sound. He was strong but Kathryn was smaller and quick on her feet. She danced away and began moving toward the tunnel. Her opponent thrust toward her again but she quickly parried his attack. Out the corner of her eye, Kathryn saw Chakotay spin his attacker around and deliver a blow to the back of his head sending the dirty pirate to the ground.
"Kathryn!" Chakotay spun around to help her but Harry and the other pirate were between them.
"Run!" Kathryn yelled out. She feinted quickly to the right causing her opponent to lose his balance long enough for her to give him a good shove with her shoulder.
Turning, she saw Harry's opponent also on the ground, struggling to get to his feet. Her teammates started to move toward her but she shook her head.
"I said RUN!"
Harry's Starfleet training kicked in and he moved toward the tunnel. Kathryn was right behind him and Chakotay brought up the rear this time.
Their exit from the cave was much faster than their entry had been. The three ran full tilt down the tunnel, the heavy footsteps of the two remaining pirates following.
They burst into the sunlight, gasping for breath, but didn't have much time to get their bearings about them.
"There!" Harry shouted. He was pointing at the edge of the cliff to their left. Three ropes were slung over an outcropping of rock. The ends disappeared in the tops of the taller trees at the edge of the forest.
"Yes!" Kathryn exclaimed, running for the ropes, still holding the treasure chest close. "We'll swing out into the forest and then run back to the beach." She grabbed for one of the ropes and in the process, dislodged one, sending it swinging into the forest with no one on it. "Damn," she sighed, turning to the other two.
Just then the grimy pirates burst from the cave. "Arrrgh!" they cried into the sunlight.
"Harry, take the other rope," Chakotay ordered. "'Gracie,' I suggest you hang on."
Chakotay grabbed the rope from Kathryn's hand and pulled her close. Harry was already swinging off into the trees and the enemy was closing in. Kathryn threw her arms around Chakotay's neck and allowed him to wrap an arm around her waist. Placing one foot on the large knot at the end of the rope, Chakotay leapt off the cliff and they flew into the trees after Harry.
The pirates let out an anguished yell but it was lost as the team was enveloped in the cool canopy of trees.
/\
"Seven! Behind you!"
In a very similar cavern, the young woman turned around at Tom's yell as the trio of enemy buccaneers landed amidst the other team.
In a flurry of confusion, Seven reached behind her to grab the treasure chest, gleaming in the firelight. She spun around and brought her other hand up to club the big pirate across the head. He was quickly stunned and fell to the ground.
Tom and B'Elanna has their swords drawn and were engaging the other two. Seven secured the tiny box in her shirt pocket and moved to join her team.
/\
Harry landed quite gracefully, on his feet and trotting quickly to a stop. Chakotay and Kathryn had a harder time. They slipped from the rope and few feet from the ground and landed in the wet grass with a thud. Momentum caused them to roll a little ways but eventually they stopped in a tangle of limbs, Kathryn pinned to the ground by Chakotay's heavy frame.
"Ugh," Kathryn groaned, throwing her arms out to the side, still clutching the treasure chest in one hand.
Chakotay quickly scrambled to his feet and Harry moved to help him pull the captain up.
"Sorry about that," Chakotay grinned and Kathryn rolled her eyes. They were both covered in grass stains but there was no real damage done.
"Come on," she said, motioning for Harry to lead the way. "Let's get back to the beach and out to the ship."
/\
Both teams made good time but Kathryn's was the first to step through the palm trees and on to the sand. They smiled in triumph, seeing that there were still two rowboats present.
The three broke into a run, kicking up sand behind them. Kathryn clamored into the boat first and Chakotay and Harry each grabbed a side and began to push it into the water.
"Hurry!" Kathryn was breathless with excitement. "I can see the other team!"
Tom, B'Elanna, and Seven had just burst through the trees and were quickly running for the shore.
"Arrr!" Tom half shouted, half laughed, and Kathryn's eyes widened in surprise as he drew his pistol.
"Look out!" she yelled to her teammates as Tom took aim and fired at one of the barrels of gunpowder.
With a bang, the barrel disappeared in a ball of fire. The explosion, while not big, was enough to startle them momentarily. Chakotay looked up at the opposing team in surprise and Harry jumped.
"Push," Chakotay growled, quickly snapping back to the task at hand.
One more almighty shove and the boat slipped into the water. The two men splashed aboard and grabbed hold of the oars. As fast as they could, they began rowing through the waves towards the big pirate ship and their victory.
Back on shore, the other team reached their rowboat and began pushing it into the water. Kathryn moved from her seat in the bow and climbed past Harry to Chakotay, sitting in the stern.
"If they can fight dirty, so can we," she said, reaching for Chakotay's belt.
"Kathryn?" he asked, leaning back slightly and trying to catch his breath.
She pulled the pistol from its holster and knelt one knee on the bench next to him. "Keep rowing, Pocahontas."
Kathryn wrapped her left arm across the back of his shoulders, pulling him until they were pressed chest to breast. She leaned over his left shoulder, grasping the pistol in her right hand and stretching out to take aim. Her shot was perfectly timed against the rocking of the waves and another barrel of gunpowder went up in a blaze.
She nodded in satisfaction as Seven caught the brunt of the explosion, falling forward into the shallow water away from the boat. B'Elanna growled and reached back to pull the sputtering young woman up. Tom gave a final shove and the boat gently lifted into the water.
Kathryn sat back and ginned at Chakotay.
"I'm assuming you got a good shot in," he laughed and somehow managed to keep up a steady rowing pace, despite her straddling his lap.
"Of course!" she said in triumph.
"We're almost there!" Harry called in excitement and Kathryn turned to see the pirate ship fast approaching.
She climbed off Chakotay's lap and moved past Harry again to the bow of their little boat. Within minutes they bumped the side of the larger vessel and Kathryn had hold of a mooring rope.
"Yes!" All three let out cries of joy and exchanged victorious handshakes and hugs all around.
They had won.
/\
"Okay, open the boxes," Tom said.
All six of them stood on the deck of the main ship. The waves rocked gently below them and the salty sea breeze was cool on their skin. A long board extended off one side over the water.
Each team opened their miniature treasure chests.
"A key?" Kathryn raised her eyebrows in surprise as she pulled an intricately gilded, long and thin metal piece out of her team's box. Turning, she saw B'Elanna do the same.
"Yup," Tom smiled. "We'll need these for our next adventure!"
Kathryn rolled her eyes and shook her head. "What makes you so sure there will be a 'next adventure?''
"Oh, come on! This was fun!" Tom said and gestured to both teams. "And I know we work better together now then ever before."
The captain realized she had to agree but she wasn't ready to voice as much.
"Well, I believe you said something about the losers walking the plank…" Kathryn grinned and put her hands on her hips. Chakotay and Harry smirked from behind her as they faced their ragged looking opponents.
Tom laughed and motioned for his team to move to the side. "Fair enough," he said and winked at Seven. "Ladies first?"
The ex-Borg stepped hesitantly onto the plank. "I do not understand why further punishment is necessary. We have already lost the game."
"Oh come on, Seven," chided B'Elanna, stepping up behind her. Seven was forced further out above the water. "Be a good sport. We're right behind you."
Seven opened her mouth to protest further but a particularly large wave slammed into the ship. She slipped and tumbled off the plank, landing with a splash below. Tom and B'Elanna managed to keep their balance and from the railing, Kathryn, Chakotay, and Harry started laughing.
Seven spluttered and splashed in the water several feet away from the ship. Kathryn was suddenly alarmed. "Seven! Swim!" she shouted over the laughter.
"I cannot comply!" the young woman responded between mouthfuls of water.
Kathryn rolled her eyes and moved to grab a loose coil of rope. "For such a know-it-all there sure is a lot she doesn't know," she muttered under her breath.
"Captain, wait a minute!" Tom called out. "Seven! Stand up!" The blond kept flailing about and didn't seem to hear him. "Seven!" Tom yelled louder.
"Stand up!" Several of them shouted at once this time and she finally heard them.
Letting her legs sink below her, Seven found purchase on the soft sandy ocean floor and realized the water was only chest deep. She stood and crossed her arms, glaring angrily up at the others. Kathryn moved back to the railing and laughed again.
"You're next B'Elanna!" the helmsman gave the engineer just enough of a nudge to knock her off balance and send her toppling into the water. Her indignant cry was swallowed up by the waves. "There's rum in that crate over there! Enjoy!" He called back to the others, before leaping off after his teammates in perfect cannonball form.
"Come on, Harry!" B'Elanna called up. "Join us for a swim!" She laughed and splashed away as Tom shot back up to the surface, thoroughly showering her. Seven continued to glower as Harry pulled off his boots and leaped over the railing.
"Well, Pocahontas," Kathryn turned to Chakotay with a smile. "Shall we leave the kids to play?"
"Sounds like a good idea, Gracie. But first…" Chakotay turned and moved over to the crate Tom had indicated. He pulled out a bottle of rum and faced her again. "Would you be up for a celebratory drink? My quarters?"
"You read my mind," Kathryn's eyes sparkled and she gave him a pat on the chest. Reaching up, she pulled his hat off his head and placed it on her own. Chakotay decided, as her lopsided grin pierced his heart, that he would definitely be up for another adventure.
The raucous cries of the others faded behind the command team as they linked arms and returned to the corridors of their own ship.