Primitive

Chapter 1

Chakotay dug up the wild onions and stuck them in his bag. He liked the feel of the dirt against his fingers: it reminded him of times with his Grandmother as a boy. It wasn't Earth, but being in civilian clothes, and surrounded by trees made him feel like he was home. He took a deep breath and smiled. He wondered if Paris and Kim had the same feeling about this place as he did. He pulled two more onions, then stood and stretched his back. He walked two paces to the left and cried out in shock as the arrow pierced him just below his collarbone.

Tom Paris heard Chakotay's cry and carefully stepped through the trees toward the source of the sound. He heard voices and stopped. Crouching down, he watched from behind a massive tree as the primitive tribesman tended Chakotay's wound, picked him up, and carried him back toward their village. "Paris to Voyager," he whispered into his disguised comm. badge.

"Go ahead," answered Tuvok.

Harry Kim joined him as he relayed his message. "Chakotay has been injured and the locals just carried him toward their village. It looks like they're friendly and are caring for him."

"Acknowledged."

A pause, and then the voice of the Captain. "Tom, do you have your medic kit with you?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"You and Harry go to the village to investigate. If you can get a chance, survey Chakotay's wounds and let us know what's wrong."

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Tom. He looked at his friend, who nodded silently, then the two began walking quietly through the woods in the direction of the Imati village.

T'Lea watched as his Uncles carried the stranger into Sifa's house. He could not forgive himself his mistake. He had been on his first hunt, and the buck had been right there. How could he mistake a man for a buck? But his arrow had flown, and it was too late now to do anything about it. He hoped the man lived, for if he did not, he would not be able to bear the shame of his mistake.

They laid Chakotay on the spare bed and backed away. One man cut the arrow shaft and then stepped back to let Sifa look at the wound. She looked carefully at both sides of the arrow, then nodded at her brother. He grasped the shaft firmly, just above the arrowhead, and both he and Chakotay screamed as he yanked it through the man's body. Taking the bloodied arrow with him, he gave Chakotay a knowing look and left the room.

Sifa worked quickly, cutting back Chakotay's clothing, cleaning the wound, and applying bandages. He stayed conscious throughout the ordeal, but was in too much pain to complain. She heard stifled gasps now and then and thought how brave this stranger must be to bear his pain this way. She finished and eased him onto his back.

"I am Sifa. I will come back later with medicine. You rest, now."

"Chakotay," he whispered, his voice tired and gruff. "I am Chakotay… Thank you."

She smiled at him and stepped lightly out of the room. On the doorstep, she found T'Lea, a look of anguish on his face. She could sense the despair in his heart. "We need herbs, son." She smiled encouragingly and touched his hand. "He will live, T'Lea. The arrow went through muscle. He will live."

The boy felt his heart grow lighter, but knew there was a chance she was wrong. He listened to the list of herbs she gave him, and ran full speed to the garden to collect them.

Paris and Kim watched from the edge of the forest. There was an open field, and then the village. Smoke curled up from kitchen fires, and there was slow but steady work being done in the gardens and by the modest homes. Paris sat back, dropping completely to the ground. "Well, that's it."

"They seemed friendly?" Harry asked.

Tom nodded. "They really moved quickly to tend to Chakotay. I think they are friendly."

"Could you tell what happened?"

"No. I got there afterwards. When they picked him up, it looked like an… arrow or something…"

Harry frowned. "Arrows aren't very friendly."

"Maybe it was some kind of accident," Tom offered.

"Maybe." They looked at each other a moment, each unwilling to say what they knew they needed to do.

Finally, Tom spoke. "I guess we just walk up, knock on some doors."

"I guess."

Tom punched his friend. "C'mon, who could resist that charming smile of yours?"

Harry shook his head and they walked off.