Inner Conflict

by XXDragons-ShadowXX

On an away mission to locate dilithium for Voyager's warp core, Commander Chakotay, Seven of Nine and Lieutenant Paris are abducted by a species of alien telepaths. They are imprisoned and subjected to the physical and mental abuse of their captors.

TITLE: Inner Conflict

GENRE: Star Trek: Voyager

RATING: NC-17

PAIRINGS: Chakotay/Seven of Nine, implied Tom Paris/ B'Elanna Torres

WARNING(s): violence, gore, course language, nudity, attempted rape, angst

SYNOPSIS: On an away mission to locate dilithium for Voyager's warp core, Commander Chakotay, Seven of Nine and Lieutenant Paris are abducted by a species of alien telepaths. They are imprisoned and subjected to the physical and mental abuse of their captors, experimented on and treated like slaves. Through their suffering Seven and Chakotay become closer, filling in some plot holes and giving a more solid back story of what helped them bond.

DISCLAIMER: Star Trek: Voyager and characters are property of Gene Roddenberry and Paramount Pictures. I make no profit by making this. I'm just borrowing them. The Tyzodian aliens, however, are my own creation.

XXXXX

"Attention unidentified vessel, you are trespassing in Tyzodian space. Lower your shields and prepare to be boarded." Demanded a raspy voice over the open channel.

"This is commander Chakotay of the Delta Flyer. I assure you, we mean no harm. We're a group of explorers, and we only need to renew our supply of dilithium to power our warp drive and

request permission-"

The Delta Flyer shook violently as it was audibly struck by the apposing ship's phaser beam.

"Request denied," Lieutenant Paris quipped sarcastically as he felt the chair beneath him vibrate.

Voyager had been traveling through the current sector of open space for several weeks now, and with no luck in finding any planets that supported the element, and their current supply running dangerously low, Chakotay, Tom Paris and Seven of Nine had been assigned on one of several away missions in an attempt to locate the precious radan. Voyager now remained docked on an uninhabited moon to ration their remaining supply while the away teams combed the perimeter.

"They've got a tractor beam on us," Paris informed them. "we're being pulled in."

"Lower shields," Chakotay commanded.

"inadvisable," Seven suggested. "Species eight-two-six are an extremely confrontational race of telepaths. They will not adhere to negotiation."

"That may be," The Commander countered, "but we're in their territory, and their ship is much more powerful than ours. If we don't do as they say, they may not hesitate to blow us to pieces. Lower shields."

The former drone hesitated, but did as she was told. Shields went down, and almost immediately a group of pale quadrupedal aliens with long frog-like hind legs and sharp carnivorous fangs entered the shuttlecraft and into the cockpit. They had no noses, but instead a set of flared nostrils, while long silver manes covered their scalps. Approximately eight feet tall, they were forced to keep their heads lowered as so not to strike them against the roof. Their yellow eyes narrowed as they approached the three humanoids, the foul stench of their breath brushing against their faces as the aliens growled maliciously.

"You are trespassing," the leader of the group repeated, not aloud but rather inside Chakotay's mind as the alien glared down at him. "In accordance with Tyzodian custom, you will be arrested and taken into custody. Once onboard our ship, we will decide what to do with you."

"I'd like to speak with a representative. We didn't realize this region of space was occupied. If you release us you have my word that we'll leave immediately. But please-"

The Commander was abruptly silenced as a clawed appendage struck him brutally across the scull, the force of the blow propelling him back into his chair.

"Commander!" Seven and Paris started forward from their opposite positions, but were instantly detained by two of the Tyzodian.

The alien leapt forward and pinned Chakotay by the throat where he was sprawled with a hooked talon, stretching out his long neck so that their faces were mere inches apart. "You are in no position to be making demands, cur."

He could feel the blood running down his temple, but held up a hand in resignation. "Alright… alright. We'll do as you say so long as you don't harm my crew."

"You have no choice but to do otherwise. Do you truly think you have the capacity to challenge us?"

Chakotay gasped as his head suddenly began to throb, and a wave of his darkest memories brushed over his perception. He relived the death of his mother, the murder of some of his Maquis comrades, and Seska's ultimate betrayal, among other things. Through the paralyzing fog of pain and visions, he vaguely heard the distressed moans of his companions as the same excruciating sensation engulfed them both.

"We can render your every move, see your past memories, even feel your emotions." Echoed the lead alien's voice within their heads.

"If… if that's true, you know we have no ill intent-" Tom struggled to force the words out. He sunk to his knees as the barrage of images continued, his hands gripping the sides of his head in desperation.

"Alpha, this one is Borg…" reverberated the voice of the alien who had Seven cornered against the wall by the neck, both her hands grasped firmly around the creature's wide wrist in failed resistance, her normally stoic features twisted with affliction.

"Borg?" Repeated the leader's voice as his head turned with interest to gaze upon the woman. "Well, that is intriguing. Your kind has caused us much grief, drone. But you've never successfully assimilated any of us, have you? Our biological and technological distinctiveness was incompatible with your own. You have destroyed thousands of our people for naught." The alien then returned his attention to Chakotay. "I must admit; the fact that you've been able to tame such a creature is impressive. It may serve quite useful to us."

"I will not comply," Seven rebelliously objected, even as the strangling grip around her throat tightened.

"Oh, you will." retorted the Tyzodian, and then Seven's eyes began to roll back into their sockets as her cortical node began to resonantly protest the assault of emotional visions that continued to deluge her.

She saw flashes of her parents being turned into Borg before she was assimilated herself- an extremely painful and traumatic event Seven had scarcely dwelled on since the incident when Voyager had come across The Raven, but now the thought of it tormented her mercilessly. She watched herself assimilate others, as well. Then an image of the three Borg drones whom she had linked together while still part of the hive mind surfaced, and how she had indirectly killed them in doing so. There was Kovin, the alien she had mistakenly accused of violating her, dying in a ship explosion after trying to run away. Then another image, this time of One- the futuristic drone that had spawned from Seven of Nine's nano-probes and the Doctor's mobile emitter- across the bio-bed in sickbay as he lye dying, refusing treatment with an erected force field around his body.

"Stop!" She pleaded as the overwhelming perceptions became unbearably detrimental.

Unimatrix Zero appeared before her eyes, but not as the paradise it had been. Axum stood before her, giving her his word that he would one day find her before disappearing and leaving Seven's arms reaching out into nothingness. It was extremely unlikely and they both knew it, still that one ounce of hope dwindled. And then, a final image, of herself in a red dress kissing Chakotay- or rather his holographic counter part, the scene quickly transforming into the argument in her quarters on the holodeck, and festering thoughts of how a relationship between them could never be.

The cortical node gave one more spark of refute, before Seven of Nine collapsed and was enticed by darkness.

"Seven!" Tom cried as the delusions finally ended.

"What have you done to her?" Chakotay grunted out.

"Apparently, the onslaught of emotion was too much for your drone to handle." The alien smirked. He then lifted the Commander up by his neck, practically flinging him towards his unconscious ship mate. "Pick it up, and prepare for transport."

Chakotay rubbed his aching throat as he kneeled beside Seven's crumpled body, gently putting his hands beneath her, his concern mounting at the sight of the electrical sparks her implants were giving off . He stood with her in his arms, before the tingling palpation of transport beamed them over to the alien ship.

XXXXX

"Why isn't she waking?"

When they materialized, they found themselves alone in a cold, dingy holding cell with a thick steel door. Their com. badges had been removed, so they had no way of contacting Voyager or any other vessel for assistance. There were no beds in the cell, but instead what appeared to be a toilet in one corner, and a pile of straw in the other. Seven had been stretched out across it, whilst Chakotay and Tom crouched at her side.

Paris rubbed a hand over his face in agitation. "There's only one reason I can think of… but it's not really my place to say what it is."

"What do you mean- 'not your place to say'?" Chakotay demanded.

"Doc told me something… something that happened recently, but it would be a breach of doctor-patient confidentiality to release the information."

"Look…" Chakotay started. "I'm all for keeping a patient's issues private, but we're not exactly in a position where we have access to medical supplies or even a real doctor for that matter- no offense."

"None taken." Paris shrugged.

"If the Captain were here, she'd want to know what's going on. But since she's not here, as your superior officer, I'm ordering you to tell me what's wrong with Seven."

"You can't order me to-"

"I just did." Chakotay stated firmly.

Tom sighed forlornly. "A few weeks ago, Seven experienced a… short-out. You may recall she kept leaving her post a while back, was late for her duty shifts.. Right around the same time we entered that alien mine field."

"I remember. Go on."

"From what I understand, she was experimenting with her emotions, and… a fail-safe device imbedded in her cortical node activated and began to shut down her implants."

"Hold on, are you saying she can only reach a certain level of emotional stimulation before… this happens?"

"Yes, sir, and that's not all. The Doc said if it happened again, it could kill her. Frankly, it's a miracle she's breathing right now."

It was Chakotay's turn to sigh as he shook his head sadly. "Creating a device that'll kill you for becoming emotionally in tune with your own heart; how incredibly cruel… So, what can we do for her?"

"For now, the only thing I can think of is to try and keep her warm so she doesn't go into shock. It's freezing in here."

Removing the outer jacket of his uniform, the Commander draped it over Seven's upper body.

"I can only begin to imagine what she saw…" Chakotay reminisced as he gazed upon her. "The time our minds were momentarily linked when we severed her from the collective, I remember seeing glimpses of her assimilation. What a terrible thing to be forced to re-live. It's no wonder she shut down like that."

"You felt it too, didn't you?" Tom asked. "What they were doing to us… It was as if… all the sorrow I've ever felt in my life combined into one giant throbbing mass of negativity."

"I felt it alright. Things long forgotten replaying in my head as though they took place yesterday." The Commander confirmed.

"Chakotay, what are we going to do? We can't fight them and have no way of contacting Voyager."

"I don't know… but we'll think of something."

"What do you suppose they want with us?"

"My guess is as good as yours. Whatever it is, it can't be good."

"How's your head?" he Lieutenant asked after a moment's silence.

"It feels like… someone took a fourteenth century mace to it."

"Why don't you take a seat? You should rest- oh, don't fall asleep for at least twenty-four hours. You might have a concussion."

"I'll keep that in mind," Chakotay replied as he stretched his legs out beneath him and rested his back against the wall. Dried blood caked the left side of his face, but the area was far too swollen to try and brush the crusty particles off.

Another hour went by before Seven of Nine finally began to stir, releasing a muffled groan as she did so. Her eyes fluttered open and she began to rise, only for Tom to gently push her back down by the shoulders.

"Hey, take it easy."

Her hand went to her head as it began to ache, and her eyes pinched closed for several seconds. "What happened?"

"Your cortical node destabilized again, and you passed out." Seven sat up once more as an affronted scowl crossed her features, and she glared accusingly at Lieutenant Paris. "Don't give me that look," he said in his own defense. "I was at a loss and didn't know what else to do in our current situation."

"Don't be mad at him," Chakotay admonished her gently. "I ordered him to tell me what was wrong. You had us worried, there. We were wondering if you were ever going to wake up, at all. You alright?"

"I'm fine," She said looking down at the black and red blazer covering her chest before slipping it off and handing it back to the Commander.

"That doesn't sound very convincing." he retorted, resting the jacket in the crook of his arm.

Ignoring his prodding, Seven replied; "What else has Lieutenant Paris revealed to you in regards to my… condition?"

"Only that this happens to you when you reach a certain level of emotional stimuli. Nothing more. It's nothing to be ashamed of," he added, noticing Seven's wavering discomfort.

"What of the Tyzodian?" She asked in an attempt to change the subject.

"We haven't seen them since we beamed aboard. We were transported directly into this holding cell. You said they were a violent race of telepaths. What else can you tell us about them?"

"Species eight-two-six expand their region of space by conquering other races in combat. It is not uncommon for them to drive their enemies into a psychotic frenzy, often turning them against one another using telepathy. They imprison the survivors… and sell them as slaves, test subjects, and in some cases even food to their companion ships."

"Great. So they're farming us." Tom grumbled. "We could be eaten any second."

"Tom," Chakotay warned.

"Much of their technology is primitive, however they do occasionally acquire enhanced technology from the species they imprison. It would appear we are in a slave trader's vessel, judging by the structural integrity of this room."

"I'll say. A growler wouldn't be able to break its way out." Paris jived. "How the hell are we gonna get out of here?"

"Seven, do you have any idea where the docking bay is on this ship? We need to come up with a plan to escape." The Commander affirmed.

The former drone was about to answer, but the noise of the door stopped her as it slid open, revealing four Tyzodian. "There is no escape," a deep voice sounded in their heads.

They were lead out of the room and herded down the corridor. It was on this very spacious deck that many other holding cell doors lined the walls. The Voyager crew also noticed several other sickly-looking aliens being marched in the opposite direction by their captors, fully nude and eyes downcast submissively, they looked to be the epitome of misery. Their feet guided them, and the trio realized that they had little control over their own movement.

At the end of the corridor, they entered a room with double sliding doors. It was dark, the only light radiating from above a desk at the rear. Their wrists and ankles were immediately linked in suspension rings behind them, holding them in place by the magnetic sensors on the wall so they had no chance of escaping.

"I see the drone is finally awake," Came the now-familiar voice of the Tyzodian Captain. He crept out from the shadows, thoughtfully pacing before them as he studied his captives. "I must admit, I didn't think you'd survive. Not use to the strain of being impassioned, are you?"

Seven of Nine gave no response. "Nothing to say for yourself? That's all right, I prefer a silent servant. But what to do with you? I'm sure there are many tasks in which you would prove to be useful. Do I make you a laborer, or dinner? I can't imagine you would taste very good. Too much cyber-wear. You would make a fine test subject for our top scientists… if we conduct enough research on you, we may be able to create a pathogen that will finally put an end to the Borg for good. Or, should I bring you to auction and sell you to the highest bidder?" The Tryzodian's face became uncomfortably close to her own and Seven flinched as a heavy talon boldly sunk into her shoulder, claws kneading into flesh and drawing thin lines of blood down her chest as the material of her unitard was torn open. The stinging abrasions were enough to make her breath hitch. "Or perhaps I will appoint you as one of my sex slaves." He whispered huskily into her ear.

"Leave her alone."

The Tryzodian paused, and slowly turned his eyes to meet those of the Commander's. He halted his assault on the woman for the moment, jerking his occupied claw from the top of her breast to the floor as he pivoted aside.

"Have you something to say to me, cur? Or would you rather join the same fate as your mate?"

"As a matter of fact, there is something I'd like to say. You have no right to hold us here against our will. Pretty soon our captain will realize we're missing, and she'll track you down, even if it means going to the ends of the delta quadrant. Do any more harm to us, you won't survive the outcome. Let us go now and you won't be pursued… and for the record, Seven isn't my mate."

The alien's reaction was not what Chakotay had expected. At first he suspected the noise to be a growl, but the deep sound coming from his chest rose into a rumbling laugh. "Is that so? It doesn't appear to look that way from my perspective."

"What are you talking about?" Chakotay spat. "I'm her superior officer. I also like to think we're friends."

"I see…" The creature mused. "Well, it appears that your drone quite fancies you. There are thoughts buried inside her mind of you sharing… intimate moments with one another."

The Commander's expression turned to one of utter confusion, and he could not help but glance over at Seven. She could sense his dark eyes boring into her with disbelief, but could not bring herself to meet his gaze. Her cheeks involuntarily flushed red in mortification as her secret was revealed.

"Oh, yes. Or rather, an illusion of intimacy together. The concept may not have been real, but the emotions she felt certainly were. In any event, it makes no difference. Your ship poses no threat to us. On the contrary, I daresay I should take advantage of this opportunity. Your species seems adequate for our purposes. Tell me, where is your captain?"

"I'm not telling you a damn thing." The Commander spat stubbornly.

"Then I shall take the information from you by force." The alien's invading sub-consciousness hit Chakotay like a slap in the face as he felt his memories being accessed once more. After a short pause, the Tyzodian grunted in satisfaction.

"A moon in sector C: seven-three. Take us there," he commanded his kin, before glaring smugly back at the three humanoids. "Your crewmen will join you in captivity."

The vessel's warp power activated and proceeded to requested location. Once they came in view of the moon, they entered orbit. "Scan the lunar surface for any unidentified ships."

"Alpha," came the telepathic response of his pilot. "there's nothing on the lunar surface. If there was a ship docked here, it's now gone."

"Where did they go?" he roared at Chakotay.

"I don't know any more than you do. I guess they found what they were looking for and went looking for us."

"Alpha, shall I summon our sister ship and alert them that a potential target is in the vicinity?" one of the Tyzodians suggested.

"No, we will only request their aide if necessary. The humans are mine! You-" Chakotay hissed in pain as the alien's talons slashed across his shoulder. "- do not think I am finished with you. For now, you will be a laborer. The toiletries need cleaning, you may start there. You," The Tyzodian said to Tom as he was also swiped across the shoulder, causing the Lieutenant to grunt. "- will help with meal preparations. You three now wear the mark of my clan and will be identified as our property, should you try to escape."

"You bastard," Tom sneered through gritted teeth, his self-control finally slipping. "you won't get away with this! The Captain's gonna kill you, if I don't get my hands on you first!"

"If you wish to fight me, two-legged, you must be suicidal. I would tear you in half before your corpse hit the floor."

"If you believe that, then try me." Paris insisted.

"You have a big mouth. Perhaps some humility will still your tongue." The front of Tom's shirt was ceased by angry teeth, and he was thrown down to the floor as the alien dove upon him. Hands still restrained behind his back by the glowing rings, the Lieutenant was incapable of defending himself as his clothing was ripped from his body.

"What the hell is your deal?" Tom demanded as he was yanked back up in a standing position by his arms.

"Relieve the drone and the other human of their garments, as well, then take them for processing." The alien said to his subordinates. He then briefly turned his attention to the Lieutenant once more. "Animals are not worthy of wearing clothes, not on my ship."

Chakotay and Seven were both roughly pinned to the wall as they were stripped by razor sharp claws. Though resisting was pointless, they still struggled. There the three voyager crewmen stood- fully exposed and vulnerable. Each spared the other their dignity by keeping their gazes trained above the shoulders, though Seven of Nine, herself, seemed to be completely unfazed by the humiliation. Her glare remained calm, composed, even as they were dismissed and marched from the room and down another corridor. Even as unwelcome eyes stared at her, she remained dignified, whether those looks stemmed from lust, curiosity over her implants, or disgust, she refused to entertain them with her attention.

The room they were brought to was tiled and clean. There was a drain in the middle of the floor, and what appeared to be a large hose wrapped around a wheel beside the nearest divider. Once more the three of them were locked into position by an invisible force, side by side.

The hose was unraveled, before one by one they were blasted with ice cold water, the force so powerful it was painful as it plastered them against the wall. The blood and grime were washed away, leaving them wet, coughing and sputtering for breath after having nearly drowned. Seven of Nine's hair had unraveled in the process and was now dripping loosely down her back.

The vents above them, which they had only noticed now, began to blow cool air down as it quickly dried them. After that, they were ushered over into the adjacent room, where they were weighed, scanned and examined carefully by the alien scientists. They were intently curious of the humans, this being their first encounter with the species. They did not speak to them like the Captain had, but their long-winded stares were more then enough to convey their interest in them.

Seven felt her chin grabbed as one of the Tyzodian studied her, but even with her superior strength, she could not shake off the appendage. When the aliens seemed satisfied, they motioned to the guards to take the two gentlemen away. Another pair of guard then seized Seven by each arm, steering her in a different direction.

"Seven!" Chakotay and Tom both cried out, almost in unison when they realized they were being separated. They tried to resist the strength of the aliens, but the guards pushed them onwards, using their mental wards to restrain them.

"Where are you taking me?" She half-borg demanded. The guards ignored her. They led her into what could only be described as a laboratory. There were shelves containing petri dishes and phials, as well as medical instruments and jars of dismembered body parts. In the center there stood a slanted table with glowing red pot lights embedded at the base and sides. Suspended over it was a device that looked similar to the ray gun from one of Mr. Paris' Captain Proton simulations. Overhead long tubules dangled from the ceiling, and the woman found herself reluctant to find out what their purpose was.

With all her strength, Seven tried to resist as she was secured to the table, the glowing pot lights locking the rings around her wrists and ankles in place.

The Tyzodian scientists appeared within moments. One hovered over Seven while the other two prepared the machinery above and around her. She hissed as the long tubes above were roughly injected into various parts of her body, and they forcefully extracted the assimilation tubules from her cybernetic hand, connecting them to a computerized box, and she could feel every ounce of knowledge she possessed copied over to it. The machine above her began to glow florescent green before an electrical current sent a shock through her entire body. She opened her mouth to scream but could not make a sound as spasms shook her to her very core. Her fail-safe device began to protest violently, and she felt herself begin to slip into unconsciousness, but that small mercy was denied. The fluid pumping into her hand seemed to numb the effects of the implant whilst at the same time making her groggy, and as the sound of her cortical node died down, she found her strength dwindling. The tube in her arm was drawing out her own blood, while the one in her other arm injected her with some sort of transparent gold liquid. She was unsure what the rest of them were doing to her body as they pulsated into her, but the effects were caustic.

"Wha- what are you doing to me?" She managed to say.

The head scientist ignored her, but she vaguely heard his voice inside her head directed to his partners. "Proceed."

XXXXX

Chakotay sat exhausted against the cool wall behind him. The last twelve hours had been a nightmare. After laundering clothes, cleaning restroom facilities, serving food to the crew, tidying quarters, washing floors, repairing faulty machinery, recycling waste and taking the physical and mental abuse from his captors, he was left sore, hungry and tired. He found that he wanted nothing more than a sonic shower, a hot meal and a comfortable bed to sleep in. Since he had neither, the bed of straw he now sat upon would have to suffice.

His mind began to drift. He wondered how Seven of Nine and Tom Paris were faring after they had been separated. He did not have to wait much longer to find out, because just then the steel door opened before the limp form of the ex-drone was carelessly dragged in by the wrist and quickly abandoned by the alien guard.

"Seven!" Chakotay immediately stood, ignoring the swimming of his head as he went over to her.

"Commander…" her voice sounded so weak, and Chakotay's eyes scanned over her pale, shivering form, realizing how frail she suddenly looked. Assimilation tubules dangled limply from her cybernetic hand. Loose intravenous tubes were embedded all over her body, and traces of dried blood and bruising surrounded the implant on her upper left bicep, suggesting a failed attempt to extract it. "Are you here, Commander?"

"I'm here," he responded immediately, kneeling behind her while placing a hand on her shoulder. "Good God, you're freezing! What have they done to you?"

"My vision is obscured, and I-I am incapacitated. I believe I've been anesthetized," she struggled to say, tremors in her voice. "They injected me with several pathogens, but what the purpose of any of them were, I'm not certain..."

Reaching down for the formerly abandoned jacket which he had tied around his waist to conceal his own nudity, he unknotted the sleeves and placed it over Seven's exposed figure. "We should move you to a more comfortable surface… Do you think you can get up?"

Chakotay watched as Seven's arms shook with effort as she struggled to roll into a sitting position, and failed as her arms buckled under her. He barely had enough time to catch her before her head connected with the floor.

"Negative, Commander." She replied faintly in frustration.

"It's okay… I've got you." Slipping one hand beneath her legs and the other behind her back, Chakotay carefully lifted Seven over to the pile of straw and sat down beside her, his eyes brushing over the red lacerations above her exposed cleavage, to her ashen face. Unable to see, she gave no notice of his wandering eyes. Once the impaired borg was settled, the Commander gently took her human hand in his while he examined the tube injected into her vein.

"Please," Seven pleaded. "Remove them… all of them."

"I'm not sure if that's such a good idea," he replied uncertainly. "I'm not a doctor, I might cause more harm than good. Why don't we wait a little longer for Tom?"

"Please," she implored, and Chakotay did not miss the desperation in her voice. He determined the objects were causing her great discomfort in order for her to make a complaint. He gave in, and gently rested her hand on his knee.

"Try not to move."

Seven barely blinked as each intravenous tube was removed. Her unseeing eyes were vacant, and after a while they slowly began to close. The Commander blushed as he pulled back his coat from her naked figure momentarily to have better access to the other units injected into her flesh. Once he finished removing the foreign objects, Chakotay's attention turned to the assimilation tubules still dangling from Seven's hand. Uncertain what else to, he delicately began to stimulate her mechanized appendage with his thumb until they retracted. Seven then mustered up the strength to curl over into a fetal position, her body still shuddering.

Hesitating briefly, Chakotay dared to spoon up behind her, resting his arm overtop her own. "Commander…?" she mumbled meekly with a slight jerk of her head.

"Body heat will warm you up faster," he explained. Awkward as it was, the current circumstances deemed the physical contact necessary, and the Commander found himself somewhat grateful that his blazer separated their bare skin. The time went by uncounted as they lied there in silence, and Chakotay felt himself begin to doze off when Seven's wavering voice pulled him back to wakefulness.

"I do not like this sensation," she said barely above a whisper. "I cannot see, or control my motor skills… and I feel… dazed."

"Don't worry," he tried to comfort her. "Whatever they gave you should wear off soon."

"Until they repeat the process," she replied grimly.

Chakotay wasn't sure how else to respond. Telling her the aliens wouldn't perform the same experiment on her again, or that he could protect her from them would be a lie, and she would know it. "The Captain will find us, Seven. We're going to get out of here, one way or another."

"You seem optimistically assured of that." She mumbled.

"We've never been let down before."

"No," Seven dizzily recalled. "We haven't."

Chakotay studied her passive face. He had seldom seen this vulnerable side of Seven before. The Seven of Nine he was accustomed to was strong, confident, quick-witted and efficient. Curiosity got the best of him then, and he suddenly dared to ask the question that had been plaguing his mind since they last saw each other. "May I ask you something?"

"Yes, Commander?"

Chakotay chose his words carefully before he even opened his mouth to speak. The last thing he wanted was to cause Seven more discomfort. "Back in the Tyzodian Captain's chamber, he referred to you as my mate. He also said he saw images of us being… intimate in your mind. What did he mean by that?"

If Seven had been more coherent she would have blushed, but she was far too narcotized and replied blearily. "Several months ago… I created a simulation on Holodeck two. The intended purpose of it was to help me explore certain aspects of my humanity… including romance. What the Tyzodian was describing was a memory of that particular event."

"I see…" Chakotay pondered in astonished amusement. "And how far did this holographic relationship… progress?"

"It did not exceed beyond kissing, if that is to what you are referring. I apologize," she said remorsefully. "It was extremely inappropriate and unprofessional."

"You don't have to apologize, Seven. It's perfectly normal to want to experience those type of emotions. But there's something I don't quite understand; of all your potential choices on Voyager, why me?"

"Commander?" she asked in confusion.

"We've had our fair share of disagreements in the past, and you've never really shown that much interest in me before. I have to admit, I'm a little surprised."

Seven considered his query. "I suppose it is because of the many admirable qualities you possess. You have an appealing sense of integrity. I admire your loyalty, your ingenuity, your kindness. You are not afraid to challenge one when you feel their decision is wrong… I also find your physical attributes profoundly attractive."

Chakotay was gob smacked. He doubted Seven would have revealed any of this to him if she had been sober, and figured she would be quite upset later when she remembered him taking advantage of her vulnerable state of mind like this. The hint of a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips in spite of that. "Well, don't you know how to boost a man's ego," he joked half-heartedly.

"In any event, it is irrelevant now."

"How so?" Chakotay inquired.

"It has become apparent to me that to expect anything to come of these 'fantasies' is futile. You and I are two very different individuals."

Chakotay was surprised to find himself disappointed after briefly entertaining the idea of them romantically involved. "You know, sometimes a relationship means appreciating each other's similarities, while respecting the differences. Ever hear the term; 'opposites attract'?"

"Regardless, to involve myself in a romantic relationship is not an option. I am… defective."

His heart sank for her. Seven seemed resigned to a lifetime of loneliness, after fighting so hard to regain her humanity, she was being denied experience of the most vital emotion of all. "Is there nothing at all the Doctor can do?"

"The Doctor claims he can correct the problem. It would take several procedures, but I declined his offer."

"Why?"

"I was growing increasingly negligent in my duties, and in doing so Voyager was nearly destroyed. I cannot allow such distractions to occupy my attention."

"This is all starting to make so much sense now…" he pondered aloud.

"What is that?"

"It's no secret that you've become more withdrawn than usual. You've been avoiding social interactions with the crew, avoiding me while off duty, now that I think about it… It's not just me, the Captain's noticed it too… Seven, relationships can be distracting. That's part of life. That doesn't mean we should deny ourselves some liberties. Tom and B'Elanna manage to make it work."

"Lieutenant Paris," For the first time since her return, Seven became aware of the absence of the officer. "Where is he?"

"He hasn't come back yet," Chakotay replied as worry began to grip him. "We were separated shortly after they took you away. I hope he's alright."

Just then the door slid open, and as if on cue the Lieutenant was shoved inside. The door immediately slid shut behind him. Chakotay sat up only to freeze in place at the state of his colleague.

His face was ghostly pale and had a haunted look about it. He immediately sunk to the floor, using the wall for support as he slid down.

"Tom, what happened?"

"I- I saw what they do to those other aliens- the ones they slaughter for food…"

"Tom-"

"They forced me to do it, using their mind control. I knew what I was doing but I couldn't stop it… It was a massacre. The fear, the screaming, the blood…"

The thought alone was enough to make Chakotay's stomach twist. There was no possible way to ease the trauma Paris had just suffered. Words seemed of little comfort. "It's not your fault."

"There were women," he continued as though Chakotay hadn't spoken. "and children… oh God, what have I done?" He brought his knees up to his chest and buried his face into his clasped arms, body shaken. "How will B'Elanna ever look at me the same way again? How can I be trusted around our baby when she comes?"

"You weren't in control of your actions. You were being used as their instrument. B'Elanna will understand that." The Commander tried to reassure him.

His only response was a shudder. No one spoke for a long time. The silence was deafening, each of them tormented by their inner demons.

Some time later, the slot at the base of the door was opened and three plates of food were shoved inside. Inspecting it, the contents were enough to make Paris keel over and vomit. Chakotay fought the urge to expel, himself, as he looked at the raw flesh still dripping with blood. None of them ate that night, despite their hunger.

XXXXX

Seven awoke the next morning with a start as she became aware of the warm body pressed up behind her own and memories of the night before resurfaced. Her vision was still a little blurry, but she had regained her mobility, and slowly sat up, gently removing the arm that had been slung over her. She glanced over at the sleeping Commander's face and her cheeks involuntarily flushed, recalling how much she had confessed to him, how understanding he had been, and how they had shared each others warmth throughout the night. As she remembered how gentle he had been whilst removing the intravenous tubes, her eyes shifted and she became slightly alarmed as she scanned the bruising covering her arms, and a shudder went down her spine as she thought of the agony she had endured the day before. She hesitated to look beneath the blazer that kept her decent, fearing she might not like what she would find. Braving the consequences, she dared to peek, and an involuntary gasp left her lips. More bruising, and some traces of blood coated her pale skin. Shame and embarrassment gripped her as the realization that Chakotay had bore witness to her physical state set in.

A particularly noisy sniffle drew her attention away, and she looked up to see Mr. Paris huddled against the wall. His bloodshot eyes had bags beneath them suggesting he had not slept, and his countenance seemed greatly disturbed.

"Lieutenant…" She began in concern.

"Hey," he replied quietly. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"You did not," she said passively, noting the drying tear tracks that stained the Lieutenant's cheeks. "You are in distress."

"Seven," he said shakily. "I did something very wrong."

Through the haze Seven had heard Mr. Paris talking with the Commander the night before. She was fully aware of what had transpired, even if she had been barely conscious. "You assisted in the slaughter of prisoners."

"Yeah," Tom choked out.

"Your guilt is misplaced," she commented. "You were not at fault."

"Oh, Seven, it- it's so much more complicated than that. I killed innocent people, took away their right to live. I'm not a perfect person. There's a lot I've done in my life that I regret, but I never, ever would have dreamed of doing something like- like this… I'm so messed up right now," he said, burying his face in his hands. "I don't know what to do…"

"As a drone," Seven began slowly. "I assimilated many individuals against their will. The collective compelled me to do so. It is… difficult to think about now. In some ways your experience was not unlike my own. Your actions were a result of mind manipulation. If you had been in control, you would not have allowed yourself to act as you had."

Tom sighed to himself with a slight shake of his head. "How do you do it, Seven? After everything you've done, everything you've gone through, how do you keep going?"

"I have no choice." She replied simply, then as an afterthought; "During the time I've spent onboard Voyager, I've come to realize that having the support of companions can be very comforting." Tom brooded silently over her words, until Seven said something else that made him pause. "We all have a past. What matters is now."

"What?" he whispered, more to himself, but Seven's superior hearing picked up on it.

"You spoke those same words to me after I was severed from the collective. Do not dwell on your past transgressions, Lieutenant. It will do you no good."

"Believe me, I wish I could…"

"In time it will become easier."

The sound of an alarm suddenly broke out and the door slid open. Chakotay jolted awake, but had little time to react as the trio were ushered out of the cell to join a single file of aliens as they marched forward. Seven had been robbed of the Commander's jacket, and with her vision still somewhat impaired, the former Maquis guided her by the hand, warning her and Tom to stay close. He nearly missed the blush crossing Seven of Nine's cheeks as he took her hand in his, but did not let go. They didn't know where they were heading, but they opted to try and stay together.

They, along with the rest of the slaves, entered a primitive-looking community shower. Inside was complete chaos. There was fighting and arguing amongst the servants, but the guards posted at the doors didn't seem to care. They were each given a towel at the entrance before attempting to locate an empty shower stall.

"Oh, thank God," Tom uttered as he hastily tied the linen around his waist.

"I fail to understand your need for modesty." Seven remarked, confounded. They had already spent a great deal of time in the nude, becoming shy now seemed irrational.

"It just makes me more comfortable if less men are staring at my naked backside." Paris replied. "You'd be wise to cover up too if you'd like to avoid unwanted attention."

The lustful stares many of the men gave Seven did not escape either Chakotay or Tom's notice, and they flanked her closely, prepared for any physical altercation. She complied to the suggestion and wrapped the towel around her chest, alleviating temptation.

"This chamber is chaotic," She remarked above the noise. "There is no order, no discipline."

"You're right," Tom commented. "Kind of reminds me of the prison showers back home."

"The prisons back home don't exactly contain innocent people and enslave them. Over there," Chakotay pointed out to two empty stalls and they walked over to it. "You two can go first."

Seven looked uncertainly at the basic set-up, and then blankly back to her co-workers with a raised eyebrow. She was accustomed to the sonic showers onboard Voyager, but these facilities were antiquated by their standards.

"Um… just step inside under the water, and use the soap in that dispenser to wash, then rinse." Paris explained, his knowledge of twentieth century technology proving helpful. He did not wait to enter, eager to scrub off the filth coating his skin.

Chakotay turned around to give his comrades some privacy while he stood guard.

Stepping inside, Seven removed her towel and hung it over the archway of the stall to conceal her nudity. The shower came on automatically. A new experience for her, she allowed the cascading fluid to pour onto her for several long minutes. The water was pleasantly warm as well as soothing, and the sensation entranced her, once clean finding herself reluctant to get out. Retrieving her towel, Seven dried her body and hair before covering herself once more and relinquishing the shower over to Chakotay.

Before he entered, however, she finally mustered up the courage to face him. "Commander… I wish to speak with you concerning last night. While I was sedated, I may have told you some things-" but she was silenced as a finger was placed over her lips.

"It's alright, Seven. I understand you weren't feeling well. You don't have to explain yourself to me."

The Lieutenant took a significantly long time and seemed to completely zone out beneath the water's hypnotic effect. The events of the day before replayed in his mind as he stared off into oblivion.

While the two gentlemen took their time in the showers, it was a Kazon who had been eyeing them from across the chamber that finally dared to approach Seven while she was alone, his compact form towering over her threateningly. Without her communication badge it was impossible to understand his dialect, but the dilated pupils of his eyes spoke for him as he gazed hungrily at the former drone.

"Don't step any closer," she warned, though he knew the alien could not understand her. The Kazon's response was to use the force of his body to ram into Seven, pinning her face-first against the wall.

"Release me!" she demanded sharply against the assault, arms straining as she tried to twist out of the Kazon's overpowering grip. She felt the cold air envelop her as rough fingers tore away her towel and began to wander down her body, touching her in forbidden places she had let no man ever touch before.

Then the incessant buzzing noise she dreaded arose, as a new type of fear she had never experienced before gripped her as persistent pressure fought to invade her from behind. This time, however, something different happened; her implants did not attempt to shut down as they previously had, but instead the nano-probes traveling through her bloodstream became active, and long tendrils started to sprout along her epidermis. She began to tremble violently, every muscle of her body tensing up before overwhelming tenacity took hold of her.

Hearing the commotion, Chakotay poked his head out in alarm, just in time to see the Kazon be propelled halfway across the room, crashing into one of the showers and shattering the stall as a jet of water burst out from the broken faucet. He quickly glanced to Seven who stood rigidly covered in tendrils.

The Kazon was quick to recover. He glared at the ex-borg, his moment of arousal gone and this time his eyes filled with rage, he charged at her. Before he could get his hands on her again, however, Chakotay countered his attack by colliding into him with his shoulder like a football player, using his mass as he tried to hold the angered predator back.

"What the hell?" Tom finally hopped out of the shower overhearing the fight.

"Tom, get her out of here!" Chakotay shouted to the Lieutenant.

Needing no further explanation, Tom grabbed Seven by the hand and tried to guide her away from the area, but she refused to budge. "Seven, come on!"

If possible, her stoic glare made the Kazon even more enraged. He punched the Commander in the side of the head, and he, in turn, instinctively punched back. They broke into a brawl which lasted for several moments, evading blows and throwing hits until the Kazon gained the upper hand and knocked Chakotay to the wet surface.

He then launched at the ex-borg and sent them both slamming against the floor, their hands locked as one tried to overthrow the other. Tom immediately jumped forward to intervene, clinging to the alien's back and trying to throw off his momentum. The Lieutenant was flung back, striking his head against the floor, but as he struggled to recover from the dizziness in his head, Seven found the strength to roll on top of the Kazon, reversing their positions. She didn't spare a moment as she blocked, punched, elbowed and body slammed her attacker.

"Seven, stop!" Chakotay rolled onto his hands and knees as he and Tom witnessed the full effects of what the Tyzodian's experiment on the borg drone had accomplished. Briefly, they wondered if she would kill him. She paused then, panting heavily, before standing up and grabbing the bloodied Kazon by the neck as she did so, lifting him to his knees.

"Seven, stop this! You don't want to kill him, I know you don't! Look at me!" Chakotay demanded. That small request was all it took to make the woman finally halt her rampage. Her eyes lifted to meet those of the Commander's with gritted teeth as she gasped for air. "What he tried to do to you was wrong. But don't allow yourself to sink to his level. Please… let him go."

She looked back down at the now barely-conscious Kazon and after a short moment finally released her strangling grip on him before he crumpled to the floor. It had grown completely silent all except for the rushing water from the broken pipe as the other occupants of the chamber were crowded against the wall, too afraid to get in the way.

It was then Seven fell to her knees, eyes wide and chest heaving. Her arms trembled beneath her weight, and she desperately fought to swallow the sudden lump in her throat.

Chakotay approached her slowly from behind, kneeling down beside her and placing comforting hands on her tense shoulders. "It's ok…."

They stayed unmoving in that same position until the Tyzodian Captain and several guard entered the room. He hastily Ordered his men to remove the servants from the showers until only he and the three humans remained.

"Well, now, how interesting," he mused to himself as he observed her. "My people have managed to manipulate your nano-probes so that your hormonal levels are raised and your physical strength is increased. All it took was a little emotional stimulation, it seems, to get you going. What more can they do with you, I wonder…"

The alien's pleasure in her suffering antagonized her further, and she attempted to lunge forward and throw a punch at him, but an invisible force knocked her back.

"Your feeble attempts to contend with me are futile. You may possess great strength, but you are no match for us." The Tyzodian motioned to his guards. "Perhaps I shall summon my guard to take you back to the laboratory. I'd like to see what other pathogens we've managed to develop."

At those frightening words Seven became even more rigid, and Chakotay stood before her defensively.

"Don't turn this into a fight," The Captain warned him. "You will lose."

"I'm not going to let you do it," he challenged boldly. "You've put her through enough."

"Do you honestly believe you stand a chance against me, when your drone couldn't even come within a foot of me?" the alien scoffed as he invaded the Commander's personal space. "It would appear that your species is very slow when it comes to learning from one's mistakes. You will learn, nonetheless."

Pain instantly surged through each of them as their minds were assailed with despairing delusions, involuntarily sending them to their knees. It felt as though gravity was increasing, effecting only the three of them.

Tom cried out as the grave offense he committed replayed in front of his eyes, and as he witnessed himself slitting the throats of other captives, he could scarcely hear his comrades own moans of torment.

Through the veil of dark images, Seven managed to glimpse past the illusion. She was aware of her friends suffering beside her, and using every ounce of strength she possessed, her legs shook as she fought to stand against the strain of the invisible force. It was a battle just to lift one foot and put it in front of the other, but she persevered, which proved to be enough of a distraction for the Tyzodian to break off his telepathic link.

"Impossible!" He roared, and the former drone took the opportunity to intervene as she swiftly assailed the Tyzodian, restraining him in a headlock. He struggled madly as he tried to reach for her. Claws pierced into flesh as powerful long legs desperately tried to kick her away, but Seven refused to let go. Rational thought was dismissed as her hormones mounted, and for a moment Seven seemed to forget where she was as she took her cybernetic hand and brutally inserted the assimilation tubules into the alien's neck. He gasped harshly as the nano-probes began to rush through his bloodstream and tendrils of his own began to snake along his skin.

When he was immobilized Seven finally released him, breathing heavily as she watched him squirm around on the floor. He did not turn into a drone like her, but the effect the foreign entities had on him looked excruciating. Chakotay and Tom gained their footing after they took an instant to recover, and stared at the scene in front of them with horror.

The ship rocked suddenly as the force of an explosion nearly knocked them off their feet, blowing a hole in the hull, revealing the cosmos outside as shields went up around the area to keep them from being sucked out into the vacuum of space. An alarm began to sound off again, this time in a different sequence, and the Tyzodian Captain struggled from his position in alarm, his voice releasing a high pitched squeal.

Through the breach, they caught a glimpse of the offending ship. "Voyager!" Tom exclaimed in relief. "Didn't see that one coming, huh?"

The alien attempted to give commands to his crew via telepathy, and he was growing increasingly agitated. He let loose another antagonized screech.

"My nano-probes seem to be interfering with his telepathic link." Seven noted.

"Go to your bridge and surrender to our vessel. If you let us go, I'll ask my Captain to me lenient." Chakotay offered. The Tyzodian ignored him.

The vessel was struck again, this time shaking it even harder as its defenses were weakened.

"What's the matter? Can't engage in a fair fight? No wonder you use mind manipulation, without it you guys are weak." Paris taunted.

The Tyzodian growled in frustration.

The two ships exchanged attacks until Voyager managed to knock out the aliens weapons array and shields. At the last possible moment, the familiar sensation of transport overtook them as the Voyager crewmen were beamed directly to sickbay.

When they materialized, the Doctor was taken aback as they were exposed before him.

"Sorry to show up like this, Doc," Tom said awkwardly.

Ignoring the Doctor's shocked stare, Seven pushed past him and tapped the control console. "Bridge!"

"Seven, are you and the others all right?" Came Janeway's quick response.

"Captain, do not attempt to open communication with the aliens! You must stay out of range otherwise they will use telepathy to manipulate your judgment."

"Understood."

Voyager hummed as it gained warp speed, leaving the demolished Tyzodian ship far behind in its wake. Running a tricorder over Seven while trying to remain professional, the Doctor bashfully handed her a blanket whilst he determined what had been done to her could be reversed.

"You're going to be fine. I'll have to perform a quick procedure on you, but don't worry, I'm going to sedate you so you won't feel anything."

She was ushered over to a biobed and seated. Sharing a brief gaze with the Commander, she released a relieved sigh.

"Mr. Paris, your assistance, please."

"Doc," Tom replied as he scratched his neck uncomfortably. "Mind if I replicate some pants first?"

XXXXX

Nearly a week has passed since they had endured the inconceivable incident. Tom Paris had seldom been seen, attaining some time to recover in his quarters. It would take him a while to heal from the mental scars he bore. He had been more badly shaken than he was willing to admit, and only the comfort of his wife was enough to console him.

In that week Chakotay had not seen Seven either. He got the impression that she was purposely being avoidant of him again, his assumption proving to be true when he took her by surprise in the cargo bay. "So this is where you've been hiding," he quipped.

She looked nervous, but avoided his gaze as she worked at the console. "I haven't been hiding," she countered. "I have just been preoccupied with other matters."

"Is that why you haven't even taken the time to eat? I checked the replicator history in the mess hall," he explained when she shot him a look. "It's not healthy, you know."

She sighed. "I haven't felt the need for nutritional supplements."

"You're still bothered by what happened." he determined, and Seven froze like a deer caught in headlights.

"Yes," she admitted after a brief pause.

"That's perfectly understandable, given the circumstances we were in. You especially, forced to endure one thing after another like you did."

"Actually, Commander, I feel that I owe you my gratitude in that respect. While I was desensitized, you went to great lengths to look after me."

"I would have done the same for any of the crew," he said simply. "Have you spoken to anyone about what happened?"

"No," came her quiet response.

"You shouldn't keep those feelings bottled up like that."

"I have no choice," she replied with a hint of sadness in her tone. Now that the influence of the aliens pathogens had been nullified and she was back to normal, Seven was once more resigned to a mutual state of mind. Though it had been painful, it was also, in a sense, very liberating to be able to fully feel those emotions, even if they were negative ones. Even if she could not express her grief, Chakotay could sense that it was still there, buried deep within.

"Seven, I realize how difficult it must have been for you… You're an independent woman, not accustomed to relying on others. The torment you were put through by our captors, the helplessness when you couldn't move or see, the humiliation you must have felt when I found out about the holo-program, and the fear you must have felt when the Kazon assaulted you… but you survived it all because you're strong."

"I do not feel strong," Seven reflectively admitted. "I lost self-control and nearly killed someone."

"But you didn't… even with the aliens influence on you, and given what he did to you, I think your anger was more than justified. And the truth is, Seven, you're one of the strongest women I know. You've endured so much, yet you're level-headed and determined- occasionally stubborn with little respect for authority, but quite frankly, I wouldn't change a thing about you."

Seven gazed at the commander, uncertain what to say. Taking a deep breath, she fought back emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. "You believe I am acceptable the way I am? Even though I…" she raised her cybernetic hand and scrutinized it. "I am unlike other individuals."

Chakotay unexpectedly took the hand in between his own. "I prefer to think of you as…unique. Besides, you wouldn't be you, otherwise." They gazed upon one another, and for a moment the Commander thought he would lose himself in those baby blue eyes. "Come to dinner with me," he suggested suddenly.

"Commander, please," she began to object the offer, pulling her hand away, subconsciously fearing it would only cause her more heart ache.

"It'll do you some good to get out of the cargo bay for a while," he insisted. "Together we bore hardships that no one else onboard can really understand. At the very least, this incident has brought us closer together, hasn't it?"

Seven appeared conflicted. "Why do you persist?" she finally asked.

"Because, I'm your friend and I care about you. Look, we can talk about whatever you like, it doesn't have to be about our 'ordeal'. I would just really enjoy your company this evening. Please, join me for dinner?"

That same simple word that so easily swayed her before managed to work on her a second time, and she found herself nodding to the request.

"I will comply," she agreed, and Chakotay could not help but smile at her. Emotions he had long forgotten stirred within him, and he briefly wondered at what point he had begun to look at Seven in this new light. Tonight however, they would just be content to take comfort in each others presence as friends. They still carried emotional scars that needed time to heal, and if anything was ever going to come of it, they would take things slowly when they were both ready.

XXXXX

AUTHORS NOTES: My response to how the Seven/Chakotay pairing came to be. I was never really satisfied with the ending of Voyager. While I loved the idea, I felt this relationship could have been developed better. So here's my take on it. I hope you all enjoyed it.