A/n: Thanks so much to everyone who read and reviewed the first chapter of my new C/7 story, "A Different Path". I hope you enjoy this too! :D
Seven could hear her own breath ricocheting in her ears as she ran blindly forward, the mass of burning trees that soared above her blurring as she picked up speed, the feeling of being pursued intensifying with every step she took. Suddenly she was on the ground, black, acrid smoke swirling above her. She tried to scramble upright but a huge hand, its veins bulging underneath the dry, gnarled grey skin, seized her by the throat and pinned her to the wet grass, which she suddenly realised was scarlet with blood. Gasping, she prised desperately at the vice like fingers, struggling with all her strength. "No…" She began to rasp out as she felt the ground give a violent judder beneath her.
The smoke evaporated abruptly to unveil the expressionless face of her captor, his Cardassian features mutilated by implants, the assimilation tubes extended from his left hand and pressing into her jugular. "Resistance is futile." He purred in her ear as she began to scream uncontrollably…
"No!" The scream had left Seven's lips before her eyes opened to see the entirely benign ceiling of a Federation vessel, her thrashing body rolling off the thin mattress and on to the cold floor, but only the fearful concern in Chakotay's voice brought her back to reality.
"Seven? Seven, are you alright? What happened?" His hand cautiously brushed her shaking shoulder as he peered down at her with tortured, tear swollen eyes.
Her racing heart began to slow as the comfort of his presence started to sink in, her gaze sheepish and her lips pursed as she admitted, "A…A nightmare…"
"I didn't think you could…" Chakotay stopped himself as he realised the stupidity in such a comment, what had he just witnessed from her could be nothing else but a nightmare.
Seven impatiently brushed her sweat dampened hair out of her eyes as he fell into an awkward silence. Deciding to relieve him of fearing offence when there was none, she said, "Have we arrived on Quelan VIII?"
Chakotay let her go and stood to his full height, running a stressed hand through his hair as he looked out of the window onto the crowded, chaotic scenes of the city outside. "Yeah, a few minutes ago while you were sleeping.
Seven nodded and moved onto her knees, pulling her thick hooded cloak around herself as she looked around; thankfully no one was taking any notice of her in their rush to leave this singular Samaritan vessel. It was only know that she noticed the bag in Chakotay's hand and the hastily scribbled note resting on a stack of refugee travel tokens by her bedside. Nausea knotted her stomach as she made the connection, staring up at Chakotay, "You were going to abandon me here." She stated in a robotic, matter-of-fact tone more damning than anger.
Chakotay flinched in resonating guilt at the word abandon but tried to desperately to explain, "No Seven, I've given you everything they provided as with to go somewhere, instructions on how to get to Sekaya's…" He trailed off as her pale blue eyes continued to stare mercilessly up at him, swallowing a choking lump in his throat. "You can't come with me Seven, it isn't safe for you." He said with a firm voice and dead eyes.
Seven's fists clenched tightly, her first outward sign of anger, as she stood up to face him. "We have had this conversation already Chakotay, you require my assistance." She said through gritted teeth.
Chakotay shook his head, "This isn't some school homework Seven, this is…" His voice took on a hushed harshness. "…war. You can't be involved in that, you're only nineteen for Sprit's sake and have already had enough of your life taken from you…"
"You're only twenty one; there is little discernable difference in maturity!" Seven retorted hotly before calming a little as she found a more logical argument, "How is hiding away on Earth, where I'd have to disguise both my identity and my distaste for the Federation, any more of a life than fighting the Cardassians and curtailing your reckless actions?"
Chakotay stiffened and stepped back from her, badly stung by her words. "What would happen if the Cardassians captured you? Do you have any idea what they could do with you?" He snapped, pulling out his most desperate argument.
Seven paled, a muscle in her jaw jumping violently as her suddenly glassy, shimmering eyes began to blink rapidly. "You…You believe I would betray you?" she asked in a broken whisper.
"No!" He said vehemently, "But they could torture you, experiment on your implants…"
Seven's eyes took on a defiant glint, her body stiff and frozen. "If they captured me I would deactivate myself." She stated with such unflinching certainty that Chakotay's stomach clenched in horror, no, he'd never let her be in a position to have to do that! Without giving her a chance to react, he turned on his heel and ran from her, melting away into the crowd.
By the time he'd paused for breath, Chakotay had somehow found his way to the rendezvous point he'd arranged with his Maquis contact the night before. He looked around frantically for any sign of Seven, a conflicting mixture of relief and regret filling him when he saw no sign of her.
"You look like you've seen a ghost Chakotay, are you sure you want to go through with this?"
Chakotay's head snapped around to see Haytar, his Maquis contact, and a distant relative through the convoluted connections of his people, looking at him sceptically. "Of course I am." He replied, his voice terse with determination. When Haytar's expression didn't soften, he snapped, "Are we leaving now?"
"Hold your horses." Haytar sneered patronisingly. "We need to convene with the unit commanders to see if you and the other recruits are trustworthy." Two young human males appeared at his side, both pale faced with grief but with their eyes filled with the same vengeful determination that Chakotay knew filled his own.
Chakotay almost snorted, he should have known Haytar was near the bottom of the chain of command, he was both self important and dim. "Let's get going then, before we draw attention." He stated coolly.
Haytar glared at him silently but began to lead them out of the ship and through the dense catacombs that made up Quelan VIII's crowded streets. One of other men, Hispanic in appearance and around his age, fell into step with him behind Haytar's back. "Nathaniel Harrow." He introduced himself quietly, with a cautious glance at Haytar.
Chakotay smiled, seeing he wasn't the only one who doubted their recruiter. "Chakotay."
The other man, tall and dark skinned with short curly hair, muttered, "I'm Jake Ayala. I think we'll be okay as long as he's not in our unit." He pointed at Haytar's back.
They all chuckled in agreement but any mirth left them as they stepped into a darkened bar and a new figure approached them, "I see you pulled some more misguided souls from that rescue ship Haytar." The voice, an older man's oddly familiar to Chakotay, remarked.
"Kenharan?" Chakotay gasped as recognition hit him.
The lights flickered on to reveal a Native American man in his thirties. "Chakotay!" He exclaimed in disbelief. "What are you doing here…" He stopped as pain crossed Chakotay's face. "Not Kolopak?" he asked in anguish, hugging Chakotay hard when he nodded. "I'm so sorry cousin, I had hoped…" He trailed off and looked back at his companions behind him, "I vouch for this man! We are lucky to have any blood of Kolopak of Dorvan VI fighting with us."
"And the others?" A new man, older still, stepped forward. "They wish to fight too?"
"Yes, we'd be honoured to join the Maquis." Ayala and Harrow replied as one.
"As would I." A new speaker interrupted, the familiar ringing clarity in her voice making Chakotay's heart sink as a she appeared, cloaked and hooded before Kenharan.
"Seven!" Chakotay hissed, "What are you doing? Go back!"
"No." She replied calmly from under her hood. "I have made my choice Chakotay."
"Good." Kenharan said with soft curiosity, "Would you mind dropping your hood? I need to see how I'm speaking to, no matter who they know." He shot Chakotay a questioning look.
"A reasonable request." Seven replied, flipping her hood back. "I was Borg." She stated coolly when they stared at her in silence.
Kenharan gazed at her in amazed shock, "I heard Kolopak had taken in a lost soul but…"
"You can't possibly be considering allowing a Borg to…" Haytar began to splutter.
"Anyone who can outwit our security, not to mention you Haytar, is worth listening to." Kenharan said calmly, guiding the four new recruits into a back room. "Come, we have a lot to discuss."
A/n: PLEASE REVIEW! :D I'm sorry it's rushed at the end, I'm going out tonight.