New Beginnings

Chapter Three

Fingers dug into Kathryn's arms, bruising the tender flesh. Her costume offered little protection, the heavy layers of fabric hindering her attempts to pull free. Cursing her sodden clothes, Kathryn focused all her energy on breaking the vice-like grip in which she was held.

Their struggles had churned the ground beneath her feet into a sea of mud. Unable to find any purchase on the treacherous surface Kathryn changed tactics. Allowing herself to go limp, she fell back into Seska's arms, forcing her captor to support them both. The sudden shift in weight caught her assailant by surprise … and for a moment Kathryn was free.

She hit the ground hard, her frozen limbs refusing to execute the roll she had hoped would buy her some time. Instead, a scream was forced from her lips as Seska's weight crashed down on her, pinning her face down on the ground.

'Now, now Captain, play nice!

The feel of Seska's lips brushing against her earlobe shocked Kathryn into silence.

'You know, the one thing I've always regretted was that you and I never found the time to really get to know one another. Look's like that's about to change.'

'I doubt we'd find much to talk about.'

Kathryn spat the words out, along with several blades of grass. She could taste blood, feel it escape from the side of her mouth and dribble down her chin. Her captors response was to reposition her weight so that her knee ground into Kathryn's back, forcing her to fight for every breath.

'Oh I don't know about that…there's always Chakotay.'

Seska rolled the words around in her mouth, savouring the effect they had on the woman trapped beneath her. For Kathryn, the pain was almost physical, ripping through her with an intensity that left her reeling. The depth of her feelings shocked her, bringing her face to face with a part of herself she had thought long dead, or at least safely dormant. Trailing in their wake was a vulnerability she could ill afford.

'Perhaps we could swap notes.' Seska's voice dripped venom as she bent down to whisper her next words. 'Oh, but I forgot…you two never made it that far, did you? Just between you and me Kathryn, how long did you plan to keep up the Ice Queen act? Personally speaking I can think of worse ways to thaw out than under Chakotay's touch.'

She illustrated her words by running her free hand lightly down the side of Kathryn's body, laughing at her prisoner's reaction to the unwanted touch.

'Have no fear Captain, you're not my type.' Seska paused…savouring the moment. 'Doesn't look as if you were Chakotay's type either, does it.'

Fury unlike any she had known before exploded inside Kathryn's head, giving her the strength she needed to fight back against the woman who had betrayed them all. Somehow she managed to wrench her left arm free, groping blindly with it until she encountered the pitted surface of a loose stone. Willing her chilled fingers to respond, Kathryn wrapped them around the makeshift weapon and struck out blindly.

It took her a few heart-stopping seconds before she realised that the weight holding her down was gone. Without stopping to look Kathryn scrambled to her feet, her only thought to reach the outer rim of the circle and end this madness.

A sudden flash in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Without warning, the computer arch blinked into existence. The familiar sight gave her the boost she needed so that her voice was almost normal when she gave the order for the computer to shut the program down.

The response was instantaneous, replacing the oppressive stillness of the circle with the glowing grid of the holodeck. Weak with relief, Kathryn slumped to the ground, Seska's words echoing through her mind.

Curled on the floor, Kathryn concentrated on forcing air into her abused lungs. Slowly the mist that had invaded her mind receded, allowing other sensations to filter through; the crushing weight of her costume, the awkward stiffness of her limbs. The smooth expanse of decking against her cheek offset the increasingly insistent pounding that seemed to reverberate inside her head.

It wasn't until she heard Chakotay's voice calling her name that she realised the sound was, in fact, his fists hammering against the sealed doors that connected the holodeck to the rest of the ship.

'Damn it Kathryn, open the door.' She winced in sympathy as the doors vibrated with each impact. 'Kathryn, answer me.'

'Chakotay!' The words seemed to stick in her throat, slipping past her lips as a whisper. Ever the captain, it was pride that forced her to her feet, stubbornness that had her stumbling over to the exit, her ruined dress trailing in her wake.

The doors slid open at her command, catching her first officer by surprise. For an instant he stood motionless, his fist posed to strike, then he was moving towards her, pulling her into his arms. Tired beyond measure, she allowed herself the luxury of sinking into the warm embrace.

'Kathryn, you're hurt.'

Reaching up he brushed away the trail of blood from her chin, his concern mounting as she smiled at him, her eyes dancing with barely restrained mirth. Moving slowly so as not to alarm her he ran his fingers through her hair, checking for any evidence of injury that might help explain her unusual behaviour, before returning to enfold her once more in his embrace. He expected her to stiffen in his arms, instead he heard something that sounded suspiciously like a giggle. It was then that he knew it was time to call in reinforcements!

'Why don't we let the Doctor clean you up… Kathryn?'

He stared at her in amazement as she slipped free from his grasp, her eyes searching the space behind him. Following her gaze, he half expected to find a crazed alien, phaser in hand…but the corridor was empty.

'Kathryn…what's happening here?'

'Sorry, Chakotay.' She gave up trying to keep the laughter at bay. 'I was just wondering where you'd left your horse?'

'My horse…okay, I've heard enough. Your going to see the doctor now, and don't even think about …'

'Relax Commander.' She resisted the temptation to pat his arm, 'I'm not quite ready for the padded cell yet. As for the doctor…'

She glanced at him, considering her next words carefully. This was going to take careful negotiation. If she dismissed his suggestion out of hand he would simply order a site to site transport to sick bay, then spend the next hour or so hovering over her until he was satisfied all was well. Common sense dictated that a visit to the doctor was almost unavoidable, but if she had to go, it would be under her terms.

'…how about a compromise?'

'Ok, now I'm really worried. I wasn't aware you knew the meaning of the word.'

'And the doctor?'

Damn, but he was persistent.

'Then I'll stop by sickbay and let the doctor poke and prod me and lecture me about my caffeine intake. Satisfied?'

She didn't wait for an answer, setting off instead towards the nearby turbolift. She had only gone a few paces when his shadow loomed over her, his footsteps echoing down the corridor as he fell into step with her.

Looking back, Kathryn found herself unable to identify the exact moment when the nightmare reclaimed her. Odd fragments of memory stayed with her, reasserting themselves years later when she least expected it. The creeping chill that nipped at her through the layers of clothing she wore, the shadows that danced at the outer limits of her visual field, the utter sense of desolation that descended upon her with crushing force, draining away what little energy she had left.

She watched in stunned disbelief as the corridors muted shades of gray, so popular amongst Starfleet's legion of designers, melted away to reveal a landscape she had hoped never to see again. In desperation Kathryn turned to Chakotay, only to be denied once more. Fear warred with fascination as she watched his features blur, the colours running into each other until they settled into another, altogether less pleasing pattern.

Seska watched as Kathryn struggled against the truth, delighting in the utter despair she saw there. Her laughter rang inside Kathryn's head, back building until it obliterated all other thoughts.

'So Captain … are we having fun yet?'