Redemption
Chapter 10
Disclaimer - Paramount and Viacom own the characters from Voyager, although they didn't often treat them right. The story line belongs to me.
A special thanks to: My friend and editor of all my stories, Mill3rs.
Harry helped Tom to sit up against the cave wall and offered him some water from the bottle in his hand. "Drink it slowly Tom." He held the bottle as Tom raised it to his mouth with shaking hands. Harry picked up the tricorder and scanned Tom with it. "You're still running a fever." He said quietly as he pulled the blanket back from Tom's legs. As he was lifting the edge of the pant leg up, Chakotay came up behind him and crouched down at Tom's left side. Harry startled when the commander appeared. He had moved so quietly that neither Harry nor Tom had heard him approach.
"The leg looks better this morning, Paris." Chakotay stated evenly as he looked at the wound. Although Tom's left knee and calf were still quite swollen, the redness had disappeared. The small cuts and two puncture wounds had some dried blood surrounding them but were dry to the touch. "Are you still in a lot of pain?" Chakotay asked as he took the tricorder that Harry offered him.
"No, Sir." Tom answered in a soft voice. "There's no pain at all." He began to bring the water bottle back to his mouth but his hands were shaking badly and Chakotay reached out to steady it. Tom took several small sips and handed the bottle back to Chakotay.
"Hey, Cap, we need to get going while it's still cool enough to travel. I think the Kazon's shuttle is about a six hour walk from here." Ayala yelled from the mouth of the cave as he entered. Chakotay stood and moved to join his friend.
"Tom, why didn't you say something to the commander?" Harry asked looking back to where the two men stood talking.
Tom looked up at his friend with a scared look. "Harry, I can't move my legs either. How am I going to get to the shuttle?" Tom glanced behind Harry to see Chakotay and Ayala walking towards him.
Chakotay came and squatted down next to Tom. "What do you mean you can't move your legs?" He asked, the concern in his voice surprising Tom.
"When I woke up this morning, I couldn't feel anything below my waist. I've tried to move my legs but nothing happens." Tom replied, turning away from Ayala's stare. He had moved to stand behind Chakotay. "I think the venom from that creature must have gotten into my nervous system."
"That's just great." Ayala muttered as he moved back to the entrance of the cave. "Look, Chakotay, it's going to get mighty hot out there again and our only hope is to get to the Kazon shuttle. We need to move out now. We've no food and no way to communicate with Voyager. With the interference from the ion storms, they won't be able to pick up our life signs except for the short periods when the storms die out."
"I know, Greg, but what about Paris?" Chakotay replied quietly as he moved to join Ayala at the entrance to the cave.
"Look, he can't walk. He'll only slow us down. I say leave him here and when Voyager finds us they can come back for him." Ayala scooped up one of the blankets and rolled it around his waist. "We might need this tonight if we can't reach the shuttle."
Harry came up behind the two men and grabbed Chakotay's arm. "Sir, you can't just leave Tom here." As Chakotay glared down at him, Harry quickly withdrew his hand. "Sorry, sir, but Tom needs medical care. Who knows how long until Voyager finds us."
Chakotay turned to Ayala. "Are you sure you know where their shuttle is located? We can't afford to wander around in the heat of the day."
"Yeah, Cap, they talked so freely about the landmarks, I'm sure we'll have little problem in finding it.
"Well, we'll need more water to take with us. You and Kim go and fill the water bottles full and drink your fill while you're at the pond." Chakotay grabbed the two bottles and held them out to Harry.
"But what about Tom, Sir?" Harry asked frantically as he looked back at the pilot who was slumped against the cave wall with his eyes shut.
"I still say we leave him. He's going to die anyway. We can always send someone from the ship to retrieve his body." Ayala snapped as he seized the two bottles and stalked out of the cave.
Harry gulped in panic and looked at the expressionless face of his commanding officer. "Sir, w..we can't just leave him here to die." He pleaded.
"Look, Kim. Just get some water." When Harry hesitated Chakotay glared at him. "That's an order, Ensign."
"Aye, Sir." Harry answered quietly as he looked back once more at Tom. He slowly turned and followed Ayala down the hill towards the pond.
* * * * *
"Torres to the Captain." B'Elanna's voice came over the comm system on the bridge.
"Yes, Lieutenant, what is it?" Janeway answered as she tried to rub the sleep from her eyes.
"Captain, I believe you should come down to the shuttle bay." B'Elanna stated.
"I'm sorry, Lieutenant, but I'm rather busy right now." Janeway said. "Can you just relay your damage report to my console and I'll read it when I get a chance?"
"Yes, Captain, I could but I think you'd better see this for yourself. Torres out." B'Elanna cut the communications.
Janeway stood up from her seat and turned towards the turbolift. "This had better be good." She snapped as she passed Tuvok's console. His slightly raised eyebrow was the only sign that he acknowledged her irritation with the engineer. "I'll have to speak to that young woman about Starfleet protocols." She said to herself as she entered the turbolift.
* * * * *
"Chakotay." Tom called out softly as Harry left the entrance of the cave. Chakotay moved to the young man's side. "Ayala's right, Commander."
"Right about what, Paris?" Chakotay asked as he pulled one of the hyposprays out of his pocket.
"I am going to die. I can feel the paralysis moving along my spinal column. I'll never make it back to Voyager." Tom looked away and swallowed deeply. Taking a deep shuddering breath, he looked back at Chakotay. "Look, before Harry gets back, use your phaser. Just make it quick."
"What the hell are you talking about, Paris!" Chakotay snapped.
"I can't walk, you're still suffering from the effects of your concussion, and the heat's going to be unbearable in a short time. I don't want to die here, alone. You can end it before the kid gets back. You don't even have to retrieve my body. That way you don't get any grief for offing a junior officer." Tom answered slowly with none of his usual sarcasm.
Chakotay shook his head as he looked down at the scared young man in front of him. "Look, Paris, nobody dies on my watch. We'll get you back to Voyager and the tender mercies of the EMH." He dialed in a mild sedative and held the hypospray to Tom's neck. "This will help you calm down. Are you in any pain?"
"No, Sir, just somewhat dizzy." Tom answered as he looked away uncomfortably.
Just then Harry and Ayala returned to the cave. Harry moved to Tom's side and helped him take a drink of water, then looked up expectantly at Chakotay.
"Don't worry, Ensign. We're not leaving him behind." Chakotay turned to Ayala. Greg go find two stout branches about two and a half meters long."
"Cap?" Ayala questioned.
"We're going to make a stretcher. Kim grab those two blankets and lay them out on the ground. Do you remember your survival classes from the Academy?" Chakotay actually gave Harry a slight grin as he asked.
"Yes, Sir!" Harry smiled back, relieved to know that they would not be leaving Tom alone in the cave. "One stretcher coming up, Sir."
They stripped the branches clean and placed them in the blanket folds and carefully placed Tom on it. Covering him with another one of the blankets, Harry and Ayala carried him out of the cave. After walking for several hours, the group found a small stand of trees where they rested for two hours. Tom had once again begun to run a fever and Chakotay took out the remaining hypospray and held it to Tom's neck. "Let's get going. Maybe we can reach the shuttle before the storms pick up for the afternoon." Standing up, he went to the head of the stretcher and, indicating to Harry to grab the other end, lifted it up and began to walk in the direction Ayala pointed out.
* * * * *
The shuttle bay doors opened and Captain Janeway strode into the cavernous space. Looking at the shuttle that they had tractored back onboard, she let out a breath that she didn't realize she had been holding. She walked around the shuttle taking in the scorch marks on the outer hull; evidence of being shot with some powerful phaser blasts. Tom never mentioned the phaser fire. Why wouldn't he report being shot down? She wondered as she entered the rear of the shuttle. Her eyes widened in shock as she looked around the interior. My God! What did they go through?
"They stripped the whole thing, Captain." B'Elanna's bitter voice brought her back from her thoughts. The warp core's gone as well as the replicator, and all of the tools. Captain, they even ripped out the seats."
Janeway moved to the front of the shuttle and looked at the shattered consoles. Reaching out her hand she touched a red stain on the pilot's console. Blood. It had to be Tom's. "Are there any signs that the away team left some sort of message?" She asked quietly as she turned towards the engineer.
"No, Captain, nothing. I think they must have been caught by surprise. Are we near the planet yet?" B'Elanna asked.
"Yes, we should be approaching an outer orbital pattern within the hour. Is there anything salvageable in here?" Janeway asked as she took one final look around before walking down the ramp to the shuttle bay floor.
"Just the shell, Captain. We'll have to refit the entire thing." B'Elanna hesitated as she followed the captain to the doors. "Captain, I'd like to be included in the rescue team."
Janeway looked back at the engineer and nodded her head. She then slowly moved into the hallway and let the doors slide shut behind her.
to be continued…