Tuvok entered sickbay just minutes after he had finished in the Chakotay's cabin only to see the EMH with a uncharacteristic look of worry on his face. Walking into his office, Tuvok noticed that the doctor seemed to be concentrating on a chart on the monitor.
"Doctor, have you any progress to report." The sight of the hologram jumping slightly would have given anybody a smirk, but the Second Officer was in no mood to smirk on this day.
"Yes, but all bad I'm afraid. Tuvok, I am going to tell you something that I told Commander Chakotay just yesterday, but I don't think that you'll like it." Seeing Tuvok's customary look of impassivity, the EMH explained. "Do you see this chart? On every crew member, I have included a sort of transmitter and that relays to me information concerning the health of the crew, blood pressure, heart rate, that sort of thing. This is a record of Commander Chakotay's brain activity over the past four days. Do you see how it remained in the normal margins until this dramatic drop in activity here happened a few days ago? Although that's bad, it's not insurmountable. What is far worse, however, is that it has been steadily moving downwards. It spiked up to about normal when he first came to sickbay, most likely when he grabbed you, but it fell right back afterwards. I'm afraid that I don't know how to get it back up where it is suppose to be and unless I do or it levels of, Commander Chakotay will die."
"Why would he die, doctor?" The EMH sighed. Sometimes the ignorance around him got to be too much.
"The level's he's working on now are enough to keep the automated functions working and little else, but after a while, he won't be able to breath on his own, and after that, his brain won't be able keep his heart pumping. To loose brain activity completely, which is where the Commander is heading, and your entire body would shut down. Already he had lost a dramatic amount of weight, some of his memories, even the skin color is losing its pigment. To be simplistic, the Commander is being erased."
"Doctor, I refuse to believe that this cannot be remedied in some manner."
"I wish it could be fixed, but this would require something a bit more than a band-aid. The only way I can see the Commander getting better is if the source of the initial trauma were resolved, which I fully believe is emotional rather than physical. Unfortunately for Commander Chakotay, the only person who can do that is most likely Captain Janeway, and I really can't foresee her doing that." Tuvok thought for a moment.
"If the Captain were notified about what she would have to say, I am confident that she would take the steps asked of her." Exercising his holographic lungs once more, the EMH sighed.
"Yes, but that might not really do it. She would have to come to the realization on her own and patch this up using words from her heart. It couldn't be scripted or faked, and at this point I don't know if the Commander would even be able to comprehend what she were saying."
"I see. If someone where attacked and the had the brain activity level of the Commander, what might happen Doctor?"
The EMH's eye brows rose at the swift change in topic, but ignored it. "They most likely wouldn't fight back. They either wouldn't feel the pain or have the reflexes to fight back even if they tried. To attack someone with this level of brain activity would be like beating a pillow."
Tuvok felt his Vulcan heart harden at that last part. He and Voyager's First Officer, although never friends, did have a respect for each other and had been known to speak together off duty. "Doctor, could the Commander have sustained the physical injuries he did in a matter of three and a half minutes if he didn't fight back at all? Also, why wasn't this reported to the Captain when it was discovered?"
"Yes, between three and four minutes would be enough time if the Commander weren't fighting back, which I don't believe he could at this point. However, it would take some very vicious blows. I have evidence that the Commander was kicked in both the chest and the face as well as glass fragments in various areas of his body. In fact, in one area, he was kicked so hard that a partial boot tread has been found. As to your other question, the Commander asked me not to as the Captain. Commander Chakotay felt that he himself would have to tell her." Tuvok's eye brows both rose at the boot print part.
"Understood. You said before that you found a partial tread, did you save it?
The EMH nodded, glad that he didn't just run the dermal regenerator over it as he had almost done. Pulling up Chakotay's gown, Tuvok clearly saw a pattern on the Commander's multi colored skin. The Doctor answered the unasked question. "I know it's a print by the way the skin is less damaged in the certain areas. A flat surface would have damaged evenly, this is more fractured, and looking at the more damaged and less damaged areas, a pattern can be seen."
The Security Chief noted to himself that whatever boot was used wasn't StarFleet issue, he turned back to the EMH. "I examined the Commanders quarters and found a trace of DNA that I believe belongs to the culprit. In my tricorder, I have all of the crews DNA samples in there, however what I found didn't match anyone. Could you run this through medical database to see if you find a match? My tricorder has DNA information of all crew members of Voyager, yet this was listed as unknown."
"Of course. Let me see the sample." Tuvok handed the EMH the tricorder with the data on it and saw him input the information on his computer. After looking at his terminal for a few minutes, the EMH's eyes nearly popped out of his head in shock. "I found a match, but I'm not surprised that you didn't. I just added this person yesterday. It's Inspector Kashyk."
Tuvok slowly got up and hit his combadge. "Computer, has Kashyk ever been inside Commander Chakotay's quarters since he came aboard Voyager?"
"Negative."
Sharing a look, Tuvok asked a question with eyes and the EMH heard loud an clear. "It is his DNA, and that would explain the boot print not being StarFleet issue. Overall, I'm 99.6% sure it was the Inspector. As far as a computer is concerned, that's a safe bet." Tuvok nodded his head almost sadly.
"Tuvok to Captain Janeway."
****
Kathryn Janeway was still in bed when she heard the call. "Janeway here. Tuvok, it's kind of late, what do you need?" She had just started to doze when the call came in. She didn't want to leave Kashyk.
*I apologize Captain, but I need you to report to sickbay immediately. I will answer all of your questions then. Tuvok out.*
Any temptation to stay was scrubbed out when she heard her second's clipped communication. Whatever it was was important enough to warrant a call this late. Creeping out of bed so as not to disturb Kashyk, Kathryn slipped into her living room and retrieved the uniform she and her man had stripped off as soon as she made her decision not visit Chakotay that evening. Putting it on quickly, she slipped out of her cabin doors and saw to her surprise a security detail standing outside her First Officers door.
Ignoring Tuvok for a moment, Kathryn walked up to the guards. "Why are you two standing here?"
"Commander Tuvok ordered it Captain. We aren't allowed to permit anybody into that room except him nor are we able to talk about what this room contains."
Janeway almost stumbled backwards. It was ridiculous. Chakotay's quarters off limits, it was ludicrous, it was damn near laughable, it was… Kathryn's urge to smile died as she made the connection. Oh, God. Chakotay was the reason she was going to sickbay. Had something happened? Had his sickness gotten so bad that the Doctor needed a site-to-site transport? But that wouldn't account for the guards. Guards are the hallmark of a crime scene.
Spinning around, Janeway tore off in the direction of the lift, hoping that her decision earlier and the feeling that she would regret it was only in her mind. She never noticed that she passed Kashyk, standing just outside her door, who had awoken and tried to get her back to bed.
****
Kathryn blasted through the sickbay doors in nearly record time. Scanning the room, her eyes landing on her First Officer on a biobed. Her legs, moving of their own volition, brought her next to him. If it were possible, he looked hundreds of times worse than he did when he got off duty earlier that night. She didn't even hear the doctor or Tuvok approach.
"Captain?" Tuvok spoke first. He knew that she wouldn't like where this conversation was going to go, but it needed to happen.
"What happening to him? Why isn't he awake?" The EMH answered that one.
"Quite simply, Captain, he's dying." Janeway's eyes snapped up at that and she found herself backing toward the door. Her mind became chaotic and the very concept.
"You're lying to me. You have to be. The Commander is alright. Tuvok, you tell him that Chakotay's going to be alright." She waited, but Tuvok simply lowered his head for a moment.
"Captain, the doctor is not lying. I choose not to believe it at first myself, but it is happening anyway." Kathryn's eyes blurred over in grief. She lost him as a friend and now she was going to lose any hope that he and she could salvage anything.
"Why? What is causing it?"
"Honestly, Captain, I don't know exactly what is causing it, but I have a feeling that it is the Commander killing himself slowly. I can't treat this."
Janeway's legs gave out and she collapsed to the carpet. No, this had to be a dream. A nightmare. It couldn't be real, she couldn't be loosing him. "How is he doing that in you opinion?"
The doctor didn't like having conversations like this. "The Commander's brain activity has been dropping to near fatal levels. There is no physical reason for this, so I can only reason that it's emotional. His body weight, skin color, his tattoo, in essence he is just fading away into nothingness. To be even more simplistic Captain, Commander Chakotay is becoming no more."
Attempting to try and grab one of her errant thoughts, the lone woman found she couldn't. Thousands of voices were screaming in her mind. Janeway was trying to outpace the demons in her mind that said he was doing to her what she did to him, but it wasn't working. "How long has this been going on?" She already knew the answer.
"Judging by the scans I have, I would say about three days ago." Janeway let out a strangled moan.
"That was when I told him about Kashyk staying on board Voyager. I saw a change in him, but I just wrote it off to stress. He told me a couple of days ago that I would never fully understand the sacrifice he had made, but I just ignored it." The scientist in her started coming into prominence as her other faculties failed. "People can't control the amount of brain activity, no matter how hard they try. How can he be doing it."
The Doctor answered this one. "Commander Chakotay once told me about his religious beliefs and how something like this happened to two people he was related too and I believe that it may be what's going on now. However, you may not like hearing it."
"Just say it. I'm a grownup." Janeway didn't want to waste any time. If she found out how it happened, maybe she could think of a way to undo it.
"Very well. The Commander told me once about his grandmother and grandfather who lived on Dorvan along with his family before they died tragically years before the Cardassian raids. As he told it too me, one day his grandmother was killed in an unfortunate accident, but his grandfather escaped without injury. After the funeral, the old man tried to deny what was the truth, that he was alone, but it was forced upon him by a family who believed it wrong to let him have live his life in the past. One day, they finally were successful.
"However, something unexpected happened. Rather than go on with life, his entire body started shutting down, as if it were too grieved to go on without the woman whom he loved. He lost weight, his skin dulled in color, he couldn't eat not sleep. He died a few days later, and in an attempt to figure out what had happened, they traveled to see a shaman. The shaman told them about a part of their religion that wasn't talked about by most. It is called 'the sharing of souls' and simply put, the people believe that for every person born, they have half a soul and they are never at piece until they find the other half. If, however something happens to their mate, the soul is ripped in half and the person left basically bleed to death. My theory is that the you are the keeper of the other half of his soul, and as such, when you informed him of your… current romantic situation… his soul was ripped in two, and he is now dying in the same manner of his grandfather."
Kathryn paled during the telling of this tale. Chakotay had practically screamed that tale at her the other night in his quarters, but she was so obsessed about getting him back as XO and then getting to be with Kashyk, she ignored the undertones. Reexamining his words, she bit her bottom lip with self rage. It was now so obvious, but she was to blindsided to see it until now. "Is there anything that can be done about this?"
The doctor punched up another view of his brain activity chart and frowned. "Honestly, I don't think so Captain." At her expression of heart break, the EMH started rambling. Rambling was such a human foible, but he had heard it done so often and by some many people who were anxiously awaiting news of injured loved one, it rubbed off on him. "So little of the real world is penetrating his mind, I really don't know what would. To be honest, I'm not surprised he didn't fight back earlier when he was attacked…"
Janeway's hair stood on end with this latest piece on information. "Attacked? What do you mean attacked?" The EMH ceased blithering and received a glare from both people in the room. Seeing the ineffectiveness of the EMH at this juncture, Tuvok decided it was time to let the other shoe drop.
"Captain, I regret to inform you that Commander Chakotay was assaulted in his quarters before Alpha Shift ended today. From what we have deduced, he came to shortly after the end of Alpha shift. We can approximate that he was unconscious for the better part of thirty minutes." Once again, Janeway started crying. He probably was laying in his own blood as she choose to go home rather than visit him. "From what I observed in his quarters when conducting my investigation, he went into the bathroom and proceeded to vomit blood. I only found out about the Commander's condition when he managed to stumble onto the bridge and tried to get to his normal chair to work. I then had us both transported to sickbay."
Kathryn felt her claws extend in loathing. Her First Officer was beaten to the point of unconsciousness while he couldn't fight back. "Tuvok, why didn't you call me right away?"
"I intended on doing just that when the Commander seemed to have a 'moment of normalcy' and made me promise not to call you until I had sufficient proof as too who did it."
"You know who did it? You know who attacked him?" Seeing Tuvok's nod, Janeway started mentally clearing her schedule. She was going to be busy executing someone. Someone had just made the worst mistake of his or her life. "Who is it?"
Tuvok hesitated. "Captain, I need you to promise me that you will listen to the evidence I have collected after you hear this name. Can you do that?" Janeway nodded her head, a bit miffed that her old friend didn't think her able to look at this objectively. "At the point in my investigation, all evidence points to the attacker as being Kashyk."
Kathryn reeled in shock and horror. Someone must have framed him so it would look like Kashyk. "Tuvok, there must be some mistake, Kashyk is the one of the most gentle people I have ever met. He couldn't have done this."
"Captain, you promised me that you would listen to the evidence, will you do so?" Seeing Janeway nod her head miserably, Tuvok continued. "I have successfully found the time or the Commander's loosing consciousness as being 3.2 minutes after entering his quarters. From what I have found, as the Commander was walking down the hallway, the door to your quarters does not open, yet a unknown figure simply seemed to appear just outside your door. Seconds after this being came conjured, the door panel on the Commander's wall started being activated. The door opened, but nobody went it for nearly 25 seconds. At this time, the unknown persons signal vanishes without a trace, but the Commander's does not. 3.2 minutes after entering his cabin, Commander Chakotay lapsed into unconsciousness. 3.4 minutes after his signal disappeared, the unknown reappears in the corridor before once again vanishing just outside cabin seconds later.
"A partial footprint has also been discovered on Commander Chakotay's body in bruises. The tread isn't of StarFleet issue and besides Kashyk, the only other person who doesn't wear StarFleet footwear and could possibly inflict this amount of damage in such a short amount of time is Mr. Neelix and Seven of Nine, and both have been accounted for. Also, one of the chairs that was used to beat the Commander had a sample of DNA on it. The doctor confirms that it is Kashyk's and according to the computer, he was never in the Commander's quarters. I have found furthur evidence of computer tampering and, although whomever did it attempted to bounce the signal around over the ship, I found that the source computer was located in your quarters. The person who did this didn't know of the security sensors installed in the hallway and the image the computer composited bares a striking resemblance to the Inspector. Captain, I know that you have feelings for this man, but I am afraid that I must make an arrest."
Kathryn thought over all of the evidence and it did indeed seem damning. There was no way this could have been a frame up and her blood started to boil. The little looks of anger Kashyk had thrown in Chakotay's direction now had a different sort of meaning. He even had said a few nights ago 'I'll kill him.' Kashyk attacked her Comman… her Chakotay in cold blood out of callus jealousy. She nodded her head.
"Actually, that won't be necessary!" Kathryn, Tuvok and the Doctor all spun toward the door and saw Kashyk pointing a phaser at them. "Put your phasers down or I'll kill you all. As for you hologram, I will blast the computer that houses your program if you try anything." Tuvok and Janeway unhooked their phasers and set them on the ground, the latter giving him a death glare that would stop the heart of any Admiral in Star Fleet. Ignoring her look, Kashyk continued. "Well, well, well. I see that your First Officer of yours is still alive Kat. It's my fault I suppose. I told him to stay away from you and I actually expected him to listen." Putting on a face of mock disappointment, Kashyk shrugged his shoulders as if in defeat. "Well I guess I'll just kill him now, but before I do, I'll tell you what Kathryn. You can say your goodbyes to him."
Turning around to his still inert form, Janeway leaned down to Chakotay's face. "I love you Chakotay, come home to me." Kissing him on the lips, Kathryn let herself get lost in the feeling for a few moments. Yes his skin was still moist and cold, but her heart didn't care. Pulling herself away from him after a few seconds, Janeway turned toward her former lover. Nobody noticed the graph on the Doctor's terminal jump at the kiss and remain climbing even afterwards. "Why, Kashyk? What happened?"
"I would have remained on Voyager with you Kat, really I would have. But, I noticed that your mind kept wandering to 'him' and I knew that it was only a matter of time before either you or he tried something and I just couldn't let that happen. Besides, we're still close enough to D'vor space for me to just go home. I'll be taking Voyager with me, mind you. Yeah, it's a bit cruel, but hey I should at least make a profit for selling the technology off and probably selling this crew into slavery. I would hate to think that I wasted all of this time playing house and have nothing to show for it in the end."
Walking toward them, Kashyk motioned the three to move away from Chakotay's body. Standing next to his soon-to-be-victim, Kashyk glanced down at the man below him. "Pity isn't it Kathryn? Imagine if only you and he had some more time. You finally realize that you CAN love each other, just to have it torn away." Turning his back to Chakotay, Kashyk raised the phaser to them once more. "You know Kathryn, it doesn't have to be this way. We can still be happy together. We can take Voyager back to D'vor space and then you can I can take one of the shuttles and explore the galaxy. I'll even try to make sure that your friends get sold to good planets for labor. Ones that won't kill them, right away at least. What do you say?"
Janeway pretended to think for a moment. "Umm, how about you go to hell?"
The humor and conceitedness that had previously adorned Kashyk's face faded away and was replaced with cold, hard, anger. "You first, bitch." Pointing the phaser directly at Janeway, Kashyk was just about to hit the button when he felt a tap his shoulder. Turning his head around to see what it was, Kashyk was suddenly blinded by an explosion of light as a fist struck him square in the nose with enough force to dent steel. That fist belonged to a very angry looking Commander Chakotay.