Chapter 13
He pulled the panel off the wall with brute force, screws bending and rock crumbling. Miraculously they had made it back into the main tunnel and located a panel that would give them access to the ventilation shafts, all without being discovered. Kathryn anxiously scanned the main passageway with her eyes. So far they had been able to avoid running into Cardassians.
Behind the panel was a shaft that somewhat resembled one of Voyager's Jefferies tubes -- about one meter high and roughly the same in width, all walls made entirely from duranium alloy grid. The opening of the shaft was roughly two meters above the floor of the main passageway.
"Okay, let's get going!", Chakotay whispered.
Immediately she felt two strong hands close around her waist. Chakotay lifted her high enough for her to crawl into the opening of the shaft. After she had entered the crawlway, Chakotay pulled himself up, using his feet against the rock for more leverage. He reminded her of a wild cat, climbing a rock face. Seconds later he was with her in the shaft. There was no way they could re-fix the panel to scatter their tracks. It now lay slightly bend on the ground of the main passageway, two meters below them. Chakotay hoped that the Cardassians would not notice it, since it blended in with the rubble of crumbled rock and dust. There was not much time. They would have to make it to Voyager fast. Every minute's delay made the risk of discovery greater.
"I'll go ahead." he said, deliberately keeping his voice hushed as he squeezed past her.
Kathryn pressed herself as tightly as possible against one side of the crammed crawlway. She cringed at the proximity of their bodies as he squeezed past her. The Chakotay began to crawl forward on all fours. Kathryn quietly followed about two meters behind him, wondering once again where the Maquis had taken them. Jefferies tubes in a cave? A ventilation system? Environmental controls? And the Chakotay's earlier words, 'There's no way out...' What was this place?
Chakotay turned his head to check on her.
"Kathryn, you have to keep closer to me. The Cardassians will detect you if you're too far away!"
She gave him a surprised look. Was he just trying to keep an eye on her, or was there any truth in what he said? Did he carry something that scattered sensor readings? Her scientific mind was trying to figure out how one could possibly avoid scanner detection. A puzzle. It was just what she needed right now. Some scientific riddle to ponder on, so that she could keep panic at bay. She moved a little closer to him but retained a one-meter distance between them. Chakotay sighed.
"Kathryn, I said closer! I meant as close as possible!"
She gave him an indignant glare.
"I'll only move closer if you tell me what this is all about. How can you escape sensor detection?"
"NO!" he growled as he spun around angrily, coming face to face with a disconcerted Kathryn Janeway.
"I'll only say this once! No more questions! Do as I tell you! End of discussion!"
Kathryn swallowed a heated retort. It would not do her much good to upset him now. She needed his help -- at least for the time being. Chakotay was obviously furious with her. Maybe she should just do as he said in this case. After all, what was the harm in moving a little closer? But the man was infuriating... Grudgingly she moved right behind him.
She had no idea how he knew in which direction to turn. They came across countless intersections, yet Chakotay never hesitated. Her scraped knees were killing her as she crawled through the maze of metal grid ducts. The grids were engraving a pattern on her hands and knees, cutting painfully into the wounds. At least the cold of the metal was dulling the pain... Not one word was exchanged between them, since the ventilation system carried even the slightest sound into all directions, echoing it countless times. They did not have much to say to each other anyway, although Kathryn would have loved to hurl an assortment of verbal abuse at the man in front of her.
Every now and then they would pass another panel -- the light from the room beyond the sole source of illumination along their way. Chakotay did not dare to activate his wrist beacon, since its light might be seen from one of the rooms that lay on the other side of the panels. Periodically he turned his head to check on his hostage. Before she had entered the ventilation shaft Kathryn had thought that she could not possibly get any colder -- she had been wrong. The cold of the metal conduits spread through her body and froze her to the bone. Her feet had long ceased to be a part of her. For the hundredth time that night she cursed herself for not bringing her shoes. The chattering of her teeth was beginning to be so predominant a sound that she was sure it could be heard all over the base, and her goose bumpy skin had turned an unhealthy hue of blue. She had to force herself to move her stiff joints, and the violent shivers that shook her body did not make the task at hand any easier. On top of that her knees were hurting more and more by the second. She was vaguely aware of the blood trail the wounds on her knees left behind as she continued to move forward. It took all her concentration to simply continue crawling through the shafts.
"Humph..."
She had collided with Chakotay's form, who had stopped in front of her. He turned to look at her. Something was wrong.
"Kathryn, you're shivering all over. Maybe we should find you something warmer to put on..."
"I'm alright. Lets just go on."
But Chakotay ignored her. He put his arms around her and began to rub his warmth into her body. Kathryn stiffened and tried to disengage herself form him, only to loose her balance and fall backwards, her injured feet and knees exposed to his scrutiny. Chakotay gasped at the sight before him. Her feet and knees were covered in blood. Countless cuts lined the soles of her feet, and there were deep gashes in her knees that could only have been caused by a fall.
"Why didn't you tell me that you're injured, Kathryn? You can't carry on like that!" he chided. "It's nothing. I hardly feel it."
"You really have to stop lying to me! Now let me have a look at that."
Kathryn recoiled, but he was faster. He bent over her to take a closer look at her injuries.
"Kathryn, when did that happen to your knees? Those cuts are deep. You've got a lot of dirt in there. You should have mentioned this. There should be a first aid kit somewhere in a room close by. Can you hold on a little longer, until we get to the next panel?"
"I really don't think that's necessary, Chakotay. We should try to get to Voyager..."
"I'll determine what's necessary around here. Now come on!"
A few minutes later they had made it to the next panel. Light shone through the cross pattern of metal. Chakotay peeked into the room. Oh good, Bendera's quarters. He knew exactly where Kurt kept his first aid kit. He and Kurt were good friends and had spent many hours playing poker in this room. The room appeared deserted. He pushed himself against the panel a few times, until it gave way. Then he jumped the two meters down into the room. Kathryn remained in the small tunnel, waiting anxiously for his return. If what he had said earlier was true, she was now entirely vulnerable to sensor detection until he returned. Scant minutes later he was back with a medkit and a blanket. He handed the two items to her before climbing back into the shaft.
They had to leave the panel on the floor again. Then they carried on through the air vents for some time, until there was a considerable distance between them and the telltale panel on the floor of Bendera's quarters. They came to a halt in what must have been one of he darkest spots in the entire ventilation system. No panel in sight. Chakotay activated his wrist beacon and opened the medkit. Kathryn recognized the case as a standard Starfleet medical kit. However, the contents of the case lacked a lot of equipment. It certainly did not look like one of Voyager's kits. They had all been fully equipped. All those rumors about Starfleet personnel supplying the Maquis must be true, she thought a little surprised.
"I'm sorry, I don't have a dermal regenerator. These bandages will have to do." he said apologetically and began to disinfect the wounds.
Kathryn winced as the disinfectant bit into the cuts.
"I'm sorry."
"It's alright."
"How did this happen?"
She clenched her teeth.
"I fell over a piece of rock on the ground ...... when I was trying to find my way back to the main tunnel..."
"Why didn't you say something earlier?"
"There seemed to be more pressing matters at the time."
Chakotay was now rolling the bandages around the last knee. Kathryn was shivering more and more violently. Her skin, where it was exposed, had gone almost purple. He had now finished with her knees and turned his attention to her feet.
"Where are your shoes?"
He bent down to get a closer look at her feet, noting with horror that the soles were cut badly and blisters had formed in places -- some of them had begun to weep. Sharp splinters of rock had embedded themselves into the skin. He could not imagine how she could walk on feet as sore as these.
"I'll have to disinfect your feet. They look even worse than your knees, Kathryn." he chided.
"Alright."
Bravely she endured the disinfectant once again, every now and then wincing almost indiscernibly as the pain escalated to unbearable levels. Then Chakotay wrapped bandages around her feet and tied them at her ankles. Her feet were ice-blocks.
"These should keep your feet a little warmer, too. We've got to get you warm, Kathryn."
With those words he reached out for the blanket and wrapped it around her shivering form. He switched off his wrist beacon. Then he turned her around so that her back was now facing him, moving to sit behind her and enfolding her into his arms.
"Don't touch me!"
Kathryn was not going to endure this. She would rather freeze to death, than have him touch her like that. With all the power she could muster she pulled away from him.
"I said, don't touch me!" she hissed.
"Kathryn, just for a few minutes, until you're warmer. You're ice-cold. We need to get you warm or you won't make it. Now be sensible and come back here!"
His tone was beginning to be threatening, but she would not give in this time. She had to retain just one little degree of dignity. Forcefully he pulled her back into his arms. Only this time she was facing him whereas before her back had been turned towards him.
"No more struggling, Kathryn! You don't want me to teach you another lesson, do you?" he whispered so close to her ear that she could feel his lips brush it. Kathryn shuddered.
Whether from fear, revulsion, or some other emotion, she could not tell. Chakotay pulled her closer until her head rested against his chest. She was as tense as she could possibly be. Meanwhile, the feel of her in his arms and the perfume of her hair were driving Chakotay nearly out of his senses. His hands were drawing lazy circles over her back. Magnetically drawn towards her, he moved closer and brushed his lips almost unnoticeably over her hair.
Kathryn jumped at the intimate touch and fought him with every last remnant of her strength. There was not much left of it. She tried to kick and punch him away from her, but her extremities felt as heavy as lead. One or two desperate tears ran over her cheeks as she realized that she was losing this battle. Chakotay rolled her onto her back and moved on top of her, pinning her arms and legs to the ground. When he had managed to secure her, he reactivated the beacon with one hand, whilst holding her wrists over her head with the other.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Kathryn?"
He found himself looking at tear streaked and flushed cheeks, and two blue eyes wide with panic. He moved his free hand to her cheeks and gently brushed the tears away.
"Hush, Kathryn...." he whispered softly.
Kathryn closed her eyes at his gentle touch. He backed off again, causing her to open her eyes. Looking straight into her eyes he said softly,
"You're going to have to learn to trust me."
With a tired sigh Chakotay got off and lay beside her, pulling Kathryn back into his arms, with her back against his chest.
"Trust me, Kathryn!"
And she did, since she was out of options.
Chakotay continued to draw lazy circles over her back as they lay side by side. He felt her shivers slowly subside beneath his touch.
"When you're a little warmer we'll continue on our way."
"I'm fine now. We shouldn't waste anymore time, Chakotay. If the Cardassians get hold of Voyager, we'll never make it out of here."
Chakotay had to agree with her. And she was not shivering as badly as a few minutes before. Reluctantly he got up and released her.
"Alright. Lets go then."
Kathryn exhaled heavily , relieved to finally have escaped his embrace. She tied the blanket around her, and they continued on their way. Minutes later Chakotay stopped dead in front of yet another panel. The faint light from the room beyond illuminated them both, and he raised a finger to his lips, gesturing her to be quiet. Then she heard that voice again. Pulling herself together Kathryn moved closer to the panel and peeped through the cross-patterns of metal into the room -- Chakotay's quarters! The lounge room, to be precise. The place was a mess. Rocks and debris had fallen all over the place, covering carpet, upholstery and furniture. The precious glass cabinets lay shattered, and what had not been ruined by the downpour of rock was being destroyed at the hands of Cardassian soldiers. They had slit the pieces of luscious upholstery and scattered Chakotay's belongings all over the debris covered floor. Kathryn followed the source of the only too familiar voice with her eyes until she saw him. Gul Camet was leaning over the case that contained her things -- handling her garments in a manner so obscene that Kathryn felt her bile rise. When he buried his face in a piece of fine lingerie, she averted her eyes in revulsion.
"It won't be long now, my sweet Kathryn. I can't tell you how much I look forward to our meeting! I have waited such a long time for this moment!"
He raised his voice to address his men,
"Any news on Janeway yet?"
"No, Sir!"
Camet scowled, then smiled sickeningly to himself.
"I'll find you, don't you worry, my dear..."
One of the Cardassian soldiers, who was scanning the room with an instrument reminiscent of a tricorder, walked towards Camet.
"Sir, I am reading elevated radioactivity from right behind that air vent."
He pointed towards the panel from behind which Kathryn and Chakotay were watching the drama unfold.
"Radioactivity from an air vent? What kind, Dunar?"
"Elevated thoron emissions, Sir. I can't explain it..."
Camet frowned.
"Hmm, thoron emissions? Did you scan the ventilation system for lifesigns?" "Yes, but we did not find any."
"Lets take a look behind that panel then!" Camet ordered.
Kathryn and Chakotay looked at each other in panic. They crawled as fast and quietly as they could away from the panel. Luckily they came across another intersection after a few meters and took a right turn, out of view from the Cardassians. They stopped and listened. The panel was ripped off the wall.
"There's nothing here, Sir," another Cardassian soldier announced.
"Sir, the thoron emissions have disappeared!" Camet fumed.
Of course. Radioactivity was well known to scatter sensor readings. It usually rendered tricorders, scanners, and countless other equipment useless. Someone was hiding in those shafts, using a thoron generator to avoid detection.
"Dunar, take some men into the shafts! I want the entire system purged, is that understood?" Camet bellowed.
"Yes, Sir!"
Damn! Chakotay took Kathryn's arm and motioned her to come along. They had to get to Voyager before the Cardassians found them. As quickly as humanly possible they scrambled through the labyrinth of tiny tunnels. Then suddenly they heard a sound just ahead of them. Chakotay stopped.
"They're coming from over there. We have to go back and take a different turn somewhere."
They turned, Kathryn now in the lead. At the next junction she took a left-turn, then a right. They were vaguely aware of someone removing a panel only a few meters behind them.
"Kathryn, we have to get out of here! It's not safe anymore!"
"How the hell am I supposed to find a way out of here? I have no idea where we are, Chakotay!"
"Take a right turn at the second junction you come to, and then a left at the fifth after that!"
"Alright!"
They rushed through the shafts like hunted animals, not caring anymore if they made noise. The Cardassians were hot on their heals. Kathryn had now taken the left-turn and her heart jumped a beat as she made out a panel about 20 meters ahead of her.
"There's a panel! Is that where we get out of here?"
"Yes! Great!"
Chakotay pushed with all his might against the panel. It would not yield. The Cardassians were catching up with them. By the sound of it they were going to come into view any second now. In desperation he flung himself against the panel. It yielded a little. He repeated the action several times, barely registering the pain it caused his shoulder and arm. Finally the panel gave way. Chakotay grabbed a hold of Kathryn and pushed her through the opening into the tunnel below. Her feet had barely reached the ground when she heard Chakotay shout,
"Run, Kathryn! Don't wait for me!"
She heard the unmistakable wine of a Cardassian phaser rifle.
"Chakotay?"
No response. Lights appeared from the opening and Kathryn broke into a blind run. She ran until her legs would not carry her any further. Chakotay captured by the Cardassians? He had gotten himself captured to help her escape. His last words echoed through her head... "Run, Kathryn! Don't wait for me!" Then other words mingled with those... "Trust me, Kathryn..." She could not leave him at the mercy of Camet and his people. She had to go back to help him. But she would need to find a tricorder.
Kathryn looked up and down the tunnel. There were a few doors. She just hoped they would open for her... They did. She entered what were obviously someone's quarters. A large mirror at the rear wall had shattered, probably due to the Cardassian attack. The lights of a replicator with its interface removed illuminated the room. Why had the interface been taken off? Odd...
She stepped closer to the table next to the replicator and saw what she assumed to be some kind of a tricorder. She opened the lid, only to be greeted by the flashing insignia of the Obsidian Order. Kathryn almost dropped the instrument.
A Cardassian communications device? Did Chakotay have a Cardassian spy within his cell? Of course! That would explain how the Cardassians had discovered the Maquis base, and why Camet knew of her presence here. It also meant that this was not a very safe place for her to be right now. The spy could return to his or her quarters at any time. Frantically she searched around for a standard tricorder. Eventually she found one and sneaked back into the tunnel. All she had to do was look for the signal from the Starfleet combadge that Chakotay had been wearing. She opened the tricorder and set it for long range scanning. There it was. A Starfleet signal blinked on the interface apparently from behind a force field about 750 meters away. It would take her awhile to get there through the labyrinth of tunnels...
Gul Camet was restlessly pacing the Maquis captain's quarters. Seska had been watching him for a while.
"Camet, we have to get to Voyager before the Maquis or the Starfleet people take her! Voyager is a vessel with powerful defenses. Everyone here knows that. They could easily escape us with her. And Enabran Tain is counting on us to cease the vessel!"
"Stop your babbling or I will have you thrown into a kennel with 10 starving Toscanar dogs!" Camet bellowed.
"I want to find Kathryn Janeway first! Then I'll think about Voyager! Is that understood?"
"But Sir, she may very well escape you with Voyager's help!"
"Silence, woman! If Janeway escapes, you will take her place in my torture chamber! So you better make sure you find her!"
"Yes, Gul." Seska mumbled.
The man was raving mad. Maybe she should try to contact Tain and let him know that Camet was losing it... Later maybe.
"Dunar to Gul Camet"
"Camet here."
"Sir, we have arrested the Maquis captain! There was someone else with him. Apparently a woman called Kathryn, but we lost her in the tunnels."
"WHAT?"
Camet balled his fists.
"Find her! I'll take a look at our guest, Chakotay!"
"Sir, I'd like to be present when you interrogate Chakotay!"
"I think you've already spent far too much time with the man, Seska. Tain and I were beginning to become suspicious of your loyalties... You'll secure Voyager!"
"Whatever you say, Camet."
Damn! And she had so much wanted to see Chakotay's face when he found out that she was spying on him for the Obsidian Order...
Chakotay was regaining consciousness. The Cardassians had stunned him with one of their phaser pistols before taking him to his own brig. His hands were shackled behind his back. A Cardassian soldier stood guard in front of his cell. On closer inspection he was relieved to see that he was the only prisoner in the brig. Somehow the Starfleet crew must have made it out. He just hoped that Kathryn had made it, too...
Camet entered the brig with two of his aides.
Chakotay was in the first cell to the right.
"Look what the cat dragged in... Captain Chakotay, freedom fighter, renegade, terrorist -- depending on who you ask. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, captain!"
"I wish I could return the compliment, Camet!" Chakotay hissed.
"Now, now, Chakotay. I understand you had company in the air vents... Who was she?"
"Ha, you'd like to know, wouldn't you? It's a shame you'll never find out!"
Camet sneered.
"You'll tell me eventually!"
The gul turned towards a guard.
"Lower the forcefield!"
The wall of pure energy crackled out of existence.
Camet's aides launched themselves at Chakotay, pounding into him until he almost lost consciousness again.
"Enough! He's still got to be able to talk!" Camet barked.
"Now, are we ready to tell me who the lady in question is?"
Chakotay glowered at the gul.
"Never!"
Camet nodded briefly at his aides who promptly commenced battering the Maquis captain. Unforgiving they booted him, until he heard his ribs crack. One of them kicked him firmly in the stomach, and Chakotay doubled over, retching helplessly. The other one thrashed his elbow into his neck. Chakotay staggered briefly, then blacked out.
"Raise the forcefield! We'll try this again, later."
A sickening grin distorted Camet's features as he made his way back to Chakotay's quarters.
B'Elanna and her group were making their way to Voyager through the tunnels of the base. However, their progress was slow, since they had to avoid tripping over the rocks and debris in their way. The place had turned into an obstacle course...
Cavit was nothing but a burden, supported by two ensigns who dragged his dead weight along with them. Soon they had turned so many corners that the Starfleet crew had lost all orientation. Despite all caution, several people tripped and fell over the countless obstacles in their way, as they tried to run faster than was possible under the circumstances. Some were injured so badly that they had to be helped by others in order to continue on their journey, evermore slowing down their escape.
"How far is it to Voyager?" Paris asked B'Elanna, who was trying her damn best to be uncivil.
"Far enough! Now shut up!"
"I don't think we can make it this way, B'Elanna. It won't take them long to find us. There are just too many injured. We should try the ventilation shafts instead."
"There are too many of us, Paris! It would take too long to get everyone in!"
"If we carry on this way, it won't take long before they find us! And then what? "
She stopped exasperatedly and turned towards the object of her conceit.
"Alright then! But I still don't think it's going to work!"
"If this won't work, then nothing will!"
As much as she hated Paris, she had to admit that he had a point. She realized that the Cardassians could be lurking around every corner, waiting for them. If they carried on this way, they would end up running right into the arms of the Spoonheads. Not a pleasant picture!
"Okay, flyboy, how about moving this panel then, so we can all get in?"
"I could do with a little Klingon elbow-grease!" he countered far too cheerfully for her taste.
She wanted to beat the arrogant pig into a pulp, but it would have to wait until they were all safe. Together they managed to tear the panel off the wall. Getting everyone in there was going to be a real problem. Why did the panels have to be two meters above ground? It made maintenance a bloody hassle, not to mention escape from an army of bloodthirsty Cardassians...
"Okay, everyone! Listen up! We're going to try our luck in the air vents! There's less chance of running into Cardassians in there. We'll be lifting you into the shaft one by one. Paris and I will come in last, and then I'll lead you through it. Now if you just want to take up position in front of this entrance..."
"Nice try, B'Elanna. But I'm afraid there's been a change of plan!" a familiar voice hissed.
Seska rounded a corner, a troop of Cardassian guards in her trail.
"Seska?... What are you doing with the Spoonheads?"
Tom Paris did not need to hear the answer. It was obvious. Seska was in league with the Cardassians. Without a second thought he snatched B'Elanna's phaser and fired blindly at the Cardassians.
"RUN!" he shouted.
Tom used the ensuing confusion to pull himself up into the air vent. Then he ran as he had never run before...
Everyone else ducked as the Cardassians opened fire. Suddenly Cavit rose and lulled,
"What are you all doing? There's nothing to fear from these people. They're our allies, aren't you?"
He staggered towards Seska and the Cardassian soldiers.
Seska adjusted the settings on her phaser rifle and aimed at the deranged Starfleet officer. Cavit vaporized in front of everyone's eyes.
A sardonic smile on her face she jeered,
"I suggest you follow us peacefully. I wouldn't try anything if I were you." B'Elanna stared at her.
"Time to face the facts, B'Elanna. I had you fooled with my Bajoran act, didn't I? Poor B'Elanna... Now, move everyone! I'm going to take you to meet a friend of mine. You may have heard of Gul Camet..." Seska grinned shamelessly.
B'Elanna paled. She felt her heart sink into her pants. Seska? Her friend Seska had been working for the Spoonheads all this time? How could she have fallen for this charade? And Chakotay... She hoped to god he would never find out about this. So she had run into a Cardassian trap... Chances were the Spoonheads were going to kill all of them, so she might as well spend her last breath on getting even with Seska.
With a perfect impression of Klingon warrior cry she launched herself on the woman, whom she had come to think of as her friend
Something hit her hard, and then there was nothing but darkness and peace for a while...