The Secret Of Angalaria
by Gine
Chapter 3 Darkness And Light
The door flew open and Salox entered the cell, two armed guards on his heels. The children woke up and huddled close together at the edge of the mattress. B'Elanna and Kathryn took their places in front of them.
"I don't need to say much here." The threat in Salox's words was unmistakable. "You know why I've come." He looked directly at Kathryn and she accepted the challenge immediately.
"You are searching the polara." Her voice didn't waver when she answered him coldly. "You won't get any information about Angalaria from me."
Salox just grinned at her, but in his eyes she could see that her words had fired up his rage. He came closer, then leaned down to the captain to whisper in her ear while his cold glance rested at the frightened children behind her.
"Are you willing to risk the lives of these children for a simple piece of information? Or that of the angry woman at your side? I think I would enjoy having a little fun with her? Maybe she'll be willing to talk after I get through with her."
"You won't get any information from her or from the children. They can neither understand what you say nor will you know their language. I'm the only one here who knows where the polara can be found so you will have to talk with me."
If Salox was surprised by her words, he didn't show it. He turned to B'Elanna. His hand slowly moved to her stomach, while he still held eye contact with the captain.
"Maybe she can't understand me, but you can. Why should I bother with you when I can just let you watch what a good time I can have with her? It wouldn't be long before you begged me to stop."
Kathryn's eyes grew wide in horror. Salox was enjoying the terrified expression in her eyes. She knew he had called of her bluff.
"Don't touch her!"
"You're forgetting that no one gives orders to Salox, woman." His hand came up, but this time B'Elanna caught his wrist before his fist connected with the captain's face.
"B'Elanna, no!" Kathryn moved herself between her angry chief and Salox to stop his attack.
But she was no match for the furious man. He knocked her down with one strike of his large arm. B'Elanna stumbled backwards until her legs collided with the mattress. Salox was just about to ram into her when the next event seemed to happen in slow motion. Nalea had placed both her hands against B'Elanna's back. The light around her small body suddenly expanded and formed an aura around B'Elanna. Salox's hand repulsed as if he had burned it. He backed off. His eyes searched the room wildly until he caught sight of Naomi. But Brana was quicker. He touched the girl before Salox could reach her.
"By the power of light, you will not harm these good people." Brana spoke in a low voice, obviously capable of understanding Salox's native language.
For a moment Salox stood frozen as if lightening had struck him, but he recovered quickly. And than he smiled evilly.
"You are a fool. You share your power, but you just shortened your own protection. Two more days and you are all mine." Salox turned around and pulled the captain up from the floor.
"You can't save them all, Angalarian. Now if you'll excuse me, I will enjoy making this one talk to me." The guards grabbed the captain by her arms and she was led away from the cell.
The large room was almost dark with only a few tiny spotlights on the black walls. The guards had stopped but still held Kathryn in an iron grip. Salox had disappeared behind a wall on the other side of the room.
It was even colder here than in the cell. The air was wet and sticky. The ugly smell of sulphur and ethyl burned in her lungs.
It was uncomfortably silent, but Kathryn felt an unknown presence. Someone was hiding in the dark. She sensed it clearly now behind her, coming closer and closer. She felt the unmistakable prickle of her nerves, her hair stood on end and all her senses screamed alert. An invisible hand moved through her hair and she heard a sharp intake of breath.
Suddenly the lights on the walls went off. Footsteps came closer and with a loud buzzing sound, a single floodlight created a luminescent cone in the middle of the room. A large metallic cross came into view. Salox was leaning against it, his eyes focused on the captain.
"I am a man of action, Captain." Salox studied the reaction of his words on Kathryn's face, but apart from a deadly glare, he found none.
"Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager. We were finally able to break into the data bank of your little shuttle. I have to say I am impressed, Captain. You have come a long way. Too bad it is going to end here."
With a motion of his head, the mysterious person stepped out of the shadows behind Kathryn. He was almost as tall as Salox, but his complexion was completely different. He looked like an Angalarian but no light graced his form and his eyes stared lifelessly, two orbs of darkness. He was thin, haggard almost, a shadow of his former self. His hand reached out and when his bony fingers touched Kathryn's face, an electrical surge ran through her body. Needles of ice seemed to penetrate her skin and she gasped at the sudden pain. The eyes of the man lit up and his dead look was replaced by open hunger. Finally he broke the contact and turned to Salox.
"She is not Angalarian but I can feel an enormous source of power in her. And as you said, she knows where to find the polara? I want to make the meld with her."
"You will, Maran." Salox grinned, satisfied at the terror in Kathryn's eyes. "We both will."
He moved around his prisoner and pulled a knife from his boot. The sharp blade cut easily through her tank and trousers and only seconds later the last piece of clothing was ripped from her shivering body. She closed her eyes when she felt the tip of the knife press against her back. Very slowly Salox created fine red lines on the pale delicate skin. Small rivulets of crimson poured from the cuts. Kathryn tensed at the burning sensations but no scream passed her lips. She could feel his hot breath against her neck when he whispered in her ear.
"You're so brave, Captain. Let's see how strong you really are." He nodded at Maran and shouted to the guards. "Tie her up!"
Kathryn was pressed against the cross, arms and legs spread-eagled and strapped to the beams. The cold raw metal rubbed against her bleeding back and hurt her even more.
Maran wasted no time. His hands travelled over her body until his left found the place over her heart and his right connected with the pressure points at her temple and cheekbone. Kathryn's whole body convulsed in a series of shocks. Her chest seemed to be on fire. It felt like a flame was burning her from the inside out. The pain in her head was excruciating and against her will the first scream crossed her lips.
She could feel Maran invade her mind and concentrated all her willpower to hold him off. The electrical surges crashed against the walls she was desperately building. Tuvok's calm voice echoed through her thoughts. She tried focus on it, to retreat from the brutal assaults that Maran was constantly executing against her. Every new attempt to fight him created greater pain. A sheen of perspiration covered her whole body and pearls of sweat ran down her face to mix with the tears from her eyes. Her vision was blurred and the only thing she could see now was the hungry gleam in Maran's wide-open eyes.
He was bathing in the stream of light that he was sucking from his helpless victim. His moans of ecstasy were drowned under Kathryn's screams, until his hands started to shake and he finally removed them.
Kathryn's body jerked one last time, her eyes closed and her head dropped. Salox grabbed a fistful of her hair and forced her to look at him.
"I ask you again, Captain. Where is the polara?" His harsh voice boomed in her ears. Her blue eyes were still clouded from the horrible agony she had endured from the meld with Maran.
"You will never know." Kathryn's answer was just a breathless whisper. A fit of coughing racked through her when she tried to force much needed air into her lungs.
"I admire your courage, Captain. When we meld, I will enjoy feeding from your strength. And I promise you, the pain you just experienced with Maran will be nothing compared to what you will have to face then. You will beg me for mercy, but know I have none." Salox attached a small device into her hair. He knew a second meld now could kill her before she had given him what he wanted. Finally he let go of her head and turned to leave.
"Take her back to the cell and monitor her condition. As soon as she is ready for another meld bring her back."
After the guards had taken the Captain away, Nalea and Brana had sat down next to B'Elanna and Naomi. They looked sadly at their two friends and this time Nalea spoke.
"I am sorry we couldn't do anything for your captain. We can just share our light with one." A tear slowly rolled down the pale cheeks.
"It was the captain's choice." B'Elanna opened her arms and pulled the small girl on her lap. "I know, Nalea. I know." She tried to soothe the now openly crying child, hugging her tightly to her chest. Her voice almost broke at her next words. "You and Brana have protected Naomi's life and that of my child although you knew the consequences. You already gave more than we could ask for. What Salox does is not your fault."
Nalea's sobbing quieted down and after awhile she fell asleep in B'Elanna's arms. Brana's head rested on Naomi's legs. The meld had tired the children out. Naomi had not spoken a word all the time and B'Elanna was deeply concerned about her. Although the life on Voyager and the training Naomi got from her friends had prepared her for dangerous situations, the confrontation with the brutal reality was an experience that they had all hoped to spare her from. B'Elanna was amazed when the girl took her hand and finally spoke.
"Don't worry about me, B'Elanna. We have to be strong for the captain."
B'Elanna's fingers tightened around Naomi's hand and she had to bite down on her lip to hide her distress that the brave words caused.
"I am so proud of you, Naomi. And I'm sure the Captain knows she can rely on her assistant. We just have to hold out a little longer."
"I hope Voyager comes soon." This time Naomi's voice cracked a little.
"They will, Naomi. They will." B'Elanna prayed it would not be too late.
A guard came, bringing water and some kind of bread to eat. Time moved on, the minutes stretching to an hour before they heard noises behind the cell door. It opened and someone came in very slowly.
"Captain?" In the dim light B'Elanna couldn't see her face. She was no longer wearing her uniform; instead of it a grey filthy gown covered her body. It barely reached her knees. The door closed behind Kathryn and her hand reached out to find some support. She turned to lean her shoulder against the wall and her head sagged against it. When her legs gave out under her, B'Elanna was beside her, stopping her fall.
With B'Elanna supporting most of Kathryn's weight, they made it to the mattress. The children moved aside and very carefully B'Elanna helped Kathryn to lie down. She took in the captain's condition, her hair still wet from perspiration, the shaking hands, the dark rimmed eyes.
"What did they do to you?"
"I'm fine. Just tired, B'Elanna." Kathryn's voice sounded hoarse and detached. B'Elanna leaned down to her and whispered.
"We both know that's not true." Their eyes met and she saw the silent plea in the captain's eyes to let it go.
Naomi had placed a cup of water in B'Elanna's hand.
"I'll let you rest, Captain, but first I want you to drink this, okay?" Kathryn nodded and finished the cup with B'Elanna's help. She made a face at the stale taste, but gave a hint of a smile to reassure her little crew.
"No coffee?"
"Sorry, Captain." B'Elanna's smile did not reach her eyes. The exhaustion finally claimed its prize and the Captain drifted off to sleep.
She didn't get much rest. Only two hours later, the guards came back for her. B'Elanna protested loudly and only Brana's desperate cries stopped her from attacking the guards.
Maran was already waiting. His eyes no longer looked dead. Greediness burned in them now. He had tasted Kathryn's power, had devoured the flood of emotions the first meld had ripped from her and he wanted more. If he couldn't make her talk this time, Salox would have free range with her.
Again Maran's fingers crept over Kathryn's oversensitive skin, making her shiver violently. He was breathing heavily, his gaze fixated on Kathryn's face. When he finally connected with her again, his eyes closed, his mouth opened slightly and he groaned in satisfaction.
The force of the second meld overpowered Kathryn's senses with an eruption of pain. Maran was tearing down all her defences. Bodiless hands of fire reached for her sanity, their searing flames eating her alive. The walls crumbled, hundreds of repressed memories flooded her mind and she flashed back to the most painful experiences of her life, only to face them all over again.
Maran was in utter ecstasy and completely detached from reality. In his insatiable thirst for her emotions, he no longer cared about the physical condition of the captain, which deteriorated rapidly under the ruthless rape of her mind. Kathryn screamed until her voice gave out.
The emotional impact overloaded her nervous system, all her muscles cramped, her body strained against the rough straps until she finally collapsed.
When the cell door opened this time, a guard appeared and the still body of the captain was thrown into the room. B'Elanna was at her side before the door was completely closed again. Her fingers searched for a pulse, and for a few seconds she was afraid she wouldn't find one. When she did, it was faint and unsteady. Kathryn's skin was cold, although her body was covered with sweat. Her lips, hands and feet had taken on a bluish colour and B'Elanna could see now the raw marks, where they had strapped her to the cross. When she searched for further injuries she noticed the dark stains on the back of the captain's gown. She removed the filthy shirt carefully and gasped out in horror at the sight of the bleeding carvings.
Naomi and Brana helped her to move the captain to the mattress. They placed her on her stomach and started to clean the angry wounds with the little water they had left. Soft moans came from the captain, but she never regained consciousness.
All they could do was wait. B'Elanna paced the floor again while the children sat beside the captain's makeshift bed. Naomi was holding one of Kathryn's hands in a futile effort to give her some warmth. She was the first who felt the change in the captain's condition. The hand she held was suddenly warming up. The skin was no longer cold, but now burning up with fever.
The captain started to move slowly and than her eyes opened, only to reveal that she could no longer recognize the world around her. She stared unfocused into the darkness and when she begun to talk her words broke B'Elanna's heart.
"Mum, I'm sorry, Mum, I couldn't help them. Please…don't hurt them, they're just children. Take me instead. B'Elanna forgive me, I'm responsible for my crew…oh Kes, I miss you so…I had no choice, please…don't leave me…I'm alone …Chakotay, he is angry…my peace."
"Captain, please! You have to calm down!" B'Elanna didn't know how to soothe the agitated woman in her arms. She could just hold her through her nightmare. Silent tears fell from her eyes and her mind screamed. Chakotay where are you?
The fever was climbing fast and the captain had become quiet again. The only sound in the cell was her breathing that came in ragged gasps. B'Elanna sat at the floor beside the mattress. Her head was in her hands when she felt someone touch her shoulder. She looked up to see Naomi silently motion towards the bed.
Nalea and Brana knelt beside the captain. The girl had placed her hands at Kathryn's temples while Brana's hands rested over her heart. Both children had closed their eyes and seemed to be in some kind of trance.
The captain's face was flushed from the high fever. In the dim light of the cell, the pearls of sweat that ran down her face looked like tears. Brana was whispering something that B'Elanna couldn't understand, but it sounded like one of Chakotay's native chants. The light that usually surrounded the Angalarian children faded, except for their hands, which now radiated an almost white light. It seemed to flow from their palms into the captain's body. It spread out all over her skin, until her whole form was engulfed by a translucent aura. Slowly the unnatural flush of the fever receded and her breathing eased. The light around Kathryn faded and returned to Nalea and Brana. Both opened their eyes and smiled down at the captain. Her blue eyes still looked tired, but the unfocused expression they had seen earlier was replaced by clearness again.
"You gave us quite a scare, Captain." B'Elanna's words were only whispered, but never belied her seriousness. "How do you feel?"
"Exhausted." Kathryn didn't dare say fine. The concerned expression in B'Elanna's eyes spoke volumes and showed she would only accept the truth.
Kathryn knew how much it had cost B'Elanna to stand back without a fight. She had learned to control her temper and found peace in the unique relationship that she shared with Tom. Still her conflicted nature made her even more sensible in situations like this one.
"I am so proud of you, B'Elanna." Kathryn's hand reached out for her and B'Elanna squeezed it gently. "You have come a long way and you never choose the easy path. You are not only an excellent engineer and officer; you are a wonderful friend. I'm sorry that I never took the time to tell you this before."
B'Elanna was deeply moved by the captain's words and replied seriously.
"You know I'm learning from the best. And my beloved captain is a great example."
Kathryn had to look away, overwhelmed by the emotion of their words. Her eyes finally rested on Nalea and Brana. She knew they were running out of time. Their protection would only last for a day now. And it was only a question of hours before the guards would return.
She never had that long. The cell door was ripped open and Salox himself came for her.
"I see you had help to regain your strength, Captain." Salox grinned at Nalea and Brana. "I should thank you. After all you shortened my waiting time. And I have waited long enough. Say good bye, Captain."
Kathryn stood up slowly, still suffering from the effects of her last ordeal. She felt B'Elanna's hand on her arm and saw the pain in her dark brown eyes, but they both knew the captain had no choice. Kathryn turned and started for the door when Naomi's crying broke the deadly silence of the room.
"No, please, don't take her away." She had reached the captain and moved to stand in front of her. "You've hurt her so much already. Take me instead of her, but let her go."
"Naomi, no." Kathryn grabbed the girl and hugged her tightly. She stroked away the tears that streamed down the small face and placed a kiss on her hair.
"Don't cry, honey. Everything will be all right. I love you, Naomi."
There was nothing else Kathryn could say to comfort her; the guards had already removed her from the child. Before the door closed behind her, she turned around one last time.
B'Elanna held Naomi in her arms as Nalea and Brana hugged her legs. Her eyes were brimming with tears.