A/N: Sorry for the long delay, but we both had our share of trouble. Liz is still sick and I just a short time ago get back my notebook. Though there´s the newest chapter and we would like to finish the story. Read and enjoy.

Survivors Past and Present

by Nicol Leoraine

and Anon

Chapter 10

Two left turns and half a mile away Tom and Aiden were involved in their own fight for survival.

Even as the ground continued to shake, cold air and even colder water poured into the room and Tom grasped Aiden's arm like a life line. Only pure will power kept him from screaming as the powerful current of water tore through the room, throwing his pained body about like

a rag toy. Both men knew what was happening, though neither spoke out loud. The water system that had once pulsed life through the caves had now turned against them, a wild and out of control beast.

Aiden was gasping for breath, eyes wide and fearful as he struggled to stand against the growing current, his strong body braced against the wall, arms wrapped around the thin form of Tom, who could barely stand in the strong flow of water. The fingers gripping his forearm

were more of a comfort than a pain, as they remimded him that he wasn't alone.

The two men fought to keep their footing, coughing as water sprayed in their faces. But when the water level rose another few inches and an undertow developed they were powerless to stop from being pulled under. Somehow, as the current towed them through the now flooded caves, Tom's hand remained latched onto Aiden's arm. No matter how many times they were pulled under, gulping air instead of water, the grip remained tight.

Their world blurred and swirled together, the only clear spot being where their cold, damp flesh touched, Toms hand on Aiden's arm. And when the water finally dumped them outside the caves, in a puddle of mud and damp furs, neither man let go of the other.

xxx

Somewhere, close but not dangerously so, there was a sound of running water. Chakotay didn't feel wet though, as he coughed on the swirling dust and struggled to stand. Gods, he didn't even remember falling to the ground, but by the way his body was protesting it must have been quite a dive to the floor. The walls were groaning ominously, and the sound of water was closer.

Feeling as if he'd just walked through a desert storm, Chakotay cleared his throat and rubbed dust from his eyes. He winced as his muscles protested, but was relieved to find that nothing seemed broken.

"Conan?" he called out, having a vague recollection that the man had been near him when the quake started. Something touched his leg in response and Chakotay gave a very un-dignified yelp, jumping away.

"It is only me," Conan said, his voice raspy and tense.

"Are you injured?" Chakotay asked, looking the man over in the dim light.

"No worse than you. Can you help me stand?"

"Nothing broken?" Chakoty asked, before helping the trembling man to his feet.

"No. But I believe our situation has just become more precarious."

"I believe you're right. Where are the others?"

"They were behind us, the boy was limping and had trouble keeping up with us."

"B'Elanna! Harry!" Chakotay shouted, but there was no reply, only an odd echo. Chakotay frowned.

"Go, search for your friends. I will see if the tunnel to the Chamber is clear."

Before he could respond Conan was gone, stumbling in his hast up a narrow, silver walled passage-way. Chakotay listened to the echo of his steps for a moment, then turned and walked in the opposite direction. He didn't make it further than three yards around the turn before he collided with a wall of debris and fallen rocks. Breathing hard Chakotay realized, with no small amount of fear, that Harry and B'Elanna were on the other side of the cave in. Or perhaps under it. Taking a deep breath he shook his head, refusing to think of that. He called out their names, again and again as he searched for a way around, over or under the rubble.

xxx

The silence was almost as frightening as the rumbling a while ago. B´Elanna shook her head and winced as she get up to her feet, letting several smaller rocks slide down her back. The cave-in was an unwanted surprise for both her and Harry. When the Starfleet ensign stopped, giving a little time to his bad ankle, she stopped with him, not wanting to leave the kid behind. When the earthquake started, she pushed him down to the ground, knowing that trying to run away would be futile.

"Harry?"

The pained moan was her reply and B´Elanna quickly made her way toward the sound. She'd thought Harry was closer, but the quake must have pushed him away. She half walked, half crawled for several yards, until she found him, close to one of the walls.

"Hey, Starfleet. What's wrong?" Torres knelt down and despite the darkness, her fingers worked over Harry's body in the dim light.

"My leg," Harry hissed.

He recoiled with a pained moan as B´Elanna found the source of his pain. She couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her lips, and instantly regretted it, hearing the panic in Harry's voice.

"What's... wrong?" he panted.

"Nothing. Just lie still."

Her hands carefully moved over the heap of rocks and stones that buried Harry's right leg from knee down. The heap grew into a mountain and B´Elanna realized that it was trapped beneath the cave in.

"No, something... something is wrong. Tell me." Harry pleaded.

"You're sort of stuck. Under some rocks."

"I'm all in one piece, right?" he asked, panic seeping through his words.

"Of course you are," B´Elanna soothed him. "Once Chakotay turns off that damn shield, Voyager will beam us up. You'll be fine, Starfleet."

"Can't you... can't you just pull me out? You know... just free my leg?"

"I'm sorry, Harry, but I... I can't. It's too dangerous and... if I move the wrong rock, everything can fall down, burying us."

"So... what now?"

"We'll wait." As hard as it was to say for the half-Klingon, B´Elanna knew there was no other choice.

xxx

"Just keep coughing."

Tom's chest was on fire, and his mind was in turmoil. He remembered bracing for the earthquake, and then there was a vague recollection of water. Lots and lots of water. That would explain the chill he felt in his bones, and why he was coughing up what seemed to be an entire ocean, but id didn't explain the strange, muddy surroundings, or the stranger that was supporting him and speaking in a gentle, slightly accented voice.

He drew in a deep, shuddering breath and looked around a little bit. Aiden, the stranger's name was Aiden and he, like Tom, was dripping wet. Aiden still had most of his clothing though, while Tom found he had only his pants and socks.

"Well..." Aiden said, breathing hard as he leaned against a tree. "At least the water helped with your fever."

Tom only coughed in reply. When he'd come to he'd been lying here, legs dangling in a river, Aiden coughing up water beside him. He'd lain their for a while, not breathing, and when he finally did draw a breath he choked, and found himself following Aiden's example and coughing up the inhaled water.

Looking around at their new surroundings Tom's mouth literally fell open in shock. They were on the banks of a wide river that flowed from underneath the huge mountain, or set of mountains. There was mud, and a little further away lush, knee deep grass. Various sorts of trees and shrubs grew along the rivers bank, and groves of them grew further away. But all of that paled in comparison to the shade of the sky. It was dark red, reminding Tom of the sunset at Marseilles, though this was a more ominous shade than the one he recalled.

"What's...with the...sky?" Tom panted, making Aiden look up with a grimace of fear.

"I don't know," Aiden replied in a gloomy tone. "But I don't like it."

"Ya...me either." Tom muttered, trying to clear his throat, without success. It felt as if he'd eaten sand paper or something. His breathing had eased a little, but Tom still felt a strange, ticklish rattle each time he tried to inhale and the vague tightness around his chest was still there. However, his impromptu swim in the river had lowered his fever considerably and Tom felt the cobwebs start to clear from his mind. Pain, pain was nothing, he was used to it, he could deal with it. He pushed himself into a more upright position and looked at Aiden.

"How exactly did we get out here?"

The other man paused, contemplating his answer.

"I'm not sure. But the water took us out."

"That much I'd figured out." Tom said, glancing at their damp attire. "But, what about the storms?"

Aiden shrugged.

"I do not think they are our largest problem anymore."

Tom wasn't sure of that, though he was certain that the earthquakes had been no picnic either.

"So. How do we get back to the caves?"

"We don't." Aiden replied, yawning. "I've been here once. It's a week's walk to get to the next entrance to the caves."

"The others?"

"Probably still on their way to the Chamber of -" Aidan stopped , eyes wide. "Uh-oh." he muttered, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the little blue crystal. Tom wasn't sure if the expression in his eyes was fear, or relief.

"What?" Tom asked suspiciously.

"The key...they can't reach the City, even if they make it to the Chamber and learn what they sought."

"Why not?"

"I have the key. The only key."

There was a long pause and then Tom asked, "Can we make it to the city?"

Aiden looked at him in surprise, then down at the key. "Maybe. I suppose. The city is half a day's walk from here but...you have not seen the words or pictures in the Chamber, and you are ill."

"I'm doing better than you think, and you've seen the Chamber haven't you?"

Aiden nodded silently.

"Okay then, help me up."

"Are you sure?" Aiden said doubtfully, looking Tom over again, taking in the pale complexion, the vivid bruise on his chest, and the new, nasty gash across his shoulder.

"I don't think we have much choice." Tom hissed, rising unsteadily to his feet with Aiden's help.

"You're right." Aiden said as they started to walk, slowly. "If the shield is not lowered then my family, and your friends, will die."

There was nothing more to say as the two men headed for the blue shimmer on the horizon.

xxx

Orsen was not a happy man. After waking with a headache bigger then the mountain he lived by, he found that his blasted nephew had robbed him of the Key. He was more than angry, he was furious. The first person he met after waking was lucky enough to be left only with a concussion and a bruise under his eye.

Feeling just a little better after pummeling the unfortunate guard, Orsen headed for the tunnels, knowing well enough where the brat would go. Now he was cursing his own lightheartedness, when allowing the boy to live with him. He should've killed him when he'd

had the chance, along with his weakling of a mother - Orsen´s sister. That had been a long time ago, when Aiden was no more than ten summers old. Perhaps there was some shred of compassion in Orsen, for he'd let the boy live, even knowing who he was. A foolish mistake he'd not soon repeat.

Maybe it had been some subconscious drive to bring a heir into the world, and Aiden happened to take that place. Orsen was a sterile man, for no matter how many women he bedded a child was never produced. So he'd told Aiden his parents had died in a rockslide and raised the boy. He should have known Conan would not simply let his son go.

But somehow, Orsen hadn't the slightest idea how, that heap of dung had known, and taken the key the only thing Orsen valued more than his life. It gave him ultimate power over the city and the secrets he knew slept there. Conan and his motley crew held the Chamber, but the knowledge there was useless to them without the key, so Orsen was assured in his power.

Now that the source of his power was gone, Orsen felt his rage building. He hardly seemed to notice the frequent tremors that ran through the ground or the semi-panicked state of all those around him. He walked steadily through the caves, taking a rout that lead directly to the heart of the city, the place the little brat and his father would surely go. Orsen had only one goal in mind as he walked.

To kill Aiden, his father and the strangers, then retrieve the Key.

xxx

Somewhere above the red hued sky and swirling atmosphere, a silver ship orbited, hailing four missing members of their team. They would get no answer.

To Be continue