Chakotay had seen many deaths, too many corpses, too much violence. He'd always had to push those memories to the back of his mind and force himself to continue on as though nothing happened. It was what he did for his family, for his crew, his friends, and now for the strange Hirogen shouting in sickbay. He could still clearly see the bodies of the slaughtered Hirogen in his mind's eye, but no one would know anything about what he thought of it, not while they had a responsibility to find out what happened.
The Doctor stifled a flinch as Janeway and the Commander entered sickbay. His attention, however, was quickly drawn back to the resistant patient. "Try to remain calm."
Donik, the aggressive patient, was having none of it. "Get away from me!"
The group watched the panicked Hirogen run into the forcefield around the surgical bay. He was knocked down, but jumped up fairly quickly, unharmed.
Janeway approached the forcefield. "Please, be calm. We're not your enemies."
"You're holograms. This is a simulation."
"I assure you, we're quite real."
Donik threw a tray at the Doctor, which went right through him. He glared, triumphant. "Liar."
There was no choice. Janeway nodded to the EMH. "Doctor, deactivate yourself."
"I can't treat the patient if I'm offline." Though Chakotay hadn't said anything, the Doctor flashed a disgruntled frown at him, as though the situation was his fault.
Catching the look, but unsure what it meant and hoping the EMH and Commander could work out whatever issue they had at another time, Janeway ignored it. "No one can treat him if he's terrified."
With a sigh, the Doctor obeyed her orders. "Computer, deactivate EMH."
Chakotay finally spoke. "Our doctor's a hologram, but we're not."
"Why should I believe you?"
"You don't have much of a choice. Considering the changes your people made to the programming, I'm sure your holograms could fool anyone."
"It was all for the hunt. The alphas wanted things to be real."
"Sounds like the Hirogen," Chakotay said, glancing at Janway, who managed a grim smile.
"I'm afraid you're going to have to trust us. I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway and this is Commander Chakotay. You're aboard my vessel."
"Janeway." Realization and awe glimmered in his black eyes. "This is Voyager?"
It seemed we've met a fan, thought Chakotay.
"You're the ones who gave us the technology to simulate our hunts."
Janeway nodded, feeling a twinge of sadness that the technology was clearly what had caused the disaster.
"Where are the rest of my people?"
"I'm sorry," said Chakotay. "You were the only one we found alive."
"This place you were in," said Janeway, "is it some kind of holodeck?"
"A training facility, where young Hirogen learn the skills of the hunt."
"You're a student?" asked Chakotay.
Donik shuffled a little uncomfortably. "A technician."
Janeway was satisfied the Hirogen was calm and willing to work with them. She deactivated the forcefield and stepped up to the young (or she assumed he was young), man. "Can you tell us what happened?"
"There were too many of them." He was just strong enough to repress a shudder. It had been chaos, terror. He was not a hunter, much to the disappointment of his family, and as a result, he was not immune to the fear of a fight.
"Who?"
"The holograms."
Janeway and Chakotay looked at each other. The glance was enough to know they'd shared the same, unspoken and seemingly far-fetched suspicions, suspicions which were now confirmed.
"They were… malfunctioning," Donik continued. "I tried to shut them down but they got control of the system and, and they deactivated the safety protocols."
[Astrometrics]
Seven wasn't a fan of the Hirogen. She didn't even like having them in her lab, let alone looking over her shoulder as she worked. It would take more than a little time for her to forget her previous encounters with the species. She couldn't resist a barb at the leader, who had come aboard to help with finding the holograms who murdered his people. "Perhaps you should've considered the risks before you programmed holograms that could commandeer a vessel."
The Hirogen beta regarded her with his harsh, black eyes, dismissing her chastisement. What did she know about their ways? "Capable prey makes the hunt more challenging."
The scans flashed at her, putting a stop to her ire. "I'm detecting residual engine emissions but no sign of the vessel itself."
"Well," Janeway eyed the information herself, "I'm sure they're out of sensor range by now."
The Hirogen leader knew better. "No, they're close." He read the information as well. "Elevated plasma readings in grid two nine five. They're creating a scattering field to mask their ship. You can find them by scanning for polarised EM signatures."
Now aware of what to look for, though she was uncertain why they were bothering to look for a bunch of renegade holograms, Seven punched in the necessary commands. A ship appeared.
"Prepare for the hunt."
Janeway, ignoring Seven's sharp glance at the Beta's declaration, spoke to the Hirogen. "I'd like to join you."
"You did enough damage giving us defective technology to begin with."
"You have a problem," she said, ignoring the remark. "We can help you solve it. We have more experience with holograms than you do."
"Two hunting vessels are better than one," the leader agreed. He might not like being in allegiance with such soft creatures, but the strength and cunning of the holograms made him wary.
[Bridge]
The bridge crew was on edge, stuck between a rock and a hard place. They didn't trust or like the Hirogen, but they also couldn't let rogue holograms cause mayhem. True that no one knew exactly what the holograms planned to do with their freedom, but that lack of knowledge was what spurred them.
Harry watched his console, feeling the tension around him slowly draw his shoulders into a tight knot. "I've got the holograms' ship on sensors."
Janeway ordered it on screen.
Chakotay frowned over the image. The ship was sporting some burns and dents. "Looks like they've taken some damage."
"The Hirogen are closing on the holograms' vessel." Tom updated. "I think they're a little eager."
"Hail them," said Janeway. "I suggest we keep our distance until we can determine their weapons status."
The Hirogen Alpha appeared on screen, as excited as Janeway had ever seen a Hirogen. His dark eyes practically glittered like obsidian. "Why do you hesitate? It's time for the kill."
Janeway stifled her irritation and forced herself to speak calmly. Beside her, Chakotay's frown deepened. "You know as well as I do that a wounded animal can be dangerous. We need to assess—"
"We won't be denied our prey by fools." The imaged clicked off, returning to the sight of the hologram's ship.
"That went well," Tom quipped. "I wonder if they also poke sleeping tigers."
Janeway smirked at the helmsman, but was stopped from any retort.
"Captain," Tuvok called. "I'm not detecting any weapons."
"I didn't think their ship was that damaged," said Chakotay, looking over the preliminary scans again.
"No, they're non-existent."
"It's a decoy," Harry realized just a little too late.
"Back us off, Tom," Janeway ordered. It was unnecessary, Voyager already moving away as Tom correctly guessed what sort of cunning decoy the holograms would come up with. "Hirogen vessel, it's not the real—"
Before she could finish her sentence, or the Hirogen could heed any warning, the hologram's ship disappeared and its real nature was revealed. The explosive was about the size of a shuttle and packed a punch. The Hirogen vessel wasn't destroyed, but it was clearly unable to sustain its crew with multiple hull breaches.
"Their life support is failing," Tuvok warned.
"Transport all survivors to Sickbay."
As she gave the order, Chakotay called down to sickbay to forewarn the Doctor of his coming casualties. He glanced up at the helmsman. "Tom, you better go help him."
[Sickbay]
Tom hurried to sickbay. He didn't beat the rush of injured Hirogen and had to move quick to catch up. Luckily, three other Starfleet officers were on hand to help at least get the Hirogen settled.
They hadn't been working five minutes when the Doctor's program flickered.
Tom saw, the two of them pausing in confusion.
It happened again.
"My program is destabilising."
Tom looked around, but didn't see the Doctor's mobile emitter. He looked around frantically as Janeway's voice came over the comm. Her voice was calm, but held an edge to it. Tom sped up his search.
"I think I left it over there," the Doctor said, nodding to the main console, still trying to treat one of the more injured Hirogen. His program flickered again. "Hurry."
"Here." Tom snatched up the emitter and tossed it, but just a second too late. It flew right into the Doctor's hands and fell through, the EMH's program gone. "Shit."
[Astrometrics]
Several hours later and Seven was busy scanning the Hirogen vessel along with trying to get as much intel on the hologram's ship as possible. As a result, she was unaware of the Doctor's kidnapping. Normally, this information would have been communicated quickly and stoically over the comm system, but given the events of the past few weeks, she was treated to something more personal.
"Commander." Seven was surprised to see him so soon after the encounter with the hologram's ship and before she could be expected to have a report compiled. She noted the clench of his jaw. Her heart gave a little extra, nervous beat. They had, after all, been avoiding one another. "What is it?"
"The Doctor."
"What about him?"
"The holograms took him. They downloaded his program before he could be transferred to the mobile emitter." He watched closely, feeling pity as she froze, her concern the type that would manifest in practical actions. She watched him, waiting for more information so she could act appropriately. It tugged at his heart more than he liked to admit. "I didn't want to tell you over the comm."
Seven nodded, appreciating his concern. "Thank you."
"We're going to track them, get him back," he assured her.
She smiled briefly at him. "I know."
Chakotay cleared his throat. There was so much more he wanted to say, but now wasn't the time and he didn't know where to start. "The Captain wants you to help B'Elanna with assessing the situation."
Seven nodded and moved around him to do as requested. However, she hesitated. Obeying an impulse, she reached out and took his hand, squeezing it.
He managed a small smile and squeezed back. It wasn't exactly a reconciliation, but it was a step in the right direction.
[Engineering]
Seven entered and was immediately spotted by Lieutenant Torres, who nodded to a computer console on the side. Seven followed and pulled up the scanning results of the hologram's ship.
B'Elanna moved over once she'd directed a few other engineers in their tasks. "What do we have?"
Seven had only just begun to scratch the surface of the information on the vessel, but she summed it up as best she could. "The holograms are extremely sophisticated."
"Well, anyone who can disguise a bomb as a ship…"
"No." Seven pulled up the data she'd gleaned from the interior of the ship and cross referenced it to the data downloaded from the Hirogen training facility. "This is more than just clever programming."
B'Elanna whistled low as she saw what Seven meant. "These aren't just mindless holographic programs."
"Which might explain why the Doctor was taken."
"If they thought we were treating him like they were..."
"Precisely."
"What else?"
"We also have a general schematic," said Seven, "but to launch an effective rescue mission, we require more information."
"All right. Keep analysing and I'll see what we got from the ship's databanks."
Seven nodded and for a few minutes, they worked in silence, but it was not a comfortable one. Eventually, one of them had to break the tension. It was, naturally, the one with the most volatile temper.
B'Elanna had kept as quiet about her dear friend's semi-breakup as possible, refraining from the holy hell she'd initially wished to unleash on the former drone. She hadn't confronted, not even hinted at the breakup the few times she'd been in Seven's presence. Her restraint was solely due to Chakotay's requests she stay out of it, but now with the source of Chakotay's visible pain so close, B'Elanna's patience ran out.
"Okay, maybe you can continue on like nothing happened, but I can't."
"Lieutenant?" Seven kept her expression and tone stoic and polite, but she knew what B'Elanna meant.
"Chakotay." She was pleased to see Seven shuffle uncomfortably. "How could you do that to him?"
"You do not understand."
"No?"
"Did he tell you what occurred?"
"Yes." He'd also explained he was giving Seven space to figure things out. By his silence and the dejected hunch of his shoulders over the past two weeks, she knew he was more hurt than he let on.
She gave a short nod. "The Doctor…"
"Likes you?" B'Elanna smirked as Seven turned incredulous eyes to her. "What? I'm not blind, Seven. He's liked you for a long time. Besides, it's kind of natural when two people spend so much time together."
"But it is primarily for medical reasons."
"So?"
"Do you believe I should enter a romantic relationship with the Doctor?"
"Well…" B'Elanna wanted to tell her to run back to Chakotay, but realized that was unhelpful if Seven returned the EMH's feelings. That would only cause trouble in the long run. "You really hurt him."
Seven looked away, her heart cringing painfully, not needing to ask which 'him' B'Elanna meant. "I know. I assure you, I'm no more comfortable than he is, but I can't ignore the Doctor's arguments."
"Arguments?" B'Elanna sighed at the ridiculousness of it all. "Fine. We're going to figure this out like adults. Forget what you've been told or think you should do and whatever Borg algorithms or logic you used to get to this point. The question is simple. What do you feel?"
"I love Chakotay." That was an absolute and came immediately to her. "But I… It's difficult to explain."
"You know," said B'Elanna slowly, "it's possible to love two people at once."
Seven shook her head. "It's not the same for the Doctor."
"Meaning?"
"I never wanted a romantic relationship with him."
"Well, then," said B'Elanna with relief and exasperation, "there's your answer! What the hell is the problem?"
"The Doctor…"
"What?"
But Seven was distracted, wondering just how the Doctor managed to get under her skin. The answer was easy. He'd picked at the single biggest hole in her armour: Chakotay's wellbeing. He'd suggested and outright stated that Chakotay didn't fully understand her, that the difficulties posed by her Borg physiology and her psychological trauma would ultimately make them miserable. Since he knew her and her biology so well, he knew exactly what sort of weakness to throw in her face. Even with B'Elanna challenging her to her face, she couldn't shake his words.
"Seven?"
It was one thing to think her insecurities and be immediately reassured by Chakotay, but to have an observer reinforce what she'd often feared was like jamming a wedge into a piece of rotting wood. Even thinking more clearly about it, she couldn't shake the fear that the EMH was right, mostly because it was a long-standing fear she and Chakotay had already hashed out once.
Does it matter? Chakotay had stuck by her through more than she liked to think about. He'd been more loyal than she thought she deserved.
He'd once told her it was his decision to make and if he was hurt, it was his choice to go through it. With that fell the Doctor's argument.
"Seven?"
"You're right."
"Pardon?"
Donik and the Captain entered then and found the two women, which prevented Seven from answering.
"What can you tell us?" Janeway asked, nodding to the scans.
Donik stepped up a little nervously, but did his best to assess what he saw. Luckily, he was not merely an engineer of holograms. He'd started his career with basic ship schematics. "The holo-emitters are independent subsystem with its own power generator here."
Seven nodded as he pointed out the area. "If we disable the generator, we disable the holograms."
"It may not be as easy as it sounds," said B'Elanna, "not with holograms as sophisticated as these. Take a look."
When B'Elanna pulled up the data, Janeway began to read. She grew more concerned the further along she got. Holograms were one thing, but this… "These holograms have the ability to learn and adapt."
Crossing her arms, B'Elanna leveled a frown at Donik. "They're not malfunctioning, are they?"
Donik looked away and couldn't deny it.
"They're doing exactly what the Hirogen want them to do, Captain. They learn because they feel pain and remember. They're learning to fight back."
"And they're getting better at it," said Janeway. The implications were frightening for both sides.
Donik answered reflexively, not really believing the words himself. "My people need to hunt formidable prey."
"Apparently this prey has become too formidable," said Seven. The disdain in her voice was unmistakeable. Even B'Elanna looked at her askance.
"It makes our hunters better."
"Or more dead."
"Seven!" Janeway's sharp tone put an end to Seven's verbal rebuke, though she continued fuming in silence. B'Elanna looked a little amused.
The truth was that Seven didn't often hold grudges, the Hirogen being a rare exception. She remembered more than the rest of the crew did about the Hirogen occupation of Voyager. After the Doctor's shock to her implants restored her consciousness, she had also begun to remember the simulations. She remembered being killed or assaulted multiple times. She remembered the lingering eyes of one Hirogen in particular, the special demands he would make of her throughout the simulations, the way he would stalk her… She remembered and she hated them all for it. To create holograms who would not only be prey but remember every single moment of it was beyond horrifying.
Janeway, who knew none of that, merely asked who was responsible.
Donik answered with a mix of pride and shame. "I did. Under orders from my Alpha."
B'Elanna was aligned with Seven in this. "And that makes it right?"
She'd heard enough. Janeway crooked a finger at Donik. He appeared nervous. "Come with me."
"Where?"
"We're going to have a chat with the hunters."
Alone again, B'Elanna looked at Seven, a brow raised. "So, you going to tell me what that was about? I mean, I think it's pretty bad, but I didn't expect you to get so huffy about it."
"Nothing," Seven said, returning her attention to the ship schematics.
"Please," B'Elanna scoffed. "Do you think I forgot how you stood up to that Hirogen jerk when they took over Voyager? You almost cut off your nose to spite your face. Now you've got your back up like a cornered Targ."
"I am not a fan of the Hirogen," Seven admitted.
"No kidding." B'Elanna faced her. "I'm not either, but you seem particularly burned about helping them."
Seven sighed, almost rolling her eyes at the Lieutenant's persistence. Too bad lying wasn't one of her skills. "You don't remember their simulations."
"No." It took a moment, but B'Elanna gave a little gasp when she realized what Seven left unspoken. "Oh."
Silence for a short while.
"And Chakotay?"
"I will speak with him as soon as I have the chance."
"Good."
[Engineering]
Donik returned to engineering after a while and assisted Seven and B'Elanna with their assessment of the hologram's ship. Despite Seven's dislike for the Hirogen in general, Donik's passive manner meant they were all able to work quite efficiently together.
After an hour or two, Janeway joined them again.
"The holo-emitters are protected by three layers of ablative armour," said Donik.
"Trying to take them offline one by one would be inefficient," confirmed Seven.
"If we can't shut them down," said Janeway, "maybe we can disrupt the signals they generate."
"Exactly." B'Elanna nodded to Seven, who pulled up an animation of their plan. "We could reconfigure the deflector dish to emit an anti-photon pulse."
"How long will it take?"
B'Elanna shrugged. "About two hours."
"Do it."
[Briefing Room]
Chakotay watched like a character in a dream as events unfolded without control as the hologram's ship approached and eventually made contact with Voyager.
He, Tuvok, Janeway, Donik, and B'Elanna sat around the rectangular table, listening with various degrees of wariness as the Doctor described his own kidnapping. Chakotay couldn't help thinking of Stockholm Syndrome as the EMH spoke, but knew the EMH's zealous descriptions were much more complex.
Ultimately, regardless of the EMH's reasons and reasoning, Chakotay trusted the Doctor, but he didn't trust the Doctor's judgement, not after the Lokirrim, and not after the EMH's actions regarding Seven. He had watched in silence as the Doctor appeared on screen and made his case to Janeway, even when the Doctor was returned to Voyager to speak. Chakotay listened in silence, holding his tongue only because the Captain's decision was in line with his own thoughts.
"If we provide them with a few additional emitters and memory storage units," said the Doctor, "they'll have more than they need."
Chakotay thought that would be a bit much, like giving weapons of mass destruction to a terrorist group. He knew all about that thanks to the century history lessons he and Tom gave to Naomi and the Borg children. Luckily, Janeway might not have been a historian, but she knew enough to object to such a proposal.
"We're in this situation because we shared technology with the Hirogen to begin with," said Janeway. "I won't make the same mistake twice."
"Captain, these people are on the verge of creating a new life for themselves. They can't do it without our help."
Tuvok, who had naturally joined the group, counselled against such dangerous actions. Indeed, he was already disturbed by the path the situation was taking. "There's no way to be certain what they'll do with the technology if we give it to them."
"I understand your concerns," said the Doctor, not really understanding despite his assurances, "but these holograms are nothing like the Hirogen."
Donik, who knew both sides and liked neither, piped up quickly. "That's not true. They were programmed to be as vicious as any hunter."
"They were also given the ability to adapt. They've changed, moved beyond their programming. If you could see how they've been brutalised, you'd understand that they've only been acting in self-defence."
Again, Chakotay was tempted to speak up, but Janeway beat him to it. "I'm sorry, Doctor but I'm inclined to agree with Mr Donik."
The Doctor's face stiffened, showing the hard stubbornness Janeway, Chakotay, and even Tuvok recognized. It was the look he took on when neither emotion nor logic would appeal to him. "Then you've chosen the wrong side."
Janeway, regardless of having already lost the battle and the war, tried her best. "I haven't chosen any side."
"You're right that it was a mistake to give the Hirogen technology and that mistake has had consequences."
"It—"
"These holograms are one of them. In some ways they're a new species, one that you helped create. You can't turn your back on them."
B'Elanna was of two minds and objectively pointed out that the Doctor was not wrong. "He's got a point."
Tuvok, in pure logical form, thought to split the difference. "Could we restore them to their original parameters?"
The Doctor waved away the suggestion. "We'd be wiping out their memories, their experiences, everything they are."
"We could extract their violent subroutines," said Chakotay. Then the holograms could live as they liked, and yet he knew it was a ridiculous suggestion. Life only existed because of struggle, because of violence. The holograms wouldn't be what they were or even survive in the harsh universe they'd been born into. The same could be said of humans.
"It's possible," said B'Elanna. That didn't mean it would be in anyone's best interest to do so.
"That would be like de-clawing a cat," said the Doctor. "We'd be taking away any chance they have of defending themselves."
Janeway appreciated both arguments, but settled on the side of natural life. "We'd also be preventing them from doing any more harm."
"You wouldn't even be considering this if they were flesh and blood."
Janeway bristled. Did he not think she would do everything in her power to ensure the survival of the holograms as well as the Hirogen? Didn't he realize what getting into a firefight with the Hirogen would mean? Holograms could be rebuilt. Living beings could not. "I'm not going to let you turn this into an argument about holographic rights."
The Doctor remained stubborn. "Why not? That's exactly what it is."
Janeway was saved the trouble of a full out argument by Tom's call over the comm. "Mess hall to Commander Tuvok."
Tuvok tapped his badge. "Go ahead."
"You'd better get down here. We've got a problem."
Tuvok didn't so much as raise a brow. "On my way."
As their security officer stood to go, Janeway and Chakotay shared a look as well. It was time for their meeting to end, the decision made regardless of the Doctor's desire to promote holographic rights over the lives of living people. Besides, the longer they argued, the more chances the Hirogen would get to cause them trouble, just as they knew was likely happening in the mess.
Any serious planning, however, was interrupted a moment later by Ensign Kim's voice. "Bridge to Captain Janeway."
"Go ahead." What now?
"Someone's tapping into a comm relay in the mess hall."
"Shut it down."
"I can't. I've been locked out."
[Bridge]
The group left the briefing room, Janeway leading the way onto the bridge. Harry spared her a quick nod, busy assessing the depth of their troubles.
"The Hirogen transmitted a signal," Harry informed his commanding officers.
"Scan for Hirogen ships," ordered Janeway.
Chakotay, who had quietly taken his seat and reviewed the incoming data, furrowed his brows. "Two vessels on long range sensors."
[Engineering]
B'Elanna joined Seven, who was assisting with getting everything up and running. A quick glance confirmed what she already knew. Seven was as efficient as ever. All they needed to wait for was the Captain's command.
"Janeway to Engineering," the Captain's voice came over the computer.
"Torres here."
"Is the pulse ready?"
B'Elanna didn't need Seven's nod to answer with confidence. "Yes, ma'am."
They didn't have to wait long. The ships were converging on their location fast. The two women kept abreast of the situation from the monitors Seven had routed to their console. They could practically countdown to the moment.
"Now, B'Elanna."
B'Elanna hit the command and the pulse hit the hologram's ship, confirmed by the sensors.
"The triaxillating bandwidth is working," Seven confirmed. "But if—"
Voyager shuddered as Seven's sensors blared out a warning.
"They're creating a feedback surge," B'Elanna reported to the bridge. "I don't understand how they could've isolated our frequency so quickly."
Seven had an idea, but they had bigger problems. "The main deflector is overloading."
"Shut it down."
She'd already been trying to do just that, but it was proving a futile effort. "I can't."
"Keep trying. If we can't block the surge, the core is going to breach."
"I am aware." Still, Seven continued her efforts. It wasn't enough. The deflector dish was overloading and the result were explosions and surges everywhere. Engineering was chaos. An engineer was struck with an electric discharge and to Seven's concern, Lieutenant Torres had moved to a station too close to the warp core. "Get down, Lieutenant!"
"Not until I get this forcefield online." She sighed in relief as the forcefield flashed up, but it wasn't quick enough. A discharge escaped just in time to hit B'Elanna. The force knocked her back and into oblivion.
Seven waved down an engineer, not paying attention to who it was. Her main concern was Lieutenant Torres. The other injured personnel were already either standing up or being treated by their comrades. "Help me get her to Sickbay."
The words had barely left her mouth when a transporter beam lit up the chief engineer and she disappeared.
Seven looked around and at the man – Ensign Rolf – who stood, equally dumfounded. "Did you initiate a transport?"
The ensign shook his head.
She'd already known that, but had to ask to satisfy herself. With a wave, she sent the ensign away and reported the situation to Captain Janeway. She then sighed and began to help the engineering staff pick up the pieces of their wounded ship.
About an hour later and Seven was visited by Janeway, Tuvok and Chakotay.
"Report." Janeway glanced around and was glad to note everyone was busy like ants. That they'd left the cosmetic damages as they were spoke to just how bad things were. Cosmetics could wait and would be the last to be repaired.
Seven stifled her desire to greet Chakotay more openly, settling for a quick nod before answering Janeway. "Engineering systems and main power should be operational soon. The deflector is a different matter."
"How long?" Chakotay asked.
"Four hours, at least. If Lieutenant Torres were here, she might be able to repair it more efficiently."
"That's high praise coming from you," said Janeway, a little surprised. "I'm sure she'd appreciate it."
Seven lifted a shoulder in a partial shrug, conscious of Chakotay's small, proud smile at her. Lieutenant Torres might have a bad temper, but she was an excellent engineer and got things done. It was something Seven admired deeply about the other woman. That, and she'd proved surprisingly sympathetic in hard times. "I'm sorry, Captain. I should have done more – something to prevent her kidnapping."
Janeway shook her head, but it was Tuvok, logical as ever, who answered. "Without knowing what they planned, there was nothing any of us could have done to prevent this."
"Perhaps," she said, not believing the platitude. "If she hadn't reinforced the core we'd all be dead." If I had done more, she'd still be here.
"I'm glad she did," said Janeway with a sympathetic smile. She wanted to comfort her protégé more, but they had something of greater importance to discuss. "I'd still like to know how this happened."
Chakotay made a mental note to revisit the conversation with Seven later. "I still don't understand how they managed to counteract the pulse so easily. It should have taken them much longer."
"I believe I can answer that," said Tuvok. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Seven glance down, likely having come to the same conclusion he had. "According to sensor logs, they calibrated their feedback surge to the exact inverse of our pulse frequency."
Janeway crossed her arms, fury growing. "It was either a lucky guess or—"
"The Doctor," said Chakotay. He glanced at Seven, but instead of defending her friend, she was looking down, disturbed by the truth. She had indeed come to the same conclusion.
Tuvok confirmed their fears. "He sent an encrypted transmission from Sickbay, then transported himself to their ship."
[Bridge]
They watched with bated breath as the tail of the Hirogen ship led the way to the holograms. It was a bumpy ride, but Tom kept things as steady as he could.
Tom slowed down. "They're dropping out of warp."
It was now or never. Janeway nodded. "Fire."
As predicted, the Hirogen were caught unawares. The shot was direct. They managed to hit the second ship as well before the Hirogen returned fire. By that point their position against the Hirogen was almost assured. Both hunting vessels lost shields and weapons, effectively crippling them.
"The hologram's ship, Tuvok," ordered Janeway. She watched as they scored a hit before the holograms realized Voyager wasn't necessarily there to help them.
"Seven to bridge."
"Yes, Seven?" Janeway nodded for Tuvok to continue fire, a command he didn't really need.
"I'm detecting a mass transport signal. The holograms are transporting the Hirogen to the planet's surface."
"Can you tell how many of them have been transported?" asked Chakotay.
"I cannot be certain, but I would estimate thirty-four."
"Can we get them back?" asked Janeway.
Tuvok tested it, but there was too much interference. "I can't target them through the gases."
"Can we go in after them?"
Tuvok again shook his head. "Our shields have been damaged. They won't protect us from the radiation."
"Well, first things first. We need to get our people back."
[Delta Flyer]
Chakotay, Tuvok and Tom took no time prepping the shuttle for its hazardous mission.
"Ready, Chief?" Tom looked back as Chakotay took his seat.
"Ready." Chakotay smiled, but it wasn't directed at Tom. As soon as he sat down, a light at his station began to blink. He pressed it, confused. To his surprise, it was a short message from Seven. He didn't have time to speak to her before heading to the Delta Flyer, but she'd clearly been listening over the comm system and done what he could not.
Good luck. I love you.
He took it as a sign that their rough patch was coming to an end. The message was short and sweet and one he hoped to read again under less dangerous circumstances.
They were close, close enough that a few minutes was all they needed. They drew up to the hologram's ship.
"Take us in, Tom," said Chakotay. "Status of their shields?"
"Down," said Tuvok. "Initiating transport."
Tom didn't wait to be dismissed from his post. He stood to greet his wife, kissing her as soon as the last cell was onboard. "If this marriage is going to work, you've got to cut back on the travelling."
B'Elanna rolled her eyes at him. "The Doctor's on the surface. There's some Hirogen down there, too."
Chakotay nodded. "Tuvok?"
"The radiation's making it difficult to get a lock." His fingers, however, continued to move deftly over the controls in his attempt to secure a signal.
"We might have to get closer," said Chakotay.
"I wouldn't advise it," said Tom. "That radiation is going to mess with more than just our transporters."
They didn't have a means of seeing just what was going on down on the planet, but eventually… "I have a lock," said Tuvok. "Five Hirogen life signs and the Doctor."
"Beam them up."
[Chakotay's Quarters]
He waited up for her, not even knowing if she was going to come or regenerate in the cargo bay. Though he knew it was silly, he couldn't help it. She was assisting Donik and B'Elanna with the ship that would be the rogue holograms' new home. The computer was set to alert him when she was on Voyager again. If she was coming to see him, she'd be at his door in a matter of minutes.
The computer announced what he'd been waiting for. Seven was on Voyager. Now he just had to wait to see which course her feet took her on.
There was no chime since Seven still had full access. The doors just slid open to reveal her figure. The sight of Seven silhouetted in the door was enough to make Chakotay pause, but it was a short one and he moved to greet her.
Sighing in relief, Seven almost ran to Chakotay, immediately wrapping her arms around his shoulders and capturing his lips in a searing, almost sloppily passionate kiss.
"What—"
Seven was not in the mood to explain just at that moment. She pushed Chakotay back until he hit the kitchen countertop.
"I missed you," he managed to say in between kisses to every part of her he could reach.
"Words—" a kiss to his lips "—are—" a warm press of lips to his throat "—insufficient to explain—" a return to greedily teasing his tongue with her own "—how much I missed you."
"Does this mean you're here to stay?"
She framed his face with her hands, holding him away from her a little so she could see his eyes, needing him to know she meant her words. "That was the biggest mistake of my life. I'm so sorry, Chakotay. I will not be so foolish again."
He pressed his lips to hers, gentle and sweet this time. "It's okay. Nobody's perfect."
They laughed together, their relief at the reunion a shared moment of joy almost nothing could have broken.
"Please," she said, growing more serious, "don't let me do that again."
But Chakotay shook his head. "I'd rather have you here because you want to be."
"I want to be here." She kissed him, the passion rising again. "I want you."
[Chakotay's Bedroom]
Flopping onto his back, Chakotay wiggled under the covers, pulling Seven's back to lay against his chest when she followed him. They sighed together.
"So," Chakotay kissed her golden hair as she traced invisible patterns over the arm that held her in place. "How was your day?"
Seven gave an exhausted, breathy laugh. "Busy." She glanced away. "I spoke to the Doctor."
"Oh?" He was calm, having clearly won the war, but he still stiffened at the mention of his rival.
She reached up and smoothed his tense jaw. "He was on the Hirogen ship. I told him what I should have said two weeks ago. Our relationship will remain that of friends."
"And us?"
"Is my attendance here an insufficient demonstration?" she teased.
He smiled, but had to admit, "I would like to hear it."
"I love you." She took his hand, weaving their fingers together. "That was never in doubt."
The feel of her other hand moving from his jaw and up to weave her fingers in his hair was pleasant, almost enough for him to forget his irritation with the Doctor. He pressed a kiss to her golden hair. "I love you too."
"You do not need to be jealous."
"I'm not jealous."
"Hmm."
He sighed in defeat. She could read him like a book even when she wasn't looking at him. "Fine. I'm jealous, but I'll try not to let it affect me."
"I had the failsafe removed for you, not for him. I never wanted a romantic relationship with anyone but you."
"Then what did he say to make you doubt yourself?" What made you doubt me?
Seven hesitated, not wanting to portray her friend in a bad light. "He suggested our relationship would be detrimental to you and that he was a more appropriate choice for various reasons."
Chakotay swallowed his anger at the EMH. It didn't matter anymore, or that's what he told himself. "The only thing you could do to hurt me, you've already done and made up for it."
"He suggested he is a more logical, a more appropriate choice."
"Oh?"
"But logic seems to have little to do with love."
He laughed. "That's very true. Just ask Romeo and Juliet. Though, I'm sure Tom and B'Elanna's unusual match is an even better example."
"Lieutenant Torres helped me understand."
"She did?" Even after he'd asked her to stay out of it. Oh well. He couldn't be upset with her, not when whatever she'd said had ultimately given Seven clarity.
"Yes." She hesitated, feeling herself grow a little sad. "I'm sorry, and I'm sorry it took me so long to realize how I feel."
"It's all right. It doesn't matter now." He sighed again, this time signalling his surrender and relinquishment of anger. He couldn't remain upset with the Doctor. It was unfair and illogical. The Doctor had every right to feel as he did, even the right to make a bid for her affections. Chakotay didn't have to like it, but he did have to accept it. Besides, Seven had clearly made her choice and even if she'd not chosen him, the decision was both hers to make and to enforce.
"Would it be any consolation to know it won't happen again?"
"A little." He nuzzled her neck, making her shuffle away as it tickled. "But I can think of something else that would be a better consolation."
Chuckling, Seven shook her head in amusement. "You are incorrigible."
"No, I'm just making up for lost time." His hands began to rove again, more tenderly and languidly this time.
"That may be your best idea to date," she whispered, already losing herself to his skilled touch. Yes, there was no doubt and never would be any doubt as to whose affections she wished to hold and return.
[Astrometrics]
Seven punched in commands while Chakotay sat on the stairs to the upper platform. She was pretending to analyse and catalogue the planets around them, but was really just keeping tabs on the Hirogen as long as she could. No matter the assurances Captain Janeway had received or simply convinced herself of, Seven didn't trust the Hirogen and never would. Chakotay was likewise unsatisfied with the situation.
"It's not as though I like the Hirogen, but…" Chakotay raked a hand through his hair. It was already sticking up messily from the repetition of the nervous habit.
"But what?"
"He didn't just put the Hirogen in danger." Chakotay waved an irate hand. "B'Elanna would likely have been killed. Voyager was caught in a small war and we have no idea what the holograms would have done after they set up a homeworld. Would it have been enough for them or would they have set their sights on someone else's territory just because they believed themselves superior?"
"While I agree with most of your statement," said Seven with a smile, "I think you might be excessive in your assessment of the holograms' plans."
"Am I? People like Iden can't help themselves. Zealots who believe themselves superior are never satisfied with what they have."
Seven shrugged, having little information on the topic. "Perhaps, but I don't think you're angry with Iden."
"No, I'm angry with the Doctor. Before meeting Iden, he was showing signs of taking things too far, ignoring common sense and what's right for the ship. He was pressing for irrational requests and if he didn't get his way, claimed it was due to bigotry. It worries me."
"The Doctor is stubborn, but he can be made to see sense… usually."
"Then the next time he demands something that has to be denied, I'm calling you." He sighed deeply. "She's not going to punish the Doctor, nothing."
Seven thought a moment, her hands pausing on the controls. She then nodded and continued work. "I wouldn't expect her to."
"No?" He contained his irritation to allow her to explain.
Seven glanced at him, smiling just a little. "It would be unfair when I have done much worse than try to free a group of subjugated individuals."
"You at least have the excuse of being the victim of Borg programming. The Doctor—"
"Acted on course with his programming. He was also tricked." Seven lifted her eyes to him again, this time with a little shame. "I've acted recklessly, disobeyed orders, caused deaths. At least the Doctor can claim to have clean hands."
"You never meant to cause deaths."
"Species 8472, the stray trapped outside of fluidic space. I sent it to the Hirogen. I knew what would happen."
Chakotay was silent for a long moment, contemplating what to say. He'd thought about those poor choices she'd made shortly after her liberation from the Collective. It would be a lie to say it didn't bother him a little, but he also couldn't pretend his own hands were clean. It would be hypocritical to judge her when he was just as culpable, maybe even more so, of equally shameful deeds. He had been a captain of a group of rebels, terrorists according to Starfleet. He'd done his best to be as non-violent as possible, but like Seven, he'd committed violence and he'd done it with intent. He thought maybe that was why he'd shaken his head and felt sad during those incidents she alluded to, but he'd never held it against her more than that.
"Do you regret it?"
Seven kept her gaze steady on him. "Yes."
"Would you change it if you could, not just what happened with Species 8472?"
"Yes." I would die to take back half of what I've done. This, however, she would never speak aloud.
Chakotay nodded. No matter what she believed, he knew she wouldn't act the same way now, which meant he was right. Borg programming didn't make what she'd done right, but it explained a lot and made it a little less her fault. However, he had to admit the Doctor was little different. He sighed. "I guess I'm bringing my personal feelings into it too much."
"You wouldn't be human if you didn't," said Seven, smiling again. "I think you can be forgiven. Anger seems to be a common side effect of interaction with the Doctor."
Laughing, Chakotay shook his head. "I suppose you're right. I'll just have to keep a calmer head in future interactions."
"I have every faith in you."
Still chuckling a little, Chakotay stood and moved to her side. She turned as he put an arm around her, her own rising to encircle his shoulders. She smiled at him, her rosy lips and blue eyes pretty enough to burn into his mind forever. He swallowed, suddenly caught in a moment, a feeling, he hadn't expected.
Seven grew still, Chakotay's gaze growing more tender and – she didn't know what description to give it. His eyes were on her, but he seemed to be seeing more than just the visage in front of him. The laughter faded from his expression and he appeared almost – was he afraid?
"Well, I—" Chakotay cleared his throat. "I better go."
Perplexed, Seven nodded and watched him head to the door.
Remembering himself, Chakotay paused. He hurried back to kiss Seven goodbye and then returned to the bridge.