As requested from one of my dear reviewers.
Chapter 6
The crew paused, looking at the sky, their ship, their home, which had kept them all together for so long, was leaving.
They had all been taken from their posts and guided to a cargo bay. Vorik heard the crew speak about Hanon. Resting against a wall on the cargo bay, he tried to rest while he could; there was no way to know what expected them, but it would not be, logically, a good situation.
Once in Hanon IV, their comm badges were taken, one by one, and abandoned. The crew was divided into teams and their struggle for survival thus began. As all of the crew walked up towards a range of hills, looking for a protected clearing, he paused and looked ahead and behind him.
"What is it?", asked Kes. "Are you looking for someone?"
"I was wondering where Miss Voyager is."
"I haven't seen her.", she said.
"I haven't seen her either", said Hogan, an officer who was walking beside them. "What was her deck?"
"She was in deck eight.", the human shrugged.
"Beats me. I was in deck three when we were boarded."
"Thank you.", the Vulcan replied.
Night fell. All struggled to keep warm. It was hard to be close to others, but he had no choice on the matter. Perhaps, like Paris, she escaped?
The sun rose. He went to B'Elanna, who stood beside Captain Janeway.
"I've checked, and I'm sure she is not here, Vorik.", the Lieutenant told him. "Her quarters were in deck eight, right?", Vorik nodded. "Oh…"
"What is it?", he frowned.
"Tierna somehow smuggled some sort of explosive device into the ship, and his quarters… They were also on deck eight. I'm sorry.", she said, looking sad.
"She was one the most intriguing human beings I ever met, with rather impressive technical skills." he answered, a minute later. "Perhaps she escaped the Kazon."
"Perhaps."
The Captain reminded him, Tom Paris had escaped in a shuttle, so there was still hope. A hope Vorik didn't cling to. What would a shuttle do in enemy territory? Paris would have to ask for help, but the Talaxians might be too afraid to act against a Federation ship.
She was gone.
Never again would he see her smile at her PADD, while reading and asking questions about warp cores, or sighing while sampling Neelix's curry. Or smiling at him.
He had been helping Mr. Tuvok with making bows and arrows. And then Kes and Neelix were taken.
She was gone. An irrational spark in him sprung, told him it was not so, which was illogical.
Perhaps the planet's air was affecting his reasoning. He wished he could meditate for a while, but he had to keep close to others. It was not safe.
He remembered that moment she threw a pillow right in Paris' face and his lips twisted. Or that first time they shared a meal together.
Time passed. A volcano erupted, and there were lava rivers everywhere. His arm and hand were burnt.
He thought of that one time he went into her Forbidden Forest holoprogram, and remembered her secretive, mischievous smile, promising things to him.
At long last, their ship flew down the atmosphere towards the crew. He had had enough of this place, yet he also did not wish to return to a place where he could not find her.
He shook his head. He must find a moment, once all was in order in Engineering, to visit her quarters and pay his respects. Would her quarters still hold some of her personal items? Perhaps he would be able to keep one. He sounded like a human.
Once inside the ship, he told B'Elanna he would go to sickbay to treat his arm and hand, and would join them shortly. There, too, would be memories of her.
He sat on the same place she had lain down when he had seen her for the very first time. And when he went to Engineering, he shoved down some sustenance like an automaton, and noticed Crewman Suder being led away, most likely to the Brig.
He vaguely nodded to his comment, frowning at it.
"Miss Voyager will be glad to see you alive."
Passing the Engineering doors, he was still processing what the Betazoid had said and saw… her.
Bloody and with an equally bloody sword, talking to B'Elanna Torres. Alive. He took notice of several dead Kazon and of her look towards him, her face paling. His heart beat wildly and he approached them, taking a deep breath and calming down.