Chapter 3

The journey was long. At least four hours but without any clocks or light they weren't really sure. Half way through the journey they were given the cloth the man had been carrying and told to change. They did their best to keep their modesty in the confined space but most of it was futile. The five outfits consisted of large long sleeved baggy tops and similar trousers with a draw string at the top. All items were made out of cheap mouldy white cotton and did nothing to keep them warm in the cool interior of the shuttle. The worst thing about them was they were all the same size which looked average size for a male of their species. In human sizes, huge! Tom and Chakotay fitted quite nicely, they were a little baggy but they were at least the right length. Harry wasn't so big so he had to role them up a bit. B'Elanna and Kathryn looked lost in them. They had to pull the drawstring tight around their waists and role up both the pants and sleeves about one third of the way. Even then the bottom of the top came to about mid thigh. B'Elanna had had a nice ten minute rant about the clothes which had amused them all a little despite the situation. Not long after they changed the shuttle landed and the engines ceased to make noise. Wherever it was they we're going. They would find out soon enough.

They we're let out of the shuttle by the same man who had drove it. As he pushed them forward single file to the possession of four new armed guards he grabbed their clothes roughly from them. The bright sunlight attacked their vision deprived eyes making the building they saw in front even more monstrous. At least sixty stories high. Probably a lot more. All made out of a deep grey stone. It had no windows, apart from one small barred one coming from the left corner of each floor on the building wall the faced them. The building was surrounded by a large metal fence. Then every few metres on the inside and the outside their seemed to be a guard patrolling the border.

"A prison?" asked Kathryn quietly, turning back to face Chakotay. The guards were wrapped up sorting out papers with their transport man.

"I think so" he replied equally as subdued. If they entered there, there was no way they could escape. There was no way they could escape now either, they were out numbered all most 20 to one just here. Even if they did manage the compound seemed to be surrounded by nothing but dense trees. This prison was truly remote. The starting up of the shuttle engine behind them again caught their attention and they turned to look. The other guards were walking towards them and the transport man was half up the shuttle steps.

"Follow!" shouted one of the guards and they set off to enter the building in single file like before.

"Chakotay" he shouted. Chakotay tuned to look at him. He was hanging out the door on the top step, a smug grin on his face. "Remember what I said." He laughed and closed the door. Getting ready to leave them there in this awful place.

The guards pushed them roughly inside like before. They were searched for weapons at the gate and then continued on. Inside it was as dreary and dull as it was outside. The only light artificial, coming from odd harsh lights that splattered randomly the walls and ceilings. They entered a large lift and the guard called for floor forty-seven. It was only then the guard began to speak.

"You are white priority prisoners, hence your clothing. This means you are allowed to move freely around your facilities with other white priority prisoners. You can not leave your floor, you can not try and communicate with prisoners off another floor. You will be given a room to yourselves but you will share wash rooms and eating facilities with the other prisoners. Food will be served twice a day, if you miss serving it's your problem. Under no circumstances are you to try and escape and if you do the punishment will be fatal is that clear" They nodded. Letting the information sink in. "Any questions?"

"Why white?" asked Chakotay.

"You are too clever and may escape as a blue on the lower floor but not a big enough physical threat to be red above you" the guard answered almost automatic like a computer. No emotion tainted his voice. They were all deeply shocked by Chakotay's question being answered. It was completely unexpected. "Anything else?"

"Where are we?" said Kathryn mentally crossing her fingers. She was getting tired of speaking them three words and hoped that this would be the last time she would have too.

"I am not permitted to answer that question" the lift came to a halt and they were told to get off. "Your cell is down this corridor 13th on the right." With that the lift closed leaving them alone with the other prisoners.

Neelix had reviewed all information he could find on the aliens he suspected to have taken them. With the help of the Delany sisters and Seven they had managed to track down a planet for them. It was fourth in a solar system of five. The three outer planet were hospitable but it was the fourth that was rumoured to hold the government buildings. He was now delivering this information to Tuvok.

"Mr. Neelix what made you suspect that this is the planet the captain and others have been taken?" asked Tuvok reading through the information on the PADD Neelix had given to him. He was sat at the end of the briefing table in the seat normally occupied by the captain. Seven on his left and Neelix on his right. Seven sat as static as ever but Neelix fidgeted uncomfortably in his chair. He always behaved like this when a crew member went missing. This time it was especially bad because it was five of his closest friends.

"There is no reference to it in the databanks so the information I've got has only been taken from letters received by friends." Explained Neelix fidgeting some more. It was beginning to irritate Seven. It was most distracting. "When you described to me how the kidnapping took place I recognised it to many descried by friends I have received letters from in this area. Using all of the data provided and Sevens help we managed to pin point the planet."

"Apart from the location of the planet, do you know anything else about it?"

"Well, it's home to the Recorni, a hostile race that used to be in power of this sector but got pushed out of power a few centuries ago. They are rumoured now to be growing quite a strong army back up and planning to take back the sector. They are a very bitter race both towards themselves and others."

"How so?" asked Tuvok.

"Well…They…The Recorni…Females are seen as inferior. There is a lot of trading of women and slavery. It's not exactly a very nice place for a woman to be. That's what my friend told me anyway." Neelix looked down solemnly at the table. "If this is where they have been taken…there not safe. Not at all."

"Thank Mr. Neelix. I want you to go through your letters again and see if there is any other information that may help us. Get others to help, that's if you do not mind but a second opinion can sometimes bring out more information." Instructed Tuvok. "Under your data I think it would be best for us to head for the planet as quickly as possible. Dismissed." They stood to leave. "Neelix, well done."

Neelix left with a new spring in his step and a new bout of determination.

Back on Recorni the five new inmates sat quietly in their room. It was a basic four wall room with a door less doorway at the front. It was dark and smelled or must and rot. The walls were the same deep grey stone colour as every other wall in the building was. It was plain and sterile and as cold as could be expected for an outdoor cave. The only light they had came from the outside corridor and that flashed on and off numerous times a second obviously been involved in a scuffle with a prisoner. When they had entered their cell the first thing they had done was check the supplies they had been given. There were five tattered white blankets and five dented and battered beakers. It looked as though their corridor ended at a large communal room that had benches and benches in rows. Each as battered as everything else in the prison and looking well past their date for needing to be replaced. Obviously the 'canteen'. In one corner of the canteen there were four large basins where they saw inmates filling their beakers up from the taps above. From the canteen, there were four other corridors. Three went to similar corridors like their own lined with cells and the final one was a short one leading to the two washroom facilities. This consisted of a room full of rows of toilets and the second one a large bathing pool. Not that the water looked that clean. They had received interesting looks as they had explored their new home, they still didn't know the reason for their imprisonment or where they were but they hoped once they had settled in a bit they could ask around and find out. If the hostile attitudes they had received so far were anything to go by they didn't have much chance.

Chakotay had noticed as they filled their beakers that most of the inmates were beginning to drift off to their cells. It had been a long day and he was definitely planning on getting a good sleep soon. Despite the fact that they hadn't been doing much he was completely exhausted and the others looked pretty much the same way.

"What you thinking?" Asked B'Elanna seeing his far away look. They were steadily making their way back through the tables to their cell. Tom, Harry and Kathryn just in front.

"Oh, just looking forward to some rest, I feel like I've been awake for days" Replied Chakotay.

"Me too. Not that tonight's sleeping arrangements look very inviting" groaned B'Elanna jokingly.

"I don't know, I suppose sharing a concrete floor with my Marquis buddy can't be all that bad. It'll be just like old times. Especially if you still snore." Smiled Chakotay trying to make like of the situation. B'Elanna playfully hit him on the arm.

"Hey! Newbie!" Shouted someone. "Yeah you! With the tattoo?" They all turned round to see a group of prisoners sat round one of the tables. There was about six of them and the one that had spoke sat centre stage between the others. He was fairly tall and had the wonkiest nose Chakotay had ever seen. He used to box and he'd never seen anyone's look that bad before. The man saw that he had Chakotay's attention and carried on speaking. "Come here" Chakotay remained stood where he was.

"Why?" Was all Chakotay answered. He could fell B'Elanna instantly tense by his side drawing that bit closer to him. She always did that. It was her way of letting him know she was ready to attack at any minute. There was never any holding back with B'Elanna.

"I wanna talk to you" Two of the men had got up and were now walking forward to where they stood. One stood either side of them trapping them from leaving to stand near the others at the exit. "Come on" The man tapped the seat beside him a smirk on his slug lips. Chakotay moved forward having no choice and sat on the bench next to him.

"What do you want to talk about?" asked Chakotay.

"What's your name pal?"

"Who's asking?" The man curled his lips up smiling at to of his comrades. They obviously was used to this defences mechanism. If Chakotay still had the good judge of character he used to this was definitely the hard man on floor forty-seven. B'Elanna watched on from the position they had been stopped. The two men planted firmly at her sides. They were both about a foot taller than her but they didn't look very strong compared to others their height. She looked back towards Tom and the others to see another prisoner turn around at the canteen entrance at the sight before him and walk right back down the corridor. He look slightly unnerved and scurried away quickly before anyone else could notice him this didn't look good. B'Elanna stomach began to feel tight with apprehension. Before her Chakotay conversation still played out.

"I'm Beentok."

"Chakotay"

"I've not seen one of your kind before. Where are you from?"

"A planet in the alpha quadrant many light years away from here"

"That's a hell of a long way to come to get your self banged up Chakotay. What did you do?"

"I did not intend to get 'banged up' and neither do I know the reason why I did"

"Well, that's doesn't really matter anymore does it. You're here and that's what bothers me. You see Chakotay anything that happens on floor 47 is cause I made it happen. If anyone gets killed on floor 47 is cause I ordered them too get killed. If anyone breathes on floor 47 its cause I let them. You get me, I'm in control. You see Chakotay what I'm trying to tell you is I can get you stuff, anything you need…alcohol, extra blankets, a pillow…you say and I'll deliver. In return all I ask is a small price."

"Thank you but I have nothing to offer. If you'd excuse me." Chakotay began to rise from the bench but Beentok's hand upon his shoulder made sure he didn't walk away like he'd planned. Chakotay just stared down irritably at the hand. Tom stepped forward alert ready to intervene but was stopped by another of Beentok's men stepping in front of him. This didn't look very good.

"Ahhh, but you do Chakotay." Beentok stood up to. He brought his face to an inch of Chakotay's ear and whispered carefully. "You have something very precious, something no one else on this floor can provide." Beentok fixed his eyes on something in front and Chakotay followed his gaze. B'Elanna. "You have women my friend." Anger flared up inside him. The seedy little bastards. Tom saw the change in Chakotay's face and B'Elanna noticed that all eyes were on her. She tensed involuntary at the attention, what was that man saying about her? Before she had a chance to guess the two men at her sides grabbed roughly hold of her arms. Dodging the move quickly on her left side she managed to bash her elbow deep into his stomach. The man double over in pain. Quickly before the man on her right had chance to grab her flying free hand she struck him boldly on his nose sending blood gushing down his uniform.

"Get her you fool's" shouted Beentok running forward to catch B'Elanna himself. She took off over the benches dodging the passes made at her by the two injured and now angry men. Harry grabbed the one she had punched in the stomach and Chakotay pulled Beentok back from his pursue punching him in the eye. Blocking two of Beentok's throws he managed to get another one in on the same spot. Beentok's eye was now completely closed but he carried on swinging catching Chakotay in his upper lip. Tom meanwhile had one of the men in a headlock trying ferociously to slam the man into the oncoming wall. The man twisted at last second and instead tom went sprawling down the wall himself. Tom had already knocked out two and hoped that this would be lucky too. He was wrong. The man took his chance and kicked Tom in the back of the neck before finally grabbing hold of Kathryn's arms from behind and attempting to drag her off down the corridor. Tom stood quickly from his dizziness and aimed for the man but before he had a chance to get him Kathryn kicked backwards with her foot hitting the man in his crotch firmly. He let go immediately falling to the floor howling.

"Let go!" Seethed B'Elanna struggling helplessly. She was in trouble. Tom and Kathryn ran across to help. One of the men had now caught her and was dragging her off down one of the corridors like they had tried to do with Kathryn. He had his arms tightly round her waist pinning her arms to her sides. Her feet were flaring widely aiming for anywhere upon his body but nothing made him release his hold. "Let go now!" Tom came from behind tripping the man up by surprise. The man tried to pull B'Elanna down with him but Kathryn grabbed hold of her keeping her standing. He still didn't stop though. Tom grabbed the hand that had hold of B'Elanna's right leg and snapped it backwards. A large crack rung through the room but all continued. It a scream of pain the man lashed out hit Tom squarely on the temple sending him flying. He then blacked out him self. B'Elanna knelt down to check on Tom. His temple was woollen and bruised and he refused to stir. Desperately pushing her fingers to his neck feeling for a pulse she was rewarded with a steady thumping before turning to see the progression of the fight. Harry and Kathryn were finally starting to wear down the final man. A final bow from Harry sent him falling on a bench then slumping down on top of his unconscious friend. They both collapsed to the deck in utter exhaustion breathing in deep lung filling breathes. A final slam from near Chakotay signalled the defeat of the other team.

"You won't touch them!" spat Chakotay. He stared viciously into Beentok's eyes, he lay restrained on the bench face down, arms painfully stretched across his back. He was battered and bloody but not unconscious….yet.

As they made their way out of the room. Tom slung over Harry's shoulder Beentok's said one last sentence. "I always get what I want Chakotay, remember that."

pls r&r. that was my first ever fight scene i've written so i know it was a bit rubbish. but practice makes improvement. tell me what you think. xxx