Here's the last part enjoy!

Chapter 7

Most of B'Elanna's and Harry's next day was spent on trying to destroy and undo the work they had already achieved. They pulled up old notes and calculations that were no longer needed but would be to make a new launcher and changed the calculations and the numbers used. Although it looked like a qualified engineer could make sense of it a two year old could probably find more reasoning. After destroying all theory they began to plan away to destroy what they'd made without actually looking like it was. This proved harded than they could imagine because the techicians and Yall did still look at the work that was being done and unlike the guards they would know when something looked like it wouldn't do what it was said to do.

"Look I'll keep going over this, you finish them last bombs. We need to be able to give them to Tom when he comes for the updates of what we've done." Whispered B'Elanna behind the cover of the launcher.

"But what if you can't think of anything?" asked Harry. He had become increasingly agitated over the last few hours. He worried constantly what would happen to them if the lab found out they'd destroyed the work but also what would personally happen to him if they found out about the bombs.

"Harry, we'll think of something. We always do." Encouraged B'Elanna squeezing his shoulder gently. She too was being more cautious around the guards now they were producing the bombs. Angering them and making them more alert was not what they needed. She took a big deep breath, releasing it slowly and closed her eyes to clear her head of the thoughts she had. Now what she really needed to concentrate on was blowing this thing up.

In the other lab they lazily strolled back in from the garden. Lunch had passed uneventful and again Tom had managed to slip off unnoticed to search for the power grids. As Kathryn settled into her seat to work on the formula again she sighed heavily but as she did so she felt Tom brush against her back pushing a piece of paper under her armpit. Waiting for Professor Yall to turn around to his station she pulled it beneath her own and began to slowly uncrumple it. She eventually had it all unfolded and it was no bigger than two of her fingers. Reading the scribbled writing carefully she read. 'Found the last five'. Looking back up over to Tom she caught his eye and smiled. Tom winked and turned back around just before Professor Yall looked his way.

"Tom, will you take this over to the other lab please. Bring theirs back too if you can" instructed Yall. Tom extracted himself from the desk, took the Padd and left the room being trailed by their only guard. In the noise of the door Kathryn re-crumpled the letter and put it in her pocket. Barely seconds after Tom had left Yall came and stood opposite of where she was working. She looked up questioningly and decided that Yall looked decidedly awkward. In the best of situations she knew that he wasn't the greatest communicator but her and Tom had built up quite a repertoire with him and he hadn't looked like this since the second day.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked putting the Padd down infront of her she was working on.

"Yes" said Yall but he spoke no more than that. Kathryn could see the familiar sweat began to bead down his forehead and the usual hand movements begin to start. What ever was bothering him was making him very uncomfortable. She suddenly got a prickle up her neck, had he seen the note?

"Do you want to tell me?" she asked trying to keep her own panic from her voice.

"Yes" said Yall. Then he walked off grabbed Tom stool and at it down where he had stood. He was now level with her and although the table was large she could smell the disinfectant he'd used earlier to clean the equipment they used. He still said nothing.

"Yall, I can't say anything if I don't know what's wrong?" said Kathryn getting slightly impatient but she didn't let it show.

"Last…last night after….when Thagtu put his….In the dining room he…." Struggled Yall throwing his head nervously in his hand "I don't know how to say this."

"Do you want to talk about what happened at dessert last night?" encouraged Kathryn slightly uncomfortable.

"Yes…no…sort of" Thagtu removed his head from his hands and began to ring them again but carried on staring at the table. "You see after it happened and you went in the garden I told Thagtu he was wrong and went to see you were ok but when I got there Chakotay was already there" Kathryn really began to panic. He had to have heard, they talked through everything there. "I…I didn't mean to listen….but I…I'm am sorry I know I shouldn't…I needed to know you were ok. I heard your plans" Kathryn gasped before she could stop herself. He knew. He was going to tell. She looked up searchingly in his face for why he was saying this but something about his look made he stay silent and wait for his to continue. "So I went to tell Thagtu"

"No!"

"You don't understand, I had to. My people would die if you managed to leave. Like my friends….I had to stop you!...but when I got there his office door was open. He had some of his soilder's in there. They were laughing about it…about you! It made me angry, really angry. So I didn't go in. I waited for them to leave so I didn't shout at them like I wanted to. You see…the thing is…when…I like you Kathryn. You're the first person that's ever treated me with any respect. The first woman…I've never been equal to a woman before. Not one like you anyway. I…I love you." Whispered Yall as he finished. Kathryn was now fully confused he had gone from accusing her to apologizing to confessing he loves her all in the same minute. She looked at him dumbfounded. "I know you could never love me back. That's simple...look at me. But…but I want to help you"

"But Thagu knows"

"No…no he doesn't. I, I didn't tell him"

"You said you did?"

"No I went to but…Like I said I waited for the soiler's to leave and listen to them. They were soon talking about the vaccine. Laughing about that. You see…the thing is…the…It's a trick!"

"What?"

"The vaccine is a vaccine but it's not to cure an illness. It's to protect our people. From an illness were going to give to the Harru."

"but your friends? They died from it?"

"No they didn't…I thought they had but they hadn't. Thagtu had killed them. They found out what he was up to so they killed them" Kathryn looked at him in shock. Piecing together all what she had been told.

"The launcher? Is that to spread the disease?" she asked quietly.

"Yes"

"So we've been tricked into building a weapon that would destroy an entire race!"

"We're going to stop them though. I'm going to help you. I want to….need to help you!" finished Yall. At that point Tom returned with the guard totally unaware with what had transpired.

Kathryn told Tom that evening on the way back to the rooms. He was as shocked as she had been. Outraged at the way they'd been deceived but also gained more respect for Professor Yall in realising he was going to help. Kathryn left out the part about Yall's feelings for her but she had a feeling Tom guessed it anyway. Tom showed her the last of the bombs and explained how he was going to set them for midnight tomorrow. She was surprised at how soon they were going to leave and said she would distract the guards with Yall tomorrow for him but he wouldn't have much time before they would probably start to get suspicious. He could then tell the others the changes when they give the report in the afternoon. They said goodbye in the corridor and left to eat dinner alone in their rooms again.

Tom waited for Kathryn and Yall to cause the commotion before he changed his route and went off the last path towards the first of the twelve power grids. In the distance he could here Kathryn and Yall persuading the guard to climb the tree and reach the apples for them. Tom guessed that he would have more than 30 minutes, 40 at the most to finish his task. He walked up to the barrier of trees on the next path and to the one at the far end. Feeling around on the bark he found the centre of the power grid that peak out the trees at the top. Pressing the right buttons he managed to set up an interface with the bomb and attached it with a magnet to it. Setting the timer to mid night. One down eleven to go. He swiftly moved through the rest of the in just under twenty minutes only having to hide once when he had a close call with one of Thagtu's maids. When he returned to the tree where he'd left his companions he found the guard just clambering down from near one of the top branches and Kathryn and Professor Yall surrounded by a pile of juicy apples.

"All done" whispered Tom coming to stand just behind Kathryn's left ear.

"Good. Any trouble?" she asked back.

"No, nothing I couldn't handle" smiled Tom "You kept him busy"

"It wasn't so hard really we just had him climbing all over the tree for the different ones. He seems a bit grumpy now though"

"I suppose tree climbing isn't a part of his job description, you couldn't blame him" Kathryn laughed. The guard looked their way with a snarl as his feet finally touched the floor. Kathryn stifled her laugh and began to pick up the apples. All loaded with apples they returned to the labs. Once inside Kathryn got to work finalising the last few details on destroying all the data on the vaccine. Whilst Yall made up the progress report for Tom to take.

"Tom, here" said Yall. Tom sauntered over taking a bite out of the largest apple he could find in the group and placing another one in his trouser pocket. Despite eating only half an hour ago all his running around had left him with a big appetite. "For you"

"But there's two pads here?" asked Tom confused. He thumbed through the information on one and it was the usual updates.

"The other ones not an update" informed Yall "Its to help you escape" Tom looked at the other padd and read over it.

"Are these security codes?" asked Tom

"Yes" confirmed Yall "There for the shuttle bay doors. It will help you to get out with out causing damage to the shuttle. I suspect your going to need all the shield strength you can get, it'll probably give you a bit more time too."

"Thanks Yall. Really, you're a good guy" Tom patted him on the shoulder and left to the next lab taking the guard who had been quizzing Kathryn's work with him. Kathryn sighed loudly turning round on her chair.

"That was close!" she said "I thought he'd seen something"

"He's probably just trying to get his own back for before and the tree" offered Yall standing next to her. He held out an apple to offer her but she refused it politely.

"Tom's right you know."

"About what?" Asked Yall eating the apple himself.

"You really are a good guy." Kathryn saw him blush at the attention. "What are you going to do once we leave?"

"I haven't really thought about it. I'm just going to see what happens. If Thagtu finds out I'm involved than he'll kill me anyway so there's no use in getting my hope up"

"You know you could come with us" suggested Kathryn.

"Thank you for the offer but I really think I need to be here. Where I can keep an eye on him."

"Your very brave Yall" smiled Kathryn "Thanks for everything" She stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek softly. He froze instantly but she could feel the pull of a grin on his cheek muscles and the heat that touched her lips told her his blush had just got worse. She began to speak when a booming voice behind her made her spin round.

"You! You traitor!" bellowed Thagtu.

"Thagtu! W…What are you….why you here?...You never come down the…the labs!" stuttered Yall his red face becoming instantly white.

"Well it's a good job I did." Thagtu shouted back making Yall drop the apple he held. Kathryn looked between the two. He must have heard their conversation. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. "You knew I was trying to get this little whore for my own and now I know the reason why I couldn't. You're a liar! A deceitful, waste of space! All these years I've housed you and put up with your embarrassing ways to find you chatting up my women! Well it stops here! Get him!" Thagtu ordered the guards.

"No!" Screamed Kathryn throwing herself in front of Yall. At least now she knew they hadn't heard the plans, she could help him. "No! It wasn't like that!"

"Get her out of my site! I'll deal with her later"

"Your stupid Thagtu! You can't see anything beyond your own ways. You sit surrounded by your guards and call everyone around because they don't act or think like you. You say Yall is a liar and embarrassing! Well let me tell you, he's twice the man you'll ever be!" screamed Kathryn. Thagtu flipped and punched Kathryn across the face throwing her to the floor with a scream. Yall went to hit Thagtu in pure anger only to be grabbed by the guards.

"Is their work finished?" he asked Yall. He didn't answer. "I said is their work finished?!"

"Y…yes!"

"Lock him in the brig, I'm arresting you for betrayal" He was dragged from the room. He then crouched down to where Kathryn sat on the floor. Her lip bled and her head swayed with her unfocused eyes. He grasped a firm grip around her chin. "You better watch your tongue from now on!" he stood up pushing her face causing her to fall back down on the floor with a moan. "Lock her in her room. She will stay there for the remainder of their stay. Keep a guard in with her I don't want her falling out the windows. When the rest of the work is complete, I will order a shuttle to take you back to the prison where you will stay for the rest of your days"

"We had a deal?" screamed back Kathryn spitting out blood.

"You betray me and I'll betray you. It's only fair. Now move her!"

"But we haven't betrayed you!"

"I said now!" shouted Thagtu. Kathryn felt two pairs of hands lifting her and was aware of passing the worried faces of her senior staff as she was dragged from the labs. "The rest of you back to work!"

"What are we going to do now?" whispered Harry desperately in to Chakotay's ear.

"I don't know" replied Chakotay.

"The bombs will go off tonight and if the captain can't leave her room she'll never get to the shuttle!" panicked Harry almost hysterical. B'Elanna gave him a stern look to tell him to quiet down. He blushed and bent slightly so more of his face was covered by the launcher they were applying the last small bombs too.

"Can the bombs be turned off? And then Tom can change them for another day?" Asked Chakotay hopefully.

"No they aren't fitted with a stop button. Once they start they don't stop. It was in case the guards found them." answered Harry

"It doesn't matter anyway" told B'Elanna "You heard Thagtu, she's locked in there till were finished. Also there's no way Tom will be able to go in the gardens now Yall's not with them."

"We'll have to think off something else then" said Chakotay. "Could we transport her out?"

"Not till the shields down and the shuttles left the bay. There's a separate shield around there to stop weapons fire also" said B'Elanna.

"How long will it take before we can transport her once the shields down?" asked Chakotay.

"Two minutes, three at the most" supplied B'Elanna.

"A lot could happen in three minutes" said Harry nervously looking at the guards.

"Well it's all we've got" said Chakotay sympathetically tapping his shoulder. "I'll take this progress report over to Tom and tell him the changes".

He passed the guards in the centre still carrying out orders that Thagtu had set and welcomed the break from being followed by them. In the other lab he found Tom alone sitting on the desk looking at the floor. Walking round to stand next to him he saw what had entranced his attention. On the floor in a slim line was a splattering of blood droplets. Obviously from Kathryn's lip. His mouth felt dry and his heart constricted remembering the force Thagtu had put upon her. She was being punished for a crime they didn't commit. Or at least Thagtu did not know they were committing.

"Do you think he'll find out?" asked Tom

"What? Oh…He doesn't suspect anything. Just Yall, I suppose. That should keep him occupied tonight." Answered Chakotay.

"Lets hope so…for Kathryn's sake" sighed Tom. He then took Chakotay's padd and Chakotay told him the change to their plans. He agreed that it was the best thing to do and then set about swapping the vaccine they'd made with the fake one Yall had produced the day before. Chakotay left him to it.

At nine the guards escorted them up to their rooms. Despite having been told that morning they were to be having dinner with Thagtu again they were told that he was busy. As they reached the corridor that joined their rooms they began to drop the minute gas bombs in the shape of clear glass marbles along it. They had been B'Elanna's idea. They had thought of it after the bombs were finished when they began to plan how they were going to get from their rooms to the shuttle unsighted. Without Yall for help it was going to be harder but they still had the codes he had given to Tom so they should have been able to enter most doors. The gas bombs were designed to slowly leak a sedative gas given them by Tom. They should begin to leak in about two hours and then after about forty minutes the guards should be out cold for the rest of the night. Now, all they had to do was wait.

Tom sat with his ear to the door. It was 11:41 and he was waiting for the tell tale thud of the guards falling asleep. He had to wait barely another thirty seconds when he heard the wonderful sound. Slowly turning his door knob he stepped out into the corridor to see Chakotay just appearing from his and B'Elanna and Harry stood checking the guard outside Harry's to make sure he was sound asleep. He checked his after Chakotay checked his and then they both went to check the two outside Kathryn's. Signalling they were all clear by a nod of his head Chakotay began to lead them down the corridors to the gardens. Halfway along the bottom corridor they stopped dead in there tracks. Sounding from in Thagtu's office was the awful sounds of Yall's strangled groans followed by the repeating slap of leather against skin. He was being tortured. Visibly gulping back the bile he felt in his throat Chakotay signalled they should keep going. They reach the large French doors that led to the gardens and quickly entered the code. The small light changed from red to green and they crept outside with a sigh of relief. The soft breeze was like a caress on their warm skin. Despite the normal temperature inside, the tension had made them all sweat.

"Come on, stick to the trees and walls and we shouldn't get seen on camera's." explained Tom leading the way to the left of the path. They slowly worked they way through the grounds. The shadow's helping them with their escape. They entered a small shed like building and once they were all inside and the door shut Tom turned on the light. "This is it"

The others looked round bewildered. "Where's the shuttle's?" asked B'Elanna confused.

"Wait and see!" answered Tom he began to type commands into the control he had used earlier in the week and the wall slowly revealed their price.

"Impressive" commented B'Elanna walking up to the first shuttle and waiting for the door to open. "Right, how long till the bombs go off?"

"Three minutes" answered Chakotay looking at his watch.

"I'll look at these transporters. Tom get at the helm whilst Harry get's them code's in to open the doors. Chakotay familiarize your self with the weapon's. I don't think were gonna get out of here without a fight." Ordered B'Elanna taking control.

"Already on it!" smiled Harry.

"How long till we are in range of the planet?" Asked Tuvok from his place in the Captains chair. His new post for the last eight days and hopefully not for much longer.

"Thirteen minutes," informed the young female ensign manning the helm. The crew had been feeling the strain of their missing crew mates but the last hour of approaching the planet and being able to see it on screen had left them all highly alert. They all hoped that this was the place that held their friends.

Kathryn sat on her bed staring out of the window. She was dressed in her night clothes as had been ordered by the guard sat with a weapon pointing at her from the dressing table but had refused to go to bed. She wasn't tired and she had too much to think about. In two minutes the bombs were going to explode and she wasn't on the shuttle ready to leave. She knew her crew wouldn't leave her there but she also knew that it might take them a long time to get her out. It could be tonight, it could be in a week's time. There was no guarantee that she was leaving tonight. A sudden thought struck her then. What if they had stopped their plans so she could leave with? She would never forgive them if they had. They had to escape and return to voyager. She would die if it meant they could get away from here. Her train of thought was lost completely when an ear shattering bang erupted in the garden. She clenched her hands over her ears on instinct and saw the flames erupt in the serenity of the trees breaking the peace which they had swayed. The guard dived forward with a roar in her direction but she anticipated it and rolled backwards across the bed knocking his weapon from his hands with her feet. Jumping to her feet she skipped backwards as he continued to scamper across it towards her. Running around to the other side she grabbed the lamp and began to swing it at him threateningly. He ducked the first hit but the second came with a crack against his shoulder. He groaned out in agony and took a swipe at her with his other functioning arm hitting her in the ribs. She fell back winded but managed to still swing the lamp at him, hitting him again in his wounded shoulder. Pulling her feet underneath her and using her whole body weight she slammed the lamp forward into his left knee. It buckled slightly but he remained standing. A fist slung down towards her nose but in desperation she dropped the lamp and crawled through his spread legs. Making a run on her hands and knees she advanced towards the weapon. It was a foot out of reach when she felt a hand grab the material of the back of her gown and drag her back towards him, flipping her in the process. Striking out a fist she knocked him on the temple causing him to flutter his eyes before clasping upon her knocking the wind out of her already bruised lungs. She gasped for breath pushing desperately at his shoulders to pull her self from under him when she felt the familiar tingle of the transporters.

"We've got her!" shouted Harry over the roar of the engines. "Let's go!"

"You alright?" asked Chakotay crouching down to where she lay and helping her to sit up. She grabbed at her side where it throbbed painfully and moaned.

"Just a broken rib I think" she breathed. He began to examine it when the ship rocked.

"We've been hit!" said Harry

"Returning fire!" shouted Chakotay flying back to his console.

"Four ships" read Harry. "All in pursuit"

"Evasive manovers now!" commanded Chakotay.

"Shields holding" commented B'Elanna as they were hit with another shot.

"I'm gonna aim for their weapons array, Tom try and bring up to the left of the lead vehicle"

"I'll try" said Tom twisting the shuttle in a swerve down and under the tailing vehicle. Chakotay fired quickly and tom sped off again in front.

"Direct hit their dropping away" said B'Elanna. "One down three to go"

"Make that two!" smiled Harry. At that moment their was a flash of light as the ship too their immediate right exploded and began to drift aimlessly. "I just sent a feedback through their phaser banks"

"Shooting them selves! I like it!" congratulated Tom. "Can you do these other two?"

"No, it would overload the reflector to do it so soon." Explained Harry.

"What are shield status?" asked Kathryn coming to stand behind Harry's shoulder, gripping the back of his chair for support.

"84" answered B'Elanna her fingers were still flying over the panel constantly changing the shield frequency.

"If you transfer…" the ship bucked again under another hit making her pause to breathe.

"Make that 79" corrected B'Elanna.

"That'll still be enough to temporary transfer some power from the shields to the deflector right?" asked Kathryn.

"Yeah should be" answered Harry.

"Do it!" ordered Kathryn.

"That'll leave us vulnerable though." informed Chakotay

"Maybe down to 40 that's all. Only for a second we'll switch back straight away."

"It worked. Power back to shield's." Harry voiced as another ship erupted and began to drift out of view. They were hit again and flipped sideways slightly. A console overloaded at the side of Tom head, a flying of flames dashing the skin of his cheeks.

"Ouch!" he moaned. Looping the ship back on it's self to come behind the last ship, then veering off away from them to the right. "Can you find a weakness in the shields?"

"I'm trying" answered Chakotay. He fired a few shots but none did considerable damage.

"Try the left nacelle" instructed B'Elanna

"No effect" said Chakotay.

"Can we jump to warp?" asked Kathryn

"No the weapons fire is producing some kind of energy that's interfering with our systems" explain Harry.

"Could you send a feedback again?" asked Chakotay.

"No it'd be too risky" answered Harry.

"Guy's were in trouble!" shouted Tom from the front. They all turned and looked up to the front few screen which showed six more vessels now in pursuit also and gaining. "I'm reading an eighth vessel"

"Recorni?"

"No, it's Voyager!" as if on cue Voyager swept into view over them firing blast after blast on the enemy ships. Knocking two out of the fight in the first round of fire.

"You gotta love Vulcan timing!" smiled Tom following the ship from before.

"Chakotay aim for the rear door. I'm detecting a fracture in the hull plating" instructed B'Elanna. He did so hitting it. It spun backwards straight into another ship and they both exploded in a huge explosion that flipped their own small vessel over in circles. Picking themselves of the floor they looked out the view screen to see the last few ships retreating. A beep from Harry's console broke the silence.

"Voyager's hailing" said Harry. "Audio only"

"Tuvok Here. Captain is everything alright?" he asked. Despite his Vulcan tone they all smiled knowing they could hear a slight concern in it.

"It is now Tuvok, it is now"

We are once again back on course to the delta quadrant. Tuvok has informed me of the cre'ws dedication and hard work whilst I have been away and I will make sure to commend each and every one of them in their official records. We are glad to be leaving the Recorni sector. Professor Yall contacted us yesterday informing us that Thagtu and his government have all been arrested for their actions and that the people are disgusted by their plans for the disease. He will now be taking over lead and is at the moment arranging peace talk with the Harru. I believe he will be a great leader and despite his public awkwardness at the beginning I believe he has already made great changes in that which will in turn make great changes to their world. We wish them well. End log.

Well what did you think? corny? boring? slow? over the top? under the top?...let me know. xxx