Part 4

The days that followed all seemed to be blurred together. Chakotay didn't know what day it was his father literally dragged him out of Kathryn's room and took him into his office so they could speak privately. Kolopak had hoped to avoid this, but now it was impossible. He had to ask his son to leave.

"What?" Chakotay couldn't believe what his father had just said.

"You heard me!" Kolopak stood with his back to Chakotay. "If you love Kathryn as much as you say then you must leave this house."

Chakotay stood like he was frozen. Was his own father sending him away? Why? Why now?

Chakotay tried to form the words, but nothing would come out. Finally, after he got over the initial shock, he asked, "Why?"

But it came more like a whisper then his normal tone.

"Chakotay, you know that the doctor that took care of Kathryn three day's ago will report it to the Hidayuu clan. It's what he gets so god damn well paid for. He also no doubt found out that she's pregnant and it won't take much time for him to make a connection once he hears what Rakel has to say." Taking a deep breath, he continued, "Once the Hidayuu finds out you know what consequences are. Death, possibly torture, just so they can hear you beg. Who knows what all they will do. You know it's against the rules to disgrace the blood in families with others. The Hidayuu will waste no time in getting here." Kolopak turned around to make eye contact with his last living son. "I've found out that he just left Rakel's about an hour ago, so you have until dusk to get out of this house with Kathryn."

Chakotay's eyes were glazed over like he couldn't believe what was happening. "What about you, father. They can kill you for this too... I don't think I could live with knowing..."

"Chakotay, I'm to old to run away and hide. I've lived my life. Now I want you to live your life with as much happiness as possible. I've packed for you so you can make it to one of the bigger cities and find a small room for a little while. Please, make this my last wish and leave." Kolopak reached out to grasp Chakotay's shoulder. Before he knew it he was in a big bear hug.

"I don't think I can leave you here alone," his voice was on the verge of breaking.

"Do it for Kathryn and for your unborn child. They deserve to live, both of them, and they are going to need you."

Chakotay closed his eyes and sighed. Fate, it seemed, was going out of its way just to make his life hell. He knew his father was right about the Hidayuu. They would kill him and his family without the slightest bit of remorse.

He looked into his father's eyes and sighed. If he could get Kathryn out of here safely with him, well, that was all he needed to make his father's last wish worth leaving him behind. As hard as he tried, that logic did not make the prospect of leaving his father to an execution any easier.

"Beside who said I would die," Kolopak said in one last effort to comfort his son. It was the least he could do. "I could just say you left without me knowing it."

Chakotay let out a strangled chuckle when he pulled away. Holding him by his arms, he sighed "I hope this isn't farewell."

"Me too, my son. Me too." Kolopak released his son completely.

"We will leave right away. I will just get something warmer for Kathryn so she doesn't get sick on the way."

Nodding his head Kolopak could feel tear's coming just in the corner of his eyes as he watched Chakotay leave. To leave the house, to leave his old life and began a new one. Hopefully a good one.

After 20 minutes Kolopak once more stood in his office and watched as a figure carrying something move away from his house.

Chakotay turned around when he reached the top of the hill and looked back down where he had lived his whole life. He held Kathryn secure in his arms and her head rested against his chest. Eye's closed and breathing evenly.

"Goodbye father, I love you." It hurt he hadn't said those words directly to him but just saying them and admitting them was enough at the moment. Then he turned and began to walk again. Their few possessions on his back and the woman he loved in his arms.

Kolopak watched the shape of his son disappear down the hill and he just stood there waiting and waiting, knowing they would come soon.

The sun came and gone. And as the day's light was about to leave the sky he saw torches coming closer. The next thing he heard was the front door breaking down and people storming in. Angry people. He could hear them trashing his home, capture the house hold servants and gather them in the main room. Asking them one by one where the two people missing were. He just stood in his office, waiting for them to come for him.

When they couldn't answer they were slaughtered in front of the eyes of the others. Unfortunately, no one knew where Kathryn and Chakotay were, so they just stood there, waiting to die. The leader soon grew sick of it. He dragged Kolopak in front of everyone and hit him with his knee in the helpless man's stomach. "Now will you tell us where those two traitors are?"

Kolopak looked up gasping for breath. The scared face of the leader greeted him. "There is no crime in loving each other."

Those were Kolopak's last words as the patience of the leader snapped.

He reached with his hand to his side then the next moment everyone saw a sword swing through the air and slice the other man's throat.

Kolopak held his neck while he slipped into a darkness he would never wake up from again.

The leader lowered his sword and looked with hatred at the dying man and the blood that colored the floor a deep red.

A few minutes after the last breath was taken and released from Kolopak the leader started giving orders again.

"Kill the rest. Burn this fucking house until there is nothing left but ashes. Send men out to search the area, but FIND THEM! If you don't then send our spies to the other cities and search for them. I WANT THEM ALIVE UNLESS YOU HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE! UNNESSICARILY KILL THIM AND I WILL HAVE YOUR HEADS!"

He walked out and looked deep into the night and the fire his men started.

"Soon my dear Kathryn you will pay for hurting me in front of every one. And I will do more then just grab you on your butt," he promised in the glow of the flames.

And so in the darkness of the night in a world that had learned nothing but evil and hatred two figures made their way through the gates of a city that could hopefully give them temporary sanctuary. One man with dark complex carrying the sleeping form of the woman he loves and knows nothing of the world outside her own body at the moment. Both where unaware that one of the shadows dancing on the wall would soon give a child to the dark lord he served and hopefully get his rightful place there again.

From another window a pair of purple/blue eyes watched the new couple coming in. Her hair tied back and revealing her red spots. A strange feeling rose in her as she watched them enter a hotel down the street. Her partner checked on some instrument and sighed at the readings.

He walked toward her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"How bad," she asked.

"It has accelerated, again. This planet and everyone on it has only 2 weeks left before earthquakes, thunder/ion storms, and all other forms of natural disasters begin to destroy this planet."

"I feel so guilty, just because of our stupidity and experimenting with Rafritzia. What could we had been thinking. We may have created them, but it was this planet and her people that paid the price..."

"I know, but none of our ancestors could have known that Rafritzia would regain a will of it's own," he lightly whispered.

"I know," she said with a deep sigh, "but that doesn't make the past any better to deal with."

"Seen anyone yet," he asked, trying to take her mind off of their people's greatest mistake.

She thought about it for a moment before for the first time turning around and smiled at him. "I… I think they just arrived."

End Part 4