Chapter Ten

After they bathed, got a bit more rest and took some time to dry off, they rebandaged Chakotay's shoulder before getting dressed again. To their delight, they found that the bits of tent they carried were waterproof, and they were able to twist one of them into a makeshift bag that held a small bit of water. "It's better than nothing," she had told him, holding it for him as he tied one of the extra fabric strips around its top.

Hand in hand they made their way back to the road, both wearing silly grins on their faces. "I can safely say that's the most fun I've ever had on an away mission," he said, giving her fingers a squeeze.

She laughed. "You're welcome."

They continued to trudge on through the better part of the day, occasionally seeing maladaks flying far overhead where they weren't a threat. The sky started to darken, and before long it was spitting rain. As the skies opened up into real rain, Kathryn glanced up. "I am going to be so glad to get back to Voyager," she said.

He shielded his eyes as he looked around for something that might serve as shelter. "I never thought I'd miss those sterile corridors."

"Sterile?" Kathryn huffed a laugh. "After six years of our crew, invading aliens and god knows how many explosions, sterile is the last thing they are."

Chakotay stopped to look at a potential dry spot when she tugged at his hand. "Listen!"

He perked up, straining to hear anything beyond the rustling leaves. Sure enough, there was a faint sort of mechanical sound just barely louder than the sound of rain on the ground. "What's that?"

The new president, a grizzled, white-haired woman with stooped shoulders and eyes that could melt duranium, waited in the main entry as a column of light coalesced and took form in front of her. "Commander Tuvok," she said in a stony voice that dared someone to interrupt her.

Quickly assessing his surroundings, Voyager's tactical officer stepped up to greet her. "President Sach, my thanks for this meeting."

She started to move to a small room off to the side of the large space, one that housed large banks of equipment in the walls and a pair of operators at their controls. "As you can see," she began, indicating to a number of red and white symbols on the largest screen, "while we have secured the city, there are still a number of escapees who we are tracking through the forests."

He examined the readouts. "And the whereabouts of the Captain and Commander?"

She faced him in a stance that instantly reminded him of Kathryn Janeway. "As I told you before, Commander, our first priority is the insurgents. Our teams are aware your people are out there, but we cannot send out a dedicated search party until we complete our missions."

They stood there silently for a few moments, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from. It was impossible to tell, but the one thing they did know was getting louder, fast. "Whoever they are, I hope they're friendly," she worried aloud. "It might be our only chance to get back to civilization." Kathryn led him over to what she thought was the side of the road and waited, preparing to flag down whoever was coming.

A huge roar came over the crest of the hill behind them faster than they anticipated, nearly running them down as it flew by. Chakotay shoved Kathryn out of the way before diving after her, unable to keep from crying out as he landed heavily on his left arm, jarring his shoulder. He threw himself over her when he heard the all-too-familiar screech of maladaks, but the creatures were too busy following the vehicle to even notice they were there.

When everything was silent again, he rolled off her and onto his side as he tried to deal with the pain radiating from his wound. Kathryn reached out to him as she visually checked him over. "You hit your shoulder, didn't you?"

He nodded, then took a few deep breaths until he was ready to open his eyes again. The sight that greeted him made him start to laugh – the kind of laugh that a person never expects but can't control. "What's so funny?" she demanded.

When he was able to breathe again, Chakotay licked his lips as he laid his hand over the one she had on his arm. "You look like you've been to a spa," he managed to say, reaching over to wipe something off her cheek with his thumb.

Self-consciously touching her own face, Kathryn found thick globs of mud on her fingertips. When she hit the ground, she had landed on her front, and her face had been shoved into the dirt when he'd covered her body with his. Realizing what she must have looked like, she too started laughing. "Well, I guess I won't need to get any Frelan beauty treatments while we're here."

The sound of another car racing by made them duck again, though it and the chasing maladaks passed without incident. After things went quiet again, the pair sat up and looked around again. "It looks like we may have hit a main route," he said aloud, watching her wipe some of the mud from her face.

"Hopefully it means we're that much closer to civilization." Kathryn stood and offered him a hand. "With any luck, we'll be back on Voyager before you know it."

Letting her help him up, he flexed his arm to make sure he hadn't injured it as well. Then, still holding her hand, he stepped back onto the road.