Vorik stared back at Chakotay and B'Elanna with his usual Vulcan face but they could tell he was happy to,see them. The two of them climbed down the ladder to the main level to greet vorik. B'Elanna did it with a hug, something she obviously didn't do consistently with every person. She was happy to see him, he was one of her best engineers and close friends which surprised her as much as it did him. Vorik had predicted after his previous approaches towards her affection that she would have absolutely no interest talking to him again. She hugged him with relief and gratitude. At first he didn't respond, just stood there like a little Vulcan statue that was so still that she wanted to punch,him but eventually with some hesitation he put his hands on her back.
"Where the hell did you come from?" She asked releasing him. He gathered himself, brushing his uniform straight. Chakotay laughed.
"Your engineering team and I took shelter in the Jeffrey tubes after the fire started. A lot are still near an access port. Two officers and myself went in search of an industrial extinguisher to bring back here. It seems I was the only one who was successful. May I ask what is going on commander?"
"Voyager is dead in the water Vorik. B'Elanna and I are trying to get main power back online. Or at least emergency transporters. B'Elanna said you were experimenting with those."
"Yes sir." He walked to a console and started manual overrides. "This will take a few minutes at least. I require you're assistance Ltd."
They began working but Chakotay feared that they were running out of time to save some of the crew members. If bulkheads could crush Tom Paris on the bridge what could be on other decks, what damage was there? He hadn't even seen deck five let alone astrometrics or the weapons bay. If they were going to save anyone, they needed to get the shields up two hours ago in his perspective. But no, he had to collapse from lack of oxygen. He was in perfect condition compared to a lot of others he had seen. One third dead? He couldn't comprehend it. So many good people are dead because of a choice they had made six months ago. Even if they would have died anyway he would have preferred it be from an alien attack or systems overload than some giant space rock.
"I think we got it." B'Elanna said. "Vorik, transport me to the bridge. I need to get Tom some help."
"Yes lieutenant."
"And Vorik. Good work today." She said just before she was beamed away. Chakotay pat him on the shoulder in gratitude.
B'Elanna was beamed to the bridge. Only Harry and Tom were left on the bridge. There were hatches open leading to tubes which were used by the rest of the bridge crew to get to the rest of the ship. "Tom." She said with no answer. She turned to Harry worried.
"Dont look at me. I got a hole in my leg and I'm not moving from this chair. He stopped talking a few minutes ago. But he's fine B'Elanna. I'm monitoring his vitals from here." Harry said sitting on his stool at his station. She snarled at him and bent down on her knees beside Tom.
"Tom." She said again shaking him. "Tom!" His body stood still. "Wake up Tom!" She raised her hand hitting him hard against his face. His entire body flinched awake. Tom's eyes were squinted and his face tired but he was very much alive. He stared at her but didn't speak; she checked his wounds on his stomach. Not only was there external bleeding but internal bleeding as well. She could see the tenderness under the skin and it could be very dangerous if not treated. She smiled at him, he just stared back at her in neither pain or fear. "You're gonna be fine Tom. I told Vorik to beam us to sickbay after a few minutes. Just a few minutes and we can treat you." Tom didn't respond but he understood what she said. He was concentrating on her but couldn't respond to what she was saying because he was concentrating on staying awake too. He had a feeling that if he fell asleep again he wouldn't wake up. It was just a though but it was a feeling too. He had never felt that way.
B'Elanna stayed on her knees next to Tom by his head talking to him. Giving him a reason to stay awake. It was only another minute before they saw that the transporter was activated. In a blink they were in sick bay with a dozen other people in the center of the room.
"Where's the doctor?" She asked looking around the room and seeing injured crewmen and no doctor.
"He went to the mess hall to treat people who can't get here. He'll be back within the hour hopefully." Said one of the Starfleet personnel. "What's wrong with him?"
Tom was one of the worse in sick bay. Most had burns and minor crush wounds, he was hit by an entire bulk head. In his condition he would die soon without professional treatment.
Chakotay hadn't heard from his father in over a month, since their last communication. They had talked for an hour about his father's plans to invade cardassian space to take medical supplies and weapons inventory. His father never listened to what he had to say especially in these kinds of situations. His father was a stubborn old man who didn't see reason. If he moved he could avoid all conflicts with the cardassians and start a new life on a much nicer world. His world was dusty with only a river being the only nice thing to look at. Why be there when you could be on Risa or earth? He could make himself a new home and a new family with new neighbors. It wouldn't be the same but it was close and he wouldn't have to watch his family get slaughtered by a superior enemy.
The thought never occurred to Chakotay that his father could actually be killed. surly possible but he didn't think it would really happen. Chakotay was more focused on his work. It was three months till the end of the year and when he would finally be able to go back to being a real officer again. He felt so out of place there, being three years older than,everyone else on campus. Not many people looked down on him for it, a lot of cadets didn't know he was sent back which was good for him at the beginning of the year, a fresh start for meeting new people. Barely anyone remembered him from his previous years, besides the teachers of course and the occasional senior who had been a freshman the last time they had seen each other. But it was better than having every one know that he miserably failed.
Chakotay had been trying to fix his grades even though he didn't have his heart in it. He was doing much better, all he had to do was try a little and his grades perked up again; but he was trying for the wrong reasons, he had even less heart than before. His father had told him to work harder so he did, but the same person who was making him do better was making him feel worse. Though his father was an idiot for fighting the cardassians a part of him wanted to be by his father's side. To watch out for him. His father had even asked him to join him and his invitation echoed in Chakotays ears. A chance for excitement was better than staying classes waiting to see if he was good enough the second time. It was how he was raised to question and be free, but that wasn't what Starfleet was about. That was what he found out in his first assignment, there was no freedom, no choice, do what you are supposed to do and listen to the command officers. Never give your own opinion, never talk back, never asked for personal time. It was the opposite structure he was used to on his colony. And that fact was the reason his father's words were still in his head. "Join me son. Help make a difference."
He had no purpose at that point. He just worked to change himself and fix his grades to become the perfect officer. When he looked around the campus and back at himself he saw perfect officers in them. They had the perfect hair and uniform and perfect grades. He was rugged and jagged compared to them. He loved to stand out while all the others formed together to create the perfect unit. Too jagged.
He needed to talk to Talia, one of the most respectable and beautiful officers he had ever met. She was the best thing there for him. She was the person he could talk to without having to worry about misunderstanding. It was crazy but he was actually thinking of going with his father. He had to talk to her first though so she could give him a reason to stay or a reason to
He invited Talia over for the evening. Something they often did which meant she wouldn't see anything coming. He was shaking on the inside when she came in the room but he didn't let her see it. She came in with her uniform unzipped to her thighs wearing a tube top underneath. Her hair in a bun still but in a giant mess on top of her head. She greeted him with her big warm smile and a kiss on his cheek. "Talia I have a-" he stopped noticing a new pun on her shirt. "What's that?" He said returning her smile because he knew what it was.
"I was awarded the Salir pin." She said excitedly. With good reason. The pin symbolized excellence in the science field. Only two in every class was give out and allowed a cadet to get special training on a starship for a week. Talia would be put in charge of a starship science department for that time to train. It was what every science cadet worked for. "And I think we need to celebrate." Talia brushed the back of Chakotays neck.
"We definitely should." Chakotay responded bringing her closer to him and began kissing her.
Tom lay still as B'Elanna moved a regenerater back and forth over his leg burn but it wouldn't work on his internal bleeding. She had no experience with any wounds during a crisis. The second best person to the doctor that could treat Tom was Tom. And obviously that wasn't possible. She kept thinking just a few more minutes and the doctor would come in to treat him and save his life. There was no other option, if he didn't come in time she would destroy his program in the most savage way she could possibly find. First she would make him watch as she destroyed the mobile emitter, the thing that gave his joy and freedom then destroy him. But it could all be averted if he would just come through the damn doors! She was growing nervous, all of her wanted to hunt him down but all of her wanted to stay with Tom. Whether he was a dead corpse or not. There was a saying Chakotay had told her once that echoed through her every day since he said it because it was so true.
"No one deserves to die alone. No one."