I don't own Voyager or Wolverine. I tried to keep it consistent with the episode mentioned.

Chapter 4

Illuminating Sunlight

They continued down the horizontal tunnel. The rocky tunnel is partially blocked by a force field, but a slight gap is on the right side where some rocks have fallen.

"We cannot get through!" Kes exclaimed, "The opening in the force field is too small. We will have to go back and find another opening."

Logan gently lowered B'Elanna to the ground as Tom did the same with Ensign Kim.

"Can't you just blast the rocks with your phasers and make the opening larger?" asked Neelix.

"Yeah if you want the tunnel to collapse on top of you. I would survive but I doubt you would, Bub." Logan said sarcastically. I knew I would be discovered at some point. Might as well do it now while they will appreciate my differences.

"Give me a second and I'll make the hole larger without the tunnel collapsing on us."

"How are you going to do that?" snapped Tom "Dig yourself out? That might be sandstone but it is still too tough to cut with your hands."

"Just watch me Bub. I am getting sick and tired of your attitude. Do you want to stay here?"

"Calm down everyone. I'm sure Mister Chordata has a way of doing it otherwise he would not have offered." Kes replied sternly. " Whatever you do, don't touch it. We've been told it'll burn your skin off."

"No problem lady. I'll be fine."

With that Wolverine popped his claws with a snikt. Neelix jumped back in shock, Tom's mouth dropped open, Kes took a step back and B'Elanna merely rolled her eyes.

Logan turns back to the wall and with a roar starts carving a large hole for them to get out. As the rock falls some of it hits the force field and vaporizes. It only takes a minute for his adamantium claws to carve out a large enough opening for them to go through. Turning around wolverine rolls his eyes. Everyone was still frozen. He relaxes and allows his claws to return. Moving to the side of the opening he gestures to the new pathway.

"MOVE IT!" he barks "I'll explain later."

Kes made it up first and walks around the force field. She is quickly followed by Neelix who nervously rushes past Logan. Tom closes his mouth and helps Ensign Kim up. Luckily the new path is now large enough to fit two people going through at once. Ensign Kim and B'Elanna were still weak and needed the continued help of Logan and Tom.

5 Minutes later they reach the end of the tunnel.

"I think we've reached the top. Logan do you want to cut our way out or do you want us to use our phasers to blast through the last foot of rock?" quips Paris.

"Just use the phasers. I'm not your personal drill." Wolverine growls as he pulls out his phaser.

"Neelix, get out your phaser." Tom commandes.

Paris, Logan and Neelix fire at the tunnel roof. It falls in and they can see daylight.

Paris climbs out onto the desert and helps Kes then Kim. Next comes Torres. Neelix got a boost up from Logan and as he climbs out Paris calls to Voyager.

"Voyager, can you get a lock on us now?"

"Affirmative. But I'm reading only six signals."

" The others are…" Tom never got to finish that sentence as Wolverine yelled.

"Get down!"

Meanwhile back in the Shaft

"They're not far ahead of us. Keep going." Janeway says as they continue up the staircase.

Seconds later a weapons hit shakes the shaft, throwing Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok off balance, and a cloud dust comes out of the hole.

Back on the surface everyone is recovering from the last weapons strike.

"Paris to Janeway. Chakotay, Tuvok, do you read? Voyager, prepare to transport everyone in this group except me."

"Aye, sir."

"You're not thinking of going back there?", questioned Neelix. " Well, if a fool needs company. Take care of them, dearest. I'll see you later."

"You two trouble makers aren't going alone. Voyager, make that three to beam up. Lock in on all the other comm. badges and energise."

Kes, Kim and Torres are beamed up as the three head back down into the tunnel.

After the blast Janeway checks on Tuvok then turns towards Chakotay.

"My leg is broken. I can't move." Chakotay he tells her as he grits his teeth from the pain.

"Hold on." says Janeway.

From above them they hear Neelix call out

"There they are."

"Neelix, help me with Tuvok." She commands.

"We'll get Chakotay." States Paris.

Neelix, Janeway and Tuvok leave the top of the staircase. Another weapons hit dislodges the metal from the rock wall and breaks the joints. Chakotay falls and barely grab the railing hanging on by his fingertips.

Wolverine looks at the collapsed stairs trying to help his Captain. He puts a tentative foot onto the crumbling staircase and it groans audibly when he places all of his weight on it. He does weight 300 pounds with all of the adamantium on his skeleton.

" Get out of here, Paris and Logan, before the whole thing comes down!"

" I intend to, as soon as I get you up." Declares Paris.

"And I ain't leaving till the both of you are up and out."

"You two get on those stairs, they'll collapse! We'll all die!"

"He's right Paris. I'm too heavy. If I get on there it will definitely collapse. I'd survive but Chakotay wouldn't. It might hold you but you could both die."

"Yeah? But on the other hand, if I save his butt his life belongs to me. Isn't that some kind of Indian custom Chakotay?"

Another blast shakes the whole staircase.

"Wrong tribe." Chakotay says as he shakes his head.

"I don't believe you."

Paris gets to Chakotay and grabs a hold of him.

"You'd rather die than let me be the one to rescue you?" quips Paris.

"Fine. Be a fool. If I have to die, at least I'll have the pleasure of watching you go with me." Chakotay says as Paris helps him onto his back.

"Logan help me with Chakotay."

"I can't. I told you. Any more weight on this structure and it'll collapse!"

"Fine, I'll get him up myself."

With Chakotay's arms around his neck, Paris pulls them both up the steps.

"Isn't there some Indian trick where you can turn yourself into a bird and fly us out of here?" he says stressed from helping Chakotay keep off of his broken leg.

"You're too heavy." He quips back.

As they reach the top Logan grabs Toms arm and pulls them to safety just as the section of staircase falls.

The next chapter will deal with Wolverine's explanation and conclusion