Although Neelix did his best to reassure the crew about the Captain's safety, the morale onboard had taken a precipitous turn for the worst.
Everyday they are reminded that Voyager was not a typical Starship. Yes, there are the obvious differences between Voyager and a ship like the Enterprise – one treads in known quadrants of the galaxy and, though it has its share of out of the ordinary experiences, it is nearly always in safe communications range of Starfleet and other ships. The other, however, traverses a yet humanly uncharted section of the galaxy, making due with little. But, proximity to authority and known space were not the only aspects that set Voyager apart. No, unlike other starships, Voyager is truly a family operation. She is a ship held together by love, tears, sweat, blood, and the sheer determination of her crew and her Captain.
It has always been a romantic notion since the days where exploration was limited to sea-ships that Captains inspire trust and fealty in those who serve under them. Voyager made that notion a reality. Every single crewmember loves Kathryn Janeway and would die for her without hesitation. The whole crew is palpably worried for their Captain, who, at the moment, lay very ill in Sickbay.
It wasn't rational or even productive, but he can't help it. He should be on the bridge. He should be in his office going over reports and crewmember evaluations. He wasn't needed in sickbay, but he is there. No one is going to say anything to him about it either, not even Tuvok.
The ever-logical Vulcan had learned, even in his own life, that love is not logical. Many think that Vulcans have a poor understanding of emotion solely because they do not express it. The truth of the matter, however, is that Vulcans know more about emotion than they let on – Tuvok in particular. Over the past 5 years of separation from his wife, Tuvok has very privately gone through emotions of loss and love for his dear T'Pel. Secretly, he wants nothing more than to be by her side. So, he says nothing to the Commander and assumes control of the bridge and ships communications.
After the staff meeting, Chakotay had every intention of going back to his office, but his legs refused to take commands from the frontal cortex of his brain and instead they decided that they had a mind of their own. That mind led him back to Kathryn's side.
And there he's stayed, glued to her bedside, deep in thought. Occasionally he touches her. They are small touches, letting her know he was there. But in truth, those small touches are more for him than for her. He feels her forehead. It is still warm. The doctor was able to bring the fever down from dangerous levels, but it is still there – a harsh reminder that she is still under its control. But, she is no longer covered in sweat. However, she still remains deep in sleep.
He can see movement in her eyes, indicating that she is dreaming. 'What are you dreaming of Kathryn' he wonders. He thinks about earlier that morning when he found her; what had she said? 'She looks just like you'. 'Who looks like me, Kathryn? Wake up, Kathryn. Please. Will you remember what you said? If you do, will you tell me and not couch it in protocol? Will you brush it to the side like you do every emotion that Starfleet hasn't sanctioned?' He was going in circles in his head.
He looks over to his right. The Doctor is deeply entrenched in work, taking micro-cellular scans, rummaging through phials of medicine, typing data into the console. Tom, though, stays by the Captain. He monitors everything. In the end, they had chosen to intubate. Her respirations had fallen though not yet into dangerous levels. However, they do it as a safety precaution. So there they stand. There they anguish. There they wait.
"Bridge to Commander Chakotay" Harry's somber voice cuts through the silence of Sickbay.
Chakotay taps his combadge automatically, "Chakotay here, go ahead Harry"
"We're in communications range of the Tevian 8. Tuvok is speaking with the planet's Ambassador right now. Tell the Doctor that we'll be able to set up that comm link soon".
"Thank you, Harry. Tell Tuvok to mention to the Tevians that we are prepared to beam the Doctor down if they need to collaborate with him in person".
"Aye Aye sir. Kim out".
Tom looks up from his tricorder hopefully, "now we just wait. Shouldn't be long, Sir," he smiled and then added, "she's a fighter, Commander. Don't worry – she won't let a little thing like a virus get her down. She's taken on the Borg Queen, remember!"
There are times, most of them in the past, but some of them in the not so distant past that Chakotay truly despised Tom Paris. But, over the past five years, he's seen him transform from a cocky adolescent to a man that he respected and thought of as his peer, his equal, his friend, and now his family.
Tom might not have realized it, but with those few words, his constant meticulous presence, and his jovial spirit, he was giving Chakotay strength.
The Tevian doctors are just as accommodating as the negotiators had been. Because of the research the Doctor had done in the hours before the rendezvous with the planet, he had been able to amass a large volume of knowledge and understanding on Tevian virology. The Tevians are in the middle stages of developing a treatment. But, truthfully, because of the Tevians vastly different physiology, they initially have a difficult time understanding why the Captain has become so ill; most Tevians who contract the virus only suffer brief bouts of malaise.
In the end, it was the complex interaction of the virus with the Captain's physiology and weakened immune system that had left her so vulnerable. Thankfully the doctors are able to devise a treatment. However, it is determined that the damage to the peripheral nerves cannot not be medically reversed – the Captain will have to come to terms with that on her own. And truthfully, the extent of the damage will not be known until she wakes.
Within 24 hours of administering the initial dose of the treatment, the fever subsides and the decision is made to remove the breathing tube. 30 hours after the administration of the drug, she begins to wake up.