Tegan Chronicles STV Style 3:

What's Left of the Flag 10

Jurroth picked the dagger up and stalked behind Tegan, her quiet whimpers escaping on ragged breaths was music to his ears. He grabbed a fist full of her hair and yanked her head back as far as it would go as he brought the blade around to the front of her abdomen. He growled breathily in her ear. "Tell your Captain Janeway to give me the codes."

"No." It wouldn't matter if she told Janeway to do it, or if she begged her to do it, she couldn't give out that information and Tegan would never dream of asking her. She would die first, even if it meant taking Tuvok with her.

He pulled on her hair. "Do you know the codes?"

Tegan hesitated and he took her hesitation as affirmation.

"Tell me the codes." He pressed the blade against her abdomen.

"No." She moaned as he drug the blade across her skin leaving a trail of blood from her belly button all the way around to the edge of her back.

"See? Delicious." He smiled and licked her blood from the blade. "You understand."

"No." She repeated.

He wrapped his free hand around her left ankle and bent her leg back taking the tip of the blade he stuck it in the bottom of her big toe a quarter inch and listened to her whimpers while ignoring the sounds coming from Tuvok. "The access codes."

She took a deep breath. "Go to hell."

He drew a line with the blade tip from her toe to her heal splitting open the bottom of her foot before letting it drop and skulking to the doorway. He turned and chucked the dagger at her landing it squarely in her untainted thigh. A frown creased his face when she didn't jump or even cry out. He lifted his eyes to see hers were closed and her head hung at an uncomfortable angle. He glanced at Tuvok who was watching him keenly, his mind clearer than it had been since the torture started. "Well, that won't do. Doctor!"

The little man scurried in. "Yes Jurroth?"

"She's lost consciousness." He pointed an accusing finger at Tegan's limp body.

"You know it only lasts 36 hours maximum." He shrugged as if there was nothing he could do about it.

"Give them both another dose."

Dr. Murdrow didn't move as he stared up at Jurroth. "Another dose? You know what that will do."

"If you won't give it to them, I will. And then I'll deal with you." His eyes narrowed on the man who quickly bowed his head and nodded.

He looked at Janeway as he crossed the space between her and the other two. As he reached up to press the injector to Tegan's neck he whispered, "I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

Something bit her neck, the stinging sensation flowed through her veins like lava and she screamed sounding more like a wounded Targ than a human. Her eyes were still aglow with light when she spotted Jurroth standing by the door watching her. He was wearing a smug grin and in the back of her mind she could her him whisper 'delicious'.

"It won't be as bad for you since you are still conscious." The doctor explained as he once again injected Tuvok. He turned to Janeway, ignoring Jurroth's looming shadow. "Please forgive me."

Janeway blinked slowly and gave a small nod of her head.

"Oh, that's right Lieutenant, you wanted to escape." Jurroth mocked from the doorway.

Tegan groaned her response. She knew there was no way she could currently maneuver upside down and get the chain of her shackles off the hook. Jurroth had also seen to it she would be unable to walk by dislocating the knee of one leg and cutting the sole of her foot on the opposite one which was in addition to having a knife sticking out of both.

He reached up and pressed the button which lowered her, watching in delight as her legs collapsed under her and she again cried out in pain. He stopped the hook in its decent when it was hanging just above her head. He didn't think she would be able to unhook her shackles but he didn't care if she did. He didn't even care if she made it out of the room which he also doubted was likely, there was no escape for them. His laugh echoed off the walls as he turned and walked out.

"Delta Flyer to Voyager." Chakotay tried for the third time before looking at Harry and Seven and stating the obvious. "I'm not getting a response to my hails."

Seven pressed several keys on her console giving the impression that she was playing a piece written by one of the great composers of the eighteenth century. "Seven of Nine to the doctor."

"Seven, am I glad to hear your voice. I didn't expect you back for another 16 hours."

"We have been hailing Voyager without success." She ignored the relief in his voice and the sudden dead weight in her stomach.

"The crew has been taken captive and I've been locked out of the ship's functions."

"How long ago?" Chakotay asked before Seven could ask if everyone had been taken captive, if maybe somehow B'Elanna had managed to go undetected. She needed to focus on the conversation between Chakotay and the doctor but after hearing the crew had been missing for just over 48 hours her heart was beating too fast and her mind only wanted to show her all the awful ways her lover could be suffering. This was why she was certain being human and falling in love was ineffective. She would be much better to B'Elanna and the Captain and crew of Voyager if she didn't have feelings of friendship and love for some of those members.

"No, I am the only one in the sickbay." Seven heard the doctor respond.

"Seven and I will have Harry transport us directly to sickbay then, we'll see you in a few minutes Doc."