Chapter Seventeen

The ground crunched beneath Chakotay's feet as he walked across the desert. He glanced behind him in the direction he assumed was the away team's camp with the Ighanians, but there weren't any caves anywhere to be seen. Confused, his head whipped around as he tried to figure out what was going on. No longer was he stranded on the planet in the middle of the Delta Quadrant, he was home. Elation swelled in his chest until he looked up at the bright blue sky that stretched above him in all directions. As soon as he saw it, he knew he was dreaming. There was a large moon that dominated the midday sky. The fact that he was dreaming didn't stop him from walking across the desert, continuing to explore. If his mind brought him to this location as he slept, there must be an important reason, and he simply had to figure out what that reason was.

Although the blazing sun beat down overhead, Chakotay didn't feel hot. After spending a week in the desert without any environmental controls and very little reprieve from the heat during the day, it was a welcome change of pace. As he walked, he kept his eyes open for any signs as to what he was doing here. His eyes drifted to the ground beneath his feet. The reddish sand littered with rocks stained his heavily scuffed boots from a week of wandering the desert and caves. This boots would probably need to be recycled when he got back to the ship. Caught up in his scrutiny of his boots, Chakotay almost missed it, but there was a clear sign right in front of him. Soft, barely visible grooves wove their way across the sand, leading him to the right of where he was currently walking. With a newfound understanding of what he was doing here, he immediately deviated from his current path and followed the tracks in front of him.

The tracks eventually disappeared into a small hole in the ground, prompting Chakotay to sit on the ground directly in front of it. Although the sun gave off no heat, the sand was warm beneath him. His hands rested comfortably on his knees as he closed his eyes and took several deep breaths to relax himself. The faint sound of movement across the sand prompted him to open his eyes. There, poking her head out of her den was his spirit animal. Just the sight of the familiar creature caused an overwhelming sense of calmness to wash over him. He'd been so distracted by everything going on that it hadn't crossed his mind to turn to his spirit guide for assistance, so it made sense that she would seek him out in his time of need.

Chakotay closed his eyes once again and focused all his thoughts on his breathing as he felt his stress slowly melt away. Despite the fact that his eyes were still closed, he could sense his spirit guide as she watched over him. Slowly, he opened his eyes and reached out to gently stroke the snake's head. It was her turn to close her eyes as she enjoyed the tender touch. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He understood why he had been summoned here. Although his spirit guide didn't tell him anything, he understood her message loud and clear. Everything was going to be alright. Voyager was going to rescue them. He just had to keep Seven as healthy as possible until then. He had to be strong for her. He had no idea how he was going to do that, but he had to find a way. According to his animal guide, this was his path, and he had to make the best of it. Chakotay tapped the back of his head three times, and the desert around him immediately disappeared.

Letting out a small gasp, Chakotay's eyes flew open. He was curled up on the hard ground with his arm locked tightly around Seven, who appeared to be resting as peacefully as could be expected. The front of his body was covered with a layer of sweat, which was strange given the fact that it was still cold outside. Heat radiated off her body, which immediately alarmed him and explained the sweat. He pressed the back of his hand against her cheek, which confirmed what he already knew: her fever was still raging without any sign of stopping. As gently as possible, he untangled himself and got to his feet; he had to do something to make her more comfortable, at least until help arrived. He saw Notaxi and Harry already awake and preparing breakfast in the distance.

Harry was surprised when he saw that Chakotay was already awake. Although the First Officer was usually up early in the morning, he'd been running himself ragged lately and usually slept in a little bit after waking up throughout the night to watch over Seven. He honestly didn't expect him to be awake for at least another hour.

"Commander, you can go back to sleep if you want," Harry offered as Chakotay took one of the small bowls and filled it with water. Up close, he could see the bags under his eyes. When paired with the grey that seemed more prominent in his hair than usual and stress lines that creased his face, he seemed to have aged twenty years since the start of this away mission.

"I'm fine," he insisted after draining the cup and going back for more. "We have to assume that Voyager knows something's wrong now but probably won't start heading in this direction until this afternoon at the earliest."

"Which means they won't get here until tomorrow at the earliest," Harry interjected. Chakotay nodded with a grim expression on his face.

"I want you to check on the shuttle, see if Voyager left us any communication." Harry opened his mouth to point out that the likelihood of that happening was almost non-existent, but he quickly decided against it. There was a faint sparkle of hope in Chakotay's eyes that he hadn't seen since the cave in, and he wasn't about to trample on that. If he wanted him to check for any communication on the shuttle, then he would.

"Aye, Sir."

"I'm going to take a look at the mobile regenerator. Seven's taught me a little bit about the technology." That was an overstatement. She'd done her best to explain the technology to him, but he wasn't an engineer. He had a very basic understanding of Borg technology, which was far more complex than anything Starfleet had. Thanks to his brief time being linked to a Collective with Riley and his time with Seven, he hoped he would be able to figure out some way to fix the mobile regenerator. Chakotay knew that he was just grasping at straws here, but he had to do something. He needed to follow the directions of his animal guide and make sure Seven was comfortable and taken care of until Voyager finally arrived to rescue them. With any luck, they'd be gone in a little more than twenty-four hours, and Seven would be able to get the medical help she so desperately needed.

With the exception of Seven, Tom was the last one awake. He hadn't meant to sleep so late, exhaustion had finally caught up with him, and it just happened. Usually someone woke him up and gave him his orders for the day, but that wasn't the case today. He wasn't complaining, of course, because clearly it meant that he needed the sleep, but he also felt guilty because it left others to pick up the slack for the morning. When he sat up and looked around, he saw that everyone else was already awake and going about their tasks for the day. In the shadows of the cave, Chakotay sat next to Seven with the mobile regenerator open in front of him. The First Officer's brow furrowed with determination as he concentrated on his task while Seven rested next to him. Every few minutes, he glanced up at her to make sure she's alright, but she didn't move. Harry was gone, off somewhere probably trying to help. Notaxi swung his bag over his shoulder as he walked away from the camp, presumably to forage for food. Wanting to feel useful, Tom scrambled to his feet. Suddenly he felt wide awake and ready to get his day started. He might not be able to do anything to help Seven, but he could at least help gather supplies for the day.

"Hey," he called as he jogged after the Ighanian. "Can I come with you?"

"Sure," Notaxi agreed. He glanced back at Chakotay, who caught his eye for a split second and gave the faintest hint of a nod, which was enough permission for Tom to leave camp for the time being. He fell into step alongside Notaxi as they set off across the desert to gather supplies for the day.

As sick and tired as he was of this place and all the trouble it had caused them, Tom did have to admit that the desert did have a certain appeal to it. Despite the fact that everything around him appeared to be brown and either dead or dying, there was an odd beauty about the desert. It was amazing that plants could find a way to survive and even thrive in this harsh climate. What was even more surprising was that Henan and Notaxi were able to find a way to survive despite the fact that they weren't from here originally. Over the years, undoubtedly through significant trial and error, they found food, water and even medicine, all without the help of the Kalrussians who stranded them here in the first place. Suddenly, it dawned on Tom that he knew almost nothing about their new comrades, other than the fact that they had been lured here with the same ruse that had brought the crew from Voyager here. Other than that, they were a complete mystery.

"How long have you been on this planet?" Tom blurted out, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen over the pair as they hiked over the barren terrain. Now that he asked it, he realized how strange his question sounded since it was completely unprovoked. Without breaking his confident stride, Notaxi stopped to think.

"About three years," he finally replied. His eyes darted back and forth across the desert in search of anything they could use at camp for either food or medicine. The answer shocked Tom. he couldn't imagine being stranded on a planet with only one other person from Voyager for three years. Sometimes being stuck on the starship felt smothering, there were only so many people to talk to in a day. At least there was some variety on Voyager in terms of who to talk to, and there was the fact that they were traveling across the quadrant and always running into new and interesting species. He knew that if he was stuck on this planet, even with Harry or B'Elanna as company, he would go crazy within a month.

"Have you ever tried to leave?" Notaxi shrugged.

"Several other species have offered when we've helped them with the Kalrussians, but we've always said no." Tom snapped his mouth closed. He was about to say that Voyager might be able to get them home, or at least closer to home than they currently were once they were rescued. "We're happy here. It's been a fresh start for both of us." Suddenly things began to fall into place for Tom. Although Notaxi didn't admit it, his body language spoke volumes. He got the immediate impression that Henan and Notaxi were involved with something less than savory back on their home planet, and this was their chance to escape it and redeem themselves by helping those who were stuck here. In a way, it was their way to make atonement for whatever their past actions had been. Tom had had the same thoughts when he first agreed to help the Captain retrieve the Val Jean so many years ago. While everyone had been heartbroken over being stuck in the Delta Quadrant, he'd seen it as his opportunity to make things right and start fresh. Now, he had a wife, a beautiful daughter (not to say B'Elanna wasn't beautiful as well) and a highly respectable job on one of the best starships in the Federation. Anyone would be jealous to have half of what he had. Clearly he'd managed to make a decent name for himself, just like Henan and Notaxi.

"Well, if you change your mind, I'm pretty sure the Captain will let you come with us. We have a habit of picking up wayward souls." That was definitely an understatement. Kathryn always made sure to open the doors of Voyager to anyone who wanted safe passage, regardless of their past. In a way, the starship was a second chance for anyone who wanted it.

"Clearly," Notaxi commented dryly. "A Borg isn't exactly common on most ships." Henan had filled in Notaxi as to how Seven had joined the crew of Voyager. While he found the situation strange, he also found it almost touching that the crew had been so willing to take a risk with her. It had obviously worked, and based on the way the rest of the away team reacted to her current condition, she was obviously quite dear to all of them.

"No, it's not," Tom agreed with a laugh. "But I can't imagine Voyager without her. We have another Borg too."

"Is he also human?"

"No, Icheb is Brunali. He hasn't been on Voyager for as long as Seven, He's actually applying to the Starfleet Academy."

"How will that work since you're so far from home?"

"We've found a way to make it work." Tom didn't want to reveal that Voyager had regular data transfers with the Alpha Quadrant. For some reason, he decided to keep that fact to himself.

"You must have a impressive vessel. How many are on your crew?" There was an eagerness in Notaxi's eyes that hadn't been there before. It was a fleeting moment, but not so fleeting that Tom didn't catch it. Just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. At first, it caught him off guard. All of a sudden, he felt that the conversation had shifted from him getting information about the Ighanians to the other way around. Tom didn't feel comfortable revealing how many crewmen were on Voyager, it wasn't any of Notaxi's business anyway.

"It's not much," he said humbly with a small shrug of his shoulders without answering his question. With any luck, Notaxi would drop the matter. "She gets the job done." It wasn't exactly a lie. After seven years in the Delta Quadrant without any chances to update Voyager with the help of Starfleet, there was no doubt that the ship was starting to get a little out of date. He knew B'Elanna did her best to keep the ship up to date, but there was only so much she could do with her limited resources. The Borg upgrades from Seven and Icheb certainly helped, but the starship would definitely need massive upgrades when they finally got home. Just as he had hoped, the conversation died off.

After walking for nearly half an hour, Notaxi stopped and crouched down in front of small pale green sprouts that were no more than a few centimeters tall. They looked sickly and pathetic, hardly anything worth stopping for, not that there was many other plants around here to choose from. Despite that, Notaxi looked excited to find them. Tom got the sense that this was what they had come all the way out here for.

"These are called kliziss," Notaxi explained as he began to dig around the sprouts with his bare hands. The dry dirt slowly gave away, and Notaxi followed the thin, delicate stem that continued to disappear deeper in the ground. "They're hard to find because they have very small, sickly plants that grow above ground." He continued to dig, eventually revealing a vegetable that looked to be similar to a navy blue potato underneath. With a victorious smile spreading across his face, Notaxi plucked the vegetable out of the ground and handed it to Tom. "We normally boil it and make a soup out of it, along with several other vegetables that we can find nearby." Tom had to admit that he was impressed.

"We never would have found this on our own," he admitted as he began to stuff the vegetables in his bag as Notaxi handed them to him. This was probably going to be the best meal they'd had since getting here. If only they could get Seven to eat some of it, she could use the nutrients more than any of them.

"No, I imagine not." Once all the kliziss were collected, both men got to their feet. Still accustomed to keeping his uniform neat, Tom brushed the sand off his pants. At this point, this was an exercise in futility. His pants were stained and the bottoms were starting to get frayed. All the movement and kneeling on the ground was starting to wear out the knees; Tom wouldn't be surprised if he completely wore them out in the next day or two. The grey t-shirt he wore was covered with sweat and dirt. Everything would have to be recycled the moment he got back to Voyager, they were all ruined. "We're going to keep looking, there are some more vegetables I want to find to make something to help your friend get back her strength," Notaxi explained.

"I don't think some soup will help, Seven can't keep anything down," Tom admitted as they began to walk once again. He immediately began to mentally berate himself. He needed to be more optimistic. He was a stranger on this planet. Perhaps there was something here that would help Seven get back at least some of her energy that she was losing as a result of her nanoprobes shutting down, and a little bit more energy could mean the difference between life and death for her.

Tom's cynicism didn't deter Notaxi, who continued to scan the desert with expert eyes. This was clearly someone who had adapted to living here and continue to thrive here for years to come. Tom couldn't help but think about when they had first landed their shuttle here, which seemed like a lifetime ago. Upon seeing the desert stretch out in all directions, he'd immediately assumed that this place was little more than a barren wasteland, unsuitable for supporting any humanoid life. Now that he'd had a chance to spend some time with Notaxi and Henan, he saw that that wasn't the case. There was so much here that could help them survive, if you knew where to look at is. Of course, Tom had no intention of staying here and learning to survive on this planet for the long haul. He couldn't wait until he got back to Voyager, and this was nothing more than a distant memory, something they brought up in passing when reflecting on away missions that went horribly wrong. Unfortunately, that couldn't happen until they were rescued, whenever that may be.

Chakotay had no idea what he expected to accomplish by looking at the mobile regenerator. There were simply too many parts missing to get it to work, and even if he had the parts, there wasn't a way to fix it, as he had no tools. He needed to do something to make himself feel useful while Seven slept, even if that meant pouring over the useless device in the hopes of finding a way to make it work. He glanced over her and saw that her eyes were cracked open, prompting him to immediately abandon the task in front of him and devote his attention entirely on her.

"Hey," he murmured gently as he crawled the few feet over to her. Her eyes opened a little more, indicating that she was in fact awake and, with any luck, lucid. "How are you feeling?"

"Everything hurts." Other than the fact that her voice was incredibly weak, she sounded normal, as if she just woke up from a nap. It was a reassuring sign that perhaps her body was finding a way to compensate for the lack of regeneration on its own; Borgs were known for their adaptive technology after all.

"I know, sweetheart," he murmured tenderly. When Chakotay pressed the back of his hand against her cheek, however, he was immediately proven wrong. She was still burning up. Seven's gaze shifted from focusing on his face to over his left shoulder. When it stayed locked there for several seconds, he glanced over his shoulder to see what she was looking at. They were the only ones in the cave so there shouldn't be anything or anyone for her to look at. "What is it?" he pressed.

"When did the Doctor get here?" His heart sank. For a second, he thought she was fine, but all those thoughts were quickly dashed when he realized that her fever was so bad that she was starting to see things.

"He's not here, Seven. The Doctor is still on Voyager. They're on their way to get us." It wasn't necessarily a lie, he knew Voyager would be on its way here to rescue them, but he still felt slightly guilty for misleading Seven.

"No, he's right there." To make her point, she pointed over Chakotay's shoulder. Her entire arm trembled with fatigue for several seconds before falling pathetically across her stomach. "The Doctor is right there. It looks like he's going to perform surgery on me. Tell him I'm fine. I do not require any surgery or maintenance." Chakotay leaned forward to take her face in his hands.

"Look at me," he urged. His voice had shifted from tender and caring to frazzled and desperate. He longed to do nothing more than to take the pain away from her; she didn't deserve to go through anything like this, she'd already suffered enough pain throughout her life. "The Doctor isn't here, and he's not going to perform any surgery on you." Seven clawed desperately at his arms as she attempted to break free. Her nails dug into his exposed arm, but he ignored the sharp pain.

"No," she cried. "Don't let him touch me." A few stray tears sprang up in her eyes and began to roll down her hollow cheeks. Chakotay had no idea why she was all of a sudden so afraid of the Doctor; he'd always assumed that they were good friends. Clearly she was seeing something far more intimidating than just him.

"I won't, muñeca, I promise. I'll order him not to." That seemed to calm her down enough to get her to stop clawing at Chakotay's arms. He ran his thumb over her cheek. "Just rest." His voice had gone back to gentle and comforting. Between his reassurances and the soothing tone of his voice, she began to relax once again. Gradually, her breathing slowed down, going from ragged gasps for air to shallow, even breaths until she was asleep once again. While Chakotay had grown to worry whenever she slept too much, he was actually grateful, as whatever plagued her while she was awake was clearly more terrifying than whatever she dreamt about, at least for the time being. He brushed her hair back from her face and did his best to make sure she was comfortable, or as comfortable as possible given her current declining health.

The incident with Seven left Chakotay feeling shaken. There were many aspects of her condition that caused him to grow increasingly worried. She was sleeping almost all the time now, only awake for a few minutes every few hours, and those moments were becoming briefer and more sporadic. When she was awake now, he could tell that her delusions still plagued her, causing her waking moments to be just as terrifying as the nightmares that gripped her as she slept. Her fever was still dangerously high and showed no sign of breaking anytime soon. Since she was sleeping all the time, she was barely eating and drinking, and Chakotay knew she ran the risk of becoming dehydrated as well, especially in this sweltering heat. She needed sickbay and all the medical equipment that came with it, not the constant presence of a cool cloth on her forehead and the hopes that she'd get out of here soon. Even with the reassurances from his animal guide, Chakotay found himself feeling hopeless.

Chakotay barely had time to recover from Seven's outburst before Tom entered the cave. He had been gone for nearly two hours, and the First Officer had been starting to get worried that something had happened to them as Notaxi usually wasn't gone that long when he foraged for food. After being out in the sun for so long, the cool shade of the cave felt like heaven to Tom. He grabbed one of the small bowls, filled it with water from a nearby canteen and immediately drained it without a second thought. He couldn't wait to get back to Voyager and it's constant climate control, among other perks.

"How did the foraging go?" Chakotay asked.

"We found these vegetables to make for dinner," Tom replied as he produced what looked like a squash from the bag slung over his shoulder and handed it over to Chakotay. While it looked like a squash, it certainly didn't feel like one, its skin was soft, almost like a tomato.

"It's not the best tasting, but it has plenty of nutrients," Notaxi explained as he unpacked the kliziss from his bag. Tom and Chakotay exchanged wary looks. To them, it sounded like exactly leola root, although they hoped it tasted better. If they could survive eating that, then they were sure they could survive eating this. "If we can get your friend to eat some, it may help." Sighing, Chakotay glanced down at Seven. He honestly had no idea how to make that happen, as she was barely awake anymore. She needed to eat though, he knew that, he just had no idea how to make that happen.

"We need to find a way to lower her fever too, even by a few degrees. Her body is using up so much energy that way," he pointed out. Notaxi and Tom exchanged brief glances.

"We actually have an idea for that," Tom said. "But I'm not entirely sure that you'll like it." Chakotay felt himself grow tense. If Tom was warning him ahead of time, he knew it wasn't something he would like. On the other hand, if it was something that would help Seven, he may have to suck it up and deal with it.

"Okay…."

"Seven's bodysuit is probably retaining a lot of heat. Notaxi has an extra tunic we can change her into." Suddenly all the pieces fell into place. It wasn't that Chakotay didn't like the idea, as it was probably the only way they could help regulate Seven's escalating body temperature, but he didn't like how it would have to be executed. Since Seven was obviously unable to change herself, he would need to do it, but he wouldn't be able to do it on his own. The thought of someone else helping to change out of her clothes unsettled him. It wasn't that he didn't trust them, he just didn't like the thought of other men touching her in that matter, no matter how innocent it might be. The realization startled him. He was feeling jealous. Logically, he knew he had felt it before when he and Seven had discussed the sleeping arrangements, but that seemed like a lifetime ago now. This was completely different, though. Before, it had just been the thought of Harry or Tom sharing a tent with her, which was completely innocent. Now, one of them might have to help him remove Seven's clothes. He would have to get over his jealousy, especially if this was something that could help her.

"Okay," he relented hesitantly. "Tom, I want you to help me."

"Aye, Sir." Notaxi pulled the tunic out of his bag before exiting the cave to give the men some privacy. He could sense the apprehension in Chakotay and wanted to give them some space to complete the task. Chakotay picked up the tunic. The fabric was homespun and looked rough, but it was soft and lightweight against his touch. This would be perfect and hopefully do something to help lower her body temperature.

Once Notaxi was gone, both Chakotay and Tom stared at the tunic. They had no idea how to get started. They both knew they had to be gentle with Seven, but there was no gentle way to do this; dressing and undressing an unconscious person was a difficult task, even with two people to do the job.

"What if we put the tunic on over her bodysuit," Tom finally suggested as the idea formulated in his head. "Then you could remove the bodysuit?" It seemed like the most reasonable suggestion that would save Seven's modesty while simultaneously getting the task done. With the tunic in hand, Chakotay stood over Seven and thought over the suggestion. It seemed easy enough.

"Okay," he relented. Both men crouched down. As gently as possible, Chakotay lifted up Seven's torso. She immediately flopped against him.

"Hold her up the best you can," Tom directed. Thanks to his time working in sickbay and his experience as a father, Tom was somewhat familiar with getting sleeping forms dressed, prompting him to take charge of the situation. Of course, Miral was much easier to change because she was significantly smaller, but the basics were more or less the same. Chakotay moved so he was behind Seven and held her up by the waist. Her head immediately went forward, and her chin rested on her chest. It was good enough for Tom, who bunched up the tunic and pulled it down sharply over her head. Working with surprising speed, thrust both of her limp arms into the sleeves. Tom paused for a few moments while he tried to think of the next steps. "Chakotay, it'll be easier to start removing her bodysuit now before we pull down her tunic."

"Okay. You're going to need to hold her up." Very carefully, the men switched positions so Tom was the one with Seven's limp form braced against him. The amount of heat that radiated off her unnerved him; it served as a reminder that a fever continued to grasp her with no sign of letting go. Chakotay knelt in front of Seven with his knees on either side of her legs. He reached under the tunic and carefully felt along the back of her bodysuit for the zipper. He'd seen her remove it in the privacy of his quarters, but he wasn't exactly sure where it was because he hadn't done the deed himself. He'd also been more excited to see what was underneath the bodysuit to actually pay attention to how she took it off. Finally, his fingers brushed against a small piece of cool metal, which he correctly assumed was the zipper and gently tugged it down to her waist. As if on cue, Seven's eyes opened slightly.

"Chakotay?" she muttered as she turned to nuzzle Tom's chest affectionately. He immediately froze and locked eyes with Chakotay. He expected the First Officer to get upset, but he looked more concerned than angry at the intimate action. Chakotay couldn't be mad at Seven, she was in a somewhat delirious state, and he couldn't be mad at Tom, as he was only trying to help.

"Uhh...wrong guy," Tom stammered uncomfortably. Chakotay stopped what he was doing and turned his attention to Seven. Since she was awake, she may be able to help the awkward process along.

"I'm right here," he murmured tenderly as he ran his fingertips along the back of her hand. Her head twitched as she attempted to look at him, but she was too weak to sit up properly. After a few moments, she finally gave up and leaned against Tom. It still didn't fully register to her that it wasn't Chakotay she was leaning against, nor did it matter to her; all she wanted to do was rest. The voices and faces swirled in front of her an overwhelming cacophony of noise and images made worse by the fact that her optical implant was barely functional anymore, leaving her essentially blind in one eye.

"What's going on?" Her speech was slurred, virtually impossible to understand unless someone was right next to her, which Tom was.

"We're changing you into something that will help cool you off," he explained.

"Can you help us move your arms?" Chakotay requested.

"I think so." Her arm twitched and flexed slightly.

"Okay, give me a second." He reached under the tunic once again and carefully peeled back the bodysuit. Thanks to the sweat and grime that coated her, it stuck to Seven like a second layer of skin, making it slightly more difficult to remove than he originally anticipated. As he removed it, he could feel her fiery flesh being exposed underneath. "Okay muñeca, I need you to flex your arm." Seven complied to the best of her ability, but it was an exhausting task. "Good job. We're almost done." He carefully guided her arm through the sleeve of the tunic before turning his attention to the other arm where he repeated the same process. As he pulled the bodysuit down her torso, he was horrified at what he felt. Every single rib stuck out as his fingers grazed her blazing hot flesh. Already incredibly slender, Seven was dropping weight dangerously fast. Not only did he have to worry about her fever, but now he had to worry about how much she weighed. When they got back to Voyager the Doctor would have to find a way to help her gain back all the weight she lost. "Lay her back down," he told Tom. Very carefully, he backed up so she could lay down properly. Without meaning to, he ended up with her head resting in his lap. Her hand automatically reached out for Tom's and held onto it for dear life. He glanced at Chakotay, but he was preoccupied with removing the rest of the body suit. His fingers brushed against her hips, which jutted out sharply. Just a week ago, they had been gentle, sumptuous curves. If anything, this served as another startling reminder that she was wasting away. As Chakotay's fingers brushed across the implant on her leg, he nearly recoiled in horror. The metal felt like it was on the verge of overheating. Mindful of the complex implant that wove its way across her delicate thigh, he pulled down the bodysuit completely. Before throwing it to the side, he removed her comm badge and slid it in his pocket. He'd stow it away on the shuttle for safekeeping later.

Once Chakotay was done, Tom untangled himself from Seven's grasp and laid her head down on the pile of clothes that served as her pillow. Sometime during the entire ordeal, she had managed to fall asleep again. The movement had been too much for her, and now her body needed to recoup whatever energy it could.

"Thanks for the help," Chakotay said as he reached out to brush Seven's hair back from her face.

"Just don't ever tell B'Elanna." Chakotay chuckled. It was the first real sign of happiness that Tom had seen come from the First Officer since they got here. Ever since they set foot in this planet, all Chakotay could focus on was the well being of the crew, along with finding the source of the distress call. It had been a disaster almost from the beginning. If anything, this away mission would turn them all off of away missions for a very long time.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." Chakotay knew better than to tell B'Elanna about this. It was no secret that she and Seven didn't get along, and while Tom's help had been completely harmless, she still wouldn't be pleased. There was no way he would ever tell her about this, even though it was completely harmless and meant to help Seven, he valued his life far too much to be that reckless.

That evening, Chakotay emerged from the cave just in time for dinner. While he felt guilty for not helping prepare the meal or maintain the camp in any real capacity, the guilt was fleeting, as he was more focused on keeping Seven safe and comfortable. Every other member of the camp could look after themselves, but she was completely helpless and at the mercy of those around her for even the most basic of needs, such as a sip of water or a bite of food.

"How is she?" Harry asked as Chakotay sat across the campfire from him.

"About the same," he replied dejectedly. "Fever at a hundred and three, only awake for a few minutes at a time, and when she is, she has no idea where she is or what's going on."

"That could be a good thing," Tom pointed out. "She might not be aware of how much discomfort she's in." Chakotay could only hope that that was true, because then it meant that Seven wasn't in as much pain as she appeared to be. There was no way to know for sure. On the other hand, if she were aware of the severity of situation, she might be able to help find a way to fix her mobile regenerator. Seeing as she was unable to help, they were on their own.

"When do you think your vessel will get here?" Henan interjected, changing the subject.

"There's no way to be sure," Harry replied. "I spent all day in the shuttle trying to get in contact with them and trying to use sensors to scan for them, but there's too much interference in the atmosphere. I've put out several distress calls to play on loop, and they know where we landed. All we have to do is stay close to this area. They should be here in a few days." Although nobody was saying it, everything was thinking it: they had no idea if Seven would even last that long. All they could do was keep an eye on her, keep working on the mobile regenerator and hope for the best.

The wind began to pick up. It was slow at first, something none of the men noticed until it knocked one of the canteens off on a nearby rock with a loud clatter that sent them all jumping to their feet. Chakotay instinctively reached for his phaser at his hip until he realized what it was. Thick clouds rolled across the dark sky, punctuated by bright flashes of light in the distance, instantly telling everyone what was going on.

"We better get inside," Henan announced. In a way, the plasma storm was a blessing in disguise. Chakotay had only intended to be away from Seven long enough to grab some food, he had no idea why he had even sat down in the first place. Now, the weather forced him back to her side where he intended to watch her throughout the night, just like she would if the tables were turned.

As the beginnings of the storm swirled around them, all five men scrambled to gather their supplies and rush into the safety of the cave. Tom skidded to a stop next to Seven, who was resting in the mouth of the cave where she could easily be monitored by everyone at the camp, and turned to Harry.

"Help me move her further inside," he ordered over the sound of the wind. Harry didn't need to be told twice. While Tom looped his arms under hers, he grabbed her feet, and they carefully carried her about fifty meters deeper. Remembering his duty to look after everyone who was a part of the away mission, Chakotay was the last one in the cave. At least now if something happened, they would all be together.

"Is everyone here?" he asked. He had to raise his voice more than usual to be heard over the wind outside, which was picking up at an alarming speed outside.

"Yeah, we're all here," Tom assured. "What are the chances the Kalrussians will come back and try to steal more from us?" While he asked in a joking manner, it was a serious question directed at Henan and Notaxi. The Ighanians exchanged quick glances as if trying to figure out the answer themselves.

"I don't know," Henan replied.

"They're cowards," Notaxi added. "Now that they've seen that you're not going to stand for their thieving ways, I imagine that they'll stay away." It was a relief to the away team. There was nothing left for the Ighanians to steal, but they were still hesitant, fearing they would show up and attempt to take what little supplies they had left.

"One can only hope," Harry commented bitterly. Uninterested in the conversation, Chakotay sat down next to Seven. As gently as possible, he lifted up her head and rested it in his lap. At least for right now, he could offer her something slightly better than using a pile of dirty uniforms as a pillow. It wasn't much, but it also made him feel better that he was this close to her. She moaned softly. As if knowing it was him, she rolled over and grasped at the leg of his trousers for a second before relaxing once again.

Satisfied that everyone was safe in the cave, Chakotay was able to relax with a bowl of soup in one had, at least slightly, as he kept the other hand on Seven's shoulder. Remembering the feeling of her emaciated body against her touch, he no longer felt hungry. As delicately as possible, he lifted up her torso and cradled her in his arms.

"Wake up, muñeca," he prompted. She didn't respond, so he repeated himself. "Seven, wake up." Although he didn't mean it, his voice was more forceful the second time, more like an order than a request. Moaning, her eyes cracked open.

"Is it time for me to report to duty?" she asked. It was difficult to hear her weak voice over the sound of the plasma storm raging outside. Chakotay had to duck his head down so his ear was right next to her lips to hear her properly.

"Not yet," Chakotay replied. He hoped that going along with her delusions would help make her more comfortable, although he couldn't be certain. At this rate, he had nothing to lose and everything to gain. "I brought you something to eat."

"I do not require nourishment."

"Yes you do. Just a little bit, for me." He sounded desperate as he pressed the bowl to her lips. She immediately pursed her lips and turned her head away in protest. Despite the fact that she had turned her head away, the smell of the warm broth still wafted up, immediately assaulting her nostrils. Almost instantly, an uncontrollable sense of nausea overwhelmed her. She immediately pushed Chakotay away and fell to her hands and knees, heaving violently in the process. Chakotay immediately leapt into action. He knelt next to her and pulled her hair back from her face while rubbing her back soothingly. Tears of humiliation and agony sprang up in her eyes as she tried to force something, anything to come up from her stomach. Unfortunately, her nearly exclusively water diet the last few days had made that more or less impossible. A sob of frustration slipped past her lips. "Shhh, it's okay," Chakotay soothed as he continued to rub her back, which was just about all he could do right now given their current situation.

Having seen what was happening from the other end of the cave, Tom materialized at Chakotay's side with the tricorder in hand. While Chakotay attempted to comfort Seven, Tom scanned her to figure out what was causing the nausea. The scans were inconclusive. All he could do was watch helplessly as Chakotay tried to calm her down enough for the gagging to subside. Seven's arms and legs shook with fatigue from supporting her body for too long.

"Chakotay," Tom warned. "She's going to collapse." Chakotay immediately looped an arm around her fragile waist in an effort to support her.

"I'm fine," she insisted as she attempted to push him away. Not buying it for a second, he kept his arm around her as they both sat back, essentially forcing her to rest against him. "I'm fine," she repeated drowsily.

"Just rest," he murmured while he stroked her hair. "You need to conserve your energy." She nodded briefly but instantly regretted. While the nausea had temporarily helped her forget about the perpetual headache she suffered through, it was now back with a vengeance. She rested her head against Chakotay's chest and closed her eyes with the hope that that would be enough to make the pain go away. It didn't, but the gentle beating of his heart helped to lull her back off to sleep.

Even though Chakotay sensed that Seven was resting once again, he couldn't bring himself to let go of her. Instead, he settled back against the wall of the cave and held her in his arms like a small child. They fit together perfectly, as if it was meant to be. Harry joined them, crouching down next to Tom.

"Did she manage to eat anything?" he asked. Chakotay shook his head.

"I think the smell of the soup was what set her off," he replied.

"She needs to eat," Tom pointed out. "She's going to get dehydrated, and that's going to put even more of a strain on her body." As soon as he said those words, he instantly regretted it. All he was doing was pointing out the obvious. Everyone here knew that Seven needed to eat and drink. Notaxi had even gone out of his way to find vegetables that would help her build up her strength today, but she couldn't even stand the smell of them. At this rate, her body was going to continue to waste away, despite their best efforts to get her back to Voyager safely.

A strong arm held Seven close. She opened her eyes but couldn't see anything. As soon as she tried to look around, her head started to pound in protest. Groaning, she buried her face in what she thought was pillow until she felt it gently rise and fall with each breath. That, combined with a smell that was uniquely masculine told her that she was curled up against someone. Her thin fingers carefully groped along the stranger's arm, up to his face, which she traced lightly in an attempt to figure out who it was. It only took her a few seconds to figure out that it was Chakotay. His presence comforted her as she nuzzled closer. She was absolutely freezing, and his body gave off a wonderful amount of heat. All the movement caused him to moan and run his fingers gently along her back.

"How are you feeling?" he asked softly so as to not wake up anyone else. It was silent outside, indicating that the plasma storm had long passed. His chest rumbled against her. It was an odd, yet comforting phenomenon.

"Exhausted." Her voice sounded stronger, much more coherent than their past few interactions, which instantly roused him from his sleep. Chakotay scooted back so he could look at her properly. Even in the limited light, he could make out the faint outline of her pale face. She almost seemed to glow in the darkness.

"Do you want any water or something to eat?" Memories of what had happened just a few hours earlier when Seven tried to eat came flooding back to him, but she didn't seemed phased by it at all. With any luck, she didn't have any memory of what had happened.

"No. I just want to spend what time I have left with you." Her hand came to rest on his cheek. He instinctively turned towards it and brushed his lips against her palm. Her hands were cold and clammy, a startling change from a few hours earlier when they had been on fire.

"Don't talk like that," he urged desperately. "Voyager is on its way, and we're going to get you back safely. It's my job to get everyone on this away team back safely, and that includes you."

"Chakotay, I'm dying. I'm not going to make it back." Chakotay's heart skipped a beat. He'd been praying for a few lucid moments with Seven, just so he could get a glimpse of her old self, but now that he had them, he mentally cursed himself. At least when she was delirious or out of it, she had no idea about the severity of her condition. Now, however, she was aware of everything going on around her, including the fact that she was essentially on borrowed time. Unsure what to do, he pressed a firm kiss to her forehead.

"You might have given up, but I haven't. The Captain is on her way right now, and you're going to be fine."

"You're being unreasonable. Denying the severity of my situation will not change it. I am just upset that we didn't get more time to spend together as a couple." Her voice was slowly growing weaker, an indication that her body was starting to run out of energy once again. He wanted to make the most of these last few minutes together. Realistically, he knew this could be the last lucid conversation she had with him, no matter how much he tried to deny it. One of them had to be the optimistic one.

"We'll have plenty more time when we get back to Voyager," he promised Seven ignored him. Her mind was starting to become foggy again, making it difficult to form a complete thought, let alone a coherent sentence. She grasped his upper arm firmly as if clinging to him for dear life would be enough to ground her in reality. She had so much she still wanted to say, and she knew she only had a few seconds left to say everything.

"Chakotay, I lo-" He pressed a finger firmly against her lips.

"No, not like this," he urged. "Tell me on Voyager when all of this is behind us." The words died on her lips as she fell asleep once again, shivering against him. Chakotay kept his arms firmly around her. He buried his face in the soft pillow that was her hair and drew in a deep breath to calm himself down. Never before in his life had he doubted his animal guide so much. He had a hard time believing that everything was going to be alright when Seven had essentially just told him goodbye for the last time.

Chakotay laid awake long after sleep claimed Seven. With one arm outstretched to his side to serve as a pillow for her, he rolled onto his back and stared at the high ceiling of the cave. Despite how she felt, he absolutely refused to give up. If he knew the Captain, and he liked to think he did, she was already on her way back to rescue them. Seven just had to hold on a little while longer. Unfortunately, he knew from past experiences that once a person gave up in situations like this, it was only a matter of time until they died. Chakotay absolutely refused to allow that to happen. He wasn't prepared to give up yet, not when he knew Voyager was on its way. If only he could find a way to get Seven to hold on to hope. He was certain they would be rescued shortly.

The following morning, the away team emerged from the cave with Henan and Notaxi. The sun shined brightly overhead, giving no indication of the storm that had ravaged the landscape the night before. Seeing that the firepit had been destroyed, once again, Harry began to gather stones to trap in the heat, not that they needed heat right now. By his estimation it was already close to twenty-six degrees Celcius. It was going to be another long, hot day. Caught up in his thoughts about the day ahead, Harry didn't notice the strange bundle wedged between two rocks. He grabbed one of the rocks, knocking the bundle loose and sending it clattering to the ground. The noise caught his attention. Temporarily abandoning the rock, he picked up the small bundle. It was tan fabric wrapped around something and crudely tied off with a piece of rope. Whatever this was, it definitely hadn't been at the camp last night. As far as he knew, this didn't belong to anyone here. Intrigued, Harry untied the bundle, revealing its contents.

"Commander!" he called over his shoulder. "You better get over here." Still tending to Seven inside the cave, it took Chakotay a few moments to hear Harry's voice and emerge from within.

"What's wrong?" he asked. His eyes automatically began to scan the sky, hoping that Harry had spotted a rescue team on the horizon and that they would soon be out of here.

"Look what I found." Harry held out the bundle for Chakotay to see. Enclosed in the torn piece of fabric was a handful of tools the Kalrussians had stolen from the away team during their several attempts to pillage the contents of the shuttle.

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you did, make sure to leave a review and check out my other fic: Adjustment Period.