The thrill of the chase

Part seven of "Little blue world" - an AU series
by Jinny W
June 2001

Disclaimer: Paramount owns all. I'm just playing.

Summary: Chakotay's rescue is complicated by an unexpected discovery.


~~~

Acting Captain's Log

It has been two days since the Kazon Ogla ambushed our away team. Two days of painstakingly following warp particles. Two days of frayed nerves. Two days without our Captain.

The doctor completed his extensive tests on Harry Kim yesterday and assures me that there was no sign of phalathion at all in his system. After the doctor's other bombshell - that Seska is not who she seems to be - this was hardly surprising. I ordered a search of her quarters and B'Elanna found a small vial of syrecium, the second type of corrosive gel which her report suggested could have created the explosion in engineering.

It seems that my instincts about Seska were right.


Kathryn toggled off the recording function with a flick of her fingers. Keeping a log was a habit she had let slip since their arrival in the Delta Quadrant. Now she needed the reassuring comfort of her old routines.

Mostly because of another old habit - being back in the Captain's chair. Although none of the Maquis had questioned her right to lead them just yet, she sensed that eventually someone would dispute an order and she'd be forced to assert her authority. How precisely she was going to do that without the support of Chakotay, she didn't know.

She admitted to herself (somewhat grudgingly) that she missed him. Not just his physical proximity, but his company - his calming confidence, his sense of humour, his friendship. It was an odd sensation. It startled her to realise - and she'd had to ask the computer for the date to calculate this - that they had been travelling on the Liberty for nearly five weeks now.

His presence had become part of her daily routine. At odd moments of the day she caught herself making a mental reminder to tell him something - usually some trivial tidbit: that Kes' mushroom farm had blossomed, or to relate some inane prank Tom had played on another crewman. In a way the realisation was uncomfortable. Were her feelings for him deeper than she had wanted to admit? If they were, what was she going to do about it when he returned?

A rap on the door brought her out of her reverie.

"Come in", she said.

B'Elanna stepped through the doorway, breathing heavily.

"Sorry", she gasped, "I ran down here. I must be more out of shape than I thought."

Kathryn eyed the lithe half-Klingon in amusement, but didn't comment. "Sit down. What's wrong?"

"Thanks." B'Elanna slumped onto a chair and began to catch her breath. "I've just found something interesting on the sensors I thought you'd like to know about right away."

"Why didn't you just call me? I could have come up to the bridge."

B'Elanna shook her head. "I wasn't on the bridge. I was working from engineering, and I didn't want to tell everyone else there just yet."

"Now I am intrigued."

"Neelix told me earlier that there's a space station in a system about two days travel from here. It's a kind of trading hub. He thought that the Kazon might stop off there to resupply, seeing as they don't have any of their own bases in this sector."

"That sounds reasonable."

"I was trying to extend our long range sensors so we'd be able to tell if they stopped there without having to follow their warp trail right up to the door. Not that crawling along tracking warp particles isn't fascinating", she added dryly.

Kathryn grinned in agreement. "And?"

"And I found this". She handed Kathryn a padd. "I know what I think it is, but I'd like a second opinion."

As Kathryn scanned through the readings, she could feel her heart rate increasing. "Neutrino emissions?"

"At first I thought it was just a random singularity, but then I saw these figures here." She tapped the corner of the padd.

"I see what you mean."

B'Elanna leaned closer, her eyes shining. "What do you think? Is it-"

"A wormhole?" Kathryn nodded. "It certainly looks like it from these scans. Any idea where it leads?"

"We won't be able to tell that unless we get closer."

"So you want us to make a detour?"

"It's up to you. I think it's worth a look, but it will take us off the trail of the Kazon ship."

"How far off?"

B'Elanna shrugged. "About six hours or so."

Kathryn chewed her lip, thinking hard. "It looks like we know where the Kazon are headed now."

"They'd only have to stay docked at the station for half a day and we'd catch them up".

Kathryn made her decision. "Alright", she ordered. "You have the bridge. Take us to these co-ordinates, and we'll see where that wormhole goes."

"Aye."

As the younger woman left, Kathryn tried to calm her racing mind. Even if it was a wormhole, it didn't necessarily lead back to the Alpha Quadrant. Even if it did, they were still missing two crewmembers. Kathryn set her thoughts resolutely on that point. Seska could live out her last days with the Kazon for all she cared, but she was not leaving Chakotay here in the Delta Quadrant.

~~~

A palpable silence spread over the mess hall as Harry hesitated in the doorway. Twelve faces looked up from their plates, regarded him for a few moments, then looked down again. Harry briefly considered skipping lunch altogether, until he sighted Tom Paris, who was grinning at him from his corner seat.

"Harry", he called out, "Come on over. It's the jailbreak special today."

The other crewmen chuckled, and the tension in the room was broken.

"Thanks", he said, as he slipped into a seat opposite Tom.

"Oh, I wasn't kidding", Tom replied, waving his fork in the air, "Neelix has made this lunch in honour of you."

"The jailbreak special?" Harry said skeptically.

"I think he's calling it a 'welcome back Harry' special."

"Better."

"Not so theatrical though."

Neelix beamed as he carried over a steaming plate.

"Welcome back, Mr. Kim", he said, maneuvering the plate down in front of Harry. "I've made you a pot roast."

"Thanks, Neelix."

"There's dessert to come too", Neelix added, "and speaking of which-" he grinned again, then dashed back to the galley.

"I would have thought three days in the brig was bad enough, without subjecting you to a 'special' dinner too," Tom observed.

"Mock all you like", Harry said, taking a lingering bite, "but this beats rations."

"If you say so." Tom watched him eat for a few minutes, before continuing. "So. How do you like the taste of freedom?"

"I'd like it better if this last week hadn't happened," Harry said shortly.

"Well, speaking as one who's been there, take my word for it, you get used to it."

"Being a prisoner?"

"No. The way people look at you."

"I don't want to get used to it," Harry jabbed his meal viciously. "Besides, there's a big difference between our cases. I didn't do it."

"I know that. B'Elanna and I never thought you did."

"Thanks", Harry allowed, "but the others are all still looking at me like I have the plague."

Tom glanced around the room. "I think they're just embarrassed."

"Embarrassed? Why?"

"Because they were wrong. Because they misjudged you. It's a hard thing to come back from, accusing someone of being a traitor. You can't just go from 'how dare you sell our secrets to the Kazon' to 'hi Harry, let's go grab a drink',"

"I guess so."

"I bet people just haven't figured out what to say to you yet. You'll see, things will go back to normal before you know it."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Great. Things were so wonderful before."

"You know", Tom said, eyeing him carefully, "this incident might have proven one thing."

"And what's that?"

"That you were right about not fitting in here."

Harry glared at him. "Thanks awfully. Have you been practicing giving pep talks in my absence?"

"I mean, you were complaining that you didn't feel like you belonged here. Other people noticed that you didn't seem to be very happy. Maybe this is a wake up call. You can make an effort to change that now." He took a swig of his drink. "And, with all these people feeling bad about misjudging you, maybe they'll be more willing to get to know you better. Because of the guilt thing."

Harry blinked. "Your logic is bizarre."

"Thankyou."

"But I think you're right. I don't want to go back to the way things were - me moping around all the time, working by myself. I want to be part of the crew."

"Great". Tom beamed. "B'Elanna and I can throw you an 'I'm innocent after all' party."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "This display of altruism wouldn't have anything to do with you wanting an excuse to spend more time with a certain woman, would it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tom said loftily.

"Hmm."

"B'Elanna's working now, but as soon as she gets time off I'll talk to her about it."

Harry couldn't help but smile.

~~~


"What's going on?"

"I can't see anything."

"Neither can I."

Another blast struck the ship, and Chakotay felt himself being thrust to one side. With his arms bound tightly behind his back he found it difficult to maintain his balance. After some effort, he managed to press himself back into a sitting position. Judging from the swearing coming from behind him, Seska was facing similar difficulties.

"Who's firing?" he asked.

"How the hell should I know?"

"I don't even understand what the Kazon want us for in the first place. If they came back to finish off the Liberty, why take us?"

"They didn't come back."

"What?"

"They're not the same sect as the Kazon who attacked us in the caves", Seska snapped.

"How do you know that?"

At Seska's silence he tried twisting around to face her. "Seska?"

Through the gloom he could tell she was refusing to look his way. A fourth explosion sent a gust of steam across the room, and he winced in the sudden heat.

"I wish we knew what was going on", he grumbled. Seska didn't respond.

"That Maj who came down here yesterday said he was from the Kazon Ogla", she muttered eventually. "The ship that attacked us three days ago was a Nistrum ship."

"How do you know that?" he repeated.

"I just do."

"Why do I get the feeling you're not telling me everything?"

Seska snorted. "You've probably been spending too much time around Janeway, that's why. That Starfleet priggishness probably rubs off."

The venom in her voice caused Chakotay to pause. At that moment whoever was attacking the Kazon ship stopped. The stillness seemed eerie in comparison.

"Why do you dislike her so much?" he asked suddenly.

"She's weak."

"Kathryn?" Chakotay laughed shortly. "I don't think so."

"Really?" Seska sneered. "She lets her almighty Starfleet principles shape her decisions. She's blinded by compassion for people who are never going to know what she sacrificed for them. She doesn't care about us, about the Maquis."

"Are you talking about the array?"

"Of course I'm talking about the array. If she hadn't destroyed it we wouldn't be here. Case closed."

"Kathryn didn't destroy the array. The Caretaker had a self destruct mechanism."

"But the Caretaker died before he set it," she objected. At his silence, she added, "I heard Tuvok telling Neelix about it."

"Then you obviously didn't stay for the whole story."

"What's to hear? She told Tuvok to initiate the self destruct."

"No", he said, more forcefully than he'd intended. "I told Tuvok to set the self destruct."

Seska chortled. "You're joking."

"No, I'm not. It was my decision. Kathryn agreed with me, but it was my order, not hers."

Seska fell silent, but in the comparative stillness he could hear her grinding her teeth.

"Seska?" he asked.

"You destroyed the array?"

"Yes."

"You stranded us here?"

"Yes."

"You bastard."

"What?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think it was important who made the decision."

She laughed curtly. "You're such a fool. No wonder you and Janeway have been so friendly all this time."

He hesitated before responding to that. "I don't know what you mean," he said carefully.

"Oh really? I mean no wonder she's been looking at you with those pathetic puppy dog eyes for the past month. You showed her what a caring, compassionate man you really are."

"Compassion isn't a weakness", he said softly.

"It can be."

Chakotay's response was lost in the hum of a transporter beam. He blinked as they both materialised on the bridge of a Kazon ship. Through the viewscreen Chakotay could see the Ogla ship hovering helplessly, its engines nearly completely destroyed.

A dark faced Kazon male stepped closer to them and offered what he presumed was supposed to be a smile.

"Who are you?" Chakotay demanded. "Where are we?"

The man chuckled. "Is that any way to greet your liberators?"

"Liberators?"

"I'm Shonah of the Nistrum", the man declared, "We have just rescued you from the clutches of the Ogla."

His eyes flickered from Chakotay over to Seska.

"So", he boomed, "this is the human male you told me about."

Chakotay felt his mouth turn dry. He swallowed hard and turned to her.

"It was you," he said. It wasn't a question.

Seska's lip curved up into a sneer, as she stepped over to Shonah and took his hand.

"Of course it was me," she said.

~~~

"Options?"

Kathryn glanced around the conference room at the remaining members of their "senior staff." Neelix, B'Elanna, Tom, and Harry all looked away. Tuvok met her gaze but didn't reply.

"Alright," she said. "As I see it we have three options. One: We can take the Liberty through the wormhole now. In three hours we'll be back in the Alpha Quadrant. Barring the wormhole collapsing while we're in it," she added. "Which is a distinct possibility, given that it seems to be a temporary phenomena. Two: We leave here and head for the trading hub at Pyrrah, and see if we can catch the Ogla ship before they depart."

She glanced around at them once more before adding, "And three, which is my preferred option: We'll take Neelix's ship out of our cargo hold, and send most of the crew through the wormhole in it. I'll stay, with a crew of volunteers, and we'll go after Chakotay on our own."

B'Elanna spoke first. "I'm not going back without Chakotay."

"We may never have this opportunity again," Tuvok replied. "The wormhole is unstable, and may be gone by the time a rescue attempt is made."

"Or it might not be", Tom added.

"In addition", Tuvok continued, ignoring him, "I believe we should consider the wider issue here."

"Which is?" B'Elanna asked.

"Which is the possibility of this crew never reaching the Alpha Quadrant by conventional means." He folded his hands on the table as he spoke. "Even Starfleet's newest vessel would take 70 years to traverse this distance, travelling at maximum warp. Our top speed is warp eight. It would take us -"

"I don't think that's relevant", B'Elanna cut in.

"On the contrary", Tuvok said, "It would be logical for us to take this opportunity to end our journey."

"Not without Chakotay."

"I don't think I like option one", Neelix offered, "but I'm happy for someone else to fly my ship through the wormhole. I'll stay here and help."

"I'm staying too", Tom said. When the group turned to him in surprise, he added, "I haven't spent the last five weeks making friends here just for you all to crucify me for desertion."

"Well, that makes four of us who want to stay", B'Elanna said. "What do you think, Harry?"

Harry, who had been sitting silently throughout the meeting, looked up from the table. He glanced over at Kathryn, his gaze inscrutable.

"I can't say I've had the time of my life here", he began slowly, "but I'd like the chance to prove that I'm part of this team. I say we go after Chakotay."

Kathryn stared at him, a flush creeping across her face at the young man's simple declaration. She owed Harry an apology, she knew, but she hadn't really thought about how their lack of trust must have affected him. She threw him a small smile, and nodded.

"That makes five of us in favour of staying." She glanced at Tuvok. "We should consult the rest of the crew to see who else wants to stay."

Tuvok regarded her steadily. "If it is your decision to stay, Kathryn, then I will stay with you. Logically, your chance of success increases if you utilize my expertise."

"Logically," she agreed, her mouth twitching. "Alright then. I'll make an announcement. Meeting adjourned."

As they stood to leave, she added, "Harry? Could you stay for a minute."

He turned to her, his face blank. After the room emptied, Kathryn cleared her throat.

"Sit down?" He slipped back into his seat, still stony faced.

"I've never been in this position before, so I have no idea what I'm supposed to say."

Harry smiled sadly, a humourless gesture. "Well, I've never been in this position before either. But as Tom would say, 'It really sucks'."

She frowned at him. "Sucks?"

"It's rotten."

"Oh, yes." She rested her hands on the table and sighed. "I suppose I should start by saying that I'm sorry for not believing you. I know that sounds cliched", she added, "but I do mean it. I'm very sorry."

Harry nodded but didn't reply.

"I don't know if it makes any difference or not, but I didn't want to believe it. It was only when the doctor told me about the chemicals you asked for, and then Chakotay found you with the transmitter-" she trailed off. "Well, it didn't look good."

"I still don't know how that got there", he admitted, "I don't remember Seska being close enough to plant it on me."

Kathryn smiled ruefully. "She's good. She fooled all of us. And she's been fooling the Maquis for years now, working for the Cardassians, it seems." She rubbed her head tiredly. "Thankyou for your support, just now. You have every right to want to go straight home."

Harry shrugged. "We're in an unusual situation here."

"That's putting it mildly."

"I thought unanimity might be the way to win Tuvok over. Captain", he added, with a small grin.

She returned the smile. "Don't get too used to that," she said, "Chakotay will be back soon enough."

"Don't you miss being the Captain?" he asked suddenly, then blushed. "I'm sorry, that's none of my business."

"That's alright." She rubbed her eyes again. "I am enjoying being in command again", she admitted, "but I can't say that I missed it. If you'd asked me a few months ago, I might have told you I would. It's strange." She ran her fingers over the table top absent mindedly. "I suppose it's because everything's so different here. It isn't like I've been demoted on a Starfleet ship. That would be odd. But the way things work here", she shrugged, "it just isn't comparable."

He nodded. "I know what you mean."

"I always wondered what it would be like to get to know the crew better", she said. "I guess now I have the chance." She met his eyes. "I'd like you to be a part of that, Harry."

Harry bobbed his head again, then smiled shyly. "I'd like that too".

~~~

Chakotay lay on his back staring at the ceiling, his mind awhirl. Seska's arrangement with the Nistrum leader - whatever it was - had garnered him a guest room, rather than a cell. He'd also been fed, and a medic had cleaned up the blood stains from the Ogla's beating. What he didn't have were answers.

Shonah had explained briefly that Seska had chosen to associate with the Nistrum rather than their Ogla rivals. She had provided him with several small pieces of technology - a tricorder, and a dermal regenerator - as proof of her sincerity.

"Unfortunately", he snarled, "we lost those items when the Ogla attacked us a few days ago. I was not on board the ship at the time," he added, as if reassuring Chakotay of his battle prowess.

"That must be why they came after the Liberty", Seska reasoned. "They were probably going to blackmail Janeway into giving them technology too, in exchange for our return."

Shonah had leered at her then. "Too bad", he said, "we have you now. We'll do the bargaining."

Chakotay drummed his fingers on his stomach, wondering what Kathryn would do. Was she still following the Ogla ship, thinking they were there? Surely they could catch up easily now the Nistrum had effectively disabled it. Seska had spoken dismissively of Janeway's strength, but he suspected she was more tenacious than Seska gave her credit for.

His thoughts returned again to the Bajoran woman. Why did she hate Kathryn so passionately? Was it really because she thought Kathryn had destroyed the array? Was that why she had chosen to go against his wishes and seek an alliance with the Kazon? Chakotay could think of no other sound reason. Although the Liberty was an old ship, its technology still bettered the Kazon's by about fifty years. Why was she so anxious to use outside help to get home?

His train of thought was interrupted by Seska herself, who entered without knocking. As she sat down on the bed, he pulled his body upright, and edged away from her. She smiled at the gesture.

"You have rather a high opinion of yourself", she commented. "That's not what I'm here for. I just came to talk."

Chakotay stared down at his hands, trying to stay calm. "I don't know where to start."

"Don't you have any questions?"

"You planted the transmitter on Harry, didn't you?"

"Of course."

"Why Harry?"

She shrugged. "Jonas told me that he thought something was going on, that you suspected the two of us. He was an easy target. Such a sap too", she added.

Chakotay clenched his jaw. "Why are you doing this?"

She rested her hand on his knee. "I'm doing this for us."

"There is no us."

"That doesn't mean I don't want to help you. I want to get us home more quickly. All of us." She slid her hand back over the covers. "It's not too late for you to join me."

He stared up at her incredulously. "Join you? On this ship? Are you joking?"

"No". She regarded him steadily. "Of course, you'd have to leave your precious Janeway behind. But I'm sure they'll find their own way. Eventually."

"Don't you care what happens to them? To the Maquis even? I thought you were one of us."

Seska watched him for a moment before responding. "I'm trying to help you, Chakotay. Without my support, they'll lock you up somewhere."

He looked away. "I'd rather be locked up than be with you."

"Then you're a bigger fool than I thought you were."

"And I don't even know who you are anymore."

Seska smiled suddenly at that. "Oh, that's truer than you know." She stood and made her way to the door. As the door opened, she turned back to him. "Do you know why I hate Janeway?" she asked.

"No", he said, refusing to look at her.

"I know you Chakotay", she said, her voice softening. "Despite the life that you've lived, the choices you've made, I know the type of man you are. You always did what you had to do. You never craved the violence. Not like Suder did." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Not like I do."

"What does that have to do with Kathryn?"

Something like regret flashed across her face, before her cool mask closed over again. "I know that she's what you really want. What you've always wanted. Too bad we're going to kill her, isn't it?"

With that she stepped out of the doorway, and let the doors clang shut behind her.

~~~

End of part seven


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