TIMEOUT [Part 19]

by ALM_Voyager

"We're being hailed," Tuvok stated.

"On screen," Chakotay walked forward briskly and grabbed the rail in front of the viewscreen with two fists.

"How dare you fire on us," The Raylexian started but was cut off by the angry man on the bridge of Voyager.

"How dare WE fire on you? You've taken our Captain and used the good intentions of Minister Barweck to do so . . . as far as you are concerned you are a Hostile threat to this ship and we will take any and all action to retaliate" Chakotay bit out, his fists white from the harsh grip he held on the rail. 'Okay, not exactly Starfleet, but it'll just have to do' his mind mimicked.

"We have no intention of handing over your 'Captain'" he sneered. "She will either be handed over to the Vidiians for the ransom on her head or she will perish here on this ship. One way or another . . . she dies" and with that the communications cut.

The bridge of Voyager was dead quiet as the words set in . . .

Five hours of torture . . . five hours before she passed out. They weren't ready to kill her, that was for certain. It was fairly obvious, because they had told her, that she was alive until the Vidiians decided not to pay. Pay . . . pay for her life . . . for her head . . . for revenge . . . revenge for taking away their only hope at having a cure for their phage . . . immoral means or not . . . taking away B'Elanna . . . B'Elanna who had suffered so much at their hands. And now, she too, was suffering. Kathryn laughed and let a soft sob sneak out from between her lips. And then there was Tandrum - he had been there the entire time . . . his reason? Revenge as well . . . for her decision to help liberate one of his mining colonies. She sighed and felt the breath wheeze out of her lungs . . . a broken rib . . or two . . . or five, she laughed and cried out slightly in pain from doing so. They had warned her early on that this might be part of the job.

"Oh hell," she muttered out loud, "even Tuvok would be crying like a baby now." With that thought, she let the tears roll down her cheeks. She could feel their wetness loosening some of the dried blood on her lips and cheeks as they rolled down over her skin in a feverish rush. Five hours rest . . . they had told her. Five hours. How many thoughts, how many memories of the past years . . . . of the past days . . . could she treasure until then . . .

Chakotay waited inside the holodeck. There were three minutes until the rest of them would arrive. It was already three in the morning - he had picked this time specifically as not to call attention to themselves. Of course, the only person they need worry about was Tuvok really.

He turned slightly as the doors to the Holodeck swished open admitting B'Elanna, Tom and Harry Kim. "Computer," Chakotay stated out loud and continued when it beeped its compliance, "Initiate ChakotayMaquis3." The walls shimmered and changed into the interior of an old log cabin.

"This is amazing," Harry stated as they drew closer to where Chakotay was standing.

"This is Chakotay's Cabin," B'Elanna smiled. "We had some great meetings here," she reflected.

"Never had the pleasure," Tom smirked, knowing his time had been just as short and sweet with the Maquis as it had been with Starfleet.

Harry took a seat, his eyes locked on Chakotay, "So . . ." Everyone noted that somehow the boyish light had drained out of Harry's face. Every time the Captain took ill, went missing or was troubled somehow it took its toll rather vividly on Harry.

'If only I could be so obvious,' Chakotay thought enviously but put those feelings in check. What he hid, he hid for Kathryn - she had asked and he had given. Though they had come to a new understanding that night . . . . last night . . . had it been only that short while ago? He cleared his throat rather painfully, "We can't do this the Starfleet way."

"I agree," B'Elanna spoke up and paced the wooden floor. "If we wait, we'll never get her back."

"Tuvok suggested . . ." Harry started but Tom cut him off.

"Tuvok's plan will take too much time Harry," Tom said. "Don't you see?" They had argued about this earlier on their way to the holodeck.

"I can't 'see'" Harry raised his voice, frustrated. He had yet to back away from the protocols that he had seen his Captain and the rest of Starfleet so vividly embrace. "Maybe if we change a few things to his plan . . ."

"No," Chakotay drew everyone's attention. "Harry, I'm not asking you to step beyond your Starfleet ethics and protocols - we'll" he indicated the rest of them, "take care of that. All we need is for you to alter a few things from the bridge so that Tuvok doesn't notice anything."

"Maquis did this thing all the time, Harry," B'Elanna tried to reassure him.

"Yeah, I know," Harry looked down. He understood Chakotay and B'Elanna wanting to go on a stealth mission like this . . . but not Tom. Then again, maybe he didn't know Tom as well as he though he did.

"Harry, please," it was B'Elanna who spoke up and surprised everyone, "we need to get her back . . . please. She'll die if we don't."

"A simple cover for our shuttle launch and transporter logs as well as scattered combadge signals is all we'll need.

"Alright, but if anything goes wrong . . ." he shook his head. He would do anything for Janeway as well, but he was worried that this might jeopardize her more . . . he could no sooner live with himself if that happened than he suspected anyone else could. "What's Tuvok going to say when all of a sudden the Captain is miraculously back on board the ship?"

"'Good work, Commander'?" Tom offered up as a joke.

"I'll take care of the ammo, Chakotay," B'Elanna stated. "It's gonna get nasty in there."

"And that leaves yours truly to get you from point A to point B" Paris chuckled.

"Thank you," Chakotay said. "All of you."

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