Warning: This story might not be something you would expect from us. It contains extreme violence - enough to warrant NC-17 for violence alone.

Voyager had reached Earth and no one was more surprised than Kathryn that Starfleet clamped down on everything to do with Voyager and the Delta Quadrant.  They even delayed notifying the families of the crew that they had returned.  Kathryn had been outraged but all her protests had fallen on deaf ears.  Starfleet had completed the debriefings of the crew in less than a month.  About halfway through the debriefings, the Federation counsel sent through complete pardons for all the former Maquis but gave no explanation.  In hindsight, Kathryn decided it was to keep a very low profile on Voyager's return. The week after the debriefings ended, only members of the crew's immediate families were told of their return and they were all warned to keep it quiet and not talk to the press.

Kathryn was given ten days leave.  She had barely returned and located her temporary quarters near Starfleet Command when she was approached about a new assignment.  All they told her before she accepted the assignment was that it was an undercover assignment and that she would be working alone.  She knew there had to be a compelling reason for them to send her undercover after being away from the Federation so long.  The extreme secrecy was also very intriguing.  Looking back she wasn't sure why she accepted the assignment and now wished she hadn't.

Kathryn's assignment had been on a planet on the fringe of Federation space.  At least four different races, only one of them a member of the Federation, had settled Caslux and still inhabited the planet.  All four had once co-existed peacefully.  Now, thanks to the interference of some renegade Cardassians and a handful of displaced Ferengi, the peace was no longer secure and all four races were claiming the entire planet as their own.  The Federation believe that a fifth race called the Poltor were behind most of the unrest.  Kathryn's assignment was to get proof that the Poltor were interfering on Caslux.  If she succeeded, the Federation could intervene on behalf of the member of the Federation.  Until then, their involvement was a political hot potato.  Any suggestion that the Federation was even considering becoming involved could set off a chain reaction leading to war in the region, and war was not something the Federation could afford so soon after the losses sustained during the conflict with the Dominion.

Kathryn was given the name of one person that could relay messages in an emergency and told not to use that option unless her life was threatened.  She would send coded messages using drop points that would be checked randomly if the pickup thought it was safe.  She would receive no information from Starfleet once she was on Caslux.  Once she had proof, her instructions were to get off Caslux as quickly as possible.

All had gone well. Kathryn had been on Caslux for three weeks when she overheard a conversation that led her to the proof the Federation sought. She dropped the record of the conversation at a backup drop site and then followed up on the information. Once she knew where to look and what to look for, getting the additional verification was almost too easy. Kathryn knew better than to get overconfident at that point so she dropped copies of what she had collected at a point she had not yet used and a copy at a backup site she had used. At her usual drop, she left falsified information and a coded message that meant she was going to leave Caslux.

Twenty minutes after dropping off the last record, she was grabbed by a stranger and dragged into an alley. Two other men were waiting and they put something over Kathryn's face that she thought was chloroform because the next thing she knew, she was being dragged through corridors that looked like a combination of natural caverns and manmade tunnels. The men stopped outside a door and took their time searching her thoroughly for concealed items or weapons. From their leers, Kathryn knew it was nothing more than a grope session so she refused to react until one tugged on her hair so hard it brought tears to her eyes. Even then, she refused to speak in protest.

"A tough one, huh? Well, we'll see how tough you are tomorrow when the boss gets here."

With that, the men shoved her through the door and closed it behind her. Kathryn tripped over the feet of the man next to the one who had shoved her and landed on the rough floor in an ungainly sprawl. She took a minute to catch her breath then listened until she was sure the men had moved away from the door. Their voiced drifted back to her and she listened carefully – they spoke Standard but their accents were similar to those of people native to the Poltor home world.

Slowly Kathryn sat up and looked around her cell. The walls on one side of the cell seemed to have been part of a natural cavern but the other half showed signs of being carved out of rock by primitive tools. She saw what looked like a worn rug or blanket in one corner and crawled over to it. It was dirty but sitting on it was better than letting the cold rock leach the heat out of her body.

Kathryn sat and contemplated the situation. She had dropped of the message that she would be leaving the planet so she wasn't sure how long it would take before they realized she was missing. After a few hours, she decided they weren't going to bring her any food or water so she pulled part of the blanket over her and curled up to try to sleep.

Loud noises in the tunnel awakened Kathryn the next morning. She roused as the door to her cell opened but did not get to her feet quickly enough to avoid a kick on her shoulder.

"Get up, woman. The captain wants to see you."

The man grabbed Kathryn by the arm and dragged her to her feet. He shoved her towards the door where his companion grabbed her and pulled her into the tunnel. For the next five hours Kathryn endured endless questions about her background, her reasons for being on Caslux, what she had been doing the previous day and events she didn't know anything about. Refusal and answers they didn't like were rewarded with slaps. The nature of the questions told Kathryn they did not know she was in Starfleet and had only become suspicious of her behavior the previous day. She kept repeating the background information she had been provided by Starfleet. Finally, the captain, as they called him, seemed to tire of her and signaled the end of the interrogation.

Kathryn was dragged from the room by different men and back to her cell. She finally spoke as the pushed her through the door.

"Do I get to use the bathroom?"

"Shut up, woman! It's in the corner."

Kathryn managed to keep her feet this time and once she had recovered her balance, she studied the cell in more detail. The only light was from the opening in the door and it was faint. After her eyes adjusted, Kathryn could see a square piece of wood in one corner. She went over to look at it and found a round hole about one-third of a meter across. She dropped a stone down the hole and waited for it to hit the bottom. It bounced several times before the echo was lost so she knew it was too deep to even consider using as an escape route.

"So much for being a 24th century gal," she muttered to herself as she made use of the facilities. She walked back to her blanket and sat down. She must have fallen asleep because she was awakened by the guards opening the door. They tossed in two bundles and left. Once she was sure they were gone, Kathryn stood and brought the bundles back to her blanket. One was a hunk of dry bread; the other was a canteen with water. She had gulped down half the water before she could force herself to stop. It might have to last her a while. She nibbled the bread tentatively; it would have to do.

After that, the days all blurred together. Some days the guards would drag her to the captain but most days she was left alone except for the appearance of food and water. The lack of food, the damp, the dark and the chill quickly drained her energy and she slept most of the time.

When she had been there about a week, the routine was broken. Another prisoner was brought in and put in a cell near Kathryn's. After that, she would hear him shouting at the guards. On more than one occasion, Kathryn knew the guards had silenced him by beating him senseless. For over a week, he held the captain's attention and Kathryn was left alone. About ten days after the other prisoner came, Kathryn was dragged once again to talk to the captain. This time the questions were all rote and he didn't seem to mind that she refused to answer most of them. As she was being dragged out of the room, he spoke.

"We'll see if a little change of scenery improves your memory. When you're ready to tell me the truth, let the guards know."

The guards dragged Kathryn back towards her cell but didn't stop at the door. Instead, they moved farther down the tunnel and opened another door and shoved her inside.

"We brought you a woman to play with. Enjoy her!"

The man eyed Kathryn for a few minutes then turned back to the guards.

"You call that scrawny thing a woman?"

The guards laughed and closed the door while Kathryn moved to the wall farthest from the other prisoner. He was silent as he stared at her in the gloom. In one part of her mind, Kathryn knew the guards had moved only a few meters down the tunnel instead of leaving. She was wondering why when she realized the man had spoken.

"Come sit down with me, Kathryn."

Her face must have given away her surprise.

"A few meters won't make any difference if I want to hurt you."

His voice was gentle and low and Kathryn knew it didn't carry far enough for the guards to hear. Slowly she moved toward him. He moved to one side of his blanket and watched her approach. Cautiously, Kathryn sat next to him, avoiding any contact. As soon as she was settled, he slid closer and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Kathryn reacted instantly but his grip was firm.

"I won't hurt you, Kathryn." His voice was barely above a whisper. "Don't talk too loudly or the guards will hear."

"How do you know my name?"

"We work for the same people."

Kathryn eyed him suspiciously. He had the brow ridges of a Klingon and the ears of a Romulan. He was large but lean and well muscled. His clothing was tattered and worn but Kathryn knew that was no indicator since her clothes probably looked even worse.

"I don't think so. I'm self-employed at the moment. Who are you anyway?"

"My name is t'Mak but most people around here call me Mak. Behind my back they call me much worse I'm sure. You don't have to believe me but your employer knows where you are." He paused waiting for the coming denial.

"I told you…"

"I know; I heard you. Why don't you ask me another question – one you'll believe when I answer."

"You're part Klingon and part Romulan?"

"That's what I tell people. It's easier to believe than being Vulcan-Klingon."

"Vulcan?"

"It's a very long story and marrying my father was perfectly logical to my mother at the time. It might surprise you to know they were very happy together. She misses him very much." He continued in response to Kathryn's unspoken question. "He was killed in the war with the Dominion."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"You believe the Vulcan part?"

"I don't see any reason why you would lie about that. Why do you let people think you are Romulan?"

"It's easier to explain and more believable to most of the people with whom I associate."

Kathryn shivered from the cold. Mak pulled Kathryn closer and this time she didn't resist.

"There are only two reasons they would have put you in here with me. One: they want me to start feeling protective of you so they can use that to get more information from me. Two: they want me to intimidate you, maybe even hurt you, so that you will tell them what they want to know to escape me."

"What do we do?"

"We fight. I'll order you around and we'll make it look like I've knocked you around a bit, but not so much that you are willing to tell them more than you already have. I'll make it clear that I have no use for you other than keeping me warm. You can complain to the guards that I'm taking your food and most of your water."

"That won't work forever."

"It will for a while and that's all we need - time. I told you – your employer knows where you are. Someone will come for you." Mak stopped her denial. "It's ok. You don't have to trust me yet.  Now, tell me about Molly."

Kathryn was not going to play games any longer.

"Tell me who you really are."

"I did. I'm t'Mak. I work for friends of yours. I'm… in the same line of work as you are. So were my parents – that's how they met. I know who you are and I know why this 'captain' can't find any record of you for the last seven years." Mak waited while Kathryn contemplated what he had told her. If he were guessing, he was certainly lucky. If he worked for the captain, then he knew already knew enough to get her killed. She scanned his face and exposed skin. The bruises and scars were real enough. Mak seemed to know when Kathryn had decided to believe him. "And you outrank me, ma'am. My job now is to keep you alive long enough for others to get you out of here."

The next ten days passed slowly. Kathryn told Mak about Molly and childhood friends. Mak shared events from his life. Being raised as a logical Klingon had not been easy. Honor and logic battled for supremacy but both had served him well over the years. They laughed quietly as they shared tales of people they both had met including Boothby. When they knew the guards were near, Mak would shout insults at Kathryn and complain to the guards. Kathryn complained that Mak was stealing her share of the food. The guards just laughed. Everyday they made sure Kathryn had new and darker smudge marks on her arms and clothing. One or the other of them spent part of every day being interrogated. When they slept, Kathryn was curled in Mak's arms.

Then the routine changed. About an hour after their food and water was tossed in the door, there was a tremendous commotion in the tunnel. Mak moved to the door to listen and watch. Nearly a dozen men of various species were herded along the tunnel and shoved into cells on either side of theirs. Within minutes of closing the doors, fights broke out in two of the cells. An hour later, the guards dragged the bodies of two men from those cells.

Mak was quiet the rest of the day. The next morning he started a conversation in a solemn voice.

"We're going to have problems soon, Kathryn."

"Why?"

"Those new prisoners are going to be a problem."

"Why do you say that?"

"We've carried out our little charade very successfully so far. But it won't work more than a day or two longer. The captain won't miss the opportunity to get one of us talking. Think about it for a minute. What if he moves you to one of those other cells? What do you think they would do to you? The guards let them kill each other so they aren't likely to interfere to protect you."

The harsh possibilities raced through Kathryn's mind. She knew Mak was right and she knew there was nothing either of them could do to change it. Giving the captain the information he wanted would only remove all the reasons he currently had to keep her alive.

"What can we do?"

"The only thing we can do is make it seem like you are receiving that same treatment at my hands. But it has to be real and the guards have to see it. Smudges and shouting won't be enough. I thought about this all night and I can't think of any other way to keep you in here with me."

"You want to rape me?" Kathryn's voice was a shocked whisper. "You're supposed to be protecting me."

"I'm supposed to keep you alive – any way I can. It won't be rape, Kathryn. I won't do this if you don't agree. You'll have to react like I am and the physical act has to be real just as some of the bruises will be real when it's over."

"When?"

"Now. We can't take a chance of them moving you to another cell later this morning."

"I need to think about this."

"Thinking will only make it more difficult. We need to do this now."

Kathryn was silent then she nodded slowly.

"I want to make this as easy for you as possible. Stand up."

"What?"

"Stand up. I need to prepare your body for what I'm going to do to you. If I don't, I could seriously injure you. Either way, I'm going to hurt you; there's no way to avoid that and make it look like rape to the guards. Now stand up and face me."

Kathryn stood feeling like she was in the middle of a bad dream, yet knowing it was the right decision. She turned to face Mak who was still sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall. She gasped when he grabbed her, lifted up her flimsy dress and pulled her to his face. He wasted no time latching onto her clit, lapping and biting at it. His teeth hurt but the pain was hidden by other sensations. Kathryn fought those sensations at first but then let them roll over her as a tingle began in her belly and settled down moved slowly to her clit. Her breathing grew heavy as the sensations engulfed her then hit her in an explosive climax. Her knees buckled under her as she collapsed on Mak.

"Your body is as ready as possible for what we are going to do." said Mak. "Now we may proceed.  You must scream as if I'm hurting you. Do not suppress your reactions."

"Oh god, I'm not sure I can do this." Completely confused by her reaction to what Mak had just done to her, Kathryn's voice was uncertain and fearful.

"You must. They will expect you to struggle and protest." Mak gave Kathryn a moment more to collect her thoughts before he forced her down on the blanket and flipped her over on her belly so she was face down to the ground. He started shouting abusive phrases and insults loudly enough to attract the attention of the guards.

Kathryn bit her lower lip. It had been so long since she had been with any man. Despite Mak's preparations, she knew it was going to hurt.  As if a dream she heard Mak's shouts knowing they were loud enough to attract the guards, but she focused on his quiet instructions to her.

"Scream out at me, Kathryn. Struggle against my control. You have to make this look real."

Kathryn struggled and tried to strike Mak. She could feel Mak's fingers, skimming her wet folds, testing her readiness to accept his body in hers, the tingle returned. She couldn't do this; she had to do this. She tried to wriggle out of his grasp but his grip on her was strong.

"Scream at me, Kathryn. Tell me to stop. The guards are there to hear you now. Scream." His whispers were urgent and the mention of the guards reminded Kathryn exactly who was responsible for what was happening – the guards, the captain, the Poltor – all of them but not the man who held her down. She screamed her fury at the guards.

"Let me go! Don't make me do this!" Her words were directed at the guards but they thought she was screaming at her assailant. They laughed and Kathryn heard them. Her anger at the guards grew and she screamed at them louder. Another part of her mind was all too aware that Mak's hands were playing her body and she willed herself to relax and allow him to control them both. Mak smiled as he felt her muscles relax slightly. She had convinced the guards now he only hoped that at least her body would find a little pleasure at what he was about to do.

"You will learn your place, woman!" Mak shouted the words as he grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her up on all fours. His hand reached under her to grasp a breast and he leaned forward to briefly whisper in her ear.

"You can do this, Kathryn. Be ready."

Kathryn gave a very slight nod indicating that she accepted and agreed with what Mak was about to do. Holding her in place with one hand, Mak freed his erection and placed it at her entrance with the other.

"And that place, woman, is right here, on all fours, pleasing ME!"

As he finished speaking, he plunged deep within her.  The pain Kathryn felt was real and so was her scream.  She tried to pull away relying on his firm grip on her hips to hold her next to him. Mak paused, looking up to make sure the guards were watching. They had opened the door and several had moved inside to watch the action, elbowing each other and laughing. Mak glared at them before turning his attention back to Kathryn.

Hoping Kathryn had had sufficient time to adjust to his invasion of her body, one hand snaked around her waist, knowing that to the guards, it would look as if he was holding her in place. She was tiny and his arm reached all the way around her, far enough for him to use his hand to stimulate her sensitive bundle of nerves. He hoped the physical release would make up for the violence and pain.

Mak began to thrust, resisting the urge to maul her as a Klingon would. He no longer had any need to keep an eye on the guards – he could hear their words clearly and knew they were enjoying themselves. Their comments to him about not being able to please a female told him they were convinced that this was a true rape and that Kathryn had no choice. He was beginning to think his efforts to provide Kathryn some physical release would not succeed when he realized he had accomplished that goal, and despite her mock struggles beneath him, another orgasm was building within her. His grunts got louder as he felt the tension building in his body and pounded into her harder and faster. With a roar worthy of his Klingon heritage, he came deep within her, pulling her up from the waist forcing her hands off the floor so that her body was upright with his.

Kathryn screamed again, this time in physical release, and then went limp. It was over – almost. The 'rape' was completed but the scene had to be played out for the guards. For the first time she was aware they were in the cell watching. She lifted her head and glared at them then turned her attention to Mak.

"Let me go!" she demanded.

Mak laughed and gave her a shove. Kathryn caught herself with her hands and crawled to sit against the wall pulling her dress down to cover her lower body. Mak stood up, sneered at the guards, closed his fly and sat down on his blanket. Knowing the show was over, the guards left, slamming the door.

Kathryn and Mak both sighed in relief. It had worked. They believed he had raped her. Now if it would just buy them enough time for Starfleet to get them out, maybe it would have been worth it. Once the guards voices had faded, Kathryn crawled over next to Mak and sat next to him on the blanket. She pulled her knees up to her chin and put her head down as she tried to sort out all the emotions running through her. When Mak put his arms around her, she didn't resist but it was a few minutes before she relaxed and leaned into the warmth he offered.

"I never thought I'd have to do something like this to stay alive."

"I never thought I'd have to do something like this to keep you alive." Mak shifted around to lie down on the blanket and pulled Kathryn with him. "You know we're going to have to repeat this if it's to remain convincing, right?"

"I hadn't really thought that far ahead but I understand. I'll manage somehow."

"It will be easier to fool the guards from now on. They can catch us in the act which means I won't have to hurt you again. We can take our time getting ready and then you can start screaming to attract their attention. It should be enough."

"You sound so detached. I don't think I can approach this like you can."

"That's just the control I learned from my mother. Believe me, I am not detached. Try to sleep a while now."

Over the next few days, Mak and Kathryn worked out several ways to reinforce the guards' impression that he was being extremely abusive. At night, she would curl up in his arms seeking reassurance that the horrible charade would soon be over. One night as she was drifting off to sleep, she heard Mak whisper softly.

"Ah, Kathryn. I wish we had met under different circumstances. I think I'm falling in love with you."

"Don’t love me, Mak. Please don't love me." Her whisper was filled with regret as she pleaded with him. "I can't love you, not like that."

"I can't stop my emotions. I can only control how I express them. I know you can't love me. I just hope you don't hate me when all this is over."

"I won't hate you, Mak. You're my friend."

"Tell me about him, Kathryn."

"Who?"

"The man whose name you whisper in your sleep -- Chakotay."

Kathryn started hesitantly telling Mak about Chakotay and slowly grew more certain of what to say. When she had finished, Mak commented.

"Does he know how much you love him?"

"No."

"Then promise me when we get out of here that you will tell him. If I know that you will do that, then this will be worth it. Promise me."

"I promise."

Two weeks later, Kathryn was awakened from sleep to the sound of shouting and fighting in the tunnel. Mak was already on his feet and at the cell door. She quickly joined him.

"What's happening?"

"I think some friends of our neighbors are staging a rescue attempt."

"Suddenly the door slammed open and two forms stepped through."

"T'Mak? Is that you?" The hoarse whispered voice was very demanding.

"Yes."

"Where's Kathryn?"

"Behind me."

The first form reached out and grabbed Kathryn by the hand and pulled her toward the door. When Mak didn't protest, Kathryn followed blindly having no idea who had appeared. Most of the lights in the tunnel were out and she could not see them men who had appeared clearly.

"Let's go!"

The second form was already out the door and leading the way down the tunnel away from the uproar. Kathryn stumbled and the man who had pulled her along shifted his grip to her arm. Mak stepped forward and grabbed her other arm. Together they half carried, half dragged her down the tunnel as fast as they could move. Kathryn's mind was racing and she was forced to watch the floor to avoid tripping so she had no idea who had pulled her out of the cell.

Suddenly the man running point stumbled in a hole and fell. All three of them heard his leg snap. They barely stopped moving as Mak let go of Kathryn's arm.

"Get her out of here. I'll bring him."

The man with Kathryn wasted no time arguing and pulled Kathryn forward. Kathryn lost track of the twists and turns and wondered how the man kept his bearings. Suddenly they turned into what seemed to be a dead end. A new opening had been made and they stepped through into a cleared area with transporter enhancers.  The man slapped his comm badge and shouted for someone to energize.

Mak saw the man pulling Kathryn down the tunnel and reached down to pull the man to his feet.

"Hold on tight. I can drag you but it's going to hurt."

"Don't. They'll get both of us."

"No, they won't get either of us. Now hold on!"

Mak was sure of his strength and steadily pulled the man after the other two. Suddenly the man gasped out through the pain.

"Left. Turn left here."

Mak followed his instructions and made the turn. Just as they rounded the corner, a propellant rifle caught him in the leg. Mak looked down and knew that the wound was serious as the blood spurted out. He thought they had hit an artery. Determined not to fail, he continued down the tunnels. The other man continued to provide directions and soon Mak saw the cleared area with the enhancers. All they had to do was get to them. As they made the final turn, a guard appeared and got off another shot. This one hit Mak in his free arm. Mak knew he was losing too much blood but continued dragging the other man toward the enhancers.  As they reached it, the beam caught them. The last thing Mak saw was the look of surprise and anger from the guard. When they materialized, Mak released the other man and dropped to his knees. He spoke to the man at the controls of the transporter.

"Is Kathryn safe?"

"Yes."

"Tell her to keep the promise she made me."

"I'll do that, sir."

"Get the doctor in here now!" The other man clearly expected his orders to be followed and they were. The transporter operator called for medics for both men.

Kathryn's eyes took a minute to adjust to the light after she materialized. She shrugged the hand on her arm away before she turned to look at the man beside her.

"Chakotay?"

Suddenly the events of the past weeks caught up with Kathryn and the adrenaline that had kept her going for the previous ten minutes faded and her knees started to buckle. Chakotay had her in his arms before she realized she was falling. He turned to the transporter operator.

"I'm taking her to the doctor. As soon as anyone else gets near those enhancers, beam them aboard. Once Ayala and t'Mak are on board tell the helm to get us out of here."

"Aye, sir."

Kathryn tried to get away from Chakotay.

"I can walk."

"Maybe, but this way I'm sure you won't fall. It's not far."

Chakotay barely went five meters down a corridor before turning into what were clearly crew quarters. He put Kathryn down and motioned her to sit on the couch before slapping his comm badge and asking the doctor to join them. Kathryn looked around at the room. It didn't resemble any Starfleet design she could recall. Chakotay noticed her appraisal of the room.

"It's an old Klingon design – or at least that what it looks like from the outside. The technology is mostly from the Flyer except the warp drive. We put out an energy signature consistent with our configuration. It's safer that way."

Suddenly the stars outside shifted and Chakotay knew they had gone to warp.

"We're on our way to rendezvous with a Galaxy class ship. If we're lucky, we'll catch them in three days."

"We didn't leave Mak down there, did we?"

"You heard my orders. He and Ayala are on board or they wouldn't have left orbit without checking with me first. The doctor is probably checking Ayala's leg before he comes here. Would you like something to drink while we wait for her?"

"A cool glass of water in a clean cup."

"I never thought I'd hear you ask for water instead of coffee."

Kathryn smiled. "I learned to appreciate the simple things in life the last few weeks. How long was I down there exactly?"

"Just over four weeks from the reports I read." Chakotay's voice softened and he turned more serious. "When you're ready to talk about it, I'll be here to listen."

"Thanks." Kathryn finished the glass of water and held out the glass for a refill. "Could I have more?"

"Sure, but drink it more slowly or you'll get sick." Chakotay took the glass and refilled it.

"Thanks. Tell me how you happened to be the one who came to my rescue."

"Well, I'm not sure how much you know so some of this might be old news. Then the pardons came through followed by offers for most of the Maquis to remain in Starfleet. I guess there's nothing like losing most of your ships and officers to make any trained person seem desirable to the brass. After all the debriefings were over, they gave me ten days leave – at the Starfleet recreation facilities of my choice. They did that for just about everyone on the crew who didn't have family on Earth.

"I tried to find you to discuss it but all they would tell me was that you were on leave, then the answer changed to you having a temporary assignment but being out of communications. I finally told them I'd give them a year and then decide about staying in longer. The next thing I knew I was assigned to Security and making plans to tour the major bases and stations to train senior security officers in Maquis tactics and all the tricks we picked up in the Delta Quadrant. Three days after I started organizing the materials that I would have to cover, B'Elanna shows up and tells me she is going along and will be explaining the technical details to engineering personnel. Tom joined us an hour later saying he had it all worked out. He was being assigned to coordinate our transportation, which was another way of saying he had talked them into giving us a small ship and three other people as crew with him acting as pilot.

"We were just finishing at the second base when I received a change in my orders from Starfleet Command. An hour later, I was in a conference room hearing some of what had happened to you. There was no way they could mount a rescue operation that was openly Starfleet and they wanted a style of rescue that would not be easily recognizable as a 'fleet operation. By the time they had finished describing all the things they didn't want, it was clear they wanted a Maquis operation and they wanted me to lead it.

"I don’t think I ever actually accepted the assignment, I just told them what I wanted and who I wanted on my team. They were working on the ship within the hour and the people I needed had orders by the end of the day. They already knew where you were being held and that t'Mak had managed to get himself captured, too, so I was able to start planning as soon as a few of the others showed up. By the way, our pilot on this old scow is none other than Helmboy himself. There's also Ayala and a half a dozen others from Voyager plus five from Starfleet.

"It took almost three weeks to complete the upgrades to this ship and set up our cover. We've been here in orbit almost three weeks The first thing that we learned when we arrived was that there had been other prisoners put in the same facility as you. That complicated things a bit so we made some changes in our plans and started drilling the access to that side tunnel so we could get transporter enhancers set up safely. Then two days ago, we got word that the other group was going to be the target of a rescue attempt so we changed plans again to take advantage of that. What had started out as being a six-man team ended up being just Ayala and me. The rest you know."

Chakotay moved to sit next to Kathryn and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm just glad you're safe now."

This time Kathryn returned his hug. They sat in silence a few minutes. Kathryn didn’t move away as she broke the silence.

"How long was I in there anyway?"

"Just over seven weeks."

"It seemed longer."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door and Chakotay called for the person to enter.

"Hi. They are moving Ayala down to the infirmary and waking a few of the others. I'm going to need the help of some strong muscles to set his leg." Her comments were directed to Chakotay.

"Kathryn, this is Lieutenant Henderson. She's a very skilled trauma and field medic. Lieutenant, this is Captain Kathryn Janeway. How is Ayala doing?"

"Right now, he's happy as a lark. I gave him some pretty serious painkillers. We'll set his leg and stabilize it. I'll wait and regenerate it after I see how well we get those bones realigned. I just stopped now to give the captain a quick scan for major injuries. I'll be back later, if that's all right with both of you."

"Of course. Ayala needs your attention now more than I do." Kathryn was quick to agree. She stood so Henderson could do a quick scan. Henderson nodded at the results.

"You'll do for now, Captain. I'll be back later when I finished with Ayala."

Kathryn sat back down next to Chakotay and watched as the medic left as quickly as she had come.

"She seems competent."

"She is. She also has a way of keeping the men in line. She came highly recommended and has lived up to everything they told us about her."

Kathryn slid a bit closer to Chakotay and leaned against him.

"I think I'm ready to talk now."

"Don't push yourself. If you're not ready, it can wait."

"No, I'd rather do it while it's fresh in my mind and get it over with. Can we record it so I can use it as the basis of my report later?"

"If that's what you want, yes."

Kathryn told the computer to record and started talking. Chakotay listened quietly as she recounted the events that led to her first encounter with the 'captain' and his men. When she told of the first slap, he moved his arm around her shoulders but made no comment. As Kathryn talked, she began including more details, especially about her reactions to the situation and events. As she paused for a moment after recounting her first conversation with t'Mak, Chakotay spoke.

"He called you 'ma'am' and you let him get away with it?"

Kathryn chuckled glad he had lightened the mood for a moment. The next part would be the hardest to tell. She started by telling of their growing friendship as they fooled the guards into thinking he was abusing her. As she started talking about the arrival of the other prisoners, she tried to detach herself from what she was describing. She talked steadily, including most of the details, up to the point where Chakotay had slammed open the door. When she reached that point, Kathryn stopped talking. Chakotay's only response was to tighten his hold around her. She turned her head to his chest and cried. Chakotay didn't know what to say or think. All he could do was hold her while she clung to him. Quietly he instructed the computer to stop recording. Eventually, the tears stopped and Kathryn sat up slightly to dry her face.

"I'm sorry."

"It's all right. You needed to get that out of your system."

"Thank you for letting me use you as a towel."

"Speaking of a towel, would you like to take a shower while you wait for Henderson to come back? It's only a sonic shower but it might make you feel better."

"I don't want to take over someone's quarters."

"They're mine so consider them yours to take over."

"Can you find me some clean clothes?"

"Already in the bathroom."  Kathryn stared at him in puzzlement. "I'm an optimist. I wasn't coming back without you."

Kathryn smiled and moved toward the small bathroom. While she was showering, Chakotay checked with Tom about their progress and whether they had attracted any attention when they left Caslux. Tom assured him that all was well and that it would be 18hours before they were far enough out to contact any Starfleet vessels without their signal being intercepted by other ships near Caslux. Chakotay's next query was to the young man operating the transporter. He asked where t'Mak had been taken. The man was quite flustered by Chakotay's question.

"Sir, I thought you knew. He died shortly after he and Ayala beamed aboard."

"Why wasn't I told?"

"I thought Henderson would mention it, sir. I'm sorry."

"Do you know what killed him?"

"Yes, sir. He bled to death. I'm sure Ayala can provide more details but it looked like some weapon tore open an artery in his leg."

Chakotay heard the shower go off.

"Ok. Tell everyone not to mention this until I give the word. I'll tell Captain Janeway. Make sure you tell Henderson.  Understood?"

"Understood, sir."

"Good. Chakotay out."

Chakotay sat and thought about all that Kathryn had told him and how she would react when she learned t'Mak had died. He knew he had to be the one to tell her, but after hearing about the weeks she had spent sleeping in his arms, he had no idea how he would manage. He jumped when he felt hands on his shoulders.

"Kathryn, you startled me."

Chakotay started to turn around but she held his shoulders.

"I didn't love him, Chakotay, and I never tried to pretend to him or myself that I did. He's a good man, Chakotay, but all he'll ever be to me is a very good friend. Can you know what I did and how I feel without it impacting what we have?"

Chakotay stood and turned to face Kathryn.

"What do we have, Kathryn?"

"I don't know, but I want to find out. When this is all over, that's one thing I'd like us to do."

"I'd like that. Nothing that happened on Caslux is going to make me think less of you."

Kathryn wrapped her arms around Chakotay and leaned into him.

"I'm so glad you're here. I don't think I could have told all this to anyone else."

The only separated when Henderson signaled her return. She wasted no time in doing a more complete scan of Kathryn. She studied the readings as if reluctant to report what they told her.

"What is it, Henderson?" Chakotay was not so patient as Kathryn.

"Perhaps I should talk to Captain Janeway alone, sir."

"No, that's ok, Lieutenant. You can talk to me in his presence."

"If you say so, Captain. Under the circumstances, I have to ask this. Were you raped while you were a prisoner?"

Kathryn paled slightly and Chakotay could have cheerfully choked Henderson at that moment.

"Why do you ask?"

Henderson glanced nervously at both of her senior officers.

"You're about three weeks pregnant, Captain. If you had been raped, my next question would be whether you wanted to terminate the pregnancy. I would also offer to provide you with the identity of the father in case that affected your decision."

"No." Kathryn was barely able to reply. When Henderson made no comment Kathryn looked at her to see the questions in her eyes. "No, I wasn't raped."

Chakotay interrupted her at that point.

"Henderson, she doesn't have to decide any more than that right now, so let's let it wait. If she needs more information about the father, she will ask."

"Yes, sir."  Henderson took out an instrument and started running it slowly over Kathryn's body. She talked while she worked. "There's nothing wrong with you, Captain, that proper rest and balanced meals for a few days won't cure. There, that should have eliminated most of your bruises and aches. If you want to stop by the infirmary tomorrow, I'll remove those scars for you."

"Thank you, Lieutenant. I'll do that."

Henderson left. Kathryn turned from years of habit to look out a view port but all that met her eyes was the bunk and small couch. She turned back to Chakotay.

"What am I going to do?"

"Kathryn, there's more."

"More?"

"T'Mak is dead. He died shortly after he and Ayala beamed aboard. I only found out while you were in the shower. I'm sorry, Kathryn. I know he was your friend."

That was the straw. Kathryn collapsed so suddenly that Chakotay barely had time to catch her. Carefully, he carried her to the bunk and laid her down. Once he was sure she was asleep, he called for Henderson to come sit with her so he could check on the ship. He was gone only fifteen minutes. Henderson assured him that Kathryn had not awakened while he was gone but that she was also restless. He tossed the sandwiches he had picked up in the galley on the desk and took off his shoes. He grabbed an extra blanket out of the closet and settled himself on the bunk next to Kathryn. As he put an arm around her, she moved toward him and settled quietly in his embrace. He grinned ruefully wishing she thought it was he instead of t'Mak. He didn't hear her whisper his name in her sleep.

Chakotay woke and for a fleeting second wondered why Kathryn was asleep next to him. Then the events of the previous night flooded into his memory. He got up and went into the bathroom. When he came out, Kathryn was waiting for her turn. He crossed the room and stared down at the computer terminal remembering all that she had told him about her confinement. When she came back into the room and crossed to the desk, he started to move away.

"Don't go."

"I was the one who held you last night, not t'Mak."

"I knew it was you, Chakotay." Chakotay stopped with his back to Kathryn. "I didn't tell you about one conversation Mak and I had. It was about you."

"How did my name come up?"

"I brought it up – in my sleep. I murmured your name in my sleep and he heard me.  When we finished our conversation, he made me promise to tell you something."

"He made me promise to tell you I loved you." Kathryn pushed Chakotay so he faced her. "Can you understand why I want to keep this baby?"

"Of course I understand. That baby is part of you."

"Can you accept it as your child?"

"What exactly are you asking?"

"I love you, Chakotay. I guess I want to know if you think you can love me again.  All those days and nights I spent with Mak I thought about you. He was the reason I survived. You were my reason for living."

"I already know the answer to your question. I love you. There is no time frame on what I feel for you. I will love your child, too."

"Show me."

"What?"

"Show me how much you love me."  Kathryn slipped her hand around his waist and pulled his shirt from his pants. Chakotay stood still allowing Kathryn to take the lead, only shifting slightly as she slowly undressed him.  Once she had his shirt off, she ran her hands over his tanned chest, feeling the muscles rippling beneath the skin. Her hands made their way to his nipples, already pebbled hard from her touch. She carefully leaned in, lightly tracing a hard nub with her tongue, smiling to herself as she heard him groan, and feeling his muscles tense under her hands.

Kathryn then reached for his pants, quickly undoing them and pushing them down his legs. Her body followed the movement of her hands, as she lightly placed kisses on her way down. She felt his hand in her hair as she knelt down before him, not holding her yet urging her to continue. She wrapped one small hand around the base of his aching shaft, her pinky reaching out, grazing across his testicles. Chakotay jumped at her touch.  Her tongue flicked across the head, then circled around the erect shaft until she felt a gentle tug on her hair. She pulled away, looking up at Chakotay with a smile, licking her lips slowly to give him the full effect.  Chakotay reached down and pulled her to her feet.

"My turn," he whispered as he slowly moved her towards the bunk. He sat on the bed, and pulled her close. Slowly he pushed the tee shirt she wore up and over her head. His head was at the perfect level as he latched onto her breast through the silky fabric of her bra, sucking until he had her moaning. He placed feather light kisses in the valley between her breasts, as his hands moved to her back to remove her bra. In seconds it was off and falling to the floor.

Chakotay's large hands began a gentle trail down Kathryn's back causing shivers to fly up her spine. Her breathing became heavy and labored, and her vision was growing dark. She groaned and leaned forward, needing his support to stand.  He stood up, lifting her, and laid her down on the bed. His hands went to the fasteners on her pants, and he quickly removed them, taking her panties with them. He wanted to see all of her. He lowered his head, first tonguing her navel then licking a trail until he reached her auburn curls. Parting her folds with his two fingers, he moved to her sensitive nub. He was like a desperate man; he had to taste her. Latching on, he assaulted her with all he had.

Kathryn managed to open her eyes and lift her head enough to look down at him. His eyes were closed, and despite the fact that his mouth was busy, she could see the beginning of a smile. He was thoroughly enjoying himself, giving her pleasure beyond anything she experienced before. Her head dropped back to the bed. She felt the muscles in her stomach begin to clench, signaling the onslaught of an unexpected, mind-blowing orgasm.  It worked its way down, until it centered between her legs where it exploded. She screamed, her back arching off the bed, her breath coming only in gasps.
Kathryn reached for Chakotay, pulling his head upward and his body over hers. His mouth searched for hers, then latched on as he settled his body between her legs, feeling her legs wrap around his waist, holding him in place.

Chakotay place his aching member at her wet entrance, paused briefly before inching the head in completely, but nothing else. He heard Kathryn gasp and looked at her.

"I almost forgot how much better this is when you're making love not just having sex," she murmured, letting him know she knew who he was and wanted to continue.

Chakotay rose up, sitting back on his heels, still keeping himself buried in her heat. He then took her legs and placed them on his shoulders, giving him the leverage he needed. One hand moved to her throbbing nub; flicking it with his finger, he slowly thrust the head of his aching penis in and out. He watched Kathryn's face as it contorted in pleasure; each time he was hitting her pleasure spot, bringing her to the edge of the precipice once again.

Chakotay felt her muscles begin to contract, nearly squeezing the head out; her moans turned louder as the orgasm washed over her. He took that exact moment to plunge in all the way, feeling the head of his penis hit her cervix. His thrusts, slow at first as he let the sensations wash over him, soon increased as his buildup began. He released her legs and allowed himself to drop, wrapping his arms around her tightly as he pounded his way to his own release.

Chakotay could feel his sac as it tightened up, close to his body, preparing for release. Incoherent words spilled from his mouth as the buildup approached; he wanted to feel the release so badly yet, wanted to prolong this moment but it wasn't going to be possible. Kathryn's hands moved to his back, her nails digging in as she too began to feel another orgasm and soon the two of them were screaming into the air. Chakotay's seed spilled deep within her as the contractions of her orgasm squeezed the last bit out.

They both collapsed into a heap of arms and legs, Chakotay still deep within her as she encouraged him to stay, enjoying the feel of him within her. He rolled to his side, taking her with him, and sleep slowly returned to them both.

Kathryn and Chakotay walked hand in hand circulating among their former crew at Miral's first birthday party. Nearly eight months pregnant, Kathryn was glowing and Chakotay's pride in the baby was evident to everyone. B'Elanna finally found time to join them.

"Well, have you decided on a name for her yet?"

"Yes, Makenzie. It's similar to Mak's name." Kathryn was smiling as she answered.

"How are you going to explain her heritage?"

"The truth when she is old enough to understand it. Until then, Chakotay can tell her legends from his tribe." Kathryn was clearly teasing Chakotay with her last comment.

"Seriously. She's going to ask questions before she can understand all that happened."

"She'll know that we love her, we wanted her, and that the man who fathered her died honorably saving Kathryn's life. That will be enough." Chakotay looked at Kathryn. "Love is always enough."