Disclaimer: All things Trek are the property of Paramount. I'm just using some of the characters for my story. No infringement intended.

The Power Of Love

by Dee Price


"What do you mean Chakotay is missing?" asked Captain Janeway as she turned to face Tuvok.

"He is nowhere to be found on the planet, Captain." Tuvok responded. "We have used all sensor sweeps. He is simply not there."

"He's there, Tuvok!" exclaimed Janeway. "He beamed down to that planet not an hour ago. Have you tried DNA and Bone Scan?"

"We have tried everything, Captain, as previously stated."

Janeway turned to Ensign Kim. "Harry?"

"My scans show the same as Tuvok's, Captain. Nothing."

"Caves? Deep within the surface?"

"Yes ma'am, we have tried everything. Commander Chakotay is not on that planet!"

Janeway was stunned. It was a simple investigation of a site that appeared to have Deuterium. She walked quickly up to Tuvok's station

"He's down there, Tuvok. Something on the planet is blocking our scans. Have you tried all bands, high, low, broad and narrow?"

"We have been quite thorough I assure you, Captain. The Commander simply does not exist on that planet."

Janeway stared at him, her heart starting to race. "He's there. We're missing something. I'm going down to the planet. Harry, you're with me," she said as she slapped at her Com Badge. "B'Elanna, this is Janeway. Meet me at Transporter One on the double!"

"Yes, Captain." came the immediate response.

As she started to walk away, Tuvok stepped in front of her. "Captain, we have already lost our First Officer. We cannot afford to lose our Captain, too. I will go down."

"No, Tuvok, I must do this. If it will make you feel any better, I will take two Security men of your choice and keep our Com badges open at all times."

Tuvok still did not move, and Janeway's eyes narrowed and her voice became hard. "Step aside, Tuvok, that's an order!"

Reluctantly he turned enough for Janeway to get by. As the doors of the Bridge closed Tuvok contacted Security and ordered Lt. White Rain and Ensign Lopez to the Transporter Room. They were not only his best Security men, but Lt. White Rain, a Native American as the Commander, was also the best tracker on the ship. If there were tracks of Chakotay anywhere on that planet he would find them. Plus, both men were former Maquis and although loyal to the Captain, were fiercely loyal to Chakotay and would do their utmost to help her find him.

The group materialized beside the known spot Chakotay had beamed to. She didn't want the site disturbed by beaming directly on it. Then after nodding to White Rain, she reminded the rest of the group to hold their positions and just scan with their TriCorder's in all directions.

White Rain carefully moved around the area, kneeling occasionally to look closely at something. Finally he looked up at Captain Janeway.

"He was here, Captain, although his tracks are very light. But I find no tracks of him walking away nor any other tracks." He then stood, still looking at the Captain and noted the sad look that came over her face. She much loves the Commander he thought to himself.

"You see absolutely no tracks leading away from this spot, White Rain? Nor anything with the TriCorder?" she asked.

"Negative on both questions, Captain," he replied.

"How can that be, White Rain? What do your senses tell you?"

He looked down at the area and once again slowly circled around. He did feel something strange, but could not pinpoint the cause. Looking at Janeway, he shook his head.

"At this point I do not know, Captain. I seem to sense something, but it is as if he took flight the moment he materialized on the planet."

"Took flight? You mean transported somewhere else by someone? Our TriCorder's show no residue of any other transport system."

"No, Captain, I mean . . . like a bird. It's as if he just flew off!"

The Captain then turned to the rest of the group. Harry and B'Elanna were looking at her, while Ensign Lopez was continuing to point his TriCorder in small sweeps of the area.

"Harry, B'Elanna, anything?" They shook their heads no. "What about you, Ensign Lopez? Picking up anything at all, any alien residuals, or . . . ?"

He shook his head as he first glanced at White Rain, then Janeway. "I'm sorry, Captain, nothing."

"All right, then, let's spread out. Search for caves or even holes in the ground, but stay alert all of you!"

An hour later they reassembled at the beam down point. No one had been successful, not even finding the slightest hint of a clue. Janeway then hailed Voyager.

"Janeway to Tuvok."

"Here, Captain," he answered. "We have been monitoring all five of you."

"We have been unsuccessful other than the tracks where the Commander materialized. Have the ship's sensors found anything that we could investigate while we're down here?"

"Negative, Captain. We have extended all sensors to their maximum and completed a search of the entire planet."

"Have you detected any life signs other than this group?"

"No, Captain, we have not."

"I see,” she said, her tone one of frustration. "Well, I still think we are missing something." She then looked at the group. B'Elanna was angry, Harry concerned, Lopez alert but passive, and White Rain clearly puzzled. Good she thought to herself. Their minds are working. They . . . and I . . . will figure this out. We will find the Commander. She then looked around the area.

"We'll find you Chakotay," she half whispered. "Wherever you are, we'll find you. I won't leave without you." She then looked at B'Elanna and gave her a half-hearted smile. B'Elanna returned a determined nod of her head.

"Let's get back to the ship people and put our thinking caps on. He's got to be here." Then looking at White Rain she added, "He's here, somewhere," She then called out, "Voyager, five to beam up."

* * *

Janeway stood at the view port in her Ready Room with her arms folded across her chest, staring through space to the planet below. It had been two days since Chakotay's disappearance and they knew nothing more than the day he disappeared. The hurt she felt was beyond anything she had ever known before. It had been a month since Chakotay asked for that one kiss on the Holodeck, and there wasn't a day that had gone by that she hadn't thought of that moment. Even now she could still feel his soft lips on hers and hear his words "I will never leave you, Kathryn." But now he was nowhere to be found. He had left her!

A tear slowly rolled down her cheek. As she reached up and wiped it away she whispered, "Where are you Chakotay? Are you hurt somewhere? Please help me to find you! What can I do? Please Chakotay . . . help me."

Giving a big sigh she lifted her head and turning, headed for the Bridge. As she walked onto the Bridge she noted the deathly quiet. No banter between Tom and Harry, in fact Tom's face as he turned to look at her was unusually pale and showed no evidence of the flip Tom they all knew. Harry looked worn out, with deep bags under his eyes. He had probably slept very little. Only Tuvok's face was the same, yet there was the slightest appearance of sadness in his eyes if you looked close enough.

She sat down in her chair, saying nothing and just stared straight ahead. They were running out of time and options. She knew they could not stay at this planet much longer without any evidence of Chakotay being down there. Turning she looked at Tuvok and raised an eyebrow. Tuvok's reply was equally silent, giving only a shake of his head.

"Captain?"

Janeway looked up. Tom was facing her, an earnest look on his face. "Why don't you get some rest? You look like hell, if I can be blunt."

Janeway gave him a small smile. "I don't look any worse than the rest of you, Tom."

He gave a sympathetic smile. "I know. Maybe we should all get some rest and try again in the morning with fresh minds. He's down there, Captain. We just haven't figured out where, yet."

Janeway looked at this man. He had matured so much in the last four years! When he first came on board hardly anyone respected him, least of all Chakotay, but the two had finally resolved their differences and now respected each other. She stood and said, "I think you're right, Tom. Maybe we all need to get away from it for awhile."

"I think we're all just trying too hard, Captain," he added. "It's like we've got a ship-wide mental block or something."

She nodded her head and thought for a moment on the words 'mental block.' When Tom had said those words she had a flash of something. What was it? She shook her head, then said, "Everyone, get replacements and take the rest of the day to relax. Go shoot some Pool or something to get your minds off this situation," and then turned and headed off the Bridge.

The rest of the day was quiet and uneventful as Voyager slowly orbited the planet. Tuvok reported at one time that most of the Senior Officers were indeed shooting pool, as Tom had started up Chez Sandrine. Kathryn wandered down there at one point, but spent most of her time in her quarters, staring out the view port window. The ache in her heart would not go away, nor the headache that came on yesterday. She had tried not to think of searching for Chakotay, trying to keep her mind free of that problem. Glancing down at the cup she held, she realized the tea was probably ice cold by now. Sighing, she walked over to the Replicator, threw the tea away, and then placed the cup on her desk. She considered going into Chakotay's quarters, but that would make the hurt only that much worse.

She sat momentarily at her desk and absent-mindedly pulled up Chakotay's personnel file. Suddenly seeing his face gave her a start and then she reached out with her hand to touch the viewer. Those brown eyes . . . those marvelously sensual lips . . . would she ever see them again, hear his soft, calming voice? His words "I will never leave you, Kathryn," again formed in her mind.

Turning off the computer, she walked slowly to her bed, sat a moment, and then lay down. Her mind drifted and as her head slowly settled into the pillow her thoughts returned to New Earth.

* * *

The next morning in the Conference Room, first B'Elanna, then Harry, Tuvok and White Rain gave their reports and thoughts on what they could do to find Chakotay. The mood had started out upbeat, but slowly disintegrated as nothing really new was brought up.

Janeway decide on another sweep of the planet using only the UHS Band and also sent four crews down to various areas of the planet while she and White Rain again went to the original beam down site.

After examining the site 'with a fine tooth comb' as Janeway had expressed it, they again found nothing, yet each had a 'feeling' they couldn't explain. Sitting down on a rock they looked at one another.

"We're missing something, White Rain. I just feel it in my bones. There's something we're not doing!"

He nodded agreement. "But I just can't come up with the answer, Captain. I'm sorry, I feel so helpless!"

Reaching out she patted him on the shoulder. "We're all frustrated, White Rain, but you've been a great help and, I might add, a great comfort."

"Comfort, Captain? I have done nothing to comfort you." Then he smiled ruefully. "Nor have I found my friend."

She smiled. "By comfort, I mean you knew Chakotay when he was younger and you served with him in the Maquis. Somehow his presence within your knowledge, comforts me."

White Rain nodded. "I understand, Captain, and I also understand your feelings for Chakotay."

"Feelings?" said a startled Janeway.

"Yes, feelings, Captain. It is quite obvious, not only to me, but the entire ship, of the great love you and Chakotay have for each other. It would probably surprise you to know everyone wishes for you to openly be together. You are Soulmates and every day that passes without expressing love to a soulmate, is a day lost forever."

Kathryn looked at him. "I never considered Chakotay and I as Soulmates."

"Why else were you two thrown together in a strange quadrant of space? You were seeking him out and he was not running from you."

"He was trying to get away."

"From the Cardassians, Captain, not from you. Chakotay didn't even know you were searching for him. And he willingly sacrificed his ship for you, which brought you together on one ship. You two have slowly been moving towards each other for many moons. Some might call it fate," he said with a slight shrug of his shoulders, "others might say it is a decree by the Gods, but in reality it is two souls searching for the other, and once found, they unite for life in true peace and happiness, never seeking another. They never separate, even in death."

Kathryn stared at White Rain. "That is your belief that once you find your Soulmate you will always be together?", Kathryn asked as Chakotay's words 'I'll never leave you, Kathryn' roared in her ear.

"It is our belief, Captain, and I believe the truth of what I say has opened up in your heart."

Kathryn smiled. "I think you and I need to talk more often, White Rain when we . . ."

I'm here, Kathryn.

Kathryn suddenly stood and wildly looked around. "Did you hear that, White Rain?"

"Hear what, Captain?"

"It was Chakotay. He was calling to me."

I'm here, Kathryn.

"There it is again! Don't you hear it?"

White Rain looked at her. "I heard nothing, Captain. Perhaps it is only the new found love in your heart crying out."

Kathryn stood silently for a long time, straining to once again hear Chakotay's voice, but there wasn't anything but silence now.

"I heard him, White Rain, I know I did!"

White Rain didn't feel the need to answer. He looked at this woman, feeling only sadness for one who has suddenly realized the true value of an open love and yet not have it.

Kathryn's shoulders slumped. "Maybe you're right. Maybe it was just my hopes and imagination." She shuffled her feet, sighed, and then slapped her badge. As the transporter beam sparkled around them she looked once more at the spot where Chakotay had disappeared.

The day, then the evening passed without success. The search teams coming back from the planet looked discouraged and tired. Janeway finally announced they would resume the search in the morning and for everyone to get some rest.

As the ship's activity quieted down, Kathryn decided they would use more scans tomorrow. Maybe B'Elanna could adjust them somehow so they weren't blocked. It puzzled her greatly as to what was blocking the readouts, but she didn't have time to waste on that mystery. She would also send down fresh crews tomorrow. Hopefully they would have success.

The next day B'Elanna tried a couple of adjustments on the scans but the results were still the same. She angrily slammed her fist down on the control, causing Harry to jump.

"Easy B'Elanna," he said quietly, but received only an angry glare.

Different teams beamed down to the planet, as well as Janeway and White Rain making another trip to the ill-fated site. But it was becoming obvious they weren't going to find anything. Reluctantly she returned to the ship while White Rain said he would continue to look around.

Later, when all the search teams had returned to Voyager and reported no new findings, Janeway disappeared into her Ready Room. It had now been four days, and there had been no trace of Chakotay. They had exhausted all means of search as well as themselves. She sat quietly at her desk, knowing the decision that had to be made. Tapping her Com badge, she asked Tuvok to come in.

As Tuvok entered, she indicated for him to sit down. She remained quiet for several moments, even after he had done so. Finally looking at him, she asked quietly, "Can you think of anything we haven't done, Tuvok?"

"I regret to say, Captain, I cannot."

She sighed and Tuvok noted that all life seemed to have gone out of the Captain's eyes.

"There's nothing left to do then?"

"Not that I, nor anyone in the crew, can think of. We have exhausted every known and unknown means to search for the Commander, without success."

She nodded and stood, and in a lifeless voice said, "Inform the crew we will leave orbit at 0800 hours tomorrow morning. Dismissed."

* * *

Janeway strode briskly onto the Bridge at 0800 hours and stopped dead in her tracks. Harry and Tom were sitting on the steps leading to the lower level, both with their heads down on their arms. She turned to Tuvok's station, but he wasn't there.

"Tom, Harry, what's going on?" she asked.

Both stood immediately and turned to her. "Sorry, Captain. Didn't hear you come in," said Tom. "Uhm, we were just waiting . . . uhm hoping . . ." he stopped with a hopeless expression on his face.

"Do we have to leave this morning, Captain?" asked Harry. "Isn't there something we can do? Surely we can keep looking!"

Janeway, a sad look crossing her face, said, "I'm sorry. We have done everything. This hurts me very much, but there just isn't anything else we can do short of just staying here, and we must be on our way."

"Commander Chakotay wouldn't desert you, Captain!" said Harry his voice rising to almost a wail.

Kathryn walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I don't feel I'm deserting Chakotay, Harry," she said with a sad look on her face. "We've spent four days here and done everything we could think of. I'm sorry there isn't anymore that can be done."

She turned and again looked at Tuvok's empty station. "Where is Tuvok?"

"Down in Engineering," said Harry quietly. "Wanted to check some readings for himself."

"What readings?" asked Janeway hopefully.

"Didn't say," said Tom shrugging his shoulders. "But I think it was something to do with a search he tried last night."

Just then Tuvok entered the Bridge, looked at the Captain's hopeful expression, and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Captain, there's nothing to report."

Janeway then walked to her seat, looked momentarily at Chakotay's empty chair, and then sat down with a loud sigh.

"All right, Mr. Paris. Set your headings for the Alpha Quadrant, one-quarter Impulse."

"Yes ma'am." said Tom as he moved to the Helm. At least she isn't taking us out at warp, he thought to himself.

Just then B'Elanna stormed onto the Bridge. "You can't do this Captain! You just can't go off and leave Chakotay!"

Tuvok moved quickly to intercept her and placed a restraining arm across her chest as he said softly "That's enough, Lt."

"Captain!" B'Elanna cried out as she struggled with Tuvok.

Janeway rose to her feet. Both women stood and looked at the other and it was obvious to all that both their hearts were breaking. Janeway moved to B'Elanna and as Tuvok released her, both women put their arms around the other in a long and quiet, emotion-filled hug.

Finally they stepped apart and B'Elanna with one last look at Janeway turned and walked resignedly off the Bridge.

The day wore on, with time moving quite slowly. The Captain had maintained one-quarter impulse all the way and Tom was aware of the many times Janeway had turned to the empty seat beside her. At last Alpha shift was over and everyone quietly left the Bridge, some to their rooms, some to the Mess Hall. Tom and Harry went to the Holodeck, where each tried to beat the hell out of the Hoverball.

Kathryn had tried to eat something, but ended up throwing it back into the Replicator. She sat on her bed and opened the dresser drawer, rummaged around for a few seconds, then pulled out a rock. Smiling, she clenched it tightly in her hand. Chakotay had given her that rock on New Earth, saying it had different, yet beautiful properties. She lay back on the bed and clutched the rock to her breast. It was the only possession she had from Chakotay, other than her memories. Once again she began thinking of their time on New Earth, and finally fell into an exhausted sleep.

I'm here, Kathryn

Kathryn awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in bed. "Chakotay?"

I'm here, Kathryn. Don't leave me.

She sat feeling confused for a few moments, then rose, put on her robe and went to Chakotay's quarters. Walking into the dimly lit room, she stopped and suddenly shivered. It was cold in here! She walked slowly around the room, looking, sometimes handling his various possessions. Then her eyes saw his Medicine Bundle and she reached out and picked it up. Looking at it her eyes welled up with tears and she sat suddenly on the floor, clutching the bundle to her heart and started sobbing uncontrollably as she rocked back and forth.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and her eyes flew open. White Rain was kneeling in front of her, his face filled with compassion. He, too, had tears in his eyes.

"I didn't mean to startle you, Captain, but I called your name several times." He looked at the Medicine Bundle still clutched to her chest. "Have you tried contacting your Spirit Guide?"

Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she shook her head no and started rocking back and forth again.

"Perhaps now would be a good time," he said gently.

"I can't use Chakotay's. He once told me you never tell another person who your spirit guide is."

"That's true, Captain, but in this case I don't believe the Spirit would be offended." He hesitated, and then said as he looked into her eyes, "You heard his voice again, didn't you?"

Kathryn bobbed her head. "It woke me up. This time he asked me not to leave him."

White Rain then took the Medicine Bundle from her hands and began to open it. He then placed the objects gently and with reverence on the floor, and seemingly in specific positions, and then looked expectantly at the Captain.

"I will leave or stay with you, but you must do this."

"Please stay with me, White Rain. Help me."

He nodded and sat cross-legged across from her. "Just keep your mind open. Don't try to force any images. Let it come to you, Captain. Now place your hand on the Akoonah like Chakotay taught you." After she did, White Rain closed his eyes . . .

"Akoochie moya. We are far from the sacred places of our grandfathers . . ."

All Kathryn saw was blackness . . . a complete and totally pitch-blackness. And it was so cold she started shivering. She looked up and could see a thin stretch of light above . . . then suddenly she was standing on the surface looking down through a small fissure in the earth's crust. Turning she caught sight of movement. It was a Lizard, her spirit guide, and beside it was a Wolf! Both animals looked at the fissure, then walked away, hesitated and came back to her. The Wolf sniffed at the fissure then looked up and nuzzled her hand. Turning, he loped off a short ways, stopped again and looked back at her. Kathryn quickly walked after the Wolf. When she reached him, she saw a small grove of shrubs a short distance away. She looked down at this beautiful animal, which was obviously trying to tell her something, as he first looked at the grove and again back at the fissure. Then a brilliant flash of light made her eyes fly open. White Rain was sitting opposite, watching her intently.

"Just relax a moment, Captain. Let your mind relax and absorb the images of what you just saw."

Nodding she scooted back a few feet and leaned against Chakotay's bed. After a short time she explained to White Rain what she had seen, including the Wolf and the fact it nuzzled her hand.

He smiled. "The Wolf must be Chakotay's Spirit Guide and he was there with you, assisting your search and showing his love . . ."

Kathryn looked at White Rain. "It was the most beautiful animal I think I have ever seen. It was so calm, not wild like you think of as a Wolf." She smiled and was silent for a few moments, then suddenly sat upright. "Computer, what time is it?"

"0810 hours" came the response.

Kathryn slapped at her chest and not feeling the Com badge, looked down. It wasn't there. She had been so distraught she hadn't even thought of putting it on her robe. Looking over at White Rain she saw his badge and crawled over to him.

"Excuse me, White Rain,” she said as she pushed on his badge and initiated a call . . ."Janeway to the Bridge."

"Tuvok here, Captain. Are you all right? You are late for your shift and . . ."

"I'm fine, Tuvok" she interjected. "Turn this ship around. We're going back . . . Warp 9!"

As she stood she heard Tom and Harry whoop in unison in the background, "All right!"

She looked at White Rain and smiled. He nodded his approval and began to pack away Chakotay's Medicine Bundle as the Captain hurried from the room.

* * *

Three hours later, Janeway, White Rain, Tom and Ensign Lopez were on the surface of the planet. She looked around, searching for the small grove of shrubs, but it could not be seen.

"Fan out everybody, and look for a grove of shrubs." she said sharply.

Several minutes passed, then White Rain called out on his Com badge. "Over here, Captain. I think I found it."

The Captain, Tom and Ensign Lopez quickly moved to his location. Kathryn began to closely inspect the appearance of the shrubs.

"Yes, this is it, I'm sure of it." Then she started turning and looking in all directions, trying to pinpoint where she had been in the image with the Wolf and Lizard. "This is not going to be easy," she muttered in exasperation.

"Remember, don't force it, Captain," said White Rain in his gentle voice. "Clear your mind. You must clear your mind."

Kathryn stopped, realizing he was right and that she was rushing. Taking a big breath she closed her eyes and tried to relax and let the image seep into her mind. Tom, watching this, had a puzzled look on his face and started to open his mouth to say something. White Rain quickly held up his hand indicating silence.

Kathryn stood silently for several minutes, and then as her eyes opened, she turned and started walking, with Tom, White Rain and Lopez quietly following. Suddenly she stopped and looked around.

"This is it, White Rain, but where is the fissure?"

Ensign Lopez knelt down and started examining the ground. Slowly and methodically he moved around, at times placing the palm of his hand down. Tom worked the TriCorder, while White Rain moved over beside Kathryn and waited with her.

"Stay relaxed, Captain, keep your mind open," he said softly. "We'll find it."

Suddenly there was a sharp sound, almost like a hiccup and the ground opened between Lopez and Tom.

"Look out!" yelled Tom as he backed up. Then looking at Lopez asked, "What did you touch?"

"Nothing that I'm aware of," he replied as he crawled forward a couple of steps and carefully peered down into the fissure.

"Be careful, Ensign." said the Captain as she knelt down. Then she called down the fissure, "Chakotay! Are you in here?"

Silence.

"Commander!" yelled Lopez in his deep voice. "Commander Chakotay, give us a signal if you are down there!"

"Chakotay, please! Are you there?" called out Kathryn, her tone almost desperate.

You came back for me, Kathryn!

Kathryn sat back suddenly and gasped, her hand flying to her chest. "He's down there, White Rain! I can feel it."

White Rain gently lifted Kathryn to her feet and then told Ensign Lopez to sit down where he had been when the fissure opened. If there was some kind of trigger, they wanted to keep it open. Turning to Tom, he asked, "Can you measure the depth of this fissure, Lt?"

Tom immediately knelt down and aimed his TriCorder down into the blackness, and punched at the buttons. "Sorry, something is blocking the sensors."

"Just like the ships sensors were blocked!" replied Janeway. Then looking at White Rain, she nodded her head, sensing he had an answer.

He immediately tapped his badge. "Voyager, this is Lt White Rain. We need rope and lots of it."

"But what are we going to attach it to when we get it, Lt?" asked Lopez.

White Rain looked at the Captain. "If we lower someone down, and he's in there, we will have double weight coming back up. About 15 men would be good, Captain, just to be on the safe side."

Janeway agreed and again White Rain called up to Voyager with exactly what they wanted.

Tom then insisted he be the one to go down. "After all, Chakotay already owes me two lives . . . what's one more?" he said with that cocky grin back in place.

White Rain, who had first said he would go down, looked at Tom and acquiesced. "All right Lt., you have the honors."

Soon the men and rope were on the surface and Tom was ready. Signals were arranged with tugs on the rope if the Com Badge didn't work once he was in the hole.

Then Tom crawled over to the edge and as he sat dangling his legs down, looked at Lopez. "Whatever you do, man, don't move," he said with a grin, then they slowly started to lower him into the fissure.

* * *

Tom was barely into the fissure when it became pitch black and he realized his Wrist Light wasn't going to be that much help. That, plus he instantly felt a dramatic drop in the temperature and shivered. Five minutes, then ten minutes went by as he was lowered very slowly. Periodically he signaled for a stop as he slowly moved the light around. The rope was beginning to bite into his legs even though White Rain had indicated soft and supple within his specifications. It was now bitterly cold, yet sweat was pouring down his face and he found himself glancing up now and then to be sure he could still see light. How far down was he anyway and where was the bottom?

"Sure hope we have enough rope," he muttered to himself. "I'd hate to do this again."

Another slow, agonizing ten minutes went by and all he was seeing with his light was black rock and seemingly no bottom!

Meanwhile on the surface, Janeway paced relentlessly. He was down there, she knew he had to be there! Occasionally doubt would enter her mind, but she would shake it off. He was there, of that she was sure, but in what condition? It had been five days!

Tom signaled to be lowered some more. Slowly he went down, shining his light around at the walls and straight down. But still nothing could be seen.

"Damn, I've never seen such complete blackness". Then he snickered at using the word 'seen'. "Yeah right," he snorted.

Then he felt something hard under his right foot and immediately signaled for a stop. He played the light around but couldn't even make out what his foot was on. Again he tugged at the rope, indicating he wanted to be lowered a little more.

White Rain, the lead man on the rope, called out to the men "All right, men . . . a little more . . . slowly, slowly," he cautioned. Then came the signal to stop. He looked back. How much rope was left? What he saw made his heart jump. They only had about 75 Meters left! If Tom didn't touch bottom soon they would have to pull him up and do it all over again. Well, he thought, we'll do it until we get to the bottom, that's all there is to it! I can be a very stubborn man if I have a mind to.

He looked over at Captain Janeway and smiled inwardly. Talk about stubborn, he thought. But that stubbornness just might be what saves Chakotay . . . or at least gets him out of this hole. Then he felt another signal from Tom.

Tom now felt sure he was at the bottom and as they slowly lowered him some more his other foot touched solid ground. He let the rope lower until he had both feet solidly beneath him, signaled for stop and then concentrated on playing his light around. Nothing! He then shone the light down at his feet to make sure he wasn't just standing on a ledge when the light briefly caught a flash of something shiny. Keeping the light on the object he flexed his knees and reached out to pick it up. He suddenly realized it was a Com Badge! Kneeling down he frantically started feeling around with both hands, until he finally touched something solid. Shining the light he gave a large whoop. It was Chakotay!

"We've got you, Commander," he yelled, but there was no response. Tom then found his neck and pressed on the Carotid Artery. No pulse and his skin was ice cold! "Well, I'd be cold, too, if I had spent 5 days down here,” he muttered. He then slowly examined Chakotay's body, checking for broken bones, and found that both of his legs were broken. Probably more, but it would take the Doc to find those. He yelled up to the top that he found him, but received no response.

"Damn rock even blocks the human voice," he muttered disgustedly.

After signaling for more rope he carefully tied the rope around Chakotay's legs and chest, then thought about it for a moment. We both better go up at once he decided . . . I don't want to get trapped down here myself. He then made some adjustments in the rope so that

Chakotay was tied to him, with the Commander's head at his chest, added a couple of extra knots and signaled to be pulled up.

"I sure hope this rope holds both of us Chakotay. Or better yet that the guys up top can pull both of our weights.”

On the surface, White Rain felt the signal. He looked at the Captain and nodded.

"Does he . . ." Janeway started to ask.

"Only one way to tell. If we have extra weight, we'll know we have something besides Tom," he responded.

White Rain then gave the men the signal to start pulling and at first felt dismay. The rope was slack! Had they lost Tom, too? Suddenly it was taut . . . and heavy . . . extra heavy and he gave a grunt.

"Harry, synchronize the pulling!" he yelled.

Harry immediately set the cadence. "Pull!" pause, two, three. "Pull!"

Kathryn's hands went to her face. They had found him! Alive or dead, they had at least found him.

Even with fifteen men the going was slow and White Rain had to stop the effort a couple of times to let them regain their breath and let their hands relax. His hands, and he knew everyone else's, were becoming raw from the rope. Finally, on the third break White Rain decided to check, and he gave a yell down the fissure.

"Lt.! Do you have the Commander?"

". . . . . . do . . . . . . . . . dead . . . . . . . . . pulling!" was all he could make out.

White Rain felt a pain shoot through his heart. Had he lost his friend, his compatriot? He looked over at the Captain. What should he tell her?

"What did he say, White Rain?" asked Janeway.

"Sorry, Captain. I couldn't make it out. He's not close enough to the surface yet. This rock, whatever it is, blocks all communication."

After another ten minutes White Rain could make out Tom's face, and yes, by the Spirits, that was Chakotay hanging just below him! He looked over at the Captain and gave a nod. She immediately came over and peered down. Her heart skipped a beat at what she saw. It was Chakotay all right, but he looked dead.

After a few more minutes and then a struggle to get them through the fissure opening, Tom and Chakotay were on the surface. Chakotay lay limp, while Tom flopped onto his back, shielding his eyes from the sun and taking big, deep breaths. Janeway knelt down and looked at Chakotay, and then at Tom and nodded her thanks to him, even as a tear coursed its way down one cheek.

Tapping her badge she said in a husky voice raw with emotion, "Voyager, we have him! Beam both Chakotay and Tom Paris directly to Sick Bay." Had she been on board, she would have heard Voyager echo with cheers from around the ship.

Later, after everyone was back on board, the ship remained strangely quiet. No word had come from Sick Bay yet on Commander Chakotay's condition, but everyone felt deep satisfaction that he had been found. Now, however, they wanted him to be alive!

Meanwhile in Sick Bay White Rain stood quietly while the Dr. treated Tom's various rope burns and bruises. He himself had vicious rope burns on his hands, but that was unimportant and something he would take care of later. When the Dr. indicated Tom could go, White Rain walked with him to the door, and then facing him, stared intently into Tom's blue eyes. Without a word being said, and only a nod of White Rain's head, Tom understood he had made a friend for life. He gave White Rain a smile, nodded in return, and left Sick Bay, heading directly for the Captain's Ready Room.

"Enter" Janeway called out, then smiled as Tom entered the room.

"How are you, Tom?"

"I'm fine Captain. I just wanted to let you know Chakotay was still hanging tough when I left Sick Bay just now. It's touch and go and he's in really bad shape, but look at it this way . . . if he could stay alive for five days down in that hole, just calling out to you in his mind . . . well, I think he's going to make it."

Kathryn impulsively reached out and hugged him, much to Tom's embarrassment.

"I think so, too, Tom. He's a fighter. We don't know in what condition, but I'm sure he'll make it."

Tom rubbed his head. "Yeah, well, the important thing is we got him back. He didn't die in that hole." Then he looked at the Captain and smiled. "If you'll excuse me Captain, I think I'll hit the sack."

"Thank you for everything, Tom. I know going down into that hole wasn't easy."

Tom shook his head. "Look, Captain, there isn't a man on this ship that wouldn't have done that for Chakotay."

"I'm beginning to realize that. By the way, I had considered staying here tomorrow to find out why Chakotay barely touched down at the transporter site and ended up in that fissure, but now I think the farther away we get from this planet the better, so at 0800 hours tomorrow take us out."

"Yes, Captain," he said and turned for the door. As it opened, he stopped and turned to face Janeway. "It's really something, isn't it Captain?"

"What's that, Tom?"

"The power of the mind . . . the power of love." He then smiled and left, leaving a myriad of emotions flooding through Kathryn's face.

At 0805 hours the next morning, Alpha shift had taken over and were checking out all systems. Janeway sat quietly in her chair. She had not heard anything as yet from Sick Bay. In fact, on her two inquiries during the night had been told rather curtly by the Dr. that when he had any news she would be the first to know. Consequently, she had not asked again.

Suddenly the quiet was broken with "Sick Bay to Captain Janeway."

Activity on the Bridge suddenly stopped, and everyone turned to look at her.

"Janeway here. What's the news, Dr?"

"Well Commander Chakotay is beginning to regain . . ." At that Kathryn flew out of her chair and as she headed out the door nodded to Tuvok to take over.

". . . consciousness and has said your name." Hearing no response, the Dr. said. "Captain, I said the Commander has . . ."

Tuvok interrupted with "The Captain is on her way to Sick Bay, Dr."

"Doesn't anyone on this ship ever let me finish a sentence?" he sputtered.

Tom and Harry burst out laughing and Harry exclaimed, "That sounds like it might be good news!"

"Do not rejoice too hastily, gentlemen. We don't know the condition of the Commander. Only that he is regaining consciousness." Tuvok admonished.

"Come on, Tuvok," said Tom. "Even you must feel some happiness that we have Chakotay back!" As Tuvok just frowned at him, Tom added, "Or not."

Kathryn hurried into Sick Bay. "How is he Dr?"

"Well as I was attempting to tell you before you so rudely left the Bridge . . ."

"Doctor!"

"Hmmm. Yes, well, he is beginning to wake up and called for you once. He is still in bad shape, but I have repaired all the broken bones and re-inflated the left lung, and . . ."

At that, Kathryn turned and walked toward Chakotay's bed, as the Dr. disgustedly threw his hands up in the air.

Reaching Chakotay's side, she gently put the back of her hand on his cheek. Various emotions flooded all her senses, to the point she couldn't talk.

I'm here, Chakotay

A soft groan escaped Chakotay's lips and Kathryn thought she saw his hand twitch.

I will never leave you Chakotay.

Another small groan, then Chakotay stirred and his eyes opened slowly. Gradually a blurred image came into focus and he found himself looking into two blue eyes, which were now brimming with tears.

"Kathryn?"

"I'm here, Chakotay . . . I'm here."

Finis

July 1998

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