The next morning, Chakotay woke up slowly from a dream where he was on
the receiving end of one hellatious blowjob.  Then he realized he wasn't
dreaming and lifted his head to see Tom deep-throating him.  He made
some sort of noise, and felt Tom smile.

"Spirits," he hissed, as he dropped his head back to the pillow and
began to push up into Tom's hot wet mouth.  It wasn't long before he
came.  Tom continued to suck on him until he was empty.

"Morning," he panted, looking back down at Tom.

"Morning," Tom replied, as he climbed up and lay his head back down on
Chakotay's shoulder.

"That was wonderful," Chakotay said, as he leaned over, planning to kiss
Tom's cheek, but Tom turned his head.  He found the taste of his own cum
in Tom's mouth, exciting.  He rolled to his side and covered Tom.
Chakotay pushed him back into the pillows with the force of his kiss.
He also reached down and ran his hand up and down Tom's hard cock.  Tom
whimpered and arched up into his hand.

"Do you like that, Tom?" Chakotay asked, as he twisted his hand around
the glans of Tom's cock.

"Shit!" Tom choked out.

"I shall assume you are happy with this arrangement?"

"Yeah.  Oh...yeah," Tom said, as he squirmed in Chakotay's grasp.
"Gods, I want you to fuck me again."

"You did too good a job with your mouth, Tom," Chakotay said, as he
kissed Tom again.

It didn't take long before Tom came in his hand.  Chakotay reached over
and got a towel and cleaned Tom's belly and chest.  He gently kissed
Tom.

"No matter how much I want to stay in this bunk with you, we have work
to do today," Chakotay said, stroking Tom's cheek.

"I know.  Chak...?"

"I don't know what's gonna happen, but we do shifts in the shuttle
today.  One person gathering, one person watching the sensors."  They
both knew that with the communications system down, one of them would
have to be there to know whether Voyager was in range.  Then that person
would have to go get the other.

"Okay," Tom said in a resigned fashion.

"What's wrong, Tom?" Chakotay asked, as they both climbed out of the
bunk, and began to dress.

"Nothing.  I'm just being paranoid."

Chakotay paused.  "What about?"

"Well, back when I first got on Crazy Horse.  Seska told me something
that I hadn't thought of in a long time, and I let it get to me."

"One, don't believe anything Seska told you about me.  She knew I was
attracted to you and would have done anything to keep us apart.  Two,
what did she tell you?"

"I know," Tom said with a laugh.  "That's why I thought it was her that
set me up.  And...it doesn't matter.  I don't believe it."

"Tom, "C" is ask questions.  If there's something you don't understand
or are unsure of:  ask.  I don't mind questions."  Chakotay, now
dressed, turned around to face Tom, who only had his pants on.

"She said...she said you were rough and I better be sure what I was
asking for before I moved in your direction."

Chakotay almost blushed.  "She told you that on the Crazy Horse?"

Tom nodded.

Chakotay shrugged his shoulders.  "Well, it's true.  There're times I do
like it a little rough, and I've been known to use tools.  But I've
never seriously hurt anyone.  Seska liked it rougher than I did.  Shit,
there were times I had to regenerate the claw marks on my back and
arms."  Chakotay met Tom's eyes.  "Is that a problem?"

"Uh...no, as long as I'm not going to have to have my ass regenerated
every morning."

"Have you had to yet?"

"No, but I also know you've been being gentle with me," Tom said with
that Paris smile.

"Have you ever heard of a safe word, Tom?"

"No."

"A safe word is a word that you say if I get too rough, go too far,
frighten you, anything that you feel really uncomfortable with.  I would
suggest something along the lines of 'break'.  It's one syllable, easy
to remember, and not easily misunderstood."

"Break?"

Chakotay nodded.  "That way, I know you aren't ready, and we can talk
about it.  It also gives you a sense of control."

"Okay.  Break, it is."

Chakotay winked and said, "I'll take the first shift gathering."

"Are you sure?  I'm fine."

"Tom, your ass has to be sore.  I saw you wince yesterday, so I know you
have to be uncomfortable today.  Just man the scanners and let me know
when she comes into range."

***

So Tom was sitting at the console when the door to the shuttle opened.

"Tom?"

"Yeah, Chak.  Everything's quiet."

"I'm afraid it isn't as quiet as you think."

Tom froze and then spun around.  He watched Chakotay step in the shuttle
with his hands in gel cuffs in front of him and a bad bruise covering
the side of his face, and blood at his lips.  He was covered in mud and
had obviously fought with them.  Harry was right behind him with a
phaser touching the side of Chakotay's head.  Nothing made sense for a
moment, but reality hit him like a brick.  Tom's stomach twisted with
both pain and love as he watched Chakotay step into the main shuttle
area.

"Chak?" He asked, coming to his feet.  He glanced around looking for a
weapon, anything.

"I'm sorry, Tom.  They hit me from a distance.  I never knew they were
there."

"Yeah, too bad, Chakotay.  Tuvok however enjoyed himself."  Harry said
with an evil smile.  "I love Vulcan cock.  What about you, Maquis?"

Tom knew horror was showing in his face.  He had never heard Harry talk
like this.  The concept of Tuvok raping Chakotay was beyond him.  His
stomach twisted again as he took in the mud on Chakotay's face and neck,
and down one shoulder of his uniform.

"Be quiet, Ensign Kim."

"Keep moving, Chakotay," Harry ordered, jamming the phaser against
Chakotay's head.  Tom started to move, until he saw Harry's finger
tighten on the trigger of the phaser.  "Hold it, Tom, unless you want to
see him vaporized."  He watched in horror as Harry shifted behind
Chakotay and pointed the phaser at the back of his head.

Tom froze and looked at Chakotay.  He saw the small nod.  Harry had the
phaser set to kill.

Chakotay took a few steps into the cabin and Tuvok entered the shuttle.

"Lieutenant Paris."

"You shit eating scum," Tom growled.

"Lieutenant, you have been bested.  I would suggest you keep your vile
language to yourself."

"Pointy-eared BASTARD!" Tom spat.

"I assure you, Lieutenant, I know who my parents are.  Therefore, your
statement is false."  Then he said several words in Vulcan that Tom had
never heard and the shuttle came to life.  He watched the power levels
rise, and saw the main console spring to life.

"Voyager to Tuvok or Chakotay.  Report!"  Captain Janeway's voice
ordered.

"Move away from the console, Lieutenant," Tuvok ordered.  "Harry, put
both of them in the storage bay.  And if either of you makes a noise, I
will use a phaser and remove an appendage of the other."

"Move it, Tommy boy," Harry ordered, turning Chakotay to towards the
rear of the shuttle.  Tom passed in front of Chakotay and Harry, as
Tuvok answered the hail.  He met Chak's eyes.  They both realized that
the message in the queue was being sent as the two spoke.

"Tuvok to Voyager.  Captain, we have found the Commander and Lieutenant
Paris."

"Thank goodness.  Are they all right?"

"Captain, it appears we have a problem.  Ensign Kim and I are attempting
to repair the damage to the shuttle..."

"What damage?  Did they crash?"

No, Captain.  From what we can tell there was a short in the
communications system that was allowing the power source to drain...."

Tom knew what Tuvok was explaining would in fact explain the "problems"
they had had, but he also knew the old adage of Vulcan's not lying was a
crock of shit.

"However, it also appears to have been caused intentionally," Tuvok
continued.

Tom spun around, and almost said something, until he saw Harry stiffen
and shove the phaser hard against Chakotay's skull.

"I'll kill him, Tom," Harry whispered. "I swear to you, I will kill him,
if you make one noise."

Tom met Chak's eyes and couldn't read what was in them, but with a sigh,
he turned around and entered the storage area.

Tom started to move to one side, to allow room for Chakotay.  He was
marginally successful until Chak's bulk hit him in the shoulder and they
both hit the storage containers.  Chakotay hit hard and was unable to
catch himself, and ended up on top of Tom.

"Hey, none of that you two," Harry sneered, as the door slid shut and
Tom heard the locking mechanisms engage.

"Chak?" Tom asked anxiously.  "Are you okay?"

There was no answer for a moment, so Tom scooted out from under him, and
gently rolled him onto his back.  Chakotay was pale, and sweaty and
breathing shallowly.

"Chak, what's wrong?"

"Tuvok," Chakotay whispered.  "Likes it really rough."

"Oh, shit," Tom said.  He gently rolled Chakotay over and cradled Chak's
head in his lap.  "Can I help?"

"Find a regenerator for my ass," Chakotay hissed.  "No, I'll be fine,
but Tom you gotta know that..." Chakotay groaned in pain, as he shifted
himself. "That he may come after you."

"The hell he will," Tom stated, stroking Chak's face.  God's he knew
this pain and it hurt him everywhere.  It made his stomach and groin
tighten.  He remembered the burning, the sharp jabs of pain, and the
danger of infection.  He had to get Chak medicine.

"He will, to get to me, if nothing else.  Harry, too.  Just do what they
ask.  You're good at reading people.  Do what they want and give them
what they want."

"What?  You want me waving my ass in their faces?"

"No, but don't fight."  Chakotay fought to sit up.

"No, Chak, stay on your side.  Believe me, it hurts a hell of a lot more
if you sit."

Chakotay relaxed to the floor, and lifted his hands, encased it the
gelatinous restraints.  "I hate this stuff."

"Nothing I can do, Chak.  We both know the only way to get them off is
with the neutralizer," Tom said, trying to keep Chakotay still.

He remembered how the cuffs clung to your wrists, holding them in
place,  preventing injury, but unbreakable.  When they were first
applied, it felt like you had just stuck your wrist into the goo in the
power packs.  And because of its clingy quality, you couldn't even cut
them off.  It was like they were glued to you.

Still, Chakotay struggled against them.  Tom, still beside him on the
floor, wondered what was going to happen.  Tuvok had already made his
intentions clear:  they were dead meat.

Later, Harry came and got Tom.  The phaser was leveled at his head.

"Come on, Convict.  Tuvok wants to see you."

Tom looked at Chakotay, and despite his attempts to mask, Tom saw the
concern in his eyes.  The messages to Tom were clear as a bell even
though they never spoke.  'Remember, do what they say.', 'I'll do what I
can.', 'Be careful.'

On a whim, Tom went to Chakotay first and kissed him.  "I love you,
Chak."

Chakotay returned the kiss, and whispered, "I'm sorry, Tom.  For
everything."

"Come on," Harry ordered, from the doorway.

"You are my Captain, Chakotay."

"Warp speed, Tom and keep the sensors wide.  We're running quiet."

Tom smiled. It was what Chakotay said when they were going into enemy
territory.

Tom got up and walked out into the shuttle area.

"Sit down, Tom," Harry said, gesturing to one of the chairs.  Tuvok was
at the main control.  He stood up and turned around to face Tom.  "It is
unfortunate that you and the Commander discovered our plan.  Now I will
have to deal with both of you."  Tuvok began to walk in his direction.

"Tuvok, there's nothing you can do to stop us," Tom said, staring at the
Vulcan.

"I assure you, Lieutenant, I can and will."

"Gonna be kinda hard to explain why you're bringing back two corpses,
isn't it."

Harry laughed snidely behind him.

"Nothing so coarse, Lieutenant," Tuvok said.  Then he reached forward
and touched Tom's face.  "My mind to your mind."

"No!"

~~~

Hours later, Chakotay shielded his eyes from the lights of the main area
as the door to the storage bay opened.  He had heard Tom's singular cry
and could only imagine what they were doing.  He cried out shortly when
Harry lifted him to his feet.  He got his feet under him and did his
best not to limp when Harry gestured he should walk into the main area.

~~~

He woke up slowly.  He reached up and rubbed the sore area on the back
of his neck.  That brought him to consciousness again, all too quickly.
He sat up, silencing the groan that wanted to make itself known.  He
looked around wildly for a moment, and wondered how he had gotten to his
cabin.

Vague memories played through his mind.  Hitting Tom, and Tuvok having
to step in between them to keep him from killing Paris.  Not that Paris
didn't deserve it.  Other memories played through his mind as well, but
they were so dark and angry, he didn't really want to look at them.  The
anger and tension were at unbearable levels.  He need to go to the
holodeck as soon as possible.

'Shit,' he thought to himself, as he rubbed his neck again.  Tuvok must
have used the neck pinch on him.  He glanced around and saw a padd
beside his desk.  He picked it up and began to read.

"Chakotay - I'm sorry we had to do this, but when you became so
unstable, we had to do something.  I realize this makes no sense,
however, if you will contact the EMH when you wake up, we can talk
shortly after that.  Captain Kathryn Janeway."

He threw the padd on the floor in disgust.  What was it with people
giving him notes on padds these days.  He reached up and hit his comm
badge.  "Chakotay to EMH"

A moment later, there was the sound of a transport.  "Ah, Commander, you
are awake."  Before he knew what was happening, a hypo was applied to
his neck.

"What the..." Chakotay exclaimed, then calmness and lethargy flooded his
system.

"There now you should be feeling better, Commander."

"What did you give me?"  He asked trying to remain upright on his bed.

"Something to counteract all that adrenalin flooding your system," the
hologram replied.  "EMH to Janeway."

"Janeway here.  What is it, Doctor?"

"The Commander is awake, and in a condition that you can speak with
him."

"I'll be right there."

The EMH looked down at Chakotay.  "Perhaps you would like to meet with
the Captain in the main area of your quarters, Commander."

Chakotay sighed and got unsteadily to his feet.  Why did everything feel
wrong?  Why did he think he shouldn't be angry?  What in the hell had
happened?  He sat down heavily on the couch, still feeling like he could
curl up and go back to sleep for a year.

Moments later, the door opened, and Chakotay caught sight of two guards
outside his quarters.  Why was he under guard? he asked himself, as
Janeway and Tuvok came into his quarters.  Chakotay tried to stand up as
she came in, but before he could, she said,

"At ease, Chakotay.  How are you feeling?"

"Confused.  What happened?  Why am I under guard?  What happened on the
planet?"

"What is the last thing you remember clearly, Commander?" Tuvok asked.

Chakotay thought for a moment.  "When Tom had put his hand into a power
relay?"  Chakotay said, as if he was asking a question.  "I remember
fixing the nacelle, and you sending us to the planet.  Tom and I arguing
in the shuttle.  Something about him wanting to do surgery, no...He was
drugging me and threatened to do a frontal lobotomy."

Janeway and Tuvok exchanged glances.

"What happened?"

"Doctor, perhaps you should explain," Kathryn said.

"Yes, well, Commander, it appears that at some point in time you have
developed an imbalance in you adrenal system.  I can fix it I assure
you, but it has caused your body to flood with adrenalin.  Thus the
problems the Captain said you were having with your temper.  Tom
foolishly thought he could fix the problem and attempted to correct it
surgically."

"Paris did surgery on me?"

"Yes, and apparently with your permission," Janeway said.

"Then what?"

"The surgery was not successful.  It appears that the shuttle was not
exempt from the Gltz, and some of the logs were altered.  Instead of
slowing the flood of adrenalin into your system, he...increased it and
altered several other adrenal glands and basically made you become
unstable."

"So?"

"Chakotay," Janeway said after a moment of silence.  "You almost killed
Tom."

"I don't believe that.  I may not like Paris, but I wouldn't try to kill
him."

"Commander, when Ensign Kim and I got to the surface, you had Tom locked
in the shuttle and you were gathering supplies.  As we approached you,
you attempted to attack us as well.  Ensign Kim reacted and stunned you
with his phaser.  When we got to the shuttle, Tom was locked in the
cargo bay.  When we removed him from your presence, he claimed that you
had assaulted him and confessed to the surgery.  His physical appearance
backed up his claim and the fragments from the log were enough to
corroborate his story.  We detained you in the cargo bay until we had
dealt with the Lieutenant's injuries, but when you were brought out, you
once more attempted to attack the Lieutenant, and I was forced to
intervene."

Chakotay thought hard.  Bits and pieces of this made sense, but other
parts didn't.  Like Paris, he felt like something had happened to him,
to them that didn't jive with this story.  Like Tom was trying to help
him, and that...he couldn't get a hold of the memory.

"Why can't I remember anything?"

"It was the surgery that Tom tried to do.  It altered your neural
pathways."

"So why haven't you reversed what he did?"

"Because, Chakotay," Kathryn said, reaching out to touch him, and for
some reason that made him want to pull back.  "We had to make sure you
were aware this time, and that you were aware of what Tom had done.
Even though his intentions were not to hurt you, you could bring him up
on charges."

"Charges?  For what, doing a surgery I agreed to?"

"Your agreement was during a period of mental incapacitation,
Commander," Tuvok said.  "And he did cause you damage as well."

"How could Tom Paris hurt me.  You said what he did was reversible."

"Chakotay, he sabotaged the shuttle to try to hide his error," Kathryn
said quietly.

"Caldek Prime revisted, huh?"

"I'm afraid you're right, Chakotay."

"Where is he now?"

"Mr. Paris is in the brig," Tuvok announced.

Chakotay sat for a moment, and then looked at the Captain.  "Fix
whatever he screwed up in my head, and no, I don't want to press
charges.  Paris' own actions have damned him more than I could ever do."

***

Tom woke up.  With a heavy sigh he rolled out of his bunk.

"Morning, Greg," he said to the guard outside his cell.

"Paris."

"Can I get a few?"

Greg Ayala nodded and stepped out of view.  Tom took care of his morning
rituals just as he had for the last two months.  He dressed, and called
out to Greg.

"What's for breakfast?" Tom asked.

"Don't ask."

"That bad, huh?"

"Oh yeah," Greg said, with a face that made Tom believe it was worse
than usual.

Tom sat back on his bunk and his breakfast appeared on the table.  He
sniffed it and made a face.  He moved to the table and moved the stuff
around a little.

"So what's the scuttlebutt?"

"Same old, same old."

"How's Chakotay?" Tom asked after a moment.

"He's doing good, Tom.  He's been released from light duty."

"That's good.  You know Greg, I never meant to hurt him."

"Paris, if any of us thought you had, you would be dead.  Just be glad
the Doc was able to fix what you screwed up," Greg replied.

"Greg...I never thought to check the logs, and make sure there wasn't a
problem."

"Your saving grace, Tom."

"I can't believe I lied again.  You would have thought I had learned
after Caldek," Tom said, shaking his head.  "I just didn't think the
Gltz had gotten that far."

"Yeah."

"Yeah," Tom said.  Then, after a moment of silence.  "So, three
dimensional chess?"

***

"So Chakotay, how are things?"  B'Elanna asked, sitting down at his
table.  She was surprised when Harry showed up a moment later and joined
them.

"Actually, I feel very good, B'Elanna," Chakotay said, putting down his
fork.  "I haven't felt this relaxed in months."

"That's good."

They all sat there and ate quietly.  Chakotay finally looked up and
asked, "How's Tom?"

"Dealing with the situation pretty well.  You know how he is about the
brig, but the Doc put him on a dream suppressant and an antidepressant
so, that isn't a problem anymore."

Chakotay nodded.  For some reason, he was glad to hear that.

"Chakotay," Harry started hesitantly.  "Did you ever remember what
happened down there?"

"No.  The Doctor said the surgery messed my brain up so badly there was
very little chance I would recover the information."

***

Chakotay was sitting in his regular seat for the morning briefing.  He
was preparing to leave, thinking the meeting was over, when Kathryn
spoke up.

"And now the final bit of ... news."  Chakotay noticed she was staring
at the tabletop instead of her senior staff.  "After several weeks of
deliberation and argument, I have decided that Tom Paris...will be left
on the next suitable planet."

There was a stunned silence, until Chakotay cleared his throat.

"Captain, may I ask why I wasn't informed you were considering this
course of action?"

"Chakotay, you're too involved in the situation.  Tuvok and Starfleet
regulation both pointed out, that due to the fact you were assaulted by
Lieu.... Mr. Paris, that you shouldn't be involved in the decision."

"Captain, he may have assaulted me, but I don't believe he meant me any
harm.  I object to not being heard and to your decision," he said
calmly.  Chakotay didn't know why he didn't want Tom put off the ship,
but he knew deep down inside that it wasn't right.  He had never shaken
the feeling that something else had happened on the surface, but despite
his attempts to remember, he couldn't pull more than bits and pieces of
the four days on the surface.

"So do I," Harry added nervously.  "I mean, he didn't mean to hurt
Chakotay.  It was an accident."

"Lieutenant Kim, may I remind you that Mr. Paris' actions nearly caused
his own death, the instability of the Commander, and he attempted to
hide his involvement by stranding himself and the Commander on the
planet."

"You know, that still doesn't fit," Baytart said.  "I mean, Tom had
changed.  He was willing to 'fess up when he screwed up, and then he
does this."

"Yeah.  You all are treating him like he was still a convict."

Everyone missed Chakotay's slight jump when Harry said that.  It was as
if he had touched a live wire.  He saw a phaser pointed at Tom, he was
in gel cuffs and Harry said something like *Come on, Convict.*  He shook
his head trying to catch up with the conversation.

"We've been over this people, Tom Paris will be put off on the next
hospitable planet with supplies," Kathryn stated, staring Harry Kim
down.  Her gaze shifted to Chakotay, and they both knew they would talk
about it later.

***

Tom stared at the floor, he considered crying.  He was being put off
Voyager, as soon as they found a planet he could survive on.  The data
padd dropped to the floor.  The Captain couldn't even tell him in
person.  He was handed the official log entry.  His hands started to
shake.

"I'm sorry, Tom," Harry said, from the other side of the force field.
"We argued for you.  Hell, Chakotay argued for you, but you know how she
is about regs."

Tom looked up at his friend and he knew Harry could see the tears.
"Guess I don't have to worry about going back to Auckland anymore."
Then he heard the sound of the doors opening and closing.  He looked at
the corner of the cell.  He jumped to his feet when Chak stepped into
view.

"Ch...Commander?"

"At ease, Tom," he said, going to parade rest himself.

Tom looked at Chakotay for the first time in years.  He saw where his
hair was graying a little around the edges and the lines on his face.
Tom had never gotten over his attraction to Chakotay, even though Chak
hated him.

"Commander, I would like to take this opportunity to apologize for my
actions on the shuttle."

"Were you trying to hurt me, Tom?"

"I don't think so, sir, but I was...scared.  I thought everything would
be so simple, once I knew what the problem was.  I never thought to
check and see if the logs had been tampered with."

"I believe you."

"I'm glad you don't drool," Tom said, with a smile.  He nearly fell down
when Chakotay smiled back slightly.

"Not nearly as glad as I am."  Then he got serious.  "I came here to
tell you...to tell you that it appears we've found a suitable planet.
It's three days from here.  You'll be given adequate supplies to make it
through the first year, after that, you'll be on your own."

"Indigenous life, sir?"

"We are picking up some life forms, but we're still too far away to be
able to ascertain what they are."

Tom nodded.  "Harry told me you spoke on my behalf.  I appreciate that,
Commander.  If there was anyone on Voyager that would want me gone, it's
you."

He saw the Chakotay blink, and his body tense, and wondered what that
was all about.

"I never find abandoning a crew member...easy.  Neither does the
Captain."

"Yeah, sure," Harry said.

"Lieutenant!" Chakotay barked.  Tom flinched and hoped Harry wouldn't
get himself in too much trouble over Tom being put off.

"Leave it alone, Har.  I'm not worth it."
 
 

TBC