C/P, J/K, C, K, J, T, Tu, D

 PG-13 - NC-17

Angst warning.

Summary: Away mission goes wrong, leaving them stranded on a hostile planet, Harry tells a tale about Chakotay and Tom first meeting.

Declaimer: I don't own or make money, Paramount does, I'm just taking them out for some fun in the sun. 
 
 

"We're going down, brace for impact." Tom yelled, he could hear the screams of the others behind him strapped down in the cargo bay, as the Harris shuttle crashed into the side of the mountain with his remaining strength before he passed out pushing buttons trying to make the landing a bit more bearable.

Beside him, his copilot Captain Janeway, they had been talking about the mission on Voyager they had found sources of food other than Leola root, Laughing at talent night the night before Chakotay had surprised them all by singing a song from his home world Dorvan V, when all hell broke loose hitting an Ion storm, that tossed The Harris about like a toy shuttle. 

Kathryn slowly came to with a moan, finding herself upside down strapped in her chair, moving her head to the side as she heard movement and someone moaning, "God damn, I'm still alive."

"Crewman?"

"Captain where are you?"

"I think I'm still strapped into my seat, is everyone else OK?" Kathryn asked, looking over towards where Tom should be but she couldn't see him and she was worried.

Dalby stumbled over the  rubble that littered the deck, cursing under his breath, "Trust that little fucker to do this when I'm on the mission."

A voice from behind him said, "Stow it Dalby." 

Chakotay grimaced in pain from where the strap cut into his shoulder, he head ached from hitting the bulkhead he didn't need Dalby cursing Paris they were alive thanks to him.

Frowning Chakotay looked towards the helm to see if Paris was there when he didn't see him he growled, "Where the hell is he?" Over the years Chakotay still held Tom at arm lengths, he never trusted him or liked him but unlike Dalby, he learnt to respect Paris's flying talent.

Harry crawled out of his straps with a groan, "God damn Tom, you did it again."

B'Elanna stumbled out after him breathed, "God that was some landing, Paris."

Harry stood up looking over at the face of the shuttle his face drained rushing to the front pushing Dalby aside in his rush to get to Kathryn, "Kat, are you alright?"

Kathryn smiled at him as he released the catch and placing her on the roof of the shuttle saying, "Fine, where is Tom and Tuvok? "

"I'm here Captain." Tuvok told her as he crawled out of cargo bay voice full of pain, "I think I have broken my leg."

"Fan out and see if you can find Tom, Harry bring the med. kit before you go, I'll do what I can for Tuvok."

Chakotay told them, "Work in pairs holler if you find him,"

B'Elanna latched onto Chakotay as he passed her, knowing that she didn't want to work with Dalby she felt awful leaving Harry to deal with him. 

Chakotay looked down at his long time friend grimly saying, "We'll find him B'Ela."

Tom slowly opened his eyes to find himself staring up at a green sky that moved then it changed colour, licking his dry lips thinking, 'Well I've done it again.'  Testing to find what hurt and what didn't Tom slowly sat up wincing as he did, 'Gotta have some broken ribs there Tommy Boy.'  Moving his legs he saw that they were ripped to sheds much have happen as he when out the shuttle window, 'I've gotta move see if everyone else is Ok.' Slowly standing Tom bit back a scream as his body protested, 'Shit that hurt, move Tommy boy.' before he could take another step he collapsed before he hit the ground Tom out cold.

B'Elanna fumed, "Where could he be?"

Chakotay moved closer to the tree line saying, "Lets check over this way."

Growling, "What forever for? There no way in hell he'd be over there."

"This is Tom we're talking about anything possible." Chakotay shot back at her as he yanked her arm, making her follow him as he moved towards the tree line.

Dalby grumbled, "What the use of looking for the little prick?"

Harry normally a calm and patience person but he hated Dalby with all his being, threw him a look saying, "Crewman Shutup or I'll shut you up."

Glaring at the younger man Ken saying, "Harry he not worth it."

Spinning on his heels Harry hissed, "Get over it, He never gonna be with you."

With smirk Ken told him, "We'll see about that Ensign."

Harry fumed as he spun on his heel and stalked off towards the remains of shuttle.

B'Elanna scanned the area hoping to find her friend among the trees calling over and over, "TOM."

Chakotay added his powerful voice to B'Elanna's, pushing his concern aside for the young man, it didn't matter that he didn't like him but for some reason Chakotay always worried for Tom, when it's bought up by Kathryn he waves it off saying that he owns Tom a life debt nothing else. But deep down he knows that he lying to her and himself.

Searching about the shuttle for anything hoping like hell he'd find Tom finding a padd lying on the ground near the front of the shuttle picking it up giving it a quick glance with a thin smile he knew without a doubt who owned it, there wasn't many things Tom treasured more than life it self what was on the padd was one of the major one, it contained three holo pictures one of his mother and another of a teenage boy and Tom at the age of five and one of him and Tom together while on shore leave, Harry also knew that deeply encoded on the padd was information about attacks on him he wish he could just hand it over to Kathryn but he would never betray Tom like that tucking the padd into his pocket.

Tuvok tested his leg flexing it before he tried to stand on it, not feeling the pain he stood up and walked about he felt the stiffen muscles loosen up as he took each said, "Thank you Captain," 

Kathryn nodded running the medical tricorder over herself muttering, "Well it could be worse."

Tuvok glanced over at her asking, "What could be worse?"

With a thin lip smile she told him, "Nothing broken just banged up a bit," looking over the remains of the shuttle with a sigh, "Between Chakotay and Tom we won't have any shuttles left, we better gather what we can and make camp closer to that pond we detected."

"Aye Logical choice, closer to water and food." Tuvok stated as he looked through the rubble, "Captain I have to tell you that we need to keep a close eye Crewman Dalby."

Fuming Kathryn said, "I know and if I had a say in the matter he'd be on board Voyager right now but as you know the Doctor needed Ayala to calm Tem down and Dalby was the only crewman unaffected by this virus and we need all the hands we can get."

Tuvok nodded knowing that with them stranded here they could get the herbs up to the others who were sick, "Captain you know that Crewman Dalby going to blame Tom for this."

Running a hand over her face with a sigh, "I know."

Chakotay leant against a tree wishing he could just fix everything like the Q with a snap of his fingers he watched as B'Elanna couched down huddled up to the tree next to his he knew that even though they broke up she stilled care deeply for Tom he nearly missed her saying, "Chakotay, do you know the real reason why I broke it off with Tom?"

Frowning he said, "I thought he cheated on you?"

With a grunt B'Elanna jumped to her feet pacing between the trees, "Nope I didn't catch him cheating he caught me, it was when we traded with the Yuiri, do you remember Heiw?"

"Why are you telling me this?"

Looking over at her friend saying, "I need you to call off Dalby and his goons,"

"They'll still hassling Tom?"

"You didn't know?"

Shocked Chakotay asked, "What makes you think I did?"

Ranting, "Cuz they say they have your orders do hurt him."

Stunned Chakotay turned and punched the tree growling, "Those little bastards."

B'Elanna watched saying, "Chakotay they also know that Tom cares for you, with him thinking you're ordering them to attack him he thinks that he deserves it."

Chakotay stalked over to her, towering over her he demanded, "Why now B'Elanna? Why tell me now?"

Licking her lips as she stepped back she didn't scare easy but right now she felt like running a mile, "Because Dalby gonna kill Tom."

Chakotay moved away afraid that if he stayed there he'd hit her taking calming breath he asked, "Why?"

B'Elanna licked her dry lips saying, "Because he turned him down one to many time."

"Turned him down for what?" Chakotay asked her.

"To be his whore, he wants to pimp Tom for rations, I've protected Tom for as long as I could but I can't without help."

Chakotay stunned tried to take it in asking, "Why not tell the Captain or Tuvok?"

Not wanting to telling him the reason but knew she couldn't lie to him said, "Because they threaten you and Harry, if he tried to tell either of them you or Harry would pay the price I think if anyone it will be Harry."

Frowning Chakotay asked, "But they have just painted them self's into a corner." Waiting to see if she made the connection when she didn't saying anything he told her, "By threaten Tom to hurt me wouldn't work since I'm meant to be ordering the attacks."

"I know but Tom doesn't believe me I tried to make him see that but he refuses to see it."

Shaking his head Chakotay thumped the tree again, "Why does he put up with that shit for?"

Harry who had moved to join them said, "Because he loves you and he'd died for you, in Tom's mind this is the only way he can have you and Dalby using that to work for him."

Chakotay shook he head to clear the buzzing sound saying, "It has to stop."

Harry glared at him saying, "Tell me something I don't know." Storming off Harry fumed so deep in his anger he nearly missed the moaning coming from the clump of bushes he was passing.

Tom wished whoever was yelling like a banshee would stop, shifting to his side without screaming was a mission, though a moan escaped through his clenched teeth. Hearing a rustle of branches above him Tom glance up into his best friends worried face, "Har, what happened?"

With relief written over his face Harry sank down beside him calling, "I found him." Pushing the branches out of the way saying, "You sure had us worried buddy."

Tom gulped as he listened to Harry asking, "Did I crash another shuttle?"

Harry watched as Tom face showed fear wondering why he asked, "What do you remember Tom?"

Tom fingered the edge of his uniform jacket as memories flashed through wincing in pain as bitter one came forth with a yelp, Tom thrashed trying to escape the demons inside his head.

Harry stunned tried to hold him down so he wouldn't hurt himself more, while speaking in smoothing tones, "Tom you're safe, calm down Tom." Stoking Tom's matted hair off his brow shocked when it came back bright red, Yelling, "Bring the damn Med. kit with you and hurry it up."

Chakotay rush up shouting, "B'Elanna race back and get the Med. Kit."

Sliding Chakotay sank down beside Harry doing a once over and what he saw, he didn't like.

B'Elanna rushed back to the shuttle yelling, "We found Tom,"

Tuvok dumped the load in his arms and grabbed the Med. Kit and raced over to where Harry and Chakotay where with Kathryn on his heels B'Elanna not far behind them spotted Dalby walking ever so slowly to join them. 

Dalby watched as B'Elanna crossed her arms across her chest glaring at him as he passed he smirked at her, "lieutenant." 

As he strolled passed her, she said just loud enough for him to hear her, "Dalby you're a dead man."

"So you finally said something, shows me that you don't care about Tom's life."

"What do you mean?"

"Tsk, tsk B'Elanna have you forgotten?" He sadly shook his head as he told her, "I told you and Harry that if either of you breathed a word of this Tom dies, you surprise me I thought you valued his life more than that."

"You wouldn't Chakotay would kill you."

"I'm a dead man either way so I might as well take that worthless prick with me." Walking off with a grin he begun to whistle a tuneless tune.

B'Elanna watch with dread whispering, "What have I done?"

TBC