Red River 3
 

Chakotay had been half listening to the Alinnidan speaking, he was 
more concerned with Tom. He had gone over to him during the 
conversation that Oromocto was having. He checked the younger man's vital signs, he was still bleeding internally but a bit slower. The 
infusion was helping. Tom was so pale. Chakotay had never seen anyone look that pale before. He began offering prayers to the spirits 
asking them to help Tom and help him. 

He prayed that Tom and he would have the chance to explore 
whatever it was they needed to explore together. He had been 
attracted to Tom for sometime now. Chakotay didn't realize that Tom 
was attracted to him, not until the younger man had kissed him. 
Chakotay could still feel the touch of his lips. It was faint but he 
could still feel it, still remember it. 

"Chakotay?"

"Yes?"

"Why don't you rest awhile yourself? I will keep a watch over 
Tom and if anything happens I will wake you."

"I am not sure I can rest to be honest."

"I understand your distress. It is not easy to watch one's 
mate in pain."

"Tom and I are not mates Oromocto."

"Oh I misunderstood what happened on the mountain earlier?"

"Yes, that was the first time Tom had ever kissed me."

"I see, I apologize of the assumption."

"Don't apologize you didn't know. I will not deny that I am 
interested in pursuing a relationship with Tom. I suppose he wouldn't 
deny it either at this point."

"So I was not completely wrong. While you are not mates yet 
you will be."

"I can only hope Oromocto. I am sure that if Tom makes it 
through this we will work on it."

"That is good, I believe that the two of you are well suited 
for each other. Tom seems to have a childlike awe of things around 
him. He sees all colors, whereas you seem to have a mature outlook. 
You see things as they appear. I believe that Tom needs some of your straightforward sight and you need some of Tom's awe inspired sight."

"I suppose you are right. Tom does see the broad spectrum of 
things. I tend to see things in black and white, very few shades of 
gray in my vision. Tom takes everything in with a bit of humor where 
I can be too serious at times. Perhaps Tom can help me be more open and I can teach him to be more focused."

"As it should be with mates. You learn from each other and 
grow together. As long as you keep that goal in sight any problems 
should be minimal."

"Let's hope you are right Oromocto. Tom and I have enough 
adversity in our lives. A relationship with too many would not do 
well out here."

Chakotay sat back and closed his eyes. Having someone to share a bad day with. Having someone to just be there at the end of the day now that would be different. He was tired of the lonely existence he found himself in on Voyager. Having Tom around to talk to, to be with. Yes he liked that idea a lot. He enjoyed Tom's humor, thought it would do him good at the end of a long day. Tom's ability to pointing out the absurdity of things and make it funny. Tom showed a sensitivity that Chakotay had long since lost too many years of hate and far too many battles had harder him somewhat more than he wanted to admit.

 Oh he was still compassionate, he still felt things deeply but there 
was hardness in what he felt. He knew there was passion still inside 
it had just lay dormant, Tom could wake that passion up. That was one thing Chakotay was sure of, if that kiss was any indication, if the 
way Tom had gotten under his skin over these past years was any 
indication. Chakotay knew that the passion would wake with vengeance. Chakotay realized that two hours had gone by when he heard a whimper.

"Chakotay?" Tom had woken up again.

"Tom how are you feeling? Any better?" 

"No Cha, I am sorry."

"Don't be sorry. I spoke to Voyager they are about 34 hours 
away now. The doctor told me there was a couple of things I could do 
to continue slowing down the bleeding then we can leave and meet 
Voyager."

"Chakotay I am not sure I am going to make it. Maybe you 
should leave me here with the Adlinnidans and go meet Voyager."

"Tom I am not going to leave you here alone. Me going to meet 
Voyager is not going to get them here faster."

"No Chakotay I mean you go. I am going to die. I don't want 
to die on the way. I won't do that to you."

"Tom you aren't going to die. We have already been over this. 
I am going to do what I can here on the planet with the resources the 
flyer has and in six hours we are going to leave and meet Voyager. 
The doctor is going to be standing by with whatever you need."

"Cha, I can feel it, I can feel my life draining out. I don't 
think I am ever going to see Voyager again. The pain is too much 
also." Chakotay leaned closer to Tom and whispered. 

"Please Tom don't die on me now. I need you, you have to help me find 
my passion again."

"Oh Cha! You have plenty of passion you don't need me."

"Yes I do. Tom promise me you wouldn't leave me."

"I will do my best Cha."

"Thank you Tom." Chakotay turned his head slightly and kissed 
Tom's cheek. Chakotay noticed that Tom felt cool. He stood up and 
went to get a blanket and put it on Tom.

"Thanks Cha." Tom winced with pain.

"Tom can you tell me what is going on? What are you feeling?"

"I feel like something is draining me. Draining my energy 
from me. Which I guess is something I should be feeling."

"Are you in much pain?"

"My stomach hurts a lot. My head hurts too but it doesn't 
feel like a headache."

Chakotay picked up the tricorder and scanned Tom's head there was no 
bleeding and Chakotay let out the breath he had been holding.

"There is no sign of anything wrong with your brain Tom. It 
must be just from the lack of blood."

"Well that is a first nothing wrong upstairs." Tom snickered 
as he tried to cover the wave of pain he was feeling.

"Tom I am going to check with the database see if there is 
something I can give you for the pain." Tom just nodded and closed 
his eyes. 

Chakotay went back to the computer and began reading again. 
During his search he found information about a 'Super Hero named 
Captain Immunity' whose words were his weapon against hemophilia and HIV. Chakotay didn't know what HIV was but he was going to look into it just in case it was something Tom and he needed to be concerned with. Checking through the files he found that there was no 
indication if pain medication would interfere with the infusion or 
transfusion. But to be doubly sure he decided to contact the doctor, 
there was so much information for him to read and process he was 
afraid he that he might miss something. 

After speaking to the doctor Chakotay administered a low dose of 
Ibuprofen. The doctor also explained to him that he would have to 
perform a series of tests to check the clotting time of Tom's blood. 
The doctor told Chakotay to run A Whole Blood Clotting Time (WBCT) 
and a Prothrombin time (PT), at seeing Chakotay's distress he 
explained that all he would have to do is extract two small hypo 
vials of Tom's blood and have the computer run the tests. That done 
he contacted the doctor again and gave the results to him. 

"Commander has the transfusion finished?"

"Yes doctor."

"Good you will need to start another infusion for the 
clotting factor now. The results of the tests you ran are not as I 
had hoped. Mr. Paris' bleeding time is still dangerously high."

"Okay doctor. I really wish you were here or we were there. I 
am not sure if I am helping or hurting him."

"Commander you are doing just fine. Mr. Paris is having a 
severe bleeding episode for two reasons, one the obvious the 
synthetic gene being removed, but two his body has never had to 
handle this type of trauma before. We will not know for sure if his 
body has an immunity to the clotting factor until after the third 
infusion is completed."

"That's comforting." Chakotay couldn't help the sarcasm in 
his voice. He knew he was not handling this well.

"I am sorry doctor but I am not a medic or nurse nor do I 
feel like I am cut out to be either if this is what I would have to 
handle on a regular basis."

"I understand Commander and it is more difficult for humans 
to be in a position of having to perform medical procedures of this 
nature on friends and family."

"Thank you for all your help doctor. I will start the next 
infusion procedure and then I believe I will make my way back to 
Voyager so you can take over Tom's health care."

"I will be ready Commander. I will also inform the captain of 
your plans. EMH out."

Chakotay went and had the computer prepare the needed infusion 
therapy treatment. He went back to Tom and removed the empty bag 
replacing it with the infusion mixture. 

"Oromocto, the doctor says that I can leave the planet now so 
I am going to. I want to get Tom back to Voyager as quickly as 
possible. Again I want to thank you for your hospitality and all your 
help with Tom."

"It was a pleasure to have met you and Tom Chakotay. I am 
truly sorry for the problems we caused. If there is anything further 
you or your crew need from my people please don't hesitate to ask. As 
a matter of fact I would offer your ship a chance to come and visit 
us. We will of course inform everyone of the ritual before hand and 
if there may be problems we hopefully will be able to compensate for 
them."

"Thank you, I will inform Captain Janeway of your offer. I am 
sure she will be willing to set up some sort of trade offering for 
the shore leave."

"I will wait to hear from you or your captain. Safe Travel 
Chakotay." He walked over to Tom and touched the sleeping man's 
forehead. 

"May whatever spirits you believe in and mine help you 
through this ordeal. Safe travel Tom." He did not wait for a response 
he knew there would be none. He left the flyer and started his 
journey home he continued to prayer for the two men he left behind. 
Prayer they made it back to their ship and prayer that the younger 
man would be healthy again.

Chakotay went about checking all the flyer's systems and when 
he was satisfied that there were no problems he went back down to Tom 
and locked the biobed's shielding around him. 

"Tom we are going home now, hang on just a little longer 
okay?" Chakotay pushed a wayward piece of hair off Tom's forehead. He 
leaned down and kissed Tom on the lips and went back up to get them 
out of there.

"Delta Flyer to Voyager"

"Voyager here. How are things Chakotay?"

"Captain I am about to get under way. Tom is sleeping, the 
second infusion therapy is in place."

"Alright Chakotay we will send you our present coordinates 
and we will see you as soon as possible." 

"Yes ma'am Chakotay out." He began the firing sequence and 
lifted off. Flying towards the coordinates sent by Voyager. Things 
seemed to be going fine for about four minutes then the flyer hit 
another electrical storm. As the flyer bounced to and fro Chakotay 
made a quick decision and turned back towards the planet.

"Computer locate the bandwidth for the Alinnid village we 
contacted earlier."

"Acknowledged. Bandwidth found."

"Open a channel to the Government House."

"Channel open."

"This is Commander Chakotay of the Delta flyer. Can anyone 
hear me?"

"Yes Chakotay I am here." Answered Enosho

"Enosho I have ran into another electrical storm I had to 
turn back but I need to be able land closer to the village Tom is 
quite ill and I need help."

"Chakotay, we will assist you in any way we can. If it is 
possible land your craft lower in the mountain range, closer to the 
village but landing here would cause problems. I will see about 
getting you help to bring Tom here.  I am sure that Oromocto will 
hear or see you coming back down and he will come back to help until 
we can reach you."

"Thank you Enosho. I am on my way in."
 

The ride got rougher and then the flyer was hit with an electrical 
burst. Power was failing, Chakotay did he best to control the flyer. 
Drawing on every learned response he quickly brought the flyer down. 
Crashing was inevitable and as it happened Chakotay was thrown for 
the pilot's seat, slamming his head on the console next to him 
knocking him unconscious.

 Oromocto had seen the shuttle come down as he was walking. He ran as quickly as he could toward the crash site. Hoping that both men were all right, he entered the shuttle avoiding the debris and sparks as he went. Oromocto found Chakotay on the floor, assessing as best he 
could that the alien was alive and just not conscious he attempted to 
wake him.
 
"Chakotay?" Oromocto gently shook him. "Chakotay can you hear me?"

      Chakotay seem to come around slowly dazed and uncertain where 
he was. He looked around, seeing Oromocto but not recognizing him at first he shook his head a bit as if to shake the fog off. When he did that he realized it was a mistake his head began to pound and he 
groaned in pain. After a one or two passed he came to his senses and 
again looked at Oromocto this time remembering who he was and why he was seeing him again.

"What happened?" Oromocto asked when he realized that Chakotay was more coherent.

"There was another electrical storm, I had to turn around, seems I 
didn't do as well as Tom did in landing." When he mentioned the young pilot's name he panicked.

"Tom!" he tried to get up but Oromocto stopped him.

"You stay here I will make sure he is okay. You need to just sit for 
a few minutes."

Chakotay nodded slightly not wanting to cause himself any more pain. Oromocto patted his shoulder and went to check on Tom. While he was gone Chakotay assessed the damage as best he could from where he was. Checking with the computer he found that except for life support and lights there wasn't much else working.

"Just great, what am I going to do now? I can't contact 
Voyager and I can't replicate blood or the clotting faction Tom 
needs. Damn!"  

"What's wrong?" Oromocto asked as he returned from checking 
on Tom.

"Everything! How is Tom?"  Forgetting everything else for the 
moment Chakotay's main concern was Tom.

"He seems to be okay. Although I can not be one hundred 
percent certain, the monitor above him is not working."

Looking upward Chakotay asked the Spirits if they had cursed 
him for something he had done wrong. 

"I have to get done there. None of the computer systems, 
other then life support and lights are working. I can't replicate the 
clotting factor or blood for him."

"What will you do?"

"I am going to have to give him my own blood. I am just not 
sure if I will be able to do it all myself. Do you know how to 
transfer plasma gel from one person to another? I think moving Tom 
anywhere at this point would not be a good idea."

"I should be able to assist with that, I am able to perform 
our transfers. From what I saw of your transfusions they are similar."

"Thank the spirits for small favors."  Chakotay mumbled to 
himself.

"Chakotay you really need to rest it is already close to the 
solar raising and you have been awake since just after yesterday's 
raise. Besides that head wound does not look good, perhaps we should go down below and see if we can fix you up. Then you rest, I will sit with Tom and if anything seems to be wrong I will wake you. You can not continue to help him if your body and mind are too tired."

"You are right Oromocto, I am quite tired and fighting the 
electrical storm has taken more energy." Oromocto helped him up and they made their way through the mess and down to where Tom was. Once Chakotay was satisfied that Tom was in fact doing okay for now. 

"Thank you Oromocto, I do appreciate your help. You are not tired 
yourself?"

"No I am not. The Alinidians needless sleep then humans. Plus 
my body is use to the day cycle yours isn't."

"I see, well Good Night Oromocto." Chakotay went back over to 
Tom bent down and kisses his forehead.

"Tom I am going to get some sleep now. Oromocto is here you 
are not alone."  Chakotay quietly explained to the sleeping man. He 
went and pulled down a bunk then he removed his jacket and boots. 
Lying down he let out a sigh and fell asleep almost immediately.

TBC