Star Trek Voyager: Lost and Found

Star Trek Voyager: Lost and Found (Chapter 11)

Over the next twelve hours Seven passed through many more periods of delirium as her body fought to recover. Finally with Chakotay, the Doctor, Alexander and Lyudmila around the biobed, the Doctor decided to wake her again, he turned to Alexander and Lyudmila. “I think one of you better talk to her, we don’t want to frighten her again.” Chakotay desperately wanted to refute that argument but knew that seeing him shocked and upset her fragile mind so he had to push his own needs and desires to the back of his mind.

Her eyelashes fluttered open and she looked up at the ceiling in confusion. Alexander carefully leaned over her and addressed her gently. “Can you tell me the last thing you remember Seven?”

Registering his well known careworn features, Seven tried to answer his question, but when she attempted to speak a searing pain shot through her head and her hand flew to her temple with a groan. Chakotay immediately tried to go to her but Lyudmila held him back from her line of vision. Seven frowned in concentration, struggling to make sense of the confusing memories which spun in her mind like a kaleidoscope. “Um…I saw the message and then I told you and Lyudmila to take…Xenia and go…Xenia! You have her don’t you?” She felt her whole body tense, panic rising up within her.

Lyudmila clasped her hand, “Oh yes, she’s fine, we’re all looking after her.”

Seven saw the kind sincerity in her face. “Thank you.” She mumbled. A strange suspicion entered her mind and she looked away, “Where are…” Halfway through the question she saw the Doctor and gasped. “Doctor…”

He smiled at her warmly. “Hello Seven. To answer your question we’re on the U.S.S Resistance and both you and Xenia are going to be fine.”

Chakotay couldn’t stand it anymore and stepped forward, the effect on Seven was instantaneous. She stared at him unable to comprehend what she was seeing. I’m dreaming, I’m going insane… Chakotay wordlessly reached for her arm but she flinched back, tears flowing silently down her otherwise expressionless features. He tried to say something, anything, but found that his mouth was unable to form words, his throat incapable of producing sound, he just stood there motionless.

The torrent of emotions which overwhelmed Seven was indescribable, every one she had ever experienced passed over her in that moment. Her throat closed up, she felt icy cold and burning hot at the same time, a sweat broke out and her teeth began to chatter, her hands clenched the sheets around her tightly and the world surrounding her seemed to fall silent. She uttered a stifled gasp and fell into the dark lonely release that was unconsciousness.

When he saw her faint, Chakotay regained the power of speech. “What…happened?”

The Doctor sighed, “You both went into a form of shock, although hers was more profound than yours. You’re just going to have to leave her for now, your presence seems to overwhelm her.” Seeing Chakotay’s grief stricken expression, the Doctor felt guilt’s bite and tried to soften the blow. “Just go and rest for now, that’s an order.”

Chakotay’s heart fought back but the encounter had so sapped his energies that his legs were collapsing beneath him, so he turned to leave, though it made self hatred enter his battered soul. Lyudmila caught his arm, disturbed by his lost expression. “I’ll stay with her, okay?”

Chakotay nodded slowly as her words sunk in, feeling disconnected from the world as retreated to his quarters. Lyudmila looked sadly after him before walking up to Xenia’s incubator and leaning over her. “Both your Mama and Papa are such a hard time, you’ll help them won’t you little one?” She sighed, wishing that the little girl could talk so that she could reunite her seriously traumatised parents. She walked up to Seven’s bedside and sat down to begin her vigil once more.