Sickbay Paris, now.вЂќДЄs if Tom himself had melted away, and as another blast rattled the ship so that he had to grip on to the remains of ChakotayвЂ™s night stand to steady himself, he watched her as she laid her forehead against ChakotayвЂ™s. She looked up at him, and he had never seen Janeway look like that before вЂ“ the fire in her, the absolute hardness in her eyes and in her face were enough to make him recoil. вЂњI need to get to the Bridge,вЂќ she dropped the remains of two shattered comm badges on the floor beside the bed. It was only then he realised what he was privy to, and it was not the salacious and fun revelation he had once thought it would be. вЂњParis, help him,вЂќ she was saying, her voice low and keening. And there was blood around her knees, and on her hands. The Captain was on her knees over the CommanderвЂ™s still body, and a rod вЂ“ a piece of power conduit вЂ“ which had been sheared off by impact, was lodged in-between his scapula and his clavicle, sitting at a perilous angle. The sight that met him was an unpleasant one. Had it occurred to him how bizarre it was to hear the CaptainвЂ™s voice in the CommanderвЂ™s quarters it might have given him pause, but as it stood he had no time to concentrate on that.

The door was so badly damaged it had split apart slightly, and he jammed his shoulder in and pushed it open enough to slide himself through, entering the CommanderвЂ™s quarters. He should get to the bridge вЂ“ Tuvok would be cursing him вЂ“ and he was about to turn when he realised he could hear faint yelling, and he sidled nearer ChakotayвЂ™s door as it grew stronger. вЂњIвЂ™ll follow that.вЂќAnd he watched her go before picking his way across the field of debris and pressing his shoulder against the beam before promptly deciding it wasnвЂ™t a great idea. вЂњProtocol is we secure the ship first,вЂќ he shrugged. вЂњYou canвЂ™t move that alone,вЂќ she shook her head. He shared a concerned look with BвЂ™Elanna. But a few yards in their path was blocked by destroyed ceiling panels and dangling, sparking wires and leaking neuro-gel packs, and the giant tritanium beam that had come to a perilous rest pressed against the double doors of her quarters. They were quartered round a corner from Janeway and ChakotayвЂ™s neighbouring quarters, far and away the largest on the ship.

вЂњWe can check, вЂќ he said dumbly into his comm-badge, sliding it into place on his chest. вЂњ Both the captain and the commander are incommunicado, and the shipвЂ™s tannoy system is offline.вЂќ вЂњObviously not,вЂќ BвЂ™Elanna pulled her jacket over her tank as she scrambled to the door, and out into the smoke and heat and debris of the corridor. вЂњ IsnвЂ™t she answering her comm?вЂќ Tom asked. вЂњ Can I have confirmation of the CaptainвЂ™s location?вЂќ Seven asked in her clipped, calm manner which belayed any suggestion that they were, in fact, under fire. She clambered to her feet, and their comm-badges chirped again. вЂњI am fine,вЂќ she assured, batting his hand away from the bleeding cut on her temple. вЂњ Red alert: all hands to battle stations.вЂќДЄnd just as Tuvok closed his message off, another huge explosion ricocheted off the hull and Tom sprung to his feet and towards his wife. She was already getting to her feet, and he was grateful to see it, so delighted she was safe that for a second he relaxed, before his combadge chirped and his body stiffened. Then BвЂ™ElannaвЂ™s low whine as she lay at the foot of their bed in the throbbing red light. The first moment where he was conscious of it was in being thrown bodily from the bed, then flying in an arc across their quarters and landing in a heap in under the replicator.

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