Chapter 4: Talk the Talk
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Kathryn sat rapt as this calmly outrageous woman regaled her with the most varied and ribald of tales. "So, is he really any good?"

Tessa thought a minute. "All in all, not too bad actually. Of course, he's not as good as he thinks he is."

Kathryn laughed, "What man is?"

Tessa chuckled herself, then continued reverently, "But occasionally....he's brilliant!"

They both sat in silence awhile, contemplating that last thought. Kathryn, mildly embarrassed, probed a bit further, "And is he ..um...adequately endowed?"

"Oh yes. Indeed he is...though, I wonder....I'd swear he's had an implant. It's perfect. Long, but not too long. Thick, but not too thick...and...well...he's got ridges. I swear I could feel him breathe, let alone actually stroke. And he doesn't do any of those little in and out bits a lot of men do, either. His are long, slow, deep thrusts..and he manages to add this little twist right when he hits THE spot. And his tongue...let me tell you about his tongue!"

The two women were so intent on their conversation that they were unaware Chakotay had entered the house until the child in his arms started whimpering, "No bed! No bed! Not sleepy!"

He was engrossed in quieting the fretful child and didn't seem to notice their guilty startlement. He gave them both a quick glance as he took his child into the bedroom, "I'll join you as soon as she falls asleep."

Kathryn watched him disappear down the hall. "She seems a handful. Is she always so...active?"

Tessa shrugged, "She's always 'busy', if that's what you mean. I don't pay much attention to her. I don't much like kids. She seems worst when she's handed off from one parent to the other. They both spoil her. I guess they are both trying to get her to 'love them best'. Otherwise, she seems a bit... fey, I guess, off into her own world. She's usually quieter, but that boyfriend of Nikki's, Drabna, keeps feeding her chocolate. It's the only way she will tolerate him, if he bribes her."

"Drabna! Drabban Drabna? The playwright? That is who she is with?"

"You know of him then?"

"Well, I know of his work. He used to be rather good, if a little dark. Lately, though, he's gotten involved with the Ferengis and their holosmut. It's not even good smut, all transparent innuendoes and blatantly sophomoric displays of grossly overdeveloped breasts.

He's got this one character he seems to use in everything. What does he call her? Likki. Likki something. Likki Landsome. It's kind of an androgynous name for this cartoon character. It's sad really. One wonders who the model was. I haven't seen a body like that since....Oh no! Likki Landsome...Nikki Hanson!!! He's using Seven..My Seven! for those puerile fantasies!!" She accused the returning Chakotay, "How could you let this happen?"

"What do you suggest I should have done, Kathryn, lock her in her room? She doesn't live here anymore. There was nothing I could do. That worm she lives with has her convinced that being a famous holostar means that she has been accepted by people. Fat chance! So now, she not just 'that Borg woman', she is that 'slut Borg woman'. She should have never left."

Kathryn gave him a long, calculating stare and said, "Do you still care?"

Tessa had been watching this exchange with a great deal of amusement, "Go ahead, Slick. Let's see you get out of this one."

He shot the tall brunette an aggravated look, "Haven't you somewhere, anywhere else to be?"

"Nope, nowhere else half as amusing," she smiled.

"Find someplace," he spat, pulling her to her feet and pushing her toward the door.

Kathryn had been infected by Tessa's teasing ways and wasn't about to waste good ammunition. She purred, "Oh, Tessie dear, you forgot something." She picked up the toothbrush and sauntered over to her erstwhile ally, "You wouldn't want to leave this behind."

"No," Tessa said, timing her response, one beat, then another, smiling hugely, "....Katie love, I certainly wouldn't." She slid a sly wink at Kathryn and gave a good squeeze to Chakotay's fanny as she went out the door.

Chakotay stood there with his mouth hanging open, first at one woman, then at the departing one, then back again to Kathryn.

She stood there, hands on hips, drawing out his discomfort as long as she could.

"Kathryn, I ..uh..we..she.."

"Which she are we talking about, Chakotay?"

"Tessa?"

"Oh...I thought we were talking about you not wanting Seven to leave." He looked relieved. It was all in the timing. "Then we can talk about Tessa." Hooked and floundering again. This was almost too easy.

"Kathryn.."

"Papa...I can't sleep. There's teepeeteebees under my bed." His daughter padded out in her rumpled night smock and little bare feet.

He scooped her up, cuddling and soothing her. "Kathryn..." Torn between his need to care for his child and his need to explain to this woman that had suddenly come back into his life, he tried to do both.

Kathryn melted and relented. The little one had gone straight to her heart and this aspect of Chakotay touched her. She smiled at him and gave his arm a reassuring squeeze. "I'm teasing, Chakotay. Go, take care of your daughter. We can talk in the morning, in your office. I've got Fleet matters that I have to discuss with you as well."

"I haven't got an office. I work here. It's handy to anyone who wants me."

She couldn't resist one last jib, "Yes, I can see that."

He actually blushed and started to answer.

She stopped him, laughing again. "Just find us somewhere secure. This has got to be just between the two of us for now." She leaned against him and give the child in his arms a kiss good-night. "Sleep tight, Punkin'. I'll see you in the morning, Chakotay."

Chakotay was already up and out of the house, his daughter cuddled, fed, bathed, dressed and delivered to her mother before Kathryn awoke. Still tying to wake up, Kathryn followed the scent of fresh coffee and found a padd propped up next to her coffee cup. It instructed her to wear comfortable clothing and to meet Chakotay by a certain time. That time was almost upon her. She sucked down her coffee as fast as her scalded tongue would let her, threw on standard fatigue clothes and raced out of the house and down the path indicated. Running around the corner, she nearly skidded into two large shaggy, pinkish animals.

"What are those?" Kathryn started at the creatures before her in utter dismay.

"Lovagas. Aren't they something? They are a mated pair. They are kind of a cross between a camel, a horse and a wild cat."

"The worst of each, by the looks of them," she wrinkled her nose in disgust, "and the smell. What do you expect me to do with them?"

"I expect you to ride one of them. You can ride Fluffy. She's easier to control than Nova."

"There is nothing remotely fluffy about that thing! Chakotay, you are joking, aren't you?"

He smiled at her innocently. "No, I'm not. You wanted somewhere secure were we could discuss this mysterious mission of yours. A ride out into the country meets your criteria."

"You know damn well I hate horses."

"Fluffy isn't a horse, she's a lovaga."

"This thing doesn't even have a saddle. Don't you have somewhere secure here, in Trebus, within walking distance?"

"Lovagas hate saddles. They don't mind people riding them, but they want to feel what is on their backs directly. No, there isn't any place here. Kathryn, this is a very different society. We don't have locked doors. Everyone is always accessible to everyone else. We will be interrupted, constantly. If you want uninterrupted time to discuss this, then a nice quiet ride, by ourselves, is the best option."

He challenged her with his smuggest of smiles, "Don't tell me the intrepid Kathryn Janeway, she who defeated the Borg, is afraid of one little, four legged creature called Fluffy." He then grabbed a handful of Nova's ruff and threw himself up on the creature's back, settling between the humps. Without another look at her, he rode off, leaving her alone with Fluffy to cope as best she could.

Kathryn looked at the odoriferous animal in front of her. It pawed at the ground and stared back. She looked at the retreating back of her companion. She was left to either give up and go back and wait patiently for his return, or to mount this thing in front of her and follow Chakotay out into the country, as he so quaintly put the arid wasteland before her. Giving up was not in her nature, nor was patience, though she worked hard at developing it.

She approached the lovaga slowly. It looked at her, hissed and spit. This was not an auspicious beginning. Wiping the spit off her shirt, she grabbed hold of the ruff as she had seen Chakotay do and attempted to throw herself up on its back. She managed to throw herself across the animal, but hadn't been able to swing her leg over the back hump. Apparently, this was close enough to being mounted for Fluffy, and she started trotting off to catch up with the other lovaga. Kathryn had no idea of how to control the creature and hung on as best she could, bouncing along like a poorly secured sack of grain, cursing the animal and Chakotay with equal intensity. Fluffy slowed as she pulled even with Nova.

Chakotay pulled his mount to a stop and looked over at Kathryn casually saying, "It's a long ride to Qhaltos Hole. You'd be more comfortable if you'd sit up to ride."

She gave him a baleful look and with great dignity and little grace, managed to get her leg over the rear hump and resume a more upright posture. "You are an evil man, do you know that?"

Chakotay chuckled and gave Nova a gentle nudge to resume their ride. Fluffy, beneath her was making an odd, repeated wuffling sound that Kathryn thought sounded suspiciously like laughter.

"How smart are these things."

"Very."

"How malicious?"

"They're not at all malicious, just ….playful."

She gave him another withering look and then concentrated on tying to steer this monstrosity beneath her. So intent was she on learning how to ride, that she was oblivious to changing scene in front of her. They had been steadily climbing since leaving the small settlement. The scrub trees slowly petered out, until the land around them was left with grasses and low bushes and the odd scrubby cactus looking thing. Everything had that same pinkish tint that the lovages had, even when predominately green or blue, as was much of the vegetation.

Chakotay pulled Nova to a halt as the path skirted the edge of a cliff before dropping down into the valley before them. Kathryn finally looked up from her animal and surveyed the scene. Stretched out before her were klicks and klicks of undulating white rocks. It looked as if a celestial potter had taken clay and sculpted it into the most fantastic shapes. Rolls upon rolls of rocks folded one upon the other, each streaked with pink and rose and brown. There seemed no end. The rocks stretched to the limits of her vision. There were no grasses, trees, shrubs, nothing but the odd, undulating rocks shimmering in the heat. The two humans and their mounts, insignificant specs high upon a hilltop, stared, lost in the foreboding majesty of the sight below them.

Kathryn glanced at Chakotay. His face was etched with the harsh shadows of the blazing sun, his gaze lost and adoring on the rocks below. The love he had for this place shone from him. Kathryn gazed in sadness. He had worked so hard to restore this land to his people. This was his holy ground and what Kathryn had to say would destroy his peace with it forever.

Chakotay looked at her, his quiet joy enveloping her, and started down the path to the rocks below. As they descended, the winds began to whisper around them. The deeper they rode into the valley of the rocks, the more varied and melodious was the sound until Kathryn whispered a question to Chakotay, "The winds, do they always sound like this?"

He answered, his voice filled with awe, "The winds seldom make a sound, Kathryn. What you hear is very rare. Few have ever heard the rocks sing. I've only heard this twice before in my life. I came here during my very first vision quest, when I was twelve and going through my initiation trials to manhood. I was resentful and not a little frightened; then the winds came and the rocks sang to me and for the first time. I felt in complete harmony. I came back here often, until I left Dorvan, but they never sang again. I've always loved this valley. The place helps me think. I feel connected here. When I came back to Dorvan after our voyage, I came here again and they sang me home. That was the second time. Today is the third. They are welcoming you, Kathryn."

Kathryn dismounted and walked up to the nearest rock. It stretched above her, gently rising into the air, spires upon softly rounded spires of twisted pink and rose reaching toward the sky. She touched the rock. It radiated the heat of the sun and vibrated with the sound of the winds. She moved forward, arms outstretched against the rock and reverently pressed her body and face to the stone. The soft vibrations of sound resonated through her, first flute like, then a deep strumming like soft drum beats. He walked up, placed his arms over hers, molding his body to hers and to the rock. They stood like that, united in the shared vibrations, until Nova nudged against Chakotay, breaking his connection with Kathryn and the rock. Slowly she backed away too, and turned to Chakotay, smiling, speechless with wonder. He scooped her up in his arms and placed her atop her mount. Fluffy stood motionless, purring softly to the music around her. Chakotay mounted Nova and the four of them continued on, into the Valley of the Singers, each rock adding a new harmony to the symphony around them.

On they rode, each lost in the music, their hearts and minds floating on the bliss of the song. As they proceeded, both rock and the music turned darker, deeper. Flutes became cellos, soft drumming strengthened the bass notes, pinks and roses deepened into crimson and sienna. Pools of mud or tar seeped from the bottom of some of the rocks, occasionally oozing onto the narrow path. The lovages gingerly stepped over or around the muck beneath them.

The passion and intensity of the music rose, pulling the two humans with them. So lost in it were they, that they were caught by surprise when, suddenly, a gorgon headed apparition leapt down from the rocks above, knocking Kathryn into a pool of muck. It spun again, ready to tear into her when Fluffy struck at it with her sharp hooves. The creature turned to attack the lovage. Fluffy placed herself between Kathryn and the beast, hissing and kicking at it. Chakotay rushed to the pool, tearing his shirt off as he ran. Nova threw himself into the battle. The beast leapt at Fluffy, biting and clawing. Fluffy bit in return, sinking her fangs into the creature's neck. It kicked out blindly, claws slashing open Nova's neck as he tried to defend his mate. Nova reared, striking at the creature, trying to stop it, as it slashed again and again at Fluffy's belly. Fluffy held on, slowly closing her jaws against the creature's throat. With one last effort, blood spurting from his neck, Nova kicked the animal from Fluffy. They each stomped upon the fallen creature until its head was smashed to pulp. With one final spurt of blood, Nova fell upon the creature's carcass. Fluffy collapsed beside the carnage, her slashed and bleeding belly undulating and pulsating. The winds had increased and the sound rose in shrieking ululations of grief, and then, abruptly, fell silent.

Chakotay prayed for the spirits of his fallen lovages, tears streaming down his face, even as he threw an end of his shirt to Kathryn and labored to pull her from the pool of sucking sludge in front of him. She had sunk to her armpits and could barely reach the lifeline he'd thrown. All but her face was covered with the slime. At last he hauled her to the rim of the pool. Kathryn had done what she could to help Chakotay pull her from the pit, but her attention was fastened to the dying lovages. As she attempted to crawl to them, he stopped her.

"No, it's too late. You need to take care of yourself first."

She had begun to feel the heat and itching against her skin. Aghast, she looked at him, "What's happening?"

"The pool is a kind of psychotropic acid. You need to strip before it eats into your skin, and rub as much of the muck off with the sand as you can. Things are going to get a little confusing for you for a while. You may hallucinate. Try to focus on me. I've got to get you to water. Qhaltos Hole isn't far, but I don't think I can carry you all the way." He was already pulling off her shoes and stockings.

Kathryn was already feeling woozy. The rocks before her seemed shimmering and liquid. She tried to manipulate the buttons on her blouse, but gave up when the burning increased and just ripped it open. Chakotay pulled off her trousers. Next, they ripped off the undershirt and underwear. For once he was glad she was so 'Fleet' with her multitudinous layers of clothing. Not too much of the muck had seeped through the last layer. The worst of the burning would be on her hands, neck, shoulders and feet. He started scrubbing her neck and shoulders with the sand, noticing the strange birthmark at the base of her spine, but pushing any thought of it away until he had time to deal with it.

"Rub your hands well with the sand, Kathryn."

Kathryn sat frozen, "Do you hear it? Do you hear the crying?"

"The rocks are silent now. Kathryn! Focus! Wash your hands with the sand." He had gotten the muck off of one leg and foot and grabbed to begin the other. She twisted out of his grasp and crawled to Fluffy.

"Chakotay! It's not the rocks. Her belly, the sound is coming from her belly!"

The fallen lovage picked up her head and fastened her gaze on Kathryn. "God! She's still alive, Chakotay. We've got to help her." Kathryn pulled the animal's head onto her bare lap, petting and cooing to her, tears dropping unnoticed into the matted and bloody fur.

Chakotay saw the rippling over her flanks again. "No! The kit! Kathryn, I've got to cut her kit out or it will die." He touched Fluffy's head. "Little Mother, I would give you mercy, but it will be better for your kit if you hold on. Can you bear it?"

The stricken lovage turned liquid, lavender eyes upon Chakotay, closing them once in acquiescence and then turning back to look at Kathryn.

"Can she understand us, Chakotay?"

"Yes, for the most part. Lovages seem to read emotion or intent and one kind of gets a feel for what they will accept or won't. And what they don't accept, doesn't happen. Help her through this, Kathryn. Send her your strength."

Kathryn refocused her attention on Fluffy, whispering endearments, praising her courage and promising to care for the kit. Chakotay pulled a metal lozenge from his pocket, silently thanking Tom Paris for the gift of this artifact. He unfolded a knife from one of the slots and, tears falling again, widened a slash in Fluffy's belly. Cutting deeper, he freed a small, spindly-legged miniature of its mother. Chakotay cut it free and placed it against Fluffy's paps to suck whatever nourishment it could from the dying lovage. Fluffy looked down on the kit, sighed and slipped away.

Chakotay noted Fluffy's passing and sent his prayers with her, then turned back to observe an increasingly disoriented Kathryn and the helpless infant. His only hope at saving any of them was to get to Qhaltos Hole before nightfall. Hopefully, by that time his sister would have become concerned and sent someone out to look for them at the Hole. Thank the spirits he'd remembered to tell her where they were going. There wasn't a communication device known that could send a signal past these rocks. He grabbed at Kathryn as she staggered to her feet. Her left foot was still covered in ooze and beginning to blister. "Kathryn, focus on me. Stay put. I need to clean your foot." He was feeling a bit whoosy himself. The muck had seeped into his hands when he pulled Kathryn out and cleaned her. "Spirits of my ancestors, I beseech your help. Hold me to this plane until I can get these two souls entrusted to me to a safe place. Do not let my spirit soar." He murmured this mantra over and over as he kicked off his boots and stripped off his pants to make a carrier for the infant lovaga. He settled the kit into the crotch and tied the legs together into a sling. He next shed his off his undershirt and socks. He tried to cover Kathryn's fair skin as much as he could. His shoes would be too big for her, but hopefully the socks would save her blistered feet from too much abrasion. He pulled his boots back on, settled the sling over his shoulder, took Kathryn's hand and led her away from the gruesome scene and into the slit in the rocks ahead.

Continue to Chapter 6: TBC

     
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