Disclaimer: Star Trek and Star Trek: Voyager are the property of Paramount Pictures and Viacom. I make no money off of this story what so ever. No copyright infringement intended.

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Author's Note: Although this may start out sounding like another "Unity", trust me it isn't. This more of a tribute to the Original Series episode: "The Empath".

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Revealing Secrets

by Tamar Richardson

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Chakotay opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by darkness. He was lying on something hard, that was all he was able to discern. When he tried to get up, he felt a hand push him back down.

"Don't try to get up," a female voice said.

The first officer no longer say blackness, but his vision was still too blurred for him to see the woman he was confronting. "I have to contact my ship," he argued.

"That can wait," the voice said. "Your head injuries haven't been cured enough for me to let you leave."

Chakotay tried again to get up, but found himself powerless to do so. He felt something like a forcefield had come down upon him. The Commander continued to struggle. "I see you have left me no choice but to sedate you." He never felt the hypospray, but the wave of sleepiness crashed on him like a Trakian beast. His eyelids fell and he slipped back into the unconscious realm.

**********

Chakotay opened his eyes again. At least he could now see. Chakotay looked around to find find himself in a huge, dome-shaped room. He was lying on a bio-bed in the center of the room, surrounded by about 20 other bio-beds.

"Good morning," the female voice from yesterday said. Only now, the voice had a face. Her deep lavender colored eyes complimented her long, curly, mahogany hair.

"Where am I?" Chakotay inquired.

"Atrilian Colonyworld Beta-12," she replied.

"The name has something to be desired," he laughed. She remained silent. "I'm Commander Chakotay of the Starship Voyager."

"I'm Assistant Medical Officer Tal," she paused. "Well, Commander-"

"Please call me Chakotay."

"Very well, Chakotay. After your shuttle crash landed in an area just outside of the main city, you were brought here. You sustained several severe head injuries. Fortunately, I was able to perform the necessary procedure and save your life."

"I am most grateful for your help, but I would like to contact my ship now."

"There are two problems with that," Tal replied. "One, you're still weak. I only woke you because the last treatment requires that the patient be conscious. Two, the colony's communications net is down."

"The communication system for the the entire colony is down?!" He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Surely they would have some back up systems lying around.

She nodded, "The colony was completed and established less than 3 years ago. We still haven't gotten all the bugs out," she paused. "I would like to execute the last treatment if I may?"

"Go right ahead," he replied.

Tal sat down and put her hand up to Chakotay's forehead. He started to feel an energy pulsing through his brain. The first officer saw a wound start to form on her own forehead and then it began dissipated as mysteriously as it had formed.

Chakotay's curiosity picked up, "How did you do that?"

"Every Atrilian is born with telepathic abilities. However, only about 5% of the population is born with healing or empathic powers. Those who are born with the gift go through special training to become healers," she paused. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to rest. Using empathy is always tiring." Tal stood up, walked by the numerous amounts of bio-beds, tapped a button by the door, and walked through.

Chakotay lay down and feel asleep.

**********

"We are the Borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

Chakotay was running down one of Voyager's corridors, being chased by two drones. He wasn't sure what deck he was on. He looked back, they were gaining. Chakotay had no choice but to keep running.

The fleeing had little affect. They eventually caught up with him. The Commander felt the assimilation tubicles pierce the skin on his neck and...

**********

Chakotay sat straight up, panting. He hadn't a dream like that since the encounter with the Borg and Species 8472. He needed some fresh air. Chakotay got up and walked over towards the door and tapped the same button that would unshut it. The door refused to open. He tried again. Nothing happened.

Chakotay, who was quite confused, walked back to the bio-bed and fell asleep. He would ask Tal about it in the morning.

**********

The door swooshed open and Tal walked in, caring what looked to be breakfast. "Good morning," she greeted. She set breakfast down by Chakotay. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

"You could tell me why the door was locked last night," he responded.

"What reason would you have for leaving?"

"Fresh air. I mean it's not like I could open a window," he gestured around the windowless dome.

"If you must know, it's for safety reasons."

"Safety reasons? What sort of safety reasons?"

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with," she paused. "If there is nothing else you need, I have other things that need my attention." Tal turned on her heel and walked towards the door.

Chakotay quietly jumped off the bio-bed and, using all the knowledge he had gain from hunting with his father, crept up behind her. As the door opened, he ran for it. The first officer was in a long corridor. He started to run, but didn't get very far. A piercing pain ran through his brain, it was so painful that it knocked him to the ground. Tal came up to him, weaponless, and dragged Chakotay's unconscious body back inside the dome.

**********

Chakotay open his eyes. He, once again, was trapped. His head was throbbing and his memories of the recent events were gone. "What happened?" he asked Tal who was standing over him.

"May I give you some advice, Chakotay?" she replied. "Remember: the hand that heals you can also be the hand that hurts you."

**********

According to the chronometer on the wall, it was just a little past 0100 hours. Chakotay couldn't sleep. There was this need that was keeping him awake. The need to find out what was beyond this building.

He got up and walked over towards the door. The Commander pressed the button, just to make sure. Nothing happened, just as he had suspected.

He looked around the room, looking for something, anything, that he could use to open the lock. His glance fell upon neuro-scanner. With some tinkering, Chakotay could use the neuro-scanner to open the door.

**********

A half-hour had passed. The scanner was ready. Chakotay held it up to the button and started working. Immediately, smoke started to emerge from panel. Funny, he thought, this wasn't supposed to happen.

The door flew open. If it works... Chakotay stood up and crept through the door. He hoped that Tal was asleep. Again, he was in the long corridor. He followed it, unaware of the horrible scene that was waiting for him outside.

**********

"The patient has escaped from the Medical Dome," a deep baritone voice sounded throughout Tal's quarters.

Damn, she thought. The medical officer got out of bed and ran out of the room to catch up with Chakotay before it was too late.

**********

Chakotay stood there, not moving a muscle. His mouth hung wide open He didn't know what to do, what to say. Never in his his entire life had he seen so much desolation.

The first officer heard foot-steps behind him. It was Tal. "How did it happen?" he asked, still looking at the destruction, not able to turn his eyes away.

"About ten years ago, the Borg came and assimilated almost every colonist and most of our technology. Before leaving, they destroyed every building, except for the Medical Facility."

They stood there for several more minutes, mesmerized. The rubble stretched out for miles. There wasn't a single sign of life (plant or otherwise) in sight. It was amazing anyone had survived.

Tall came out of her trance and tugged on Chakotay's uniform. "We can talk about this further inside."

He just nodded. Slowly, they turned and walked inside, where it was "safe".

**********

"Why do you suppose the Borg skipped over the Medical Facility?" Chakotay inquired.

"I don't know. I suppose our medical technology wasn't worth assimilating," Tal responded, visible shaken. Tears started to roll down her cheeks. The wounds were indeed fresh.

One thing had been eating at Chakotay's brain since he had first come upon the Borg's destruction.  "Why didn't you tell me what had happened?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. I guess I was in shock. I mean I haven't seen any sentient life in almost eight years."

"Eight years? But you said the Borg attacked the colony ten years ago."

Tal's mouth immediately closed shut. She had let something slip and Chakotay was determined to find the whole truth of this eerie plot unfolding before him.

"Tal, what is it? Tell me."

"I can't tell you," she replied. "But I can show you."

**********

"Is it much further?" Chakotay queried. They had traveled out past the city's boundaries and were hiking up a small mountain (if a mountain could be considered "small").

"Not much," she answered.

A few minutes later, they reached a tiny clearing. In the center of the clearing was a pile of rocks arranged in a humanoid form. "Joca," Tal explained as if reading Chakotay thoughts. "You remember how I told you I was the Assistant Medical Officer?" He nodded. " Joca was the Chief Medical Officer. He died eight years ago during an earthquake. He was in the eastern wing of the Medical Facility when it collapsed." She wiped away the tears that grazed her cheeks.

"Joca was still alive when I found him. I used all of my empathic power to save him, to the point where if I had continued the treatment I would have died. I wish I had died. He died without ever knowing how much I cared for him, how much I loved him."

Images of Kathryn fluttered through Chakotay's mind. An ominous, foreboding feeling fell upon him. A possible reality that had been buried inside his mind, since he had first fallen in love with her, now came forth and haunted his thoughts. The evil possibility that he would be too late.

"This woman, Kathryn I believe her name was, promise me you'll tell her how you feel before it's too late. Before you end up like me."

"i don't know what you're talking about," he stammered. His face was flushed with embarrassment. Damn telepaths, he thought.

"You know very well what I'm talking about," she retorted. "Kathryn, the woman you love. If you can't even admit your love for her to someone else, how are you ever going to tell her."

"I can't tell her, at least not yet."

"I bet you can't even say it aloud." Tal had clearly been bumped out of her blue mood and into a competitive mood.

"Sure, I can."

"Then say it. Say that you love Kathryn."

"I love Kathryn," he said in a rushed, nervous tone.

"Now, Chakotay, that wasn't very convincing. Try it again."

"I love Kathryn."

"Better. Now say it louder."

"I love Kathryn."

"Even louder than that. Scream it at the top of your lungs. Make it so loud that she will be able to hear you on that ship of your's"

The sound resonated throughout the planet and the birds (that had survived the Borg attack) sung out with a joy that was equal to the jubilation that coursed through Chakotay's body. As he said the words, a calming feeling washed over him. It was as if a great weight had been lifted from his spirit. And the words were: "I LOVE KATHRYN!!!!!!"

**********

Kathryn sat up in bed. Something had waken her up, but she couldn't determine what it was. It wasn't the alarm system, it wasn't a dream, it wasn't the door... "Bridge to Captain." Of course, the commsystem. Hopefully they would have some good news.

"Report," she replied.

"We have picked up Federation warp signatures on the long range sensors. The path appears to lead to a M-Class planet," Tuvok informed.

"How far?"

"At high-warp, at least 26 hours."

"Set an intercept course." Kathryn laid back down and said a silent prayer that Chakotay would be alright when they found him."

**********

It was 0700 when the ground shook. It had been a violent quake. It was so strong that Tal was knocked straight out of her bed. She hadn't felt a quake this bad since the day Joca had died.

As she started to get up, Tal heard a loud noise. She wasn't quite sure what it was. It almost sounded like... like a building collapsing.

**********

Tal hunted through the rubble, praying to whatever Gods there might be in the heavens to make Chakotay be okay. As she lifted up a piece of metal, Tal spotted an arm underneath. Quickly, she dug around the area, desperately trying to free the first officer's body.

Tal gasped. He had multiple lacerations all over his body, and surely he had internal injuries. Immediately, she started empathic treatment. The medical officer knew very well that this could kill her, but she didn't care. His life would come first today.

**********

Chakotay blinked his eyes open. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. He glanced at his surroundings. Why am I outside?, he thought. At a further look, the first officer noticed that he was encompassed by rubble.

What is that? A hand?  He moved closer and found his suspicions to be right. Tal lay there on the ground, barely conscious. "What happened?" he asked.

Her voice came out a hoarse whisper, "You were hurt. I saved you." She started to cough violently. It was a struggle for her to say those simple words.

"You didn't have to do this." Chakotay's bottom lip was trembling. Tal had done so much for him. She had saved him from death (twice), and she had made him see how much he loved Kathryn and that they could be together if he only tried.

"I did. You have so much left to live for. I have nothing."

"That isn't true."

"It is. I've lost my home, my friends, and my Joca. Hope is lost." A shimmering beam engulfed them both, bringing them away from the destroyed planet. Tal can still make it, Chakotay thought during the transport. Hope is not lost.

**********

"Sickbay to Commander Chakotay." It had been two hours since they had been beamed aboard Voyager. During that time, the Doctor had been working feverently to restore Tal's life. Chakotay, meanwhile, had been banished from Sickbay until further notice.

"Chakotay here."

"Commander, I think you better come to Sickbay. Now."

**********

"Is she going to make it?"

The Doctor shook his head. "She's awake and asking to see you."

Chakotay nodded and walked over to the bio-bed where Tal lay. Her skin was deathly pale. Her lavender eyes had lost there magical flare for life that they had once had. She was fading fast.

"Chakotay?"

"Yes, I'm here." Tears slide down his cheek.

Tal tried to reach up her arm in a futile attempt to brush away the tears. "Don't grieve. All I did was save your life." He laughed. "It was my duty, I just regret not doing this 8 years ago," she paused. "Make me a promise, Chakotay."

"Anything," he replied.

"I want you to promise me that you'll tell her. Don't let what happened to me, happen to you. Tell her as soon as you are able to. Not just for me, for you as well." Tal's eyes suddenly shot upward and her pupils became fully dilated and the life, that had been so precious, was sucked away.

**********

There were rumors all over Voyager on exactly what had happened on the planet. Some said that Tal and Chakotay had become lovers. Others said that Tal had invoked some sort of alien spell over him, making him her slave. Still others said (the ones who knew him best) that they had simply been friends.

No one could ever truly know what went on down there. Two lonely souls had created a bond. A bond that had been formed through their similar experiences and feelings. A bond that had been broken several days ago. Chakotay had locked himself up in his quarters immediately after Tal's death. The Captain had generously given him the week off. Currently, the recovery time was drawing to a close.

**********

*beep*

"Come," Janeway's voice called out.

Chakotay walked into her quarters. She was sitting on the sofa, in civilian clothes, reading a PADD. "Kathryn," he said. "Can we talk?"

"Of course. Please, Chakotay, sit down."

"Haven't you been wondering what went on while I was on the planet?"

"Yes. There have been some pretty nasty rumors about it."

"I know, I've heard. I just want to let you know that they're all false. Tal and I weren't lovers, she didn't have me under any sort of trance, and we weren't just friends. The truth is," he paused, forcing the tears back down. "The truth is I found myself down there. I found out that I... Kathryn, I love you."

Janeway sat there in shock, not sure what to do. She had fantasized about this ever since she had fallen in love with him on New Earth. Finally, she spoke, "Oh, Chakotay. I love you, too."

Tal's and Chakotay's bond may have been broken, but a new bond had formed. This bond was stronger than the first and would last for many years to come. The bond was complete.

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