Wrecked

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A/N-thank you for the kind reviews. I really appreciate it. This story is set between Human Error and Endgame!

Part One-Lost in the Void

The air was acrid. Rain began to fall, but not normal rain. It had an acidic quality to it. Seven felt her skin burn as the water droplets hit her like knives. She choked on the steam which was rising from the rocky ground. What sort of planet was this? None of this had been detected on Voyagers sensors. None of it made any sense. Seven winced, ignoring her sore skin as she gazed up at the sky from under her long ashes. It had now taken on a violet hue, which under any other circumstances would have been beautiful to witness, but now she just felt afraid. She ducked down; placing her mouth over Chakotay's again, breathing in her own ragged breath, trying to give him life. She didn't want to be alone here, not like this. He was too heavy for her to drag to some kind of shelter. They needed to find something. There was no way either could survive the onslaught of this acidic rain.

"Please." Seven found herself begging. She didn't recall ever pleading for mercy before. But an old memory formed in her mind as she remembered her six year old self, pleading with the Borg not to hurt her. This was doing no good. The last thing she needed was to drown in old memories which could be false. "Concentrate." She said aloud. Hearing her own voice steadied her nerves. "Commander….Chakotay." She pressed on his chest again.

A cough, followed by a violent spluttering made Chakotay's body jerk rapidly. He inhaled sharply, his dark eyes now opened wide. "What the hell?" He demanded hoarsely. He groaned, his vision blurring. There wasn't one place on his body that didn't hurt. "Anni?" He mumbled.

It was odd hearing a shortened version of her human name spill from his lips. Seven froze, blinking rapidly. Her heart hammered. Her optical implant fluctuated. She was experiencing double vision. She opened her mouth to chide him for calling her Anni. Their relationship was so new, so raw. It had been Chakotay who had suggested he call her that. He wanted closeness, he needed it. Seven had complied, finding it difficult at first. She understood his reasoning. She was Annika. She was so much more human now then she had ever been. Chakotay had been trying to get her to shed the last remnants of her attachment to the Borg. "You are an individual now. Seven of Nine no longer exists as you once knew her. You are Annika. My Anni."

"Anni….." Chakotay coughed again. "Seven." He reached out with trembling fingers and caught her hand. "What happened?"

"The Delta flyer burned up as soon as we entered the atmosphere." Seven told him hurriedly. Her long blonde hair whipped around her face violently as she spoke. "You suffered a severe electric shock at the helm. I only had time to beam us out before the flyer exploded."

Blue lightening flashed across the sky, followed by a resounding thunder clap. It startled them both. The rain fell harder, lashing at their skin. Chakotay groaned again as his skin burned, just like Seven's. "We have to move." He mumbled.

"I concur." Seven agreed. She sat back on her haunches, taking the strain as she tried to haul Chakotay upright. "We must hurry."

"Dammit." Chakotay cursed as pain made him buckle. He drew in another sharp breath of the rancid air. It burned his lungs. "What is this hellish place?"

Seven had her arm about him. He was forced to lean on her heavily. His legs were weak. He was bleeding out in several places. "Where to?" He gazed around. There seemed to be no shelter of any kind.

Seven couldn't see much at all. Her human eye was as blurry as her optical one. "Commander…."

"Chakotay." Chakotay reminded her automatically.

"Chakotay." Seven echoed him softly. "I am damaged. I cannot see. You will have to guide me."

"Anni…." Chakotay replied worriedly. There was an edge of panic in his tone. "So much for some R&R." He concluded bitterly. The away mission was supposed to have been a date of sorts. It was difficult on Voyager to keep their relationship on the down low. It hadn't been openly discussed between them why they felt the need to keep it to themselves, but both had been complicit in making the silent decision. When the opportunity to go on this trip together had come up Chakotay and Seven had grabbed it with both hands. It was a chance to be alone, to have some much needed privacy. That had gone sour.

"This way." Chakotay hopped forward, drawing Seven with him. They stumbled a few times, both having to get used to the new rhythm they were taking on. It seemed to take forever. The sky continued to turn all the pretty colours of the rainbow. The lightening flashed an electric blue, than a hot pink. It really would have been a beautiful sight if their situation hadn't been so terrifying.

It could only be called a hole. It was ten foot wide with a depth of three feet. Chakotay and Seven were squashed into it, their bodies pressed together in the limited space. The electric storm had worsened considerably. They couldn't move any further. It was impossible. The rain was so acidic that it was making their fragile skin sore. Neither voiced aloud their worries about how they were going to get some much needed water, or some type of fluid intake. It was too scary to fathom that this hellish planet might not have any usable resources at all.

Ten hours passed. Chakotay drifted in and out of consciousness. Seven watched over him worriedly. Her optical implant had stabilised, thankfully. She could now see out of one eye. Her human one was still suffering. It watered continually in the static atmosphere. The storm continued to rage. Seven tried to think, to be pragmatic, but without her usual accoutrements she was lost. A tricorder would have been handy right now, or at least some medical supplies. She nudged Chakotay, awakening him. "Chakotay." She said softly.

"Huh…." Chakotay mumbled groggily. His head was pounding. He forced himself to concentrate. "Is it over?"

"No." Seven pointed upwards. The heaven's above had turned dark, with only a few grey streaks lightening the gloom. "The sky has changed. "

"I have never seen anything like it in my life." Chakotay replied, puzzled. "Have you?"

"No." Seven had been racking her brains for hours, trying to remember if the Borg had ever had any record of this type of phenomenon. "I have never witnessed a storm of this nature."

It was calmer now. The rain had stopped. Chakotay tried to ease his body into a more comfortable position, but it was difficult given the small space. He glanced at Seven. Her pale skin was streaked with dirt. Her blue eyes, always so striking, were narrowed as she studied the sky. It was odd seeing her blonde hair flowing around her shoulders. Chakotay liked seeing it like that. It softened her complexion somehow. Then he chided himself for even thinking about such an inane thing given their dire circumstances. He shook his head. "Maybe it would be a good time to move."

"I concur." Seven agreed with a resigned sigh. She scrambled out of their little enclave first, and then offered Chakotay her hand. He took it. With a sharp grunt, and a moan, he managed to crawl out after Seven, much less gracefully.

"It feels good to have my feet on the old terra firma." Chakotay pounded his boots into the rocky ground.

"Terra firma?" Seven questioned, confused.

A small smile lightened Chakotay's features as he touched her face with gentle fingers. "It means ground. It's good to feel the ground under my feet."

"Yes." A slight blush coated Seven's cheeks as she put her fingers over his. "We need to find sustenance."

"Yes and some shelter." Chakotay leaned against Seven and they began to move slowly forward, using the same shuffling hopping movement as before.

They didn't get far. Suddenly the earth caved under their feet. They had no time to right themselves. They tumbled into space, arms flailing, both crying out in surprise. They fell quite a distance until they landed on some type of mossy substance. Both were heavily winded and couldn't speak. Seven rolled onto her side, seeking Chakotay. He was lying close by. She reached out to him awkwardly, but before she could move further an explosion of butterflies rose between them. There were hundreds if not thousands of the creatures. There were blue, red, green, yellow, mauve, lilac, orange and black ones. They were awestruck. The noise was intense. The butterflies swarmed around them, cawing like seagulls. It was as if they were communicating with each other. Then just as suddenly as they appeared, they were gone, leaving nothing but an echo of their cries in their wake.

A/N-thanks for reading!