For anyone who has read Mosaic knows that Kathryn and Admiral Paris were captured for probably less than a day before being rescued... my story takes that and makes it last longer.

Rated M due to scenes of torture and rape and swearing.

Enjoy!

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Ensign Kathryn Janeway woke on the damp filthy blanket, for the third time, it was easy to keep track of the days and night through the tiny bar window; keeping track of time itself was a different matter. How had this happened, how did they get here? They were questions that kept her awake into the night. She stretched out her legs that had been huddled up to her chest all night, a failed attempt to keep warm, they were stiff. She had been onboard the USS Icarus on the Arias expedition, her and Admiral Owen Paris had taken a shuttle for a survey, when they'd been attacked by Cardassians, now she was locked up in a cell, 3 cement walls, one bar wall that held the door, there was no flooring, just mud and grass. A little room came off the right wall, holding a metal bench with a hole in the middle, the toilet. Light came in through the tiny window, or the flickering lights in the walkway between the cages. Admiral Paris had been placed in a cell on the opposite side, just off to her right, they had been fed, cold porridge and water in the mornings, and scraps in the evening.

She'd never seen a Cardassian before, not in person, they'd learnt about them in Exobiology at the Academy, so far the few she'd seen were all male, dressed in what looked like leather, normally carrying rifles. Their faces and neck were corded with cartilage, their skin a greyish colour. They weren't pleasing to the eye, she found them intimidating, but she sure wasn't going to let it show.

It was the day before when they'd come for Paris, not long after breakfast, two of them had marched him off at gun point, it wasn't long after that that the screaming had started. There was a whooshing noise of the main door to the area opening, footsteps approached from her left, she stood, damned if they were going to see her huddled in the corner. She brushed off what dirt she could from her uniform, the same uniform she'd been wearing since they'd taken them prisoner, she didn't bother with her hair, strains of it had fallen out of her plait; it was in need of a good washing and brush. Though at some point between being in the shuttle and first waking here they'd taken her boots and socks, her feet were cold and dirty.

The male Cardassian stopped in front her cell, opening the door slightly he dropped a tray onto the floor, spilling what little contents it held, without casting her a glance he shut the door and locked it, proceeding to the Admirals cell. She picked up the little tray and took it back to her pitiful excuse for a bed, placing it on her lap, half of porridge had tipped out of the bowl, water had overflowed the top of the mug, soaking the bread roll. She could hear him talking to Paris, though she couldn't make out what was being said. She picked up the spoon, poking the cold thick porridge with it and saved her bread from getting more soggy. She ate what she could, which was not very much, before placing the tray back beside the door then sitting back down, her legs out in front of her. Surely Starfleet would be putting together a rescue mission? But then they'd only been due back to the Icarus today, she sighed, they would have to endure more days like this. How would the Admiral cope under their questioning methods?

She wasn't sure how long it'd been, but again they came for him, after clearing their breakfast trays. She sat huddle in the corner, her hands covering her ears, she couldn't bear to listen to the screams of her mentor. She had to stop this, but how, what could she do? It went silent, panic seared through just like it had done the day before, had they killed him? Had it been too much for him? Tears streamed down her cheeks at her failure to prevent this, at the potential lose of the Admiral. At the sound of the main doors opening she stood, and watched as Paris limped, his nose bloody, escorted by two guards. She grabbed hold of her bars and shouted. "You can't do this to us, it's inhuman!"

In one quick movement, the closest guard lifted his rifle, shoving the butt of it through the bars, making contact with her nose. The unexpected force made Kathryn stumble back, but she righted herself, standing a little straighter, she could feel blood trickling down over her lips.

"Unless you want this to be you, I'd be a quite little Starfleet." He spat at her, the Admiral shook his head slightly, discouraging her from any further outburst, before the Cardassian pushed Paris onto his cell.

His words echoed in Kathryn's ears, all she had to do was speak out, make it clear she wasn't happy with their treatment of Paris and she could take his place. She started pacing when the two guards walked past, she stopped, glaring at them, the one who had hit her with his gun turned to look at her, returning her stare. When they'd left the room Kathryn went to the bars and looked over to Paris' cell, she couldn't see him, assuming that he was more then likely sat down, she couldn't blame him. She'd taken a quick glance at his injuries when the group had stopped outside her cell, both hands were covered in blood, his left eye was bruised and swollen, more bruises covered his face, he no longer wore both jackets, instead wearing just his vest, his arms were also the same, covered in cuts and bruises.

"Admiral?"

She heard shuffling, then saw his hand grip hold of one of the bars, not far of the floor, at least she knew where he was. "Kathryn what were you thinking? Do you want them to kill you?"

Kathryn swallowed, no she didn't, but she knew she couldn't let them carry on treating the Admiral this way. "How much longer do you think they'll keep doing this? How much longer until your body gives up?"

She heard a chuckle, was this really the time to be laughing? "Kathryn I'm a lot stronger then you think. I was only limping as I tripped over some steps on the way back here."

Kathryn could feel a laugh bubble up inside her, she couldn't help but smile. "I promise not to tell anyone." She heard him chuckle again, but her mood turned sour at her next question. "What do they do? In that room, when you scream?"

He didn't answer straight away, there was a slight tension building up, making Kathryn feel uncomfortable. "They beat you, they've pulled out a couple of finger nails. And guessing your next question, they want to know why we were in their part of space."

Kathryn frowned, if that were true then the amount of screaming she heard he'd have all his finger nails ripped out, and possibly toe nails. She wasn't going to question it, he was trying to protect her. "But we weren't in Cardassian territory."

She could hear the shrug in his voice. "That's what I've told him. Kathryn remember what I said on the shuttle, don't be unnecessarily heroic. There's plenty of fight left me yet."

Kathryn pursed her lips, gripping tight on the bars she rested her head against them, there was no way she could let this torture continue, regardless of what the Admiral said. "I'll be damn if I'm going to let these barbarians inflict more pain on you!" She shouted, anger bubbled up inside her, she hated being helpless. When she didn't get an answer, she glanced over to see his hand had gone slack, her chest tightened, she hoped that he'd fallen asleep, that his ordeal had spent him. She shook the bars, letting out a frustrated cry, before sinking to the ground. Maybe he was right, maybe she should be quite and save herself, but that wasn't how she was brought up, that wasn't who she was. She was Kathryn Janeway, daughter of an Admiral, a Starfleet Ensign, she was going to do whatever it took to save herself and Admiral Paris. She would get them out of here alive.