What the Eyes Cannot See
By: Butterfly Kathryn
Rated: M
Disclaimer: Characters and locations are copyright to their respective owners, no infringement intended.
Summary: A terrible accident while on an away mission leaves Kathryn Janeway permanently disabled. Will she be able to learn to see what's around her?

Chapter One: Unexpected

Leaning back in her chair, Kathryn Janeway thumbed through the morning reports. The scent of fresh coffee and rose danced through the air. The hum of the engines was just about the only thing you could hear aside from light breathing and the occasional push of a button. Voyager would be in orbit of an M Class planet in just a few hours, where if they were lucky would find some food stores, and some much needed raw materials.

She herself was planning on joining the away team for the survey mission. The scans showed no intelligent life anywhere in the next three light-years. The danger to her would be minimal, besides the scientist in her wanted to explore some of the caverns that looked to have some interesting formations.

Sighing, she placed the padd down on her desk and lifted up the coffee cup cradling it in both hands. She slowly took a sip savoring its rich smooth flavor before she stood and walked to her window. She looked out at the stars that streaked past the ship, leaving no doubt that they were traveling at warp. She was lost in thought when the chime rang. She turned to see who it was as she called out, "Come in."

Tuvok entered the room. "Good morning Captain." He stated in greeting.

"Good morning Tuvok, what can I do for you." She smiled, setting her coffee cup down on the table in front of her couch. She made her way down to the level he was standing on.

"I've brought you my tactical analysis of the planet, like you'd asked." he held out the data padd.

"Excellent" she said as she took the padd from him. "And you're opinion?" she asked, hoping that he would decided that it would be safe for her to leave the ship.

"I do not see anything that would pose a significant danger" he said in his Vulcan tone.

That was what she was hoping for. If Tuvok thought it'd be safe enough for her to leave the ship and join the away team, then convincing other members of her bridge staff that she'd be alright would be easy. "Thank you very much Tuvok" she smiled.

"You are welcome" he nodded his head, then turned and left.

She looked over the information that Tuvok had given her. She would wait to inform the rest of the staff that she'd be leading the away mission until after the briefing started, that way there would be less of a chance that Chakotay would argue with her. He would probably want to go along, but she wasn't comfortable with having the three senior most officers off the bridge at the same time. She would either be taking Chakotay or Tuvok with her, and chances are that it would be Tuvok, since that would be the more 'logical' of the two choices.

Made sure to grab her coffee cup up off the table then returned to her desk, she had then began writing up notes an key points for the staff meeting.

The few hours passed, and voyager was in orbit of the planet. Chakotay's voice came over the comm. "Captain we're in orbit."

"I'm on my way," her voice returned, and within moments of the link closing she was standing on the bridge. "On screen" she asked, as she assumed her seat. The view screen flashed to life, and in the center of it appeared a planet that looked a lot like Earth. It was beautiful, deep blue oceans broken up by brown green land masses, and wispy white clouds.

"Alright, I want a full analysis, check for the materials we need, and how likely it would be that we'd find editable flora and fauna." She stated, "I want your analyses done in two hours, at that time we'll go over your findings in the staff meeting." She was met with 'yes captains' she smiled as she looked at the planet before her.

In the briefing room, she listened to all of the information being presented. The planet was rich in life, and it appeared that at least most of the raw materials that they needed were present. This was very good news, the last three planets that they'd come across left much to be desired, it was nice to finally have a break. "Very good" she stated, and geared up for the battle that she was about to face. "Mr. Neelix, I want you, the doctor, and Mr. Paris to go down to the surface, and find out what items would be good for our hydroponics bay, while, B'Elanna, Seven, and I will man the survey mission to see what to do about gathering up some of these materials that we need." She looked at the two men she knew were about to put up a protest. "Mr. Tuvok and Chakotay will stay on the bridge and coordinate the efforts from here."

It was Chakotay who spoke, "Captain, is it really necessary for you to go down there?" he was concerned for her safety.

"I assure you commander that I have already discussed this matter with my chief of security, and he believes that the risk to my safety is minimal." She looked at Tuvok.

"The risk to your safety is minimal; however I do believe that you should still have a tactical officer there." He stated.

"I think I'm going to be alright, I want you two to stay here, I'm sure Seven and B'Elanna can keep me safe" she stated, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. She'd made up her mind she wasn't going to have them coming down there and ruining her fun. It was a safe location, and besides, she'd have a half Klingon and an ex Borg to keep her safe. "If there's nothing more, then you're dismissed." She decided to try and end the debate then and there.

The crew all left with the exception of both Tuvok and Chakotay. She once again resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "Gentlemen, please I assure I will be fine, it's not like a mission into hostile territory; it's just a survey mission."

"I think you should still take one of us, need I remind you about protocol" was Chakotay's answer.

"Look, Chakotay, Tuvok, nothing is going to happen, we've all done scans of the planet, there's no sentient life within light years of our location. I will have two other officers with me; I believe that the situation doesn't require me to have a body guard. If it makes you feel better I'll keep an open com link." She looked at the two men, "I've made my decision." With that she left the two men in the briefing room looking after the doors, Tuvok with a raised eyebrow and Chakotay looking a bit dumbfounded.

Blue shimmering light slowly evaporated, leaving behind the three women. Kathryn had her tricorder out along with B'Elanna and Seven. "This way," Kathryn called out motioning toward a large rock formation. "It looks like the deposits are over here." She was excited, it felt nice to get off the ship and stretch her legs, and do what she originally started out in Star Fleet doing.

"You're right; I'm picking up a large subterranean deposit of Dilithium about twenty meters below us." She moved toward the captain and seven who each were scanning in the same direction. The three women were clad in climbing gear, backpacks full of their climbing supplies. Tuvok and Chakotay had both checked through each of their bags to ensure that all the equipment was functioning properly; being she wouldn't let them come with her it was the last and final thing she could do to try and appease the two over protective men.

"It looks like there is an opening up in those caverns" Seven supplied.

Kathryn nodded, and the three women began their accent so that they ultimately could start their decent below the surface of the crust. The rock formations were beautiful, Kathryn had decided to bring along a holoimager, not just for the esthetics but so she could study the formations more closely at a later date. She was gathering up plenty of tricorder data as well.

Once at the mouth of a cave, she turned her beacon on. It was dark, and damp. Thankfully she'd managed to convince the boys upstairs that they really didn't even have a need to keep communications open, so there was no one sitting there telling her step by step what to do. She pulled out her tricorder and confirmed with the other members of her party that there were no life signs, of any significance. Meaning there was nothing really large that would potentially try to get them.

"I think it's clear" Kathryn stated, and smiled back at the other two women.

She received a nod from the two of them, and then proceeded into the cave. She snapped a few more holoimages of the formations and of course one of each of the two other women. She earned a puzzled look from Seven, and a slight glare from B'Elanna. She ignored them. "Alright," she said looking over the edge, there was a large drop off. She knelt down and began to place her anchors into the ground. The other two followed suit.

Soon the three women were slowly making their way down the sheer cliff, B'Elanna took the lead, Seven just a few feet above her, and Kathryn in the middle a few feet above Seven. The decent down was going very smoothly, all of their training playing through their heads. Kathryn had made it down about half way, only having about two and a half meters left in her decent when something went wrong. As she pushed off the rock face, she heard something give way, her line became slack. With a startled yell she began falling.

B'Elanna looked up to see what the commotion was, only to see the body of the captain whoosh past her, she reached her arm out to try and stop her catch her only to miss. Seven too had tried to slow the captain's fall just before she'd reached B'Elanna. With wide eyes, the two women left on the rock face looked at each other and then back down quickly as the unmistakable sound of something hitting the cave floor beneath them met their ears.

Both Seven and B'Elanna pushed off the rock face quickly, descending at a dangerous pace, as soon as B'Elanna's feet hit the cave floor, her hand hit her combadge, "B'Elanna to Voyager, there's been an accident" is all she said, as she knelt down next to the unmoving form of Kathryn Janeway.