Title:
Perfectly Human
J/7
Rating:
PG-13 to R
Summary:
Seven of Nine accesses more of her human side with startling results for
Janeway.
Disclaimers:
Star Trek characters are the property of Paramount. This work is not intended to infringe on their copyright and is
not for profit.
Chapter
27
The
girl with the strawberry blonde braids skipped over to Seven in the corridor
outside the mess hall.
“Hi,
Seven. You are exactly on time for our kodiskot game.”
“I
am actually 1.3 minutes late,” Seven corrected.
“Close
enough.” Naomi slipped her hand in Seven’s and led her into the mess hall.
“You
haven’t forgotten a game in over a week,” the girl continued as they settled
onto two chairs at a table. She took the game pieces from the box and laid the
grid out on the table.
Seven
picked up the green disks in her slender fingers. “I forgot our weekly kodiskot game?” she inquired.
Naomi
shrugged. “Well yeah…you forgot a lot of things back then.” She giggled and peeked over at Seven,
relieved to see a smile tugging at her lips.
“You
are correct. As Annika my memory was
suspect, and I was not punctual.”
“You
can say that again.”
“Why
would I need to repeat myself?”
Naomi
burst out in full fledged giggles.
“Seven, you’re too much. It’s
good to be with you again.”
“We
spent time together as Annika.”
“It
wasn’t the same. I liked Annika and Seven before, but I like you the best.”
“I’m
glad you enjoy my company. You will
have it only for twenty two minutes, so I suggest we begin. You may have the
first move.”
They
played kodiskot and stopped when the games were one each, taking the rest of
the time to enjoy the ice cream cones that Neelix brought them. Vanilla for Seven and chocolate for Naomi.
“Any
chance you’ll come back to work here, Seven?”
he asked.
“My
duties in astrometrics prevent that from happening during the alpha shift,”
Seven said. “However I will be happy to
assist you during my leisure hours.”
“You
don’t want to work during your time off.”
She
smiled at the Talaxian. “I don’t mind. I enjoy cooking now and then.”
His
ruddy face beamed with honest joy.
“Well, any time you want to shake a spoon or rattle a pot, come into the
galley.”
“I
will,” Seven said, puzzled about spoon shaking and pot rattling. They were not part of Annika’s duties as far
as she could remember. After Neelix
left she asked Naomi about it.
“That’s
just the way Neelix talks,” the girl said.
“I guess neither Annika nor Seven always understood him.”
“I
am relieved to hear it.” Seven licked
part of her vanilla ice cream.
“Ensign
Kim is trying to get your attention,” Naomi whispered.
“I
see him. I’m trying to ignore him.”
Naomi’s
tongue swirled around the chocolate ice cream.
One of her braids hung over almost touching the cone. Seven lifted it away. What would she look like with braids, Seven
wondered. Odd. She had never wondered
about such things before.
“Are
you mad at him?” Naomi asked.
“Not
mad. Just indifferent to him.”
“Annika
liked him a lot at first.”
“Yes,
I remember. He liked her too then
showed a decrease in interest. Now that
I am myself again he appears to be interested again.”
Naomi
shrugged. “Men are fickle. At least
that’s what some of the crewmembers say.
The female ones. I don’t know
what fickle means.”
Seven
searched her vocabulary files. “Erratic. Inconstant. I believe that would be
true of Mr. Kim.” When the ice cream cones were finished, she got up from the
table. “I must return to astrometrics
now.”
“I’ll
walk with you, okay?”
Nodding
her assent, Seven strode out of the mess hall, keeping her pace slow enough for
the child to keep up.
“I
really missed you, Seven. I liked
Annika and everything, but you’re special.
That’s why when I was down at that planet with Neelix and Mom I couldn’t
help wishing that you were back. Still
Annika but also Borg.”
Seven
gazed down at her friend who had the kodiskot board tucked under her arm. The captain had told her about the Builders
and the planets they had visited. No
one knew what had caused her to revert to herself. Was it Naomi’s wishful thinking? Still Annika but also Borg.
Different and yet the same.
“Seven,
you okay?”
“Yes,
Naomi. I am fine.” Now she knew what accounted for the
difference in herself. She wasn’t just
the old Seven of Nine. She had an equal
amount of Annika the human in her. It
made for an interesting combination.
*******
As security chief it was Tuvok’s custom to conduct a late night watch of the starship before retiring to his own quarters. He was on Deck 8 when he heard movement up ahead. Instinctively his hand went to his phaser.
“You
will not need your weapon, Commander,” Seven of Nine said as he turned the
corner to find her waiting by the doors to astrometrics.
“Seven,
you are up late.”
Her
lips quirked in a smile. “So are you,
Mr.Tuvok. May I walk with you? I need
to tell you something.”
“Of
course.” She fell into step at his side.
“What is the problem?”
“There
is no problem. I have simply discovered
how I reverted back to Seven of Nine.”
He
dealt her a quick look out of the side of his eyes. “I would be interested to hear your thoughts on the matter.”
“Naomi
Wildman made a wish down on the planet that I would be Annika and yet Borg at
the same time.”
Tuvok
considered the news carefully. “Her mother did not relate this to me when I
interviewed her.”
“Ensign
Wildman may not have known. It may have
just been a thought of Naomi’s. A
heartfelt thought. Annika was often forgetful.
Naomi’s kodiskot games are important to her.”
“I
see. Has the subsequent change in your circumstances
met with your approval, Seven?”
Typical
Tuvok, trying to express concern but in such a Vulcan way. And yet, not so long
ago Seven would have felt that was perfectly normal.
“I
am adapting.” It was not just a
familiar Borgism. It was the truth.
“Of
course. I am glad to know that the matter has an explanation even a solution as
difficult to believe as this one.”
“I
find it equally unsettling to think my identity could be altered by a child’s
whim.”
“I
do not think it is as simple a matter as her whim,” Tuvok said. “I accompanied
the captain to the Southern Continent of the first planet when you were first
altered. The monk there told us that
only the innocent of heart have their wishes granted. And the wish must be something they truly want. Naomi, according to Mr. Neelix, wanted to
find some coffee plants for the captain.
However, none were found.
Probably because she doesn’t really know what coffee is herself.”
“Will
you be speaking to the captain about this?”
“I
must.”
They
had reached the turbolift where Tuvok would go on to another deck.
“Good
night, Tuvok.”
“Good
night, Seven. And may I say that I am
pleased that you have returned to your true self.”
“For
the good of the ship?”
“For
the good of the ship and for yourself and the captain.”
The
mention of the captain surprised Seven.
Tuvok was one of Janeway’s oldest friends.
“She
missed you greatly.”
Seven
searched his dark eyes with her paler ones.
“By my recollection she and Annika formed a close bond.”
“Only
because you and she had a bond to begin with.
The captain headed the away mission herself to that monastery. She was
determined to find a way to get you back.”
“I
did not know that.”
“Annika
was not informed. Even though it may feel that you have two parts to you,
Seven, remember that there is another on the ship in a similar situation.”
“B’Elanna
Torres is half Klingon and half human.”
“I
was not speaking of Lt. Torres but of Captain Janeway.”
Seven
frowned, genuinely puzzled by the Vulcan’s words. “The captain is fully human.”
“Nonetheless
she has two selves. One is captain of
this ship and the other is Kathryn.”
“Is
there some reason that you are telling me this, Tuvok?”
For
a moment she thought the security chief wouldn’t answer.
“If
you wish to have a close relationship with the captain, you must first become
close to Kathryn.”
Was
Tuvok giving her advice on how to win Kathryn Janeway’s heart? How astonishing.
“Good
night, Seven.”
“Good
night, Commander.”
The
Vulcan continued on his rounds. Seven went back into the astrometrics lab. She
had set up some music to play while she continued her work. The Borg in her appreciated that the playing
of rhythmic tones added to her efficiency.
The human in her just enjoyed singing along to the music.
*******
The
red pulsating disk banged Janeway squarely in the back of the shoulders and she
went down to one knee on the Velocity court.
“Point
to Janeway. The score is 7 to 3 Seven
of Nine.”
Sweat
dribbled down Kathryn’s neck and she swiped at it with a terry wrist band. Her calves ached. And she was damned if she would lose this third and deciding game
to Seven.
“Computer,
halt program.”
“What
are you doing?” Kathryn demanded. She
blew a breath out, trying to get the hair out of her eyes.
“You
are fatigued. Perhaps we should rest.”
“No,”
Janeway said, annoyed at the suggestion she needed a break. If only the Borg didn’t look so cool and
collected with hardly a bead of perspiration on her forehead. No surprise. Her nanoprobes took care of
cooling her body.
“I
am fine.”
“I
am not. I would like a sip of
water. If you would allow it?”
“Yeah,
sure…” Kathryn waved a dismissive hand, allowing Seven to go to her bag and
draw out a water bottle. As she tipped it back and took a long swallow, the
muscles of her throat moved.
That
looked good. Damn good. And she wasn’t
talking about the water. Kathryn
dragged herself over to her bag and took out her water bottle. After several
deep gulps she splashed water on her face.
Watching
surreptitiously, Seven allowed Kathryn a few extra minutes to catch her breath,
trying not to make it too obvious.
“Ready?”
Kathryn asked.
Seven
nodded. “Computer, continue program.”
The
disk flew out from nowhere. Seven aimed and fired. The blue light turned to red.
As she whipped her head to the right, Janeway fired her phaser. The red light became blue. The game was on.
A
half hour later, Janeway gnashed her teeth in frustration as her shot landed
wide and boomeranged back at her. She
continued to trail Seven in the game. Seven might even beat her, that had never
happened before. She’d taken a game now and then…but Kathryn had always pulled
out a miracle shot in the clutch. Not
this time though.
Intuition told her that this was it.
She was going to lose. And one
thing Kathryn Janeway hated to do was lose at anything. She glared over at Seven who was placidly
flipping her blonde braid over a shoulder.
The captain fired and sprang back in position on the court.
Seven
did another braid flip and fired back.
Why
had she changed her hair style, Kathryn wondered, meeting that shot with one of
her own. Not the bun that Seven usually
wore and it wasn’t down to the shoulders the way Annika liked it. It had been braided. Who had braided it for her? She wondered, feeling a sharp pang of
envy. Celes, maybe? The two were still close.
Maybe
in the middle of the astrometrics shift Celes had done it.
The
Velocity disk collided with Kathryn’s elbow.
“Another
point to Seven of Nine.”
“If
I win one more point I will be the winner,” Seven said.
“I
know that,” Kathryn spoke through clenched teeth.
She
fought back tenaciously, grimly, with all the command training at her
disposal. Seven was impressed. She had always possessed superior physical
abilities, but the captain’s mental discipline was formidable. They were dead even again and stayed that
way through another fifteen minutes. Unacceptable! Seven knew that she could win if she paid attention to her game. She also knew Janeway’s weakness. She was distractable.
“I require water,” Seven said.
“You
may have a two minute break,” Janeway said, panting slightly and hoping that
she might be wearing Seven down.
Immediately
Seven went to her water bottle and splashed some on her face and allowed the
liquid to drip down onto the front of her Velocity outfit. Kathryn swallowed convulsively as she
watched the water seep through the cloth on Seven’s chest. Was it just accidental, or was it on
purpose? Pale blue eyes met hers
innocently.
Too
innocent, if she were any judge of things.
“Break’s
over,” Janeway snapped.
They
began again, and despite several hard fought points Seven kept banging shots in
corners at angles that were impossible for the captain to avoid.
“Point
to Seven of Nine. She wins the match…”
the computer announced.
She’d
done it! Seven lifted her clenched
fists automatically over her head in a geture of triumph. Along with that pleasure however was another
emotion, regret. She glanced over at
the captain and saw the disgusted expression on Janeway’s face. And yet there was something else glittering
in the blue eyes.
“Congratulations,
Seven. You beat me fair and square.”
“Thank
you, Captain. I had a good teacher.”
Janeway
grinned. “And now she has to be a good
sport. I hate that.”
“You
hate losing, acknowledging that someone has mastered you at anything.”
“Mastering? I wouldn’t go that far, Seven. I demand a rematch.”
“And
you shall have it,” the blonde said promptly.
Kathryn
wiped her face with a towel. “You look
puzzled. Victory not all it was cracked
up to be?”
“I
have mixed emotions, Captain. I am
happy and pleased at my victory and yet I feel regretful that I vanquished
you.”
“Vanquished? Let’s not go too far. I did give you a good game.”
“Indeed. And I am aware that although you were angry
at losing, you were also satisfied at the same time. Explain.”
“You’re
right. I was satisfied and proud…of you.
You did beat me and since you were my student in this, the teacher in me
is proud of you."
“You’ve
taught me many things.”
Was
that a flirtatious tone to the blonde’s words?
Or was that just wishful thinking.
Kathryn picked up her bag.
“We’d
better leave. People are probably
waiting to use the holodeck.”
“Computer,
end program,” Seven said obediently.
The court vanished to be replaced by the black and yellow grid lines of
the holodeck. Seven slung the strap of
her bag over her shoulder.
“There
is a saying, to the victor belong the spoils, is there not, Captain?”
The
look in Seven’s eyes made Kathryn hesitate before answering. What was on the blonde’s mind?
“Yes.”
“I
lay claim to my spoils.”
“Oh
you do?”
“Yes.” Seven stepped closer to Kathryn, so close
that for a second Kathryn thought she was going to demand a kiss. Or
something more. “I would like
dinner with you.”
“Dinner.” Dinner…that
was okay, wasn’t it? “Sure. Sandrine’s with all the trimmings suit you?”
“Not
a holodeck dinner. A dinner in your
quarters.”
“The
food might not be as good as Sandrine’s.”
“I’m
sure whatever you serve will be palatable,” Seven said.
Kathryn
tried to control her impulse to throw herself on the other woman. This wasn’t Annika. This was Seven. And Seven never flirted with her this way before. Or was she flirting?
“How’s
tomorrow night 2000 hours?”
“Acceptable.”
“A
dinner for two.”
“An
intimate dinner,” Seven corrected.
Oh yes, the blonde was
flirting.
***************
Tal
Celes gazed over at the tall woman reviewing her work orders.
“You
seem in a rush tonight, Seven. Got a
big date?”
To
her amazement the Borg blushed.
“I
am in a hurry because I need to regenerate,” came the reply.
“Oh
sure. Go on then. This can wait until tomorrow, can’t it?’
“I
will review it now. Tomorrow I may be
late reporting in.”
If
she were lucky. The morning after
Annika and Kathryn had made love the captain had logged them both off
duty. Would she do so again?
Not
that there was any certainty that after dinner tonight they would make
love. However Seven wished to be
prepared. So she cleared her area of
any pressing assignments and had also scheduled a short regeneration cycle for
herself.
She
needed to be at peak efficiency when she reported to the captain’s quarters at
2000 hours. As she set the controls at
her Borg alcove an hour later, Seven felt a shiver of anticipation run down her
spine. An intimate dinner with the
captain. Smiling, she stepped into the
alcove.
*******
Intimate dinner. What did Seven mean by that?
Quiet and private. Or lusty and
juicy.
And with any luck the rest
of you will be too before the night is over.
Stop it! She was going to have dinner with Seven, that’s all.
Seven of Nine wasn’t Annika. And yet she was. Kathryn fluffed her hair with a brush. It was so complicated. She knew what the old Seven had felt for her and what Annika had felt. But this new Seven of Nine was far more complicated. Maybe she wouldn’t be so easy to seduce.
Seduce! Where had that idea come from.
She was not planning a seduction tonight. She would need to go slowly with Seven.
Slowly to the bedroom, you
mean.
Shut up! She meant slow, period.
She would take her cue from the young woman. She didn’t want to overwhelm her. Janeway stepped back from the mirror and gave her reflection a
final look. She wore an emerald green
dress that was mid calf. A gold pendant
dangled into the bodice. Only her hair gave her trouble like always. Maybe
she could ask Seven to braid it.
Stop it!
“Computer, locate Seven of Nine.”
“Seven
of Nine is in the turbolift.”
She
was early! Kathryn flew to the
replicator. It was all set for the meal
that she had programmed: Caesar salads and then the coq au vin. There was a chocolate mousse for
dessert. Or apple pie…or maybe she’d
just let Seven decide.
“Computer,
music selection Janeway Beta three.”
The
soft opening movement of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons filled the quarters. Good.
She was done. Then she glanced
down at her bare feet. Shoes, she’d
forgotten shoes. She hurried back to
her bedroom, and pulled out a pair of black strappy sandals.
The
door chime sounded.
“Come,”
she called out, a little out of breath.
She
was even more breathless when she caught her first glance at Seven in a black
silky dress held up by two thin spaghetti straps. Her hair was pulled back by a silver clip that matched her Borg
implants. Beautiful.
“Good
evening, Captain,” Seven said, holding out a bouquet of red roses.
Kathryn
bent her head and inhaled the fragrance.
Sweet and intoxicating. Like the
woman standing in front of her.
“They’re
beautiful, Seven. Thank you,” she said
huskily.
“You’re
welcome.” Seven’s smile lit up her
face, pleased that the captain enjoyed her gift. She had another in the bag she held lightly in her left
hand. She planned to give that to
Kathryn later.
“Let
me find a vase to put these flowers in.”
Janeway
began hunting in her cabinet, spotting one finally on the top shelf just about
the same time Seven did.
“Allow
me,” Seven said from behind the captain.
She reached up and leaned forward. Her breasts lightly grazed Janeway’s
back and the captain luxuriated in the feel of them for a moment.
“Is
this sufficient?” Seven was holding the vase out for her inspection.
“Yes.” Kathryn’s eyes lingered on Seven’s
breasts. “More than sufficient.”
Chapter
Twenty Eight
Hurriedly
Kathryn filled the ceramic vase with water then began arranging the flowers,
conscious of the young woman’s gaze following her every move.
“I
removed the thorns,” Seven pointed out.
“I did not want you pricking your fingers.”
“That
was thoughtful of you,” Kathryn said, sticking another long stemmed crimson
rose into the vase. Did Seven realize
the significance of the long stems and the color? She stole another sidelong peek at the young woman who captured
her eyes in a meaningful look.
Oh yeah. Seven knew exactly what she was doing.
Fingertips
tingling, Kathryn carried the flowers to the table and placed it to one side
where they wouldn’t block the view of her guest during dinner.
“How’s
that?”
“That
is beautiful.”
“Not
aesthetically pleasing?” Janeway
couldn’t help teasing.
“Not
as aesthetically pleasing as you are, Kathryn,” came the prompt reply. The emerald green dress brought out the
reddish highlights in the captain’s hair, and the gold pendant tucked into the
scooped bodice tempted Seven to reach her fingers in and let them graze in between
the creamy mounds.
“It is permitted that I call you Kathryn in
these quarters, is it not?” she continued.
“You allowed me the privilege on several occasions.”
“Yes,
call me Kathryn…”
As long as you don’t call me
late to bed…
STOP IT!
“Please
sit down. Dinner is almost ready.” Kathryn
fled to the replicator, mentally chastising herself to get a grip.
Seven
placed a small bag behind the couch then walked to the dining table where
Janeway was just putting down two salad bowls.
“Caesar
salad is our first course. After that comes coq au vin, chicken in wine, on a
bed of rice pilaf.”
“Bed?”
the blonde asked.
That
single word brought the most heated images flooding to Kathryn’s mind.
“A scoop, of rice,” she explained hastily.
“Ah.”
Seven
held the chair out for Kathryn, a courtesy that pleased the redhead.
“Thank
you.”
The
Borg seated herself across from her hostess, inquiring, “Is the Caesar salad
named for Julius or Augustus?”
“I
don’t know. I believe a restauranteur
in the 20th century named it for a customer.”
Seven
unfolded her napkin. “Will we also be having dessert?”
Janeway’s
eyes sparkled. “Of course. I was going
to leave the choice of dessert up to you.”
“I
would like apple pie. I am fond of it.”
I remember. Kathryn’s eyes met hers again.
Seven
picked up her fork and tried the salad.
The textures and tangy dressing were pleasing on her tongue. Across the
table Kathryn watched anxiously. The
captain was known for her deficiencies with a replicator and no doubt required
reassurance.
“It
is very good.”
Janeway
gave a relieved smile. “I’m glad you
like it. I understand from Mr. Neelix that you are going to be cooking with him
now and then?”
“Yes. I discovered that I find it a relaxing and
creative venture. Do you?”
“Creative
perhaps. Relaxing, no. You can ask Chakotay about the less than
relaxing dinners he’s eaten here.”
Seven’s
lips tightened in a thin line. She did
not want to hear about the dinners Kathryn had shared with Chakotay. She stared down into her bowl of green
lettuce and croutons. Perhaps she had
made a mistake asking for this intimate dinner. Just because Kathryn and Annika
had shared intimacy together did not mean the captain wished the same thing
from her. Despite what Tuvok and
B’Elanna had said about the captain’s fondness for her the blonde felt on
uncertain ground. So much had
happened. So many changes.
Kathryn
had told Annika she loved her. She had
never uttered those words to Seven.
Dammit. Why did she bring up
Chakotay? She could see Seven freeze at the mention of the First Officer. And the young woman had
been so relaxed and comfortable since entering the quarters, as though these
were her quarters too.
“Would
you like an apple juice, Seven?”
Kathryn asked, darting up from her chair.
“Thank you, Captain.”
“It’s
Kathryn.” The redhead touched her shoulder gently. “It’s always Kathryn when you’re alone here with me like this.”
She
brought two glasses back, one for Seven and the other for herself.
“You
are not having your usual whiskey and soda?”
Seven asked.
“I
don’t need it tonight. I have just what
I need to relax me, you across the table.”
Seven’s
eyes glowed with honest pleasure. The
captain’s praise warmed her heart like no one else’s ever could.
“Maybe
I should lose at Velocity more often,” Kathryn said, chewing on a crunchy
crouton.
Seven’s
fingertip traced the rim of her glass as she considered the captain’s
comment. “You are teasing me. You never would never lose deliberately. You
hate to lose,” the blonde said confident of her own victory.
“I
might if it would bring you to my quarters like this,” Janeway said under her
breath. Too late she remembered Seven’s Borg-enhanced hearing could make out
her words.
Was Kathryn flirting with
her?
“You
enjoy our private time together?”
“Very
much.” Janeway stuffed lettuce in her
mouth and crunched away.
“If
you want me to dine with you need only ask.”
Another piercing look from the blue eyes hit Kathryn.
“I’ll
remember that. I’ve been curious,
Seven. You wore your hair in braids
during our Velocity match.”
“Yes. Did you like that hair style? I have been experimenting with them.”
“I
thought it was very cute.” Adorable, actually.
“It
would have been impossible for you to braid it by yourself,” Kathryn went
on. “Who helped you? Was it Celes?”
“No,
Ensign Wildman assisted me.”
“Naomi’s
mother.”
The timer went off in the kitchen area and
Kathryn went back to the replicator and returned with the rice pilaf and coq au
vin. Seven eyed the chicken as though unsure how to eat it.
“You
slice it like this,” Kathryn said, demonstrating with the knife and fork.
Seven
followed her example.
“Well?” Kathryn demanded, watching her chew.
“It
is deliciously acceptable,” the blonde replied.
Janeway
laughed. Deliciously acceptable. What
a blend of Annika speak and Borgism.
“I
didn’t know you and Ensign Wildman were such friends,” Kathryn said, resuming
their discussion.
Seven
cocked her head, giving the question her full attention. She was actually
closer friends with Naomi than Samantha.
“Samantha
has been quite helpful to me. She
helped me earlier to choose an outfit for our dinner some months ago. The colorful outfit, if you remember.”
“I
remember it. Did she help you with tonight’s outfit too?”
“No. I replicated this on my own, modifying
certain patterns in the database. Do you like it?”
Love it! Kathryn took the opportunity to let her gaze linger on the
blonde’s spaghetti straps and the generous bosom. “It’s aesthetically pleasing, and you are beautiful.”
Seven
smiled, recognizing the words. This dinner date was more successful than any
she had been on. Kathryn was smiling
and laughing and there was the unmistakable look of desire in her eyes. All this gave her the courage to ask a
question.
“Do
you remember the dinner when I wore the colorful outfit?”
“How
could I forget it,” Kathryn said, her voice low and husky.
“When
we said goodnight at the door we kissed.”
“Yes.” The voice was almost a purr.
“That
was not the same manner you kissed Annika goodnight when you dined together.”
Kathryn
was brought up short. “Annika was you, Seven,” she reminded the
younger woman.
“I
know. And yet the kisses we exchanged
when I was Annika differed from the small one at the door months ago.”
“I
suppose so.” Kathryn didn’t know where
Seven was going with this conversation.
“That
was also not the way you kissed Michael Sullivan.”
Oh boy.
“Let’s
not discuss Michael Sullivan,” Janeway said, stalling for time.
“I
saw you on the holodeck the day after we had dinner. You went into the Fair Haven program. I watched you on the bank lying on the grass with Michael and
kissing.”
Busted.
“You were spying on me?” Janeway couldn’t keep her outrage from her
voice. She was back to being the captain. She put down her fork and wished that she
had replicated the whiskey and soda for herself.
“I
wanted to speak to you that day,” Seven said hesitantly. “However you were too busy with
Michael. The way you kissed him was
different from the way you kissed me the night before. Do you kiss him frequently, Captain?” she
demanded. “Do you love him?”
That’s
none of your business, Kathryn nearly blurted out. But one look at the blonde’s face and she
knew it was Seven’s business.
“I
didn’t love Michael. I was fond of
him.”
“Fond enough to kiss him.”
“In
this instance, yes. I don’t usually go
around kissing holograms. Or copulating with them,” she said, guessing the next
question the blonde would spring on her.
Her
appetite gone, Seven pushed away the plate in front of her. Why had she brought
up Michael? It was causing her distress
as well as the captain. But she knew
why. It had bothered her months ago and
it still bothered her now.
“Kathryn,
why did you kiss Michael?” she asked in
a small voice.
The
real pain in the blue eyes caused the redhead to speak the truth.
“It
was a test.”
“A
test?” Seven lifted her ocular
implant. She had not expected such an
answer.
“A
test for myself,” Janeway
clarified. “I had modified Michael’s
program so he was exactly what I wanted in a romantic partner and I wanted to
see if my reaction to him that day matched what I felt when you and I kissed
good night. I kissed him as hard and as
long as I could to see if my feelings matched those during the brief seconds
when you and brushed our lips against one another. It didn’t measure up. Not
in any way.”
“I
didn’t know.”
“What
you also may not know is that Fair Haven was taken off line and the original
parameters restored.”
“Original
parameters?”
“Originally
Michael had a wife.”
Abruptly,
Seven rose from the table. Was she leaving?
“Kathryn,
I wish to conduct a test with you.”
“Oh? One involving kissing?”
The
blonde nodded.
“Why? We’ve kissed before.”
“You
and I kissed briefly. You kissed Annika for much longer and more ardently, the
way you kissed Michael. I wish to kiss
you now to see what you feel for me as I am today, this very moment. Will you allow it?”
The
captain rose from her chair.
“Why
don’t we dance first? That will lead us
naturally into a kissing position.”
“Acceptable.”
Kathryn
chose the same selection from her music files that they had danced to during
that first dinner.
“Remember
this?”
“Yes.”
“Come
here.” Kathryn held her arms out.
Seven closed the distance. She felt
light-headed as long arms encircled Kathryn’s waist. The redhead clasped her hands around the taller woman’s neck. It
was so nice to hold Seven again.
Janeway had feared they would never be this close again. Sighing she rested her head against Seven’s
shoulder. This is just a test, she
reminded herself.
Thanks
to her Borg enhancements Seven could feel her respiration increase and her
circulation as well. The captain’s
light floral scent filled her nostrils.
Automatically she found her nose nuzzling the auburn hair. And she felt the smile as the captain
reacted by moving even more closely to her.
For
several minutes they danced, wordlessly united in the music. Hips pressed
against each other. Gently, Seven
lifted Kathryn’s chin up, tilted her head slightly and touched her lips to the
older woman’s. A surge of electricity
flooded through her as the warm mouth opened and welcomed her home.
Kathryn
pulled her closer, feeling the soft lips and sensuous tongue. Desperately she tried to convey all the love
she had in her heart for Seven. In
whatever shape or form this young woman took, the starship captain loved
her. Breathless, she broke the kiss to
draw oxygen into her lungs.
“So
did I pass the test?” she asked
shakily.
You pretty near passed out,
her inner voice chortled.
Seven
placed her fingertips against her lips and nodded, too shaken for words. She had felt the captain's love, unspoken as
yet but present. It was sufficient.
“Let’s
have no more tests between us, darling.”
Darling. “Would more kisses be
acceptable?” Seven asked.
“Deliciously
acceptable,” Kathryn said with a grin.
Later
as they settled comfortably on the couch,
Kathryn remembered her duties as a hostess.
“Do
you want dessert?”
Seven
tightened her arm around Kathryn’s shoulder.
“I am having dessert now.”
Janeway
grinned as she slipped a finger under Seven’s black spaghetti strap. “I have a question I’ve been dying to ask.”
“You
may ask,” Seven said, distracted by the way the captain’s fingers were stroking
her bare skin.
“What’s
in that bag you brought in to my quarters?”
“Ah…I
had forgotten,” Seven said. No
surprise, given the distraction of kissing the captain.
“Are
you going to tell me?” Kathryn asked,
curious. Seven wouldn’t have been so
presumptuous as to bring her nightgown in the bag? Not that Kathryn would object to an overnight guest.
Seven
reached around the back of the couch and brought out the bag. Smiling at Kathryn, she pulled out the
stuffed lion and handed it to her.
“It’s
the lion you won at the holodeck fair,” Kathryn crowed with delight.
“Her
name is Winnie.”
“Winnie?” Kathryn stroked the long mane. “You do know that’s supposed to represent a
male lion.”
“Yes.”
The
lion wore a plum outfit and its mane was partially pinned back with a golden
hairpin, making the likeness to Seven unmistakable.
“She
is a friend for Pooh.” Seven glanced around the quarters.
“Pooh’s
on the bed …Let me show you.”
Seven
followed Kathryn into the bedroom, where Pooh sat on top of the headboard,
looking every inch the Starfleet captain.
Kathryn placed the golden lion next to the bear. The two animals looked comfortable
together.
“They
belong together,” Seven said, stepping closer to Kathryn. Her breath lightly teased the captain’s
earlobe.
Kathryn
tried not to shiver.
Seven
slipped her hand into Kathryn’s. “The
way we belong together.”
Kathryn
turned to gaze into the pale blue eyes of the woman she loved.
“Would
you like company in your bed tonight, Kathryn?”
“I would indeed.” With a lazy smile, Kathryn drew Seven down to sit on the bed with
her.
The
blonde pressed down on the mattress with her left hand. “I have slept in this bed before. I have memories of it.”
“Good
ones?” Kathryn asked, kissing her lips softly.
“Very
good. I wish to make new memories.”
“Oh
my darling, so do I.” Kathryn’s voice
broke. She hugged the woman hard. “I have missed you so much, Seven.”
“I
am here now, Kathryn.”
“Yes,
you are.” Small hands began to stroke Seven’s abdominal implant, thumbs lightly
headed higher to the swell of the creamy breasts.
Seven
sighed, feeling pleasure and also undeniable nervousness.
Kathryn
feeling the muscles tense under her fingers.
“Is anything wrong? Do you want me to stop?”
The
young woman shook her head, unable to meet her eyes.
The
captain cupped the starburst implant on Seven’s cheek. “Tell me.”
The
blonde bit her lip and lifted her head slowly.
Kathryn waited, patient and loving.
“It’s
just that I may not be able to satisfy you the way I did previously. I may not be as accomplished as
Annika.” It was a frightful admission
for the Borg to make. Annika might be
part of her, but she would be making love to Kathryn for the first time as
Seven.
Kathryn
squeezed her hand. “There’s no rush,
darling. Just holding your hand like
this satisfies me. I love you. I loved you as Seven. I loved you as Annika. And I love you now as whomever you are.”
The
last of Seven’s fears dropped away.
Kathryn loved her as she was.
“And if mere handholding does not satisfy us?” she asked huskily.
The
captain grinned as she lifted Seven’s fingers to her lips.
“Then
we’ll just have to find some other use for them, darling.”