STAR TREK: VOYAGER
What Comes After…
Part I
An Original J/7 Voyager Story
Ó2007 by Patricia L. Givens
September 2007
Disclaimer
#1: This story is an original work of
fiction set in the pre-existing universe of Star Trek: Voyager. As such,
many of the characters and references used within belong solely to Paramount
Pictures. I have borrowed them for the purpose of creating this scenario
and promise to return them unscathed, and smiling, as soon as I am done.
No gain, monetary or otherwise, is expected from their use and no copyright
infringement is intended or should be inferred.
Disclaimer
#2: All original characters and
storylines contained herein belong to the author. (Like anyone else would claim
them! J ) This story may be archived
upon request with the stipulation that it must be posted exactly as it was
written, with all disclaimers intact.
Disclaimer
#3: This story depicts a romantic
relationship between two women. It may be graphic, but it is lovingly
so. If this kind of thing bothers you then wow, you are really visiting
the wrong websites. If you are under 18, then please finish your homework
before you read this, I would hate for your grades to suffer. If this is
illegal where you live than please write me and let me know what the weather is
like in your little redneck corner of the world.
Who To
Blame:
Thanks must go out to
Ky, who continues on her tireless campaign to make me recognize that this – is
more than a minus sign. Thanks also to Andrea and Shawn for keeping
my beta heart beating. Thanks to The Janeway/Seven Faction, The Voyager
Conspiracy, Ralst, Sazzy and the multitudes of mailing lists I have found
myself on. Thanks to Traevlr for showing me where the cool kids hang out.
And thanks to GL Dartt… Just Because…
This story
is dedicated to Kristen, as always.
This is my
first Post Endgame endeavor and it takes place about three months after Voyager
has returned to Earth. If you are a fan of Chuckles, then this probably
isn’t the story for you. A tip of the pen must go to WoW, for supplying a
name when I couldn’t think of one.
No Borg
implants were mangled during the writing of this story however I will have to
give Seven a complete physical to ensure that she is in good health.
To all that
makes us unique!
DAx =/\=
.
So huge, so hopeless to conceive,
As these that twice befell.
Parting is all we know of heaven,
And all we need of hell.
-Emily Dickinson
Chapter
One: Trading Thoughts
Admiral
Kathryn Janeway sat down at her desk, one hand holding a cup of steaming hot
coffee and the other filled with a multitude of PADDs. She sighed heavily
as she laid them out before her. Reports. It seemed her life lately
was nothing more than an endless stream of reports, both to read and to be
submitted.
She flexed
her shoulders, trying to get the new uniform to sit correctly upon them.
It seemed thicker, more restrictive than the one she had spent seven long years
sliding into every morning. The colors were nice though. She ran a
finger under her collar, accidentally brushing across her new insignia in the
process. Admiral. It had only been three months since Voyager’s
return and they had already made her an Admiral. Daddy would have been
proud.
Her desk
PADD chirped and she looked down, smiling when she realized who the message was
from. Eagerly she keyed the control and her smile widened at the
beautiful image that filled the screen
“Captain.”
Seven of Nine
looked up at her, the corners of her mouth upturned in the barest of smiles.
“Or should I say, Admiral. Congratulations on your promotion. I
regret not having been at the ceremony. Chakotay sends his regards and
his regrets as well. Our ‘settling in’ here on his home world has taken
much of our attention over the past three months.”
Janeway
frowned to herself. She didn’t want to hear about Chakotay.
“It has
been… interesting. His family is very welcoming, although I do find that
they watch me closely, especially when they think that I am unaware of their
scrutiny. I am unsure as to their motives. Chakotay says that they
are merely interested in my uniqueness. Personally I find it vaguely
unsettling but as I do not wish to make him uncomfortable, I do not address the
situation.”
“The
house is acceptable. Starfleet was kind enough to allow us the use of one
of my alcoves. It has been successfully installed in one of the back
bedrooms. Occasionally, when my regeneration cycle ends, I open my eyes
expecting to find myself still in
Janeway grimaced,
not wanting to think about how she was occupying her nights. Or who she
was occupying them with.
“But
after the extensive debriefings and long winded meetings I was forced to endure
upon our arrival from the Delta Quadrant, I find the peacefulness of it at
least slightly enjoyable. How long that enjoyment will continue, I
do not know. I do know that you are busy and I will not make this missive
a long one. I merely wished to tell you that I am well and that I was
thinking of you. Please respond and inform me as to your own status and
current situation. I look forward to hearing from you.”
The screen
went dark and the Admiral sat silently, contemplating the former Borg’s
words. After severing her from the Collective several years earlier and
making her a member of her crew, Seven had continued to blossom into the human
she was always meant to be. It was a small consolation. She had
always assumed it would be her that would continue to guide the former drone
through her existence on Earth. When she had chosen to return with
Chakotay to his home world, the blow had struck hard.
Did you ever ask her to
stay? Her
little voice asked snidely. Was
she just supposed to guess that you wanted her around?
She
considered Seven’s choice of words. That her situation was merely
‘interesting’ and her continued use of Chakotay’s title, even though he had
resigned from Starfleet almost as soon as his feet hit the ground. While
there was nothing negative in the message as a whole, the use of those words
set off alarm klaxons in her brain.
Wishful thinking again,
Katie.
She
straightened her jacket again and ran her fingers through her hair, pushing a
few errant strands back into place before hitting the reply command.
“Seven!
I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to get your message. I have
thought of you often over the last three months and I have been wondering how
you are fairing. Starfleet Command has been keeping me busy. They
have me working on categorizing all of the data we collected during what they
term, my Delta Quadrant vacation. Personally, I think they are just
trying to keep me focused while Voyager undergoes her retrofit. I think
they assume that I will grow into my desk position and leave the actual
exploration to the young people they have running around with quad pips these
days. They are sorely mistaken. I fully intend to retake command of
my vessel when she is again space worthy; even if I have to step down to do
so. Truth be told, I never really wanted the promotion in the first
place, so it is probably better that you did miss the ceremony. You would
have only brought that fact to the attention of everyone present at the least
opportune time.”
She smiled
broadly, enjoying the teasing she had missed so much since Seven had been
gone. “My house in
She toyed
briefly with the idea of deleting that last sentence and decided to leave
it. Maybe Seven would read between the lines and understand what she was
trying to say without her having to say it. Wasn’t that the way they had
always communicated in the past?
Yeah, and where did
that get you? Alone and missing her desperately!
“Starfleet
has undergone major changes since we were gone. They’re still trying to
rebuild after the war and I find myself surrounded by children playing
soldier. They are earnest and they mean well, but what I wouldn’t give to
have my own crew around me again. Certain members of that crew in
particular. I do have to admit though, the coffee has gotten
better.” She
smiled and took a long drink. “I was wondering if you were ever going
to be able to find time to come for a visit. There are still so many
places I would like to show you, and I haven’t forgotten my promise to take you
home to
“They’re
going to be upgrading Voyager’s propulsion and weapons. They’re also
studying the ablative armor that the ‘other’ admiral was so kind to lend
us. You cannot even imagine the amount of tap dancing I had to do when
the debriefings took a turn in that direction. I think if they had had a
way to hold me responsible for it they just might have done so. Three
cheers for the Federation still being behind in that regard.”
“The
only really hard part of the debriefings came in regards to the Equinox.
Explaining myself for the actions I took at that time was not the easiest thing
to do. Most of the crew’s testimonies about the circumstances were very
helpful to my cause, but I know the board was still uneasy about how quickly
that situation went out of control.” She did not mention that the most damning testimony
came from her own First Officer. That was one position she would not put
Seven in. Besides, he had merely told the truth, as he saw it
anyway. “In the end they categorized it as an anomaly in my service
record. They simply do not have enough seasoned Fleet personnel to throw
me away due to one circumstance, even if they did not agree wholly with how I
handled it. They recognized that they were not there and speculating
about how they would have handled it differently does not provide what could be
considered a viable alternative.”
“Anyway,
enough about all that. I want to hear more about you and your new
life.” She
swallowed, hard. “Oh, and by the way. I’m not your Captain
anymore and hearing the word ‘Admiral’ coming from you seems in some way
unfitting. How about you just call me Kathryn? I think, with
everything we have been through together, we’ve both earned it. I look
forward to sharing further correspondence with you. I will talk with you
soon.”
Janeway sat
back and smiled as she sent the letter on its way before turning back to the
reports scattered about her desk. They didn’t seem so bad anymore.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* *
The Admiral
woke slowly, stretching languidly in her bed as sleep slowly receded. She
wasn’t used to having days off from work, but it was a turn of events that she
was beginning to enjoy.
She
stumbled out of bed and headed for her kitchen, bypassing the refrigerator and
throwing a disdainful look at the stove as she walked straight to the
replicator to order a whole pot of coffee to begin her day. Taking the
pot and a cup over to her desk she was thrilled to see another message from
Seven. They had been sending letters back and forth almost daily for
three weeks now but she was still delighted whenever she found one waiting for her.
She poured herself a cup of joe and activated the screen.
“Kathryn.” Seven’s voice felt like a
caress when she said her name. “I trust that this missive finds you
well. I am currently at a hotel in the main city. I decided that I
would explore this world while the Commander is away with several family
members on a spiritual retreat. Unfortunately, it appears that there is
little to see. I have expressed a desire to travel off world, to come and
visit you, but Chakotay has stated that he is not comfortable with me going
alone. I am unsure what he believes will happen to me, but I will respect
his request to refrain from such activity for the time being. Instead I
find myself utilizing this time for reflection about the events that occurred
in the Delta Quadrant. Do you recall the conversations we engaged in
regarding exploration?”
Janeway
smiled. She didn’t remember conversations. She remembered
arguments.
“I have
decided that I was in error. I find that I miss your desire to examine
the unknown. While I still maintain that such behavior was not
conducive to returning Voyager more quickly to Earth, I now also recognize that
it is necessary for the mind to continue to grow and flourish.” She paused, as if deciding whether
or not to say something. “I find that I miss many things about our
journey on Voyager. I miss our collective, our family. I miss
knowing that I was surrounded by people who may not understand me, but who
accepted me... eventually.”
Janeway
laughed.
“Mostly
I find… that I miss you.” She took a deep breath. “I am unsure how
to put into words how it feels when I see a message waiting for me and it is
from you. It makes me think about how much I would rather be saying these
things to you in person, sitting on the couch in your quarters or standing
before your desk in your ready room. Being in your presence was always a
very… exhilarating experience. As Borg, little nuances meant
nothing. There was nothing that need be said as everything was already known
and the smaller aspects of conversation were deemed irrelevant. Now I
find myself wondering if you still wear the same perfume. I can still
recall the exact fragrance of it.”
She choked
on a mouthful of coffee. Was Seven… flirting with her?
“I can
close my eyes and my eidetic memory will show me exactly how you looked the
last time I saw you, with the wind slightly ruffling your hair and the smile on
your face when we first set foot in Starfleet Headquarters. But even
though the recollection is perfect in every detail, it does not compare with
standing next to you. It does not convey the warmth and the strength you
gave me when you took my arm to alleviate my tension. When you whispered
‘I’m here with you. I won’t let go.’, I knew that you would not and that
made me feel… safe. In truth, most of my pleasant memories of feeling
anything center around you. You never made me feel different,
alien. You made me feel as though I was home. That is something I
have also missed in your absence.”
Janeway reached
out and touched the screen, allowing her fingers to trail along the proud jaw
line as she had wanted to do so often in the past.
“I have
always wanted to tell you these things, but I did not know how to put them into
words. I find it much easier to do so in this letter, although why that
would be is something I cannot seem to fathom. I wonder if you think of
me as often as I think of you and, if you do, exactly what your thoughts
are. When I was a member of your crew, it was inappropriate to inquire
about such things. But I am no longer a member of your crew.” This last was said with such a
seductive tone that the Admiral found herself breathing erratically. “Will
you tell me now? Will you share with me all the things you might have
said during our journey but did not because protocol disallowed it? Would
you allow me to truly know you now?”
The Borg
blinked and seemed slightly embarrassed. “I wanted to say something
else as well… I think that you look very handsome in your new uniform.
Red will always be your color.”
The screen
went dark and she resisted the urge to pick up the PADD and shake it, as though
to try and dislodge some part of the missive that had not been provided.
Taking a long drink of her coffee, she shook her hair into place and, feeling
slightly foolish, loosened her robe, allowing it to fall open, showing the
nightgown beneath.
“Seven,”
She began her reply.
“I want you to know how much I have missed you as well. Our conversations
were always something I truly treasured and I can say, in all honesty, that not
being able to continue them has left a profoundly empty spot in my life.
You always knew just the right buttons to push at just the right times to make
me be honest. I am thrilled to see you haven’t lost your touch.”
“As for
what I might have said, you are going to need to narrow that field down quite a
bit if you expect a cohesive answer. There are so many thoughts that I
kept to myself, so many observations about both of us that I refused to say
that to try and share them all now would be a huge undertaking. How about
you ask whatever questions you might have and I promise to answer them
honestly? This isn’t an offer I have ever made to anyone else, but I
trust that you will keep my answers in confidence. I have many questions
of my own. Would it make you uncomfortable for me to ask them now?
And I understand how it could be easier to have this conversation through our
correspondence. I am sure some of my questions will be the sort that I would
never ask out loud.” She rested her chin in her hand. “I have come to the
realization that you had as great an impact on me as I did on you during our
time together. I get the feeling that isn’t about to change now that
we’re back home. I only wish you were not so far away. I also do
not understand Chakotay’s request for you not to travel off world. If it will
make him feel better I am sure I can arrange an escort for you. I believe
I know an Admiral that has a bit of pull at Fleet Headquarters.” She
smiled. “Nothing would make me happier than having you here, if you
would be so inclined. Let me know what you think. I’ll talk to you
soon. Oh and, Seven? My first question: What was the
fragrance?”
A part of her
regretted that the recordings did not allow her to include a closing
endearment. But then, maybe that was a good thing. Downing
the rest of her coffee, she went to get dressed.
*
*
* *
*
*
*
*
* *
Janeway
spent the day happily strolling through the wharf, checking out places that she
would take Seven when she finally arrived for a visit. There were several
restaurants that she thought the younger woman would enjoy, as well as the
museums and parks that
When she
got back home, she turned on the lights and sighed. The house still
seemed so empty, even after her being there for several months. She
spread her meal out on the dining room table and opened a bottle of wine.
She had just started eating when the computer on her desk chirped.
She jumped
up quickly, amusing herself with her own eagerness and was happy to see she was
not going to be disappointed. It was from Seven. She laid the PADD
next to her plate and activated it, taking a bite of her fettuccine as she
waited for it to load.
When it
finally did, she choked, almost spitting the food out across the screen.
Seven
looked at her with azure blue eyes, her hair flowing loosely about her shoulders,
which were barely covered with a nightgown of her own. It dipped low in
the front, demurely showing just a hint of the soft swells beneath it.
“Kathryn.
I know we usually only correspond once a day, but I found your invitation too
enticing to ignore until tomorrow. I find the idea of your answering any
question I might have honestly to be very appealing. My only quandary is
where to start.”
She smirked slightly. “I believe my first question will have to be:
have I ever disappointed you? I know that seems like an odd inquiry, but
it is one that often troubled my thoughts when I was still on Voyager. It
disturbs me greatly to think that I might have. After that, my questions
become more personal in nature. When we were in the Delta Quadrant, I
noticed that you had a propensity to touch me, much more so than the rest of
the crew. I would like to know if that was something I imagined or if it
was truly the case. And if it was, why? I would also like to know
why you endangered yourself and Voyager by coming to rescue me from the
Queen. I know what you said at the time. That you would never leave
a member of your crew behind, but I found that explanation… lacking
somehow. I wish to know the full reasons behind why you did what you
did. Also, you shared so many things with me back then, things that you
did not readily share with other members of the crew. Your Da Vinci
holoprogram for example. You allowed me more than entrance into your
personal retreat; you let me know that I was welcome there. Why?”
Seven
paused, taking several breaths before she continued. “What was I to
you, Kathryn? I overheard many members of the crew speaking of me as
though I was a ‘project’ for you, something to occupy your time, and for some
reason, that thought disturbs me greatly. Your attention was always
something I appreciated. Now I would like to know the reasons behind
it. Were they simply, as you stated at the time, the desire to help me
embrace my humanity? Or were there other factors involved that you could
not share with me? There were so many moments when it seemed as though there
was something else you wanted to say but you refrained. What was it you
were keeping from me? I await your response with what I can only deem as
anticipation. Until then.” Seven reached out to end the
recording and then stopped, holding her hand still as her eyes took on such a
smoldering look that she thought she would implode. “Oh, and
Kathryn? Lavender.”
Janeway was
stunned. She supposed on some level she shouldn’t be. The Borg’s
honesty was something she had always known and relied on. But to have
those questions thrown out on the table all at the same time… well… it was a
little overwhelming. She decided that she would need a lot more wine
before she could even begin to answer them.
Two hours
later, she sat in her nightgown, staring at her data PADD. Do I really have the courage to do this? There
won’t be any way to go back… Then she realized that there already wasn’t any way to go
back. If Seven was asking these questions then she had noticed all the
things that she had thought she hid so well. Steeling herself with a
quick draught of whiskey, she activated the recording.
“Seven,
I find all of your questions rather unsettling for many reasons. But none
so much as your very first. I want you to know that you have never, NEVER
disappointed me. If anything, you have always delighted and surprised me
with your behavior and your candor. I know at times we disagreed about
things, but that is to be expected in a close relationship. The very fact
that you were not afraid to voice your objections to my actions was something
that I always found very attractive about you, on many different levels.
Please know and believe that.”
She took another drink.
“Now about your other questions… In regards to touching you, I want to
apologize if I ever made you feel uncomfortable by my actions. To answer
your question honestly, there were times that I was unaware that I was even
behaving in that manner. But then, there were also times when I wanted to
touch you. Very much. Times when I wanted to soothe away the hurt
you were feeling or share in the joy. Then there were times when I simply
wanted contact with you. I think I was unsure as to my own reasons for
doing it. But over the years I came to realize that you were always more
to me than just a member of my crew or simply a friend and I began to hope that
I was more to you than just a Captain and a mentor.”
“When
you were taken by the Borg Queen… I was very angry. I didn’t believe for
a moment that you truly wished to stay with the Borg. I knew that your
actions were motivated by a desire to keep Voyager safe. While I
respected that immeasurably, I was not about to let her have you. Can you
understand that? The idea of her changing you back to what you had been,
the thought that I would never again know the wonderful creature that you are…
it was unacceptable. Even the short time you were gone left an emptiness
inside of me that I couldn’t rationalize away. All I knew was that I had
to get you back. I didn’t allow myself to scrutinize my reasons much
beyond that.”
“About
allowing you into my personal spaces… all I can say is, I wanted you
there. I still do.”
“What
were you to me? You were, and still are, the most fascinating woman I
have ever known. In you I see a purity of spirit that I have always found
irresistible. I feel drawn to you. I feel as though, with you, I
could always truly be myself and you would never judge me or think badly of
me. I wanted to share everything with you, and that has not diminished in
the time we have been apart. And you are right. All those times I
walked away, all those times I left our conversations unfinished… there was
something more I wanted to say. I still want to say it now. But not
like this. Not through a vid message. Come and visit me. Come
and stay with me here in
She ended the
recording and paused, her finger over the send button. Finally, she took
a deep breath and hit send.
*
*
*
* *
*
*
* *
The next
morning, Kathryn rose and showered. She made herself get dressed and
straighten up before she went to check her data PADD. It was there.
Swallowing
back her panic, she sat down, trying to will herself to breathe. Finally,
she reached out and activated the control, losing her breath again the moment
she did so. Seven appeared, her eyes were bright and there was an actual
smile on her lips. Not the little smiles she was used to, but a full out
grin that showed her perfect white teeth.
“Kathryn.” Seven practically purred.
“I wanted to let you know that I accept your invitation. I have begun to
make travel arrangements and will inform the Commander of my impending absence
when he returns this morning. I have found your answers very gratifying
and… pleasing… in a way I did not wholly expect. I look forward to the
conversations we will have when I arrive. I expect to be there by the day
after tomorrow. Will that give you enough time to…” Seven
looked off screen as though something had startled her. “I am sorry,
Kathryn. I have to go. I will send you another missive shortly.”
Janeway was
surprised by the interruption and she waited by the PADD for over an hour but
nothing further arrived. She recorded a brief message, asking if
everything was ok and sent it, but that didn’t receive a response either.
Agitated,
she decided to go out for a walk to try and calm herself down. When she
returned several hours later, she was dismayed to find there were still no
messages for her.
She drafted
one last message, stating that she was concerned and for Seven to contact her
as soon as possible.
Having done
everything she could think of to do, she sat back and began to wait.
*
*
* *
*
*
* *
*
“I don’t
care, Eva!” Janeway snapped at her assistant. “He can call until
he’s blue in the face. I don’t have any desire to talk to the man!”
Eva looked
at her in surprise, her face cringing at the unexpected ferocity.
Janeway
relented when she saw she had scared the poor girl. “I’m sorry,
Eva. It isn’t you. I just have a lot of things on my mind and the
last thing I want to do is talk to Mark Johnson.”
It had been
a full week since she had heard from Seven. Her arrival date had come and
gone without so much as a peep from the woman. Instead, she had to deal
with numerous calls from her ex fiancé wanting to talk over old times or god
only knew what and she just wasn’t interested in the slightest.
“If he
calls again just tell him that I will be busy for the foreseeable future but
that you’ll make sure I get the messages, ok? Then throw them out.”
Eva nodded
and backed out of the room. She didn’t know what had her boss in a bear
of a mood but she was certainly not going to ask her about it. In all the
time she had worked for the Admiral, she had always been pleasant and
courteous. So whatever it was, it must be huge.
Janeway sat
back in her chair and brooded. Could Seven have changed her mind?
Decided that she didn’t really care to know the answer to her question?
Chastising
herself for allowing her personal issues to affect her at work, she picked up
several PADDs and began to go over them, making corrections and adding
information as was needed.
It was a
great shock to her when the door to her office was thrown forcibly open a few hours
later.
Even more
of a shock was who came through it.
Chakotay
stood before her, a look of rage on his face.
“I’m sorry,
Admiral. He just barged in.” Eva explained from behind the man.
“It’s all
right. I’ll deal with it.”
The young
woman gave Chakotay one last look and then closed the door behind her.
“Where is
she?” he growled.
“I beg your
pardon?”
“Don’t play
games with me, Kathryn, I know she’s here. Where is she?”
“I’m going
to assume your talking about Seven, but I can assure you she isn’t here.
While I can see that you’re upset, that does not explain why you felt the need
to burst in here unannounced and disrupt my staff.” Janeway felt her
temper rising. “Do you want to explain yourself?”
“I don’t
answer to you anymore.”
“No, you
don’t.” She countered. “But you are in my office uninvited so I
think that entitles me to an answer.”
He laughed
bitterly. “What don’t you think you’re entitled to?” He
towered over her desk menacingly. “I watched your message vids. I
know she was coming here. I want to see her, NOW.”
The Admiral
stood and came around the desk, raising herself to her full height as she stood
toe to toe with him. “You watched our vids?” Her voice was at its
lowest register and her glare would have melted a seasoned Starfleet officer
into a puddle on the spot. She was gratified to notice that it still
worked.
Chakotay
backed down a little. “Yes I did. It was my right. She’s my
girlfriend.”
“She isn’t
your property, Chakotay. And you had no right to go through our personal
messages. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I need to
see her. I need to explain…”
“Explain
what?”
He blanched
somewhat. “That’s between me and her. Tell me where she is.”
“You’ve
obviously not been listening. She isn’t here. I haven’t heard from
her in over a week.”
Chakotay
slumped into a chair. “I was sure she would come here. She was
talking about coming here…”
“She was
supposed to.” Janeway clamped down on her anger and sat on the edge of
her desk. “She was supposed to arrive for a visit several days ago.
Are you telling me she hasn’t been with you?”
“No.
She left a week ago. We had an argument and she left.”
The Admiral
felt a tendril of fear travel up her spine.
“I’m sorry,
Kathryn. I thought she would be here. This is why I told her I
didn’t want her traveling alone. God only knows what could have happened
to her. We need to find her!”
“Agreed.”
She went back to her desk and accessed her vidphone.
“What are
you doing?”
“Calling a
friend.” She waited as the call was put through, relieved when Tuvok’s
face appeared on the screen.
“Admiral.”
His tone conveyed as much pleasure as it ever had. “This is a surprise.”
“Hello, old
friend. I’m sorry to call you at home. I know you wanted to take a
few years off to spend with your family. But I find myself in desperate
need of your help.”
“My help is
always yours for the asking. What troubles you?”
Janeway
explained the situation to him and he assured her that he would begin an
investigation immediately. As he was only officially on leave, not
actually resigned from Starfleet, he could utilize many of his vast
intelligence connections to further his inquiries.
“I will
contact you shortly.”
Chakotay
looked at her expectantly. “Now what?”
“Now you go
and contact B’Elanna and Harry. See if they’ve heard from her. I’ll
contact the Doctor. He’s over at Starfleet medical and should be easy
enough for me to get a hold of.”
“I’ll get
started.” He paused, dropping his gaze. “I’m sorry for the way I
acted.”
She put up
her hand. “You were concerned about Seven. I do understand.
But I recommend that if you wish to see me in the future you use a little more
restraint in your methods.”
“Understood.”
After he
left Janeway went and stood at her window overlooking the grounds of Starfleet
Headquarters.
“Where are
you, Seven?” She whispered, feeling a dark fear start to take hold of her
heart.
Chapter
Two: An Unexpected
Admiral Janeway
entered Starfleet Medical quietly, waving away the offers of an escort as she
made her way to the Experimental Wing. As she walked, she was aware of
the people who stopped and openly stared at her or called others over to watch
her pass by. It was something she still hadn’t gotten used to, the
fawning adoration for her newly promoted and well decorated persona, but she
was able to ignore it, mostly.
As she
neared her destination, she could hear a rather heated argument that was going
on between the Doctor and another individual. Her arrival stopped it cold
as the ensign in his company dropped his jaw momentarily before standing
stiffly at attention.
“At
ease.” She tried hard not to roll her eyes. “This isn’t an
inspection, just a friendly visit. Doctor!” She went to him and
wrapped him up in warm hug, knowing that it would raise his worth to all those
watching.
“Admiral.”
He said with genuine affection. “How are you?”
“I’ve been
better. I’m sorry I haven’t made it over here to see you before now, but
Starfleet has really been keeping me busy.” She threw a level three glare
at the ensign and the poor boy fell all over himself as he quickly left the
room. “I need your help.”
“Of
course.” He led her to his office. “What’s going on?”
“Seven is
missing.”
A myriad of
emotions crossed over his features, finally settling on one of deep
concern. “When did this happen?”
“About a
week ago. According to Chakotay she was on her way here to see me, but
she never arrived. I was hoping that you had heard from her.”
“I
haven’t.” He sat down heavily, and interesting feat for a hologram.
“This could be very bad.”
“My
thought’s exactly. How long can she go without regenerating before the
damage would be severe?”
“Optimally,
she should regenerate eight hours out of every seventy two. If she
regenerated right before she disappeared and if she eats properly and sleeps,
she can go eight days…maybe nine before the damage becomes extensive.
After that time, I don’t know that I would be able to help her. Her Borg
components might become too badly degraded.”
“That’s
what I was afraid of.” She felt the fear twist in her stomach. “I
have Tuvok using his connections to try and find some trace of her. I
can’t do much more until I hear back from him,”
“How is it
no one knew she was missing for an entire week?”
“I thought
she was with Chakotay. Chakotay thought she was with me. It’s a
long story, Doctor. I’ll fill you in later, ok?”
“Very
well.” He grabbed her lightly by the arm as she stood to go. “When
you do find out where she is, I want to go with you. If anyone could help
Seven, it would be me.”
Janeway
smiled at him and squeezed his hand. “I’ll let you know.”
When she
got back to her office, there was a message waiting for her from Tuvok.
It was short and to the point.
“Admiral, I
have gathered some information that will lead us to a location to begin our
search. I know I am not being presumptuous in assuming that you will be
accompanying me. I will meet you at Flight Base Ten at 1800 hours.
I would recommend arranging leave for yourself. I have already procured a
ship.”
Janeway
didn’t hesitate. She contacted Admiral Necheyev and informed her that she
would be gone for at least a week, possibly longer, and then headed for home to
pack.
*
*
* *
*
*
* *
*
At 1800
hours Janeway was waiting impatiently at Flight Base Ten, a Starfleet travel
bag over her shoulder, dressed in black cargo pants and a black turtleneck
sweater. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but she wasn’t going into
anything flying her Starfleet colors, not at this point.
“Admiral.”
Tuvok greeted her as he walked up behind her. “I trust you are ready to
go?”
“I’m
ready. Where are we going?”
“I would
prefer to wait until we’re aboard, that way I can fill everyone in at once.”
“Everyone?”
He didn’t
answer her so she followed him out onto the tarmac, past several different vessels
until he came to a sleek, mid sized transport with the name Venture painted
proudly on the side. Right next to what she could only surmise was the
image of a pin up girl from the late 1950’s. She looked at Tuvok
curiously but he merely led her aboard.
When they
reached the bridge, all her questions were answered.
“Admiral!”
Tom Paris sprang up from the pilot’s chair and greeted her with a hug.
“Long time no see.”
“Tom!”
She said in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
“You didn’t
think I would let you go on this little adventure without your best pilot did
you?”
“And
B’Elanna doesn’t have a problem with this?”
“Why would
she?” A voice asked from behind her. She turned to see her former Chief
Engineer smiling up at her from the floor, where she had a compartment open to
tinker on the sensor relays.
“B’Elanna!”
Janeway was overwhelmed. “Where’s Miral?”
“Staying
with her Grandfather.” Tom grinned. “He said he wanted more time
with her. We’ll see if he still feels the same way when we get back.”
“How did
you arrange all this? And where did you get this boat?”
“This
little baby was a wedding gift from my father. Warp six capable, state of
the art hyper beam laser banks, full complement of photon torpedoes with a
class A launch bay, standard transporter capabilities and four crew cabins
complete with replicators.”
“What’s all
this for? Family trips to the demilitarized zone?”
Tom
laughed. “Dad likes to travel in style. He also arranged leave for
me and B’Elanna...”
“Once we
told him we’d be going whether he liked it or not.” The Klingon finished.
“I don’t
mean to sound ungrateful, but why would you do all this?”
B’Elanna
climbed to her feet and placed a hand on her arm. “Seven is family,
Admiral. Just because we don’t always get along doesn’t mean we don’t
take care of our own.”
Janeway
only nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
“The Doc is
finishing up his calibration of Seven’s alcove. It’s installed in the
largest cabin, all the way in the back of the ship. You might want to lay
claim to it fast. Chakotay should be here in a few minutes.”
“I’ll do
that. But there is one other thing.”
They all
looked at her expectantly.
“This isn’t
a Starfleet mission. We’re all here, on our own time, risking our own skins
for our own reasons. That being said, Admiral seems a bit more formal
than I’m comfortable with. So I’ll give you a choice, you can either call
me Captain, or you can call me Kathryn.”
“Aye,
Captain.” Tom grinned. “I’ve really missed saying that to you.”
Janeway
smiled at him fondly before leaving the bridge. The Venture wasn’t small,
but it wasn’t exactly a luxury liner either. The cabin that was to be
hers was only half the size of her quarters on Voyager, with a quaint outer
room and a tiny bedroom. She was surprised to find the alcove being
installed in the latter.
“Doctor?”
He stood up
from his work and smiled at her. “There you are. I figured you
would be the one to take this room. I hope you don’t mind that I
installed the alcove in the bedchamber. I thought it would… simplify
things.”
“I
see.” She didn’t ask exactly what he was trying to simplify, deciding
that she didn’t really want to know. “It looks downright cozy.”
She let him
get back to the alcove as she went about unpacking her bag. She was
almost finished when she heard loud voices in the outer room.
“She wants
this cabin, Chakotay. She is the senior officer.”
“I don’t
give a damn.” She heard his voice rising. “This isn’t
Voyager. Her word isn’t law anymore.”
“It is on
my boat.” Tom growled.
“Is there a
problem, gentlemen?” She stood in the doorway, her hands on her hips and
a frown on her face.
Chakotay
glowered at her. “There won’t be once you pack your things and move to a
different cabin.”
“Well,” She
walked towards him slowly, her lips pursed. “You can pretty much rest
assured that that is not going to happen. These are my quarters
and I believe we’ve already had a conversation about you barging in without
announcing yourself.”
“I should
have the room with Seven’s alcove.” He persisted.
“Your
opinion has been duly noted. Now… get out.”
He stood
his ground for a few moments more then threw an angry look at her before
shoving Tom aside to walk out the door.
“What the
hell was that about?” The helmsman looked at her in confusion.
“Pissing
contest.” Janeway said quietly. “I don’t expect it to get much
better.”
“Well, if
it doesn’t, I can always have B’Elanna encrypt his door locks. That would
keep him out of your hair.”
“That won’t
be necessary.” She laughed. “However, if you could have your wife
come down here and encrypt mine, I know I would feel a whole lot better about
it.”
“Consider
it done.”
When he had
gone, she sighed, deeply troubled by the actions of her former First
Officer. Replicating herself a cup of coffee, she sipped at it quietly
until Tuvok’s voice came over the conn.
“We are
ready to launch, Captain. Would you and the doctor please come to the
bridge.”
Janeway set
her mug down on the counter and went to join her crew, the Doctor following
behind her.
When they
were all assembled, Tuvok shared what little information he had.
“Seven was
last seen on Mars. She stopped at the civilian spaceport to refuel before
continuing on her journey to Earth. I believe that our search must start
there. I have a contact in the Mars Civilian Security Force who will
allow us to review the footage from their security cameras. Mr. Paris,
what is our ETA?”
“It’s a
short trip.” He set their course into the computer. “Shouldn’t take
more than an hour and a half.”
“Very
well. I highly recommend that we all take the Captain’s example and
change out of our uniforms. If we are to be successful in our attempts to
gather intel, I can only assume that it would be more advantageous if we were
perceived to be civilians.”
“Agreed.”
Janeway nodded. “This is one time that being recognizable is not going to
help.”
“That
should make it pretty difficult for you, Captain.” B’Elanna pointed out.
“Your face has been plastered on every news vid for the last four months.
I hate to say it, but I think it might be better if you stayed on the ship, at
least at first.”
Reluctantly,
she agreed. After they reviewed the footage, she would return to the ship
while Tuvok and B’Elanna followed up any initial leads. She knew it was
the wisest course of action, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.
*
*
*
* *
*
*
* *
Seven of
Nine opened her eyes slowly. The light was very bright and she had to
blink several times before she could see her surroundings clearly. She
was in some kind of medical bay, being held to an examination table by metal
restraints on her wrists and ankles. She pulled at them quietly, trying
to test their strength. The slight movement made her head swim and she
looked down, seeing a six inch gash between the first and second bands of her
abdominal implant. An injury she had sustained when they had tried to
remove her from her cell. Her nanoprobes were already working to repair
the damage, but they were operating sluggishly and the pain was intense.
“How is my
patient today?” A chipper voice asked as a large, dark form blocked out
much of the light.
“I am not
your patient.” She growled. “I am your hostage.”
“Now, now,”
The voice admonished her. “Hostage is such an ugly word. One that
isn’t accurate in any case. Hostage implies that you are being held in
anticipation of a beneficial trade with another party. We are not
interested in trading you for anything. No one is coming for you.
It is in your best interest to do as you are told.”
“What
exactly is it that you want? I have been here for days and I have yet to
learn what you expect from me.”
“Well,
that’s why I’m here, to tell you.” He stepped back slightly and she was finally
able to make out his features. He was a large biped, massing 300 kilos
easily. His body was covered in armor plating with three red crescents
over his left breast. His face was hairless and he had two large tusks
protruding from his lower jaw. “My name is Kiir. I am the chief
medic of The Mark of the Kil’Jaeden. You are here because you possess
many traits that we admire. Traits that we wish to possess ourselves.”
“What
traits?”
“Your
strength for one, in addition to your ability to fight and to regenerate from
damage.” He prodded at her wound, making her flinch. “Already the
laceration is closing. Fascinating.”
“Those are
not traits. If you had any intelligence you would know that they are the
remnants of my having been Borg.”
“Oh we’re
well aware of your history. We’ve been following your activities quite
closely since you returned from the Delta Quadrant.”
“Then you
know that I cannot share these things with you. They are not something
that can be taught.”
“No, they
can’t be taught. But they can be shared.” He took an instrument and
prodded at her hand implant, causing her assimilation tubules to extend.
“All you have to do is use these.”
Seven’s
face contorted. “You are insane! You will become Borg!”
“There are
many things about the Borg that we admire. We are well aware that you can
create a mini collective, linking us only to each other, and not to the main
hive mind. That is what we wish.”
“Why?”
“Imagine an
army that could think as one, move as one, strike as one, without argument,
without confusion. It would be perfect.”
“I do not
have to imagine it. I was a part of it. And I refuse to do as you
ask.”
“I would
think carefully before you refuse us.” He brushed her face softly, almost
lovingly with his fingertips. “If you refuse, then our only remaining
course of action will be to dissect you. To take you apart piece by piece
and see what information we can glean from what is left.” He stepped
back. “We are warriors, Seven of Nine. The most deadly you will
ever encounter. We require your help to perfect us. You will either
give that help willingly… or we will take it. You have twelve hours to decide.
Think carefully.”
He left her
to her thoughts, turning out the lights as he went.
Seven lay
in the darkness, feeling the sharp edges of panic creeping up on her. Was
it just a week ago that she had been trading messages with Kathryn? That
she had felt hope for a future that she had never before dreamed possible?
“Kathryn…”
She whispered softly. “I need you.”
*
*
* *
*
*
* *
*
Janeway felt
the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, startling her. She leaned
forward in her chair, a frown on her face.
“Captain?”
Tuvok was looking at her from his place at the aft defense console. “Are
you all right?”
Slowly she
nodded. “Yes. I’m fine. I think someone just walked over my
grave. How long until we arrive?”
“Twenty
minutes.” Tom’s glanced back at her. “I’ve already got docking
clearance.”
“Good.”
She stared silently out the front viewport, trying to control the feeling of
panic that had come over her. She was not used to feeling that emotion
and it unsettled her greatly.
When they
finally docked, Tom and the Doctor remained on board while the four of them
headed to the MCSF office. Tuvok’s friend met them at the outer doors,
leading them to a small room set up with multiple monitors. They spent
several hours watching the surveillance videos until Janeway finally spotted
the familiar blue-gray jumpsuit.
“There she
is.” They centered in on that one camera, watching as Seven was accosted
outside of a mercantile. She was surrounded by more than ten individuals
and seemed to give up without a fight, being led away to a docking port that
was off camera.
“Go
home.” The security officer said quietly. “Your friend is
lost. Go home before you end up dead too.”
“You want
to explain that?” Janeway looked at him sharply.
The officer
reversed the video, zooming in the view until they were looking at one of
Seven’s attackers up close. “You see that emblem?” He paused the
video and pointed at his chest. There were three red crescents there,
forming a triangle. “They are The Mark.”
“The Mark?”
“The Mark
of the Kil’Jaeden. Warriors… mercenaries. They do not take
hostages. If they have her, you will not see her again. The best you
can do is to go home now, before you share her fate.”
“We can’t
do that.” Janeway growled.
“Then you
have my sympathies. I am sorry, Tuvok. The MCSF cannot help you
with this.”
“I
understand.” He nodded at the man and rose to leave. “Thank you for
the assistance you were able to provide.”
Once
outside, Janeway threw her hands up in anger. “I can’t believe he expects
us to just walk away.”
“I have
heard of The Mark, Captain.” Tuvok led them through the winding
passageways. “They are not to be trifled with. They are deadly.”