More Than Words

by TrekkieTurk

Captain Katherine Janeway. Fearless captain of the Federation Starship Voyager. Victorious against the Borg Queen and the Collective. A captain so determined to get her crew home that being lost in an unknown quadrant of space was something to be conquered, not shirked. Yet now she felt as if she had been kicked in the gut.

 

She had attended the annual Christmas party, merrily getting into the swing of things, singing carols along with her crew, scoffing mince pies and quaffing glasses of wine. As a morale booster, the Christmas party was also good for the crew, no matter their faith, it was a holiday to be shared by all.

 

Of course Seven of Nine was there. As soon as she walked into the room, the Captain knew of it. She didn’t have to turn around, she could feel Seven’s presence, she always could.  The little hairs on the back of the Captain’s neck raised whenever Seven was close. She noticed that her pulse quickened and her mouth would go dry. What she initially thought was concern for her newest crew mate and the responsibility of reacquainting her with humanity, the Captain had long realised was something far, far stronger. The Captain hadn’t  - at first - recognised the feeling of love. A love so deep, the Captain realised, that it was in danger of clouding her judgement whenever it came to thinking of Seven of Nine. How else explain jeopardising the entire crew to save Seven when the Borg Queen had her in her grasp?

 

The Captain had been able to successfully hide her feelings for Seven for years. But it was becoming increasingly difficult, especially as Seven appeared to be getting close to Chakotay. The Captain tried to hide her loathing and distrust of her first officer and for the most part, had been successful. But lately, he was irritating her more than usual and she often entertained the not very charitable thought of stunning him with her phaser  when he disagreed with her. Which was often. The Captain was sure her bad feelings about Chakotay  had to do with his openly courting Seven of Nine.

 

The Captain knew of their little picnics in the cargo bay, knew they had met in his quarters for dinner. It was her business to know, wasn’t it? It was her ship, she had to know what her crew was getting up to. And with whom.

 

But when she saw Chakotay lean over and kiss Seven under a sprig of mistletoe at the party, it was more than the Captain could take.

 

She hastily made her exit, leaving her joke unfinished as she explained to a bewildered Doctor that she suddenly felt lightheaded and was retiring to her quarters. The Captain quickly made her way back along the corridors and stumbled through the door to her quarters as soon as they swished opened.

Despicable man, she thought bitterly. The Captain had desperately wanted to tell Seven how she felt for months but decided that slow and steady was the way to go, she couldn’t take advantage of Seven of Nine like that, not until she found out who she was and got used to being human again. Obviously that didn’t deter an animal like Chakotay, the Captain raged inside. The thought of them together was making her physically sick and she entered her en suite to splash some water onto her face.

 

She looked up into the mirror, the droplets of water slowly sliding down her face. And then the Captain realised it wasn’t just water, but tears of frustration that had mingled with the water.

 

She held her head in her hand and steeled herself against outright sobbing. She was a Starfleet Captain for God’s sake, she had to get a grip.

The Captain took a couple of deep breaths and calmed herself. She took a clean towel and wiped her tear streaked face and tried to reason with herself. If Seven of Nine chose Chakotay, who was she to stop her? What right did she have to stop her?

 

Love. The word popped unbidden into the Captain’s mind,  like a neon sign blinking insistently for attention.

 

Taking another deep breath and sighing, the Captain popped open her shirt as she walked into her living room area, removed her shoes and socks and was about to undo her trousers when her door chimed.

 

‘Just a minute’, she barked as she quickly did up her shirt then stubbed her toe on her table as she attempted to put on her socks.

 

Grumbling to herself, the Captain eventually shouted ‘enter.’

 

Seven of Nine strode into the Captain’s quarters and stood in the middle of the room.

 

A clearly surprised Captain eventually managed to say ‘Seven. What are you doing here? I thought you were enjoying the party.’ It certainly looked like you were with Chakotay, the Captain’s mind chimed in treacherously.

 

Seven held the Captain’s gaze and the Starfleet officer could feel herself going weak. Or maybe it was the excessive wine she had consumed?

 

She sat down and motioned Seven to sit too.

 

‘I prefer to stand,’ Seven replied predictably. She towered over the Captain, her blue biosuit exaggerating the blueness of her eyes, her flushed cheeks an indication that perhaps Seven had indulged in a little wine too. She looked radiant and the Captain thought dismally that it must be because of Chakotay. God she hated him, intolerable man! He questioned her every decision, was against Seven even joining the crew and now he had romanced her away from under the Captain’s very nose. Damn him.

 

The Captain sighed heavily, held up her hands and said ‘What is it Seven, I really am very tired and probably drank a little more than I should have. I don’t really want to talk at the moment.’

 

She glanced up at Seven’s face and all she could think about was how she wanted to kiss her. Seven’s lips seemed to will the Captain to attach her own lips in what she would was sure would be a kiss that could move planets from their orbit.

 

‘I haven’t come for talk,’ Seven said softly. ‘I wanted to give you your Christmas present but you left before I was able to give it to you.’

 

Seven slowly knelt before the Captain, and gently opened the Captain’s knees so she could move closer to the startled older woman.

 

‘Seven! What do you think you are…’ But the protest died on her lips as Seven held a piece of mistletoe over their heads and then kissed her softly. The kiss was tentative at first, a gentle pressing together of soft lips moving over each other, as Seven and the Captain explored their feelings. Then it became more passionate, insistent, feeling so natural and right, igniting passion in the Captain which had lain dormant for a very long time.

 

When the kiss reached its natural conclusion, the Captain was trembling, her mind confused and yet all she could think about was that she wanted Seven so badly. She couldn’t care less any more about duty or some absurd sense of protocol which dictated she observe Starfleet regulations about personal liaisons with members of her crew.

 

Seven drew back slowly and lowered her hand holding the mistletoe. The Captain gazed deep into blue eyes full of warmth and desire.

 

‘Merry Christmas Katherine,’ Seven whispered against the Captain’s lips.

As Seven tried to move away, the Captain touched her arm and tried to voice her longing for the ex-drone.

 

‘Seven, I…’, the Captain mumbled…’Seven…look, what I have to tell you is that…’

 

‘That you love me and you cannot seem to find the appropriate words Katherine,’ Seven responded gently.

 

The Captain could do nothing except stare at Seven and mutely nod her head.

Seven drew in close to the Captain again, undoing her shirt slowly. And just before their lips touched again, she whispered, ‘So let go of the necessity for words Katherine, take me to your bed and demonstrate your love to me’.