End Game redux
see part 1 for info
End Game redux
see part 1 for info
CHAPTER 9
“Kathryn.” Miral had never spoken the Admiral’s name aloud to her until this moment. She had moaned the name, even screamed it a few times in the depth of the night when she had pleasured herself with her own fingers and thought of the woman she had unwisely fallen in love with. But now she had Admiral Janeway naked and on her bed. She felt herself shake with the pleasure of it. “My gods, you’re beautiful.”
“Thank you.” Admiral Janeway’s body had remained petite and firm, her pale skin marred only by the scars of a painful past. Her voice was soft in the guest quarters as she looked up at her naked and clearly aroused goddaughter, her soon to be lover, hovering over her. “You’re exquisite.”
She had tried to soothe Miral’s fears with her soft words after they had moved from the captain’s quarters to the small guest quarters Miral had been given for the night. The Admiral had tried to reassure with her touch, her embrace, and then her mouth hot against Miral’s. She knew she couldn’t give Miral what she really wanted, for her heart had been given and then broken long ago, but she could give her goddaughter her body. And like anything she sacrificed and gave her crew, she did so without hesitation.
Kathryn cupped her goddaughter’s face in her hands before she whispered the words Miral had longed to hear since perhaps the day she was born from this singular being. “I love you.”
“Say it again. Please. Don’t stop saying it.” Miral pressed her lips to the Admiral’s warm flesh as she created a hot trail of kisses down her petite form. As she made the journey down the Admiral’s pale body her plea was fulfilled as Janeway continued to tell Miral that she loved her, that she always had.
Deep down Miral knew the Admiral was at least partially lying to her. But she didn’t care. She didn’t care if the Admiral was doing this out of duty or punishment. All Miral cared about was that she was listening to Kathryn Janeway moaning with the pleasure that she was giving her.
Miral knew tomorrow would come and she would be no more. But she had tonight. And that’s what mattered.
****
When Miral awoke with a start she had an icy fear that the previous night had been a dream, another fantasy of hers where Admiral Janeway and she made love for hours. But as she became fully aware of her surroundings she smiled for she could still taste Kathryn’s essence on her tongue and lips and smell the heady scent of their lovemaking. Her smile only faded when a fully dressed, stern looking, Admiral entered the bedroom.
“Get dressed. We have a lot of work to do.” Admiral Janeway turned swiftly and left the bedroom just as quickly as she had entered leaving Miral feeling out of sorts and disenchanted.
Miral did what she was told though and quickly donned her uniform as she tried to reconcile the stern, brusque Admiral Janeway she had always known with the woman she had seen writhing in pleasure the night before. At first Miral felt used until she realized it had been the Admiral who had allowed herself to be used by Miral. Janeway had given her body to her last night not out of love, but out of duty. Just another way to comfort Miral. She felt sick with what she had done and forced the Admiral to do. Her blissful night was tarnished, which made her ready. Ready to fade away and become someone else. She had to wonder if that was the Admiral’s intention as well.
“Thanks.” Miral took the coffee offered to her by the Admiral without actually looking at the other woman. She jolted and spilled some of the hot beverage on her fingers when a warm hand grasped her shoulder.
“Miral, I need you to focus.” Janeway’s voice was firm, but warmth emanated from her slate gray eyes even as she tried to ignore her own discomfort about the previous night. “Are you with me, Ensign?”
“Yes, Admiral, always.” Miral felt the cold in her chest melt away slowly as she seated herself at the small dining room table and began to drink her coffee.
“Good.” Admiral Janeway braced her weight on her strong, metal cane as she moved away from Miral to the door of the guest quarters. “Stay. Eat your breakfast. We have a long day ahead of us. And, Miral, be sure you stay away from B’Elanna today.”
“All right.” Miral’s brow creased in bemusement though she didn’t dare defy Janeway this day. She watched the Admiral leave before she began consuming her eggs and bacon.
Miral finished her breakfast quickly, recycled her mug and plate in the replicator, before she made her way back to the bedroom. The sheets on the standard issue bed were rumpled. She tore them off quickly and recycled them as well. She knew as soon as she showered the last of the remnants of her night with Admiral Janeway would be gone forever. Except for her memories, but those too would soon vanish along with her.
Her shoulders shook from the sobs that racked her slim, but powerful body as the sonic vibrations of the shower cleansed her of everything except her grief and regret that she had only one night with Kathryn Janeway. She just wished she had had more time.
****
“Admiral?”
“Captain Janeway.” The Admiral’s back was to the Sickbay doors but she knew the captain wasn’t alone. “How are you, Seven?”
“Well, Admiral.” Seven watched the silver haired woman turn her head slowly to watch her and the captain’s approach. She didn’t think she ever saw her Kathryn look as at peace as the Admiral did. “And you?”
“Oh, I’m perfectly fine, Seven.” The Admiral smiled softly at Seven and then at the captain. A knowing look passed between the two Janeways. Admiral Janeway’s smile broadened, which caused the faintest blush to color the captain’s cheeks. The trio’s attention was abruptly directed towards the Doctor who approached from beyond his office with a hypospray in hand.
“Are you absolutely certain about this?” The Doctor looked regretful as he held the hypospray up for all to see. “It’s not too late to change your mind.”
“I think you know me better than that, Doctor.” The Admiral placed a warm hand on the Doctor’s shoulder as she smiled and tried to convey her gratefulness and her fondness for the hologram. “Let’s do this. It’s not like I’m getting any younger.”
The Doctor nodded before he pressed the hypospray to the Admiral’s neck. The solution dispensed quickly through Admiral Janeway’s system with a hiss. She rubbed her neck more out of habit than any actual discomfort.
“Admiral—”
“Save it, Captain. You and I both know Voyager isn’t nearly big enough for the two of us.” Admiral Janeway’s gray eyes warmed perceptively as she turned from the captain to Seven.
“I wish you success, Admiral.”
“Thank you, Seven.” The Admiral thought only of Seven in this moment. The Doctor, Captain Janeway, Miral, everyone faded away and the only thing that existed for her was her and Seven. “I’m glad I got to see you again.”
“As am I, Kathryn.” Seven’s soft response was shattered by the terrified screaming coming from one Thomas Eugene Paris.
“Mr. Paris, please try to relax.” The Doctor gripped Tom’s shoulders as he tried to calm the panicky man. “Now, tell me what’s happening.”
Before Tom could answer, the Sickbay doors opened to emit a fuming B’Elanna Torres. “Forget something, Flyboy?”
“Lieutenant!” The Doctor nearly dropped Tom to the deck as he pushed him away and hurried to B’Elanna’s side. “All right, let’s get you to the biobed and try to remain calm.”
“This better not be another false alarm, Doctor.” B’Elanna arched her back on the bed as she felt a contraction fill her with near debilitating pain. She grabbed the Doctor’s tunic in her fist and pulled him close to her pained expression. “Or I’m going to tear your holographic head off!”
“It’s not another false alarm.” The Doctor turned to the small group that crowded around B’Elanna. “All right, people, clear out. We’re having a baby.”
“I don’t believe it.” Captain Janeway moved away with the others towards the Sickbay doors. “I’m going to win.”
“Captain?” Seven’s voice was low as she followed the Admiral and captain gratefully from the Sickbay now filled with the screams of B’Elanna’s labor.
“I’ll tell you later.” The captain stopped before they entered the turbolift. “Well, Admiral, good hunting.”
“And you, Captain.” The Admiral held the captain’s stormy gray-blue eyes. “Good luck.”
****
“Birthday.”
“What?” Miral nearly cracked her head on the dash of the Alpha Flyer when she heard Naomi’s voice. She moved out from underneath the console swiftly to stand in front of the half-Ktarian. “What did you say?”
“I said ‘happy birthday’.” Naomi’s features and voice remained flat despite her well wishes. “Hell of a day for it huh?”
“Y-yeah.” Miral had completely forgotten. The Admiral’s warning to stay away from B’Elanna suddenly made sense. She would have freaked out if she would have seen her mother in labor pains with her. “Hell of a day.”
“We did it, you know.” Naomi’s lips pulled up into a tight smile that seemed to be forced, but only because she was out of practice. “We saved them both.”
“We haven’t actually done anything yet, Commander.” Miral didn’t want to be incredulous, but she felt Naomi’s celebratory tone was premature and arrogant. That overconfidence could get them all killed. Sooner than they would have liked anyway. “We still have the Borg Queen to deal with.”
“Indeed we do.”
Admiral Janeway’s strong, husky voice sent a shiver down Miral’s spine and she hoped Naomi couldn’t read her expression or she would have seen naked longing.
“Admiral, we’re ready to go here.” Naomi stood at stiff attention as she observed the odd exchange between Ensign Paris and the Admiral.
“Thank you, Commander.” The Admiral smiled stiffly at Naomi, but her eyes shifted to focus solely on Miral. “I’d like to speak with Ensign Paris alone.”
It wasn’t a question or a request, so Naomi nodded in compliance before she silently left the Alpha Flyer. Her curiosity was aroused, but she had better things to attend to. She needed to find Icheb.
Miral shifted nervously under Janeway’s hard gaze. Her dark brown eyes looked anywhere except for the Admiral as she waited.
“Miral, look at me.” Janeway’s voice held more warmth than it had in years and her dull gray eyes had just the faintest cast of blue. “Please.”
The ‘please’ sounded foreign to Miral’s ears and it immediately compelled her to look upon the Admiral’s elegant features. She remembered how the Admiral looked as pleasure filled her and Miral’s cheeks burned at the remembrance. But then shame quickly overwhelmed the sweet feeling of arousal she had felt. Her cheeks now burned from embarrassment and disgust at herself.
“I—I’m sorry, Admiral.” Miral’s dark eyes were cast down and away from the Admiral’s composed features until a warm hand on her chin forced her to look up once again.
“This isn’t the time for regrets, Miral.” Despite her words, Admiral Janeway regretted much. But never the comfort she had given her goddaughter on the eve of their own self-destruction. She could never regret what she had given freely and with as much love in her heart as she could marshal. “And you certainly have nothing to apologize to me for.”
“But last night I forced you—”
“You did nothing of the sort.” Janeway wished they had more time, but it was quickly running out so she did the only thing she could think of to reassure Miral that she had done nothing wrong. She used the hand not supporting her with her cane to pull Miral to her and kissed her lips.
Miral moaned into the kiss as she held the Admiral close to her. She was careful not to hold her too tightly for Admiral Janeway suddenly seemed quite small and fragile in her strong arms. Hot tears mingled with the taste of the Admiral’s lips and Miral whimpered with the loss she felt when Janeway pulled gently away.
“Thank you, Admiral.” Miral ignored the trails of hot tears upon her cheeks as she held the Admiral close with her hands on her shoulders.
She saw love shining through the storminess of Janeway’s gray eyes, but it wasn’t the naked desire she had so longed to see. Miral knew that the Admiral had spoken the truth when she had said they could never be. Not really. The Admiral loved her, Miral was sure of that now, but Janeway could never have allowed herself to be in love with her. Not when there was always Seven.
Seven. Miral remembered the stories told to her by her parents, by Naomi and Icheb, by those who had known the woman Kathryn Janeway had loved so completely. But never had she ever heard Janeway speak of Seven. Miral desperately wanted to hear it now. To know that their love was worth the sacrifice of the four people out of their time.
“Admiral, tell me about Seven. Your Seven.”
Miral could see the reluctance in the Admiral’s eyes and upon her features. It was Janeway’s instant reaction whenever Seven was mentioned. It had always pained her to hear Seven’s name pass across another’s lips, much less her own. But as she was held in Miral’s embrace she felt it less painful to speak of the woman she had lost.
“My Seven.” A single tear fell upon Janeway’s cheek though a small, gentle smile lifted her lips as her voice held warmth, regret and above all love. “Was everything. I loved her more than I could ever possibly say.”
It hurt Miral to hear Janeway speak of Seven when she wanted it to be her that the Admiral loved, but she persevered. “And she—she loved you.”
“Yes. More than I deserved, perhaps.” Janeway could still remember the shattered expression marring Seven’s beautiful features when she had lashed out at her that day in Sickbay.
If the Admiral had a moment to go back and change that would have been it. She would have told Seven that she was suffering terribly and that it would take time for the damage to heal but that she loved her, always would and that together they would piece her back together again. Perhaps Seven wouldn’t have taken that shuttle, hunted down the Kellidians, died if she had had the strength to tell Seven that. But this, as she had just told Miral, was not the time for regrets.
“She was so arrogant, brilliant, compassionate, strong, and so very human.” As the Admiral looked upon Miral’s pained but encouraging expression she realized something that suddenly seemed so obvious. “You’re a lot like her actually.”
“I—I tried to be.” Miral hadn’t intended to admit that, but like Naomi and Icheb she had tried to emulate Seven. Though for her the reasons had been different and she had only stories to model herself on. At the age of nineteen when she realized that the Admiral she had adored as a child had become a woman she desired in adulthood she became almost obsessed with knowing Seven of Nine. So that she might discover what it was about that one individual that had captured Kathryn Janeway’s love so completely.
“I was so blind.” Janeway brushed her fingers lightly across Miral’s ridged forehead before she cupped the other woman’s face in her palm. “Blinded by my own pain. You deserved so much more, Miral. More than what I had to offer.”
“Admiral, for one night I felt loved by you. Fully.”
“I do love you, Miral, it’s just—”
“I know.” Miral couldn’t bear to hear Janeway’s exceptions to her words of love. Janeway understood this and remained silent. “It’s okay.”
“Captain Janeway to the Admiral.”
“Go ahead, Captain.”
“We’re ready to go up here.”
“Acknowledged. Janeway out.” The Admiral’s tones were steely and determined as she gently moved out of Miral’s embrace. “It’s time.”
Miral smiled, fortified by the unconquerable woman before her. Her voice was just as unwavering and resolute. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
****
The Borg Queen smiled triumphantly before she injected her assimilation tubules into Admiral Janeway’s neck. The smile faded completely when she met nothing but humid air.
“Sorry to disappoint you, your Majesty, but I’m not actually here. I’m in your mind.” The Admiral smiled smugly as she watched the fury cross the Queen’s glistening features. “Don’t waste your time trying to trace the signal from my synaptic interface.”
The Borg Queen retracted her tubules and took several steps back from where Admiral Janeway seemed to be. “What is it that you want?”
“I just wanted to see the look on your face when Voyager destroys your precious hub.” One corner of the Admiral’s lips was pulled up into a lopsided smile. “And returns home.”
****
Captain Janeway’s resolute expression was lit orange by the vast nebula they were rapidly approaching. Her voice seemed loud to her own ears even though she nearly whispered her command to her First Officer seated at the helm. “Commander Chakotay, take us in.”
“Aye, Captain.” Chakotay could almost feel the tension radiating off the captain as he piloted Voyager deeper into the Borg infested nebula.
A proximity alert preceded Tuvok’s impassive tones that caused fear to sweep across the Bridge. “Forty-seven Borg vessels on an intercept course.”
“Ready the transphasic torpedoes, Tuvok.” Janeway folded her hands together as she waited for the Borg to attack. She didn’t have to wait long. Voyager shook around her, but the refurbished hull armor protected the ship and its crew from the brunt of the attack. But she knew the armor would only do so for a limited amount a time. She decided to go on the offensive. “Target the lead cube and fire.”
“Lead cube is destroyed.”
The captain nodded at Tuvok’s report. “Only forty-six to go, hmm, Commander?”
“Indeed, Captain.” Tuvok targeted the next closest cube and destroyed it as well, but he and the captain were well aware that their compliment of transphasic torpedoes was dwindling and they needed all they could to destroy the hub.
Harry’s voice was carefully controlled as he made his report not sound as frightening as he thought it was. “Hull armor down to forty-two percent. Thirty-eight percent.”
“Keep going, Chakotay.” Janeway could see the first blue light of the transwarp hub come into view as Voyager proceeded closer to their target. Her voice was low, soft and pleading. It was also meant only for herself. “Come on, Admiral.”
Seven kept her attention mostly on the monitors of the secondary tactical station she was manning, but she couldn’t help but hear the captain’s words. She was well aware that without the Admiral neutralizing the Borg Queen their mission would be a failure and they would no doubt be destroyed by the Borg. Despite knowing it was impossible for Admiral Janeway to hear her, Seven also spoke words of encouragement quietly to herself.
“Complete your mission, Admiral.”
****
“That is not possible. Voyager doesn’t have the capabilities to destroy the hub. They will fail.” The Queen continued to circle the Admiral like a predator rather than the cornered animal she perhaps was. “And you are bluffing.”
“You don’t really believe that.” Admiral Janeway’s voice was almost teasing as she continued to watch the Queen circle her. “I believe you’re aware that Voyager has weapons brought from the future.”
“Transphasic torpedoes.” The Queen’s thick silver eyes moved as if in remembrance. “Impressive, but we will adapt.”
“Eventually perhaps. But not before Voyager is successful.”
“You’ve underestimated me. While you’ve been gloating, I have triangulated your position. You are mine now.” The Borg’s smile was bright at the sight of the panic on the Admiral’s face before Janeway’s corporeal body appeared in a phasing of green light. “What you’ve failed to remember is that I am Borg.”
“And what you failed to realize is that while we’ve been talking my crew has been placing spatial charges throughout your chamber.” The Admiral held herself mostly on her left leg as she ignored the pain in her right. She held her chin high. She would face her assimilation with strength and valor. This was her plan after all. “We don’t fear death, do you?”
“Admiral!”
Miral watched in horror as the Queen failed to do what she was supposed to. Instead of assimilating the Admiral and thus the neurolytic pathogen the Doctor had injected her with; the Borg Queen had used one hand to efficiently snap Admiral Janeway’s neck, which killed her instantly.
“Miral! No!” Naomi wasn’t fast enough to grab Miral and prevent her from decloaking and running to the fallen Admiral. Naomi activated the final spatial charge before she beamed herself back to the Alpha Flyer.
“Admiral?” Miral held Janeway’s broken, still form to her body tightly as hot tears flowed down her cheeks. “Please, you can’t be dead.”
“Who are you?” The Borg Queen pulled Miral to her feet and away from Janeway’s body before she plunged her assimilation tubules into Miral’s neck. “Now I’ll know everything you do.”
An incredible searing pain filled Miral as she dropped to the deck. Her bronze colored skin was quickly drained of its color as thick veins grew beneath her skin. She cried out when the first metal implant sprouted from her body. She barely had enough strength to tap her combadge.
“It’s… done.” Miral pushed past her pain in order to raise herself to her hands and knees and begin the arduous journey to Kathryn Janeway’s unmoving form. When she finally reached the dead Admiral she pulled Janeway to her and hugged her fiercely. Tears flowed freely as she spoke softly to the woman in her arms. “W—we did it, Admiral.”
“What… have you… done to me?” The Queen’s voice was terrified as she stood immobilized as pieces of her fell away. First her right arm and then her left leg until eventually her head and torso fell hard to the deck. The metal hooks disengaged from the Queen’s skin as the last of her life drained from her body.
“Must have been something… she assimilated, huh, Admiral?” Miral, along with Naomi and Icheb, had also been injected with a neurolytic pathogen the Admiral had been given. It was supposed to have been Admiral Janeway who was assimilated by the Borg Queen, but Miral was actually relieved that it was her instead. It was damned painful. Her last vision before she too succumbed to the neurolytic pathogen that coursed through her veins was Kathryn Janeway’s serene expression, her beautiful, weathered features finally at rest and without pain.
Miral’s eyes closed when her last breath left her body and the first spatial charge destroyed the Queen’s chamber cutting off her residual control to the rest of the Collective. The backup royal protocol housed in a lower complex was destroyed along with the rest of the Unicomplex in an orange blaze when both the Alpha Flyer and the Delta Flyer from the future self-destructed killing the two within the ships who bore twin triumphant smiles upon their lips. They had brought chaos to order. And in doing so they had completed their mission.
****
“Captain.” Seven’s voice held sorrow, but also triumph as she reported her latest readings. “The Admiral has been successful.”
“Now, Tuvok.” Janeway stood from her chair as she watched a full volley of transphasic torpedoes being fired from Voyager. She knew she would mourn the loss of Admiral Janeway, Miral, Naomi, and Icheb but later. Right now she had other things to worry about. Like the ensuing shockwave and the lone sphere that had followed them through an aperture in the transwarp network.
“Aft hull armor is down to eight percent.” Harry held tightly to his console as Voyager shuddered around him not only due to the massive shockwave licking at their heels, but also the barrage of weapons fire from the sphere. “Hull breaches! Deck four through ten.”
“Seal those breaches. Emergency power to the shields!” Janeway’s voice was rough and urgent. She knew without their hull armor they would never survive the gravitational forces of the transwarp conduit. “Reroute all available power to the hull armor. Tuvok! Fire all weapons!”
The last of the transphasic torpedoes had been used to destroy the manifolds holding the transwarp hub together. Still Tuvok did what he had been told, but the phasers and photon torpedoes didn’t even slow the sphere down.
“They’re gaining on us, Captain.” Chakotay turned his face slightly towards the captain. His expression and voice were filled with regret. “I can’t shake them.”
“They’ve locked on a tractor beam.” Harry’s voice delivered the news with an odd level of ease. “They’re pulling us in.”
“The armor has failed, Captain.” Tuvok switched over to standard shielding, but knew it was futile once they were inside the sphere to resist.
“Not exactly how I wanted to make it back.” Janeway’s voice was sardonic as she leaned forward in her chair, her jaw clenched as the world around her was drenched green.
“Captain, the transwarp network has been destroyed.”
“We’ll be sure to celebrate that later, Seven.” Janeway’s voice held a sharp edge, but her warm look was brief but conveyed her love for Seven as much as she would allow given the circumstances. “Has the sphere altered course?”
“No, Captain.” Seven felt anticipation threaten to break through her rigid composure, but she maintained her even tones. It was not the time to ‘lose one’s head’ as it were.
****
The Alpha Quadrant
2378
“What the hell am I looking at here?” Admiral Paris’ voice was gruff, but more due to his own lack of understanding of the situation unfolding before him than anything his subordinates did or were doing or not. A blue vortex had appeared out of nowhere only moments ago, practically on Earth’s doorstep. That was usually never a good sign.
“I—It’s a Borg transwarp aperture, sir.” Reginald Barclay’s voice quaked under the fear and disbelief his own words caused within him. “Admiral, that aperture is less than a light year away from Earth.”
“Get every ship to converge on that aperture, now.” Paris’ face flushed red with anger and fear.
“Aye, sir.” The ensign manning the communication’s station complied readily though her hands shook as she keyed in her commands.
“Do we know how many Borg vessels there are in that conduit?” Paris couldn’t move his eyes away from the glowing blue vortex even as he heard and saw peripherally the organized panic occurring around him. The only person who remained still in front of the monitor besides him was Barclay.
“The graviton emissions are tremendous, sir. It’s impossible to get a clear reading.” Barclay watched with cold fear despite seeing more than twenty ships converging on the coordinates of that aperture.
“Open a channel to the fleet.”
“It’s open, sir.”
“Admiral Paris to fleet, fire at will.”
“Sir.” Despite knowing it was illogical, Barclay took a few steps away from the monitor. “A vessel is coming through.”
Admiral Paris could readily see that and his jaw clenched tightly at the sight of a massive Borg sphere exiting the aperture. He saw ruby red phaser fire and torpedoes hitting the sphere and knew that they had just lost Earth when the green shielding around the Borg vessel deflected the weapons fire effortlessly. God save us.
“S—sir?”
All motion stopped within the Communications Research Center as it was lit with orange light from the viewscreen. They could do nothing but watch as the Borg sphere inexplicably exploded. And from within the massive fireball came a single small object.
“Paris to the fleet. Hold your fire!” Paris moved quickly closer to the viewscreen. “Ensign, magnify.”
“It—it’s Voyager!”
Paris heard Reginald’s surprised, excited exclamation even through the loud thumping of his heart and pounding of blood in his ears as his eyes went wide along with his mouth. It wasn’t God, but it awed him nonetheless. He shook himself out of his reverie as he saw Voyager come to a stop amongst the twenty or so ships that had been called to defend Earth against the Borg.
“Hail Voyager, Mr. Barclay!”
****
The joyful cheers and exclamations of success created a cacophony on the Bridge of the USS Voyager. It was so loud that Ensign Kim, with tears in his eyes and loud excitement in his voice, didn’t initially hear the telltale beeping of an incoming hail. He was too swept up in hugs from everyone from Lyssa Campbell to Chakotay. He looked for the captain with a broad smile on his face and found her sitting silently, still in her captain’s chair with an indefinable expression on her elegant features. He wondered at that until Seven’s even, calm voice somehow broke through the deafening celebration permeating the Bridge.
“You did it, Captain.” Seven smiled softly, with all the love that she felt for Kathryn Janeway showing clearly in her pale blue eyes and adoring look. “You have brought Voyager home.”
With Ayala still in his arms Harry watched the captain with warmth in his chest and tears now flowing freely from his dark eyes as she slowly stood from her chair and made a circuit with her eyes of her Bridge crew.
“No, Seven.” A single tear fell from the bluest of eyes as Captain Janeway grinned, her toothy grin that filled anyone within range with warmth and light as if her brilliant smile was the sun itself. “We did it. All of us.”
Harry pulled away from Ayala when he registered that the constant beeping noise was coming from his console. “Captain! We’re receiving a hail.”
Captain Janeway’s feet touched the gray carpeted floor when the enthusiastic hug she had been receiving from Chakotay was released. She straightened her tunic as she addressed Harry with a broad smile and humor in her voice. “I’ll just bet we are. Put it onscreen, Harry.”
“Captain Janeway…” Admiral Paris looked at the woman who had been like a daughter to him. His brilliant protégé and he felt something he hadn’t felt in years. Wonderment. “Welcome home.”
“Thank you, Sir. It feels good to be back.” If it felt odd for Janeway to say the term ‘sir’ she didn’t let on as she smiled a bit more softly now that she was facing Admiral Paris, Reginald Barclay and a small mass of other Starfleet personnel as they all crowded around the monitor. “Sorry to drop in unannounced. Next time we’ll be sure to call ahead.”
Admiral Paris opened his mouth as if to say something, closed it, made a few sweeps across the Bridge before he spoke. “Well done, Captain Janeway.”
“Thank you, Sir. Did you happen to keep that docking bay open for us?” Janeway watched as her mentor snapped out of his awed reverie and began gruffly ordering his people around. Some things never changed.
“We’re transmitting the location of the nearest drydock in the San Francisco Fleet Yards now.” Admiral Paris’ weathered features transformed back to the exuberant man as opposed to the stern superior as he looked warmly at Janeway. “Captain, I’m going to have to ask you and your crew to stay aboard Voyager until safety and security protocols can be met.”
Janeway knew the procedure and could see that Admiral Paris was regretful, but she still felt impatience causing heat to rise within her. But, she reasoned to herself, if she could wait seven long years she could wait a few more hours to be Earthside again, see her mother and sister. They had made it back. They had completely their mission.
“Understood, Admiral. I’ll see you soon. Voyager out.” The image of Earth on the viewscreen before her nearly buckled the indomitable Captain Janeway’s legs. There it was. Her goal for the last seven years. Within arm’s reach.
When the captain turned back to her chair she caught Seven looking at her. She hoped no one else saw the heated look filled with promise of a night filled with pleasure. Actually, Janeway didn’t much care if anyone else saw it or not. Her relationship, her love for Seven would now be able to flourish outside the confines of Voyager. Of her solitary command. Janeway felt light. She felt free. As she seated herself in the familiar captain’s chair she smiled softly and silently thanked those who had so valiantly and selflessly sacrificed themselves this day. She thanked Naomi and Icheb. Miral. And finally Admiral Janeway.
“Mister Chakotay.” Janeway’s eyes filled with moisture as her voice caught on the emotional words she was about to speak. “Set a course, for home.”
CHAPTER 10
San Francisco
2378
26 Hours Later
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Captain Janeway peered out at the little specks of multicolored lights of the grand city below them. She felt warmth fill her chest as she turned her head to look at her lone companion. “Seven?”
Seven pressed her palm to Kathryn’s cheek as she placed her lips softly against the captain’s. She smiled as she pulled away. “You are beautiful.”
“Thank you.” Janeway blushed faintly from the heartfelt compliment and the tender kiss she had just received, although her voice was light and teasing. “But everyone knows I’m the brains and you’re the looks of this operation.”
Seven actually rolled her eyes.
“Are you nervous?” Janeway ignored the fact that it was she who was holding Seven’s metal encased hand tightly between both of hers. Her heart thumped rapidly in her chest. She felt as if she was going to crawl out of her skin at any moment, although to the outside observer the captain seemed composed and in complete control. Only Seven knew better.
“I am.” Seven tightened her hold on Kathryn’s hand but more to comfort the captain than for her own benefit.
She knew the captain was agitated and had been ever since the first of the Starfleet personnel had arrived onboard Voyager shortly after they had docked. “Standard protocol” was how the captain had described it in even tones, but Seven had known Kathryn did not appreciate what could only be seen as a mass of intruders onboard the ship she had commanded and called home for seven long, arduous years. It was an invasion. Seven never understood the human compulsion to ascribe sentient characteristics to inanimate objects, but even she had thought it wrong that Voyager was dishonored in such a manner.
Aside from the ship being pulled apart it had been the impromptu debriefings her crew had been forced to endure that had really rankled Janeway. Admiral Paris had apologized profusely, but it was standard procedure so Janeway had been forced to accommodate Starfleet Command aboard her vessel. She had suddenly felt less in command, no longer able to control what happened next, and that feeling worried her. Janeway had been the sole commander for so long it felt unnatural to be subordinate to anyone. That feeling also bothered her. She had always worried about how Seven would adjust to life in the Alpha Quadrant, on Earth, or Icheb, the Maquis, the Doctor, and Naomi but she never once thought how difficult it could be for her.
The captain had figured that more debriefings, questions, accusations, perhaps even a trial were impending but she had been adamant with Admiral Paris about one thing. She would be the only one held responsible for the last seven years onboard her ship.
“I’m serious, Admiral. My crew has been through enough. If Starfleet wants to crucify someone they can deal with me. And they had better be ready for one hell of a fight.” Janeway had known without a doubt that Admiral Paris would support her. Or at least she thought she knew. So much had changed.
Admiral Paris had known not to argue, but he did mention that he wasn’t her commanding officer. Admiral Alynna Nechayev was. Janeway had been able to recall quite well that Admiral Nechayev was not her biggest fan. And the Admiral was the reason why Janeway was the last to disembark from Voyager, along with Seven who had waited for her.
Admiral Nechayev had arrived on Voyager nearly a full day after the ship’s arrival in the Alpha Quadrant. Captain Janeway hadn’t slept for more than a few hours in the last thirty-six and so she had been in no mood to have to deal with Nechayev. But in the Alpha Quadrant she was merely a captain commanded by others. So that was why she had been forced to grit her teeth and listen to Admiral Nechayev’s battery of accusations and condemnations, until Janeway had witnessed for herself how much things had changed.
“I never liked you Janeway. You used your name and your father’s cronies to get you further ahead.” Nechayev’s voice was cold and harsh, but not even as icy as her glare as she looked across Voyager’s Briefing room table at a seething Captain Janeway. “If it were up to me, I’d hand you over to the Temporal Corps and be done with you.”
“Then do it.” Janeway had to force herself to maintain composed and her voice even though she felt burning resentment deep within her. But it was overridden by her protectiveness. “Just leave my crew out of the proceedings.”
“Word of your arrival has already swept through the quadrant. They’re making you out as a Federation hero.” Nechayev’s sardonic tone indicated clearly that she did not agree with public opinion. “An icon of Starfleet perseverance and strength. Already your image is being shown on every newsfeed, you’ve become a celebrity.”
Janeway wondered why the Admiral was telling her this. Was it a test to see if she would use her newfound fame to try to leverage herself with Starfleet command? As Janeway looked upon Nechayev’s cold, but expectant features she decided that was exactly what the Admiral had figured.
In a calm tone, filled with sincerity Janeway answered. “I just wanted to get my crew home, Admiral. Damn the consequences. A court martial or the Temporal Corps. I’ll face anything you throw at me. Alone.”
Nechayev didn’t smile but her tone warmed perceptively. “Captain, you completed your mission. Congratulations.”
Janeway watched with a stunned expression on her elegant features as Nechayev abruptly stood from the table. The captain quickly broke out of her reverie and met Nechayev at the Briefing room door. “What does this mean, Admiral?”
“A lot has happened since you were away, Captain. Starfleet, the Federation, we need a hero right now.” Nechayev’s hard eyes swept over Captain Janeway’s petite form before they rested solely on Janeway’s features. She didn’t seem too impressed by what she saw and it showed in her voice. “You’ll have to do.”
Captain Janeway thought she might have seen a slight smirk as the Admiral left, but she was too bewildered to think too much about it. Was that it? A stern lecture and now she was free? She had smiled broadly then as relief flowed over and she felt exhilarated. She had practically run full speed to her quarters.
Seven had been waiting for her there and before the doors of her quarters had closed behind her she was in Seven’s arms. Seven’s lips had been warm, moist and so arousing against hers, but she had ended the kiss with a simple word filled with promise. “Later.”
Seven’s warm lips against her folded hands brought Janeway out of her remembrance as she smiled up at the woman she loved. The shuttle hummed around them as it began its descent onto the grounds of Starfleet Headquarters. “Seven, I love you. Completely.”
“And I you, Kathryn.” Unmindful of the Ensign’s voice over the comm. stating that they would be disembarking soon, Seven pressed her lips against Janeway’s once again. Before the tender kiss could intensify Seven removed her mouth from the captain’s and smiled. “Welcome home.”
****
“Kathryn!”
Despite the near deafening sound that came from the people beyond the barricade that had been erected and was manned by Starfleet Security personnel, Kathryn Janeway registered only one voice amongst the thousands shouting her name. Tears sprang to her eyes as she saw her mother and sister running towards her. She thought her legs wouldn’t support her, but Seven was there and that was all she needed. Janeway ignored the flashes of light caused by a multitude of holorecorders and cameras as tears streamed down her face. She let go of Seven’s hand in order to embrace her mother for the first time in seven years.
“Oh, Kathryn, my sweet girl. I’ve missed you. Oh I’ve missed you so much.” Gretchen Janeway’s voice was low and husky, a trait she had passed on to her daughters, and filled with love, relief, and a bittersweet feeling caused by her wish that Edward were alive to see this moment as well. “Welcome home.”
Kathryn couldn’t speak; her throat was hot and tight as her slim frame was racked by quiet but powerful sobs. So instead she held her mother and felt comforted by the familiar scent of Gretchen’s perfume. She had nearly forgotten how much she loved her mother. Had forced herself to forget perhaps. But now, it all came back to her. “I love you, Mom.”
Seven watched the reunion between Kathryn and her mother with moisture in her own eyes and heat radiating hotly in her chest from the love she was witnessing. But she also felt discomfort. And Phoebe Janeway’s gray gaze upon her wasn’t helping her to maintain composure.
“You must be Seven.” Phoebe ignored the seemingly obviousness of her observation as she moved slightly away from her long lost sister and mother towards Seven. Phoebe’s lips pulled into a smile as she placed her hands on Seven’s shoulders and pulled her into a strong, warm embrace. Her breath whispered against Seven’s neck as Phoebe’s voice turned low and soft. “Kathryn writes about you all the time. She must love you a lot. If you hurt her, I’ll have to kill you.”
Seven’s pale blue eyes went large at this as she stood stunned after Phoebe ended their hug with a kiss to her cheek. And then Gretchen Janeway was standing in front of her as the sisters reunited.
“Seven, come here.” Gretchen opened her arms and motioned with her hands for Seven to draw closer. She wrapped her arms around Seven tightly as her husky voice caused warmth to suffuse the woman in her embrace. “Thank you. Thank you for bringing my daughter home. In her letters she’s told us how you’ve saved Voyager more times than she could count. I can’t tell you how grateful I am. That you were there. That you’re here now.”
“I am grateful as well.” Seven closed her eyes as she softened into the hug. “But it was Kathryn who saved me.”
“Seven?”
Seven opened her eyes to find Kathryn smiling gently at her as she held her sister’s hand and offered her other to Seven.
“Let’s go home.” Kathryn’s warmth radiated clearly for anyone to see. Her love turned her eyes dark blue and her elegant features were made even more lovely by her brilliant smile. She held Seven’s hand in her own, while Gretchen held Seven’s other hand. The one encased in metal.
Seven had found a collective onboard Voyager. And now ensconced within the protection and love of the three Janeway women she knew she had found a family.
****
“Home, sweet home.” Janeway smiled at the woman who was presently carrying her across the threshold of their brand new penthouse apartment, already furnished and filled with their personal effects. It had been given to Janeway along with her new title. Admiral. She still didn’t know if it suited her.
“Indeed.” Seven smiled warmly as she gently lowered Janeway’s feet to the hardwood floor of their living quarters. She did feel like she was home, but knew the feeling had more to do with Kathryn than their apartment. She had felt at home on the Janeway farm in Indiana as well.
They had spent more than three weeks after their arrival on Earth at the Janeway farm with Gretchen and Phoebe as the two women tried to “fatten” them up. They also wanted to know “everything”. Seven had listened in rapt attention at every story Kathryn had told regarding the Delta Quadrant but more importantly their relationship. How they had met; how Kathryn had been fascinated but also a bit intimidated by Seven at first, so long ago on a Borg cube.
“A bit?” Phoebe’s voice had been loud and teasing. Seven had after all been a Borg drone.
“She was imposing of course, but she was also… beautiful, tragic.” Kathryn had covered Seven’s hand with her own at that point. “Special.”
“And you Seven?” Gretchen smiled warmly at the open love she saw from her daughter who had always been so reserved with her affection. At least with Mark and Justin. “What did you think of Kathryn?”
“We were—I was intrigued by her, as were the Borg.” Despite Seven’s loathing for the Collective, she still felt the same as they had. Kathryn Janeway never ceased to amaze her. “She was seen by the Borg as unique. And dangerous.”
“They didn’t know the half of it, huh?” Phoebe smirked as she took a sip of her wine.
Stories about the Voyager crew were running rampant, the public’s thirst for knowledge about “the little ship that could” and of course its famous captain and her crew seemed unquenchable. The tale regarding the great crushing blow the Voyager crew had delivered upon the Borg before arriving in the Alpha Quadrant was perhaps the most popular, other than the gossip regarding Captain Janeway’s relationship with the former Borg drone, Seven of Nine.
Seven’s light blue eyes were filled with love and adoration as she looked upon Kathryn and her voice softened as she answered Phoebe’s question. “Indeed they did not.”
In their time in Indiana, Kathryn had spoken of many adventures; triumphs and tragedies, but above all she spoke with love and affection of her crew. Seven knew the distance would perhaps only grow between the members of Voyager’s crew and was aware of how that might negatively affect Kathryn’s emotional well-being. She vowed to not allow too much distance to occur. At least once a year they would have to commemorate what they had accomplished and the relationships that had grown. Seven never imagined she would be a party planner.
As Seven watched Kathryn move about their well-lit apartment with a smile to her lips, she recalled what Gretchen had said to her one afternoon while Phoebe and Kathryn had been obtaining groceries and ‘catching up’.
“I’ve never seen her happier, Seven. And it’s not just because Voyager is back and she’s home. It’s you, my dear.” Gretchen’s hands were wet and soapy, but neither she nor Seven noticed as she hugged Seven to her, tightly. “She loves you so much.”
“If I hurt her will you be forced to kill me?”
“W—what?” Gretchen’s blue gray eyes had grown into large circles at this.
“A joke.” Seven’s smile faltered as she considered that perhaps Phoebe’s words had been said in seriousness. “I believe.”
Gretchen laughed. A full-bodied, rich laugh that had reminded Seven so much of Kathryn that she had felt overwhelmed with love and humor as she held the laughing woman in her strong arms.
“Oh, Phoebe, she’s all bark and no bite. A bit overprotective of her big sis.” Gretchen wiped tears from her eyes after she gently disengaged from Seven’s embrace. “They used to argue all the time you know. But now they—”
Any words Gretchen would have said faded away as she and Seven witnessed an odd sight through the kitchen window positioned above the two sinks filled with dishes. Kathryn looked furious as she chased her younger sister around the front yard as she scattered groceries on the ground and yelled threats of great bodily harm.
“I just asked if they vibrated that’s all!” Phoebe’s sprinting was impeded by her words and her laughter and so she was soon caught by Kathryn and taken to the grassy lawn, hard.
“Phoebe! Kathryn!” Gretchen ran out of the house a moment before Seven. Her voice was surprised, but filled with humor as she watched her grown children wrestling on her front lawn as if they were in grade school. “What is going on here?”
“Kathryn tends to forget that I’m bigger and stronger than her!” Phoebe’s slim lanky frame was a good six inches taller than her sister. As for her claim to possessing greater strength, it didn’t seem she was correct since she was the one pinned to the ground.
“How is it that you didn’t mature in the least the seven years I was gone?” Kathryn’s voice was strained from the effort it took to keep her sister’s arms pinned.
“Yeah, that’s rich coming from the girl with tomato in her hair!” Phoebe managed with all of her might to reverse their positions so that she was on top.
“Girls, please!”
It wasn’t Gretchen’s amused plea that broke up the Janeway sisters. It was soft laughter. Coming from a woman who hadn’t laughed in the four years since her liberation from the Borg. Seven of Nine was laughing. It had started as a soft noise, but as the three Janeway women continued to look on with varying degrees of love, happiness and awe it became a full-bodied guffaw.
“You do have tomato in your hair.” Seven had tears on her cheeks as she smiled and brought her hand up to Kathryn’s auburn locks.
As she was removing a piece of red fruit from strands of Kathryn’s hair she was pulled into a searing kiss. After a few passionate moments and the uncomfortable realization that they were not alone Kathryn pulled her lips away from Seven’s.
Seven felt desire course through her as she attempted to recover from the heated kiss. Her voice was low and wishful. “Does this indicate that you no longer require us to wait to make love until we are ‘out of your mother’s house’?”
Kathryn’s face turned almost as red as the moist piece of tomato still between Seven’s fingers. “I—”
“Yeah, she’s definitely a keeper. And, Katie, you’re still such a prude.” After this disapproving comment, Phoebe was once again on the ground trying to fend off her sister.
“This really is a gorgeous view.”
Kathryn’s voice brought Seven back to the present and out of her remembrance of her first meaningful laugh and the kiss that had been filled with passion although and promise for a later time. Kathryn’s unease regarding making love in her mother’s home only intensified after Phoebe had called her sister a prude. So now after nearly three weeks, Seven was ready. She wanted Kathryn. Now.
“Seven!” Kathryn started when she was embraced from behind quite unexpectedly, but pleasantly. She moaned loudly in the back of her throat and her eyes closed when Seven caressed her right breast while she undid the fastenings of Kathryn’s light blue dress.
“I need you, Kathryn. I no longer have the patience to wait.” Seven’s warm breath across the pale skin of Kathryn’s neck and her low, desire-laden tones caused moisture to pool between Kathryn’s legs.
“Then… don’t wait.” Kathryn felt her dress fall away from her aroused body as she turned in Seven’s arms so she could face her. “Make love to me, Seven.”
Seven’s response was to press her mouth hard against Kathryn’s as she lifted her effortlessly into her arms. The passionate kiss continued as Seven carried Kathryn from the living room to the upper level bedroom. Her lips pulled away from Kathryn’s once they were both on their bed.
Seven’s eyes never left the hungry look on Kathryn’s features as she stood from the bed to strip off her biosuit. This was not a time for slow and teasing so the suit was a pool of fabric on the carpeted floor as soon as Seven could peel it off of her. Before she climbed completely onto the bed she ripped Kathryn’s pale blue panties from her. She breathed in the heady scent of Kathryn’s need for her and it only served to intensify her own.
Seven gently spread Kathryn’s legs a part to reveal her drenched sex to Seven’s lustful gaze. Seven didn’t hesitate to bow her head and begin licking at the Kathryn’s reddened folds.
“Oh God, Seven!” Kathryn’s hands held Seven to her sex as she arched her slim body off of their bed. She had gone seven years without making love, but the three weeks she had insisted they stay celibate in her mother’s home had nearly driven her mad with want for Seven’s touch. The anticipation of this moment made Kathryn’s climax come quickly and powerfully.
“You are… so very good at that.”
“Thank you.” Seven had been worried that her complete lack of personal experience would be a detriment, but she knew that Kathryn thought her a skilled lover and that was all that mattered. “But I am not finished yet, Kathryn.”
“Oh. OH!” Kathryn’s eyes went wide as she groaned with approval when Seven pushed three fingers into her. She undulated and thrust her hips in motion with Seven’s hand. “God! Seven!”
Seven swallowed Kathryn’s cries with her impassioned kisses as she held the petite, quaking body tightly in her arms. Moisture flooded her hand when Kathryn climaxed once again. Her fingers never slowed in their thrusting until she made Kathryn come a third and then a fourth time.
“Seven, please, I can’t—” Kathryn felt as if her body was coming apart from the intense pleasure she was feeling and she was worried that perhaps she wouldn’t survive it.
“Once more, Kathryn.” Seven smiled, desire made her pale blue eyes heavy-lidded, as she looked down upon the sweat-drenched and enraptured features of her beloved captain. No, not captain… “You will come one more time. Admiral.”
Kathryn arched her pale body and held Seven close to her as she closed her eyes and felt the tremors signaling her release. As she came back to herself and felt Seven gently remove her fingers from deep within her she grinned languidly.
“I… I think I do like that title after all.” Kathryn opened her eyes slowly, her muscles felt warm but lazy, until she saw the need on Seven’s features. “What would you like me to do, Seven?”
“Touch me, Kathryn, until I am screaming your name.” Seven touched her metal capped fingers to her lips. She licked and sucked Kathryn’s essence from her fingers, which elicited a deep throated groan from her lover.
Kathryn brought Seven’s lips to her own and tasted herself as she rolled them over so that she had Seven’s back pressed to the bed. “I love you, Seven.”
“I know you do. Now show me, Admiral.” Seven had witnessed the title coming from her lips in their lovemaking was pleasurable for Kathryn, so she continued to use it. “Please, Admiral, use your mouth.”
Kathryn pressed her lips once more to Seven’s before she began to trail wet kisses down Seven’s lithe body. She covered one of Seven’s nipples with her mouth. She suckled on the pebbled flesh, used her tongue, and nibbled on it to make it red and swollen. Kathryn used her fingers to harden Seven’s other nipple until she alternated with her mouth and her hand. Seven writhed and moaned beneath her. Seven cried out Kathryn’s name when fingers brushed across the sensitive, moist folds of her sex.
“Please! Kathryn… do not tease.” Seven pushed herself up onto her elbows to peer down with need and desire naked on her features. “Please.”
Kathryn groaned loudly as she plunged her fingers deep within Seven and felt the hot, velvety muscles close around her. Her palm was instantly drenched. She knew Seven couldn’t wait any longer, so her mouth departed from the moist, reddened breasts to move downward towards the heady scent of Seven’s desire for her.
“Oh, Kathryn!” Seven’s head fell back to the bed as she arched like a bow when Kathryn’s hot mouth closed over her engorged clitoris. Her hips undulated wildly, but still the contact between Kathryn’s lips and her sensitive bundle of nerves maintained. Seven continued to scream her pleasure when Kathryn suckled her clit and added a third finger. Kathryn’s fingers continued to thrust inside of her, harder and faster than Seven had ever felt before and she loved it. Needed it, like she needed the woman making love to her, desperately.
Kathryn would never have imagined taking Seven so roughly, so completely. She had been so careful their first night together and then every subsequent time after. But this was different. They hadn’t made love in three weeks and she knew Seven was as desperate as she was. So Kathryn added another finger and deepened her thrusts.
Seven relished in the feeling of being so completely filled by Kathryn. She moaned and grinded herself forcefully to meet each thrust. Kathryn’s hands covered and massaged her sensitive breasts as Seven’s back arched and her upper body lifted up from the bed. Seven placed her hands over Kathryn’s and continued to undulate her hips frantically. She was heading towards an explosive release and she wondered if she would survive it. At this point she didn’t care.
“KATHRYN!” Seven quaked and trembled fiercely from her orgasm, tears formed in her eyes as Kathryn continued to use her lips and tongue on her swollen ridge. She came again almost instantly when Kathryn quickly replaced her fingers with her tongue. “Oh, Kathryn!”
Kathryn continued to lap up the juices flowing from Seven until a gentle hand touched her shoulder. She place the tips of the four fingers she had had deep within Seven into her mouth as she moved up Seven’s long, lean body. “You taste wonderful.”
“Kathryn, my Kathryn, I love you more than I am able to articulate.”
“Believe me, you’ve articulated it quite nicely already.” Janeway pulled the sheets up around her and Seven before she snuggled into the warmth and security of Seven’s strong arms. “Let’s unpack tomorrow. It’s late. Will you be able to sleep?”
Seven had not been able to regenerate fully the entire time they had been in Indiana and it made her somewhat of an insomniac. Seven’s voice was a whisper as she tightened her hold on the woman she loved. “I will attempt to do so. If I am unsuccessful I will watch you sleep. I find it… comforting. It helps to reassure me that you are safe.”
“I feel safe. I’ve never felt safer in my entire life than when I’m in your arms, Seven.” Kathryn pressed herself closer despite the feel of Seven’s abdominal implant almost painfully digging into her flesh. She needed to be as close as possible as she thought about the future that had been prevented. “At first I couldn’t imagine myself ever becoming as hard and jaded as Admiral Janeway. She scared me… because of what I could become.”
“She suffered greatly, Kathryn. As much as it is proclaimed by the media and others, you are not indestructible. As much as I wish that you were.” Seven felt a chill down her spine, but pushed it away as she sought comfort in Kathryn’s warmth. She wanted to overcome her guilt for what her future counterpart had done, but she knew if someone were to harm Kathryn she would ensure their death even if it meant her own. So instead she buried her guilt with the rest of the things she had to atone for and allowed contentment to envelop her. They were home. They were safe.
“Sleep, Kathryn. I have you.”
CHAPTER 11
The Delta Quadrant
2378
We are the Borg. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
She could hear their billions of voices in her head as she was secured to a hard, metal table. It wasn’t necessary since the assimilation process had already begun and rendered her immobile, but not unfeeling. She wanted to scream, to cry out in anger and fear, but she could not speak. Tears could not even be expelled from her yellow eyes as she felt the agonizing pain of her arm being sliced off by a laser. She could smell her own burnt flesh. Sweat broke out across her blue skin and she thought she would die from the agony of having her left eye burned out and replaced by a thick metal construct. The Kellidian leader that had been tracking a ship called Voyager had never expected that she would become the prey. That was her last thought as the final remnants of her individuality vanished under the weight of billions.
(to be continued)