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2 By Gun Brooke
Seven of Nine strode through the corridors heading toward the bridge and the captain’s ready room. Fuming, she passed the Delaney twins with only the curtest of nods, preoccupied with her own anger. Stepping onto the bridge, she brushed by the command chairs, the captain’s chair occupied by Harry Kim. “Seven?” he blurted out. “You’re back already?” “So it would seem,” Seven bit off and stalked toward the ready room. She ran the chime and clasped her hands behind her back, hard. If she hadn’t, she was sure she’d have been pounding on the door in sheer annoyance. “Enter.” The door opened and Seven walked up to Janeway’s desk where the captain glanced darkly up at her. “Seven.” “Captain.” “I take it Mr. Neelix informed you of…” “No. Mr. Neelix did nothing of the kind. I was about to conduct the experiment I’ve prepared for weeks in anticipation of our arrival to the Cardimon Nebula. I nourished great hope that I would find the rare minerals needed to replicate the complicated technology of a trans warp coil.” “I know that, Seven, but other things…actually more important things, has made your presence required here.” “What could possibly be more important?” Seven asked disdainfully. Janeway rose from her desk and circled it. Sitting down on the edge, she studied her flawless boot for a moment before looking up at Seven. “We’re in negotiation with the officials of Vegasol Prime. They control the ports leading to three different wormholes, which would take Voyager thirty-thousand lightyears toward the Alpha Quadrant. I’d say this matter is of higher priority.” “Do we have any proof of these wormholes?” Seven wasn’t prepared to give up her own agenda that easily. “They have not shown up on any astrometric charts.” “I know. These are manually operated wormholes, created by the Vegasol Prime’s superior technology, and if we’re lucky, they might even share that with us.” Janeway spoke quietly, but the words still had impact. “And what is my role in this? Why can we not work on two fronts, so that we may have as you say, plan B, when…if one plan fails?” The disappointment at having been yanked out of her own work, her own attempt at getting Voyager closer to home, still burned in Seven’s midsection.” Janeway stood, her chin turned up as she spoke. “You are to come with me and conduct the negotiations as my esteemed life-partner.” Janeway shrugged. “To put it bluntly, you will stand by my side in this, as my wife.
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