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4 By Gun Brooke
Seven felt the familiar tingle of the transporter beam and when she blinked once more, she found herself standing in a large hallway with deep red walls and gold trimmings around doorways and windows. Tall shields that looked ancient adorned the walls, as did elaborately decorated metal spears. “Welcome to our villa, Captain Janeway. And this is?” A stunning woman approached, dramatically dressed in a green, long flowing dress, also with gold decorations. “This is my life partner, Seven of Nine.” “She’s Borg.” The contempt was obvious and Seven felt her muscles tense up; her nanoprobes ready to launch her limbs into an attack if necessary. “I was Borg,” Seven said curtly. “I am now an individual, with individual goals. My mind is solitary, and I do not wish to ever be connected to the hive mind again.” “We remember the Borg well. Even I do, even if I was a child when they reached our homeworld.” “You are species 4922.” “We are Vegasols, not merely a number.” The woman was now frowning and her long black hair danced on her back as she contemptuously turned to Janeway. “This is the person closest to your heart? This drone?” It was obvious that she thought Janeway could have done better for herself. “Lady Graynce, I assure you, Seven may have some implants left to sustain her, but she is wholly human, and she is indeed very dear to me. I couldn’t imagine my life without her.” Seven blinked at the unexpected words. She knew the captain was playacting, but the way she spoke…either she was very proficient in the art of deception, or she really did care for Seven. “And you?” the Lady Graynce returned her attention to Seven. “How do you feel about Captain Janeway?” Was there nervousness in Janeway’s eyes when she glanced at Seven? Why nervous? Seven laced her fingers behind her back. “Kathryn is the person I am mostly attached to. In the whole universe,” Seven added for good measure. “We are as one.” Janeway coughed. “Yes. We are.” “Very well,” the Lady Graynce said and motioned toward a wide arch. “I will show you your quarters and then you will join me for a morning meal. After that, we will conduct the first set of tests and I, for one, think it will soon show beyond any doubt if your feelings are true.” Seven wondered if she could put on an act as well as Janeway obviously could. Despite the captain’s skill for negotiation and deception, Seven had seen her flinch when she used her first name. It was doubtlessly an act of intimacy. Nobody else but Commander Chakotay called the captain “Kathryn” on board the ship. Walking through vast corridors in the Vegasolian villa, Seven’s eyes kept glancing at Janeway, trying to read her mind, which she knew was impossible. Janeway’s “poker face” as Tom Paris called it, was infamous for its impenetrability. Just then, Janeway looked over at Seven, and then did something entirely shocking. There in the dusky corridor, Kathryn Janeway reached out and took Seven’s hand in hers and kept walking.
To be continued
behind door 5 ...
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