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Janeway/Seven Advent Calendar Story 2007
Janeway’s Odyssey
By Gun Brooke 24 Seven stood in her quarters, the slight tingle of rematerialization emphasizing the remnants of sexual arousal. Feeling her body cool rapidly, Seven walked into her en suite bathroom, placed her comm badge on the sink and shed her bio suit on the floor, which she distractedly noted was unlike her. She disliked tardiness as much as she did being what Naomi Wildman called a “slob.” Ordering a sonic shower, Seven regretted it instantly and switched to a aqua shower. She needed the hot water to rinse the feeling of Kathryn Janeway from her skin. She realized it was a futile endeavor, since Kathryn’s fingerprints had left imprints not only on her skin, but on her heart, years ago. “Ensign Wildman to Seven of Nine.” Seven groaned at her friend’s request to communicate. She reached outside the shower stall and tapped her comm badge. “Seven here.” “I heard you were back. Are you all right?” Samantha sounded concerned and Seven regretted her exasperation earlier. “I am all right,” she said slowly. “Have you met Janeway yet?” “No. She’s still talking to Chakotay in the ready room. Nobody else knows anything. This is such great news, and I’m bursting to tell someone. I honestly thing I’m worse than Naomi.” “Nobody is worse than Naomi,” Seven said and grabbed a towel off the rack. “I heard that,” a faint voice said over the comm badge. Seven had to smile. She caught her reflection in the mirror as she did, and winced at the sparkling blue of her eyes. No matter how apprehensive she felt, her entire system was jittery with anticipation and hope. “You there, Seven?” Samantha asked. “It’s just us now. Naomi is doing homework and I closed the door to her bedroom. Tell me now, how did the first encounter go. Did you level with her?” Seven cringed. Samantha qualified as her best friend, with B’Elanna not far behind. The three women had spent a lot of time together, especially after Samantha and B’Elanna’s successful campaign in getting Seven to “open up.” No doubt, Samantha was still on that quest, and Seven knew she would not take no for an answer. “We talked.” “And?” “At first it appeared Kath—Janeway, had missed me as much as I missed her, and for a moment I allowed myself to believe her.” Seven went back into the bedroom and tossed the comm badge and the towel on the bed. She replicated a new bio suit, this time a blue and grey one, and began to dress. “I should have known it was futile. She desired me, but that was all, and we eventually ended up lashing out against each other.” “Oh, Seven. It sounds hurtful, either way. Let’s examine this, though. Janeway comes back to us after more than four years, and the first thing that happens is that she is thrown headlong into a rendezvous with you, the woman she’s pined for all those years on Voyager.” “Pined for?” Seven stopped in the middle of dressing. “How can you possibly know anything on what Janeway felt or did not feel back then. Or now, for that matter.” “B’Elanna and I always knew. Once she severed you from the collective, and you began to regain your humanity, she was beyond rescuing.” Samantha paused. “I’m not telling you what to do, or how to feel, honey, but please give her a little leeway. She’s gone through hell, without a doubt, during these last four years. Can you imagine waking up and realizing that you’re left behind?” “No. I have tried, but it is too painful to consider. The thought of it happening to Kathryn, is tormenting.” Seven softened inside at Samantha’s advise. She had learned over the years that Samantha’s intuition, if entirely illogical at times, rarely missed its mark. “I will try to talk to her again before she addresses the crew.” Suddenly in a hurry, Seven fastened the back clasp of the bio suit and did her hair, wet as it was, in her usual twist. “Thank you, Samantha. Seven out.” She hurried toward the bridge, running every three, four steps toward the elevator. Stepping inside, she could hear her heart hammer in her chest, even feeling it race, thrashing against her ribs. Seven entered the bridge and headed for the ready room. She was about to buss the chime when Chakotay’s voice was heard over the ship wide comm system. “All hands, this is your captain. Your shore leaves have been revoked without explanation, other than it had to do with ship’s business. No matter what you are doing or what your task at hand may be, I need everyone to go to shuttle bay one immediately.” Seven took a deep breath. She knew she didn’t have much time. She pressed the sensor to the left of the door and the chime rang. There was a slight delay and Seven figured that Chakotay confirmed her identity before he unlocked the door. “Seven,” he greeted her, looking mildly surprised at her wet hair. “Captain.” Seven looked around, mystified, since he was alone. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it hard around the words when Kathryn came out of the bathroom. “Seven!” “Kathryn. I have to talk to you before you address the crew.” “I don’t think I can stand another talk like the one we just had.” Kathryn looked frazzled and she adjusted her long braid with unsteady hands. “It would not be like it was planet side. We are back on Voyager.” Seven saw that Kathryn did not understand. “We are in our right element. Home. If the captain would give us but a moment’s opportunity, I would make it brief and to the point. You would not regret it. Please. “ Seven knew she set herself up for heart ache, but she had no other alternative. “Of course, Seven. We have to give the crew time to reach shuttle bay two anyway,” Chakotay said smilingly. “I’ll be on the bridge.” Chakotay left the ready room and Seven locked the door with a Borg encrypted code. “That’s reassuring,” Kathryn said with a wan smile. “You still use your own, perfected codes. “And according to Samantha Wildman, you are still “pining” for me after all these years. She claims you always did.” Seven stepped closer, but didn’t touch Kathryn. Kathryn looked like she might bolt any second and Seven knew she had to keep talking, convince her. “I was blinded by my own hurt, to really consider yours, and I couldn’t let you make any decisions about your future based on erroneous information, professional or personal.” “Erroneous?” Kathryn looked confused. “No matter whether you resume being captain of this vessel, Kathryn, I want you to know exactly how I feel about you.” Seven trembled so hard now that she was certain it was visible to Kathryn. “I cannot imagine my life without. When I thought you were dead, for all those years, I had to push myself to go on. I made friends, but part of me were always hollow. Only you can fill that void. Only you, my Kathryn.” _______________________________________________________________
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