Gun Brooke's Janeway/Seven Advent Calendar 2009
Disclaimer: Paramount owns Star Trek Voyager and it's original characters, and I'm only borrowing them to play with a little. No dollars (or any other currency) made - and no copyright infringement intended.
Sleepless in Space
Door 6
Seven refused to waste ship’s resources on another site-to-site transport.
Janeway tried to convince her that she needed to conserve energy until her
systems had stabilized or Harry Kim had fixed her alcove, but Seven was her
usual stubborn self.
“All right,” Janeway muttered. “I’ll walk with you.”
“I can manage. I am familiar with the location of your quarters.” Seven squared
her shoulders and clasped her hands behind her back.
“I’m sure you do, after all our philosophical discussions.” Janeway knew she
sounded curt, but her concern for Seven caused her frustration to grow.
“Exactly.”
They left sickbay, ushered by a fidgety Doctor, who offered to escort them as
well. Seven declined, which Janeway was oddly grateful for.
“You’re not going to object using the turbo lift, are you?” Janeway joked,
trying to lighten the mood as they made their way through the corridor, nodding
to occasional crew members.
“No. I do not wish to brave the Jeffrey’s tubes quiet yet.” Seven glanced at
Janeway. “You’re being facetious.”
“I am.” Janeway had to smile at Seven’s barely masked exasperation. “Here we are
then.” They had reached the turbo lift, and stepping inside, Janeway suddenly
felt it was far too small for the two of them. This was of course ridiculous,
since a turbo lift could transport several people comfortably. Now the air in
the lift seemed thick and humid, and Janeway had to control the urge to have the
computer run a diagnostic on the life support system.
“I wish to return to my duties as soon as possible, Captain,” Seven said. At
first glance, she looked her normal self, but it was obvious to Janeway, perhaps
since she knew Seven so well, that she was not. Small tremors reverberated
through Seven’s body, and her alabaster skin was even paler than usual. Her eyes
seemed duller, and the human one was still bloodshot.
“I know you do, Seven. Believe me, I’m the first to understand how you feel. The
Doctor wants you to find a routine that works first. We still don’t know why
your alcove rejects you. Harry Kim can’t find what’s wrong with it. All scans
and diagnostics come back flawless.”
“I am aware of this. I have read the reports.”
“You have? I thought you actually rested in sickbay?”
Seven had the good taste to blush faintly. “I woke up and the Doctor was off
line. I…I was bored.”
Janeway regarded Seven closely. “And a little afraid?”
“No.” Seven relented. “Perhaps. A little.”
“Who can blame you?” Janeway stepped out of the turbo lift at deck three,
waiting for Seven to join her. “Now, I want you to regard my quarters as
our quarters. There isn’t anything
you can’t use or look at. We know each other quite well, and I have nothing that
is ‘off limits’ in there. Feel free to rummage through the cabinets and the
closets.” She smiled at Seven’s baffled look.
“Why would I go through your personal affects?” Seven frowned.
“Human curiousity?”
“I think not.”
“All right. Feel free to disregard any of my things, then.” Janeway stopped at
the door. “Computer, allow Seven of Nine access to the captain’s quarters, via
voice command or via code.”
“Seven
of Nine, please enter personal code to the captain’s quarters.”
Seven hesitated and for a moment, Janeway thought the tall ex-Borg was blinking
away tears, but then she punched in a series of commands.
“Am I going to be able to enter after my duty shift is over, or am I going to
have to decipher a Borg algorithm?” Janeway asked, raising an eyebrow.
“You cannot be too safe with security codes…ah…you are being facetious again.”
Seven looked as if she was debating her captain’s taste in humor.
“I am, and I’m sorry. I shouldn’t tease you.”
They entered the captain’s quarters and Seven stopped just inside the door,
taking them in as if she saw them for the first time.
“What’s wrong, Seven?”
“I am uncertain. I am supposed to stay here to learn to develop a human sleep
pattern. I wonder if attempting sleep on the couch will make it impossible.”