Chapter 10 added on 11 July 2000
Disclaimers are in part 1.
Rating: R
B'Elanna ran all the way back to the house, with Dannan in tow, berating herself along the way for leaving the Borg when she knew something was wrong. She was responsible for Seven on this away mission. It was her duty to watch over her fellow crewmember as Janeway would have. 'How could I have been so stupid?' B'Elanna tore through the house, finding Moka and Seven in their room. She went straight to Seven's bedside.
Taking the Seven's face between her hands, she called out, "Ani," repeatedly, until the Borg's eyes fluttered open. Her body began to spasm, and her speech was incoherent, nothing more than a string of unrelated words. B'Elanna held onto Seven until her spasms subsided briefly. Taking out the tricorder, she scanned the Borg, confirming her worst suspicions. Seven's cranioneural implants were depolarizing, leading to a cascade of failures her nanoprobes couldn't keep up with. She was going to lose Seven. The thought brought on tears of panic, as she struggled between being overwhelmed by her emotions of fear and despair, and maintaining her concentration.
"Dannan, do you have any instruments for neural optic networks?" she asked desperately, tears brimming.
"Yes," he replied tersely, already sprinting to his workshop.
"What happened, Moka?" B'Elanna wiped away the tears with the back of her hand.
"We were out on the porch, talking, when I noticed a long pause of silence. I asked her a question, but she did not answer me. At first, I thought she had fallen asleep out on the bench, looking as tired as she was. Then I took a closer peek, and saw that she had her eyes closed, but was mumbling things I couldn't understand, sometimes in a different language. I told her she needed to get up, to help me to get her back to the bed for safety," Moka described, obviously distressed by what she had witnessed.
She continued, "She seemed to understand my intention. I was able to get her to the bed, and I rushed to call Dannan on our communicator, knowing he'd be at the shop. It's been worsening ever since."
Dannan came back into the room with the equipment in hand. B'Elanna took the box from him, and found what she was looking for. B'Elanna steadied herself, thinking back to what the Doctor told her nine months ago. She pried open the outer casing to Seven's ocular implant, and scanning with the tricorder, proceeded to access Seven's neural network with an optical stylus. Seven began to tremble again.
"Dannan, could you hold Ani still for me?" B'Elanna requested.
"Of course, Bey." Dannan joined B'Elanna at the bedside, keeping Seven from moving, while B'Elanna worked at the delicate task.
"Careful, Dannan. She can be quite strong at times," B'Elanna warned. Then she whispered to Seven her pleas. "Stay with me, Seven. Don't you leave me."
B'Elanna spent hours stabilizing the cortical synapses so that they could repolarize, reconnecting important interlinks, and creating backups within the implants. Seven's spasms also subsided slowly, but she remained stuporous, and eventually lapsed into unconsciousness. B'Elanna reached the point where there was nothing left to do but wait.
"Will she be alright?" asked Moka, with concern written all over her weary, worn face.
"I don't know," B'Elanna replied honestly, never having attempted this procedure before.
B'Elanna put her face in her hands, wondering if she had even done the right thing. Dannan watched as her shoulders began to shake. He reached out to put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her, but she turned, taking Seven into her arms. Her sobs were audible now. He sighed, and stood up, walking over to Moka, enfolding her in an embrace and removing her from the room, lest her old wounds reopened as well.
~~~~~~~~
B'Elanna sat on the floor, curled against the bed, with her knees bent and her head propped up on her elbow, as she listened to Seven's even breathing. She never thought she'd cry again, like the way she did when she found out her father left. Everything was so confusing - their relationship, the situation they were in, her feelings for Seven.
"B'Elanna?" A mumble came.
At first B'Elanna thought she was imagining things, but then she got up and sat on the bed, finding Seven's eyes open and unfocused but looking at her.
"Seven?..."
Seven tried to get up, but found she couldn't move much. B'Elanna held her down gently.
"Don't try to move just yet," the lieutenant instructed softly, tucking her back under the covers.
Seven gazed up at B'Elanna. The Klingon's expression was stoic, but her eyes, Seven observed, appeared haunted and red.
"What has happened?" she asked, wondering why B'Elanna was behaving so strangely toward her. She thought their relationship had moved past the distancing.
B'Elanna could not lie. "Your neural synapses had begun to depolarize. They're stable now."
"How were you able to repair the damage?" Seven questioned, not wanting to let the matter go.
"I accessed your cortical array through your ocular implant," B'Elanna replied curtly.
"What is wrong, B'Elanna?" Seven entreated because the half-Klingon would not look at her.
"Nothing. You should rest now."
B'Elanna was attempting to deceive her. After three days of being with the Klingon, Seven found that she could interpret the lieutenant's actions far better than before. She sensed that something had occurred which disturbed the woman greatly, and now B'Elanna was trying to suppress her feelings. 'Did the threat of my death cause this,' Seven wondered.
"You promised you would never abandon me," recalled Seven. "But I cannot promise you the same. And for that...I am sorry."
Seven watched as B'Elanna remained expressionless, save for one single brow that twitched. B'Elanna closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them, she let the tension out of her body. She never thought she'd see those blue eyes looking back at her so brilliantly again. The Klingon reached over and cupped the Borg's face, lightly caressing her cheek with her thumb. Then aware of what she was doing, B'Elanna withdrew her hand, just in time as someone knocked on the door.
"Come in," B'Elanna invited, before the situation became awkward.
Moka shuffled in along with Dannan right behind her. They kept away initially, allowing B'Elanna time to express her emotions in private. Dannan did not want to intrude until he heard the muffled sounds of voices conversing. They were both elated to see Seven awake and alert, and told them as much. For now, it seemed that Seven was better to their relief.
"Bey, were you able to make any arrangements today?" Dannan inquired, not wanting them to dwell on what had occurred.
"Yes,...Bey, I would like to know what our situation is," Seven added, as they all helped her sit up.
"I was only able to speak with one of the freighter pilots this afternoon, but he wanted credits. I'll try to find another deal again tomorrow, but I think I need to come up with some other idea," B'Elanna noted.
"I was thinking about that. I have a friend who trades in all sorts of equipment. Since you're so good with repairing things, he may have something that he'd be willing to barter," Dannan suggested.
"A subspace transmitter?" offered Seven, catching on to what the man was thinking.
"Exactly," he acknowledged. "And I'll go to the watering hole, and see if I can find a better deal for you. Some of them are my customers. They might be willing to do me a favor."
B'Elanna smiled. This man was a gem. Maybe this was what it felt like to have a father, someone looking out for her best interests. "Sounds like a plan to me."
"If everything's worked out, then I think it's time for Ani to rest," Moka chimed in.
"You're right as always, Moka," chuckled Dannan.
"Perhaps I should run a bath for you, my dear. I know your muscles have been sore, but you have remained quiet about it," she chided.
B'Elanna looked at Seven questioningly. Seven hadn't complained once since the injuries occurred, but instead, always asked the lieutenant about her condition. From now on, B'Elanna wasn't going to let Seven hide her suffering behind a cool Borg exterior if she could help it, even if she had to be a major pain.
"I feel some discomfort, but it is minor. You do not need to be concerned with it," she brushed off, not wanting to be the center of attention. She was Borg, and she would not be weak.
B'Elanna frowned at Seven disapprovingly, and told Moka, "I'll get the bath ready, and help her with it."
"I assumed you would," she said knowingly. She sniffed the room. "Both of you definitely need it."
~~~~~~~~
Sitting in the washroom, Seven observed as B'Elanna stripped down to her underwear. The ex-drone was already covered with only a towel, resting on a stool against the wall, and waiting for the bathtub to fill as Moka instructed. She could never quite get used to seeing the half-Klingon without her clothing, as the play of skin and muscle always seemed to fascinate her. B'Elanna's body was lean and muscular, yet retained the right amount of soft flesh that hid as well as hinted at the underlying power, unlike her own body that was deceptively thin. She could almost reach out and touch the cocoa skin, if only her body would comply.
B'Elanna took a deep breath, running a Vulcan mantra over and over again in her head, hoping she wouldn't do anything stupid like gawk at the beautiful blonde's body. She turned around, meeting Seven's lingering gaze, second for second. Then she knelt and lifted a naked Borg into her arms, and carried her over to the tub. Gingerly, she lowered Seven into the perfectly warmed water. It was a sensation Seven had never felt before, easing the weight of her bones away, and soothing her cramped muscles. B'Elanna watched as subtle expressions of delight and astonishment flickered over Seven's face.
"Feels okay?" B'Elanna asked.
"Yes," Seven answered, smiling slightly up at the lieutenant.
The Klingon picked up a washcloth and began to lather it with soap, steeling herself for the task. Oh, who was she kidding. She was looking forward to touching Seven, even though she scolded herself for such thoughts. The first time her hand brushed over the soft, smooth, pale skin, B'Elanna felt her knees buckle. Slowly, she washed Seven's back for her, trying to massage away the tension she felt in those muscles, gliding over the implants, that did nothing to mar the perfection. B'Elanna could feel the same malleable metal, as in Seven's left hand, outlining her lower rib cage and wrapping around her waist. She tilted Seven's head back, holding her behind the neck, and began washing through the luxurious blonde tresses. The sweet scent of the soap already permeated Seven's hair and skin. Then B'Elanna rinsed the lather away, careful not to let the substance drip past the fine brows.
When Seven finally leaned back, the Klingon hesitated, not sure if it was alright to proceed with the front, but Borg looked up at her expectantly. B'Elanna began at her neck, lathering with long strokes, and then moved lower, rubbing the knotted shoulders. As B'Elanna proceed down her chest, Seven raised her hand up to grip the edge of the tub, analyzing the multitude of autonomic responses coursing through her body. Just like the time B'Elanna applied the salve to her skin, the lieutenant became so absorbed in her task that she did not notice how close their faces were to each other. When B'Elanna brushed over her left breast, Seven closed her eyes to the strange, electrifying sensations. She felt herself flush all over, and wondered if B'Elanna noticed her reaction.
B'Elanna lathered the cloth again, and slowly made her way down the taut stomach. She tried not to dwell on how supple the flesh felt under her hand, how full and heavy the breasts were, or how the large, pink nipples stiffened under her ministrations. Gradually, her hand descended, reaching deeper under the water until she could almost touch the top of Seven's sex, which was completely bare. Apparently, the Doctor had not found it necessary to stimulate the hair follicles there. She pulled away from Seven's sex though, not having the courage yet, not knowing if she could tempt herself. Instead she lifted one of Seven's long, slender legs and glided the washcloth over and under, making her way back to the inner thigh. Then she repeated the same massage to the other leg, taking her time, until there was nowhere else to go. B'Elanna caressed the inner thigh closest to her, stroking back and forth until finally one stroke went further than before. It was only a brief moment as B'Elanna passed over the lips once, maybe twice, and then gone.
Seven didn't even know she had closed her eyes once again. When she opened them, she was staring straight into the Klingon's intense, desire-drugged gaze. B'Elanna's hand had stopped, resting on one of her knees. Almost imperceptibly, B'Elanna moved forward, closing the small distance between their faces, and kissed the Borg on the lips, slowly and sensually, just wanting to feel the texture. Becoming aware of what she was doing, B'Elanna retreated, but Seven pressed forward, wanting the kiss to linger.
Finally breaking away, the lieutenant stammered an apology. "I...I...I'm so sorry, Seven."
"Why do you apologize? I wish to continue this activity," Seven implored, searching B'Elanna's face for answers.
"No, I...We can't. I feel like I'm taking advantage of you," she explained. "You've been ill, and practically delirious for the past several hours. You can barely move, and I'm supposed to be helping you with your bath. It's just not appropriate." She was completely flustered.
Seven was disappointed. However, seeing the other woman's uneasiness, she decided to acquiesce. She was certain that her cognitive capabilities were functioning normally. B'Elanna expressed sexual interest in her, and Seven was equally interested in the Klingon. But she supposed that human mating rituals were complex.
"I will comply, as you have more experience in such matters. But you had my consent..." Seven tried to convey as much in the look she gave B'Elanna.
B'Elanna nodded, understanding the significance of the admission, but not ready to address what it meant about the relationship between her and Seven.
"Let's get you out of the tub. The water's getting a bit cold."
She reached in and picked up the wet Borg in her arms, then sat her back on the stool. She rinsed Seven off with a clean bucket of heated water, watching as the water streamed and dripped down over the long length of the body. B'Elanna wrapped Seven in a clean towel, and proceeded to dry her blonde hair reverently. The lieutenant tensed slightly when Seven leaned her face against her bare tummy, but then relaxed, allowing the physical contact. At last, they reached the cot, and B'Elanna dressed Seven in her bed clothes so that she could go to sleep. The half-Klingon made sure Seven was comfortable before returning to the washroom.
Removing the last of her clothing, she ducked her own body in the mildly warm water, and enjoyed a nice but brief bath herself, finally cleaning away the sweat of the past few days. By the time she got to bed, Seven was already asleep. B'Elanna was actually relieved since she wasn't ready to talk about what just happened. She laid awake gazing at Seven, occasionally reaching out to caress an arm or a cheek, unable to help herself. Thinking over the events of the past few days, B'Elanna realized she had become increasingly affectionate with the Borg. 'Oh, Kahless! What the hell am I doing? I'm seducing the Captain's girlfriend.'
The lieutenant had to get Seven back to Voyager. That was not an option, as Seven needed the medical attention. And whatever their relationship was here on the planet, it would change once they returned. Seven would always belong to the Captain, and she would only be left with a memory. Her heart ached as she looked at Seven, unable to deny what she felt for the beautiful, exceptional woman any longer.
B'Elanna cuddled closer the slumbering Borg, wanting to hold her again like she did minutes ago. She nuzzled her face against Seven's forehead, and whispered something she would never risk saying aloud when the ex-drone was awake.
"I think I'm in love with you."
To be continued....