Chapter 19 added on 20 Sept 2000
Disclaimers are in part 1.
Rating: R
As Ani looked on, Dannan wrapped a bandage to keep the healing gel in place around the Borg's thin arm, after he had finished cleaning the wound. His stout hands and fingers were in reality skilled and nimble as he manipulated the material with ease and accuracy. Moka took the basin filled with soap and water to the sink, and emptied it, all the while peering through the window to watch Bey in the back grove. The old woman laughed wickedly at the young woman's expense. Ani had refused to allow the poor woman in the house with the offending boot and had banished her to clean it. Initially, the young Klingon was about to fling it out into the street and be rid of it, until Ani pointed out that it would not be a prudent move, taking into account the hot, scorching sand underfoot everyday. Bey wrinkled her nose at the unpleasant task, as she chipped away at the unwelcome fertilizer with a stick. Lastly, she rinsed the sole with some hot water and plopped the worn boot on the back porch to dry.
B'Elanna entered the house through the extra door to see the newly bandaged arm of Seven of Nine. It was a sight that still bothered her, and when she approached the table, she looked shame-faced in front of the two older persons. She sat pensively at the table, as if waiting for a long lecture from either of them. Moka observed the broad shoulders as they slumped.
"Ani," Moka called to the ex-drone. "Would you please help me with the dishes?"
Sparing a glance at B'Elanna as she got up off her chair, Seven answered, "Of course."
Dannan re-packed the materials he took out from the medical kit, and put the case aside. He had been quiet when he cleaned the wound, but that was his way. He liked to work in silence, to help him concentrate on his task. But now, when that was done, it seemed he needed to come up with something appropriate to say. It worried him and Moka that the two engaged in dangerous activities. Though they had not known the women for long, both Rangoons had developed a quick affection for Bey and Ani. They had filled his house with laughter and tears since their arrival, and when they leave, it would be empty again. Should he show them the fatherly concern that he had been denied the opportunity to give?
"So.... Did you get to make the arrangements you wanted before the fight broke out?" he asked.
B'Elanna swallowed hard so that she could answer. "Yes, Sir."
Since when did he become a "Sir," he mused. Bey stared down at the table, her attention seemingly more interested in tracing the grain of the wood before her with a finger.
"There was a new flock of ships that docked this morning," he mentioned. "It was probably very rowdy at the Hyperdrive today."
"A little." Bey bit her lip anxiously.
"Fights are pretty common there," Dannan noted, his eyes kind in their reflection.
"They are?" B'Elanna asked, poorly masking her surprise before she tried to cover up. "They are,...usually...in those types of places," she agreed, nodding.
"What happened?" he inquired, as he rested his elbows on the table.
Bey froze for a bit before she found her voice again and replied, "A man who tried to buy Ani a drink stumbled onto a nearby table and spilled beer on a bunch of tall, furry creatures."
He let out a brief chuckle. "These things happen. Sometimes we're caught in the middle. When it does, the only thing we can do is look out for each other."
Bey slumped again. "I guess I didn't do a good job of it," she said dejectedly.
Dannan reached out and clasped her on the shoulder. "You did. These--things--happen. And Ani can take care of herself too," he comforted, patting her shoulder softly, as he captured her eyes purposefully.
Moka hoped the conversation resolved the issue for Bey, for she put herself up against such heavy expectations no one demanded of her. Their dinner was ready as she removed the loaf of bread from the oven, filling the room with its aroma. She handed Seven the other dishes so that she could slice the bread.
Seven cleared her throat as she approached the table, a decidedly human gesture she picked up from the Captain on the bridge. B'Elanna got up halfway to take the dishes from her so that she could return to the kitchen for the rest. Seven trusted that by talking to Dannan, B'Elanna could feel better about the afternoon's incident since the Klingon also cared about the opinion of their caretakers, and she was glad Dannan reiterated her thoughts. Finally, everyone gathered around the table for another rich, wonderful meal prepared by Moka to share together. Seven sat next to B'Elanna, and kissed her on the cheek before she picked up a dish to pass around the table. The gesture was not lost on the lieutenant, who finally snapped out of her funk and cheered up, especially when Seven decided to play footsie under the table with her bare foot.
~~~~~~~~
B'Elanna was naked, soaking in the tub, and it was heavenly. The past two days had left her body bruised and somewhat sore, though she never showed any signs of her discomfort. She and Seven wanted to leave the doors open between their room and the washroom so they could keep conversing, but it was already late and they didn't want to disturb Dannan and Moka. Instead, the Borg convinced B'Elanna, who was hesitant at first, to take a bubble bath while she remained in the room with her.
The half-Klingon sat in a round tub of warm water, with the lather covering the surface of the tub, all the way up to her collar, and hiding her naked body from Seven's interested gaze. The blonde planted herself on the stool next to the tub at B'Elanna's feet, and rested one arm on the edge of the tub while her other hand dipped into the warm, soapy water, idly playing with it. She watched as B'Elanna worked the soap around her wet, silky shoulders. All of a sudden B'Elanna slapped her hand away, which she didn't even know had wandered.
"Ani," B'Elanna said warningly, raising a brow.
"Why won't you allow me to bathe you, like you did for me?" she asked, her forehead crinkled in a frown.
"Because,... We wouldn't be able to stop things from progressing further," B'Elanna replied, washing the undersides of her firm breasts, the movement causing Seven to catch her breath.
"And that would be........bad?" Seven concluded, finding the correct colloquial term.
B'Elanna stopped what she was doing, and leaned forward slowly until she was a few centimeters away.
Looking into Seven's blue, shimmering eyes, she said, "No. It'd be good,...too good."
Disappointed, Seven grumbled, "I still do not understand." She truly did not know why B'Elanna did not want to copulate with her, to consummate their relationship, as she had with Ensign Paris.
B'Elanna returned to her original position and rested her head against the rim of the tub, gazing fondly at the woman before her. It was a long time before she answered.
"It's just like watching the sun set, Ani. All things have to follow their natural course."
Seven propped her chin in her other hand, smiling imperceptibly. 'Which is inevitable,' Seven finished quietly in her thoughts, as she returned to playing with the water.
~~~~~~~~
"Glad to have you back on board," Janeway greeted the men as they exited the turbo lift.
"Thank you, Ma'am," accepted Paris, as he walked down the steps to the lower level of the bridge.
"Good work, the both of you."
"Thank you, Captain," Neelix replied modestly, scratching his whiskers. "Although it seems the message came to us."
Chakotay smiled back. It had been a while since the mood struck him.
"Well, whatever you did, it worked. We know where they are, and now we just have to get there," he told them.
"Harry, could you transfer the coordinates to the helm. Tom take us there at Warp 9," commanded Janeway, as both of her bridge officers acknowledged her orders.
They had obtained the coordinates to the planet B'Elanna and Seven had been on for more than a week now, from a passing freighter. Apparently, the two had crashed there and had to purchase the services of a certain "Captain Abcedi" to relay a message for them.
"I'll be in my Ready Room," she added.
Janeway walked over to her haven. She was ecstatic with joy, but she didn't want to show it in front of her crew. She needed to keep a tight control over her emotions because she didn't want to demonstrate what could have been misconstrued as favoritism. Reaching the confines of her chamber, she flopped down onto her couch with relief. The tension and sadness of the past several days seemed to have been lifted. She was still worried since her two crewmembers were as yet to be safely back on the ship, but at least they had finally been located after all the searching they had done. Voyager had passed by the planet a few days ago with no signs of the two women's presence, and had been unable trace the whereabouts of the shuttle either. The women must have hid themselves well among the inhabitants, and that meant they had been hiding from trouble.
Janeway released a big breath, and rubbed her neck while she sauntered over to the replicator for a nice cup of coffee. Sitting at her desk, she thought about seeing her wayward drone again, something she was starting to anticipate. It was times like these that made one appreciate what one had, and Janeway valued her relationship with her Borg. They had formed a mentor-student bond initially, that eventually evolved into a kind of friendship. Seven was one of the few people she spent her off-hours with, which weren't many. She had encouraged the young Borg to embrace her humanity, and now the captain wondered if the ex-drone was ready for more.
~~~~~~~~
The game box chirped away noisily as B'Elanna played it feverishly. The half-Klingon was lying prone on the bed, her legs swinging casually in the air, while Seven was making more use of her time repairing the damaged tricorder. The half-Klingon broke out with an occasional cackle or an odd assortment of grunts and groans, even though Seven was trying hard to concentrate, sincerely working at the night table. What was even more distracting were the quick glimpses of the tone thighs and cotton briefs under the short, gun-metal sleeping gown B'Elanna had changed into. And to her distress, the ex-drone was having her first experience of sexual frustration that had been escalating ever since they had admitted their blossoming feelings for each other. When the lieutenant shrieked again, Seven put her tool down and rose from her chair, approaching B'Elanna from behind in a quiet slink.
"Hey!" B'Elanna cried out, looking over her shoulder when Seven snatched the game away. "No fair! I was about to beat your score."
"Ah, an additional benefit," Seven replied as she carefully put the game aside.
Then Seven turned the half-Klingon over and stretched herself out between the caramel-colored thighs. Beguiled, B'Elanna watched her with a smirk, as the ex-drone climbed up the athletic, yet soft body. Seven reached up and brushed her full lips teasingly against B'Elanna's, then trailed her kisses along the strong jaw.
"Is there something you wanted, Ani?" B'Elanna asked, the humor in her tone evident.
Seven sat up and peered at her curiously, "My attempt at seducing you is not obvious? Is my performance insufficient?"
Laughing, B'Elanna took the sides of Seven's face between her hands and pulled the quirky, yet at this moment, extremely sexy blonde to her waiting lips and tongue.
"Mmm...," B'Elanna moaned as she felt Seven's tongue respond, caressing and swirling around her own.
It would have been so easy to let things progress. Kahless knows how much she wanted to make love to the young Borg, but B'Elanna couldn't. And it wasn't because she never made love to another woman before, although that was still something she kept in mind. Even though her own body was screaming for B'Elanna to comply, the weight of their plans kept her passionate fires in check, both her human and Klingon halves. Instead, B'Elanna returned the young woman's passion with tenderness.
After a few moments of bliss, the half-Klingon rolled them onto their sides. Seven separated from her, pulling a pillow under her head and gazed up at her with intoxicating doe eyes. B'Elanna cupped Seven's alabaster cheek and stroked the warm flesh with her thumb.
"What are you thinking about?" Seven asked, desiring to share whatever bothered her companion.
B'Elanna looked at her suspiciously, "What are you, part Betazoid?"
"I have no Betazoid DNA," Seven replied, puzzled.
"I know... But you seem to be able to read me, and that's scary," the lieutenant said wryly.
"What is preoccupying your thoughts? Please tell me," Seven persisted, grasping hold of B'Elanna's arm.
B'Elanna opened her mouth hesitantly, swallowed, and tried again. "I guess I'm thinking about when we leave here, and having to say goodbye."
Seven nodded in agreement. "I believe I will find it difficult to say goodbye to the friends we have made here."
"We've met some pretty special people, haven't we?" B'Elanna noted wistfully.
"You respect Dannan a great deal," observed Seven, after which B'Elanna threw her a questioning glance. "His approval is important to you. Why?"
The half-Klingon sighed, as she folded her hands under her pillow and snuggled further into the covers. "He reminds me of what's it like to have father. Someone who looks out for you. I had forgotten. And Dannan..., he's such a wise and kind man..., cares unconditionally...."
Her eyes reddened slightly, and B'Elanna tightened her face to keep her emotions under control. "I can't believe it still affects me the way it does."
"You were a young child. You were not emotionally prepared for your loss," Seven responded, trying to comfort her.
"I was five when my mother told me my father had left. I remember wondering why. Why would he leave? I wondered why he didn't love me enough to stay? Why he didn't love me enough to find me? My mother and I moved to Kessick IV afterwards, but it was a Federation colony and my mother did research for the Federation...," B'Elanna continued as tears began to stream down her face. "All I could think of at the time...was that I was Klingon."
B'Elanna covered her face with her hands, not wanting to weep uncontrollably in front of the young Borg. Seven reached forward and kissed her fingertips, hoping to ease the pain and take away the tears. Seven removed B'Elanna's hands, finding her tortured face underneath, and laid sweet, gentle kisses on her eyelids, tasting the salty moisture.
"I'm sorry," the half-Klingon murmured in a hushed but raw voice.
"Do not apologize for your feelings," Seven told her, as she coaxed with a caress B'Elanna to look at her. "I believe I understand them."
Eyes still wet, B'Elanna searched Seven's face thoughtfully.
"After I was severed from the collective, I began to remember events before I was assimilated. And when I read the logs my parents made during their journey towards Borg space, I realized how much they had been willing to sacrifice in pursuit of the Borg. That their research was more important than the well-being of their only child."
Seven pressed ahead and revealed what haunted her deepest thoughts, the thing that she feared the most was true, when she was alone in the quiet of her Cargo Bay. "That, perhaps, they loved their research more than they loved me," she gasped, as her own tears clouded her face.
"Oh, Ani." B'Elanna cradled the trembling young woman to her bosom, and kissed the top of her head, whispering soft reassurances and endearments . The half-Klingon would never in her life wish the same pain upon anyone else, of growing up thinking one was unwanted and less than adequate.
"I know about your parents' logs. They thought what they were doing was safe," B'Elanna comforted. "Your parents loved you, Ani, they really did. But they were only human, and they made a mistake with the only experience they had then. You have to forgive them for it."
At last, Seven calmed with her words, but she still clutched at B'Elanna as if the half-Klingon was a life-preserver and she was drowning.
"Perhaps, we both fault our parents for being human," Seven finally murmured from the safety of B'Elanna's bosom.
Exhausted, the ex-drone fell asleep eventually, but B'Elanna couldn't, her thoughts on the last words Seven uttered. B'Elanna was never more vulnerable than when she talked about her father and her childhood, which was rare. Even Tom and Chakotay never managed to persuade her to tell her truest feelings and most hurtful memories, but one urge from Seven, and she had spilled her guts out. In return, the ex-drone revealed her own painful thoughts to her. As B'Elanna reflected on what was said tonight, she came to a decision that she had to put the past behind her and work on a future with Seven. Seven had spoken the truth, that they blamed their parents for mistakes any human being would have made, even if both of them thought those mistakes happened to be foolish. The best thing she and Seven could do now was not to make the same mistakes for themselves and their loved ones.
B'Elanna sighed and pulled the sleeping Borg into a deeper embrace, wanting to cherish the woman's presence in her arms, in her life. Which is why she didn't want to rush jumping into bed with Seven, a mistake she had made before. Especially not after only a little more than a week together, and not for Seven's first sexual experience.
B'Elanna couldn't believe how much time she had wasted in a relationship that didn't go anywhere. She didn't blame Tom, because, in all honesty, she didn't try very hard either to make their commitment fulfilling, emotionally and physically. However, in less than nine days, she had fallen in love with Seven of Nine and developed a much more intimate relationship. Putting off sleeping, B'Elanna considered this as she brushed away the sweat-matted blonde hair from Seven's face, and she realized they both had far more in common than in differences. And their differences seemed more like advantages, complementing each other in some ways.
As the night wore on, even the half-Klingon couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. It was just too comfortable holding the soft, lithe figure of the young woman in her arms. She cuddled closer, resting her chin on the top of the golden locks, finally falling asleep to the clean, flowery smell, and dreamed of happier memories, many of them revolving around the blue-eyed Borg.
~~~~~~~~
"Why are we closing the shop earlier than its usual designated time, Dannan?" Ani inquired, as she stood, hands linked behind her back, while she observed the man putting away his instruments hurriedly.
She and B'Elanna had woken early to clean their room and the house, hoping to show their gratitude to Dannan and Moka for allowing them to stay and become part of the household. Now they had completed part of their work at Dannan's workshop by mid-afternoon.
"Today I have to leave early, Ani," replied Dannan, anticipation in his voice. "A group of my friends and acquaintances have a game of Terraball at around this time of the month out in the abandoned airfields. You and Bey are welcome to come along," he invited.
Seven looked at B'Elanna, who had just returned form the back lot after storing away a few repaired droids and caught the end of the conversation. She knew it would be nice for the lieutenant to spend some time with the man. The ex-drone was dressed lightly for a day in the sun anyhow, wearing a long belted, sleeveless, olive tunic and sandals.
"That would be acceptable," she answered. She perceived she had made the right choice when she saw the smile emerge from B'Elanna's lips.
~~~~~~~~
Seven and B'Elanna rested on the artificial turf along the side lines of the field where they watched the game unfold. Two teams of aliens of various species, including a few Rangoons and Nokks, and of varying ages, were playing against each other in a game of Terraball, which, B'Elanna concluded, resembled the old Earth sport, soccer. She had seen a few competitions on Tom's television set, and had recognized the similar rules and player positions.
At least B'Elanna found the patch of grass she had wished for, Seven mused as she leaned up against a large rock that shadowed them from the hot sun that hung high in the sky over the field. B'Elanna sat next to her, cheering Dannan's team on whenever she was not explaining to Seven the finer points of the game. The half-Klingon had pulled off her boots and rolled up her dark colored trousers to relax. A fair number of people were actually watching along the sidelines with them, family members no doubt of the players themselves. Many had infants and children with them, the smaller ones more preoccupied with teasing and chasing each other around rather than paying attention to the game. Not unlike what she and B'Elanna had been doing all along on board Voyager was the funny thought that came to her mind, as she smiled at the sight.
A stray ball was shot out of bounds and rolled over to were B'Elanna and Seven sat. B'Elanna disentangled her legs from Seven's, picked up the animal-skin, stood, and cast it smoothly overhand to one of the forward players, a surprised Norcadian. The Nokks on the playing field smirked.
B'Elanna turned back to rejoin Seven on the grass when she heard, "Do you want to play?"
A fleeting expression of child-like wonder and delight flickered across the half-Klingon's face, but not before Seven caught a glimpse. Seven realized something special had just happened. Dannan jogged over to see what was going on.
Eyes wide like saucers, B'Elanna looked incredulously towards the Norcadian and Dannan. Overcoming her speechlessness, she answered, "I would really like to but I don't want to leave Ani...," gesturing to Seven.
The Borg stood and walked over to B'Elanna. Gazing at her warmly, Seven told her, "Go. I will watch you."
B'Elanna clasped her hand tightly for a brief moment as they grinned at each other, then the lieutenant ran over to pull on her boots, and rolled her pants down before she took her place on the field. Dannan wanted her near him in the forward positions. Seven slowly made her way up the field so she could get a good view of B'Elanna playing, moving between the little children that seemed to take joy in hiding behind her tall legs. She picked up the loose linen shirt that B'Elanna had thrown off, and watched as the Klingon sprinted down the field, sweat already glistening off her bare shoulders, drenching her tank top. Dannan caught her pass, and weaved his way around the opposing team players, controlling the ball with his big feet.
"Fzzzz.......fzzzzzwwwzzzrrrrrtttttttt.....fzzzzeven of Nine."
Shocked, Seven stood frozen, before she recognized what was happening.
"FZZZZZRwwwwwwzzrrrrrrzzzzzzzz. This is Captain Janeway to Lt. Torres, please respond..."
Seven scrambled for the inside of her tunic. Each day she had placed her comm badge on the inside of her clothes, perhaps out of habit, perhaps out of hope, as did B'Elanna. Seven walked away from the small crowd towards a deserted cluster of rocks, and now she stared at the comm badge, not knowing what to do or say. Finally, her years of experience with the Federation crew kicked in and she tapped the comm badge.
-Chirp-
"Seven of Nine here, Captain."
There was a brief pause, before the Captain's throaty answer came through. "Seven, it's good to hear your voice. Are you alright and where is B'Elanna?"
"To answer your first question, Captain, I am doing well. And B'Elanna is currently indisposed as she is participating in a sporting event." Seven swore she could hear laughing in the background as she waited for a response.
Janeway dipped her head to keep herself from joining her helmsman and Ops officer in a bout of chuckles. Seven was obviously her normal self but oddly, the captain couldn't help but catch her use of Lt. Torres' first name. There must be an interesting story behind it, she considered. Regardless, Janeway just wanted her crewmembers safely back on board her ship and to warp out of this part of space as soon as possible.
"We're ready to beam you both aboard. Please get B'Elanna out of the game," Janeway informed, a hint of amusement in her tone.
Seven took a deep breath and risked asking, "Captain,...the lieutenant and I have unfinished business on the planet. I would like to request that you allow us to stay for one more day so that we may complete our tasks, before we beam aboard." She added, "We are in no current danger here."
Chakotay glanced curiously at Janeway, who had arched her own brows in wonderment. The rest of the bridge were also amazed, since they assumed that their missing crewmates would have been anxious to return home to Voyager, as much as they were anxious to have them back.
"All right, permission granted, Seven. You have twenty-four hours. Contact us when you are ready to be transported. We'll keep a lock on you both at all times," Janeway replied.
"Thank you, Captain. May I request one more item?.... Could you beam down a holo imager at my coordinates," Seven asked nervously, peering about to make sure she was alone.
Janeway crinkled her brow, but smirk. That was definitely odd for Seven, but she was willing to indulge. Janeway had a lot of questions though, that the Borg had better be able to answer when she did see her.
The captain signed to Harry at Ops, and hailed, "He's sending one down now."
To be continued....