Chapter 4 added on 21 Dec 2001
Disclaimers are in part 1.
Rating: PG13
Kathryn hadn't slept, it was now 0400, almost 24 hours after her crewmembers had disappeared, and there were still no leads. They weren't dead, they hadn't been taken, they just weren't there.
She rubbed her eyes tiredly and dug into her fourteenth cup of coffee, dimly aware she should eat something, but knowing her stomach would only rebel if she tried. Sitting there on her Ready room sofa she kept playing those last seconds over and over in her head, remembering Seven's face. Her beloved Seven, even the thought bought a smile to her face.
There had been no sudden shock, no big declaration, just a gradual realisation that she hurt less, and Seven smiled more when they with each other. That the loneliness that permeated both their lives faded in each others company, that they complimented each other, mentally adept, emotionally contained but with so much passion to give.
Their first time had been glorious. An away mission on some otherwise forgettable planet where Janeway had tried to convince Seven that fish were a valuable food source and they should attempt to catch some. Finally in vexation at her stolid protests over the "inefficient nature of this exercise" Kathryn had pushed her into the lake to see how easy they were to 'secure' for herself.
Seven had emerged, soaking and spluttering, a dangerous glint in her eyes and in self-preservation Kathryn had hailed Voyager requesting an emergency beam out straight to her quarters, but Seven had reached her, and the beam had enveloped them both.
Back in her quarters Kathryn had bolted for her bedroom, intending to lock the door, shocked at her childish behaviour yet spurred on by it and the delighted giggle that had risen up in her throat. Seven's long reach had snagged her though and they tumbled onto the bed.
"Kathryn" Seven's voice was an ominous growl, " I am wet" she said with much distaste.
Unable or unwilling to sensor herself Kathryn had smirked and replied, "There are worse things to be."
"Indeed" Seven's voice dropped to a husky whisper, as she reached behind her and unfastened her biosuit, allowing it to fall from her shoulders and expose the pale skin beneath. "Perhaps you could be of some assistance in the matter?" she had suggested as her lips brushed over Kathryn's. Lost in the unexpected eroticism of the moment Kathryn had wrapped an arm around Seven pulling her nearer, the other hand pushing the biosuit down as she dimly felt Seven's enhanced appendage rip her yellow cotton sun dress in half. Then the contact was too intense and she slipped into a blissful haze.
Six months ago, Kathryn mused, by nature both of them were private people and had seen no need to announce their blossoming relationship to the crew, but they had recently been more obvious, tired as Seven had put it, "Of pretending that there is something to shameful to be seen."
Hence their rather public trip to the holodeck, an elegant evening that had finally been overwhelmed by the fierce desire that infused them both as they had danced and dined, given and taken, offered and received each others love. It had been magical.
Now she was alone again and desperately worried, "Oh Seven" whispered Kathryn to the empty room, "Be careful my darling, be well".
The door chime interrupted her plea and without waiting to be acknowledged Chakotay burst in. "I think I now where they are!" he exclaimed excitedly.
"How is it possible for you to snore so loudly?" Seven was irritated, B'Elanna's rumblings had woken her three times during the night and now five hours later she was tired and grouchy.
"I bet 'Kathryn' doesn't snore." B'Elanna raised herself up of the thin mattress and looked at Seven.
Last night they had indeed found some signs of civilisation, the park had bordered a busy if dismal square, where they had spied a collection of old motorcars and people dressed appropriately for the 1920's era. Off to one side of it they had found a pawn shop, and after assessing the situation Seven had reluctantly agreed to pawn the black pearl earrings she had been wearing, an anniversary gift from Kathryn she had explained reluctantly, to B'Elanna's quiet consideration. Another indication of how close the two were.
They had taken their "woefully inadequate monetary return" around the square, buying more fitting dresses from a grubby shop with no sign and then a brief hunt had produced a motel. However due to the 'Cubs' whatever that meant it was almost booked out and there was only one room available for the night.
So this was where they now found themselves, B'Elanna still lying on the thin double bed, a beige sheet pulled up around her. Seven had insisted she buy something to wear to bed and had also agreed to the condition, they had headed back to the small clothes shop and then pointedly avoided each other, heading for opposite ends of the small establishment, weaving through the racks and hangers, boxes and dust. Ironically they had both settled on wearing cotton men's shirts, Seven's in white, B'Elanna's in blue but each had been too stubborn to change their minds when they spied the others selection. So they now wore matching sleepwear.
Seven sat in a green armchair, in one corner of the room, resting against a wall covered in brown vertical striped wallpaper that was peeling from the ceiling in various places. The carpet was also beige, plain and thin, with an incongruous red rug across the centre, concealing an old stain that looked suspiciously like blood and a chalk outline. Seven had been awake for a while and was now glaring at B'Elanna.
"Lieutenant lets 'get something straight', I will not tolerate any reference to Kathryn that is in anyway mocking or derogatory."
"Or else what?" asked B'Elanna full of bravado
"Or else I will leave you here." Threatened Seven. B'Elanna backed down a little, realising she was far more likely to figure things out with Seven's help, "I don't know what she sees in you anyway" the Klingon mumbled.
"No, I have often wondered that too." Seven's voice was quiet and her gaze introspective, not really speaking to B'Elanna just acknowledging a puzzle, "At first I could not understand why she found me attractive. Then I was baffled by her behaviour towards me, teasing and engaging in conflict, I thought that she was displeased with me in someway for she argues with me constantly, and I wondered if I dissatisfied her so why was this in odds to her other actions? And why did she continue to 'see' me. Eventually I realised it was because she wished both to provoke my emotions, but also to show me that in this we were equals. Both of us alone for too long."
Seven raised her head, noticing B'Elanna again, who sat amazed by the revealed information, "I find that she is most beautiful each morning, strongest when she holds me and at her most gentle when she loves me. And I, I am alive when I am with her, and this does not hurt so much." She stared down at her Borg forearm; "I miss her so much already."
B'Elanna stood, walking from the bed over to Seven and kneeling in front of the chair, awed to realise that while she had missed Tom's familiar presence it was nothing compared to the desperate ache Seven was feeling at the Captain's absence. "I didn't realise" she said gently, "I'm sorry Seven, I had no right to judge your relationship."
Seven smiled slightly, tilting her head and accepting the engineer's apology. Then taking a literal as well as figurative deep breath she rose up from the chair.
"We should eat and then try to find some answers." And with that she turned and walked into the bathroom, taking the second of her newly purchased dresses with her.
B'Elanna shrugged and drew her own dress on, having showered the night before. That had been a unique experience, from a dripping shower head, lukewarm water had spattered on to her, run down a mouldy curtain and soaked the floor. Much to Seven's displeasure. Still she thought with a shrug, breakfast sounded good.
Seven stepped out of the bathroom, her hair still wet a towel over her shoulders, "Proceed Lieutenant, I will join you as soon as I can."
B'Elanna shrugged and in a rare moment of frank and non-aggressive honesty commented, "Damn Seven, you do look good in that." Then she turned heading for the door, missing the slight blush that rose up on Seven's cheeks.
In the light of day the small inconsistencies were more noticeable, the furniture outside the café B'Elanna had chosen to eat at wasn't quite right. The clothes worn by the people crossing the square in front of her were a little too new, and she was sure denim wasn't worn by anyone, especially not men out with their families. It appeared to be a Saturday, a sunny if crisp day at that, with leaves falling from the maple and cedar trees that dotted the flat sidewalks as they hugged the cobbled streets over which, cars from various eras intermittently clattered. The newspaper that had been lying on the table when she had sat down was written in an unknown language, though the menu was clearly legible to her, as were the shop signs. Even more puzzling where the photo frames had been hung on the far wall of the café, behind the rounded iron counter. They were filled with sheets of blank white paper, presenting a ghostly collage of missing pieces. The whole thing was baffling.
Having ordered coffee and muffins B'Elanna settled into her seat, scanning the area for any hints as to why they might be there. As she finished off the last bite of her large, and very tasty, blueberry muffin she spotted Seven leaving the motel and heading towards her. Seven was wearing a low cut, yellow, summer dress, without a hat or gloves as one might expect would have been appropriate and high cream heels, striding across the square towards B'Elanna, followed by wolf-whistles and lewd remarks. Unknown to B'Elanna the dress she had been admiring on Seven was almost identical to the one Kathryn had worn on that fateful day six months ago. Seven had smiled at seeing it, but now wearing it the ache was more apparent.
Seven dipped her head in recognition as she spotted B'Elanna, then moved towards the table. She sat gingerly in the wrought iron chair provided, by the square white plastic café table, still uncomfortable with the ideas of sitting or eating and after a moments consideration ordered orange juice and pancakes from the waitress, dressed in a striped shirt and a silly blue hat. She looked over at B'Elanna, who had finished her breakfast and was now sipping a cup of coffee. Even the aroma reminded Seven of Kathryn, but she couldn't bring herself to drink the 'foul concoction' even now.
"What have you learnt?" Seven asked in a low tone, nodding her head to acknowledge the waitress as she returned with breakfast.
"Not much more than we knew last night" admitted B'Elanna, "The inconsistencies are clearer, but without a tricorder or any decent scanning device I can't tell what this place is."
"Then perhaps we should review what we know?" suggested Seven. B'Elanna stared at her as if to say 'Well duh" but was stopped from commenting by an interruption.
"Howz will you be paying for this?" drawled the waitress, slapping a bill down on the table, "With money or diamonds?" she asked with an odd smirk in her face.
B'Elanna sighed; she didn't get this century's humour, "Money." She handed the girl a ten dollar note, "I'll bring you change said the waitress as she scurried off.
Seven finished demolishing her pancakes, she was a little concerned about her ability to survive without regeneration for any length of time. However more pressing problems beckoned. "It is logical to assume that since our hands broke the holodeck that has something to do with what is now happening. What must we now ascertain, is if we are still on the holodeck or if the explosion coincided with us being taken to another location?"
"Right, if we were still on the holodecks we'd have to assume that they'd have found a way to contact us, its been over twenty four hours, and if it came to it they could always shut down the grid, just leaving us stuck in the room."
"Indeed", agreed Seven "And also why is Kathryn not present? If it is a fault with the holodeck, she was still in the room."
"So we're not on the holodeck." Stated B'Elanna, hopefully dismissing one of the possibilities, "So where are we?"
"That I don't know" said Seven, "There are a large number of unexplained irregularities in this habitat, and as such it is hard to draw any conclusions over a possible purpose for placing us here."
B'Elanna pondered that for a moment, "I wonder who we pissed off this time?" she asked grinning wryly.
"Perhaps Kathryn, and I am here by accident?" suggested Seven, with just a hint of teasing in her tone.
"Perhaps Tom was mad at you for cheating at cards?" retorted B'Elanna
"I do not cheat," stated Seven indignantly, glaring at B'Elanna, who relaxed back with a casual smirk. Her white linen dress caught the suns rays, accentuating her caramel complexion, and the wicked tinge in her eyes. She refused to back down to Seven's stare, but she softened her response by grinning a little.
"Whatever, lets just try and get by until we figure out why we're here." She suggested, taking a sip of her lukewarm coffee, and breaking the staring contest the two occupants of the table had become trapped in.
The waitress returned with their change, and B'Elanna counted it after leaving a small tip (another lesson learned from Tom's obsessions.) "We need money." She stated, "There's not much we can do but let this play out, whatever's going on its no use and less someone contacts us, finds out whatever they want to know from us, so…"
"There's no need for us to starve." Smirked Seven, "Or share a bed." The sting was taken from the comment by her gentle smile and the tilt of her head and B'Elanna realised that she seemed very different than she had just 24 hours ago.
"Seven" she said hesitantly, "I know its probably kinda my fault this happened, but I want you to know I'm sorry, and we'll figure out how to get back to Voyager."
Seven studied B'Elanna, looking for any trace of deceit in her eyes, seeing none she decided to accept the apology gracefully, "Since we do not now what happened I will not presume it is your fault until I know for sure. Then you may apologise again."
B'Elanna burst out laughing at the sudden and unexpected witty comment and much to her continued surprise Seven joined her, chuckling quietly. Her eyes sparkled, her face relaxed as did her normally ramrod straight posture, and for a moment B'Elanna realised what Captain Janeway had obviously seen all along.
"Come on," said the Klingon, extending her hand to help Seven up, "I'm sure I can get a job at least. Though you might put them off."
"I bet I get a job before you." Seven grinned and shirking B'Elanna's hand bolted out of the café. B'Elanna followed her laughing loudly.
By evening they had both secured employment, and thanks to Seven a small flat. It was dingy, on the fifth floor of an apartment block and basically unfurnished. Two single beds had been pushed together by the previous occupants, but they had been separated, and plain but new cotton sheets now adorned each bed. In the living area, a couple of large (also new) cushions lay on the floor to provide seating, and Seven and her multi-purpose adaptations had cut the hideously scuffed liver shaped pine table that had been provided into two smaller tables. One now acted as a side table on which the single provided lamp was perched, though B'Elanna swore that first thing in the morning the pink tasselled shade was going. The other larger table with newly extended legs now served as a functional if inelegant dining table.
The walls were a surprisingly palatable mint green colour, though they desperately needed washing, the carpet was a dark uninspiring brown that did vaguely match. The kitchen, which was set a half step down of the far wall was tiled, both on the floor and walls with standard plain cream tiles. The oven worked, the fridge didn't, which was why B'Elanna was lying on her back wearing another casual cotton shirt trying to fix it.
"Damn it, my kingdom for a hydro spanner." She exclaimed mockingly, "Stupid thing."
"Do you require my assistance Lieutenant?" inquired Seven. She was standing in the cramped kitchen next to the oven, leaning on to the faded mock marble sideboard. In front of her were various fresh ingredients, however having never cooked before she had settled on making sandwiches. She looked down at B'Elanna, or rather at her bare legs, which stretched from one side of the kitchen to the other, giving testament to its narrow width, then she focused and examined the problem. B'Elanna had rewired the whole fridge, and had even made a number of improvements to its design in the hour she had spent working on it. Yet still there was no power. It was baffling, until Seven noticed that the oven appeared to have a cable stretched to the wall, where a plastic board with a small switch showing red was displayed. The fridge was also 'plugged in' but there was no red marking on the socket.
Seven smiled, "Lieutenant I believe that 'dinner is served'" the blonde smirked as B'Elanna scrambled to her feet to collect the offered sandwich.
"Mmph" she mumbled round a full mouth, "This is really good Seven."
"Perhaps if you do not wish to eat it all now, you could put what is left in the fridge?" the Borg suggested, a hidden smile trying to break across her face.
"Ha Ha Seven, what the hell do you think I've been trying to do for the last hour." B'Elanna was just a little bit irked at the blonde's attitude.
"Perhaps continuing to miss the obvious?" suggested Seven as she reached across to the far wall and depressed the switch. The Fridge gave a hiss, then a whirr, and then the light popped on and the fan started rotating, "Obviously this is far superior to Voyager's technology" commented Seven.
"P'Tak" yelled B'Elanna in response. How long had Seven known and stood there watching her make a fool of herself? "To think I was going to try and get along with you for the sake of the Captain's honour. What does a frigid drone know of honour?" she spat enraged at Seven.
Seven's face fell; all of the progress she had felt they had made today had just been thrown back at her. B'Elanna had obviously been trying to 'lull' her into a false sense of security so she could be even more hurtful. Sadness and shock turned to anger, "You are the P'tak B'Elanna and a fool beside if you think goading me could ever make me feel inferior to you. I was not the fool who wedded Mr Paris!?!"
Seven stormed from the room, B'Elanna followed her, "How dare you?" she screamed, getting right up to the Borg's face (well shoulder level anyway). "At least he loves me, the Captain can't be looking for anything other than a casual screw. Like you said before, how could she possibly find you attractive?" B'Elanna yelled the accusation at Seven, who turned and ran from the apartment, grabbing her coat as it hung on a peg by the door, but not even stopping to grab the purse she had laid so carefully on the coffee table.
The door slammed and B'Elanna only watched as the devastated Borg ran from her, "Serves her right for trying to make a fool of me." She mumbled, before tearing another mouthful from the crusty sandwich Seven had prepared and chewing furiously.
Seven left the apartment block, with no clue where she was going. She ran, past the houses that surrounded the tower block flats, past the factory where B'Elanna had been employed after noticing one of their turbines was overheating and rushing into fix the problem before it created an explosion. Past the school where she had been employed, after over-hearing a conversation about a French teacher being required immediately and walking in and taking the job. Past the square where they had bought clothes, through the park, past the hospital and along to the docks, she ran. Her chest burning, her eyes streaming, until at last she collapsed against the hull of a beached transport ship as it lay tightly moored to the wooden dock, rocking on the waves.
"Kathryn" she sobbed, "Kathryn I need you. Why aren't you here?"
"What do you mean you know what happened?" half a world away Janeway barked at her first officer, causing Chakotay to recoil slightly from the formidable Captain.
"I think I know Ma'am, but I could be wrong."
"Don't be" snapped Kathryn, "I want them back Commander, I want her back."
"Her?" Chakotay realised that something else was going on; he had known from her reaction that this was not an average crisis or setback, that something about this had affected the Captain deeply. Maybe know he could find out what. "Which her?" he asked more quietly.
"Didn't you have a report to give?" Kathryn's voice was cold as she wrestled her concern and vulnerability down, now was not the time to fall apart she told herself sternly.
"Yes Ma'am" Chakotay came to attention, "But I need to know what happened in the holodeck prior to the accident, everything that happened. Something about it has been bothering me, but I need to make sure my facts are straight before I get up your hopes."
Kathryn studied her first officer; aware that it was at least partly a ploy to get her to reveal some of the details she had been so elusive with. Still, if it could help… Kathryn sighed aloud, then sunk back down to her seat by the window, pausing to collect her broken, though fortunately empty, coffee mug, that she had dropped in her haste to march towards Chakotay and demand an answer.
"Sit" she beckoned him over. Chakotay did sit, at arms length. "Its alright Commander, I promise I wont hurt you" she grinned at his apprehension, then as suddenly as her smile appeared it faded, "Though I guess it's my temper as much as anything else that caused this whole mess."
"Captain?" Chakotay asked, his puzzlement evident.
"Seven, I was with Seven, when B'Elanna barged into the holodeck, overriding the privacy code." Kathryn began to explain, but seeing the look on Chakotay's face, and the next question hovering at the tip of his tongue she realised that wasn't enough. "Seven and I are, are together." She explained
"Oh" said Chakotay, "OH!" he did a double take, "Like together together?"
"No Commander, like together apart!" Kathryn allowed herself a moment of levity, until reality came crashing back in, "I love her Chakotay, more than I thought I ever could love anyone. When B'Elanna burst in I was angry yes, but then she insulted Seven and…" Kathryn trailed off in embarrassment.
"And what?" prompted Chakotay, moving a little closer to Kathryn, offering her support even though he was still reeling over the news.
"And I was going to hit her." Said Kathryn in a small voice, "Seven stopped me but B'Elanna was mad, I dismissed her but she went to touch the holodeck controls again, supposedly just to re-lock the door, but..."
"You didn't trust her to?" hazarded Chakotay
"No, but neither did Seven" Janeway confirmed his guess, realising with hindsight that the whole situation had degenerated into an adolescent pissing contest, "Seven went to stop her, grabbed her hand but B'Elanna was knocked, or knocked Seven off balance and ..."
"Their hands went through the control panel." Chakotay was able to fill in the blanks. Kathryn nodded in conformation.
"But" asked Chakotay, "What exactly where you doing before B'Elanna burst in?"
"Umm?" Kathryn looked up at her handsome first officer and quirked her eyebrow, in a gesture oddly reminiscent of her partner's favourite expression. "Do you want a blow by blow account or will 'enjoying each others company do?"
Chakotay bit back his initial response; "No I get the idea. Did you plan it?" he asked.
"What?" Kathryn was a little thrown by the presumption of the question.
"I mean" Chakotay explained, his ears going red, "Did you take anything with you into the holodeck?"
"No" replied Kathryn, "just the clothes we were wearing, and the earrings that I then gave to Seven." She looked oddly at her first officer, "Why, what are you thinking?"
Chakotay smiled, a genuine wide smile that scrunched up the corners of his eyes, and showed of his straight white teeth. "I'm thinking" he said, "That I know where they are, you better call the senior staff Captain."
To be continued....