A Journey
By Elizabeth Carter
Part Eleven
Seven had dropped Miral off at her wife's quarters while she
retreated to her own to check up on the girls. As a mother, Miral
could understand the need to know that the little ones were
protected. The blonde had said she would return once she had spent
time with the girls. And of course she would have to deal with the
Captain and the chief of security once word got out about the the
illegal extraction of the children from the brig.
"You're married," B'Elanna said, setting down a mug of bloodwine
before her mother. They sat across from each other in the common
area of the younger woman's quarters, in what seemed like an akward
moment of conversation. `It was so easy when I was Seven to talk to
her, but now I find out my tongue is thick and I am scrambling for
something to say...So much easier as my Seven.' B'Elanna
sighed, `...Hey, hon, can I borrow your body tonight so I can have a
decent conversation with my mother?'
"Did you expect me to live alone or have an empty bed since your
father abandoned us?" Miral commented, feeling just as awkward
talking to her daughter now that the spirit was in the correct body.
Klingons don't do awkward.
"No." B'Elanna shook her head." It's just weird, okay? I mean, first
of all I find out you're not dead. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad
you're not dead yet. I saw you...."
Miral smiled, "Stick Girl told me about your sacrifice on the Barge
of the Dead. She said you gave yourself up to Kotar so I could take
my place within the Black Fleet and make my way to Sto-Vo-Kor."
B'Elanna nodded, "I couldn't let my disgrace send you there, Mother.
You always tried to insure I knew my heritage. The funny thing is I
embraced only the temper and the humans just alienated me all the
more, thinking I was the stereotypical Klingon Kirk painted us out
to be. I never stopped to consider you were just as concerned that I
learn about my Spanish heritage. Dad never was. He hated it as much
as I pretended to hate Klingon."
Miral remained silent. It was a mother's innate gift to know when
her child needed to get something off of their chest. Right now
B'Elanna had to face a great many things. In her experience on the
Barge of the Dead, B'Elanna must have fought more than Kotar, she
had battled her inner demons. And won.
"I read the ancient scrolls over and over, the old stories, and I
discovered that I could take the disgrace if they sent my soul to
Grethor instead of you. Mother I never wanted to be a disgrace to
you, but I know I was."
"Lanna, I'll admit you angered me beyond reason, but you were never
a disgrace to me. I was slightly disappointed you went into Star
Fleet rather than the Defense Force, but I was never more proud when
I discovered you joined the Maquis. You stood up for what you
believed in, you fought for it. A Star Fleet filled with cowards
refused to strike down the Cardassians, even when their allies the
Bajorians begged them to, simply because they were not apart of the
Federation. Only the Maquis were brave enough to take up arms and
strike back. The Dominion War would not have gone as badly as it
did, had Star Fleet taken up the sword when they were asked. They
were tested and found wanting."
To this B'Elanna had to agree. It had never been a doubt in her mind
to join the Maquis and fight for what was right, for what was
honorable. Of course, before she and her crew were caught out in the
Delta Quadrant with Voyager the threat of the Dominion was only
that, a threat, a rumor on the wind.
The younger Klingon shrugged. "I'd agree, but for Voyager. We're a
tough crew. We've survived a hell of a lot, this is a good crew."
"If Stick Girl is any indication, I'd agree."
"Why do you call my wife that?" B'Elanna's tone reflected she was
not at all amused, in fact it bordered on barely contained
tolerance. "Not exactly the top ten of compliments."
"She's a frail looking thing," Miral said. Her own voice containing
her spirit, she gave no quarter and spoke her mind without regrets
or self-doubts.
"Looks is the operative word, Mother. She's a lot stronger than she
looks. I mean a lot stronger. She's stronger than I am and stronger
in fact than most Klingon warriors. The Borg reinforced her bones
and muscle tissue. She was carrying around 130 kilos of body armor
before it was removed."
"The armor I saw her...or rather you wearing didn't weigh that
much......"
`That was Nic's altered set, the other....that was incredibly heavy.
Her left hand can impact a thousand pounds of pressure. She isn't a
stick, to be so easily broken. She isn't frail."
"Deceptive...." Miral smiled broadly. "Her enemies will always
underestimate her, because she looks frail. Come on, Lanna, admit
it. She looks like some spun glass trinket easily broken."
B'Elanna had thought the very thing on several occasions, which was
why every time she witness the Borg enhanced strength she was always
astonished. She had felt first hand just what Seven was capable of.
First while in the blonde's body, B'Elanna had punched a hole in the
deuterium plating of a bulkhead, then aboard the Diamond she had
seized the other drones with little resistance.
"Well, it still isn't a good nickname coming from a Klingon."
B'Elanna replied.
"Then put some meat on those reinforced bones. She's too thin."
"She has a hard time digesting things, SoS. The Borg took away most
of her digestive system. Until recently she could only manage liquid
supplements. As a mater of fact, she's mostly on a liquid diet now,
and maybe chicken...fish, salads, banana pancakes stuff like that.
Nic can only consume very easily digestible foods, otherwise she
just gains her nutrients when she regenerates," B'Elanna explained,
the sadness and empathy for her mate evident in her voice. No matter
what would come in their futures, Seven of Nine would never be fully
human, never fully restored from the mutilation the Borg had done to
her. In time she could wean herself off of regeneration but that was
going to be a long road.
"Explains a lot," Miral said softly. There was a second smile upon
the older woman's face. She had heard a deep love in her child voice
when speaking of her mate. It was more than evident just how much
Lanna cared for Stick Girl. "Still going to call her that, it's a
mother's propagative, Lanna." Miral took a long drought from the mug
in her hand.
Coming from her mother, the petite engineer had to admit it had a
tone of affection, like a term of endearment that only Miral would
be allowed to use. On that note, B'Elanna spoke. "Fine,
Annika ...and Nic ... they are mine, and mine alone, SoS. My mate
gave her name to me. To everyone else she's Seven. It's a personal
choice on her part. She felt Annika had no meaning to her. For
eighteen years she was Seven of Nine Tertiary Adjunct Unimatrix Zero
One. She was only Annika for six years. We've shortened it to Seven
and on formal occasions it's Seven of Nine. But to me..." B'Elanna
added, "she lets me have Annika."
"I heard some call her Seven Torres....you called her Annika Torres.
Mind telling me about that?" Miral had long since finished her mug
of blood wine and moved to the replicated to order another tankard.
"I kept Torres, for my grandma, SoS, not father. It had nothing to
do with our battles. But more to honor Abuela. She meant a lot to
me."
"Your Grandmother Torres was the one who always made you banana
pancakes. Told you stories about your Spanish heritage, the
Conquistadors, and how, like the Klingons, they seized lands for
their Empire. If you keep Torres to honor her, I will respect that,
Lanna. Her son had no honor, but she did. Her heart was Klingon."
There could be no greater compliment given from a Klingon to
another, especially if that other belonged to another species.
"SoS, I never hated you or the Klingons. I was just.... "
"Angry."
"Yes," B'Elanna admitted with some shame in her voice.
"Anger can either sharpen the blade or dull the senses and make the
warrior blind. My heart is glade you've discovered the difference."
"Yeah, well, a trip to the Barge of the Dead will do that to you,"
B'Elanna joked. "In trying to save you, I ended up saving myself."
`Then the prayers to Kah'less worked,' Miral thought, but knew
better than to voice her thoughts. What she said was: "All that time
in the Monastery did some good after all."
"Yes, SoS," B'Elanna said in mocking compliance. "The clerics'
lessons came in handy. Don't expect me to thank you for sending me
to that place."
"Won't think of it." Miral flashed a very toothing grin that said `I
told you so.' Of course it was an expression that only a mother
could display and only the child knew exactly what it meant.
"Oh, shut up, SoS," B'Elanna snorted in a jovial banter.
Miral barked out a hearty laugh herself and took a long heavy drink
of her blood wine.
"SoS'oy! SoS'oy!" Mizoti launched herself into Seven's arms. "I was
so worried for you."
Naomi hesitated for only a moment before she lunged at her beloved
hero. The whole idea of Seven being safe and sound, not to mention
breaking them out of the Brig, was too overwhelming for both girls
to handle with any amount to reserved control over their emotions.
Still clutching Seven, both girls spoke in quick succession, one
right after the other, until their voices blended in their own
Collective.
"Oh, we thought the Queen had you for sure."
"It was my fault, she made you say things, do things, she wanted to
see why you wanted to stay with the Voyager collective."
"And we couldn't, wouldn't wait for the grown-ups to do something.
We went against orders and my Mum."
"We just had to do something, SoS'oy, we had to."
"We didn't hurt the systems much. It can be fixed, we just gave it a
cold, not a real virus."
"And ...and....what about Royal Protocol? The Queen wanted you, but
we will never let you go."
"We were so scared you were taken away forever!"
It was only Seven's enhanced Borg mind that she was able to separate
who was speaking. It seemed the girls were finishing each other's
thoughts. Naomi would start and Mizoti would follow up until they
finished saying exactly the same thing at the same time. Seven felt
the corners of her lips curl into a smile. Of course, the girls
hadn't known about the body switch, and for the moment it was best
they didn't know. Nor should they know just how impressed the ex-Drone was with the efficiency and the innovational resourcefulness
the girls had employed to recover `her'.
The tall blonde was about to comment on the girl's behavior when the
chime to her quarters sounded. "I would think that will be the
Captain with security," Seven said evenly, rising to her feet.
For a moment Mizoti and Naomi grimaced in their fear that Seven
would turn them over to the Captain, but taking a look at the
statuesque blonde they silently agreed to emulate her poster and
stood ramrod straight fully prepared to face the authority about to
come through the door. If Seven and B'Elanna could face off against
the Queen the girls decided that they could stand before the Captain
and security and at least pretend not to be afraid.
"Enter," Seven commanded.
It wasn't at all a surprise to Mizoti and Naomi that it was indeed
the Captain, Mr. Tuvok and Lieutenant Rothery paying a visit. After
all, Seven had said it was, and thus it would be so.
"Lieutenant Seven of Nine," Captain Janeway's voice dropped an
octave as she confronted her errant officer. "Do you know why I am
here?"
"I assume that is a rhetorical question, Captain, as it is redundant
to ask a question we both know the answer to. I assaulted a fellow
crew member and extracted prisoners without leave. But do not think
that as a mother I would abide by this ruling, nor can I believe
SamanthaWildman was so inclined to agree. As you are responsible for
the actions of your crew, I am responsible for the actions of my
child and even my godchild as they acted as they did because of me.
If you wish to throw someone in the Brig then you may do so with me,
but not them. I will not allow it."
"Lieutenant, are you refusing to comply in surrendering the
prisoners?" Tuvok questioned.
"Of course. I have no intention of not complying. Mizoti, Naomi, go
into the bedroom now." Seven didn't look behind her for she already
knew the girls would obey her. "If Security is insistent in
arresting them I will further break Starfleet regulations by having
them removed from Voyager, by boarding them upon my private vessel,
Kellein."
Janeway knew a mother's resolve when she saw it. There was no way
she would win this round, not by threatening the children, not that
she wanted to. The scare of the Brig had done its job, and the
children would also see the result of their actions by seeing their
mothers imprisoned in the Brig. In retrospect, that would be more
effective.
"Seven, " Janeway started softly. "I can't simply allow what
happened to go unpunished. Do you realize that if those two girls
were adults what would happen?"
"You already put them in the brig, and we do not have a facility to
put them in a Juvenile Detainment Center. Nor will I allow you,"
this time blue eyes rested upon Amanda, "to put them into a
holographic simulation of such a place."
"Seven, no one is suggesting that will happen," Kathryn said as she
placed a hand upon the lanky blonde's arm. "But they must know the
seriousness of what they did."
"Did it ever occur to you Captain, that they were emulating the
adults around them?" Seven was still on the defensive. "You yourself
have ordered me to create and send encrypted viruses to cripple
enemy vessels, in like manner as the children did to Voyager. We
ourselves designed such a thing to disable the Borg, not once but
twice. Starfleet has training simulations that deal with
circumventing control from one deck to another, such as Captain Jean-Luc Picard did when the Queen gained a foothold upon the Enterprise.
Where do you think the children learned such things?
"Ensign Wesley Crusher has the designs for his inventive amusements
published in Popular Science, several of which are cataloged in
Voyager's data base. There are several Maquis aboard who possess
such skills as well, and who could have inadvertently taught the
children how to circumvent power and control so they might escape
and attempt such an ill-fated rescue for one they loved. But again,
the Captain of this vessel has done the same to rescue one she deems
of value despite logic dictating the reverse. One should not be
placed above the needs of the many. But Voyager went into the heart
of Unimatrix One to reclaim one of the lost. They only mimicked the
behavior of those they respect and follow."
Kathryn was silent for moment, then shook her head, smiling. "You'd
make one hell of a defense attorney for JAG, Seven."
"I'd say you have a sound argument," Amanda echoed her lover and
Captain, more aloud than she had actually indented too. Given the
sharp look from Janeway, Rothery knew there would be hell to pay
later.
"Indeed." Tuvok took the sting out of the inappropriate comment his
XO of Security had made by mirroring it himself.
"Granted the children emulated the adults around them and perhaps
even replicated procedures of both Maquis and Starfleet, but their
parents will be held accountable for the damage done to my ship.
Which means you, B'Elanna, Samantha and Neelix will pull several
double shifts until Voyager is restored to normalcy. And the
children are banned from the use of replicators for three months. If
they want anything they will have to ask their parents to replicate
it for them, and for a month they lose all holodeck privileges, save
for educational purposes," Janeway ordered.
"Agreed." Seven nodded, knowing this was a fair punishment for the
children.
Looking over her shoulder, the redhead addressed the security
personnel. "Tuvok, Amanda, wait outside for a moment."
"As you wish, Captain."
"Aye, Captain."
Janeway waited until Rothery and her Chief of Security left before
turning back to the tall blonde. "Seven, did you think I'd place the
children in solitary confinement for long?"
"Captain, I have learned never to underestimate you. When I was
first severed from the Collective, I had done several things that
caused you to become angry with me, and several times you ordered me
to stay in that cargo bay. Though you expected me to assert my
independence, you punished me for doing so when it went against your
standard. The children did what they felt they had to do to save one
they loved."
"Yes, I am aware of that." Kathryn didn't know where this line of
conversation was taking her, but she was positive she wasn't going
to like it.
"Then you are also aware they did what I would have done and what
you have done."
"You established that Seven, it's why I'm letting them off the
hook...." the captain raised her hand. "It means I am allowing them
to go without the punishment that is required for the misdemeanor
they committed."
Seven wasn't going to bother telling her superior officer that she
knew what the cliche meant, it was simply easier to allow Kathryn to
think she was still innocent about such things.
"Seven...."
"Captain," the ex-drone interrupted, " you asked me if you thought I
knew you wouldn't keep my daughter and my goddaughter detained. The
answer is no. I knew full well you were capable of such actions. You
detained me when my own sense of ethics and morality was not more
mature than that of the children. It never occurred to me that you
would act contrary to that prior reaction, despite the age of those
detained. That is why I defied your orders in extracting them. I
will never allow Mizoti nor Naomi to be imprisoned, especially when
they did what they did in my name.
"Blending with my wife twice now, I have learned more about society
than all the studies you ordered me to take from a sentient
hologram. I have discovered I prefer the society of Klingons over
that of Humans. It is refreshing to know exactly where one stands.
Klingons do not engage in this more secretive double standard humans
tend to employ, and thus they are more like the Borg in that regard.
It is what I am familiar with. Human semantics confound me in what
is permissible, what is merely tolerated and what is not. I have
stumbled in my journey because I have lacked the appropriate
knowledge."
Kathryn didn't like it at all when she had to re-evaluate some of
her choices she had made in regard to Seven early on. And Seven had
been right at almost every turn. `You wanted her to be independent
and yet when she acted independently for the first time she was
punished. She is told to act like a human, yet a hologram teaches
her how to be human. And she was kept in a cargo bay in the public
eye which no human would have tolerated, and when she stumbled she
was expected to act as a full adult with full adult experiences and
learned behavior. Seven didn't need to be coddled, but she did need
to have blunt honesty. Bluntness was something the Klingons were so
good at. You always knew where you stood with B'Elanna, and Seven
responded to that. Katie, no wonder you lost out...She never knew
where she stood with you.....'
"Seven.... Look, I know you've had a difficult time reclaiming your
humanity, but you have come a long way. Right now....I can't imagine
what you are feeling. A lot of things have happened to you in quick
secession, and I can understand a lot of the things you've felt you
had to do. Like the jailbreak. But I am not your enemy, Seven. I
care very deeply for you. I am overjoyed you have someone like
B'Elanna in your life, to love and be loved by. I know you're
protected. But don't shut me out. I want to help you, Seven. You
know my door has always been open to you for our philosophical
discussions. And I know you've felt you had to go to another when
you...were....struggling." Janeway couldn't bring herself to admit
she was still jealous over the fact Seven had gone to Samantha when
she was so upset. She had wept with Samantha, something Seven had
never truly done with Janeway. And for a moment the fiery captain
dreaded the thought she had lost the trust of her young protegee.
Placing a hand upon the slender body, Janeway found ice blue eyes
looking into her own steel gray. "I'll never bring harm to your
child, Seven. I had to admit I was both angry and terrified. Angry
because they were able to get as far as they did, revealing that my
security detail is obviously in need of overhauling and retraining.
I was plainly impressed with what those two were able to accomplish,
but knowing who their heroes are I shouldn't be. And yes, I was
terrified for them. Going off like that scared me to death, Seven. I
love those kids and to see them in harms way... knowing somehow I
was negligent in keeping them from getting as far as they had
sickened me and quite frankly pissed me off because I had allowed it
to happen. You're right, when you said a captain is responsible for
the actions of her crew, and right now, my chief of security and his
XO are a major disappointment. Voyager needs a shake down. You and
B'Elanna are the perfect ones to test each system both with
Borg and Maquis tactics and I want those same tactics to shield
Voyager from something like this ever happening again."
Seven smiled warmly, now knowing where her Captain stood. In
understanding her emotion, Seven better understood why Kathryn had
placed the children in the brig and why Samantha had allowed her own
daughter to be incarcerated. The Captain was terrified, just as
Seven was, that the children would become hurt. And instead of
locking them in a room where they might, and very well could, get
hurt, Janeway locked them up in the only room she knew where they
couldn't get out and thus get themselves into trouble. It wasn't a
prison, but a desperate means to keep them safe.
"I understand now, Kathryn," Seven employed the rare gift of her
captain's first name. "You protected your family. Thank you. And I
want you to know I do not condone their actions, but I understand
it."
"Sev..." Janeway smiled. "So do I."
Seven stepped up to the woman before her, and for a moment the
blonde thought of the words spoken to her by this small, brave woman
when she thought Seven was unconscious: the proclaimed love, the
regret of not acting sooner, the desire to be the one to have her
name cried out in love making, the blessing that if Kathryn could
not have her, that it should be B'Elanna and no other. More
importantly, Seven recalled the shaking, tear strained voice of
Kathryn's desire for her to be happy.
Seven stepped forward and placed her hands upon the captain's
shoulders and smiled such a smile that none would have ever believed
the ex-drone capable of such an expression. "You are my family,
Kathryn, and I do love you. You gave me a life I could never have
had as a member of the Collective. I called you small at one time. I
was mistaken. You're spirit is greater than the power of the Borg."
Kathryn's face froze in wonder and disbelief for what her ears had
heard.
"Your reasons are sound in the attempt to protect my child and Naomi
from their own misguided need to rescue me, or rather B'Elanna."
That's something I've been meaning to ask you Seven." Janeway's
voice was a gentle purr of concern. Seven knew from a dozen times
over that this was now a philosophical question. "That experience
once was something profound, but then to have to go through it again
must weigh on you."
In that respect she guided her mentor over to the living room and
sat the older woman down before she astoundingly took a seat
herself. The Captain didn't comment on the lack of the "preference
to stand" and took Seven's newly adaptive ease in reclining in
stride. Apparently being in B'Elanna's body had done wonders to this
lost woman-child to reclaim her humanity. Ironic that it was a
Klingon hybrid who showed her how, when a full human could not.
"As grateful as I am for your care, I have out grown the need for a
mother's influence upon my decisions, as well as a mentor's. I have
found my humanity in my wife and children. What weighted heavily was
waking in the body of my wife, after we had made love for the first
time, waking knowing she had sacrificed herself. But B'Elanna could
do no less. She sacrificed herself to Kotar, on the Barge of the
Dead, for her mother, and she would equally sacrifice herself to the
Queen for her wife. She saved my soul in giving her own up, just as
she had done for her mother. This is a warrior that belongs in the
hall of Heroes in the Order of the Bat'lath.
"What I experienced while being her, when "Seven" was taken away,
was shocking. I heard others say that `Seen wanted to go back to the
Queen, that the Ice princess when running home to her first woman.'
This enraged me beyond my experience. More so because it reflected
poorly upon B'Leanna, that her wife would abandon her. Others stated
that no Klingon could keep somebody like me satisfied. But more
importantly, I heard others give support to B'Elanna in their own
way. SamanthaWildman and Naomi, Neelix, Amanda Rothery, and even
Tuvok. Even Icheb gave his support to his Mor when his SoS'oy was
gone, a fact I am proud of. I did not like the subterfuge, but I
felt it necessary.
"This is what you wanted to tell me before the girls went Maquis on
Voyager," Janeway nodded.
"That also explains why Lieutenant Tina'lucy was a little frightened
to been on the same shift as you and asked to be placed on the Gamma
shift for the duration until Seven was recovered. Being a Betazed
she could sense you were not truly B'Elanna. Of course she told
Chakotay that your grief was distracting her and she needed to be on
another shift so she could perform her duties to satisfactory
levels."
"Yes. I knew she could detect the deception. I had to, as you
say, `put the fear of God into her' so she would not relate that
information. I had to insure that B'Elanna was safe in her own
deception of enacting the role of Prime and no errant information
would jeopardize her portion. That was unacceptable." Seven answered
evenly, giving no apology for her actions.
A shadow moved from the inside corner. The captain had to look
close, but she saw a slip of a smile tease the corners of Seven's
mouth. "Girls it is impolite to skulk about the room. Come out."
Both Mizoti and Naomi trudged into the common room of the quarters
and moved to Seven with heads bowed.
"SoS'oy..."Mizoti started and stopped as she stood and assumed
the `Seven stance' with her back ramrod straight and her hands
clasped behind her back. "I will comply with whatever punishment you
deem fitting."
"Acceptable," Seven responded before opening her arms up. She had
seen SamanthaWildman do such a thing with Naomi countless times. And
the reaction was always the same. Naomi would fall into her mother's
arms and snuggle her smaller body tightly into her mother's embrace.
It took only three point six seconds before Mizoti sailed into the
waiting embrace and tucked her smaller body into her mother's.
Neither said a word. They didn't have to, as a mother and daughter
knew what the other wanted. Safety for the one they love.
Naomi was hesitant at first but she to could not bear not to be
close to Seven and she rushed the waiting embrace and snuggled her
own body in tightly, her own tears of overwhelming emotion blending
with those shed but her best friend.
Captain Janeway for her part smiled at the scene playing out
unbelievably before her eyes. And perhaps not so unbelievable `And
the Children shall lead them.' Kathryn thought of an ancient
passage. "Seven, I am sure you and your family have a great deal of
catching up to do and I have a ship to run. I'm glad you're home
where you belong."
"Thank you, Captain. And rest assured there will be no such
incidences as there were previously from either Mizoti Hansen-Torres
or NaomiWildman. This is a guarantee, is it not children." It was
not a question.
"Yes, Ma'am!" Both girls saluted, nodding their heads vigorously.
"See that it doesn't, or your parents will be spending the rest of
the trip home in a specially designed brig for YOUR indiscretion,
understood?" Janeway's steel blue eyes rested upon the earnest young
faces.
"Yes, Ma'am," both said collectively, both terrified that their
Captain would make good on her threat. After all, as far as the
seven year old children were concerned, Captain Kathryn Janeway
never went back on her word or a promise and her threats were never
empty.
"Naomi Wildman, security is waiting outside to escort you home to
your mother." The tone of the captain indicated that there was no
room for argument. If the little Katerrian was to stay with her hero
she would have to do so with her mother's approval. Besides, Janeway
knew that Ensign Wildman would be frantic after seeing the video-feedback of Seven breaking her daughter out of the brig and what
would follow thereafter.
Giving a pleading look to Seven, Naomi tried silently to beg her
beloved god-mother to convince the Captain to allow her to stay. The
tall blonde reached out and cupped Naomi's chin. "Return to your
mother. If she agrees, you may stay over with Mizoti. But you will
comply with the Captain."
The child bowed her head a little, then suddenly sucked in a bit of
air as she adopted the `Seven pose' and the monotone voice. "I will
comply."
B'Elanna raised her head at the sound of the pneumatic door
whooshing open. In one swift movement she gathered Mizoti into her
arms and held her child tightly even as she took her wife in the
same embrace.
"Zot, you daring little tika cat! Kah'less girl!" B'Elanna's arms
became tighter around the small child. Before this day she hadn't
known what it was to have a daughter. What it was to worry. "And I
am so proud of you." Mizoti was flabbergasted. This was a completely
different response than the reaction her Mor gave aboard Keillien.
Icheb would not be left out of the reunion. Even as B'Elanna was
wrapping her arms around Mizoti he had entered the Klingon's
quarters. The young Bernoulli stood before his taller mother,
uncertain on how to proceed. He fervently wanted to embrace Seven,
tell her he loved her, and that he was overjoyed to have her back
home. A small illogical part of Icheb wished he was as small as
Mizoti so his mother could cradle him in her arms and hold him close
as she did with his sister.
He lowered his head for a moment's breath, his eyes locked to the
iron gray carpet, only to have it lifted by a metallic meshed hand.
The caress of his mother's hand upon his cheek warmed the boy as
surly as being cuddled. In the blue eyes he saw a silent granting of
his desire to hold his mother.
"I wanted to see that you were well, SoS," he said softly, feeling
safe, protected and loved in the arms that held him. "The idea of
losing you was unacceptable."
"You would not have lost me, Icheb, but rather your Mor."
To this both children looked back to B'Elanna questing for an
explanation.
"Kids, there are a few things you should know," the Klingon started,
but paused at the hearing of the door chime.
"Busy place," Miral said amused. She couldn't help but ponder how
many more visitors her daughter and daughter-in-law could expect. It
showed a true worthiness of the crew that the two women were willing
to sacrifice themselves for, if they paid their respects for the
heroics that had saved their asses.
Seven opened the door revealing the eager faces of Naomi and
Samantha Wildman, and trudging behind them was Neelix, hefting a
covered silver platter, no doubt food for the hungered heroes who
had yet to eat since their return home. The Telaxian believed that
any high stress situation could be better handled upon a full belly.
Of course, the furry man believed there was any number of occasions
to create a feast. And was it not his duty as the Morale Officer to
insure that stressful situations were made to become bearable?
"Come in please," the blonde ex-Borg gestured, "There is much to
discuss." To Seven the serendipity of the trio was efficient for she
would then only have to relate the occurrence of the Borg ship once.
And at this time tomorrow the entire compliment of the ships crew
would know what occurred, for Neelix would thrive on relaying the
tale over and over.
Samantha's reaction was similar to Icheb's, only the older woman
would not hesitate to embrace the woman she came to think of as a
sister. Ever since the bond between her little girl and Seven had
developed, Samantha had become protective of the lanky blonde. In
some ways Samantha felt that Seven was as emotionally innocent as
her child. Indeed, at times they reacted to circumstances in like
manner. Seven had trusted the other woman with many of her concerns,
things that not even Captain Janeway had been privy to, simply
because Seven had felt that somehow she might disappoint her mentor.
There were times when B'Elanna and Seven would fight and something
was said that caused deep pain in the former drone. She was not as
cold or emotionless as people suspected. Many a night Seven had
secretly wept in Samantha's arms, feeling as secure as Naomi. For
Samantha's part she didn't know exactly how Seven fit into her
family, only that she was indeed family. And she loved Seven as
deeply and as tightly as she would her own sister.
"Oh Seven, you had me so worried. I knew from the start you would do
what you did, but hoped you wouldn't. Thank God you're safe where
you belong." Blue eyes met blue eyes. Like she would with Naomi,
Samantha tucked a stray bit of long blond hair behind Seven's ear,
for Seven had yet to replace the tresses in the aster bun that it
was normally kept in. Since B'Elanna had said she loved it down,
Seven had taken to wearing it thus, though now in a ponytail, to
keep honey colored locks out of her eyes when she was working.
"Indeed." Seven smiled.
For a rare moment, B'Elanna felt a surge of jealousy at the display
of casual intimacy displayed before her, not because it could have
been a touch of lovers, but because Samantha Wildman was so at ease
touching Seven. Their relationship had been close for three years,
but only now was the Klingon allowed to be in that rare and very
small circle of Seven's loved ones. She had wasted so much time,
time they would never get back.
Setting Mizoti down, B'Elanna decided to play host, and greet her
guest properly, her arm snaked around Seven's waist possessively as
the diminutive warrior looked on at Samantha.
"We have much to be thankful for, I agree."
Samantha caught the gesture for what it was and stepped back from
the younger blonde, a pleasant smile on her face as she now turned
her gaze to B'Elanna. "I hope we are not intruding, but I wanted to
thank you, B'Elanna, for watching over and protecting my daughter. I
never have to worry about her when she is with either of you two.
Seven, like our daughters, I am so glad you are safe once more."
"I don't care what the consequences were," Naomi suddenly blurted
out. "You're family, Seven, and...and...and sometimes you do things
for family you'd never dream of doing for anyone else."
"Yeah, that's right!" Mizoti chimed in. "And we'd do it again."
"Had I but known what my sister and Naomi were intending to do, I
too would have assisted," Icheb added. "There is no question in
defying Voyager to get you back."
Miral radiated from within to hear such declarations from the
Wo'Homs. It was a testament to the parents that the children were
ready to face insurmountable odds and battle for those of their
house. Little warriors indeed. Miral could not help but recognize a
very familiar fire within her granddaughter. So much like B'Elanna
when she was of age. The Klingon had to laugh to herself. So, the
mother's curse had worked. B'Elanna had a child just like herself,
and apparently Stick Girl's mother had also cursed the blonde for
there were extreme similarities between the two.
Samantha had reached for Seven once more, and her hand rested upon
the shoulder of the younger woman despite the presence of her
possessive Klingon spouse. "Just to let you know, Sev, I too would
have joined the ranks to rescue you from the Queen."
Neelix didn't have to offer his aid as he had already proved he
would do so when he went up against the Diamond with a woefully
inadequate ship. Still, he was brave in the attempt to extract the
body of the tall blonde from the Queen's manipulations.
"As I was explaining to my children previously, it was not I aboard
the Diamond, but my Benel." Seven skillfully took possession of the
conversation. While it warmed her to know her family would charge
into almost certain death, if not assimilation, for her, it was for
B'Elanna they had gone through such trials.
Urgent questions brewed within the eyes of those gathered, save of
course Miral who knew what the blonde was going to divulge. Seven
held up the silver meshed hand, "Sit. Many things need to be
addressed."
"I prefer to stand," Icheb said, clasping his hands behind his back.
To that Seven turned, her expression changing ever so slightly. "It
was not a request, my son." It was a voice of pure authority and at
the same time reassurance. Since enacting the role of B'Elanna,
Seven had come to be more aware not only of the Klingon's speech
patterns, but her mannerisms as well. The former Borg had also
assimilated Samantha Wildman's `Mother Voice' which carried a
certain tone that would not be argued with. Icheb sat.
Very clinically, very calmly, Seven began to relate the events since
the giving of the ultimatum, B'Elanna's willingness to sacrifice for
her BangwI's own safety. Having a Borg enhanced endemic memory it
was a simple matter for the ex-Drone to access what had happened on
the Diamond and so in a truly surreal sense Seven narrated the
events upon the Diamond as well. She told of the battle between
B'Elanna and Miral, including the dialog exchanged. Seven further
told of the scrimmage within the Assimilation Chamber with the
Duross sisters and Three of Five.
It was there the astrophysicist stopped in the telling of the
events. Her blue eyes fell upon her wife and only B'Elanna and
Samantha saw the shutter of pain reflecting in the cerulean orbs.
Magnus Hansen had been free when Seven killed him.
Apparently the women were not the only ones to notice Seven's
shifting expression. Mizoti left B'Elanna's arms to grab her blonde
mother's hand. "SoS'Oy?" He child uttered, "What is it? Are you
damaged?"
"No." Seven shook her head. "It is irrelevant."
Her family would not be convinced. Obviously it was something, Seven
wasn't easily upset, at least not visibly so. Her family also knew
that to try to discuss something troubling their loved one when she
didn't want to was futile at best.
Neelix knew Seven was becoming uncomfortable, as did the younger of
the Klingons as evidenced by B'Elanna getting to her feet almost
immediately.
"It must have been sometime since either of you two has a decent
meal," Neelix commented. "Perhaps we should dine? Dinner will still
be fresh and hot." With that the Telaxian scurried to the table and
uncovered the tray he had earlier placed there, to reveal mounds of
banana pancakes, warmed maple syrup and dollops of butter in a
crystal dish. "I just happened to know that this is a favored dish
with the Hansen-Torres family. I thought perhaps we could all enjoy
it."
"Thanks, Neelix, that's extremely thoughtful," B'Elanna answered for
her family, her arm going around Seven's waist, allowing some of her
strength to leech into her wife, to give her strength until such
time as B'Elanna could question the blonde on what was going through
her mind. But B'Elanna had a very clear idea it had much to do about
Magnus Hansen and the frigging Queen. Even dead the Queen was
causing torment to Seven of Nine.
It was hours later. Dinner was done, the guests, all save Naomi, had
gone to their own homes. The little Katerrian begged both her mother
and Mizoti's mothers to stay the night and it was granted. Samantha
and the other ladies, most of all B'Elanna, recognized the need in
the child to be close to her heroic figure. Now that B'Elanna had
willingly sacrificed herself for Seven, Naomi had placed the Klingon
on the very same pedestal that was once reserved only for Seven. Not
even her mother had reached such heights. The girl lay in the living
room of Seven's quarters, "camping out," complete with sleeping
bags. Icheb, too, wanted to be close to his mother and had taken the
couch in that same living room. B'Elanna had given up her own bed so
that her mother could utilize it. B'Elanna wouldn't be needing it as
it was, for she would share a bed with her beloved wife.
Later, of course, they would settle the housing problem by one of
two ways, converting the two quarters into one family unit or taking
the last remaining VIP quarters and converting it into a family
quarters. Right now there was another problem that weighed upon the
Hansen-Torres women.
Seven had changed into sleepwear for the night doing so only for the
benefit of the children, normally she would sleep in the nude
thinking it a waste to wear something when one was unconscious.
B'ELanna gave no argument as she snuggled up to the amazonian
beauty. B'Elanna herself wore a sleeveless t-shirt and boxers,
though she had always worn such garments to bed. At first glance,
Seven appeared to be merely stargazing out the porthole window of
the bed room, her arms folded around her chest rather than behind
her back. It sent ripples of concern pulsating throughout her body.
Not saying a word, the Klingon-hybrid's steps were soft as she tread
barefoot on the gray carpet of the bedroom. Her own arms slid around
the thin waist from behind and her cheek pressed against the long
back. She could feel Seven's natural warmth spilling into her own
body, even as her sadness was slipping from her control. A glance to
see what had captivated Seven's attention out side Voyager told
B'Elanna everything she needed to know.
The Borg.
It was always the Borg. Would always be the Borg.
"Seven of Mine," B'Elanna's soft voice filtered into the taller
woman's mind, into her ears, resting there like a warm blanket. "You
saw didn't you?"
"You freed Magnas Hansen."
The arms around her waist tightened. "You had no choice. You did
what you had to do."
Seven drew in a shuddering breath. "It has always been my struggle.
Now when I have so much to fight for...I am losing."
B'Elanna suggested hopefully, "I think the worst is over."
Seven looked at her then, with eyes and an expression that had no
defenses. A large expression that encompassed B'Elanna utterly. Like
being, somehow, looked at by a pitying, sad sky. Seven said, "I feel
them, hear them."
"Them? The Vinculum? You mean on the Diamond, don't you?"
"All of them. Beyond the Diamond, I can sense them just beyond my
reach. They are there. Lost, uncertain, deactivation, chaos all."
"Oh God, Annika...I am sorry!" B'Elanna clutched her wife. "This is
my fault! I wanted vengeance! I wanted to stop them, stop her!"
"You did stop her, Bella. You have done no wrong." The absolution
hurt B'Elanna more than a direct accusation. Seven should be
screaming at her, blaming her for what was now happening. "Freeing
my father you meant only good. I killed him."
"YOU had no way of knowing, Annika. How could you?" B'Elanna found
herself arguing. "It wasn't murder. Don't even go there, Baby.
If....if he hadn't been so fucking stubborn he would have listened
to me...us....you." B'Elanna shook her head, trying to exorcize
herself of the blended sensation of sharing Seven's memories. But
they lived so vividly in her mind, it felt as if the experience
belonged to B'Elanna herself. "You told him, Seven. You told him she
was coming for you, but he struck you, and sent you away. That
fucking pac'ta was a coward, Annika. He gave you to the Queen to be
raped."
"She never had sexual intercourse with me, unwanted or otherwise."
Her mind drifting in an emptiness.
"There are other forms of rape, Benel." After a time that was
neither long nor short but had merely continued until a new
sensation occurred, hands tugged at Seven's shoulders demanding,
wanting her attention. "You did nothing wrong either. You did what
you had to do, what you always do, turn a dire situation into a
fighting chance to live. To die defending your ship and those you
love is honorable, something every warrior hopes for. You never
questioned your actions on that ship and I am sorry, BangwI, that
you got stuck with the memory. But never be ashamed of what you had
to do."
"I am not sure what I am supposed to feel, B'Elanna. I only know I
can't go back. Please, we have to destroy that ship. We must,
BangwI! Please. I cannot go back there, I cannot do what they call
me to do. I will not be the Queen."
The words wrenched her. B'Elanna quickly embraced her wife, rubbing
her back and shoulders in reassurance. "You will never have too,
Baby. I'll see to it. On my honor, BangwI, I will put an end to it.
Your journey with them is over." B'Elanna kissed her wife, hoping to
convey more than her love for the willowy blonde. She wanted her
lover to know, to taste, her courage, her resolve, her devotion. `I
stormed the Gates of Stov-o-Kor for my mother, what do you think I
will do for my wife?'
Seven rested her forehead against B'Elanna's. "May I simply be your
wife for a while? I am weary of the fight, of the Borg, of all else.
How can it be that I am suddenly so human, when the Borg whisper in
my mind?"