DISCLAIMER: It's Paramount's galaxy.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: C/7. Seven and Chakotay get married. This one-shot takes place within the "That Good Night" post-Endgame universe and was foreshadowed in "Leap of Faith" and also to a degree in TEYA's "Aurora" and "Once More to the Journey". It was TEYA's stories that inspired me to write my own fan fiction, and I believe those are two of the best C/7 stories out there. A guide to this post-Endgame universe can be found on my profile page, although of course TEYA undoubtedly has her own post-Endgame universe entirely different than what I extrapolated. That's the beauty of the multiverse. This particular story also compliments "Unite" about Seven and Chakotay's marriages in the various alternative universe stories I've also written.
#
BOREALIS
#
Stardate 56000.2 ("That Good Night" universe), Location, Northern Manitoba, Canada, Earth
It was cold and clear and close to midnight on the first day of Earth's New Year. Icheb looked up and gazed about at the night sky. The stars shined steady in the crisp air and there was a faint smell of wood smoke. Chakotay and Seven insisted the site be cloud free for the ceremony and that was the case here at the primary location in northern Canada. Fortunately there was also no wind, so the class five force field they brought just in case proved unnecessary. Thousands of stars were visible at a glance, and more still with the enhanced vision realized by Icheb's Borg ocular implant.
It was an exciting time. His surrogate parents, Seven and Chakotay, were getting married, and Seven had requested that he participate by "giving away the bride." It was going to be a simple ceremony, but he researched the custom extensively anyway. It was typically reserved for the father of the bride, and so Icheb felt quite honored to have been asked to fill in at this capacity. The four of them had just finished preparing the site by stomping down the snow within a twenty-five meter square outlined by a string of lights.
"Are we looking towards the Delta Quadrant?" his companion wondered, interrupting his thoughts. She was standing close to him with her hands buried deep into the pockets of her jacket. Seven had advised Jaxa to wear the bulky outer garment, and she was glad for it. Jaxa was a fellow cadet at Starfleet Academy, and she and Icheb were spending more and more time together.
Icheb turned to look behind them and then pointed to the southwestern horizon. It was too dark to see his hand for the lights were turned off at the moment, and so he instead reached over and turned Jaxa in the right direction. "Over there, although most is below the horizon," he commented. He let his arm linger on Jaxa's shoulder, and she seemed to move a little closer. Suddenly it felt a whole lot warmer. "Bajor's sun is over there as well, higher in the sky, but it's too far away to see."
"They're beautiful," Jaxa said wistfully. "I can't wait until we're out among them."
Just then the lights came back on, a dim square outlined the section of field they just prepared. Not too bright to diminish the view of the night sky, but bright enough to allow you to see where you were stepping. Chakotay and Seven approached the two cadets. "We still have a few minutes before the guests start arriving," Chakotay said, and then gazed up at the night sky to where Icheb and Jaxa were facing. Chakotay was dressed in what appeared to be animal hides, thick and dark with a hood covering his head while Seven was in a white ski suit and hood with white lined fur around her face. Both looked quite warm. "Did you know the sky once was black with no stars and it was Coyote who placed the stars in the patterns you see," Chakotay said with a twinkle in his eyes.
"That is not true Commander," Icheb interjected. "The stars and planets were created in a random and chaotic process after the formation of the universe."
"That is not the way I've heard it," Chakotay continued in a conspiratorial tone.
"It is an Earth myth Icheb," Seven explained. Sometimes Icheb took things too literally, despite the couching he was getting from both her and Chakotay. "And since it involves Coyote, it will undoubtedly impart a lesson of sorts."
"Who's Coyote?" Jaxa asked.
"Coyotes are wild canines native to this continent on Earth," Icheb stated.
"Ah, but this was Coyote," Chakotay said with gravity. "One of the animal spirits from the beginning of time when the world was just created out of water and space, but that's another story. There were no stars and no moon, and the sky at night was black as ink."
"But Commander…" Icheb started.
"Just listen…," both Jaxa and Seven started simultaneously, and then Jaxa giggled nervously.
Chakotay grinned and clasping his hands together, moved in closer to the others, as if he was going to impart a secret.
"Well, the animals had a terrible time of it at night, as you can imagine, with no lights in the sky to guide them. It was too dark for even Owl to hunt. All the animals would bump into each other in the dark. So Eagle and Bear, the two animal spirit kings, sought an audience with the Great Spirit. They thanked the Great Spirit for all they had on Earth, and then requested the Great Spirit intervene on their behalf concerning the darkness during the night.
"The Great Spirit went to a stream and picked out a shiny stone. 'Now watch me, little ones,' the Spirit said and placed the shiny stone up into the sky where it became a star. 'This is the home star, and will remain fixed in the sky. Use it as a guide to find your way home if you get lost.' The Great Spirit then placed shiny stones and sand of all colors and sizes in a hollowed out log for the animals to use.
"So the animals all went to the log and took shiny stones to place in the sky and make pictures of themselves. It was difficult and tiring work. At this time, Coyote came up to the group. Now Coyote thought he was the most clever and wisest of all the animal spirits. When he saw the patterns being placed in the sky, he decided that he could do a better job. The sky was vast, and the animals were tired, and so they all agreed to leave the job to Coyote. Iktome, Coyote's friend, made a large sling shot for Coyote to use to speed up his work."
"What sort of animal is Iktome?" Jaxa interrupted.
"Iktome is another trickster spirit, like Coyote," Seven explained. "I believe his animal manifestation is a spider."
Chakotay nodded, but Icheb looked alarmed. "A spider?" Icheb protested. "How could a spider construct a large sling shot?"
"Iktome is no ordinary spider," Chakotay said. Icheb didn't appear convinced, but kept quiet.
"Coyote, however, wanted to place the stones carefully and make intricate patterns, and so didn't use Iktome's sling shot. As he worked, Coyote thought of the grand design he would make of himself in the sky. His constellation would be the greatest of all. Greater than Eagle's. Even greater than Bear's. He would linger on these thoughts and his work slowed. Before he knew it, the first hints of dawn appeared on the horizon and the log filled with stones and sand was still over half full.
"There was little time left. Coyote rushed to Iktome's sling shot, placed the rest of the sand and stones within it, and then hurled the remaining stars into the sky. The other animal spirits awoke from the commotion and rushed to see what had happened. They all looked up in amazement at Coyote's work. 'You have done a remarkable job,' Bear said, 'but Coyote, you forgot to put yourself up in the sky.' As Coyote looked up into the sky to see that he had indeed forgotten his own picture, he began to howl at the night sky in mourning. And to this day, you may even now here Coyote mourning his foolishness."
Jaxa wore a wide grin. "It reminds me of stories I was told when I was a child," she said. "Poor Coyote."
"Oh, there are plenty of other stories where Coyote sees worse," Seven commented.
"I'm uncertain I understand the meaning of the story," Icheb added hesitantly.
They were interrupted by the high hum of transporter beams. The wedding guests began to materialize in the field around them. The time of the wedding ceremony was at hand.
"I'll have to tell you more of Coyote and Iktome another time, the others are starting to arrive," Chakotay said and turned to see Tom and B'Elanna close by.
"Good grief Chakotay," Tom said moments after his transporter beam completed. "Could you have picked a colder place and time to get married?" B'Elanna, who had materialized next to him, ignored her husband's comment and stepped forward to give both Seven and Chakotay a hug in greeting. Tom was holding Miral, who looked like a giant marshmallow in her thick jacket, which interestingly matched Seven's outfit.
"We did say to dress warmly for the wedding," Seven replied and stepped closer to Chakotay.
"Seven, take a look" B'Elanna remarked and revealed Miral's tiny foot from under the thick jacket. Miral had just celebrated her first birthday and in addition to her jacket, the baby was wearing multi-colored booties. "Miral's feet will be protected even if the external temperature drops below minus forty degrees Celsius."
Seven at first looked confused, but then smiled in surprise. "Are those…?"
B'Elanna nodded. "The same biothermal insulated baby booties you gave as a shower gift when we were still in the Delta Quadrant. I didn't think I'd ever have a chance to use them, until the two of you announced where you were getting married here."
"And at midnight, no less," Tom added, still apparently marveling at the temperature. "You guys should come visit us at Utopia Planitia. I hear there's a spot on the surface of Mars that gets a bit colder than this."
"There is a reason for the time and place," Chakotay responded and glanced up at the sky. The stars were still visible despite the lights around them. He appeared to be looking for something, but not finding it.
Seven leaned closer to Chakotay and placed her hand about his shoulder. "There is a low level of activity," she commented, understanding what Chakotay was looking for, "but it is still below the threshold of visibility with the unaided eye. I'm afraid the Sun hasn't been too active of late."
"But you can see it?"
Seven stepped back and looked to the north from horizon to horizon and nodded. "Yes, it is quite beautiful."
"That will have to do, I guess," Chakotay replied and gave Seven a hug.
Admiral Kathryn Janeway stepped up escorted by a younger man. She looked up to the sky as well with a smile, and then back to Chakotay and Seven. "Oh, don't worry just yet," she said with a sly wink. "There's still a little time." She then turned and motioned to her Ilisian companion. "Chakotay, Seven, may I introduce Etan."
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you," Chakotay responded, shaking the man's hand. The Admiral's whirlwind romance was now in its sixth month.
Before their conversation could continue, however, Chell made an announcement from the head of the group. "If everyone could start taking your places," he called out, "we have just a few minutes before we begin." Chell was arranging the catering for the reception to follow on the property Seven and Chakotay had just purchased in Belize. From the frozen plains of northern Canada to a midnight meal on a beach in Belize, this was indeed a difficult occasion to dress for. With guests distributed over the Earth and in ships using the standard stardate fixed to Earth's Greenwich Mean Time, the meal could be breakfast, lunch, dinner, or something in between. There were no chairs set up, so the guests were to stand during the short ceremony and face north towards what appeared to be a cabin in the distance. Chell was mostly addressing the wedding party and musicians, and wanted to move things along in order to get out of the cold and to the warmer climate.
Seven looked about and realized there were now over a hundred guests within the perimeter of the lights. The snow had been packed down to make walking easier. She and Chakotay would have to wait for the reception to greet them all. Most everyone from Voyager who were still in system responded they planned to attend, and many who came back to Earth for the one-year anniversary of Voyager's return just a couple days before, stayed on for the wedding. Indeed, the Stockholm remained in system, and a number of Voyager's former crew were assigned to it. Seven was pleased to see Captain Tuvok and his family waiting patiently for the ceremony to begin. She caught Naomi Wildman's eyes and they both waved enthusiastically.
It was odd. While in the Delta Quadrant she was close to only a handful of these people. Chakotay, of course, but also Admiral Janeway, Icheb, Naomi, and the Doctor. Now, all of them felt like friends, even family. The other day, Tal Celes had contacted her to ask her recommendation concerning Celes' next assignment. They started to talk about Voyager and other things, and before she realized it, over an hour had gone by. On Voyager, Celes had been a bit of a thorn in her side affecting the efficient operations of Astrometrics, but now she mostly remembered the more favorable times with her. In fact, she was actually looking forward to seeing her at the reception. The same was true for many others.
Friends were an important aspect of a fulfilling life. Sharing a piece of yourself with others. Common interests, reminiscing the past and speculating on the future. The thought that for many years she avoided these connections with others saddened her. One day, she resolved to impart the lessons she had learned about friendships. Don't miss those opportunities. You never know what the next day will bring.
In fact, just a few weeks before, Project Pathfinder finally established contact with New Talaxia in the Delta Quadrant. It was quite an accomplishment for Lieutenant Barkley and his team. Admiral Paris was even advocating a long overdue promotion for Reg. Among the initial exchange of messages between Starfleet and the colony on New Talaxia was one from Neelix to her. 'Orange grid 13-3.' A Kadis-kot move. Not just any move, however, but the next move in the game they had been sharing just before the events that ended with Voyager returning to the Alpha Quadrant. In the whirlwind of that last day in the Delta Quadrant, Seven had only a chance to send Neelix a short encrypted message explaining their situation and plan. For Neelix, after that message, there was silence for nearly a year. But in that time, he kept the game where it was in anticipation of starting it up again. That simple gesture spoke volumes and had moved her tremendously. Neelix never lost faith that they would one day reconnect – a friend now a quadrant away, and one she might never see face to face again. Neelix was perhaps the individual most opposite her on Voyager, and yet she now counted him among her dearest friends despite the distance between them.
And of course she would have never guessed her best friend would become Jenny Dehlany. The two of them worked together at Starfleet Research. Jenny was unconventional in her research methods while Seven was very regimented. Jenny had a subversive wit and sarcastic nature you wouldn't know with a casual meeting that Seven could never pull off. But again, despite the obvious differences, they enjoyed each other's company. As their wedding approached, somehow Chakotay was now the target of many of Jenny's good natured barbs. Seven smiled at the thought and noticed Jenny waiting up front next to Ayala and waved. Chakotay saw them as well. He turned and smiled at Seven before starting to make his way to the front.
Seven turned to Icheb. "It's about that time," she said.
Icheb stepped up and offered his arm, and Seven slipped her hand in. She smiled at Jaxa who was still standing close by and the young girl's eyes widened. She seemed terrified of Seven. That was something else Seven needed to remedy.
As Seven and Icheb moved to the center of the area, a drum began to sound. Their friend Many Words was playing, and soon enough, Harry Kim joined in playing a wooden flute. With the music, the wedding guests became silent. The sound of the drum and flute combined with the night and sky seemed to turn the air magical. The music was haunting and sounded Native American, but Seven also noted themes she recognized. She later found out it was an original composition that Harry and Many Words created just for their wedding that combined traditional musical themes from Chakotay's tribe and her ancestor's homeland of northern Europe. A metaphorical blend in music what was to be their marriage.
Icheb escorted Seven all the way to the front of the group to join Chakotay, Ayala and Jenny. As they neared, the music ended and there were some murmuring from the gathered guests. Seven glanced out and noticed many of them looking up into the sky and pointing.
Above and around them, an auroral display glowed. As she watched, it grew in intensity. Bright curtains of light pulsed as high energy particles impacted the upper atmosphere. Green and red cascades intermingled with the stars. Much brighter and intense than any display she had seen before. It was all around them. The magnitude and speed at which the event occurred was startling.
"We got our wish," Seven said quietly to Chakotay.
Chakotay looked opened mouthed at the display. He hadn't seen anything quite like it before. It was always their hope to see the Aurora Borealis again, on their wedding day, just like that first night on Earth after returning from the Delta Quadrant when they spent the evening together. They had discussed many plans for the future that first night – examining the Borg data nodes for evidence of the influence of the Sky Spirits, an expedition to the jungles of South America, whether either of them would join Starfleet or not. Indeed, many of those plans panned out. Starfleet was happy to sponsor his archeological research proposal and he made a great start during the past year. But… sometimes plans change, and other matters became much more significant and important in his life.
And fortunately now here they were, one year later. Suddenly his eyes fell to Admiral Janeway standing nearby. She wore a sly smile, as if she knew a secret. Kathryn, a true and faithful friend during this past year of discernment. She was privy to their plans. "Somehow I think the Sun had a little help in creating this particular display," he said, loud enough for the Admiral to overhear.
Now Janeway smiled outright. "Rank has its privileges, Chakotay, you should know that," she replied. "And besides, I have a good friend who heads the Space and Upper Atmospheric Division at Starfleet Research." She looked up to the heavens and added, "The stage is all set now. A fitting backdrop for this union, don't you think?"
Seven looked up, and with her enhanced vision, was able to detect the Starfleet research vessel which must have just released and injected the high energy particles into the Earth's magnetosphere to initiate the auroral display. It would be short-lived, but impressive while it lasted. In fact, much like the aurora she and Chakotay had seen the year before.
And yet, there were always charged particles in Earth's magnetosphere creating an aurora, although the sky glow might be too faint for most to see. Just like her and Chakotay's love, it was on display for all to see now, but was also ever present.
Chakotay cleared his throat beside her. Seven was still holding Icheb's arm, and now Chakotay offered her his. Seven nodded to Icheb, who bowed slightly and then stepped back into the crowd of guests while Seven put her arm into Chakotay's instead. The two of them then faced to the north and the center of the magnificent display of the Aurora Borealis. Their friend Many Words stood facing them.
"A-koo-chee-moya," Many Words began. "A year ago, I would have told you I'm not the religious sort. I did not walk the path of the mystic and divine. But then a miracle happened, and you all came home. I have done some soul searching of my own this past year, and when Chakotay and Seven announced their intention to marry, I humbly asked if I could preside over their union.
"And so, we are gathered here this night in this sacred place and time, before the Great Spirit of the universe, in witness of family and friends, to formalize the union of two strong souls – my good friends, my cousins, Seven and Chakotay…"
#
Author's note: Hope you enjoyed. Please leave a review.
Others have been recommending additional C/7 stories to read, so here goes:
I've been looking forward to the next chapters in scifiromance's "The Girl Next Door" and The Cheshire Cheese's "Sleepwalking" – take a look at these wonderful stories and leave a review to encourage them to post more chapters. Both have many other great stories, but I've particularly liked scifiromance's "Christmas Memories" and The Cheshire Cheese's "Parallels"
My favorite C/7 stories include TEYA's "Aurora" and "Once More to the Journey", Withah's "Field Trip", and Anniexus' "Homeward Bound". I still have many others I haven't yet read, so I imagine there are more. Enjoy.