"Thank you very much, Minister Seh'we'tal." Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager had been in in depth diplomatic negotiations with Minister Seh'we'tal for several days and was incredibly thankful that the negotiations had concluded – and with Voyager for once getting a good deal out of it. The negotiations centred around a mining contract to allow Voyager's away teams to mine Dylithium on the northern most continent of the Ministers planet, Charmlone as well as some long awaited shoreleave time.
"No, thank you, Captain Janeway," Minister Seh'we'tal hissed, extending a clawed hand out to the diminutive redhead who took the proffered appendage. "Your medicines will do much to benefit our people." Withdrawing his hand, Minister Seh'we'tal drew the claw back to his face, fingers digging at the scales. Before Kathryn knew what was happening, Minister Seh'we'tal had carved several scales from his face and extended them for Kathryn to take from his open palm. Not willing to cause a diplomatic incident over her own personal feelings (which roamed dangerously close to the point of disgust), Janeway reached forward and took the scales, smiling graciously.
"You honour me," The intrepid Captain said as she inspected the scales, attempting to look interested and pleased. The rest of the meeting took very little time at all and before long, the Minister and her parted ways, bidding each other long lives and in Janeway's case, a safe journey home. Upon exiting the conference room in which the diplomatic negotiations had taken place and moving on down the hall, Seven of Nine, formerly the Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix 01 fell into step beside her. There had been no security risks in the mission and hence required no security detail for Captain Janeway but Seven of Nine had insisted on accompanying her, even if she wasn't allowed into the conference room. She maintained that her implants would allow her to monitor the situation in the conference room and had stood vigil for the entire time, four hours in total.
As the two made their way to the beam out site, nothing was said and nothing was heard other than the clacking of Seven's heels on the wooden floor of the hallways. Finally, as they approached the beam out site, Seven spoke.
"The negotiations were successful?"
"Yes." Janeway replied. "We've got the mining grant. As soon as we get back on board Voyager I'll order B'Elanna and her teams to begin extraction, Chakotay to start the shore leave rotations and the Doctor to prepare the medicine for exchange." She regarded the young woman beside her. "And you, Seven?"
"Captain?"
"I noticed that you're scheduled to be off duty today. So why volunteer for this?"
Seven turned her head away slightly to hide the blush steadily suffusing the skin of her cheeks. For quite some time now Seven of Nine had been aware of a steadily growing attraction to the woman that was Kathryn Janeway. Normally, when confronted with a problem regarding her individuality, Janeway would have been the first person she would have spoken to. However, given the intensely private nature of what Seven was experiencing and since Janeway herself was the subject matter, Seven chose to instead investigate it under her own esteem... and had come to the conclusion that the Captain would never return her feelings, and even if she did, the Captain was an intensely private woman, and as she had gathered from overhearing conversations between Lieutenants Torres and Paris, the woman would reject any relationship with any crewmember. With that in mind, Seven chose to instead... love the woman from afar, for that was what she was sure was the strength of the emotion that Seven felt for the diminutive redhead. How could she answer truthfully and tell the older woman, her Captain, that she had chosen to insist on escorting the woman to the surface of the planet for no other reason than to be closer to her?
"This species has encountered the Borg on several occasions." Seven dissembled, attempting a very vague lie. "Yet have never been assimilated into the Collective. I was curious as to how their assimilations had failed. The Borg viewed them similar to Humans – weak, inefficient... yet like Earth, Charmlone has not been assimilated."
Janeway's lips curled up as she watched Seven for several long moments out of the corner of her eye, coming to a slow stop at the beam out site. Turning to the young woman, Janeway smiled openly. "Well. I can appreciate scientific curiosity. Seven," Janeway licked her lips, slightly apprehensive, "How would you feel about joining me for lunch?" Like flies to wanton soup, almost as long as she had known the ex-Borg Captain Kathryn Janeway had felt an attraction to her which both stunned and shocked the formidable Captain who had never experienced such feelings for a woman before. Try as she might to deny them, they eventually wore the Captain down until she finally relented and accepted them – but whether she were to act on them was another matter. Did Seven feel the same way? Despite having been separated from the hive mind for the past four years, the young ex-Borg had been a drone for most of her life and her social skills were non-existent. Would she even understand the concept of romance or sexuality, not to mention their age difference? Even then, Janeway's own personal morals against crew fraternisation were holding her back. No. Janeway resolved herself to love the woman from afar. The offer of lunch would keep the young woman in her company for just a little longer, and Kathryn adored the peace that it brought to her troubled soul.
"Lunch, Captain?"
"Yes. In my quarters? After we beam back?" Could she sound any more pathetic? Thankfully, to her credit, Seven smiled one of her impossibly small smiles and nodded.
"I would appreciate it. I have not consumed nutritional supplements for the past forty two hours."
"Forty two-!" Janeway shot Seven a look bordering on consternation. "Seven, you're supposed to eat every day. The Doctor- Don't give me that look." Seven's ocular implant skittered up her forehead. With an exasperated sigh, Janeway turned from the young woman and hit her commbadge. "Voyager, two to beam up." With a glance at Seven before the transport began, the Captain told her, "Lunch. Now." Transporter sparkles filled the air and before Janeway became enveloped in the momentary oblivion of transport, Kathryn could have sworn she saw a grin spread itself across Seven of Nine's normally stoic face.
Moments later, she coalesced on the transporter platform aboard Voyager.
Janeway blinked several times, trying to clear away the darkness that enclosed over her vision. The typical sounds of the transporter room were muffled, and as she slowly became aware again, Captain Kathryn Janeway realised that something had gone very, very wrong. The shrill sound of Seven of Nine yelling was another indicator. The few times that Kathryn had heard Seven yell, she had been angry and that had usually been during an argument with her Chief Engineer. Their conversation before transport had been light and pleasant – hardly anything for Seven to now be yelling about. But now, as Kathryn slowly realised, Seven sounded more concerned. Terrified, actually.
"Captain!"
"Captain!" Two voices? Ah, the Ensign at the Transporter controls, obviously. But wait, why were they calling for her? Disorientated, Janeway blinked a few more times, before suddenly becoming aware of moving. Actually, no, she wasn't just moving, she was being lifted!
"Ack!"
"Captain?" Seven called. She had felt this before. This feeling of cotton surrounding her. Infact... it was very familiar. It was- Suddenly, whatever was obstructing her eyesight was removed and light flooded in to assault her eyes. Blinking rapidly at the bright light, Janeway cried out and lifted her hands, only to scream with shock when she discovered that her hands were covered in tiny green scales and that her hands weren't hands at all and she was-
"Captain!" Seven of Nine's icy blue eyes were wide with shock as she regarded the small being cradled within the folds of her Captain's Uniform. Upon rematerialising, Seven had looked over towards Janeway and at her horror had discovered that Janeway was nowhere to be seen, leaving just her uniform upon the transporter pad. But now, cradled within her hands lay a teeny, tiny little... lizard.
"Medical emergency in Transporter Room One!" She barely heard the on duty Ensign at the Transporter Controls call.
Staring up at her from the bundle in her arms was a tiny little lizard covered in bright, bright green scales highly reminiscent of the scales of the Charmlone, with impossibly wide, wide eyes and a tiny little tuft of red hair atop it's head. Looking into those eyes, Seven realised they were blue grey, the exact same colour of Captain Janeway's eyes. "C-captain?" The young woman stuttered.
"Seven?"
It was her voice. It was Captain Janeway's voice. Seven stared at the tiny lizard hidden within the folds of the Captain's uniform. When the Doctor appeared with his mobile emitter and called her name, Seven didn't react. Although the Captain did, letting out an uncharacteristic squeak before burrowing further into the folds of her uniform.
"Seven?" The Doctor approached the shocked young woman standing upon the transporter pad. He noticed the uniform held almost limply within her hands. "Seven, what's going on? Where's the Captain?" At the mention of the Captain's name, Seven suddenly looked up, searching the hologram's dark eyes. She then held her arms forward, speechless. Her mouth opened and closed as she attempted to speak, but no sound came out. The Doctor approached with a tricorder and commenced a scanning of the uniform which revealed a small life-form... matching the Captain's bio-signature.
"Captain?"
There was a slight rustling in the uniform. Frowning now, The Doctor conducted another scan, this time much more in-depth than previous, and found himself shocked at the results. Whatever was in the uniform with the Captain's bio-signature was a reptile! He slapped his commbadge. "EMH to Commander Chakotay."
"Chakotay here." Came the fast reply.
"There's been a transporter accident involving the Captain. I'm taking her and Seven to Sickbay for treatment."
"What's the diagnosis?"
"I'd rather you come to Sickbay to discuss this."
"Any reason?"
"You'll understand when you see it." Was the Doctor's incredibly cryptic reply. Chakotay on the other end of the line sighed and rubbed at his tattoo.
"Acknowledged. I'll meet you in Sickbay. Chakotay out."
The Doctor turned to Seven and watched her as she stared at the bundle in her arms for several long moments. "Seven." He said, attempting to get her attention. When she didn't acknowledge him, he spoke louder. "Seven!" Her eyes snapped up to him.
"Doctor."
"We're going to Sickbay. Come on."
Once safely inside Sickbay, the Doctor guided Seven of Nine towards a nearby medibed, directed her to sit up upon the bed and place Janeway's uniform on the biobed beside her. Once the uniform was placed down and Seven was sitting there, the Doctor scanned the young woman who sat uncharacteristically silent. Once determining Seven was medically alright, albeit in shock, the Doctor now turned to the Captain's uniform, or more accurately, the Captain herself. "Captain?" He called quietly. "Captain?" He called again when she didn't respond or come out. The bundle rustled again until slowly, very slowly, a small three fingered green paw inched it's way out of the neck of the Captain's turtleneck. Then another, until finally the small green head poked it's way out and regarded everything with large blinking blue/grey eyes.
Janeway, for the most part, had never felt more in shock or surprised or even... terrified. She remembered the terrible incident years ago when she had turned into a lizard before and shuddered visibly, but thankful that she still had all of her mental faculties. Although for some reason now, everything she felt was now heightened, considerably disproportionate to her body size. Janeway stared up at the now suddenly humongous sickbay and a suddenly larger Seven of Nine and EMH who stared back down at her with equal amounts of shock.
"What the hell happened?"
"There was an accident with the transporter," The Doctor needlessly explained.
"I figured that much." Janeway snapped. "It's always a transporter accident. I swear, I'm going to take a leaf out of Admiral Pulaski's book and insist on shuttles."
The Doctor frowned down at the small lizard captain before opening his Tricorder, intent on conducting scans. The Sickbay doors opened and in strode the Second in Command, automatically veering over toward the biobed before stopping short at the sight of the small green lizard. "Doctor?"
"Commander," the Doctor said, "the Captain beamed back from Charmlone like this."
"She was... human before we initiated the beam out." Seven offered.
"She's completely reptilian!" The Doctor cried, sounding half in awe, half in shock. "Her entire genetic structure has been altered to that of... well, a chameleon!"
"Chameleon? Isn't that an old Earth lizard?"
"Yes, it is. During the exchange of information between the Charmelons I found a good many similarities between them both, aside from the obvious that make them bipedal and sentient. There was nothing on the planet that would react to the Captain's physiology like this and even if there was, the Transporter bio-filters would have filtered them out."
Quickly regaining her equilibrium, Janeway piped up. "Excuse me, gentlemen. Surely there's some theory."
"I can't even begin to imagine how or why your DNA merged with a Charmelon's during transport. You weren't in extended contact with them and the other away missions where you were there were no adverse effects!" A thought suddenly struck her.
"Commander, could you check the left hand pocket of my uniform?"
"Captain?"
"Do it, Chakotay."
The Commander frowned slightly as he watched the Janeway lizard climb completely out of her uniform and wiggle across the biobed, obviously having difficulty getting used to walking on four, teeny tiny legs. Chakotay moved to the uniform and pulled it up from the bed and searched through the pockets, turning them inside out. "There's nothing here, Captain."
Janeway frowned mightily. "Minister Seh'we'tal gave me some of his scales at the conclusion of the negotiations. I put them in my left pocket before I met with Seven in the hall."
The Doctor perked up, frowning. "I don't see how the Charmlone's scales could possibly do this to you during transport, Captain. Nevertheless, their absence must indicate involvement. I'll send a communique to the medical centres on Charmlone requesting in depth biological analyses of their physiology immediately, Captain. Until I can understand what actually happened, I don't dare try to reverse what's happened. As for your health, you're a perfectly healthy... lizard. Thankfully unlike last time you've maintained your... ah..."
"I thought we were never going to speak of that ever again." Janeway said in a low, quiet voice, despite the fact that she had thought along those lines mere minutes ago.
"Er, well, no... Anyway, you're healthy. So you're fit to return to duty."
"I don't know how the crew would take to having a lizard as their Captain." Janeway glanced at Chakotay. "This isn't to leave this room. I want nobody to know of my current condition. To that effect, Commander, Voyager is yours until this gets sorted out."
After a few more minutes of discussing their course of action, Commander Chakotay took his leave to visit B'Elanna and to send out the orders for the shore leave rotations. The Doctor took skin, tissue and blood samples from the newly transformed Janeway before discharging her – giving her orders to relax. Although how she could relax like this, she didn't know. Finally, Kathryn turned around to face Seven who had been unusually quiet during the whole examination and discussions.
"Seven." She whispered. The young woman raised her eyes to the small green, large eyed lizard standing on the bio-bed beside her.
"Captain."
Janeway frowned. "Is there something wrong?" At Seven's incredulous expression, Janeway found herself chuckling. "Oh, I suppose something is. But we'll work around it, won't we? I'm sure the Doctor will have this sorted out in no time." She said, finding that she was trying to convince not only Seven but also herself. She sighed. "I offered you lunch, didn't I?"
"You did."
"Well then. Ah..." Janeway glanced down at herself before looking back up at Seven. Seven thankfully caught on before Janeway had to make the request. Without saying a word the young woman reached down and scooped the small lizard Kathryn up into the palms of her hands, cradling her close. Between her thumbs, a small snout peaked out, followed by the two outrageously large eyes, the tuft of red hair flopping slightly into it's face. Without a word Seven swiped gently with her thumb and pushed the hair back, surprised to find herself relishing in performing such a duty for the small Captain. "I could really do with a Uniform about now." Janeway whispered up to Seven. With an arch of the eyebrow, Seven closed her hands in a cup around Janeway, leaving a small gap between her thumbs for the lizard. The trip to the Captain's Quarters on Deck 3 were fairly uneventful, Seven passing several crewmembers. Having reversed her arms so her hands came to the small of her back, her position looked natural and was dismissed by the crewmembers passing her who only acknowledged her with nods and marginally polite 'hello's.
Upon entering the Captain's quarters, Seven of Nine briskly walked towards the Captain's dining table and brought her quarry around from her back and setting the precious cargo upon the surface of the table. She had been within the Captain's quarters many times for philosophical discussions and once with the Senior Staff, sitting directly beside the Captain with only a foot of space between them. How she had wanted to bridge the gap, she would never tell Janeway.
Instead as she inspected the slow moving Chameleon as it attempted to get used to it's new body, Seven's optical implant and cortical node processed measurements and the differences in anatomy. Turning from the lizard, Seven crossed over towards the Captain's replicator and put the measurements in, including alterations for the very different anatomy. When she was finished with her work, she instructed the replicator to create several items.
"Seven?" She heard the plaintive call from behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Janeway still atop the dining table, those wide eyes regarding her from across the room. "What are you doing?"
Objects in hand, Seven turned from the replicator and moved toward the Captain's table, taking up a chair and sitting down beside the Captain, more for the Captain's comfort than for her own as she normally preferred to stand. Without saying a word, she held up the objects within her hands for the Captain's inspection.
Growing steadily used to her new form, Janeway scuttled across the table to come to a stop infront of the young woman that she silently adored. "Seven?"
In the blonde's hands were... Starfleet Uniforms. Tiny ones. "You mentioned earlier you 'could do with a Uniform'. Using my optical array and cortical node I took the necessary measurements to fashion you several articles of clothing including your Uniform."
The warmth of the gaze directed towards her from the tiny lizard brought warmth to her heart, almost making her chest hurt. Looking fondly down at the bright green lizard Captain, Seven placed the custom clothes down beside Janeway before holding out a Uniform. The small lizard's cheeks went a bright, bright red. Upon receiving a nod from her commanding officer, Seven opened the tiny garment (which used a small zipper down the entire front) before draping it over Kathryn and instructing her to fit her limbs into the sleeves and legs. After some fussing about, Janeway finally managed to do up the zip of her small command uniform. Finally clothed and in Uniform once again, the Captain edged closer toward Seven, watching her with those wide, wide, blue grey eyes.
"Captain."
"Seven. You're off duty today. Infact you're on the first shore leave rotation. Shouldn't you be going and-"
"Captain." Seven blinked down at the tiny Captain. "I would prefer to remain. Unless you would prefer that I left-"
"No, Seven." Kathryn smiled slightly. "I would love for you to stay." She glanced around her suddenly all too large quarters. "I have no idea how I'm going to be able to get around my own quarters." She looked down sheepishly. "And I'd like the company." She let out a long sigh, sitting down on her table. "Damned transporters."
"Agreed."
"Any theories?"
"Only what you surmised before – that somehow during transport the scales you were given by Minister Seh'we'tal merged with your DNA to create your new form, similar to a veiled Chameleon from Earth. In regards to solving the problem... I believe the Doctor and Lieutenant Torres would be better suited to uncovering the solution." Seven regarded the Captain quietly for the moment, question burning in her eyes. After what seemed like forever, she finally asked it. "What is it like?"
"Being a lizard?"
"Captain." The young woman inclined her head with a nod.
"It's one of the more interesting experiences I've had." The little Captain actually laughed, feeling much more comfortable in the company of her Astrometrics officer. "Thankfully I'm not sleeping with my pilot and giving birth, which happened the last time."
Seven frowned. "You would not 'give birth', Captain. You would lay 'clutches' of eggs, about seventy at a time three or four times a year where upon a male would fertilise them. Of course, that event would depend on the maturity of your body and whether the Charmelon's DNA is similar to Earth's Veiled Chameleon in this regard. I doubt that a Delta Quadrant species however would have that much similarity to that of a species on Earth. Of course, even then we did not receive complete data on Charmelon's reproductive cycle-"
"Seven!"
Quirking an eyebrow, the young blonde woman paused in her speech. "Captain?"
"Enough. This is," she waved a green three fingered hand dismissively, "giving me a headache." She watched the young woman carefully. "And while we're at it, why don't you start calling me Kathryn? We're in my quarters, off duty and... I'm a lizard."
"Yes, you are." Kathryn picked up on the tone of Seven's voice, frowning at it.
"I heard you, just after transport."
"I was worried for your safety, Captain."
"Kathryn."
"Kathryn."
The two regarded each other silently once again. As the tuft of hair atop her head flopped back into her eyes, Kathryn flicked her hand up toward her new face and swatted it away. "Well!" She said, swiping her hand backwards over her head in an attempt to flatten the shock of hair there. She hadn't felt this awkward since puberty, and couldn't remember a time when she couldn't control her hair – even during Red Alert – apart from those first few years as a teenager. "I mentioned lunch before, yes?"
"You did."
"Well, let's have some lunch!" Before she knew what she was doing, Janeway leapt off the table and onto Seven's lap before skittering down the side of the chair and toward the floor. Landing on the deck plating lithely, Janeway scuttled across the floor on direct course toward the replicator. Upon reaching the replicator she turned back to see Seven still seated at her chair. "Seven?"
"My apologies, Captain."
"Kathryn!"
"Yes, Kathryn." Getting up out of her seat, Seven walked over towards the replicator and Janeway, coming to a stop infront of the console. "What would you like, Kathryn?" She called down to the small lizard, who to her surprise began to scuttle up her shoe and then her leg. Tongue poking out as she climbed, Janeway skittered up Seven's side and climbed up onto her shoulder using Seven's chest as leverage. Finally situated in place, Kathryn edged close to Seven's cheek.
"I'm not sure what my body can eat."
"My observations of the Charmelon's indicated that they were omnivore. Perhaps a light salad with no dressing would be adequate."
"Acceptable." Janeway said, using one of the Borg's pat phrases. "Computer," She called, "Two simple salads, no dressing. One serving small." The hum of the replicator filled the air as the computer complied with Janeway's order and two servings, one normal and the other small appeared on the replicator pad. Reaching down, Seven picked up the two plates before walking back towards the dining table. As she placed the plates down on the table, Janeway skittered down the length of her arm and onto the table. Once they were settled, they tucked into their lunch. Janeway had to climb onto her plate in order to get her food and currently nibbled on some cucumber, frowning at how long it took to chew without teeth.
Half way through their meal they received a hail from Commander Chakotay informing the Captain that the shore leave rotations and that the away teams that had volunteered were now starting to extract the dylithium from the planets surface. When the hail ended, Kathryn turned around to find herself being observed thoughtfully by the young Borg.
"Seven?"
Seven blinked. "I apologise, Captain. I was wondering what would occur if this became permanent."
"What do you mean?" Seven's ocular implant rose imperceptibly at the sheer ice in Janeway's tone. She watched her for a moment before nodding and quirking the same implant.
"What would occur if you were to remain like this? That the process was irreversible?" She didn't want to tell the small Captain that the thought disheartened her. Yet, as she thought about it, it didn't matter the form that Janeway existed in, Seven still loved her and would continue to do so. "Would you resume your duties as Captain of Voyager?"
Kathryn looked thoughtful. "You've brought up an interesting point. I would, yes. The only reason I'm not on duty right now is that it'll confuse the hell out of the crew. And... I'm a little apprehensive of them seeing me like this." She admitted sheepishly. "But if it's permanent then the crew will simply have to get used to having a lizard as their Captain although the prospect of that is a bit... daunting. I would require assistance to move around. I'm not even big enough to get the sensor on the wall to open the door!"
"I would assist you in that event, Captain." Seven immediately said, brooking no argument.
"You would, would you?" Janeway chuckled quietly, but her expression softened. "I appreciate that." They finished their meal, both of them only managing half of their plates. Seven moved once again to the replicator and recycled the left-overs. "This'll take a bit of getting used to." Janeway said wistfully, looking down at her hands as she moved to sit, adjusting slightly when her tail got caught under her posterior.
"You have adjusted very well, considering the circumstances."
"Thanks for your vote of confidence, Seven." The Captain sighed and rubbed at her temple. She looked down at herself and noticed a mini-commbadge, surprised she hadn't seen it before. Reaching up, she felt around the collar of her adapted uniform and felt her pips already in place, sized proportionately to her. Glancing up at the woman who had created this new uniform for her, Kathryn felt the usual warmth at the sight of her, ineffably grateful to the courteous young woman. "Thanks for this, too." She gestured to the Uniform and the clothes. "I wouldn't have had the slightest clue where to begin. It's so light, too, how'd you do it?"
"I specified the parameters for your size, but instead of using the synthetic enhanced cotton that is standard issue for the Starfleet Uniform since it would be too heavy for you to wear, I instructed the computer to replicate the uniform in the same material as my bio suits. It is lighter and more comfortable."
"It was very thoughtful of you, Seven. It's very comfortable. I could get used to this." She joked. Seven regarded her with a serious expression before her lips curled up into a slight smile.
"I can instruct the replicators to alter the pattern of the Starfleet Uniform to use this mesh instead of the standard regulation clothing if you wish, Captain." Janeway laughed heartily, broadening Seven's smile.
The banter was nice, and Kathryn deeply appreciated it for what it was, an attempt to keep her mind off of what had occurred earlier that morning. Looking up at the young woman, Captain Janeway let herself smile. A day in the company of Seven of Nine. What could possibly go wrong?
Slowly waking up, Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager slowly opened her eyes to find herself wrapped up in a small blanket with her head barely poking out of the seams, cradled reverently within the hold of her Astrometrics officer who reclined against the large couch, head turned away as she gazed out into the space and viewed the Charmelone homeworld, taking in the light purple hues of the ocean and the varied colours of the landmasses, clouds whirling overhead. The young woman's hair was down out of it's austere bun and flowed gloriously down her shoulders onto her blue biosuit.
"Beautiful."
At the sound of the Captain's whisper, Seven turned her head around at the sound of Janeways voice, blue eyes locking onto Kathryn's. Startled that Seven had heard her, Kathryn went a very, very bright red. Looking away, the small Captain rustled around in the blanket in an attempt to escape when the sound of a quiet chortle reached her ears. She stopped and looked up with wide eyes to see Seven gazing down at her with a gentle pleasant smile written across her face. "What?" Kathryn asked under the efficient Borg scrutiny.
"You are bright red, Kathryn." True enough, when Kathryn looked down at her hands, the scales were now a deep red in pigment – and rapidly growing darker, almost to the colour of the red shoulders of her Command Uniform.
As Seven looked on, the small now red Captain leapt off her lap and made a bee-line for her replicator. "Coffee! Black!" Finding herself now unable to get the replicated drink, the Captain glared up at the replicator, a good metre higher than she could reach. "You have got to be kidding me."
Shaking her head, Seven approached and took hold of the coffee, lowering herself into a kneeling position beside the small lizard. "Captain, I must inform you that coffee may have an adverse effect on your biology." At the Captain's glare, Seven merely raised her left eyebrow before placing the coffee cup on the ground. Seven sat down beside the Captain as she scuttled up the side of the coffee cup and dove her head into the warm liquid. Drinking heartilly, Janeway finished half the cup in seconds, having her fill. Inching back down, Kathryn turned her eyes to the young woman before motioning with her head towards the cup.
"We're going to need to program the computer with dimensions for my current body. I hate to waste so much coffee." An image of Janeway strutting across the bridge holding a resized version of her favourite coffee cup came to Seven's mind. Shaking it away, the ex-Borg picked up the cup and returned it to the replicator, setting it to recycle. Sighing, Janeway stalked over toward the nearby lounge suite and climbed up onto the soft couch, pleased when Seven joined her. Janeway watched the young woman sitting beside her. "Seven," She started, tongue flicking out to lick at her scaled lips.
"Yes Captain?"
"We need to talk."
"We are, Captain."
"Stop that." Seven paused and regarded Kathryn with a gaze that the Captain probably reckoned that could see in to her soul. The young woman nodded and looked at her charge fondly. The diminutive redhead lizard raised a hand to it's mess of hair and ran it's tiny paw through the strands, letting out a sigh. "This... condition I've found myself in. I'm going to need help."
Seven could tell how much the admission of requiring assistance had cost the small Captain, the scales on her body turning a slight pink. Knowing the Captain as well as she did, or at least as she hoped she did, Seven knew that such an admission meant that Janeway truly trusted her, and that feeling of warmth flowed through the ex-Borg once again.
"If this is permanent, I'm going to need someone that I can trust to help me. I'd ask Commander Chakotay or Tuvok, but I think I'd be a great deal more comfortable if it were you."
"I will assist you in any way I can, Captain." Seven quickly replied.
"You will need to be by my side most of the time." The Captain said quietly. "You'll have a good many more shifts on the Bridge and you won't be in Astrometrics as often."
"That is a problem easily solved, Captain. I can reconfigure a workstation on the Bridge and the systems in Astrometrics to allow me to control and use the Astrometrics from the Bridge. I will not have the advantage of the holographic display, however I should still be able to complete my work."
The Captain seemed pleased by that, judging by the quirking of her lips and that indulgent look in her eyes. That soon disappeared and Kathryn frowned up at the younger woman. "I will need assistance getting to and from my quarters. As well as about my quarters. It'd be must easier if you were to stay here. I've been insensitive in neglecting to assign you quarters-"
"Space is limited on Voyager. I understand that the only choice would have been to share quarters with another crewmember. Based upon the data I have accumulated on the crew, the only crewmembers that would accept my presence for an extended period of time would be you, Captain, Naomi Wildman and Neelix. Suffice to say that I would rather remain in Cargo Bay 2. Neither Naomi's or Neelix's quarters are large enough to sustain a Borg regeneration alcove and from what I know of you, Captain, are a highly private woman and I consider it doubtful you would consider a 'roommate'."
"Actually, Seven... I was considering a roommate." The small Captain sighed and climbed up into Seven's lap, frowning up at the younger, blonde woman. "Seven, I can't get around my quarters like I used to. I can't reach my replicator and I sure as hell am going to have difficulty with my normal routine. I need someone with me to help me in this at least." She tried to keep the excitement at the prospect of having the young woman living with her out of her voice. "I need someone to help me get around, and the person I trust most in doing this is you, Seven."
"You are asking me to 'move in with you'. Is that not something which people in romantic partnerships do?"
"Friends move in together too, Seven."
"Oh." Seven tried very hard to keep the disappointment she felt at bay. Yet this, Seven saw, was a chance to get closer to the Captain. To spend more time with her. To be able to assist her for now as she was Kathryn Janeway would not be able to function normally. "Acceptable."
"Great!" The little Lizard Captain clapped her little green hands together, fiendishly grinning up at her young charge (or was that, the young woman in charge of her?) and trying not to look entirely too excited at sharing quarters with the young woman. "I'll notify B'Elanna and the maintenance crews that they'll have to redesign my bedroom."
"Re-design?"
"Why of course. It's not like I can sleep in that large bed anymore. We'll size it down so you have a place to sleep and have your alcove put in."
"And what of your sleeping arrangements, Captain?"
"I'm sure we'll think of something, Seven, don't worry." She patted the young woman's hand with her green scaly one. "Maybe a bunch of tissues in a matchbox." The sound of the Captain's laughter filled the room and unknown to her, the young woman's heart.
Seven of Nine, formerly of the Borg Collective looked fondly on as the small intrepid Captain who had rescued her several years previous turned away, tapping on her commbadge to hail B'Elanna and organise the changes to her quarters. When it was all said and done and B'Elanna was on her way, Seven glanced over at the small Captain.
"Captain, what if your condition is reversible? You would then have to expend valuable resources to return your quarters to how they currently are. It is inefficient."
To her utter surprise, the Captain simply smiled. "These quarters are yours now, too. You have every right to be here as I do. Should that happen, if we figure out what the hell happened and I can be human again... then we'll adapt."
Pleased with the Captain's reply, Seven returned the smile with her own variation. "Acceptable."
The move in to the Captain's quarters had been a fairly easy one. Seven had assisted B'Elanna in installing her alcove in Janeway's bedroom (after the Chief Engineer had managed to pick up her jaw from the floor upon seeing the Captain) and assisted in the placement of the single bed that was to be her own within the Captain's quarters. Sharing living quarters with the dynamic Captain... that would be interesting. They had spent half an hour creating Janeway's sleeping arrangements and had ended up creating a small bed to fit her dimensions that would sit atop the bedside table, keeping the two roommates close by.
Now, Seven stood in Sickbay with Janeway atop her left shoulder, her companions countenance growing grimmer with each word the Holographic Doctor spoke.
"I've run analyses on your DNA and cross-referenced it with Minister Seh'we'tals DNA and your own from your last physical. It's not good. I cannot detect why you have turned into a lizard. The Minister's DNA doesn't contain any genetic markers that would potentially react with your own in transport. All simulations I've run using samples of his and your DNA transporting at the same time in the same confinement beam have all come back negative. On a biological scale, there is no explainable reason why you have become what you are. It's my recommendation as your Chief Medical Officer that you are fit to return to duty... and should, as soon as possible. The sooner you reveal yourself to the crew the sooner they can get used to your new form."
"You're trying to tell me I'm going to be stuck like this?"
The holographic doctor sighed, an action entirely unneeded given that he was photonic, yet something that Seven felt strangely comforting. " Unfortunately, yes. Seven, Ensign Kim and Lieutenant Torres have completed many scans along side my investigation... and the results haven't been encouraging."
"All scans of the planet surface and surrounding space including nearby stars and forms of radiation have returned negative for any adverse affects on your transport, Captain." Seven quietly offered. As the small Captain's head turned to look at her, Seven could swear she felt her heart break in that sorrowful grey gaze.
The sickbay was uncomfortably silent for a long time. "Take me back to my quarters." The small Captain murmured. "Thank you, Doctor. I will... return to duty tomorrow." The two left sickbay then and without another word made the short trip to their shared quarters, completely silent feeling worlds apart. As they finally entered the Captain's sanctuary, the small form heaved a long groaning sigh and leaned against Seven's neck. Moving carefully, the young blonde made her way towards Kathryn's lounge and perched herself atop one of the lush cushions.
"Captain?" She lightly queried, the blonde turning her head slightly and so she could view the small Captain out of the corner of her eyes. The small lizard was extremely quiet, large eyes closed, two small tracks of water running down the scaled face. It took the ex-Borg a few moments to realise it but now she was painfully aware that the woman that held her heart was crying... because she had failed to find a reason why she had been transformed into this new form. Solemnly she reached up and with gentle hands pulled the small Captain from her shoulder. She had done this several times comforting Naomi Wildman when the young girl was upset and had observed many of the crew doing the same to each other. Yet she knew that she could hardly wrap her arms around the small Captain, and instead cupped Janeway in her palms and brought her hands to her chest, leaning her head down so her chin lightly rested on the small auburn head. She heard the small captain take in a deep, shuddering breath but otherwise remain quiet. Kathryn was entirely quiet as Seven clutched the small lizard to her chest, yet Seven could feel the small form in her hands quiver and shake.
"I'm sorry, Seven," Kathryn finally murmured, voice slightly muffled. "I'm the Captain. This should be no harder than an encounter with a hostile species." Then why the hell are you so terrified? Why are you feeling like your entire world is falling apart?
"No, Captain." The ex-Borg pulled the small Captain closer, finding her own eyes sliding shut. She took a deep breath, realising she was about to reveal to the Captain she had sworn she never would. "When you severed me from the Collective and removed my implants, you changed my physiology from one that I had no experience with. It was a daunting experience." Just as Kathryn was about to protest, Seven continued on, shushing her charge quietly. "I do not regret it, Kathryn. I can only imagine what you are feeling now. I am not one to condone faith, but this vessel requires you to believe that you will survive and make it through this. Even if you remain like this, Kathryn, you will still be the Captain of Voyager, you will still command her crew... and you will still be my Captain, my mentor... and my friend."
Pulling away, Janeway stared into Seven's face and studied the younger womans features, countenance grave until finally a small wan smile appeared on her green features. "Thanks, Seven. I needed that." The small Captain hefted a sigh and looked down as if ashamed of her sudden depressed spell. The young blonde nodded as Janeway raised her hands to her face, rubbing at her eyes with tiny fists. "I just feel so useless right now. So small."
The dejected tone of the woman in her hands made Seven frown. Intent on changing the topic and bringing the Captain's thoughts away from her current predicament, Seven moved towards the dining table, sitting the lizard atop the table before heading over towards the replicator, ordering two serves of chocolate cake, one small and the other proportionate to Janeway's current size. She returned to the lizard Captain who raised an eyebrow at the proffered food.
"'Comfort food', Captain. When Naomi Wildman was sick she once requested I bring her chocolate cake, citing that it would make her feel better. I inquired with Lieutenant Torres and she revealed that most females tended to eat chocolate and watch romance holo-vids when experiencing emotions of depression, anxiety and distress. She called it 'comfort food'."
"That's very thoughtful, Seven, thank you." Kathryn hopped over towards Seven as the young woman seated herself at the end of the table, watching as the blonde placed the plates down before picking up her fork and slicing lightly into her chocolate cake. Janeway on the other hand effectively dived on her tiny portion, grabbing at the cake with her tiny green paws and bringing it up to her mouth for nibbling.
The pair ate in silence for several long moments, finding comfort in each others company. Finally, Janeway sighed, gobbled the rest of the cake and with a nod declared, "You're right, Seven. I've kept this ship and this crew together through thick and thin for the past seven years and I can do it again."
"As a reptile."
"As a reptile." She appeared thoughtful for a few moments, a few wrinkles appearing in between her brow ridges. "I'm finding it curious..."
"Captain?"
"I'm just thinking about my supposed spirit animal. And that time Tom tried breaking the warp ten barrier and we both transformed into lizards."
"Do you believe there is some kind of connection, Captain?"
"One heck of a coincidence, probably." Janeway sighed before reaching down and patting at her belly. "That was some good cake, though."'
"Indeed it was, Captain." Seven said as she speared the final piece of her cake on her fork and took it into her mouth. "I believe I am developing a 'sweet tooth' as Ensign Wildman once referred to it as." At the captain's questioning look Seven elaborated. "On occasion Naomi Wildman and I play a game of Kadis Kot in her quarters as opposed to the Mess Hall. Ensign Wildman would return from her duty shift and provide cake. I..." She looked a little sheepish. "Very much like cake."
"There are other very sweet things you can eat, Seven. But I'm glad you're embracing this part of your physiology. Just don't go overboard." She winced when Sevens expression suddenly turned as sour as it could, a slight frown appearing on her face and her eyebrows creeping together. Janeway took a breath. "You already have?"
"Once. The first night Ensign Wildman provided cake, I wanted more. So I instructed the computer to supply more cake and utilise the whole of my accumulated credit."
"Oh God. How much?"
"Three hundred and seventy three credits, Captain."
Janeway pressed a hand to her face as she added up the figures, the amount of credits making approximately forty five slices of rich chocolate cake. "And I take it you ate all of them?"
Seven swallowed, her chest heaving slightly as she looked down, the very smallest hint of a blush creeping into her cheeks. "Yes Captain."
"That mustn't have been too pleasant for you afterwards."
"It wasn't." Seven made a slight face, one that the small captain believed she had picked up from her small – well, that was wrong, she was bigger than she was, now! - Captain's Assistant. It was an absolutely adorable pout, and not for the first time in the time that Kathryn had known Seven, the auburn haired Captain desired to press her own lips to the young ex-Borg's. Shaking her head as she found herself staring, she turned away and chuckled, knowing as she leapt to the lounge the blonde behind her would rise from the dining table, quirking an eyebrow.
Seating herself back down on the comfortable cushions of her lounge, Janeway lounged back into a nearby pillow, feeling infinitely better than she had mere minutes ago. Looking over at her companion as she took a seat close by, Janeway was heartened by the woman's proximity, finding herself unconsciously shifting towards her and Seven perhaps doing the same. Recalling something, Kathryn chuckled quietly into a green scaled hand, getting Seven's attention.
"Captain?"
"Oh, sorry, Seven. I was just wondering if this happened before the Doctor commandeered your body or afterward. I remember you telling me that the Doctor... was rather unrestrained in the use of your body."
"Indeed he was," Seven remarked sourly. "It was before. I have not made the mistake voluntarily again."
"Well, I'm glad it was at least a learning experience for you, barring the... unpleasantness. I thought the Doctor instructed you on food and what not to do – like over eat."
"He did. But he neglected to mention how... appetising and alluring some meals could be. As I said, Captain, I believe I am developing a 'sweet tooth'."
"Nothing wrong with indulging in it every now and then, Seven. So long as it is only every now and then and it's not an over indulgence." She gestured at the table with a green hand. "Like today. Indulgence without gorging. Do you feel sick?"
"No, Captain- Kathryn." A slight smile curved the corners of Seven's lips. "On the contrary, I feel highly satisfied." The two sat back into the couch – well, Janeway did most of the lounging. Seven sat ramrod straight, but Janeway figured she was lounging enough for the both of them – and relaxed.
"This will take a bit of getting used to." Janeway said quietly.
"That is obvious, Captain." Seven replied, raising an eyebrow at the tiny Captain. "Yet in this, like all other things, I am sure that you will succeed."
"Thanks for your vote of confidence, Seven." Janeway let out a sigh and ran a green paw through her auburn hair, brushing it out of her face. "With you here, I'm sure I will. I couldn't expect my First Officer or anyone else under my command to help me with this. It's... too personal."
"Yet you trust me enough to?"
"You're my friend, Seven." Kathryn smiled warmly up at the blonde. "Besides, you're not concerned with the chain of command, Starfleet Protocol or our silly social foibles." I'm also madly in love with you, the Captain refrained from saying while willing her scales not turn bright red again at the thought.
"I am glad that I could assist you in this way, Captain." Replied what she thought was a far too smug Seven of Nine.
Deciding to resume Janeway's normal routine the following day and get the crew – and themselves – to the Captain's current circumstances, yet such a thing proved difficult even for them and their formidable wills.
Perched atop her Astrometrics Officers' shoulder, Captain Kathryn Janeway was escorted through her morning routine beginning with a stroll through the corridors of Deck 3 to the turbolift and a quick jaunt through the Mess hall to greet the crew and for the dynamic woman to get a mug of her favourite coffee blend from Neelix. Of course, a memo had circulated through the crew's day duty roster that the Captain had undergone a transformation – and Chakotay endeavoured to reiterate that the Captain was still the Captain despite the situation – but that barely prepared them for the reality of a small green lizard clothed in command red and wearing Janeway's charming smile on Seven of Nine's shoulder.
"Seven!" The statuesque blonde turned just shy of reaching the replicator in the Mess Hall, typical eyebrow raised as she was greeted by a strawberry blonde Ktarian young female. "Seven!"
"Naomi Wildman." Seven replied, quirking her optical implant at the young girl.
"Good morning, Seven!" The young Ktarian said, grinning up at her blonde friend when she suddenly noticed a small lizard propped up on her shoulder, emitting a short squeal. "Oh my gosh, Seven! You got a pet!"
"Naomi-"
"You must have gotten it from the planet, right?"
"Naomi Wildman-"
"What type of lizard is it? It is a lizard, right?"
"This is hardly-"
"It looks so adorable! What'd you name it, Seven?"
"Her name, Naomi Wildman, is Captain Kathryn Janeway." At Naomi's (and infact that mess halls) silence, Seven of Nine continued on. "There was an accident on the planet and the Captain is now in this form."
The small Captain cleared her throat and attempted her best smile. "Hello, Naomi." The young Ktarian's eyes widened further. "How have you been?"
"...Well, Captain. And you?" Finding herself sporting a tiny smile, Seven of Nine bowed her head so very slightly, feeling immeasurable pride for the young Ktarian who was now readily conversing with the lizard captain upon her shoulder. As she looked on around the rest of the mess hall they still gazed up at the Captain in varying states of shock, while Naomi was already acclimatising, and for that she was grateful to the young strawberry blonde.
After a few minutes, Kathryn made her apologies. "I'm sorry, Naomi. It's been wonderful catching up with you, but I'll be late for my duty shift if I stay too much longer."
"I understand, Captain." Naomi replied, smiling back at her. "Work must be done, correct?"
"Correct. So does that mean I'll see my Captain's Assistant at 1300 hours?"
The young girl beamed. "You can count on it, Captain."
Their next destination was sure enough the Bridge, and feeling slightly better after what had occurred in the mess hall (although being around Naomi Wildman was seldom not an uplifting occasion) the Captain atop Seven's shoulder made her way back to the turbolift, coffee in hand, and up to the Bridge. Making her way down to the command level, Seven moved over toward the Captain's chair which was quickly vacated by Commander Chakotay. Holding her arm out over the chair, Janeway skittered down the appendage and flopped down onto her command chair. That completed, Seven turned and moved across the bridge and towards the science console where she took her place and activated her board to the familiar sound of her Captain, "Report!"
Not looking up from her board, Seven knew from the subtle silence that permeated the bridge that the Captain was under intense scrutiny from the various crewmembers on duty. Finally, Commander Chakotay coughed and the rest of the crew returned to their duties.
"Nothing much to report, Captain." Commander Chakotay began. "Gamma Shift reports nothing of note. There was a slight fluctuation in the port nacelle, but B'Elanna assures me she has teams working on the anomaly."
"That's good to hear."
"We're holding position over Charmlone and there are four engineering teams on the surface mining dilithium. Shore leave rotations are scheduled to begin at the end of alpha shift."
"Good. Is that all?"
It was a normal conversation, from what Seven could tell. Having bridge duty twice a week meant that she was privvy to the normal goings of bridge conversation, and aside from the slightly strained atmosphere, everything seemed to be fine on the Bridge. Calling up the astrometrics logs from last night, Seven of Nine eagerly tucked into her work, processing and categorizing the last five sectors of stellar cartography information.
For the Captain's part, the woman sat upon her chair gazing over a padd that Commander Chakotay had given her. It was admittedly over-sized, but for some reason Kathryn found it much easier to use. With her smaller appendages she didn't accidentally access the wrong files and she could literally walk across the screen, even sit on the padd itself and still be able to work.
Still, despite the advantages of Janeway's new body, the lizard captain felt very out of place, very out of... well, her own skin. She could tell that many of the crew were still looking at her, perhaps more surreptitiously than before, but still all the more felt. Maybe she was just being paranoid, but it felt awkward. What was worse was that she was reminded of her chat with the Doctor the day previous, about how her current condition was most likely permanent.
Several hours passed before Kathryn was finished working on reviewing the shoreleave rotations and the reports from the mining expedition, and by that time she was not only feeling very uncomfortable, but she was also greatly aware that she was very behind on personnel evaluations. Looking up from her chair she glanced over to starboard and smiled – reassured by Seven's unmoving presence. The younger woman hadn't moved an inch since the start of the alpha shift, and seeing her, even thinking of her was as always warmth bringing.
"Seven?"
"Yes Captain?" The blonde turned around in her chair and as per usual quirked her eyebrow.
"Could I see you in my Ready Room?"
"Yes Captain." Seven of Nine stood and approached the Captain, bending over slightly and extending an arm for the Captain to climb up onto. Safely upon her shoulder, Seven then made her way over to the Ready Room, the Captain on her shoulder remarking to Chakotay,
"You have the Bridge."
Safely ensconced in the Ready Room, Janeway let out a breath that she didn't know she had been holding in. Green paws reached up and cupped at her face, sighing into her hands. "That wasn't uncomfortable in the slightest!" She said sarcastically, flicking her hair out of her face.
"You will acclimatise, Captain."
Kathryn raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Seven out of the corner of her eye before shaking her head and chuckling. "Glad to have your vote of confidence." Seven moved over towards the Captain's desk and sat the small lizard upon it, giving the captain a polite nod before turning away. Instead of leaving she walked up to the upper level of the ready room and moved to the replicator.
"Computer, replicate one small coffee – black, hot, and one glass of water."
"So how has today worked out for you?" Kathryn asked, settling down onto a tiny little seat already prepared for her atop the desk, watching Seven as she picked up the glass and tiny, tiny mug before returning to the desk.
"Today has been productive. I have categorized the last five sectors of information in numerical order, listed all phenomena within each sector and provided data upon those phenomena from our scans. I now have caught up on my work and will resume scanning the current sector of space." Seven approached the desk and placed the cup and mug down, standing at attention infront of the desk.
"You can sit down you know."
"I prefer to stand."
"Of course you do. Sit." Kathryn jerked her head and gestured to her usual seat behind the desk, swivelling around in the seat to keep her gaze constantly trained on the ex-Borg. "That's good to hear, Seven. I'm glad you're on top of things."
At the Captain's accompanying groan, Seven raised an eyebrow. "You are not... 'on top of things', Captain?"
"Personnel evaluations. As usual I've left them extremely late and they're due tomorrow. I know, I know what you're thinking." Janeway held a hand up, letting out a sigh. "But I can't stand crew evals. Honestly, how can I judge the effectiveness of my entire crew when we're stranded in the Delta Quadrant facing death every day? It's difficult to look at our situation objectively and judge the crew when I know that they are all performing to the best of their abilities."
"That is your sole reason?"
"I was recently turned into a lizard?"
Seven of Nine raised an eyebrow before briefly nodding, speaking in a soft voice, her command sounding more like a benediction. "Acceptable. Now resume your work. I have my own as well." She then gracefully stood and moved up to the higher level of the Ready Room, data padd in hand to continue her work, leaving Janeway with a long line of crew evals ahead of her.
"Will you be participating in shore leave, Captain?"
Normally, this question would have been asked during conversation perhaps at dinner or in passing. Yet this question permeated through the haze of hot water induced fog, surrounded by the chorus of running water and soft splashes. That is to say, this question was asked innocently by one naked Borg, to her equally naked Captain.
It wasn't conduct befitting their relationship, but these were trying circumstances and allowances had to be made.
Over the course of the past two weeks, Janeway attempted to acclimatise as much as possible to her new condition, while The Doctor endlessly searched for answers to which he only developed more questions. During that time, Seven and Janeway became ever more close, the younger woman assisting the elder in everything since moving around her own quarters had become a chore. In an incident that had occurred in the first week after Janeway's transformation, the small Lizard captain attempted to bathe by herself and found it so difficult to bathe in the swimming pool sized bath that Seven had to remain by her side – even while bathing. Eventually the two decided that Janeway should bathe in the water basin – which provided another problem. Janeway's scales were far too slippery while wet and she could spend hours attempting to get out of the basin once her bath was complete to no avail. It was then decided that Seven would likewise bathe, or in her case shower since it was her preferred method at the same time as the Captain and retrieve the other woman when her task was done which led the two to their current situation; having a conversation in the middle of their separate cleansing rituals, something which they both, as they did each other, silently adored.
"I'm not sure, Seven. I might stay here." She refused to tell the younger blonde woman that the main reason she didn't want to go out to shore leave was that many members of her crew still gave her strange looks. Yet she didn't take into account how observant her charge was – even through the obscuring glass shower door and the sounds of their bathing.
"Is your decision to remain in your quarters for the remainder of shore leave related to the crews continued surprise of your current form?"
Janeway sighed and nodded to herself as she scooped a good quantity of shampoo and slopped it onto her hair, lathering it well into her scalp. "I keep forgetting how observant you've become, Seven."
"I will endeavour to remind you next time, however given that I spend almost all of my time in your presence I am becoming increasingly sensitive to your... emotions, wants, needs, body language."
"You're empathising." Janeway chuckled, much to Sevens consternation.
"Captain?"
"Seven, how many times have I told you? When we're in my quarters, when we're in private, especially when we are bathing together, please call me Kathryn."
"Four hundred and seventy three times so far, Captain."
"Has it really been that many?"
"Indeed, and I am aware that you are attempting to divert my attention. Will you join me for shore leave, Kathryn?"
Janeway cupped water in the palms of her tiny hands and began rinsing her shampoo out of her hair. "When did you start taking shore leave? As I remember it every other time we've gotten shore leave you've remained on Voyager."
"Back then I did not understand its appeal, nor did I have a... friend, with which to share it with. Shore leave held no appeal for me, and I preferred to work. Circumstances have changed, and I believe that shore leave would be beneficial for the both of us."
Seven was silent for several moments and Janeway hazarded a look over towards her companion. It felt almost cruel that the younger woman was naked and just meters away. It was torture of the sweetest kind, one that she knew she could never give in to, not as she was. It was then that Kathryn promised both Seven and herself that should the Doctor find a cure for her current condition she'd tell the statuesque blonde exactly how she felt about her. Robbed of that choice now, Janeway lamented all of the time she had wasted hiding by a non-spoken regulation that had no baring over her relationship with Seven of Nine. She looked up and opened her mouth as if about to say something.
"Seven?" I love you. "Thank you for helping me."
"Oh my goodness, you little mushroom, you're a complete waste of time and effort!"
Excuse me? Janeway sat up, glancing about the bathroom, aware that her bathing partner had halted in her cleansing ritual. "Who's there?"
"Captain?"
"I'm telling you Seven, I just heard someone."
"Yes, she heard me! Long time no see, Kathy."
"Q." In a flash of light the man appeared in the middle of her bathroom, clad in his usual command Star Fleet Uniform, smirking down at the lizard captain. In the next moment the door to the shower opened and Seven of Nine, still wet from her shower and completely in the buff stepped out much to the surprise of both Q and Janeway, reaching out and grabbing him by the scruff of the neck.
"Explain. Now."
It was unfortunate that the man was a omniscient being with no real physical presence other than the manifestation he created, and with a blink of the eye he was out of her hold and sitting on the washing basin, beside the Captain whose eyes were glued to Seven's body. After a few awkward moments she looked away, her attention moving back to Q. "What the hell are you doing here, Q?" She asked, regaining her equilibrium slower than she'd liked.
"To correct a mistake." The man said cryptically. "I've been watching you flail about, Kathy, and it's making me sick to the bottom of my proverbial stomach." He waved a hand. "Time to glimpse what's on the way to pass, Kathy! Then you can look me in the eye and tell me you like it."
With a flash Kathryn and Q disappeared, leaving a highly contrite and confused (a rare occurrence!) Seven of Nine behind.
Opening her eyes once again, Kathryn realised she was clothed again in a long black robe, a matching black hood obscuring her vision. She was sitting atop Q's shoulder, looking out over the beautiful golden fields of Bloomington, Indiana. Instantly Kathryn thought of Seven. She was surprised to find that the fields of her memory and the fields she was presented with held no delight for her as Seven did.
"Why have you brought me here, Q?" The man was clothed the same as she.
"To point out what's coming to pass." Was all the other man said before walking over toward a rapidly appearing farmhouse, out in the country. She realised that it was her home, where her mother and her dog lived. Her heart seized at the sight and she let out a soft gasp at the beautiful familiar sight of home.
The two ascended the stairs onto the front porch before entering the house through the old fashioned fly screen door. Where outside it had been beautiful, it was a different story to the halls of her mothers house. As soon as they entered Kathryn felt a chill move over her and claim her heart, gripping it tight and clenching it with unease.
"What is this, Q?"
"This is your home, Kathy, I thought that much would have been obvious."
A low quiet wail reached their ears and drew them to the kitchen. Sitting atop one of her mother's well loved kitchen counters was a small being, tears streaming down green scaled cheeks, hands pressed to an open mouth. As she looked, the other lizard had lightly greying auburn hair. It was the Star Fleet uniform, different from her own but still recognisable that convinced her that the lizard infront of her was herself. Howling.
She had never thought she could make a sound like that. A sound which hollowed out the soul and echoed into the very bones, haunting her forever.
"This is me." Kathryn whispered.
"You, eight years into the future, Kathy."
The other lizard didn't look up, seemingly unaware of their existence as her cries echoed around the room. Slowly Q approached, and Janeway became aware that on the counter was a card.
Peering over the other lizards shoulder, they read what had troubled the other lizard so. Even now, Kathryn put a hand to her mouth to contain the gasp.
Your presence is requested for the funeral of Lt. Commander Seven of Nine (Annika Hansen).
Loving colleague, loving wife, loving mother.
Brave until the end.
On the bottom, written in ink pen were some hurriedly scribbled words.
"You were our Captain and you were her closest friend, even after you pushed her away. It'd mean a lot to me, but more to her that you were at her funeral.
-Chakotay."
Reappearing in her bathroom in a flash, Kathryn looked up to the unmoved Seven of Nine from her place back in the basin. Q was nowhere to be seen, and Seven's eyes were still focused on her. "Captain?"
Kathryn stared, lost for words.
What she'd seen terrified her. She'd fought off Kazon, Malon, Vidiians, The Borg... and while she had been scared, it wasn't the soul tearing horror that gripped her now. Only a few seconds had passed for Seven, but for Janeway, it felt like a lifetime.
Seven... dead? She had pushed her away? A million thoughts ran rampant through her mind. She wanted to cast aside the very idea that Q was right – afterall what did he know what would come to pass? Then again, he was Q, an omniscient being with the universe as his play thing. Of course he'd be able to bend time and space, after all the concepts were meaningless to him. How strange that raising a child was alien to the being, so much so that he required help from a human. It was for this reason that Janeway knew that the man wasn't lying to her. She had helped him control his son – he owed her.
"What happened, Captain?" Her thoughts were brought back to Seven who now knelt beside the sink, eyes level with her own.
Should she tell her? No, she instantly thought, believing that she needed to think upon what she had witnessed. If it were truly the future, what could she do about it?
"Nothing, Seven." The Captain attempted a smile. "Just Q up to his usual tricks. Come on." She motioned to the bath. "I think I'm done and you look done. Finished?"
Seven frowned, or as much as she did, a slight curling down of the lips and furrowing of the brow. Without saying a word she reached for Janeway and picked her up with a single hand and pulled her out of the basin and into the warm folds of a towel. Silently the younger woman turned and grabbed her own towel and wrapped it around her body before departing the bathroom, leaving Janeway by herself atop the vanity. The lizard captain sighed deeply, leaning back into the comforting embrace of fabric, shaking her head.
What were she to do? She could hardly tell the other woman what she had seen. What good would that do? Grugingly the lizard captain shook the towel off and reached for her uniform, choosing to forgo putting on the jacket and instead wearing her grey t-shirt and black slacks. She could hear Seven out in the bedroom, rustling around, probably dressing. When the woman in question appeared at the door, dressed in her blue biosuit. Janeway halted in her attempt to leap from the high sink to the towel rack. Seven approached and picked her up, exiting the room and moving through their shared bedroom to the living area, setting Kathryn upon her desk.
"I am going to Astrometrics. If there is anything you require, hail me."
It was obvious that the young woman was upset at her and attempting an escape. Not wanting the woman to leave in a sour mood – in fact at all, especially during the short amount of shore leave they were going to get, a week out of the three the crew had – Kathryn called out to Seven.
"Seven, wait!" The young woman halted and Kathryn could hear her heart pounding high into her ears. Suddenly, it was clear to her. Q's remark, what he showed her. She had pushed Seven away because she couldn't admit that she was in love with the other woman, regardless of the circumstances. The cries she had heard in her future self were of a future lost and it was evident that the choices that Janeway had made did not include telling the young woman of her feelings. Kathryn had promised to Seven and herself that should the Doctor find a cure to whatever ailed her that she'd tell the tall blonde her feelings. It was clear that that never occurred. Should she remain a lizard for the rest of her days, it would be bearable, so long as Seven were by her side.
"Seven, I need to... I need to tell you something."
The Captain swallowed, wondering how this could be harder than confronting the Borg Queen herself.
"Seven, I love you. I love you so much. All this time, I've been too afraid, I didn't want to take advantage of you, I didn't want to lose myself to you, but I've realised that I already have and all the reasons I had to deny it were just excuses. My every thought is of you, when I wake, I see your face, when I sleep, it's of you I dream. I just wanted you to know that, regardless of how this might damage our friendship. Just, please, know that I love you."
For a long time, Seven was silent and Kathryn, the woman was left gasping in air as if she could never get enough. The blonde was looking down, frowning into the ground, and Janeway felt shattered. She turned away, tears stinging at her eyes yet with sheer strength of will she forced them not to fall when she was halted by a soft plaintive voice.
"Kathryn." Janeway turned her head and let out a soft sob. Seven gazed at her with such emotion in her eyes that the lizard Captain was almost brought to her knees. Tears of love and devotion filled both their eyes and Seven took a step closer. "I love you as well, my Kathryn." And then the woman was infront of her, scooping her up into her hands and bringing her close in as much of an embrace as they could manage. Kathryn wrapped her arms around a thumb and Seven cradled her close, like she had the day Kathryn had found that her condition was most likely permanent.
They held each other for what felt like an eternity – a wonderful eternity that Janeway never wanted to end. She had finally told Seven her love, and Seven reciprocated! It was a joyous feeling that left Kathryn feeling elated so much she felt she could float away.
"I'm sorry it took this long... for me to admit it, and only now when I'm like... well, like this." Janeway murmured, brushing her scaly lips against Seven's borg thumb.
"It does not matter what species you are, Kathryn."
Smiling wanly, Kathryn pulled away from Seven's hand slightly to look up at the beautiful woman. "I know. As vain as it is, though, it matters to me. I like being in my own body. My own human body." Kathryn searched Seven's eyes, seeing only love shining back to her. It surprised her how much emotion those eyes held considering the cool indifference she had witnessed in them before. After a few moments Kathryn realised that Seven's face was getting closer to her own, and her eyes widened. "Seven, what-?"
With the slowest of movements, Seven placed her lips against Kathryn's, the gentle touch taking her breath away. They had both fantasised about each others lips, each wondering about the softness of the skin, about how it would feel to kiss the other and neither were left wanting, other than for more. The soft smoothness of Seven's lips lulled Kathryn in, a siren song like no other. The warmth of Seven's lips against hers seemed to intensify, almost to the point of white hot and still Kathryn didn't pull away, finding herself rooted to the spot as warmth spread through her mouth and into her body, spreading to the tips of her fingers, toes and even her tail.
"About bloody time!" Came Q's voice, though the man didn't reappear. Instead, as the warmth flowed through Kathryn's body Seven stared mutely as Kathryn was enveloped in a bright white light and the tiny weight was removed from her hand to be replaced by the feel of a two human hands sandwiched inbetween. Opening her eyes, having shut them from the bright light, Seven let out a quiet gasp, joy filling her. Kathryn opened her own eyes and took in a deep breath, blinking rapidly before looking down at herself, letting out a little cry at the sight of her pink scaleless skin and her entirely human naked body.
Hands going up to her face she checked her features, her nose, her eyes, her mouth, even the tresses of her auburn hair, a slow grin spreading across her face despite her nudity. She quickly wrapped her arms around herself, blushing madly. Sensing her partners discomfort, Seven reached over to a nearby chair and picked up a throw rug, wrapping it around Kathryn's shoulders, not too subtly taking in her body at the same time, making Janeway blush further. She was enveloped in Seven's arms, and nothing had ever felt better.
Of course, Kathryn would later be angry at Q for turning her into a lizard in the first place and manipulating her for his own (but not undesired) purposes, but for now Kathryn was content to be held in Sevens loving arms, finding herself glad that she had been given this chance, despite how unorthodox Qs methods had been. Surprising her once again, Seven pulled away and regarded Kathryn with such a predator gaze in her ice blue eyes that it made her knees weak. Her hand taken, Seven led Kathryn back into the bedroom... with Kathryn wondering however she had almost let this beautiful woman slip through her fingers... and how in the world she married Chakotay in the future Q had shown her. Sevens lips smashing into hers wantonly, Kathryn pushed the thought aside as irrelevant and simply thanked her lucky stars for the blessing she had received.