Life Skills

by LaughingLee

Seven struggles understanding the nuances of human behaviour. When she finds a friend who means more to her, can she learn to express her feelings before it's too late? (Femslash)

Life Skills

Voyager Fan Fiction (Season 5/6)
Seven struggles understanding the nuances of human behaviour. When she finds a friend who means more to her, can she learn to express her feelings before it's too late?
No copyright infringement intended. Purely for fun.
Written by LaughingLee

LLLLL

"I will, Lieutenant."

Seven's eyebrow hiked high. She could not believe someone had volunteered to work with her. The tall blonde scanned the assembled engineers, but couldn't identify who had answered Lieutenant Torres' question.

"Good. Report to Astrometrics this afternoon, Crewman," the Chief Engineer replied. She masked her own surprise by dismissing her team quickly after that. The brisk order sent Starfleet uniforms scattering into every corner of Main Engineering.

Seven concentrated on her padd as she walked out, but couldn't help a curious glance at the people around her. No-one looked her way and Seven resigned herself to determining her new partner later in the day. The ex-Borg made her way through Voyager's corridors and towards the turbolift. The rest of the way to Astrometrics Seven kept her gaze on the padd in her hands, but her thoughts turned to this morning's events.

It was Captain Janeway who had forced this new working arrangement on her. At the senior officer's meeting, the auburn-haired leader had insisted Seven work with someone. She argued against it and called on the project's efficiency as a reason. Janeway countered that learning to work well with others was an essential social skill. The other senior officers had quickly agreed and Seven knew it would be futile to argue further.

Seven was finally starting to feel part of this new collective and did not understand the push from Janeway to be so involved with Voyager's crew. Her function was to support the starship's journey home by managing Astrometrics as efficiently as possible. She spent time with the Doctor, Naomi Wildman and the Captain after her duty shifts and took part in all the mandatory social events. What more did Captain Janeway want from her? Forcing her to work at a lower standard to better understand human interactions was illogical.

The doors to Astrometrics swished open at her proximity and Seven put her musings aside. She could not change the Captain's mind and with a mental sigh the ex-Borg focused on her work.

LLLLL

"Crewman Talon reporting for duty."

Seven instantly recognised the voice from Main Engineer and turned towards it. She had been so engrossed in her work that the door opening hadn't registered even with her acute hearing. It only took a few milliseconds for the ex-Borg to commit every detail of the person in front of her to memory.

Crewman Talon was a few centimeters shorter than Seven, but held her head high and shoulders back. Her light skin contrasted with black hair tied into a ponytail. Seven found herself drawn to the woman's dark green eyes and saw she was being appraised herself. From what Seven recalled from various snippets of overheard gossip, Crewman Talon was a few years older and kept mostly to herself. Her work ethic was unknown to Seven and the tall blonde hoped it wouldn't hinder her project.

"Crewman, you will be reviewing the power output of the following conduits in Astrometrics," Seven said and handed the dark-haired engineer a padd. "You should be able to complete this in the next two weeks if you work diligently. After that, I will review your work and give you another task."

Seven turned back to her console and continued with her calculations. The ex-Borg did not hear any movement behind her and she tensed. This was usually the moment when whoever was in her company would start berating her for not following some unknown and arbitrary set of social behaviours. Seven kept her face closed and waited for the outburst.

A polite cough surprised her more than any imaginative curse she had heard before from various Starfleet crewmen. She turned around. "Is there a problem with my instructions, Crewman?"

"No, but would you mind if we talked about what we're working on?" Crewman Talon's voice was even and Seven could have imagine the slight upward curving of her mouth.

"Discussing the work will not change your assignment," Seven replied and clasped her hands behind her back. She was surprised for a second time when the engineer did not raise her voice.

"Probably not, but I work better if I know why I'm doing something," Crewman Talon said, tapping the padd in her hand. "And, I would prefer if you call me Talon. Crewman Talon takes too long to say and we're going to be working together for a while."

Seven nodded. "I still do not see how any further explanations will help you. Checking power consumption and throughput is a simple task."

"If I understand the bigger picture, I can better identify issues or opportunities while I'm checking the power conduits." Talon moved next to Seven and indicated the console. "From what you mentioned this morning, we're doing more than compiling energy usage data."

The taller blonde took a small step away from Talon before calling up a set of graphs. "This indicates the power usage of Astrometrics over the past year. With the added data Voyager has collected from various sectors and what I have contributed from my own Borg database, the Astrometrics lab has become a much greater drain on the current power network. I have proposed a redesign of the conduits which the Captain has approved."

"But, the first step would be to find out exactly what the network is capable of and where, if any, energy losses are happening," Talon interjected. "If the network's efficiency can be improved, the new setup might not be necessary."

"Yes, that is correct," Seven replied and frowned at the smirk on Talon's face.

"I am a qualified Starfleet engineer," the green-eyed woman replied. "I've done similar upgrade projects."

Talon called up a plan of the lab's network and started asking more detail on her assigned sections. Seven was impressed by her questions and potential improvements the engineer suggested. After a few minutes of discussion, Talon nodded to herself and took another look at the padd Seven had handed her earlier.

"I'll get started then. Thanks for the talk." Talon made to walk away, but turned back. "And, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I didn't mean to stand so close to you. I'll try and remember in future."

"I would appreciate that," Seven replied after a few seconds pause. Talon nodded, checked her padd and walked to her first panel of conduits. Seven stared after her and then returned to her console. No-one had ever before noticed she preferred a wider area of personal space, especially around people she came with in little contact. Perhaps this working arrangement would be more beneficial than she had initially thought.

The women settled into an efficient routine. Talon would arrive on time for her duty shifts and worked quietly on her assignments. She impressed Seven with her engineering abilities and helped speed up the project considerably. Most days the Astrometrics lab was quiet except for the occasional tricorder beep or clank from a shifted panel. Sometimes Talon would ask Seven's opinion on an idea or tests she had been running. Seven found it relatively easy to converse with the crewman and enjoyed their discussions. Talon challenged her ideas, but always suggested alternatives which the ex-Borg found extremely stimulating.

"Lunch?" Talon asked as she crawled out from under the bulkhead. She had been cramped inside the small space inspecting conduits 50 through 53 as per Seven's detailed instructions. The dark-haired engineer smiled inwardly when she noticed the intense frown on her companion's face.

They had been working together for almost three weeks and Talon wondered again why she had impulsively put up her hand. Talon's feelings towards Seven had been ambivalent. Their paths had never crossed before and she hadn't given the addition to Voyager's crew much thought. The project was different to her daily routine in Engineering, but it wasn't that exciting. The focused work did help ease her mind - painful memories reared their head less and less. Perhaps she was simply running away again. The engineer rolled her shoulders and shrugged off the traitorous but perhaps very honest thought.

"Seven?" Talon repeated herself and smiled as the blonde woman registered her presence and turned her way. "I'm going to take a quick lunch break. Did you want to come with me?"

"I do not require a nutritional supplement at this time," Seven replied. A fleeting expression on the tall woman's face stopped Talon from walking away. After an uncharacteristic hesitation, Seven continued, "Why do you always ask me to lunch? I decline every day."

The red-uniformed shoulders shrugged. "We work together, so I ask. And, just because you've always said no, doesn't mean you won't say yes in the future."

Seven watched in fascination as a beautiful smile formed on Talon's face. The engineer gave Seven's arm a quick squeeze and left Astrometrics. It took a few seconds before the ex-Borg noticed she was staring at the doors, completely lost in thought. Seven replayed the events of the past few minutes in her mind, glad for the detail her eidetic memory provided. Nothing in Crewman Talon's actions seemed out of the ordinary. What had caused Seven's loss of concentration?

With sudden clarity Seven knew she did want to have lunch with Talon. The lanky blonde checked her padd, finished a few notes before putting it down, and made her way out of Astrometrics.

LLLLL

Talon looked up from her plate of Talaxian something or other. Whispers and murmurs were rippling through her fellow diners. The tall cause of the subdued comments made her way through the crowded mess hall to the replicator. Talon frowned. She had spent enough time with Seven to know that even though her posture was as ramrod straight as ever, the ex-Borg was uncomfortable. She must have heard some of the whispered remarks and from the twitch in the blonde's cheek, Talon knew it couldn't have been flattering.

Most crewmen had an instinctual fear of Seven because of where she came from. The Borg were probably one of the most destructive species Starfleet had ever encountered. Fear was not one of Talon's strong suites, so the blonde's origins had never bothered her that much. From Talon's corner in the mess hall, it became painfully apparent how alone she was in that regard. The engineer watched as Seven picked up a shake from the replicator and swept her gaze over the milling Voyager crew. A few people greeted her friendly enough, but moved on. Seven's gaze found Talon's and before the engineer could invite her over, the blonde gave a stiff nod and left. The last few morsels were quickly shovelled into her mouth and Talon stood up to recycle her plate.

"So eager to rush back to work. You must love your new assignment."

Talon finished at the replicator and forced a neutral expression on her face before turning around. A smirking brown-haired Ensign regarded her coolly.

"Ensign Andrews, how are you?" Talon asked. Ensign Nicoletti was standing behind the bulky man and Talon greeted the woman with a genuine smile.

"I'm wonderful. Loving every minute of being in the Delta Quadrant." Ensign Andrews took a step closer and loomed over Talon. His smirk mutated into a leer and Talon was surprised he wasn't rubbing his hands together in evil glee. He stared at a point decided lower than her face and said, "How do you like working for the Ice Queen? She assimilate you yet?"

Talon felt her fist smash into the Ensign's soft stomach before it even registered with her brain. Andrews doubled over and fell to his knees. He groped around wildly before clutching his abdomen and fighting for gulps of fresh air.

"Jealousy doesn't flatter you, Andrews. As I've told you before, I'm not interested." Talon knelt down in front of him and her back itched at being this close to the Ensign. She made sure he was looking at her before adding, "Don't ever talk about Seven like that again."

Talon waited for the uncoordinated nod before getting up. A small crowd had gathered and the engineer knew some kind of disciplinary action would come from this. The corners of her mouth twitched. Regret was also something Talon rarely bothered with. An inner voice laughed at that blatant lie, but Talon ignored it to enjoy a moment of sweet revenge.

The engineer ducked her head and tried to get out of the mess hall as quickly as possible. A hand on her wrist stopped her and she looked up in surprise. It wasn't difficult mistaking to whom the metal-covered fingers belonged.

"Thank you," Seven said. Her blue eyes were sharper than usual and Talon could only nod in return. They exited the mess hall and quickly made their way through Voyager's corridors.

LLLLL

The doors to Astrometrics opened and Seven put her padd down. Talon had a plate of sandwiches in one hand and a blue-green shake in the other. Seven thanked the crewman for her supplement and joined her on the bench against the one wall of the lab. Talon had suggested eating here and Seven had immediately agreed.

Neither woman had spoken about what had happened in the mess hall the week before. This suited them both. Talon didn't want to talk about her motivations behind punching Ensign Andrews because that meant she had to think about them first. Seven had no idea what to make of the situation and decided that no action was better than the incorrect response. Lunch was continued in silence as per usual. Seven finished her shake and glanced at her companion.

"What do you want to ask, Seven?" Talon's sudden question caught the ex-Borg off guard. The dark-haired woman finished her sandwich and smiled. "You only stare at me like I'm an algorithm to solve if you have a question."

"Why are you here?" The ex-Borg had been strangely reluctant to ask, but her curiosity won out. "You volunteered for this project. Why?"

"I don't know." The frown on Talon's face matched the one on Seven's. "It's not much of an answer. But, I like working with you so I don't think it really matters."

"Does it have something to do with what happened to you on Cerberus?"

Seven had seen many different emotions since her arrival on Voyager. Anger and patience were familiar to her from her time with Lieutenant Torres and Captain Janeway. But, what Seven saw happen to the woman in front of her was different. Talon's entire body went rigid and the colour drained from her face. The thin plate crumpled in her grip and she breathed deeply through her nose.

"You hacked the security on my personal file," Talon stated flatly. She was struggling to reign in her anger and stood up. "I'm leaving. I won't be back."

The engineer's footsteps hammered on the deck and without another word Talon disappeared behind the doors of Astrometrics. Seven's mind was in turmoil. What had she done? Why was Talon so upset?

The rest of the afternoon was a study in unproductivity. Seven only completed half of what she had planned. She kept going over lunch. If she could understand which of her actions were in question, she could correct them and ask Talon to return. Her heart leapt at the sound of doors opening, but it wasn't the green-eyed engineer who walked into the lab.

Captain Janeway had taken a break from the bridge to fulfill a necessary, but distasteful task. When she saw how Seven's eyes suddenly lost their gleam, she stepped closer in concern.

"Seven, are you all right? What happened?" Janeway knew something had greatly disturbed her protégé when Seven did not simply shrug off her question. The ex-Borg stopped pretending to work and stood closer to the star systems projected on the sophisticated displays.

"How do you correct something when you're unsure what your mistake was?" Seven faced the Captain and clasped her hands tightly behind her back.

Kathryn Janeway tilted her head and regarded the younger woman closely. Seven had slowly grown into her humanity, but she still struggled with personal relationships. Her life on Voyager revolved around Astrometrics and Kathryn had hoped she would have made more friends by this time. The Captain had never seen Seven this visibly unsettled before so perhaps things were changing.

"Seven, tell me what happened. Did Crewman Talon say something to you?"

"No," Seven replied and shook her head. "I think I did something which upset Talon."

Janeway took a moment to evaluate her response. Her reason for being in Astrometrics popped into her head. "Does this have to do with Crewman Talon's altercation with Ensign Andrews?"

"Talon did nothing wrong in the mess hall, Captain," Seven replied quickly.

"Punching a fellow crewmember is never the right thing to do, Seven. What happened?" Janeway put her hands on her hips. "I only found out about the fight this morning because Lieutenant Paris made a passing joke about it. Apparently, no-one thought it important to tell me what's been happening on my ship."

"Ensign Andrews made a remark and Talon defended me." Seven tried not to flinch under Janeway's piercing glare, but the Captain prevailed. "The Ensign asked Talon if I had sexually assaulted her. Talon replied by punching him in the stomach and threatened him to never say something similar again."

Janeway's anger at the crude and utterly inappropriate remark turned to surprise as she watched the emotions on Seven's face. The taller woman's steely expression was cracking slightly to show pure happiness and something else she had never seen before in Seven's eyes.

"You really like Crewman Talon." Janeway shook her head slightly as a new idea dawned. She wondered if Seven knew it herself. "I had come here to discipline Talon, but after hearing the full story I don't think any further action is necessary." Seven nodded her thanks, but before she could turn back to her console, Janeway held up her hand. "Back to your original question - ask. If you don't know what you did wrong you should ask."

"Talon indicated she would never come back to Astrometrics. I do not believe she would want to talk to me." Seven's cheek twitched as she clenched her jaw.

"Seven, you want her to come back, right? You want to work with her again." Janeway smiled at the emphatic nod. "Then you have to try and make it right. Sometimes people say things in anger that they don't really mean."

Seven carefully considered the Captain's words. Her own feelings were difficult to untangle, but she knew she could not come back to an empty Astrometrics lab. A certain dependence on the dark-haired engineer had formed. The ex-Borg combed through her memories and saw how she had subconsciously and slowly allowed Talon into her personal space. Thinking about working on the project without her caused an uncomfortable churning in her stomach.

"Thank you, Captain. I appreciate your advice." Seven squared her shoulders and nodded at Janeway. "I have somewhere I need to be."

Captain Janeway smiled in return and moved out of her way. She watched with growing pride as Seven took quick, long strides through the door and exited Astrometrics. Perhaps she should have tried to warn Seven about what was waiting for her, but Kathryn knew no-one was ever truly prepared for their first crush.

LLLLL

The sonic shower hummed and Talon focused on the noise surrounding her. Her fists slowly unclenched and her shoulders relaxed. After she had stormed away from Seven, Talon had wandered around Voyager trying to calm down. The fact that Seven probably didn't understand what she had done didn't make it feel like any less of a betrayal. Talon blamed herself for opening her heart to this kind of hurt again. Working with the ex-Borg should have been easy and isolated - the way she had been surviving since she came aboard Voyager. Talon hadn't expected to start liking her time with Seven.

Once she had marched herself tired, the dark-haired engineer returned to her quarters and jumped in the shower. The hum quieted down as the automatic shut off kicked in. Power conservation suddenly seemed like such a ridiculous concept. They were millions of light years from the Alpha Quadrant. Would an extra minute of shower time really affect their journey back?

Talon grabbed a towel and removed the last specks of dirt and grime from her skin. The top drawer next to her bed had a pair of shorts and a green shirt. Talon left her room feeling marginally better, but dead tired. Being furious was exhausting. The engineer asked for a mug of coffee from the replicator, but before it could finish the order, her door chimed.

"Come in," Talon said, keeping her eyes on the materialising hot drink. It was probably Commander Chakotay coming to check why she had abandoned her duty shift. Words of greeting died in her throat when she saw Seven standing awkwardly on her doorstep. The women stared at each other. The steam from Talon's coffee made Seven shimmer in front of her.

"You look different," Seven said. The hands clasped behind her back were turning white. Talon quirked an eyebrow and the ex-Borg explained, "You are out of uniform."

The engineer felt the livid accusations bubbling on her tongue. She took a quick breath. "Seven, leave. I can't talk to you right now."

"You have to return to Astrometrics tomorrow," Seven said and knew it was the wrong response when Talon stiffened.

"How dare you? You barge into my quarters and expect me to jump at your every command." The repressed anger in Talon's voice was more disturbing than any furious outburst Seven had been expecting. "Any idiot with a tricorder can finish your project."

"That is correct, but I want you," Seven replied and took a step towards the couch separating her from Talon. When the dark-haired woman didn't reply, Seven took it as a good sign. "I want to work with you. I am sorry if I did or said something that upset you. Tell me what it is and I will correct it."

Talon wasn't sure whether to yell at the blonde or hug her. This was a side of Seven she had never seen before. The ex-Borg was trying to express her feelings. Instead of the usual aloofness, she was trying to step out of her comfort zone and really talk. But, the memories of Cerberus tainted the moment and Talon shook her head.

"I can't talk to you right now." Talon repeated and recycled her mug. "I might say some unspeakable things that I'll regret. I'm going to bed." With a few determined steps, she passed the frozen blonde. She closed the door to her bedroom and fell onto the soft mattress.

Talon fervently wished for dreams about happy rabbits and idyllic green hills. But, after rolling around and fluffing her pillow for the umpteenth time, she got up. Maybe finishing her coffee would help. She walked through the darkness of her small living room and reached the replicator without bumping into anything. Her shins had long since imprinted the layout of her quarters on her mind's eye. The blue light from the replicator glinted off something and Talon gasped.

"Seven? What the hell are you still doing here?" Talon said. She asked the computer to increase the illumination and saw Seven's pupils dilate. "I must have gone to bed hours ago."

Seven was sitting perfectly straight on the couch and folded her hands on her lap. "I couldn't leave."

"The doors don't lock from the inside." Talon's frustration fizzled at the lost look on Seven's face. She grabbed her coffee and took a seat next to Seven on the couch. "Why didn't you leave? If I had found anyone else lurking in my living room, I would have pummelled them by now."

Seven heard the strong words, but was very happy to see a faint smile on Talon's face. Her fingers intertwined on her lap and she pulled her thoughts together. She had survived Borg assimilation, human individuality and travelling on Voyager through the Delta Quadrant. Stating her thoughts should be easy in comparison.

"I was afraid that if I left, I would never have the opportunity to speak to you again." Seven looked up and captured Talon's gaze. "I find myself immensely enjoying your company. I do not wish to return to Astrometrics if you are not working there with me. I place great value on our relationship."

Talon felt a shudder go through her heart. This is the moment where she pulls back, gives some pathetic excuse about being a loner and walks away. But, the piercing blue eyes were making it very hard for Talon to follow through with her usual platitudes. She agreed with everything Seven had said. Without consciously chasing it, she had become friends with this enigmatic woman. Seven never tried to push past her silences, accepting whatever she did want to talk about. Hell, Talon had probably spoken more to Seven the last few weeks than she had to anyone else on Voyager for the past half year. The lack of expectation from the ex-Borg had been comforting, but now that was changing. A thought circumvented her brain and came straight from Talon's rapidly beating heart. She had to let Seven in.

"Seven, I accept your earlier apology. But, I don't ever want to talk about the starship Cerberus or anything relating to it. Is that clear?" Talon smiled at Seven's fervently nodding head. A few strands of blonde hair shook loose. How could she stay angry at her? "I like working with you too. And, I'll be back in Astrometrics tomorrow. Probably not on time since it doesn't look like I'll be getting any sleep tonight."

"I understand." Seven didn't relax her posture, but a measure of relief crossed her features. "We have been ahead of schedule. A delay in tomorrow's work will not impact the project's timeline."

The dark-haired engineer smiled widely at Seven's return to familiar ground. "You can call me Olivia in private if you like."

"Olivia?"

"Calling me Talon all the time is silly. Especially since you seem so comfortable in my quarters," Talon said and grinned at Seven's rising eyebrow. "Olivia is my first and only name. Not as catchy as Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero-One, but I've grown to like it."

Olivia took a sip of her coffee and loved the smooth heat settling in her stomach. If this doesn't help her sleep, nothing would. Seven was still staring at her and the engineer swallowed an unexpected lump in her throat. "Shouldn't you be regenerating?"

"Not presently, no." Seven shifted slightly on the couch. "The Doctor has suggested I start sleeping, but I have not been able to get used to the bed."

"You've mentioned the temporary quarters in Cargo Bay 2. Is it strange trying to sleep horizontally?"

Seven clenched her jaw, hating to admit an imperfection. "The positioning is not the issue. I cannot seem to force myself to fall sleep. How do you do it?"

"I've had decades of practice so don't be too hard on yourself. I can try to show you." Olivia took a large sip of her coffee before placing the mug on the table. She leaned back against the couch, sat up again, shifted some pillows and put her head back down. "I usually need a comfy pillow and a hot drink before bed helps on the bad days. Sometimes my brain is too busy and I try to clear my mind." Olivia turned away from Seven and closed her eyes. "If that doesn't work, I concentrate on my breathing. Deep breath in, slow out. Counting helps."

Seven couldn't tear her gaze away from the softly muttering woman. Olivia counted her breaths up to ten before her voice started to waver. Before she reached thirteen, her head drooped to one side and she was fast asleep. Social lessons from the Doctor dictated she should leave, but Seven ignored them. The ex-Borg mimicked Olivia's position on the couch and closed her eyes. She cleared her mind and listenened to her friend's breathing. A few minutes later, the computer registered the lack of movement in the room and dimmed the lights. The women were left to their dreams.

LLLLL

A breath on her neck was the first thing Olivia noticed. It tickled her skin and she fought through the fuzz of sleeping sheep. A warm weight was against her side and Olivia turned her head. She was still on the couch and Seven was curled up against her with her head on Olivia's shoulder. A look of such peace was on the blonde's face that Olivia was loathe to change it. She tried to shift slowly, but Seven's eyes blinked open.

"Morning," Olivia said and laughed internally at the fluttering in her stomach. You could have sworn she had done more with Seven than fallen asleep together. Olivia cleared her throat, "I thought you said you struggled with sleeping?"

Seven rubbed her eyes with one hand. "Do you always feel this disorganised after sleeping? Should I ask the Doctor to check my cortical node?"

"No, that's normal," Olivia smiled. "It takes me a few minutes to wake up too. Did you sleep all right?"

"Surprisingly yes. Thank you," Seven replied, tilting her head to look up at Olivia. Her heart rate increased rapidly and Seven couldn't tear her gaze away from Olivia's dazzling green eyes. She lifted her hand, needing to touch the dark-haired woman's cheek. Before her hand could reach its prize, Olivia took hold of it.

"I think we should get up." The impulse to caress the hand in hers was overpowering, but Olivia bit her lip. "We don't want to be too late for our shift."

Seven looked at their linked hands and pursed her lips. "I'm sorry. I did not mean for my implants to make you uncomfortable."

Olivia frowned at the stiffening shoulders. Seven lifted her head and made to pull away, but Olivia stopped her. "That's not what this is about." She squeezed the silver-covered hand in hers. "This is part of you and I'm not scared of a little added metal. The past few days have been very emotional and we ..."

"We need to get up." Seven finished the sentence since it seemed Olivia couldn't. Seven wanted to stay with the dark-haired woman. She wanted to tell Olivia that her chest felt like it was going to burst, wanted to ask her if she felt the same way and what it all meant, but that would have to happen later. The ex-Borg had a working theory, but she did not want to risk pushing Olivia away again.

The women stood up and Olivia walked with Seven to her door. "I'll see you in Astrometrics in about thirty minutes. I'll get dressed and grab a quick breakfast."

"That sounds agreeable." Seven leaned closer and squeezed Olivia's hand. She happily noted the jump in the engineer's carotid artery. Further experiments will need to be conducted. Seven gave a final nod and left. Olivia stared at the closing door and ran a hair through her wildly slept hair. She was reconsidering her innocent assessment of the blonde woman.

LLLLL

The holodeck served as a place to relax and forget about being on a starships millions of light years from home. At the moment it was a sprawling maze with trees, shrubs and statues forming the twisting and confusing passages. In the middle, a fountain sprayed some water on its three occupants. Olivia chuckled at the unbridled joy on Naomi's face. The youngest member of Voyager's crew was literally jumping with glee.

"We won! We won! Wasn't that the best game ever, Talon?" Naomi grabbed Olivia's hands and pulled her into a twirling dance.

"I do not believe gloating is very sporting," Seven said, hiking her eyebrow.

Olivia laughed and pulled Naomi to a stop. "Hey, give us this one win. How many times have we played together and how many times have you won?" The engineer put her hand to stop Seven from reciting the statistics. "Lots and lots. So let us enjoy this one victory, please?"

"Very well," Seven replied and Olivia noticed the smile tugging at the corners of the taller woman's mouth.

It had become easier for Olivia to recognise the blonde's moods and feelings the more time they spent together. Olivia was glad Seven hadn't brought up the night of their impromptu sleepover again, but she couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't far from Seven's thoughts.

"Come on, Naomi. I think it's past your bedtime." Olivia smiled at the exaggerated sigh coming from the red-headed child. Naomi grabbed Seven's hand and so, with Naomi walking between the two women, the three made their way to the holodeck's exit.

Olivia glanced at Seven over Naomi's head and was caught in the blonde's gaze. That was happening more and more as well. She would catch the ex-Borg evaluating her. It felt like Seven was trying to figure her out. A part of Olivia wished she would.

"So, is Talon your girlfriend, Seven?" Naomi Wildman's question came so far out of the blue that Olivia could have sworn she'd been transported into another reality.

"No, that term has not been applied to our relationship," Seven replied easily. She looked pointedly at Olivia and the engineer could hear the unsaid and challenging yet.

"But, you're always together," Naomi argued, pulling on both their hands. "You work together in Astrometrics all day, you do stuff together after your duty shifts. Why aren't you a couple?"

Olivia desperately tried to control the situation. She wanted to get a word in before the painfully honest Seven explained anything more about the physical mechanics of adult relationships. "We don't spend that much time together."

"Yes, you do."

"No, we don't."

"Talon, of course you do." Naomi rolled her eyes. "What did you do last night? And the night before that?"

Olivia struggled for an answer and couldn't believe she was losing an argument against a five-year-old. "We were playing games with you."

"Together. Playing games with me together." Naomi smiled broadly.

"Aren't you going to help with this?" Olivia pleaded with Seven.

"Everything Naomi Wildman has said is correct."

The group stopped in front of the holodeck doors and Olivia regarded her friends. Seven raised an eyebrow and stood with her hands behind her back. Naomi looked at her expectantly. The green-eyed engineer threw up her hands, muttered a goodbye and walked out.

"Grown-up relationships are weird," Naomi said, looking up at Seven.

"Yes," Seven replied and shook her head. She may need to act sooner than originally planned. The ex-Borg brought her attention back to her young charge. "You need to get to bed."

Naomi nodded in resignation, but took Seven's hand and they left the holodeck. With panels of pixel shimmers, the maze disintegrated behind them.

LLLLL

The shuttle shuddered severely and consoles crackled. Seven looked up from the sensor readings and shared a grimace with her pilot.

"The power fluctuations are increasing," Talon said, echoing Seven's readings. "I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to maintain this course. Any response from Voyager?"

"No, I believe our message is not being transmitted." Seven called up another readout. "Whatever is affecting the shuttle's power is affecting the communication systems as well."

"What the hell are you two doing?" Ensign Andrews wrestled out of his seat and stalked to the front. Talon grinned as the shuttle dipped and the Ensign stumbled. "Get out of that seat, Talon. I'll take over. You're obviously not qualified for this situation."

Talon's fingers were flying over the controls. The dips in power were causing havoc with thruster control and the engineer was desperately trying to compensate.

Talon punched in a few commands and turned around. "I'm the pilot of this vessel and Seven of Nine is in charge of this mission. Until I hear other orders, I'm not moving." The brown-haired man blanched in the force of her glare. "Sit down, keep quiet and let me do my job. Do you want to become a new canyon on this planet?"

The shuttle didn't give Andrews time to respond. Another power drain caused the starboard thruster to shut down completely. The falling Ensign was the last thing on Talon's mind as she tried to pilot with half propulsion.

"Seven!"

"Trying to redirect power from life support," Seven replied, bent over her console.

"We might need that later." Talon gritted her teeth as the strong winds in the lower atmosphere flung the shuttle around like raindrops in a storm.

"Not if we become a new geological feature." Seven double-checked a sensor reading. "The power drain is being caused by some kind of projected signal. We should be able to - "

"Fly out of its range?" Talon added. "Give me a heading and it's done."

Seven read out the best estimate she had based on the erratic readings and little data. The ex-Borg glanced at their passengers and saw Ensign Nicoletti helping Andrews buckle back into his seat. Crewman Varil was sitting quietly. Seven was not surprised to find the Vulcan seemingly unperturbed by their life-threatening situation.

The sudden lack of impulse hum was unsettling and Talon muttered a string of expletives. "I've lost all power to the engines. I'm going to try and land this thing. Brace!"

Talon punched in a few final hopeful commands. Pure white whirled past their cockpit window and large plains loomed up in front of them much too quickly. Talon reached over and grabbed Seven's hand, but they weren't given any more time. The shuttle slammed into the ground.

LLLLL

Snow covered everything. The landscape was a flat sheet of white with one small blemish. The Starfleet insignia was defying the lack of colour in its surroundings. The wind had tried covering the shuttle's landing strip, but had given up and moved on.

"Ugh." Talon's head was pounding. She opened her eyes, very happy to be feeling pain. Pain meant body parts which meant not being dead. "Seven?"

The shuttle seemed to be in one piece. The inside of that one piece was a complete shamble. Metal panels were bent into awkard art pieces, consoles were inside out and pipes and wiring were everywhere. Talon wasn't an expert on shuttle mechanics, but she knew this one would not be taking off again.

A blonde head caught her attention and Talon crawled towards it. She pushed a piece of console out of the way and turned Seven over. A pulse still fluttered in her neck and Talon breathed a sigh of relief. The ex-Borg was unconscious, but alive. A quick inspection revealed a large gash against her side. She was losing a lot of blood. Talon pulled off her jacket and ripped a sleeve off. The cold was already making itself known through the metal hull. A field dressing was applied and Talon knew she needed a first aid kit to do anything more. The engineer stood up carefully. She had to check if anyone else was hurt.

"Who taught you to fly?" The irritated question was followed by a loud groan.

"Glad you're alive too, Andrews."

Talon moved another metal plate and reached the back of the shuttle. Ensign Nicoletti had a few bruises, but their seats had softened most of the impact. Varil helped Nicoletti up and he seemed to have sustained a few gashes on his arm.

"Let's find the medical kits and see what other supplies we've got." Talon heard another groan from Andrews. He dipped his head to avoid her glare, but the brown-haired Ensign helped Nicoletti search through the debris.

Talon shifted the mess to one side, clearing the middle of the shuttle. She inspected the hull and was happy to see only minor breaches. The engineer went back to her seat and tried calling up any of the controls. An inspection of the power conduits confirmed her initial damage assessment. No power, no repairing and definitely no flying.

"Olivia?" Seven tried sitting up, but searing hot phaser burn went through her abdomen.

"Seven! Don't move. You're hurt." Talon was by her side and gently pushed her back down. "I've tried dressing your injury as best I can, but you've lost a lot of blood."

"Crewman Talon? I found a medical kit." Ensign Nicoletti handed the dark-haired woman the red case.

"Thanks, that's great. I'm going to check Seven and then we'll tackle the supplies." Talon focused on the younger Ensign. Her eyes were wide and there was a slight tremor in her hands. "Ensign Nicoletti, we're going to be all right. We've survived the crash. We will get back to Voyager." Talon smiled and was happy to see a faint response on Nicoletti's face. "Have you found the Doctor's extra supplies?"

"Not yet, ma'am." Nicoletti stood a little straighter. "Andrews is checking between the damaged sections. I'll let you know once we've got everything packed together."

Talon nodded and brought her attention back to the blonde in front of her. She pulled open the case and rifled through it until she found a medical tricorder. Talon hesitated. With a deep breath, she flipped it open. Never had she been happier to see flashing green and red lights.

"The signal does not seem to affect small sources of power," Seven said, forcing her mind to focus on something else besides the pain. Talon nodded in agreement and started scanning her friend. A frown briefly flitted across her face before she smiled at Seven.

"I'm going to give you something for the pain and something to stop the bleeding."

Seven watched as Talon rummaged through the kit again before finding the right medications. The metal hypospray felt cold against her neck as Talon injected her. The pain immediately dulled to a soft throb.

"Tell me how bad my injuries are," Seven asked and waited for the green-eyed engineer to match her gaze.

"There's been some internal damage which I can't fix with what's in this stupid red case." Talon clenched her teeth. She took a steadying breath before adding, "Your nanoprobes aren't repairing the damage as they should be either."

"My system has suffered a drop in efficiency."

Talon wasn't fooled by the flat statement. "This drop in efficiency coincided with the power drain, didn't it?"

"Yes," Seven replied. "I did not think it was relevant at the time."

"This means our friendly energy-draining signal probably targets advanced power sources." Talon sighed again and tried to unclench her fists. "Tricorders fine, shuttle and Borg screwed."

"That would be my assessment as well." Seven looked beyond her concerned friend's face. "You have done all you can for me. You need to talk to your crew."

Talon glanced over her shoulder at two expectant faces and one scowl. She gave Seven's hand a quick squeeze before getting up and moving to the back of shuttle. Seven watched as the dark-haired engineer easily took command of the situation. All their supplies had been stacked and they started discussing possible rescue options. Andrews remained sullen and silent.

"Great, I think we're better off than could have been expected," Talon said, smiling at her partners in crime. "I think we should -"

"Shut the hell up!" Andrews exploded from his corner of the shuttle. "What the hell are you thinking?" He shook his head at Varil and Nicoletti and then turned his red eyes back to Talon. "You crash us on this rock and now we're supposed to listen to you? Who decided you're the leader? You've the lowest rank between the lot of us."

Talon moved quickly and slammed Andrews against the bulkhead. The breath rushed out his mouth and Talon was happy for the lack of sound. She pushed her face within centimeters of his. "Listen to me very carefully. Yes, we did crash and yes, I am taking charge. You need to shove whatever childhood traumas you have about me deep down. If you can't, well, that's not an option. Suck it up." Concentrated fear pulsed in the Ensign's eyes and Talon relaxed her grip. "I promise you I will do everything I can to get us off this planet."

It was a toss-up between Talon or Andrews who was more surprised when the brown-haired Ensign nodded. Talon stepped back and gave him a few seconds to collect himself. She caught his gaze and he nodded grimly. The engineer sighed inwardly. She would take what she could get.

"All right, I believe our best chance of getting rescued is sending a message to Voyager." Talon took a breath. The altercation with Andrews had made her side ache even more. "I know we've lost all communications, but the tricorders are still working. We've also got those extra supplies from the Doctor."

"How will oxygen supplements for the thinner air help us?" Varil asked. He dropped to his knees and started opening the crates. The Vulcan pulled out a few hyposprays and looked up at Talon.

"The signal that caused the power drain has a limited range. It forms some kind of dampening field. All we need to do is get outside that range and use a tricorder to send an emergency signal to Voyager."

"I can rig it to send an encoded message with the emergency beacon. We could explain what's happened to the shuttle," Nicoletti said and when Talon nodded in agreement, the younger woman grabbed a tricorder and started working.

"How are we going to get outside that range?" Andrews asked, trying to keep the frustration from his voice. "It's snowing outside."

"I'll need your expertise on that, Ensign," Talon said. She took a hypospray from Varil and gestured at Andrews. "I heard you're an experienced hiker. I want you to lead us across the snow."

"What? We don't have any equipment for this kind of weather." Andrews threw up his hands and laughed. "This is ridiculous. We don't even know which way to go."

Talon recited the co-ordinates Seven had given her before the crash. The others looked at her in surprise. "I remember important numbers. Now, Andrews, go check outside. See what you make of it. I'll help Varil and Nicoletti get together everything we'll need to make the journey."

Andrews mumbled and grunted, but did move towards the shuttle door. By the time he got back, Nicoletti had almost finished with the tricorder and Varil had found some thermal blankets. Talon did a quick recount of the oxygen hyposprays and nodded to herself. The captain should stay with her ship in any case. A slight tug on her shoulder and Andrews interrupted any further musings. The brown-haired Ensign wasn't a ray of sunshine, but he did have good news. The snow wasn't as deep as it looked and the ground seemed competent. Talon was surprised even more when he suggested using some piping and damaged panels to rig walking sticks and crude snow shoes. It didn't take much longer and the shuttle crew were ready.

"Seven, can you hear me from there?" Talon asked when she had gotten everyone together again. Nicoletti had the tricorder and some medical supplies in a backpack and Varil would be carrying the hyposprays. Andrews spun a pipe in his hand and pulled the thermal blanket tighter around his shoulders.

"Yes, Crewman Talon. I can hear you." Seven's voice was strong, but Talon heard the forced evenness. The ex-Borg was still in a lot of pain.

"I've done a rough calculation based on how far the walk will be to get outside the dampening field and how much supplies we've got." The dark-haired engineer made sure she had the gaze of each of her companions. "Seven and I will be staying with the shuttle. There isn't enough of the Doctor's hyposprays and Seven's been hurt too badly. She shouldn't be moved."

"We cannot leave you here," Crewman Varil spoke up. "The shuttle will not be able to keep out the cold for much longer. It may start snowing again."

"It should only take you a few hours to get outside the range of the dampening field," Talon explained before Nicoletti could voice her concerns as well. "You can tell Voyager about the power drains, they can figure out to counteract it or whatever. Then Seven and I can simply be transported out of here. We got it easy. You guys have to walk through the snow." The stab at levity wasn't as successful as Talon had hoped. Even Andrews was staring at her with wide eyes.

"Crewman Talon is correct." Seven's voice echoed from the front of the shuttle. "It is the best chance for our survival."

"That settles it then," Talon added. "Off you go. The sooner you leave, the sooner I can sit down and do nothing."

Andrews nodded at her, the animosity gone from his eyes. A hypospray was pushed into her hands and she nodded her thanks to Crewman Varil. Ensign Nicoletti gave her the case of leftover supplies and the last thermal blanket.

"What did you want me to put in the message to Voyager?" Ensign Nicoletti asked at the shuttle's door.

"Tell them the mission was a resounding success. We've found the source of the strange sensor readings," Talon replied and the engineering Ensign smiled faintly. "Give us much detail as you can about the dampening field. I've put all the readings I could remember into your tricorder."

"Yes, ma'am," Nicoletti replied. She made to walk out, but turned back. "Are you sure you'll be all right? We could still rig a sled for Seven."

"It would take too long and we'd be too slow." Talon put a hand on the woman's shoulder. "We'll be fine. Please, be careful out there."

Nicoletti nodded, said goodbye to Seven and left. Talon struggled with the shuttle door's manual controls, but with a final clang, it closed. The dark-haired woman loosened her hair, tried to get it under control and retied into a ponytail. The movement didn't help with the ache in her side, but it made Talon feel better.

"How are you doing?" Talon asked as she settle next to the recumbent blonde. A tricorder scan revealed no change.

"The pain is less," Seven replied through gritted teeth. She shivered and kept her teeth from chattering. "I am cold."

Olivia smiled softly at that. "Yeah, your nanoprobes usually help with keeping your body at the right temperature. I'm sorry, but the tricorder doesn't show any improvements. I think the nanoprobes are doing the important stuff like working on your injury, but ..."

"I will stay cold," Seven finished the thought. An idea warmed her heart and would hopefully help with the rest of her body too. "You should hold me."

The myriad of emotions fleeing across Olivia's face was fascinating to behold. Seven pragmatically explained what she meant. After a few scuffles and shuffling, the injured woman had Olivia exactly where she wanted her. The green-eyed engineer was sitting against the bulkhead with her legs either side of Seven. Seven was half-sitting, half-lying with her back against Olivia. She could feel the engineer's body heat embrace her and Olivia's heart thudding against her back. It was wonderful.

Olivia tried to remember they were in a life or death situation. But, she couldn't hide the smile on her face. It felt so right having Seven in her arms. She picked up the thermal blanket and threw it over them. When Seven took her arms and held it lightly over her injured side and stomach, Olivia did nothing to object.

LLLLL

"I want to ask you something, but I do not want to upset you." Seven broke the silence gingerly, her voice echoeing in the shuttle. She and Olivia had been sitting quietly, enjoying each other's warmth and closeness. An hour or more must have passed since the others had left and the cold was chilling the metal around them.

"It's about Cerberus, isn't it?" Olivia asked and felt the nodding head on her shoulder. She sighed. "You've read my file. You know what happened. Why do you want to talk about it?"

"I only know the facts about the incident." Seven tilted her head slightly and captured Olivia's gaze. "I want to know more about you. What happened on Cerberus had a great impact on you. If I know what that was, I will understand you better."

Olivia was lost in the blue eyes. The caring and determination in them made her heart sigh. "This is important to you." The woman in her arms nodded again and Olivia shook her head slightly. When had she become wrapped around Seven's finger? "It wasn't my first mission as a Starfleet officer. I had been on Cerberus for a few years and knew her insides better than my own."

"You were the Chief Engineer. You were promoted early in your career because of an excellent record and good leadership skills." Seven stopped when she felt the shaking behind her. Olivia's chuckles travelled through her chest and Seven revelled in the sound. "That is correct, is it not?"

"Oh yes, every word," Olivia replied and gave Seven a soft hug, mindful of her side. "But, who's telling the story?"

"I understand. Please continue, I will not interrupt again."

Olivia smiled at the serious tone, but her own mood turned sombre when she thought back to those years. "As you said, I was the Chief Engineer. I had a good team and we got through some tight scrapes together. Captain Singer and I butted heads a few times, but we respected each other. He stayed out of my warp core and I didn't question his often crazy ideas.

"Cerberus was a smaller class of vessel than Voyager. Our main mission was patrolling possible points of enemy attack. This meant we raced around on intelligence someone higher up had gathered. Sometimes it would be nothing, but other times we'd head off a stray Maquis or Romulan attack. It was never in areas near Starfleet bases or friendly colonies. We were more of an advance scout. Out there to show that Starfleet keeps an eye on everything."

Talon stopped and leaned her head back against the bulkhead. She closed her eyes. It was supposed to be so long ago. Why did it feel like it happened yesterday? A soft caress against her cheek made her open her eyes. Seven was looking at her intently.

"Olivia, my curiousity does not take precedence over your feelings." Seven turned slightly to keep her hand on the green-eyed woman's cheek. "You do not need to continue. I am sorry for asking you about Cerberus."

"No, I need to tell you this. If anyone has a right to hear this story, it's you." Olivia squeezed the hand on her face and held onto it tightly. Seven settle back against the engineer's shoulder. Olivia cleared her throat before continueing.

"We were following a vague report of something happening behind a set of asteroids on the edge of Starfleet space. After the briefing that morning, we all agreed with the Captain that it sounded more like idiots testing their homemade shuttle than any real threat. We were fools." Olivia's mouth went dry and she swallowed a few times. "I can't remember every detail, but once we neared the asteroid belt, all hell broke loose. It was a base of operations for an extremist Romulan faction. They believed all other species were inferior and quickly showed us what that meant. The Captain did the best he could, but we were completely outnumbered. I was stuck on the bridge and was commanding Main Engineer as best I could from there. I had to start drawing power from every and any available power cell on Cerberus just to keep us moving. It wasn't enough. A well-aimed torpedo damaged the stern and ruptured the cooling systems. The warp core went critical. Kilotonnes of radiation started leaking into Engineering."

Seven looked up at when Olivia's words trembled. Tears were flowing down her cheeks and Seven's heart sank at the sight. She made to wipe away the offending drops, but Olivia stopped her.

"I had to jettison the warp core." Green eyes pleaded understanding from the woman in her arms. "I told the Captain our situation. I told him the torpedo had severely reduced hull intregity around Main Engineer. He asked me what my decision was."

Olivia shuddered again. "Holding onto the core would kill all of us. So I decided to kill my team instead. I ejected the core and the lower deck disintegrated. I tried to close off as many sections as possibly to protect them, but the hull was too damaged. I killed twenty-two people."

"How did you escape?" Seven asked when she felt Olivia stop shaking behind her. She held on tightly to Olivia's hands.

"The Romulans thought they had some kind of prize and tried grabbing the warp core. They probably wanted to fix it, but it was too far gone by then. The Captain got us out of range of the blast on impulse, but we were thrown around badly. An emergency signal was sent out and the cavalry picked us up a few hours later." Olivia was exhausted. She could smell the burning metal and hear the cries of the wounded. The faces of her team flashed in front of her. "After that, we all got commendations for our bravery and valour in the face of unspeakable odds. I was furious. How could we celebrate what happened? It was ludicrous. I tried to get out of Starfleet, but I didn't know where else to go. So I asked for a demotion and ended up on Voyager. I wanted to stay out of sight. That worked out well, I think."

The sarcasm wasn't lost on Seven. She ached for the hurting woman behind her. Seven lifted Olivia's hands and brought it to her lips. Soft kisses were placed on the raw knuckles. "I understand now why you keep to yourself. You are trying to protect your feelings. You do not want to form any personal relationships because the pain of losing them is unthinkable."

Olivia's heart had picked up its pace when Seven kissed her hands, but the blonde's words had it jumping out of her chest. Seven tilted her head and captured Olivia's lips with the gentlest of kisses. The dark-haired engineer dissolved in the heated caress. For a few seconds, Olivia let herself float in this feeling of being cared for, being looked after, of being loved. But, those emotions were swiftly followed by such intense fear that left Olivia gasping for breath. Not again, she couldn't do this. She wouldn't survive.

Olivia wriggled out of Seven's grasp and jumped up. She quickly moved out of the blonde's reach and avoided the confused look on Seven's face. Hyperventilating in this atmosphere wasn't a good idea and Olivia grabbed the hypospray. The injection relaxed the steel cage around her lungs, but the ache remained.

"I love you, Olivia." Seven hadn't planned to say it. She had wanted to, but wasn't sure how or when. None of the Doctor's social lessons or her own research had prepared her for this. All she knew was she had to stop Olivia's pain.

"What?! Seven, you don't know what you're saying." Olivia wiped away the last few tears on her cheeks and started pacing. This wasn't supposed to happen. It couldn't happen. "We're stuck in the freezing cold on an uninhabited planet. You're injured, you're not thinking straight."

"Is that not the whole point of being in love?" Seven tried to stand up, but a sharp pain kept her on the floor. "I have studied our interactions over the past few months. My feelings towards you have grown and I have confirmed my original theory." The confused look on Olivia's face was a welcome change from the hurt and Seven marched on. "I love you. Since that day in the mess hall I have developed feelings for you. I want, no, I need to be near you, talk to you, touch you."

The thudding of boots on metal stopped. Olivia was stunned into stillness. She closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose. A traiterous thought told her to jump at this chance of redemption. How long was she going to punish herself over Cerberus? No, she didn't deserve this. She wouldn't even know what to do with Seven's heart. She had already broken her own.

"Seven, this is ridiculous! How long have you been human? You can't know what you're feeling." Olivia pushed the sting into her words and saw the hurt in the hiking eyebrow and clenched jaw. She almost took the words back, but spoke through her doubts. "I don't feel the same way."

Seven's eyes widened and she clutched her side. She wished she could stand up and hold Olivia again. "You're lying."

Before Olivia could reply, they were caught in blue shimmers. When they blinked again, both women were in Voyager's sickbay. The Doctor immediately bustled closer and scanned both of them. He reported their status to the bridge and started working on Seven. The ex-Borg pushed his hands away and turned to Olivia.

"We will continue our conversation." Seven made sure she had Olivia's full attention before she gave herself over to the Doctor's ministrations.

The dark-haired engineer was glad she had never been in Seven's cross-hairs when she was still a full Borg. Olivia had never seen anyone so resolute, but she had to resist. Both of them would be better off, Olivia was sure of it. Any doubts were pushed to the furthest recesses of her mind.

LLLLL

Kathryn Janeway grimaced. She loved winning and Velocity was a favourite sport of hers. But, her lead in the game didn't feel right. Seven was listless and distracted and hardly paying any attention.

"Seven!" Kathryn exclaimed in alarm as the puck headed straight for Seven's head. The younger woman was pulled out of her reverie just in time to dodge sideways. She wasn't quick enough and the puck struck her shoulder. Kathryn called a time out and the holodeck paused their game. She walked over to her protégé and checked her injury.

"I am fine, Captain," Seven replied, her words clipped between gritted teeth. She shrugged off Kathryn's concern and rubbed her shoulder. "We can continue with the game."

"You're nowhere near fine, Seven. What's wrong?" Kathryn grabbed a towel from her bag and wiped her face. She had a good idea what was bothering the blonde woman.

"I told Olivia I loved her."

Kathryn was stunned. That she hadn't expected. "When? What happened?"

"Four weeks ago, when we crashed on the planet." Seven held tightly onto the phaser in her hands. "She told me what happened to her when she served on Cerberus. Olivia was unhappy reliving those memories. I wanted to comfort her so I told her how I felt."

The Starfleet Captain tried to keep the surprise from her face. She had read the report on the Romulan attack and Talon's role in it, but for the engineer to discuss it with anyone was a revelation. Kathryn had tried to break through Talon's walled off demeanor when she first arrived on Voyager, but hadn't succeeded. She had to settle on surreptitiously keeping an eye on the ex-Chief Engineer, but then the Delta Quadrant happened and her main mission took precedence.

"I knew you had feelings for Crewman Talon, but I hadn't realised they ran so deep," Kathryn said and scrutinised the younger woman. "What was Talon's reaction?"

"She said I did not know my own heart, that she didn't feel the same." Seven flung the phaser away and clenched her fists. "She was lying."

"Oh, Seven," Kathryn sighed. "I understand you feel betrayed and hurt, but perhaps this is a good time to learn that not all our feelings are always reciprocated. Your first crush is always the hardest to get over."

Seven raised her eyebrow and tilted her head. "Captain, this is not a crush. And, Olivia does feel something for me, she is simply afraid of getting hurt."

"Well, have you spoken to her about it again?"

"No," Seven replied, the muscles in her cheek jumping as she clenched her jaw. "She changed her duty roster and removed herself from my project in Astrometrics. She is avoiding me and does not answer my messages or allow me into her quarters."

The auburn-haired Captain put a hand on Seven's arm. "Seven, it doesn't sound like she wants to take your relationship further. Maybe you should stop? Let it go. Accept this is something out of your control."

The ex-Borg had been looking at the floor, but at the Captain's final words, she looked up sharply. The steel in Seven's blue eyes made Kathryn involuntarily take a step back.

"Captain, if it were you, would you give up? Olivia accepts me without question. She has never seen only the Borg or Annika Hansen. When she talks to me, looks at me, she sees Seven. I cannot think about anything but her. I want to be near her, I have to be near her. It hurts otherwise. Would you let that go?"

Kathryn could feel the emotion cascading from Seven. It was amazing. The Captain of Voyager slowly shook her head. "I envy you, Seven. And, no, I wouldn't give up. What are you going to do?"

Some of the tenseness left Seven's shoulders. It was a small relief that her mentor understood what she was going through. "I have a plan. I would appreciate your input." When Kathryn nodded enthusiastically, Seven related her strategy for winning Olivia over. The Velocity puck and phaser lay forgotten on the holodeck floor.

LLLLL

Olivia crossed her arms the other way. Again. She grunted and rolled her shoulders. If ever there were a time for an unexpected attack, the green-eyed engineer wished for it now. The holodeck was crowded and no matter how hard she tried, there weren't any corners she could hide in.

The entire crew had gathered for this evening's celebration. The theme was early Mars colonisation. Olivia looked up and couldn't help but smile. They were inside one of the original settlement domes and she could see Earth and many familiar constellations. Through the glass all around the red landscape stretched in every direction. It was a magnificent sight. They were inside the entertainment room of the dome and there were tables off to one side with various dishes from that era. People were chatting, chuckling and generally being charming.

"Try harder, Crewman. I don't think you look unhappy enough." B'Elanna Torres grinned widely. A direct order was the only way she had gotten Talon here.

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you, Lieutenant," Talon groused. She shuffled her feet and fiddled with her clothes. The jeans and shirt usually felt so comfortable.

"We're all here for you, the least you could do is pretend to have fun."

"This is silly. I don't need any recognition. Anyone could have crashed that shuttle." Talon smirked.

"Probably, but you're the one that got everyone back to Voyager." B'Elanna gave Talon's shoulder a gentle shove. "Take the credit. And, accolades does wonders with the ladies."

"What?" Talon asked with a deep frown. The glint in the Chief Engineer's eyes was very worrying.

"Speak of the devil."

Talon turned in the direction the Lieutenant was gesturing. Her jaw dropped. Seven was walking towards them. Olivia hadn't seen Seven in weeks, only a glimpse here or there when she was trying to get away from her. This was different. Seven was wearing a pair of black slacks and a white long-sleeved shirt. The ensemble was nothing out of the ordinary, but on Seven it became magical. The tall blonde's hair was loose with one clip above her right ear holding a few tresses back. The outfit clung to the right places and Olivia couldn't think she'd seen anyone look more alluring.

"Good evening, Olivia." Seven stepped closer and before the crewman could think to reply, the blonde kissed her. It was soft and brief, but a squeeze on Olivia's shoulder promised more. "Would you like to dance?"

Olivia's brain was trying to reboot so her muscle memory kicked in and she nodded. Her ears managed to make themself heard and she mumbled, "Music?"

Seven nodded to her left and a slow waltz started. As they started moving, Olivia noticed a band had appeared in a space opposite the tables. It took a full song for her brain to catch up before the engineer noticed they were the only ones dancing. Seven was leading and when the music shifted, she didn't miss a beat. The ex-Borg simply pulled Olivia closer and continued. She was mindful of Olivia's somewhat clumsy steps and slowed down discreetly.

"What are you doing?" Olivia had to look directly at Seven to ask her question. That was a mistake. Blue eyes locked on hers and Olivia daren't look away.

"Dancing." Seven lifted her eyebrow. "Do you want to stop?"

Annoying high-pitched voices were shouting from the back of Olivia's mind to get away from Seven. This was what she was afraid of. She couldn't let Seven pull her in again. A chuckle escaped from the dark-haired engineer and Olivia shoved the voices out of an airlock.

"No," Olivia replied. The amazing smile radiating from Seven's eyes had her question why she would even have considered stepping away. "Where did you learn to dance like this?"

"Lessons from the Doctor. And, more solo practising on the holodeck."

"I'm sorry, I have two left feet."

"No, this is perfect," Seven replied quickly and paused. Olivia was twirled and then she felt Seven's arms move around her. Very gently Seven dipped the surprised engineer. Seven's superior strength helped hold Olivia in the dip longer than usual. Olivia wasn't sure her system could handle another kiss, but was both happy and disappointed when Seven only pulled her up again and continued the dance. The floor was filling with more couples and Olivia relaxed. It was amazing being near Seven again and she promised herself she would enjoy this one last time.

"Thank you for the dance," Seven said as the music came to a stop. She could dance with Olivia forever, but there was another part to her plan. Her heart jumped at the frown on Olivia's face. She wasn't the only one who had wanted to continue. "I believe it is time for the evening's ceremony to begin."

Olivia nodded in bewilderment as Seven left her side. She looked at the other couples around her. B'Elanna was still grinning at her from her position next to Tom Paris. It seemed she was the focus of many people's gazes. The green-eyed engineer tried not to fidget.

"Good evening, everyone," Captain Janeway said from in front of the band. She was standing on the raised stage and enjoyed seeing all the beaming faces of her crew. The auburn-haired woman chuckled inwardly at the only confused frown in the room. "I'd like to start by thanking Neelix and his team for all the hard work that went into arranging the venue and food." She paused and waited for the applause to die down. "We're here tonight to celebrate the quick-thinking of one of our own, Crewman Olivia Talon. I'd like to ask Seven of Nine to do the honours."

If a large yellow shaft of light had suddenly enveloped her, Olivia wouldn't have felt more in the spotlight. As Seven walked up the step onto the stage, every pair of eyes flitted between the ex-Borg and the dark-haired engineer. Olivia tried to calm her heart down, but the dance with Seven and all the attention made that impossible.

"When we crashed on that planet, I had no doubt in my mind that Crewman Talon would make sure we survived." Seven spoke clearly for everyone to hear, but she focused her gaze on Olivia alone. "Crewman Talon is a hard-working and very talented and skillful engineer. Those of us who have worked with Olivia can attest to this. She is quiet and reserved, but possesses an inner strength of character that amazes me. The situation on the planet was dire and could easily have spiralled out of control. But, Olivia took control and worked with the shuttle's crew to get us back to Voyager. Her calm demeanor and strong belief in our success helped us stay focused. Without Olivia Talon, the probability of our safe return would have been significantly smaller."

Seven paused. She stepped off the stage and walked towards Olivia. The dark-haired engineer was sure she hadn't blinked since Seven had started talking.

"I want to take this opportunity to say how much you mean to me. You have saved my life. I cannot imagine living without you being a part of it." When Seven took her hands and held them in her own, Olivia felt the air desert her lungs. Seven leaned closer and kissed Olivia on her forehead. The warmth from Seven's lips sparked a heated trail from her head down Olivia's spine and through her arms and legs. Seven stepped back. "Thank you."

Olivia's tunnel vision around Seven diminished as the ex-Borg let go of her hands and moved away. Her hearing also started working again as the clapping from her colleagues echoed around the dome. Seven disappeared into the cloud of well-wishers. For the next half-hour, Olivia had to smile and fend off questions about what really happened on that frozen planet. Many comments surprised the engineer. She had expected some to ridicule Seven's speech, but many people were touched and wanted to know what Olivia's secret was. Had the near-death experience rattled the Ice Queen out of her high tower or had Olivia used some magical powers? Of course, there were also the clowns who joked about not even knowing Olivia had a first name.

Captain Janeway took pity on the clearly overwhelmed engineer. She gently elbowed into the conversation and ushered the silent woman away from the crowd and off to one side. It was a viewing enclave with benches and unobstructed windows showing the rolling red landscape.

"Take a deep breath, Crewman," Janeway said and sat down next to Talon. "You're very popular tonight. A break might help."

Olivia closed her eyes and replayed the night's events. She looked at the Captain. "You knew."

The sharp gaze prevented any euphemisms and Janeway thought Talon deserved better. "Yes, Seven did ask my opinion. Tonight was her idea."

"Did she tell you ...?" Olivia sighed at the understanding nod from her Captain. "What the hell just happened?"

Janeway chuckled. "I believe you've just been courted so strongly that your head might explode."

"Captain, this isn't funny," Olivia protested when Janeway continued smiling. She frowned. "How am I going to let Seven down easy after this?"

"Don't," Janeway replied. She stood up and moved in front of the bewildered crewman. "I saw the look in your eyes."

Olivia's entire face closed and her posture stiffened. "With all due respect, Captain, my feelings are none of your business."

"True, but are you telling me that you're really going to walk away from her?" Janeway dropped her hands from her hips. "Take advice from a friend. Follow your heart."

Olivia burst out giggling. The evening had her stress and adrenaline running at peak levels, but hearing a line like that from her Captain was enough. "I don't think I survived the crash. I am dead and this is some weird alternate dimension."

"We've both been in the Delta Quadrant long enough to know that anything is possible." Janeway tilted her head and made sure she had Talon's attention. "Anything."

"What if I hurt her? I can't promise this will work." Talon rubbed her temple.

"Who can?" Janeway replied easily. "But, the decision to try should be hers as well."

Olivia nodded. A slow smiled started across her face. "Resistance really is futile."

"Apparently so," Janeway said. A tablespoon of fear flitted across Talon's face. The auburn-haired Captain put a hand on her shoulder. "You've survived much more than this."

Olivia only nodded. She wanted to get rid of all her uncertainties, but this wasn't the right audience. "Where's Seven? I haven't seen her since the speech."

"I think she left. She probably wanted to give you some space."

"Captain, permission to sneak out of this traumatising evening which will probably be giving me nightmares for days?" Olivia smiled with Janeway as the Captain nodded. She took a deep breath, one last look at the rocky redness and ducked out of the viewing enclave.

LLLLL

The computer had revealed Seven's location and Olivia quickly made her way through Voyager's corridors. She hesitated a few seconds before opening the door and entering her quarters. Seven must have been staring at the entrance because her gaze immediately found Olivia's.

"I see my new access codes weren't secure enough," Olivia said after a few minutes of silence.

Seven nodded from her perch on the couch. She had debated with herself how much time to give Olivia before seeing her again, but she couldn't walk past the engineer's quarters.

"How are you so calm? My heart has been trying to explode out my chest the whole evening." Olivia walked closer, but kept the chair between her and Seven.

"I had to reallocate nanoprobes to prevent my hands from shaking," Seven replied.

"That's cheating," Olivia replied with a shaky grin. She took a deep breath, rounded the chair and sat down next to Seven. "Your speech was wonderful. Thank you."

"I meant every word." Seven held her hands securely on her lap. She had never had to fight an impulse so strongly, but didn't want to scare Olivia by unexpectantly hugging her. The ex-Borg knew she did not want to stop at a simple embrace either.

"I know and I want to honest with you too, Seven." Olivia took another breath. "I am afraid. I've never been this scared. Not even during the attack on Cerberus." The green-eyed engineer abruptly stood up again. "You were right before. I do have feelings for you. Intense ones. But, I don't want to hurt you. I can't promise that this relationship will work, that I won't be walled off and insecure. I can't -."

The kiss was definitely not the same as before. Seven didn't hold back this time and threw every emotion behind it. She wrapped her arms around the stunned engineer and held her close. When air became an issue, Seven reluctantly pulled back.

"I understand your fear," Seven said and Olivia's heart leapt at the determination in the blue eyes. "But, the future is always uncertain. We can only act on what we know right now. In this moment, I want to be with you. Kiss you every chance I get and never leave your side. But, you need to decide what you want."

Olivia felt Seven's warmth embrace her. She could feel the blonde's breath on her cheek and almost hear the thudding of her heart. Olivia saw love and desire in the sharp blue gaze. The sight was breath-taking. She briefly closed her eyes and mentally took a step back. It came down to one thing. Forget the past, the hurt, the pain. What did she want right now?

Seven saw a myriad of expressions shift across Olivia's features. Potential outcomes popped into her head and she tried ignoring the ones ending with her alone by the end of the night. Olivia's eyes opened again and the tall blonde concentrated on the green gaze.

"You might end up regretting this," Olivia said, but Seven's heart expanded at the pure joy in Olivia's face.

"I am rarely wrong."

Olivia burst out laughing. "For both our sakes, I hope that's true." She lifted a hand and cupped Seven's cheek. "How did you get into my heart?"

"Perhaps the same way you got into mine." Seven smiled and Olivia felt the movement under her hand. "Persistance."

Olivia grinned. She leaned closer and kissed Seven softly. The blonde's hands moved on her back and decidely lower. Olivia pulled back and smiled at the frown on Seven's face. "You're completely sure this is what you want?"

"Yes," Seven replied and Olivia chuckled at the petulant tone. "I cannot make it any clearer. You and I are in a loving, monogamous relationship from now on. Will you please stop talking? I need to remove your clothes."

"And, here I was worried about us moving too fast."

Seven lifted an eyebrow and took a small step back. "Are we moving too fast? I really want to continue with our sexual interaction, but we can stop if you insist."

The ex-Borg had barely completed her sentence before Olivia surged forward and captured her lips. This time with no hesitation or fear. Olivia was an all or nothing person. Seven gasped as Olivia's hand moved over her breasts.

"I'm happy with the current pace if you are," Olivia whispered into the younger woman's ear. She was thrilled at the responding shiver.

"Ecstatic," Seven replied and pulled Olivia tighter against her. The dark-haired engineer chuckled in surprise as she was easily lifted and carried towards her bedroom. "I believe we need a change in location." Seven carefully deposited her precious cargo onto the bed and stared at the beautiful woman in front of her.

"What?" Olivia felt exposed and utterly intoxicated by the hungry gaze in Seven's eyes. "What are you looking at?"

"Pure perfection."

Seven kissed Olivia again and felt herself melt into the woman beneath her. For a split-second Seven was concerned that her research had not prepared her sufficiently for what was to follow. Olivia felt the slight hesitation and smiled up at the blonde woman. She took Seven's mesh-covered hand and place it over her heart. Seven nodded. No more words were needed after that.