ST:Voy/DS9. Another One Shot. Random Pairing: 7/Dax. What if Voyager had gotten back to the Alpha Quadrant before Jadzia met Worf. (Yuck). Again with the disclaimers: I own nothing now but someday soon I shall rule ze world! Glances around suspiciously
Jadzia stood next to Benjamin on the upper section promenade where Jake and Nog often loitered to Odo's frustration. The bustling crowed below them parted in a wide berth around a tall blond woman in a blue Starfleet uniform.
"Are you listening to me, Old Man?" Sisko questioned.
"I'm sorry Benjamin. What?" Jadzia said, turning to look at him.
"What do you think of our newest member?"
Jadzia turned her gaze back to the blond. Silver glinted as light hit the implant above the woman's eye. Dax let her gaze slide down the crewman's form. "Very promising," she said with a smile.
"Oh, no you don't Dax," Benjamin said.
"What?" Jadzia asked innocently, turning back to Benjamin.
"I know that look; I've seen it on Curzon too many times."
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Benjamin," Dax said. They stood silently for a brief moment. "She looks lost," Jadzia observed. It was true, the blond was eyeing the passing crowd as warily as they where watching her. "I'm gonna go talk to her."
"Dax," Benjamin said warningly.
"Relax Benjamin, she just looks like she could use a friend is all. I'll see you later." Jadzia was already making her exit as she spoke and vanished before Benjamin had a chance to reply.
Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero, was indeed feeling lost and a growingly familiar sense of trepidation gnawed at her stomach. Voyager had returned to the Alpha Quadrant two months ago, dragging one ex-drone with them. On Janeway's recommendation Seven was accepted to Starfleet academy and graduated within a month. It would have taken less time, but even Starfleet was prey to human inefficiencies. Seven still spoke with the Captain often, but Janeway had been very busy since there return to the Alpha Quadrant; they where lucky if Janeway could spare a half hour a day to speak with her "daughter." Visits where out of the question. She also communicated regularly with the human relations of the girl Annika Hanson, Seven's former self before her assimilation into the Collective. Their conversations where awkward. She wished the Doctor was available for more social lessons, but he too was busy awing those in the alpha quadrant who would listen to a hologram with new medical practices. Now she was here, on her first official assignment at the wormhole to yet another foreign Quadrant of space.
Ever wary of those around her due to the hostile reactions she often received for her Borg heritage, Seven was aware of Jadzia's scrutiny. She was surprised, however, when Jadzia made her way to Seven through the crowd.
Jadzia reached the blonde's side and smiled brightly, feeling a wave of sympathy at the blonde's obvious surprise at a friendly greeting.
"Hello. Lt Hanson I presume? Jadzia Dax, welcome to Deep Space Nine." Jadzia held out her hand.
Gingerly Seven gripped Jadzia's hand.
"I prefer the designation Seven," Seven stated bluntly. "I do not feel comfortable with the human designation my parents gave me."
"Seven," Jadzia said testing the word on her tongue. "Please call me Jadzia then."
Seven looked at her in outright confusion, unsure how to handle this friendliness. "I will comply," She said eventually. "You are Trill?" At Jadzia's nod, Seven continued. "Species 1034. Unacceptable for assimilation due to your symbiotic dependency. You have the memories of previous hosts, access to their opinions, their voice, rather like a collective."
"I suppose so," Jadzia said, unfazed by Seven's bluntness, understanding the woman's underlying attempt to connect with someone. "I do have access to the memories of my previous hosts, but it's more like a collective of two equal voices, Jadzia and Dax. Although, I find that it's often helpful to be able to draw on the experiences of multiple lifetimes."
"I must confess that I am jealous," Seven stated. "I often miss the certainty of the Collective. However, I have come to value my humanity, my freedom. You share thoughts equally, a blend of voices, neither overpowering the other. You both retain your freedom."
Jadzia blinked at Seven's insightfulness. "That's how it's supposed to work," Jadzia said, her thoughts flashing back to her recent trip back to the Trill homeworld to deal with Dax's suppressed host who tried to take over. "You'd better be careful or you'll get me reminiscing about the exploits of some of my more interesting past hosts."
Jadzia smiled again and Seven felt herself drawn to this woman for a reason she could not explain. Despite her loathing for 'small talk' the continuance of this interaction was desirable. "Perhaps I could benefit from the wisdom of your pervious hosts."
Jadzia laughed gently. "I'm not so sure about wisdom but I'd love to share some stories, everyone else here is sick of them. Would you care to join me for drinks in Quarks?"
"I do not require liquid supplements at this time," Seven said after a brief pause, internally taking stock of her operating parameters. "Although I can now ingest food as you do, I do not need to eat or drink for the next 72 hours."
"I'm not thirsty either," Jadzia confessed. Seven was about to inquire why had she then suggested the activity when her companion snapped her fingers. "Come on," Jadzia exclaimed grabbing Seven's borg hand without reservation. "I want to show you something, you'll love it!"
Through her hand Seven was able to process enormous amounts of physical data about Jadzia but she was awed at the incomputable immediate acceptance she was given. Even her closest friends on Voyager had required time to adapt to the implants and the danger they represented.
Jadzia lead the young borg through the station to the upper pylons, relating one of her more infamous misadventures as Curzon.
"I do not understand," Seven said as they neared their destination. "The events you describe where embarrassing, where they not?"
"Extremely so at the time," Jadzia said with a grin.
"Then why did you wish to share them? In my experience humanoids rarely wish to share that which causes them embarrassment and often become angry when such a circumstance is brought up. Lt Torres once threatened to feast on my still beating heart after I informed her that it was possible to hear her copulation's with Lt Paris in the hall outside their Quarters. She then proceed to call me multiple names."
"You," Jadzia questioned, let lose a surprised bark of laughter that gentled into a giggle as she pictured the blond doing exactly that. "What!"
"I informed Lt Torres…" Seven broke off as Jadzia waved away the explanation she had requested.
The remnants of a smile still on her lips, Jadzia sobered and attempted to answer Seven's question. "I guess over the course of several lifetimes I've learned to laugh at myself. If you can't laugh at yourself you'll spend too much time taking yourself far too seriously. Life's not much fun like that."
"Then my life is not much fun," Seven concluded. "I can not laugh."
"Can not or have not?" Jadzia inquired.
"I am uncertain," Seven replied. "However 'fun' is irrelevant."
"I beg to differ," Jadzia retorted. "Oh look!" She pointed out the window was the wormhole opened. "Best view on the station, isn't it beautiful?"
"Beauty is irrelevant."
"Do you really think so?" Jadzia asked softly, turning to face the Borg.
"I am uncertain," Seven replied, equally quietly. "It is inefficient; as are many things that are human. Life was much simpler without beauty and emotion."
"But not as much fun," Jadzia said.
"No I suppose not," Seven said. Unbeknownst to her, she smiled slightly.
"So what do you find beautiful, Seven?" Jadzia asked; her tone part seductive, part genuine curiosity.
"I," Seven paused. "I find musical expression to be quite pleasing. I find I enjoy engaging in singing. The activity is, however, an inefficient use of my time."
"If it brings you joy it's not inefficient. Being happy is just as important as anything else."
They lapsed into silence as Seven thought about what Jadzia had just told her. The light from the wormhole reflected off the Trill's dark hair, but external light sources did not account for the cheerful glow in Jadzia's eyes. Seven had noticed this phenomenon several times on their walk to the pylon and was still at a lost to explain it.
Jadzia met Seven's gaze. If her own eyes where the rich blue of a summer sky, Seven's were the icy blue of winter. If her eyes glowed, Seven's sparkled with a multitude of tiny flakes.
Seven held her gaze firmly, their stare unwavering. Still keeping their gazes locked Jadzia leaned in slowly. Both their eyes finally fluttered shut as their lips brushed together softly, briefly. Jadzia pulled back slightly, giving herself just enough space to regard Seven carefully. The young woman was slower to open her eyes, her face uncharacteristically soft.
"Have you seen her face?" Seven sang softly and Jadzia's mouth closed around whatever she had been about to say. Beautiful didn't even come close; Seven's voice was absolutely gorgeous. "With her eyes reflect
The colors in the sky"
Seven's eyes flickered to glace at the wormhole, then back on Jadzia's face.
"Oh
what familiar place
To be swept into
Whenever she's close
by
Makes me wonder why"
Their hands slid together as Seven sang the course and Jadzia brushed her thumb up and down along the back of Seven's wrist.
"Run by, don't turn back
Can't hide from that look in her
eye
Must be the way she walks
A style made up to capture
all she needs"
Seven's voice trailed off, finishing the song becoming unimportant as she felt… she couldn't even describe it. Jadzia tugged Seven back into her space and their lips met again. Her tongue brush across Seven's parted lips and dip briefly into her mouth.
"Would you join me for dinner tomorrow night?" Jadzia asked as she pulled back from the kiss.
"I would love to," Seven said simply.