To Err...
by Bratling
Disclaimer: If you think these characters belong to me, you're sadly mistaken. I borrowed them, hugged them, squeezed them, called them George, and then gave them back like a good girl. Star Trek and all it's permutations belong to the estate of Gene Roddenberry, Paramount, and CBS.
Author's Note: Have you ever sworn a scene was in a particular episode and then watched it multiple times and found out it wasn't? So because it should have been there, but wasn't, you have to write it! That's me with Human Error. So here's an outtake. Not particularly J/C, but necessary. And I'm sure this particular one has been written more than once in a lot of different ways by other people. This is my take.
OWWW! Stop yelling, that hurt! Kathryn, yes, I know Chakotay is yours. You want to sacrifice Seven to the Borg for her trying to steal him? Sorry, can't do that here. Even then it would be a bad idea. They want her to be Borg Queen, remember from the books? Tell you what, in a later story, I'll let you blow her up or something. Maybe she'd like to meet Betsy. Or you can find a primitive planet whose people will happily sacrifice her to the great volcano god. She is a Borg Barbie, after all, and that's what I did in my sandbox with my Barbies when I was a kid. Just not now. This is an outtake here. Which means that I can't essentially change canon.
My thanks to Wendy, Sarah, Miacooper, and TnJAGAz for the look-sees.
"The betrayal of trust carries a heavy taboo."
-–Aldrich Ames
Tuvok walked into the ready room, came to attention in front of her desk and waited. After a few minutes, Janeway looked up from the report she was reading. "Commander," she said neutrally.
"In a routine security check, I discovered something... disturbing. Captain, I would usually take this to Commander Chakotay, but since he is the victim here, it isn't appropriate." Tuvok handed over a PADD and waited while she read it. The PADD contained not just a summary of the... incident, but a damning script of the program in question.
"I see," Janeway frowned. "I'll handle this. Thank you, Commander. Dismissed." As soon as he'd left, Janeway closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Some of her worst headaches always seemed to come from Seven of Nine. Sometimes, she felt like the young woman was her own daughter, but at times like this, she almost hated her. She drew in some deep breaths, deliberately trying to calm herself before she did something she might not regret. With a sigh, she hit her comm badge. "Janeway to Seven of Nine."
"Yes, Captain."
"Report to my ready room."
"Acknowledged."
Quickly, Janeway checked the logs and found out that Holodeck 2 was unoccupied. It wasn't long before the door chimed. "Come in," she said.
"Captain," Seven acknowledged quietly as she walked in.
Janeway stood and headed to the door. "With me," she ordered. Seven followed as she crossed the bridge to the turbolift. "Deck 6." Purposely, Janeway stayed silent. She knew Seven didn't like being ignored and to be perfectly honest, she wanted to spit nails over this incident.
"Captain-" Seven began, but didn't continue when Janeway just raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. Soon they were in front of Holodeck Two. "Computer, replay the playback of the Chakotay simulation and make us invisible to the characters."
Anger suffused Seven's face. "This is an invasion of privacy!" she snapped. "You cannot-"
"No, Seven, this is a violation for Chakotay," Janeway's hands moved to her hips and she glared at her. "Think of how you felt when you thought Kovin hurt you."
Seven swallowed, hard. Janeway had never seen her so disconcerted. "It is for educational purposes," she said weakly.
Janeway raised an eyebrow. "Is it?" she inquired mildly as she let her hands fall to her sides.
Seven flushed. "I never used it for... pornographic purposes!"
"Aside from the violation of this farce," Janeway was interrupted by Seven.
"Farce! This is not a farce!" Seven crossed her arms over her chest.
"Yes," she said quietly, "it is. You have programmed Chakotay to react the way you want him to. You made him like the same things you like. That's the danger of holographic relationships. They're unequal, You control everything and make it the way you want it to be. This is how holoaddictions start, Seven. And to compound the problem, you lied to me about why you neglected your duty."
"The Doctor said that personal lives are supposed to be a distraction," she protested.
Janeway gestured toward the scenario playing out in front of her. "This isn't a personal life," she said gently. "It's a dangerous game that can destroy you if you let it. It's a game that hurts people because like it or not, actions have consequences."
"You had a relationship with a hologram," Seven accused.
"Not like people think-not to the extent I let the Doctor believe," Janeway said with a snort. "Not that it's any of your business, but I don't have sex with holograms." She shot Seven an amused glance. "Generally speaking, you can't build a life with one because they're not real and there's more to relationships than sex. If you want to start dating, fine, but date a real person, imperfections and all. Try it with someone close to your age that shares the same interests as you. Someone like Harry, perhaps. He already likes you."
"But... I require practice."
"Welcome to humanity, Seven. We all make mistakes. We all embarrass ourselves occasionally. And you will no longer use the holodecks for such things. You're banned for six months, and Tuvok will be monitoring what you do for six months after that. I'll not have you developing a holoaddiction." Janeway glared at Seven and put her hands on her hips.
"I-" She didn't seem to know what to say.
"Is that clear?" Janeway's voice was soft with a hint of steel behind it.
Seven swallowed, hard, again. "I will comply," she agreed finally.
"Good, dismissed." She watched her leave. "Computer save program. "
"Program saved."
"Encrypt the program, security authorization Janeway lambda three."
"Acknowledged."
Janeway drew in a deep breath and fiddled with her commbadge. Now she had to make an even harder decision-to tell Chakotay or to keep it from him. She knew he'd be horribly embarrassed, but on the other hand, crew discipline was part of his job as XO. He'd always left Seven to her, so there at least was precedent, but as the victim, didn't he at least deserve to know? With a sigh, she left the holodeck and started back toward the bridge. It would hurt him, and they'd been through enough hurt already. This was a hurt she could protect him from. Her feelings towards him hadn't changed and in this case, she decided that since she could, she would. Chakotay would never know about this... incident. He deserved better than what Seven had done. Hell, he deserved better than he was getting from her. But she had to comply with the regs; she didn't truly have a choice. No matter what it cost her.
The End.