A/N: This is my first J/7 story; I have 30 pages written so far but I'm only posting about seven for tonight. Please let me know what you think (even if you think it's horrible). Thanks for reading.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Star Trek or anything having to do with it. This story is for entertainment purposes only.
Vanished
Chapter 1
"Janeway to Seven of Nine."
There were many ways to phrase a query. Chopped and brisk would probably not be anyone's favorite.
"Janeway to Seven of Nine. Do I need to get on a ship wide comm-link?"
"Seven here, one moment please, Captain." The petite starship captain paced angrily about her Ready Room trying to maintain her composure through what she believed to be Seven's disregard. Finished with what she was doing, the former Borg drone responded, "Go ahead, Captain."
"Report to my ready room."
"It may take a short while, Captain, as I am currently-"
"No, Seven, you are currently on your way to my ready room. Janeway out."
Seven of Nine nearly sighed in frustration before coming up with a solution. If Janeway was going to be so demanding, then she would have to deal with the repercussions of such actions.
It suddenly occurred to the Captain that Seven had not been speaking normally.
"Was she whispering?" The Captain asked herself quietly, then, louder, "Computer, locate Seven of Nine."
"Seven of Nine is in the turbolift," the computer replied.
"Computer, what was Seven of Nine's location two minutes ago?"
"Seven of Nine was located in Ensign Wildman's quarters."
"Wildman? Seven and Wildman? Computer, whose biosignatures have been in Ensign Wildman's quarters for the past thirty minutes?"
"Seven of Nine and Naomi Wildman."
"Okay, that's better," Janeway said determinedly. Why it mattered to her, she was not yet ready to admit, but it did matter…a lot.
Not wanting a cozy chat, Janeway parked herself firmly behind her desk. She called up the information she wanted onto the screen on her desktop and waited a minute for the chime to announce the tall blonde's arrival.
What she did not expect, however, was for a short redhead to arrive with her.
"Seven, what are you doing with Naomi Wildman?"
"I believe the term is baby-sitting, Captain, though she is no longer considered a baby and I am rarely comfortable when sitting."
Seven stood awkwardly in front of Janeway's desk.
"Oh, go put her on the couch," Janeway said when she realized Seven did not intend to do so on her own.
"Yes, Captain."
After doing so, Seven stood next to Naomi as if to be assured that the young child would not awaken or roll off the small couch. As angry as she was, Janeway watched, quietly smiling at the humanity of Seven's actions. It was amazing that no matter what she was feeling, Janeway could always be buoyed by the young blonde's sweet instincts.
"You wished to see me, Captain?"
"Yes, Seven," the Command mask slid quickly into place, closing off the woman beneath, "when did you plan to alert me to the M-class planet ten light years away?" Right for the jugular; typical Janeway.
"Captain?" Seven raised the ocular implant above her left eye.
"Don't 'Captain' me, Seven of Nine. I want to know why you didn't tell me about that planet when you know damn-well that I've been looking for somewhere to have shore leave."
"Interesting, Captain Janeway, that in the Senior Staff meeting five Earth weeks ago you informed me that I was to hand all of my reports in to Lieutenant Torres, Commander Tuvok and Commander Chakotay when they applied to their respective departments and now that I have done that, this is the third time you have called me in here about different reports not being brought to your attention. In addition to those three incidents, you have come to Astrometrics four times and Cargo Bay Two, my 'quarters', six times. Perhaps this system is inefficient, Captain," Seven spoke in a monotone.
It seemed to Kathryn Janeway that the younger woman sounded hurt, nevertheless, "Maybe your reports are incomplete," the Captain replied hotly. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Why am I so defensive?
Seven's cheeks turned pink, "Captain Kathryn Janeway, I have not done anything less than my personal best for you. I stay up hours after my duty shift is over to make the most accurate star charts I can. Any possible M-class planet is referenced immediately for further inspection and automatically added into the data of my report. If you would like all pertinent information on this planet, I suggest you request my report from your First Officer."
Janeway couldn't respond. She didn't realize Seven would get so passionate about it. Janeway knew she should not have intimated that Seven would ever be less than completely efficient.
"Seven, I…I'm sorry."
The ex-drone still couldn't wipe the emotion off her face, which was keeping the Captain enthralled. "I do not think I accept your apology, Captain. After all the guidance you have given me on my journey to humanity, you still do not believe I – you just – you do not believe in me," Seven was nearly whispering by the time she finished speaking and Janeway was sure she saw tears in Seven's eyes.
The auburn-haired captain started to make her way around the desk speaking, "Seven, if I-" but she was interrupted.
"Wildman to Seven of Nine," Seven's comm-badge chirped.
Tapping the badge on her chest, Seven turned from Janeway answering, "Seven here, Samantha."
"Is everything okay? I just got home and you're not here."
"Yes, everything is functional. The Captain called me to her Ready Room and I had to bring your sleeping offspring with me. I apologize and will return with her immediately."
"Oh! Well, um, if you're not done, I can come and pick her up."
"No, that will not be necessary. We are done here, Seven out." With that, the tall woman turned and walked toward the child, stopping briefly when she felt a small hand on her arm.
"Seven," Janeway sounded awful, her voice was even more gravelly than usual.
"No, Captain. I do not wish to hear any more of what you have to say. It makes me feel…hollow. If you would like to know how human I have become, I suggest again that you take a look at the reports I have given to Lieutenant Torres and Commander Chakotay. I should think you will find it interesting that nearly every suggestion made by the two of them for the past month has come directly from one of my reports. If you do not believe me, check the reports. In the mean time, I will forward the information on this planet and the one we already passed to your ready room when I go back to Astrometrics tonight."
Seven left, carefully cradling the young K'Tarian.
"Oh, what did I just do?" Janeway dropped onto her couch, burying her face in her hands. "I may have messed up, but I can still fix it…I just hope it's not too late."
The Captain rose and made her way over to her desk deciding whether she wanted to speak with Chakotay and B'Elanna separately or kill two jerks with one stone.
"Janeway to Chakotay."
"Yes, Kathryn?"
Did he just call me Kathryn on a comm-link?
"To my Ready Room, Commander."
"On my way," Chakotay raised his tattooed brow and shrugged before nodding at Tuvok and stepping toward the captain's Ready Room.
Janeway looked up, surprised, when her Ready Room door slid open without a chime.
"Something wrong, Kathryn?"
"Commander Chakotay, I realize that this ship is a long way from the Federation and that you are with us as a member of the Maquis, however, there are a few polite protocols we still use."
The First Officer's face darkened in embarrassment. So much for being a man and then an officer.
"Kathryn-"
"Yeah, that's gotta go. I'm the Captain and you will address me as such while we are on duty."
"Ah, I see," she didn't mention off-duty, Chakotay grinned, "certainly, Captain."
"Also, if the door to my Ready Room is not open, you will depress the chime and wait before entering."
Wow – she's serious.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Thank you."
"Was that all?"
"No, actually, that had nothing to do with my calling you here."
"Oh, okay, what was the reason?'
Janeway didn't respond right away, realizing she had rushed into the discussion.
"I've been thinking about the way Seven of Nine and Lieutenant Torres interact and I'm wondering if perhaps I made the wrong decision having Seven hand in her Engineering reports directly to Torres."
"No, no, I think that was the only choice. The Borg was starting to act like she should have access to you at all hours of the day or night. You had to put her in her place, Kath – uh – Captain."
What? "Put her in her place?"
"Yes."
"Is that honestly what you thought I was doing?"
"Weren't you?"
"NO!" Janeway exploded, "I was trying to make you all see how effective her ideas are! I was trying to help a friend of mine find ways to interact with the crew, especially two very social senior officers who could help her if they took the time to!"
"Well, then you should have told us that!" Chakotay yelled back.
"Do not raise your voice to me, Commander. Not right now. Not when you're in here to explain to me why in hell I've just found out about a suitable M-class planet when we've almost passed it. Not when you're in here to explain why nothing from Seven's reports has made it to me as her idea. Start talking," the Captain demanded, standing behind her desk, leaning forward on her hands, a fiery look in her steel gray eyes.
"I don't know what you're so upset about. Anything useful from those reports I'm saturated with makes it to your attention as quickly as necessary."
"Yes, as though you discovered it all on your own," Janeway practically growled.
"Being on a starship isn't about getting the credit; it's about everyone sharing in the discovery."
"I think so and clearly so does Seven, since she has not once confronted you or B'Elanna about passing off her discoveries and suggestions as your own but I now know my First Officer and Chief of Engineering don't feel that way at all."
"What started this? Did the Ice Queen complain?"
"Chakotay, you're entering dangerous territory. Don't attack her because I've caught you. I called Seven of Nine in here and yelled at her for not alerting me to a planet that could be perfect for shore leave. At that point, I found out that it was referenced in a report to you. Here I was, furious with Seven for not alerting me, when you've known about this planet for how long?"
"A week," the burly man answered sullenly. He could feel the conversation sliding away from him.
"Isn't that lovely? From now on, Seven will be sending her reports to me. Clearly you are incapable of reading them. Seven was right. This system is inefficient."
"Kathryn-"
"Don't go there, Commander. Not now."
"Kathryn," he said louder, "as your friend, I think you're making a mistake on this."
"As my friend, Chakotay, you should have known me well enough to know I would catch on to the game, no matter how clever you and B'Elanna think you are. And as your friend, Chakotay, I'm extremely disappointed in you. How could you do this to Seven? Not quite the side of humanity I thought you could show her."
Chakotay opened his mouth to speak but stopped at the look on Janeway's face.
"I'll be discussing this with Lieutenant Torres next, do not even hint to her a single iota of this. You are not to discuss this with anyone but myself and Tuvok, unless it is to apologize to Seven. Dismissed." Janeway turned her back on him then.
She needed a moment to herself before she could think about how to approach her volatile, half-Klingon Engineer. How could they think it would be okay to treat her like this? Did I ever give the impression that she deserves less than human courtesy? Why? She needs us…
"Janeway to Torres," the captain intoned.
After a moment, "Torres here, go ahead."
"Please report to my Ready Room, Lieutenant." She may have said please but Torres knew it was an order.
"I'm in a Jeffries tube at the moment, Captain, I may have a way to allow the bio-neural gel packs a more stable environment." When the captain didn't respond, B'Elanna sighed and crawled out.
In her ready room, Janeway's hands were shaking in anger. I'm sure you have a way – where did you come up with it is the question… "Coffee, black."
Janeway was back behind her desk when Torres chimed.
"Come," the captain said darkly.
"Wh-"
"Don't speak, Lieutenant. Sit down," Janeway pointed to a chair near her work station. Once Torres was seated, Janeway began, "what made you think of improving bio-neural gel pack stability?"
"I'm almost out of replacements. It was a necessity," B'Elanna answered slowly.
"I see, and last week, when you brought up a way to increase warp core efficiency – how did you think of the method you utilized?"
"Well, I don't really recall, Captain."
"No? Hmm," Janeway paused, observing the Lieutenant's discomfort, "I wonder if perhaps you read it somewhere."
Looking guilty yet defiant, B'Elanna replied, "Is there something you want to say, Captain?"
"Well, actually, Lieutenant Torres, I'm hoping I don't have to. Is there something you would like to say?"
"Could you be more specific?"
"Stop being so obtuse! Where did you get all of the ideas you've implemented in Engineering this past month?"
"It doesn't matter where they've come from if they're advancing our goals. Being on a starship isn't about getting the credit; it's about everyone sharing in the discovery," B'Elanna said acidly.
"So, you two did plan this together. Listen, Torres, I know you've been getting reports from Seven almost every day and utilizing most of her suggestions, I'll be receiving all of those reports and reading through them to see exactly how much you've used."
"What is this about? So what if the Borg came up with some ideas. I've come up with just as many. Why is she so special?"
Janeway was surprised at Torres' response. Not quite sure what was going on with the young woman, the captain sat back down. "I know you have, B'Elanna, and you got credit for each and every one. What is it that makes you and Chakotay think she doesn't deserve that? It would help her so much if the crew realized how much she does for them." Janeway's voice was calmer now, "I just need to know, B'Elanna, did I do something to make you think that it was okay to do this to her?"
"Of course, you did!"
Janeway paled immeasurably. "How? What did I do? What did I say?"
"You think she's wonderful! None of the rest of us is ever as efficient. None of the rest of us ever matter as much. You wouldn't face down the Borg Queen herself for anyone else…for me."
Janeway stood slowly and made her way around her desk to stand in front of the sullen woman, "B'Elanna, I would go to the ends of the universe for any one of my crew."
"Not the same way you went after Seven. I'm sorry, Captain, I just thought if I came up with enough ways to speed up our trip home, you would look at me the way you look at Seven. I know I was wrong but I had to try. I understand if you want to punish me. It was stupid, I know, but I had to try."
Janeway waited a moment before responding, "B'Elanna, I'm not going to punish you. I'm telling you, as a person, I'm expecting you to apologize to her, and mean it. I'm surprised and a bit disappointed in you for this. Really, B'Elanna, I expect much better from you."
"I know, Ma'am, so do I."
"Dismissed," Janeway said quietly, adding even quieter, "B'Elanna?"
"Yeah?"
"Off the record?"
"Yeah?"
"How do I look at her?"