Author's Notes: This idea has rattled around in my head for months. Some of Seven's first episodes and how she was treated- Borg or no- kind of bothered me. I think there's got to be more to it than only what is canon when it comes to the bond between Seven of Nine and Kathryn Janeway. This is NOT a K/7 fic- there is absolutely no romance in this fanfiction whatsoever between Seven of Nine and Kathryn Janeway. If that floats your boat, awesome! But it isn't going to be represented here, I'm afraid. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing. Please review.
Obligatory Legalities: If I owned it, it would be canon... And there would be at least ten more seasons.
~The Lady Mage
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It was almost completely silent. There were no lifeforms milling about, no buttons being pressed, no consoles being accessed, no regeneration alcoves beginning or ending their cycles. The leftover Borg technology that at one time was comforting familiarity now threw deep shadows across the cargo bay that even her enhanced eye couldn't penetrate. Fear was a new emotion that was quickly becoming familiar, its icy fingers trilling up and down the implants still inbedded in her spine. The only lit alcove clicked loudly, and she jumped as though it had bitten her. Anger came next- Borg do not feel fear! Borg do not feel anything.
Perhaps the brig was better...
She paced up the length of the remaining alcoves, arms crossed tensely over her abdomen. She had regenerated enough to last her for days. What else was there to do but pace? Another module let out a concussive hiss of steam, the Borg relic's outer cylinder lifting to run a scan along its core. Again, she had jumped at the sudden invasion of noise. With a hiss of her own, she all but slammed her hand over the cylinder's interface, her metal-laced finger dancing over the controls to shut it down.
With a soft mechanical whirr, the cylinder dropped back into place, the machine going dark as it powered off. With its light gone, Seven of Nine was plunged into near-complete darkness. The only light left in the entirety of the bay was the single alcove on the opposite end- a seemingly tiny beacon across a vast chasm of dangerous unknown. The black corridor seemed to stretch out before her. What was seconds earlier a mere fifteen meters became a daunting hundred. She froze. She had absolutely zero control over the ships's systems, let alone the bay's- the lights would not come back on until 0600.
She couldn't breathe. The nerves in her feet tingled, but wouldn't follow her commands to move. There was no going forward; the wall of the cargo bay was at her back. Her arms uncrossed, her hands coming up to clench together at her throat. Her arm grazed her com badge, and it clicked to life. Her mouth made a decision before her brain had the chance to stop it. "Seven of Nine to Captain Kathryn Janeway." Her voice refused to stay even; she grit her teeth in annoyance as she slowly slid down the wall.
"Go ahead, Seven of Nine." The captain's voice came across a minute later, groggy with sleep.
Seven bit her lip, scowling at her own weakness. "I... I require your assistance in Cargo Bay II."
"Is everything all right?"
"... I require your assistance in Cargo Bay II."
"It's 0245 hours. Is your alcove malfunctioning?"
"My alcove is functioning within normal parameters."
"Then what do you need?"
She bit her lip. "I am... having difficulty adapting."
"... Give me just a minute. Janeway, out." The com badge gave a final click, and Seven was alone once more. Her alcove cast its warping green light across the end of the tunnel of darkness stretched before her. Taunting her.
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When Captain Kathryn Janeway entered the Cargo Bay five minutes later, the entire room was dark as pitch save for the single lit alcove and the bar of softly glowing safety lights above the bay doors. There was no sight of her newest charge. She slipped her wrinkled blazer on over her grey vest, surprised at how cold the room was. "Computer, lights." She sucked in a gasp of air as the bright light assaulted her eyes.
Blinking rapidly as her eyes adjusted, she quickly spotted Seven of Nine across the cargo bay. The young woman was curled against the bay doors she had only a little over a week before escaped being sucked out of, her legs folded up to her chest and her head down against her knees. "Seven of Nine?"
Seven's head snapped up, "Captain." She quickly took to her feet, crossing the now lit cargo bay to the safety of her alcove and the yawning woman standing beside it.
"What did you need help adapting to, Seven?" asked Kathryn, hiding a yawn behind the back of her hand. The woman before her seemed apprehensive, her blue eyes darting around the cargo bay as though she expected a legion of demons to come after her any moment.
"This drone-... I am..." began the younger woman. "Alone."
"Yes, you are an individual now-"
Seven cut her off, meeting her eyes. "No, I am alone. I am not accustomed to being alone." She bit her lip, dropping her eyes. "I do not wish to be alone, Captain."
"Can you not regenerate?"
"I have regenerated as long as I am able to."
Kathryn covered another yawn with the back of her hand. "Can you not sleep?"
"I do not sleep."
"Right, right." She squished the next yawn, reaching out and putting a hand on the younger woman's arm. "We could go to see the Doctor. Maybe he could give you something to help you sleep?" The Captain could tell by the way the skin around Seven's eyes flinched that a sickbay trip was not a viable answer. "Maybe not, then. Well, I just cannot allow you unsupervised on the ship- not yet, anyway."
"Understood." For a brief second, a scowl crept across Seven's face before it was quickly hidden. "I am a danger to the wellbeing of the crew."
"Well, no.. That's the black and white of it, Seven, but you aren't here to be punished." When one surprised silver eyebrow raised, a small seed of guilt bloomed in Kathryn's chest. "I just can't allow you access to the ship and its systems until we are absolutely certain that-"
"I will not bring harm to anyone on Voyager, Captain."
"I don't think that you will, Seven." Kathryn pat her arm again, running her hand along the satiny fabric. "I'm just not sure what more I can do for you right now."
"I..." The rosebud lips pursed, eyebrows drawn into a contemplative scowl. "I am unsure, Captain." When she couldn't get a straight answer, Kathryn turned back towards the door. Seven of Nine's hand shot out, grasping her's. "Wait.. please."
Kathryn gasped as the ex-drone's hand snatched her own. Her skin was as cold as ice, reflecting the lack of heat in the darkened bay. She whipped back to her charge, bringing her other hand up to feel the younger woman's cheek. Seven flinched away at first, unused to the contact, but didn't retreat. Her pale face was as cold as her hand. "You're freezing. Why don't you turn-" She cut herself off, another stab of guilt blooming through her chest. "You can't turn the heat on without access."
"No." said Seven, glancing around the brightened bay. "Nor the lights."
"You'll freeze to death down here all night." said the Captain, tightening her hand in Seven's. "We will fix the temperature and lights down here in the morning." She gave Seven's hand a coaxing tug. "You will come with me for now." She led the young woman to the bay doors, and out into the hall.
XXX
Please review.
~The Lady Mage