On entering the messhall Captain Janeway indicated that they should sit at a table by the viewing port. Beckoning Neelix over to let him know that his services were needed as she took a seat opposite the young woman. "Neelix" she said smiling to the furry Talaxian. "i will have a bowl of pasta and a coffee. What are you two having?" she asked Tuvok and Kate.
"I will have the pasta and a glass of water please Mr Neelix" Tuvok stated
"Uh.. Pasta sounds good." Kate answered
"And to drink?" Neelix asked, his whole body tense with anticipation.
"A milky coffee with two sugars please Neelix" the young woman replied beaming at the alien, who looked as if he would explode with happiness before he bustled off to get their order. "If I don't get my coffee fix I get a little irritable" she laughed and explained to the Captain.
" Oh I know what you mean. I'm a bit of a coffee demon myself." The Captain agreed ignoring raised eyebrow sarcastic look from Tuvok. "So Kate. Interesting name by the way. How old are you?" Janeway asked, leaning forward conspiratorially. She wanted to know everything that had happened to Seven and her daughter.
"I was named after you. As you may have guessed. And I am 24 years old. My date of birth is February 7th 1986. I was born in San Fransisco, America." Kate replied almost as if reading from an autocue.
"That would make Seven at least 49 years old." Janeway said
"52 actually. She was on Earth 3 years before having me." Kate clarified as Neelix brought over their order.
Grinning as he placed their food and drinks in front of them Neelix sat down with them as they started eating "So..Uh..Kate is it?" continuing on seeing an affirmative nod from Kate "The rumors running around on board are that you are Seven's daughter. And that what we have experienced as a day. Seven has experienced as more than thirty years. Tell me. Is this true?"
"Indeed." Kate replied in a fairly good impression of her mother "the 'rumors' appear to be accurate Neelix. And it was 32years 29 weeks 5 days 17 hours 43 minutes 51 seconds that my mother experienced on 21st century Earth" she added trying to suppress a smirk
"Oh..well.. that certainly is a long time" Neelix replied not really sure of how to reply. There was no doubting the young woman's claim to be Seven's daughter. She had the same ability to bamboozle him that Seven did
"So what of your father. Who was he?" Janeway asked. Part of her needed to be sure there were minimal temporal paradoxes. That Seven hadn't inadvertently become her own great great grandmother.
"He was a businessman. He died shortly after I was born. My father did not know of my Mother's true identity however I believe she told him on his deathbed. My mother remained single for a few years before meeting Carla. They were together until Carla's death a year ago. Carla did know about My mother and I. She was a theoretical physicist at Cal Tech. California Technical Institute that is, kinda like your Starfleet academy I guess. Anyway this is all in our time-line of course." Kate explained to Janeway. She deliberately did not elaborate further as she felt it was up to her mother to divulge certain information. However she did not think her mother would mind her arming the Captain with small bits of information.
"Fascinating. Did your mother choose to train you in a field and Starfleet procedures as you grew" Tuvok inquired. He felt he needed to know whether this woman could be integrated into the crew and how effectively.
"She did Tuvok. I am a fully trained engineer. She felt that I should be raised in accordance with the culture of her time rather than 21st century knowledge. She always remained optimistic of rescue" Kate confirmed to the Vulcan security officer.
"Curious. I would have thought you would have been trained in astrometrics" Tuvok countered.
"Although that is my mothers field. And I am very much like her. I am also not a clone of her. I showed an early passion and propensity for engineering. Hence that was the field I was trained in" Kate explained dispassionately
"That is logical." Tuvok agreed
"So we have a trained engineer joining our crew" Janeway beamed "Tell me. What was it like. 21st century Earth. You were raised in a fascinating time period of Earth's history. I'd like to know everything"
"Everything?" Kate questioned
"Everything." Janeway confirmed "I and many of the crew find the 21st century fascinating"
"Well I can see why. To me. Looking around this ship. At the technologies. They are not that much of a far cry from 21st century technologies. The only exceptions are the warp drive, replicators and transporters. But considering that in the last 300 years from my time perspective, humans have gone from simple hunter gatherers living in small communities. To a technological society that resides primarily in large urbanized areas. It is not so much of a headache to imagine those technologies. A little like Alexander Graham Bell wouldn't have necessarily freaked out at the idea of cell phones." Kate explained sipping her coffee.
"Not a far cry? What do you mean?" Janeway lent her chin on her hands while resting her elbows on the table in front of her.
"Well. Take your communicator badges for instance. It is not inconceivable to imagine it is a progression of cellular phone technologies. In fact, the year 2010 that you pulled us from. We have phones as small as your badges. We have albeit only recently. Padd technology. A world database, or the internet as it's known. There are many such technologies that are seen in your daily life that are also seen in 21st century life." Kate explained
"Fascinating. We always assume someone from that time would be overwhelmed by our society and technology. But when you put it like that I guess humans haven't progressed as much as we assume." Janeway pondered aloud
"Oh socially it is very different. There is a lot of dysfunctional psychology. Negative behaviors that wouldn't be seen in this century. It appears that humans have developed socially more so than technologically." Kate said finishing her coffee "Can we go and wake my mother? I think she'd be able to explain things a little better than I. After all the 21st century is all I have known"
"Of course. Tuvok inform Chakotay we will be ready for the senior staff meeting in one hour" Janeway acquiesced raising from the table adding "Thank you Neelix. Delicious as always" to the furry Talaxian before she and the young woman departed for the sickbay.
On entering sickbay Captain Janeway and Kate Hansen were confronted by the sight of B'Elanna furiously throwing instruments at the Doctor who was scooting around sickbay and ducking.
"You damn P'TaQ hologram I'll rewire your circuitry for that!" B'Elanna shouted throwing a heavy electromagnetic microscope at him
"WOAH! B'ELANNA!" Captain Janeway shouted "What on earth is going on?"
"That... that damn hologram overstepped the mark!" B'Elanna shook with barely contained rage. "Lemme reset it!"
"Calm down and explain B'Elanna" Janeway soothed as the half Klingon eyed the jumpy hologramatic man.
"I merely stated that it would be interesting to find out how Seven managed to conceive Kate here. For medical reasons only I assure you" The Doctor babbled out on seeing the raised ocular implant of Seven's daughter.
"Ohh you didn't put it quite so professionally you piece of Targ dung!" B'Elanna spat at him "You see Captain! He hasn't gotten over his little obsession with her. Asking for details of her sex life! That's just dishonorable!" B'Elanna shouted raising the hyperspanner she was holding above her head once more.
"Ok B'Elanna. I will deal with him. Doctor. I suggest you keep any questions you have for Seven to a purely medical capacity" Janeway said fixing the hologram with a force ten glare.
"Uh... I'd like to know something..." Kate interjected "Why the hell are you ducking. She couldn't possibly hurt you by throwing things at your matrix. If I were you I'd be more concerned by the fact B'Elanna is standing next to your emitter array" the young woman pointed out with an evil grin, causing Captain Janeway and B'Elanna to laugh as The Doctor sulked off the get the necessary medication to wake Seven.
"You know.. I think I like you" B'Elanna grinned
"I merely stated the obvious" Kate replied with a raise of her ocular implant causing another laugh to escape B'Elanna's lips
"You are most definitely your mother's daughter" she teased as the Doctor administered the stimulant to wake Seven.
Stirring slightly Seven opened her eyes "Captain? I am back?"
Grasping her adopted daughter's hand Katherine Janeway smiled down at her "Yes Seven your back. And I'll be damned if we're gonna lose you.. or Kate.. Again"
"Kate.." The former drone choked out
"I'm here Mom. B'Elanna and the Doctor are here too" the young woman said from the other side of the biobed.
"So I heard. Lieutenant Torres you are loud enough to wake the dead. Let alone a woman under sedation.. Although I thank you for defending my honour" Seven smiled warmly at the half Klingon and grimaced as she tried to sit up "And I have to agree with Kate's observations. Why were you ducking Doctor?"
"I.. That is not my concern at the minute. How are you feeling Seven?" The Doctor bolstered. Embarrassed by his being caught out doing something less than clever.
"Well Doctor I feel like I have been hit by a 300 tonne Starship. Did you hit me with Voyager prior to beaming me aboard Lieutenant?" Seven teased the half Klingon, much to the woman's delight.
"32 years in the twenty first century and your still talking like a Borg" B'Elanna teased back. Seven had changed ever so subtly. B'Elanna had an instinct she would enjoy the woman's company even more than she had previously. And, despite appearances B'Elanna actually enjoyed Seven's company a lot. She was fiery, beautiful, intelligent, passionate, stubborn, willful. And a great sparring partner.
"Well Seven. Save for a slight headache from Kate's procedure, you seem to be in excellent health. I will prescribe you an analgesic but otherwise, your clear for duty" The Doctor said after scanning the blond woman.
"Very well Doctor. Thank you. Ah Kate I see the Doctor shifted your implants back into phase." She said on examining her daughter, while the young woman made half hearted swatting motions, indicating she was merely tolerating her Mothers inspection. Seeming to be satisfied that her daughter's health was in god order she turned to the Captain smiling and hugged the shocked woman. "You left it a little late. But thank you for coming back to me Katherine"
Smiling proudly at Seven Captain Janeway cleared her throat to stop the tears escaping. "We'd best get to the senior staff meeting. Are you ready for your debriefing?" she asked causing Kate to start sniggering
"Kate..." Seven warned her daughter who was causing B'Elanna to struggle to maintain composure with the kissy faces she was pulling behind Seven and Captain Janeway's heads.
"Mother..." the young woman replied sarcastically.
"Behave" came the reply from the former drone before the four of them left a muttering Doctor in sickbay to go to the staff meeting.
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