The excitement on Voyager was almost palpable. The ship was currently in orbit of the planet that the crew was referring to as "The Sphere of Indulgence." An away team had been dispatched to the planet's surface to make sure all was as expected. Sensors didn't always show the whole picture and the Captain didn't want to land her ship on someone's house.
Crewmembers were making lists of what they might replicate to bring back to the ship but also the things they might enjoy for three weeks while they are landed. It was as if someone had flipped a morale switch to instant excitement.
Since their date on the holodeck Janeway and Seven had spent some personal time together each day. Seven was frustrated by Janeway's hesitation to take their relationship to a more physical level. Seven couldn't understand why more time was needed but Janeway was adamant that she wasn't ready yet.
"Janeway to Seven of Nine" It was the middle of Alpha shift, lunch time.
"Seven here Captain."
"Would it be convenient for you to meet me in my ready room in 15 minutes?"
Based on the phrasing of the request Seven knew it was a personal one and felt her heart take a little leap in her chest. "Of course Captain."
"Thank you Seven, Janeway out."
Seven was intrigued by Kathryn's demeanor as they sat down on the couch. She seemed nervous. A condition rarely seen in a Star Fleet Captain.
"Seven I was thinking that after the ship is settled and the baby shower is over I might do a little camping." Seven cocked her head and waited to hear more. This wasn't really a surprise as Kathryn often camped on shore leave. It was well known that Tuvok had voiced his opposition each time. He reminded her that it was against protocol for her to be off by herself. His opposition had never had any effect.
Kathryn looked at Seven almost shyly. "I was wondering if you would like to join me."
"I have never camped before. What would it entail?"
Janeway looked down at her hands. "Well usually I find a private spot a little away from the crew. I take a shelter and a few days worth of food and just spend time relaxing and enjoying the peace and quiet." A tiny smile tugged at the corners of Seven's mouth.
"And will we be taking one shelter or two?"
Kathryn looked up in to Seven's eyes. "One unless you think it would be too crowded." Seven's smile broadened.
"I think one would be fine."
Kathryn reached over and took Seven's hand. "I know you have been frustrated by my hesitation. It is not that I haven't wanted you Seven, please know that. I just want our first time together to be perfect, no red alerts, no rush to duty shifts. I need to be able to take my uniform off to" Janeway felt an uncharacteristic blush staining her cheeks, "make love to you. I need to be off the ship to do that." Do you understand?"
Seven nodded. "Yes, Kathryn I do. But after our camping trip we will still make love?" Janeway was a little surprised at the question.
"I hope you will still want to." Janeway responded
"Am I to understand that when we are back on the ship you will be wearing your uniform while we make love?"
Kathryn's eyes bulged and her head snapped up. "What?" She replied as she mentally replayed the conversation. "No, Seven what I meant was…" Seven chuckled, a rare event for the borg. She squeezed Kathryn's hand
"I know what you meant Kathryn. That image just came to mind and wanted to share it with you." Kathryn shook her head as if to clear it.
"Sometimes I think you channel my little sister. Your sense of humor can be rather sadistic." Seven cocked her eyebrow as her smile turned in to a grin. She stood up to leave.
"As I am identifying a landing site for Voyager would you also like me to choose a site for our retreat?" Seven asked. Janeway smiled in response.
"Yes please. Make it far enough away for privacy but close enough that Tuvok wont feel the need to come and check on us."
Seven nodded sagely. "I concur, as you will be spending much of that time out of uniform it would be unsettling for him to appear." Seven enjoyed watching Janeway blush before she turned to leave.
Once the away team was back on board Janeway appeared on the bridge. Mr. Paris did Seven send you the co-ordinance for our landing.
"Yes ma'am," he said with enthusiasm.
"All hands this is the Captain. Prepare for code blue, Janeway out." She smiled over at Tom. Landing a star ship is something most pilots will never get to do. It is true he had landed Voyager in the past but she could tell her pilot was not any less thrilled this time as he was the last. "Ok Lt. steady as she goes and don't dent my ship!"
"Aye Aye Captain." Tom's amazing skills as a pilot were once again displayed as he executed a perfect entry through the atmosphere and landed with only the slightest of bumps.
Janeway walked over and patted Tom on the shoulder. "Good work Lt." She looked around at the rest of the bridge staff. "All right everyone, close down your boards and head out. I am taking the first shift of bridge duty."
It was decided that there would be at least one bridge officer, two security crew and one member of engineering on duty at all times. Beyond that the first week will be pure vacation. When the week was up there will be regular crew rotations as the ship got her spa treatment. Voyager was going to be pampered, repaired, analyzed, cleaned and basically loved on inside and out.
As the rest of the staff left the bridge Seven arrived. Janeway smiled when she saw her. "Hello Seven, what brings you to the bridge?"
"I noticed you took the first duty shift." Seven looked a little forlorn. "I am not sure how I will be spending the first day of leave. I expected us to be together."
Janeway pointed to Chakotey's chair. Seven rose an eyebrow at the invitation to that particular spot, but complied. Janeway sat next to her and patted her hand. "I have about a days worth of reports to review. With everyone out of my hair I will be able to finish quickly. After that any duty shifts I have will match yours." Seven nodded her head at this logic.
"acceptable"
"I also wondered if you would need to regenerate before we go on our camping trip?" Janeway gave Seven a sultry smile. "The Dr says you can comfortably go without for four days after a full cycle. So if you are all set when we go down to the baby celebration we can leave after that and be alone until you need to visit your alcove again."
"Kathryn I have often thought that your organizational skills were excellent. I now realize that brilliant would be a better description." Kathryn smiled.
"Well I did mention that I wanted to leave the Captain and her uniform on the ship for our camping trip. But back to business. Are things all set in astrometrics?"
"Yes Captain, Ensign Kim and I have set up a sensor strategy that will scan the surrounding area for any passing ships and send an automated alert to the bridge should one appear within 10 light years. We have also arranged for an alert if any ion storms or any other barriers to safe space travel were to emerge." Janeway looked impressed. While these were routine scans in space they had never been developed for a ship in code blue.
"Was there anything else you and the Ensign designed that I should know about?" Seven looked at the Captain with one of her patented half smiles.
"We implemented subroutine that will watch for seismic activity and dramatic weather patterns and set it to send an alert directly to the bridge as well." Janeway clearly felt that her officers had gone above and beyond to prepare for the safety of her crew and ship.
"Excellent work Seven. It is nice that Harry was able to help you." Seven looked a little disgruntled.
"Permission to speak freely?" Janeway's eyebrows almost crawled off her forehead at such a formal request from Seven. However she understood that Seven wanted to be heard as an officer not friend.
"Granted"
"I am disappointed that you would assume Lt. Kim helped me and not that I helped Lt Kim which is actually the case. He came to me with the schematics for the three sensor enhancements. I did contribute to the implementation but my contribution was minimal." Seven actually had a defiant look in her eye as she continued. "It was the same with the astrometrics lab. His contributions were invaluable but when you speak of it to others you typically refer to it as my work. He is almost never assigned to work in the lab he was instrumental in developing." Janeway started to feel back go up at the implied criticism of her command.
"I will take your concerns under advisement Seven." She said in her all business captain's voice. Seven started to speak again. "Dismissed Seven."
Seven nodded and started to leave the bridge. She was not offended that Kathryn was responding to her as the Captain. There were lines that may get blurred but on the bridge in uniform Kathryn was the Captain. As she was getting ready to depart Seven turned back to the Captain with a small smile on her face.
"Captain, as I try to work with in proper protocol parameters I think we need to do something about my name."
Janeway cocked her head. "Your name?"
"Yes, if you had this same conversation with Tom Paris you would have said 'I will take that under advisement Lt.' and then if he did not desist you would have said 'dismissed Mr. Paris.' Where as with me it was Seven and Seven. Ms Of Nine would not have sounded right but repeating Seven doesn't have the same effect either." Janeway grinned as she looked in vane for something to throw at her retreating officer.
"Dismissed Ms Turcherary Adjunct to Unimatrix Zero One." As Seven turned and left the bridge she heard Kathryn mumble, "Nope that's too long."
