DETACHED:
Jean-Luc: His Story
Chapter 10
Belle of the Ball:
=/\= =/\= =/\=
Kathryn Janeway propped open an eyelid. "This had better be an emergency," she warned her sister Phoebe, who was acting all sorts of crazy-perky, bouncing up and down on the edge of the admiral size bed which was an oasis of comfort in the blue to lavender to ivory decorated bedroom. By her behavior an observer would have never guessed that Phoebe was old enough to be a happily married mother of a son.
Phoebe only laughed. "You're the one who gave me the password to your apartment. And when you didn't answer my hail…," she bounced some more, "…I let myself in."
Kathryn propped open her other eyelid, stared at her bedside clock and then glared back at her sister. "Pheebs, it is almost oh-five hundred hours. Forget the time zone difference again?" Kathryn's sarcasm didn't work this time on her sister.
Suddenly her sister was concerned. "Don't tell me that you are suffering from insomnia again…"
"No…" Kathryn rolled over onto her side. "I didn't get in bed until after oh-two-hundred."
"Hot date?" Phoebe was ever hopeful about her sister's personal life.
"Yes… no… huh?" Kathryn rolled back over, burying her face into her over-stuffed Bringolian goose down pillow. No one should be asking her questions before she'd ingested her third cup of coffee in the morning. And since she had yet to drink the first cup, she wasn't quite ready to cope with her sister's incessant nosiness.
"Hot date?" Phoebe insisted.
Kathryn gave into the irresistible force that was her sister and sat up, propping herself against some more pillows. "I was at a barbecue last night. And afterwards, someone suggested a few hands of poker."
"You're grumpy. You must have lost."
Kathryn rolled her eyes wondering how after being away from her sister for over seven years, her sister could still read her so well. Surely the Delta Quadrant must have changed her a little bit…
"What are you doing here, Pheebs?"
Phoebe just responded with an impudent grimace before answering the question. "Time to get moving, sister dear."
"It's my day off. I am not moving," Kathryn primly informed her sister.
"Yes you are."
"Why?"
"You're going to that fancy ball tomorrow night, aren't you?"
"Yes," Kathryn mumbled.
"Do you have a date?"
"I have an escort, Pheebs." Kathryn contained her surprise that her nosy sister did not ask with whom she was going.
"Well, what are you wearing?"
Kathryn paused, for this was a question she had not really considered - yet. "I'm sure that there is something suitable in my closet."
"Hah!"
Phoebe's laughter sounded incredulous to Kathryn's ears.
"What?"
"Unless you picked up something fabulous in the Delta Quadrant, all of your evening gowns are hopelessly out of date – not to mention dowdy. Which was also true, long before you ever even became the captain of Voyager."
"I bought clothes when I came home…"
Phoebe snorted.
Kathryn didn't really respond to Phoebe's assessment of her sense of style for it was a long time standing argument between the sisters. "Pheebs, I am not a slave to fashion. Never have been. So go away, and come back in four hours," Kathryn ordered in her best 'she who must be obeyed' command voice.
"Agreed. Wouldn't do for Baako to see you looking like something the dog dragged in…" She leaned over her sister and stared directly into her face, inspecting it. "You get puffy when you don't get enough sleep. I'll bring the cure for that when I come back."
Kathryn bestowed upon her sister her best condemnatory 'annoying sibling' glare. "Who's Baako?"
"The dress designer I met at one of my exhibits, who is going to swathe your butt. He is a genius, sister dear." And with that Phoebe left the bedroom.
Knowing when to surrender to her sister's insanity, Kathryn, rolled over, and went back to sleep.
=/\= =/\= =/\=
"Oh my," Phoebe gasped.
Silently, Kathryn agreed with her sister. She critically studied herself in the triptych form two-meter-tall mirror as she slowly turned around. It had been a very long time since she'd looked like this - if ever.
The black shantung silk gown had one asymmetrical strap that was somehow supporting the very low cut defying the-laws-of-physics bodice which was trimmed with a satin bandeau edging. She now had the illusion of a much fuller bosom than was her normal image yet there was no artificial enhancement. The built in support system to the bodice was an architectural miracle.
The full length sheath skirt was quite tight, but it had a very high slit off of her right leg to permit somewhat, ease of movement. In and of itself, it was a very daring sheath dress for Kathryn Janeway especially because it had a back that went down to a point on her spine that she rarely exposed to a lover much less anyone else. What turned this gown into the extraordinary though, was that the dress had a full length black shimmering half skirt with a flame red silk interior lining. The shape of the tight black skirt was dramatically framed by contrast with the glowing red lining. In short, it was a very theatrical, very classy, very sexy gown for a woman who had gone around a seventy thousand light year block.
"I pity the gentleman," Phoebe dryly observed, as she walked around Kathryn in this salon's fitting room, inspecting every centimeter of her sister's appearance.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kathryn didn't mean to sound annoyed by her sister, for once again her sister had proven to be correct about the designer and the dress; for this was the only gown that the designer had displayed to her. And Phoebe had been right. It was the perfect dress for her.
"The only reason you're putting up with all this…," Phoebe waved her arms about, "…is because there is someone you want to impress." Her smile bordered on the wicked as she considered some more possibilities and how her sister looked. "He doesn't stand a chance when he sees you in that dress. You conquered the Delta Quadrant, and now you'll conquer him - and the rest of the Admiralty too at the ball."
Kathryn was dismayed. If her sister really approved of the dress… "It's too daring, then."
Phoebe's only response was a wicked, all-knowing grin. "Somehow, after what you've experienced, I think that 'too daring' is the least of your problems." She swatted her sister's fanny. "Give the old goats in the admiralty something to fantasize about, sister dear."
The dress designer, a half-Tanusian, half-human who was almost as short as he was rotund, rolled about in Phoebe's wake as they continued to walk around Kathryn Janeway. "Perfection!" he kept mumbling.
Kathryn assumed that he was referring to the dress.
=/\= =/\= =/\=
"Flame red. And black."
"Roses?"
"No. No roses. Kathryn threw away all the rose bouquets she got when she arrived home with great deliberation."
"What then?"
"Something more exotic."
"I shall find something appropriate. Perhaps an orchid." There was dead silence for a moment, before he asked, "Ms. Janeway, how did you know that I was escorting your sister to the ball? Did Kathryn tell you?"
"No, she hasn't said a word about you." Phoebe's grin grew larger as she contemplated what that query really meant.
Jean-Luc Picard mentally compared the lady's expression to that of a former Number One who was trying to pull the wool over his captain's eyes.
"So, how did you know to call me?"
"Admiral, you can command a starship or put the fear into a couple thousand of cadets with a single glance. Me? I was born to bedevil my sister. So, you have your ways. And I have mine…"
He was impressed at this level of sibling deviousness which was something that he well understood.
"I'll send the flowers."
=/\= =/\= =/\=
When Kathryn stepped into her living room, she was a vision that literally shocked Jean-Luc Picard speechless. He had always known that Kathryn Janeway was a handsome woman. But the way she looked - her striking beauty was very much a revelation to him. And such a woman, dressed as she was, demanded an immediate response from him.
"Magnifique…"
He swiftly walked up to her, bowed and then clasped her hand, lifting her knuckles to his lips for a kiss. It was a courtly gesture that few if any man in Starfleet could pull off. Kathryn was not surprised that Jean-Luc had the savoir faire to do it. What really amazed her though, was that when he lifted his eyes to gaze into hers, she realized that he really meant it.
Jean-Luc's reaction was exactly what Phoebe had been hoping for when she opened the door to let Admiral Picard into Kathryn's apartment.
Kathryn saw the admiration in Jean-Luc's eyes, though she didn't understand every emotion that he was revealing.
Phoebe saw much more. Sensing that she was about to become de trop, she quietly said, "Your orchid was perfect for her hair. Thank you, Admiral." For Phoebe had styled Kathryn's hair into a French twist with the single, small black shaded to red Janaran orchid nestled into the sweep above her left ear. "I'm leaving now," she added. Neither one of them noticed for they were too lost in their gazes.
Privately wondering if Jean-Luc and Kathryn would even make it to the ball, Phoebe smiled, and left the apartment, deciding to walk to the closest transport station instead of using the private transporter that Starfleet had installed for Kathryn's personal use when she'd leased her new home.
It took a few moments before Phoebe's departure registered on Kathryn, as well as her sister's parting words.
"Pheebs told you what I was wearing tonight?"
Pulling his wits about him, Jean-Luc answered, "I talked with your sister because I wished to send you flowers. She was most helpful."
"I bet she was," Kathryn darkly said.
Sensing a bit of hostility behind that remark, Jean-Luc decided to change the subject. "Shall we go? If we leave now, we will be arriving at the proper time."
"In other words, you wish to arrive early?"
"Early to arrive… early to leave?"
Kathryn laughed, in agreement with this suggestion. "What if I want to dance the night away?"
"I think that you'll decide otherwise after several dances with me."
"We'll see," she observed as she nodded toward the black evening cape that was draped over the back of an armchair. This cape had a red lining that matched her dress as well.
After draping the full-length cape over her shoulders, all Jean-Luc could whisper was, "Stunning…"
=/\= =/\= =/\=
Kathryn stood at the threshold of the stairway that led down into the ball room. "I'm not too flashy, am I, Jean-Luc?"
"Considering that your only adornment is an orchid, I would say 'no'." Jean-Luc was being deliberately obtuse, because he knew even if Kathryn did not, that once she was seen, Kathryn would become the belle of the ball.
Within a few minutes after they entered the ball room, his thoughts were proved prophetic. They were swarmed, with most of the men ignoring the Commandant of the Academy. Everyone wanted to greet Admiral Kathryn Janeway, ask her for a dance, talk her into letting them escort her into dinner, etc.
Jean-Luc was amused as he watched the sincere admirers, the up-and-coming commanders, the sycophants and the celebrity seekers, try to get close to the 'Darling of the Delta Quadrant' as one Federation news service had so nick-named Kathryn. Through all of this commotion, Kathryn made sure that she stayed close to Jean-Luc.
It was only when Jean-Luc saw that the head of Starfleet, Fleet Admiral Winston Holt Wiley was approaching their group, he forcefully announced to the surrounding crowd of importuning men, "Gentlemen, I do believe that this is my dance with Kathryn." By the very way he emphasized that lady's name, a few officers in this crowd were intelligent enough to realize that this particular admiral was staking his claim on the lady.
And before Kathryn quite realized it, she was dancing a slow fox-trot style dance with Jean-Luc. Because it was early into the evening, there were only a few other couples dancing. And Kathryn recognized that by dancing this way at the beginning of the evening, it was as if Jean-Luc was publicly declaring that she was his date. Which he was doing, of course.
"I didn't know you were so possessive, Jean-Luc."
"I'd rather think of myself as 'protective', Kathryn."
"Meaning?"
"Declaring the obvious should discourage the more annoying of your followers. It's the ones who do not care that I am associated with you, that are the ones you should watch out for…"
"Meaning?" She was trying not to sound annoyed.
"Winston Holt Wiley is about to cut in. I have it on good authority that he pinches." With that remark, Jean-Luc politely smiled as he relinquished his dance partner to his supreme officer.
Surprisingly - at least to Jean-Luc - Winston was the perfect gentleman as he danced with Kathryn. Of course, the fact that Lwaxana joined Jean-Luc on the sidelines of the dance floor might have been Winston's incentive to keep his fingers from wandering.
"Jean-Luc…"
Nodding, he calmly responded, "Lwaxana…"
"How are my twinnies?"
Jean-Luc had long ago give up trying to keep Lwaxana from being too proprietorial toward his children. At best, he just endeavored to keep the Betazed from spoiling them rotten. Most of the time, he also tried to avoid their little internecine battles even though they often ended in stalemates.
"They are angelic, as usual." His sly words were not lost on Lwaxana for dealing with two children who were perfectly capable of reading their Papa's emotions at any given point, gave the twins quite an advantage in the eternal parent versus child battle of wills. However, it was loving 'aunties' like Lwaxana and Guinan who kept the children psychically grounded.
"How do they respond to Kathryn?"
He should have known that Lwaxana would be nosy. "They haven't really gotten to know her yet. Though William has already tried propositioning the admiral into teaching him how to fly a shuttle craft."
"Maybe she should teach Billy Bob." Lwaxana knew how much that now-official nick-name for William Robert annoyed Jean-Luc and she was not afraid to use it.
He raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"A boy always remembers his first love - and if that woman permits him to fly a shuttle craft, he'll adore her forever."
He mulled over Lwaxana's words. There was some wisdom to them. "Perhaps if this thing between Kathryn and myself reaches a point where the children should get to know her better, I will consider it."
"Good. My devoted Winnie is headed our way. And from what I could tell, Winnie kept his hands to himself. He must really like this admiral…"
Jean-Luc wisely refrained from making an observation about that.
"By the way, you're sitting with us during dinner."
Jean-Luc silently groaned, knowing that all admiralty eyes would be upon them the rest of the night.
Several hours later after what seemed to be a short super but also with a night filled with long speeches, Jean-Luc and Kathryn were dancing again.
Jean-Luc liked dancing with Kathryn. She was almost the perfect height for him. Though she wasn't as skilled a dancer as Beverly, they still moved well together. They fit.
And then a thought struck him. He understood again, that he could think now of Beverly, and not be immediately filled with an overwhelming grief - or depression.
Slowly they moved about the dance floor to another love ballad. Jean-Luc was enjoying the moment. And then the dance ended, so Jean-Luc started to guide Kathryn toward their table when they were interrupted.
"If I may, Admiral?"
Jean-Luc didn't need an introduction to the captain who stood before him. By the way Kathryn stiffened, he would have already known the identity of this officer even though Commandant Picard recognized him from the dossier that he had perused weeks earlier.
Kathryn moved away from her partner as she stared, somewhat in disbelief, at her former first officer. "Chakotay, I thought that you were at SB 42."
Chakotay bent down and kissed her cheek. "Annika and I have just moved to Earth."
The captain spoke quite politely, but even Data would have been able to pick up the undercurrents that were running between the former captain and her first officer.
A moment later Annika joined them. "Admiral Janeway." She nodded. Then the blond in the long carmine evening gown, narrowed her eyes and precisely enunciated, "Locutus."
Jean-Luc politely smiled. "Seven." He glanced over at Kathryn and knew that he had to do something before this scene turned into an incident that could end up being rebroadcast ad nauseam on the news channels. "Captain, with your permission, may I dance with your wife?"
"I need no man's permission to dance," Seven autocratically informed all of them before she accepted Admiral Picard's invitation.
Stifling a comment, Chakotay watched his wife walk off. Then he turned his attention back to Kathryn.
"You look beautiful, Kathryn."
This admiral accepted his words even as she still watched Jean-Luc's back, almost as if she were expecting Seven to do something to him. Stabbing came to mind.
"She called him 'Locutus'."
"After the last time that Annika had met the admiral, she told me that Locutus was linked with and controlling all of the Borg, back when Wolf 359 happened."
Kathryn turned, and walked toward the doors to the balcony that flanked the ballroom. She didn't bother to look to see if Chakotay would follow for she knew that he would.
Once outside, they kept their voices low, for there were other couples milling about the balcony as well.
"What are you doing here, Chakotay?" Kathryn was in no mood to dissemble.
"I am teaching several courses at the Academy for the next few terms. Admiral Siktui also asked me to work on the Delta Quadrant Project."
Kathryn grimaced. "I'm one of the project's coordinators, Chakotay. In fact, it is the main reason that I am stationed on Earth for the time being. However, I was not aware that you were joining our team."
"Siktui's offer only came this morning. But Annika and I had already decided a few weeks ago to come to the Academy; to accept the teaching position. We want the baby to be born on Earth," Chakotay explained, inwardly wincing at the way Kathryn was receiving this news. For he knew his friend too well. When she was this icy - this proper - she was hurting. Well, so was he. Matters weren't helped by the knowledge that he had brought this debacle upon himself. He knew now that a few unwise decisions made in the heat of passion would now haunt him for the rest of his life.
"Husband, there you are," a voice that seemed to be filled with a very human vexatious tone called out. A strident Annika and a sheepish looking Jean-Luc Picard approached the couple. Annika had not realized that her rather loud, called-out announcement had drawn attention to all of them, which was something that he knew Chakotay and Kathryn definitely would not have wanted.
Immediately, Jean-Luc took a protective stance by his date even as it looked for an instant, that Chakotay would protest this action. But then the captain had thought better of it. Of course, Seven noticed her husband's action as well.
"It's good to see you again, Annika," Kathryn softly said, as she tried to judge how the former Borg was progressing with her pregnancy. And to smooth over the awkwardness of this situation, considering how many prying eyes were now observing their interaction. "How are you feeling?"
"I do not like being pregnant. It is most uncomfortable at times. And it upsets my efficiency projections."
There wasn't much Kathryn could say about that.
"My wife Beverly mightily complained when she was pregnant. Still, she worked through her eight month. And then after the twins were born and when they were squalling in tandem, she referred to her months of being pregnant as 'the good old days - the quiet good old days'…"
Startled, Kathryn realized that this was the first time she had ever heard Jean-Luc refer to his late wife so casually. And it was the first anecdote he had ever told her about his life with Beverly.
Annika relaxed a bit as she realized that Kathryn's attention was now focused on Jean-Luc Picard instead of her own husband. Deciding that now would be an excellent time to leave before Chakotay could talk some more with Kathryn, she turned to her husband and announced, "It is time to go. I feel ill."
Suddenly solicitous, Chakotay turned to attend to his bride, even as a more cynical part of his mind wondered if Annika was manipulating him again.
"I agree. It is time to leave," Jean-Luc quickly agreed.
But again, Kathryn surprised him. Playfully flirting with Jean-Luc, she teased, "No, Jean-Luc. I want to dance at least one more dance. Listen to what they are playing…"
His eyes lit up even as he watched Kathryn being to sway. "A samba!"
Chakotay quickly decided that he had better leave - now. "Good night Admiral Picard. Kathryn." With that, he ushered Annika toward the cloak room.
After they left, Jean-Luc quietly spoke. "Do you really wish to dance?"
Kathryn continued to sway. "Jean-Luc, I love to samba."
And much to Jean-Luc's great relief, and pleasure, Kathryn really did enjoy this dance. She was even better at it than him. She inspired him.
So they heated up the dance floor.
=/\= =/\= =/\=
Jean-Luc was somewhat surprised that when he escorted Kathryn to her door, that instead of saying polite nothings by way of good night, she just simply grabbed the front of his white dress uniform jacket, and dragged him inside.
And thus began a pattern of life that suited both Kathryn and Jean-Luc. On most Saturdays, they would date; going to concerts, the theatre, or the occasional obligatory cocktail party.
And afterwards, they would end up at her apartment. He would stay through Sunday morning.
Until the Saturday afternoon when Jean-Luc invited Kathryn to join him horseback riding along the beach at Picard House. Somehow, with the twins visiting their aunt and uncle again, Jean-Luc found himself showing Kathryn about the complex, including guiding her through the largest of guest houses that was part of Picard House, located on the far side of the garden. One kiss led to another, and it wasn't until a chimed warning, early Sunday morning, that Jean-Luc was alerted to the fact that Kathryn spending the night in his arms had not gone unnoticed. For Ludvig had beamed over a coffee service, a tray full of waffles, warm syrup, fresh fruit, and an assortment of breakfast pastries.