It was happening again, and Christy stared around her as people collapsed. "Doctor." She called immediately.
"Report to sick bay," He sounded pretty busy and Christy felt bad leaving those crewmen on the floor, but she ran for sick bay. She got there quickly and found Seven, thankfully, marching out of sick bay with a purpose, and a dermal regenerator in her hand.
"Everyone is getting headaches and burns." The Doctor spoke with an impatient clip, while handing over another dermal regenerator. "Here is how you operate it. I need you to go deck by deck, send the worst to me and take care of the others. Seven took the bridge, you start on a lower deck and we'll get this ironed out."
"Ever feel like we need more non-fleshies on board?" Christy muttered to him as she made her way out of the sick bay. His voice carried.
"I'll have to bring that up in the next meeting." He teased just a little, but they were too busy to really talk about it.
The caress of Death startled her and Christy stumbled in the hall as it hit her. "Seven." She called quickly over the comm. When she got no response she ignored protocol. "Please Seven, someone died, respond."
There was another tense moment, before the comm opened up. "I found the dead crewman Christy. Did you sense any others?"
"No, just the one." Christy felt like she could move again and she started to move faster to get to work.
"We are backing out of the nebula now." Seven told her. "It should correlate with an end of the damage being done."
"If you have Paris, get him up and running, we need more medics." Christy said, but she waited to hear if that was who they'd lost. Whoever died was on the bridge, and she couldn't just ask who they'd lost. Everyone in the Bridge had to be hearing their conversation.
"He will be able to assist soon." Seven informed her and then they had to stop talking and get to healing.
Later she learned it was an ensign she had barely seen in passing. She almost asked if he wore a red shirt, since that was always the dead ensign on the original Star Trek, but she stayed politely quiet and did her best to not bring attention to the fact she'd taken in death energy recently. The bridge crew knew, she'd admitted as much in her desperation to get in touch with Seven, but not everyone needed to know.
…
"Christy, can we talk." Janeway said as she walked into Christy's office and Christy looked up into very serious eyes. For the past month Seven and Christy had stayed discreet about their relationship, even though they'd decided to make it exclusive, and yet here was Janeway. Christy schooled her features into mere curiosity. "The Doctor thinks he has a solution to the nebula."
"So you won't just go around it?" Christy frowned at the stubborn woman, but part of her was relieved it wasn't 'that' conversation. It was probably because Christy was seriously considering making love to Seven very soon that she felt so paranoid about Janeway finding out right now.
"It would add too much time to our trip." The Captain told her and Christy waited to see how the solution sounded.
"Okay, so what did he come up with?" Christy was not a senior officer, but she was sure she was instrumental in this plan, or she wouldn't have the Captain herself explaining it to her in private.
"As we saw last week, only you, the Doctor and Seven seem to have any sort of immunity to the radiation. It's quickly lethal to the rest of us." The Captain stared into Christy's eyes. "If the rest of us were in stasis tubes we'd be safe, but that would leave just the three of you to run the ship for the month it takes to cross the nebula. You'd be third in command of the ship again."
"And we know how well that ended last time." Christy said flatly as she considered this new plan. "I've only got a basic understanding of anything on this ship, if something went wrong I don't know that I'd be any help."
"The Doctor knows star fleet protocols, Seven knows how to repair anything, what I need you for is what you're good at. Borg are never alone, and Seven had serious issues adapting to our small ship of 130 crewmen. Now she will be on a ship with three for an extended period of time. This is really my only reservation about this plan at this point. Seven cannot handle being alone, and the Doctor is going to be busy monitoring all of us. He would be some company, but not enough to help her through this. We'll be putting our lives in her hands, and she needs support." Janeway paused. "And there is also no way to put you in stasis with us. You aren't biological and it keeps the nebula from harming you, but it also makes it impossible to put you in stasis."
"I would have taken that mission in spite of you Captain, if you'd ordered me not to." Christy admitted. "I would never leave her alone like that. I've been alone like that," Christy admitted, thinking of that horrible time after her mother's death and before she found the tribe that took her in. It didn't take long for being alone to become a real burden. "I survived it, but it was hard. I think it will still be very hard. Why can't we go around?"
"It will add at least a year to our trip to go around. We don't have good readings from that far away, it may be even longer." Janeway paused. "We can't guarantee there are planets that have life if we go around Christy. You might not have 'energy' for over a year if we go around."
"Well," Christy grimaced. "Seven will definitely take the mission then." She knew Seven would be nervous, anyone with a hint of sense would be nervous to run a ship that actually required 130 people all by themselves. Still, Seven would not want to risk Christy not having her 'energy' needs for so long either.
"I plan to talk to her next. I wanted to make sure you would help before I asked her." Janeway told her softly.
"This isn't going to be free." Christy stared at the Captain who was asking so much of Seven, and watched the Captain's eyes grow colder. "We need unlimited holodeck privileges, to try and avoid going stir crazy." Once the captain's eyes warmed as she realized she wasn't being blackmailed Christy spoke her real demand softer. "While this is going to be way too much alone time, you do realize that Seven has no privacy don't you? I lend her my quarters to shower, and she borrows them to have a quiet place to read. Can you at least attempt to see if there is a way to get her some private quarters? She's at a stage in her development where the ability to have privacy when she needs it is important." Christy had had to admit to herself that masturbation would have been helpful for Seven to learn, so she wasn't dependent on Christy for those feelings, not that they'd gotten that far, and so she could learn about sex with less pressure, but that Seven had nowhere to practice such a thing. "It's time." Christy spoke quietly and watched the captain frown just a little.
"I'll look into it myself." Janeway promised and the deal was done. Christy worked out some details, like having B'Elanna and the Doctor prepare some training materials that might be helpful to cover in case Christy found herself helping out more than normal in those departments.
"I might add some items to that list." Captain Janeway said after a long pause where she studied Christy openly. "We are relying on you quite a bit. You aren't star fleet, but you have leadership experience. Perhaps it's time to consider officer training, it is out of order if you were a typical crewman, but you aren't. I'm not one to waste resources and you are a leader, we need to make it official at some point. I also need to justify leaving you in charge of my ship so often." Janeway gave Christy a small wry smile.
"I'd appreciate that." Christy admitted. With some rank she'd be a part of things, because other than when her unique biology was helpful, like now, she wasn't really included in much yet.
…..
B'Elanna gave Christy a small smile, even as she was laying down in that stasis tube. "Don't have too much fun without us." She teased quietly. "For example, doing it on the Captain's desk, or desecrating my poor warp core."
"You want me to desecrate your core? Sister, that's just not right." Christy leaned down and grinned wickedly as she said it, even as the lid closed. B'Elanna fell asleep with a disturbed look on her face.
Christy stood back up and glanced over at the Captain, who was overseeing a few more of the crew being placed under, and Seven at her side. She moved to the next stasis tube to repeat what she'd been taught. "We'll be okay right?" A crewman asked her as her fingers flew over the controls, repeating what she'd been taught. They had a hundred and twenty seven of these to do and so while it was new, Christy felt it was somewhat routine now. The Doctor was taking his time with the other senior officers and the Captain, and this was the last on Christy's list.
"Sure, but I think you should all pay the three of us for doing your jobs for a month. The captain didn't even talk about a raise, I'm being used." She smirked as she surprised him with that. "We'll be fine." She reassured him with a smile. "It's a straight shot, there isn't anything Seven can't fix and I'll kill anything that comes close to us." That seemed to reassure him, he nodded and laid down for her to seal him up.
"Interesting bedside manner." The captain said from behind her and Christy was surprised she was there. She finished the sequence and turned to see the captain watching her with a smile. "We'll talk about that raise when I wake up." Janeway joked, but then she stepped forward and stared down at the ensign in the stasis tube in front of them. "I want to get them home safely."
"I understand." Christy spoke just as softly.
Janeway looked up at her. "You do, don't you?" Christy got the sense that Janeway was starting to understand, and perhaps that she needed to.
The Captain had a few words with Seven, before getting into her own Stasis tube, the last one down. It was a Captain thing, Christy was pretty sure.
"Well, I believe we are done here." The Doctor said as the three of them stood there watching the Captain sleep.
"I will go to the bridge and set our course." Seven told them and Christy watched her go until she was out of sight.
"I am glad you are with us." The Doctor said, "That one is going to be hard to rein in."
"I'll manage." Christy smirked as she said that. She had a plan to make sure Seven didn't work every waking moment.
…..
"We have unlimited Holodeck privileges." Christy told Seven as they sat in a holodeck restaurant that Tom had recommended. Christy had an entire list of recommended programs from him for this month. He'd been happy for her about the unlimited aspect and gave her ideas for most needs he thought she'd have. He also excitedly talked about teaching her to program for the holodeck, but there just wasn't time before they were heading into the nebula.
"It is a waste of resources." Seven said, but she sounded puzzled.
"It's going to help keep both of us sane." Christy explained. "The same walls and no people will make this ship feel more like a prison in no time. The holodeck will help us to adapt to that." She smiled a little, "And we can have a real date every day. It will help break up the routine."
"You've stated that is important to humans." Seven spoke slowly, clearly remembering an earlier conversation. "I will comply." Seven had a smile of her own. Christy was amused that the Doctor thought this would be hard, getting Seven to agree to some time off every day. Seven seemed to fidget just a little. "We are alone, aside from the Doctor. I know we have many responsibilities, but will we be able to progress towards copulation this month?"
Christy had been thinking about that a lot, and sadly she had to think about the pros and cons of becoming fully sexual with Seven while they were the only people keeping the ship running. The pros were easy, fewer people to interrupt them. The cons were that the interruptions would be emergencies, not irritations and they'd have to get up and run if they were interrupted. Christy stared into Seven's eyes. They'd been together for over three months now. To wait another month seemed too much, at some point, if she kept putting it off, they might never get there. "If it feels right, I think we should make love in the nebula." At least it would be impossible to forget where they were when they had their first time. It was the star trek equivalent of the mile high club, as far as Christy was concerned. "But we'll need time, I'm not rushing our first time. I want you all night that night Seven, for sex and the affectionate cuddling that should be part of it." It felt a little odd to spell it all out, but she needed to, or Seven might get up after they were done.
"I will develop a ship maintenance plan that allows for increased time off." Seven offered with a smile.
"And if you train me on the simple things, I can help." Christy offered. "And it'll give me something useful to do."
"You being here is useful, I was not optimistic about my ability to take on this mission Christy, but once the Captain said you would be with me I felt reassured." Seven impressed Christy with her awareness of her own emotions and her willingness to admit they mattered.
"Are you two ladies ready to order?" The waiter came up and asked with a smile.
"I will have nutritional supplement number 14." Seven said without even glancing at the menu and the waiter looked slightly confused.
"I don't think he's programmed for that one, you might have to give better details." Christy teased Seven even as the hologram looked puzzled and too alive. Seven overrode his program enough to give him access to the replicator recipe she was talking about. Christy ordered chicken marsala, it was on the menu.
"I had a mission in Italy in my last world, I got to live there for a couple of months." Christy told Seven once the waiter wandered away after taking their order. Her eyes moved to look out over the city below them. They were situated on a hill that didn't exist in the real Rome, overlooking Rome, but a Rome somewhat before Christy's own time. She didn't add that she'd impersonated a priest to get close enough to a potential new pope to assassinate him. His views were far too conservative and anti-mutant to be Pope. No one realized he didn't die of natural causes and the more liberal man became the leader of the Catholics. "It was a beautiful place."
"You've seen a lot of Earth." Seven spoke slowly. "I do not remember the planet, though the records we found show I did live on it as a child for a brief time."
"I don't know how different the Earths I remember are from the one that exists here. This is the future to me, hundreds of years after my time." Christy grimaced as she said that. It had to be different now, here. She'd have to adapt all over again when they got there, it would be like another dimension jump, getting back to Earth.
"You still have more knowledge of that planet than I do." Seven pointed out, and it was sad that it was true.
"Maybe when we get back we can take a world tour." Christy offered. It would keep her planetside for a while, so she could recharge fully. She expected that Seven wasn't one to live on a planet long, she was practically born and raised in space. It would be something they'd need to navigate in their relationship, but it was also something they had years to go before they had to worry about.
Dinner was delicious and Christy talked about the cities she'd seen, most of them in her second world.
…..
It took three more days to build a large enough lead on the work to take an entire night off. Christy spent a great deal of the day with the Doctor, trying to be subtly annoying, so he wouldn't want to talk to her later when she said she needed some uninterrupted time off. It was a trick Mystique taught her years ago, how to not have people looking for you while you complete the mission. Christy also learned a lot about the stasis tubes and basic field medic work while she was annoying him.
Christy made sure to talk to Seven a lot during the day over the comm, and she spent breakfast and lunch with her, but they were both busy preparing for the night, getting long to do lists done. It wasn't spontaneous, but then it couldn't be. Christy was determined to make tonight special, and if it didn't feel right to both of them, in spite of the work it took to make the time, they wouldn't go all the way. Not if it wasn't right, she had to remind herself a few times to help ease her nerves. Christy wasn't the virgin, but she was the nervous one. Seven probably was a little nervous herself. Christy would go slow enough to help them both. A date for their first time having sex seemed to make it more nerve wracking.
Christy had a nice meal laid out on her table, in her quarters. Her hair was partly up, and her fingernails smooth and short. "You are nervous." Seven sounded a little surprised and Christy gave her a weak smile as she looked over their mostly eaten dinners to her date.
"Yeah, I am." She admitted, because Seven had interpreted her non verbal cues well, and she needed to know that.
"But you have done this before." Seven looked really puzzled, and it just made her all that more adorable, but not puppy dog adorable, the kind that made you want to kiss her confusion away.
"I am not sure that's true." Christy spoke quietly as she realized the difference between what she was doing now and all the times she'd been with someone in the past. "I've had sex for many different reasons, but I've never waited to be sure about the emotions first." Christy let out a breath and gave Seven a small smile. "It feels completely new and wonderful, but still I don't want to push too hard. If you have any doubts, no matter how hard we worked to make the time for tonight, I want you to stop us."
Seven moved her chair around to face her more and leaned her forehead up against Christy's while giving her a small smile, reassuring in a way. "I have researched extensively for tonight, for you. Sexual compatibility is important in a long term relationship and I have every intention of being compatible, even if it takes extensive experimenting to achieve that." Seven kissed her softly. "I have no reservations Christy. This is the next step in OUR development and we have gone so painfully slow."
It was Seven who stood up and led Christy into the bedroom. Christy smiled as she realized that her dragging her feet had put the virgin in charge. She liked that, seeing how focused Seven was. This was nothing like the last time she'd been someone's first, even just the walk to the bed and the kiss while standing at the foot of it was more intense, more real, than anything she'd done that night. Seven was in a league of her own, and Christy surrendered the idea of what a virgin was as Seven took charge. Seven gave Christy a small push with a borg arm; Christy would have had to really resist to stop it from tossing her onto the bed, but she couldn't think of a single reason why she should.
"Anything you want. If it feels right, just do it Seven." Christy felt a rush of anticipation as it became clear she was about to be ravished, not a typical virgin at all. Seven didn't need anyone to show her what to do.
"You tell me if you are 'uncomfortable' with our intimacy." Seven stared down at her as she gave that command and Christy felt her heartbeat stall. Seven's slight confident smirk set fire to Christy's desire. "I wish to see how to make you orgasm repeatedly. I have read that it is preferable, but a difficult skill to master."
"You are off to a great start." Christy muttered quietly as Seven took her clothes off smoothly, quickly and then crawled up over Christy's body and stared down at her. Only Seven would insist on starting first, on her first time. Only Seven would jump in, unafraid and confident to make love to someone else when they'd never been made love to themselves. Christy vanished her own clothing with a thought. She'd teach Seven about the joy of slowly unwrapping a woman some other night.
"I read that anticipation and foreplay are important aspects of copulation." Seven spoke softly into Christy's ear, while leaning on one arm so that her other hand could caress Christy's ribs gently.
"Very important." Christy managed, but she could feel Seven's body settling between Christy's legs.
"I did not get a complete grasp of how they are used. Can you explain it to me?" Seven's smile was slightly mischievous and Christy reached up to gently grasp her hair and pull Seven down into a long kiss.
"Do you want me to tell you what to do to me?" She whispered into Seven's ear. "I could just show you, take you."
"I wish to touch you first." Seven told her and Christy just smiled, ever the scientist, her Seven.
Telling someone how to make love to her was a new experience, in this level of detail, but Christy found her voice cracking and her words trailing off as Seven grasped what felt good to Christy very quickly.
…..
Seven watched Christy sleep, holding the woman in her arms. The blonde was unable to sleep, it was a function she had no memory of ever performing, other than the mission that lead to Christy being nearly alone on this ship last time, but she did not get out of the bed to do more productive things.
Seven felt content. She stared out the window at the nebula surrounding them and let her cortical implant replay the night in her mind in perfect detail. No memory she had or would ever have would mean more to her than this night. Christy had been so correct, her virginity would have been wasted on anyone else, but with Christy the night had been perfection. It was not merely a biological function, there was so much more to it. Copulation was an inadequate word to describe it.
Christy had surrendered all control to Seven as they started that night, she had laid back and let Seven explore her body, her reactions. It was Seven's personal challenge to make Christy orgasm first, and repeatedly. Watching Christy's back arch, watching her breath catch, feeling Christy's body grasp at her fingers, it was an experience Seven had no words for, nothing but the word 'perfection'.
Seven would have been more than content to spend the entire night making Christy respond the way she did to sexual stimulation, but Christy had rolled them over at one point and Seven thought she might well be rendered unconscious by Christy's efforts to take Seven's virginity properly.
Seven's first orgasm had frightened her. Seven had felt out of control and it felt like a raging malfunction, like her borg systems were crashing, at least at first. Christy seemed to understand, she spoke softly and held Seven tight, but she did not stop her stimulation. Christy continued to caress Seven's clitoris in gentle circles and the malfunction transformed into pleasure, intense pleasure. Seven remembered crying out and her borg hand had gripped Christy tightly, so tightly a human's arm would have been crushed, and yet Christy never stopped her stimulation, had pressed on until Seven's body had gone from taunt to weak.
Christy helped Seven achieve two orgasms before she pushed her fingers inside of Seven. Seven was aware of the diameter of Christy's fingers, and they were of an average size, but being pressed gently into her they felt larger to that part of Seven's anatomy. Christy kissed her tenderly and slowly built up the passion again, bringing Seven to a gentler orgasm, and then held her tightly.
Christy made Seven unproductive, had her putting personal time above work, and made it difficult to concentrate while working. As a drone there would be no question she should avoid the woman, that productivity was more important, but now, as Seven was now, Christy and the feelings she gave Seven were the only things Seven would never give up. While it was nice to be alone on the ship, to be uninterrupted for a change, Seven regretted that their workload was such that they would not be able to spend tomorrow night like this. It would take careful work and planning to give them another block of so many hours together.
It was unacceptable to think it could be days, or even a week before they managed this again. No, Seven was going to find a way to fit this intimacy in far more frequently than that.
…
"We have ten minutes until we need to leave. The diagnostic will take that long." Seven turned to her and Christy's eyes widened at what she saw in her expression. "Remove your pants."
"What?" Christy asked, honestly just to stall as she took in what Seven was asking her to do. They were going to actually do this here, in front of the warp core? As the thought raced through her mind and Seven took a few decisive steps toward her Christy leaned back on the railing around the core and felt her heart stall as she stared into brilliant blue eyes. "I believe B'Elanna said specifically I shouldn't do this." Christy grinned just a little and shifted so that she was naked from the waist down.
"It is inefficient to not use the time we must wait for other activities." Seven smiled teasingly as she spoke in a highly borg way, as if making fun of herself. Christy stopped breathing altogether when Seven sank to her knees in front of her. "I believe this shouldn't be too difficult to fit into our schedule."
"God Seven." Christy gasped as Seven proved she'd learned a lot about going down from Christy. This was the first time Seven's mouth touched her there, but she had managed to take notes the night before, because Seven didn't feel like she was at all confused about how to make it good.
…..
By the time the fourteenth day had arrived and almost half of the trip was done, Seven had initiated sex in Engineering, the Ready Room, the mess hall, and a jeffry's tube. The promise of sex breaking out at any time had Christy on edge and eager. Seven was amazing and uninhibited, but hopefully she'd calm down when there were actual crew walking around as well.
Once Christy had stopped slowing them down, once they'd taken that last step, Christy was able to see that an ex-borg scientist couldn't be beat as a lover. Seven wanted to know everything, experiment, she took her time when they had time and she showed borg efficiency when they didn't, but she never was impersonal or cold. No, a quickie still held affection and passion.
Tonight was another night when they'd managed to create a block of hours for themselves. Christy had Seven on her side, on the bed and was sliding along her leg, while keeping her leg between Seven's own. It was new to Seven, mutual stimulation she'd called it, but it was working nicely when the blare of the alarm startled them both. Christy leapt up and was in her battle outfit of black leather without even a moment to think. She stood at the edge of the bed as Seven stood up just as quickly. "Computer Report." Seven called out, her pose and demeanor all business once again.
"Warp core breach imminent." Christy's eyes widened and she started to run for the door, Seven right behind her. They raced through the halls. Christy didn't have enough of a charge for a large portal, and they didn't have time to evacuate people in stasis. If they couldn't stop the warp core from breaching everyone would die, and Christy wasn't powered up, she couldn't open a portal to anywhere, couldn't save anyone.
"Christy, I can't reach Seven." The Doctor's voice came from her comm unit and Christy glanced at Seven, who had nothing on, and so no comm unit of her own.
"I've got her, we're heading to Engineering." She told him even as Seven passed her and opened the door to Engineering. Christy slowed and stared at the calm, empty room, puzzled.
"No, the radiation in there will kill her!" The Doctor yelled out, but here was nothing going on. Seven slowly walked to the computer and started to enter in something fast.
"I think your readings are off." Christy muttered quietly, as she looked around for anything that looked wrong. "Engineering looks just fine." The alarm stopped at something that Seven entered.
"False alarm." Seven told Christy and Christy forwarded the message. Now that they weren't racing death, Christy was very aware that Seven was naked.
"Maybe you should replicate another outfit." She offered, but Seven was intent on finding why they had a false alarm and didn't even look up. Christy didn't push it, she just moved to lean up against a wall and wait for the verdict on the computer malfunction.
The engineering door opened and Christy's eyes jerked over to see the Doctor coming in. Christy watched his eyes widen in shock when he saw why Seven didn't have a communicator. Christy's eyes narrowed when he didn't look away, but just stared dumbfounded. "Doc, I thought you would have seen enough naked women not to act like a teenager." She scolded him.
"There appears to be a malfunction in the neural gelpacks, which caused false alarms." Seven spoke up as she stared at the computer. Christy smiled when the Doctor focused his eyes on the wall, and she looked over to see her borg still completely unconcerned about her nakedness. It kind of reminded Christy of her training with Mystique, back when Christy was a nervous wreck because she couldn't create clothing, and Mystique would tease her about all shapeshifters being naked all the time.
"Seven, where are your clothes?" The Doctor asked just a bit too loudly.
"I believe they are still in Christy's bedroom." Seven answered and Christy was a little surprised at the angry glare the Doctor gave her.
"I have a shower, and she doesn't." Christy told him, rather than admit they were having sex. They hadn't talked about what to tell people yet, but she was not wanting to deal with the Doctor while they were the only three here. He was 'captain' right now and she didn't need him being such an ass she would feel like she'd have to mutiny.
"I will replicate a new outfit. Crawling through jeffry's tubes nude will only slow me down." Seven said as she made her way to B'Elanna's office. "We need identify the malfunctioning gelpacks." Seven didn't rush, she walked calmly and Christy found herself smiling just a little at Seven's well-earned confidence.
"I know how to analyze the gelpacks." Christy told Seven as she came back out. "We should probably split up the responsibility and I'll consult with you via the comm. Did you get a new comm?" She looked and Seven shifted to show Christy she did have another on.
"Great. I'll keep Seven company then." The Doctor jumped on the chance and Christy resisted the urge to grimace as she saw his expression. He was a gossip and he was not letting this go. Christy just shared a brief, regretful look with Seven. They'd missed making love for this.
An hour later Seven contacted Christy to inform her that the Doctor's mobile emitter, the thing that allowed him to walk around the ship and not be trapped in the sick bay, had malfunctioned. He was now stationed in the sick bay and would not be able to leave in the near future. It was a drawback, an obstacle to overcome, but Christy didn't feel guilty about the fact that she was relieved that he was stuck there now. Perhaps that was her 'luck' that Annie gave her, disabling the Doctor just when it became obvious that he was about to become a nosy and bossy obstacle to her and Seven's relationship.
Christy hummed softly to herself as she made her way through the ship, reporting the status of all the gelpacks she found to Seven. Seven had to reroute the power around malfunctioning packs, but Christy helped to identify them much faster than Seven could have alone. Seven was following Christy through the ship basically, fixing the problems that Christy found.
