VII

Safe House, Denver

Sloan was a man who was a survivor. He had proved himself such when being trained by the Tal Shiar years ago. The Tal Shiar was a jungle of survival of the fittest, and although he was not a Romulan by birth, and had never had the physical strength of the average Romulan male, he had survived through his natural intellect, and his unflinching willingness to kill if need be, to get where he wanted. He could no longer count the number of bodies he had walked over to get to where he was.

His options may have been limited at the moment, being held against his will, in a location that he didn't even know. But he wasn't out of options. His network, while shadowy and usually well-camouflaged, was still there. Necheyav, nor the people holding him, even knew how deep his tentacles ran into The Federation.

In fact, one of the guards who had been plucked to watch him, was part of his organization. Lieutenant Helmut Kessler, a man from an old, proud Prussian family that had always supported more radical elements in the past, like Adolph Hitler, had been an easy recruit for Sloan. Kessler was an imposing man: about 6 feet, 4 inches tall, weighing in at about 220 lbs, all muscle. He was what the Nazis would have called a perfect specimen of The Master Race.

Sloan cared nothing for that, but when he first had seen Kessler while being held, he had inwardly smiled. He knew who Kessler worked for: Admiral Edward Jellico. So, Jellico is involved with drama, eh? He didn't like Jellico any more than Necheyav did, but he respected the man's reputation and abilities. Even with Kessler on the inside, he still wasn't in an enviable position.

To be sure, Kessler would be no match for Seven of Nine, if the former drone were still in the vicinity. That alone had made him confess everything to Seven. If he were dead, he was no help to his cause, but even though he had spilled the beans, he felt he still had a long shot at winning.

In fact, Kessler had already been in contact with other members of Section 31. Kessler was obviously aware of the location that Sloan was being held, and he began putting together a plan to spring Sloan from the Denver location.

Sloan and Kessler had the same thought about the man who could lead such a rescue operation. A man who had been disgraced many years earlier, but was a cunning, capable officer. Even after his disgrace, he had not been cashiered from Starfleet, but had been doing milk runs of supplies between Earth, the Moon, McKinley Station, and other Federation outposts in the Terran system.

And he had some grudges to settle himself.

Within twenty-four hours, Admiral Necheyav made an announcement that she would "retire" within a year. Jellico didn't like the fact she was drawing it out, but the fact that Alynna Necheyav would exit the state in the near future was going to be the best he could do.

It wasn't particularly startling to many analysts. Necheyav was getting up there in years, and she had not been very popular for the better part of the last decade. The information about Fenris had given her a black eye with the public. Fortunately for her, the story about Ganymede hadn't been made public yet. That would soon change.

Per his agreement, Jellico set up the handover of Sloan into the hands of the Federation legal system, to be dealt with, he hoped, harshly. It would take a few days to arrange the handover, which suited Sloan just fine. It gave his operatives time to work on a plan to free him where he was, and besides, he was going to miss the excellent food his captors had given him.

Jellico had asked Kathryn Janeway to oversee the handover of Sloan into the custody of The Federation's Department of Justice. Janeway had readily agreed.

Seven had been invited by Guinan to visit her at Riker's home in Malaga, which she excitedly agreed to. To discuss so many things, which such a woman, who had lived...Seven couldn't even imagine how long Guinan had lived. It was something she very much wanted to do.

Kathryn decided to let Seven go while she returned to the farm in Indian, with Tom and B'Elanna, and had invited Picard's crew of Rios, Raffi, Agnes, Soji and Elnor to come along. She wanted to put together a real barbecue for them.

"Of course, I won't be doing the cooking", Janeway told Seven with a smirk before they parted. "I'm gonna have some of our neighbors do that. Phoebe's coming over, too."

"To choose between that and seeing Guinan?" Seven gave a sarcastic sigh. "What's a woman to choose."

Kathryn laughed delightedly. "You'll have plenty more cookouts to attend, Seven, I promise. To talk to someone like Guinan may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"I agree, but I really would like to be in both places at once", she said with a laugh. "Thank you for your understanding, Kathryn."

"The fact is we've been in each others' hair for almost eight months not, and we do need a little time apart."

That made Seven frown. "It isn't that I want us to be apart, Kathryn."

Janeway held up her hand, then moved in to put her arms around Seven's waist. "I know, my dear, but we're at a new beginning. It'll do us some good to get a fresh perspective before we really get rolling-once all this nonsense is behind us."

"Will you be at the farm for the entire weekend?"

"Going to Bloomington tonight, and we'll party Friday, Saturday, and some of Sunday", she confirmed. "I do have to return to Denver for a short while on Saturday, as Jellico needs me to be in charge of Sloan's handover. I'm not going to San Francisco with the bastard, just making sure the hand off goes smoothly."

"I will call you every night, just to let you know that I'm staying out of trouble." Seven wrapped her arms around Kathryn tightly.

Janeway chuckled. "You? Stay out of trouble? Since when?"

Seven snickered, giving Kathryn a hard kiss on the lips. "You'll pay for that...someday...when all this craziness is in the past."

"Promises, promises", Kathryn replied, taking Seven in for a long, slow kiss. "Tell everyone I said hi. I'll see you Monday?"

"It's a date", Seven said, feeling empty as Kathryn left her arms. They walked to the main transport station in Denver, which was a few blocks away, and moments later, Seven de-materialized, heading to Spain.

Early Friday Afternoon, Malaga, Spain

Admiral Dr. Beverly Crusher had also been invited to the celebration between old friends, and one new one. She had been married to Jean-Luc for twelve years, and they had divorced amicably, mostly because their careers had headed in different directions. They were still quite close. Beverly greeted the others, especially Guinan, warmly.

"Beverly", Jean-Luc, said with a smile. "I'd like to introduce to you Seven of Nine, former Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero-One, former Astrometrics Officer on the Starship Voyager, and someone who has become a good friend to us."

Seven stepped up the renowned doctor. "Dr. Crusher, it's indeed an honor to meet you. I must thank you for your part...in helping me through these difficult times."

Beverly grasped Seven's proffered hand. "The pleasure is mine, Seven", she said with a warm smile. "I can't believe Will talked me into that", she said, as the others laughed, "but it looks like it's paying dividends."

Riker and Picard had the honors of cooking for the women this day, and old-fashioned American Western meal of Ribeye steaks, baked potatoes, and some fresh vegetables. Of course, Picard had gone back to his Vineyard and brought out two bottles of 170 year old Cabernet Sauvignon, which would go perfectly with the meal.

The conversation didn't focus on the current events, but Seven was regaled with stories from the glory days of the Enterprise D and E. Seven knew a lot of what they talked about, as Picard had shared those memories when he was Locutus of Borg, but to hear the stories, and not just have them part of a clinical recount on a database fascinated her. She felt comfortable enough to share some of her stories from her days on Voyager.

"So you can imagine, when I went on the date with Ensign Chapman, I was nervous as hell", she said, trying not to giggle, recalling now that harrowing event. "He and I are still friends, but, well, the date didn't go very well when...when I broke his arm."

Everyone stared except Riker, who let out a snort of laughter.

"How did you break his arm", Guinan asked, on the verge of her own laughter.

"I yanked his arm too firmly with my Borg hand. It's much stronger than my human hand, and, well...I sent him flying across the room."

"Oh, my", Beverly said, starting to laugh, which everyone, including Seven, joined in.

"And you stay he's still your friend?" Deanna arched her eyes at the younger woman.

"Very good friend", Seven said laughing. "I haven't seen him for many years, but believe it or not, when he got married three years after we returned, he offered me to dance with him. I had improved quite a bit by that time."

There was easy laughter when she finished the story, Seven feeling like she had known these people for years.

"Told old and new friends", Picard said with a smile, smirking over at Seven. "May they not end up in Sick Bay when we ask them to dance."

Another round of laughter rang out, as everyone raised their glasses. "Hear hear!"

As the conversation became softer, Guinan indicated to Seven that they take a walk down toward the cliffs that overlooked the Albertan Sea, where an old concrete settee looked out over the water.

"I've been reading up on you, Seven of Nine", Guinan said, as she gazed over the calm, blue water. "You have lived, for someone so young", she added with a wry smile, making Seven laugh, "a very full, very interesting life."

"I don't know how 'full', it's been, Guinan", Seven replied, looking at the mysterious woman. "It's had more bad moments since coming back to the Alpha Quadrant than it has had good moments, but I'm still here. I am beginning to believe the best is yet to come for me."

"I'm almost surprised to hear you say that. Picard filled me in on much of your history, and I've read up on quite a bit of it. Maybe you can fill in the blanks. Weren't you married at one point?"

Seven had felt immediately comfortable around the El-Aurian, and opened up to her, telling the story about how she hand Kathryn had fallen in love, but how Janeway couldn't pull the trigger when still in the Delta Quadrant. She went through the whole story of her life since then: marrying Chakotay, her falling out with Kathryn, Chakotay's death, which had been an accident, as well as the death of Icheb.

"Losing Icheb sent me into a tailspin that lasted for a decade", she said soberly, the mind-numbing sadness now behind her. "He was my son. From the moment I put him out of his misery, I had one goal on my mind-to kill Bjayzl. It drove me for that time. Yet I took it too far, and I dishonored Icheb and myself by going on that killing spree." She shook her head, the sadness increasing at the recent memories.

"Yet you say you believe the future looks brighter now?"

Seven laughed lightly. "Crazy, isn't it?" She shook her head. "It's nothing I've done, to be honest: it's the fact that Kathryn is back in my life. She went through her own hell, for far longer than I did. The Federation fucked her over...oh, sorry for my language", the former drone said with embarrassment.

"Think nothing of it, Seven", Guinan waved her off. "I know the word in about fifteen-hundred languages."

That made Seven laugh again. "They threatened her Maquis crew members with prison; the crew from the Equinox with prison time; they threatened to put Mr. Paris back in prison, to de-compile our our Holographic Doctor, and tear apart Icheb and I, if Kathryn didn't fall on the sword for everyone. She got promoted, but she was forbidden to fly as a Captain ever again. She went through her own hell after that."

"You considered her a mentor on Voyager, correct?"

"At first", Seven admitted, "right after she severed me from The Collective, I hated her-even threatened to kill her. But she was so patient, so understanding-she slowly brought out my humanity in me, and by the end of our journey, Voyager was my Collective. I never stopped loving her", Seven said, bowing her head, "but by the time we arrived back in San Francisco, our relationship was already disintegrating."

"Second chances are nice, aren't they", Guinan said with a satisfied nod of her head.

"Second? Maybe third, or fourth, or fifth." Seven gave a rueful laugh. "Kathryn actually caught me in a trap to capture me after my spree in the Quadrant, and I was furious-just like I was when she first severed me from The Collective." She turned to Guinan. "But for the second time in my life, she saved me, from myself, and from becoming something that was too terrible to contemplate."

"I hope I get an opportunity to talk to Kathryn Janeway as well", Guinan said with a small smile. "I suspect her story is as interesting as yours is."

Seven gave a derisive, but not unfriendly laugh. "He story is remarkable-far more than mine, I believe. I'm quite certain, had she not gotten involved this time around, I would be dead by now."

They went silent for a long while, just enjoying the beautiful scenery of the pristine Sea, barely rippling below them. Eventually, Guinan and Seven returned to the gathering of their friends, both feeling buoyed by their discussion.