Janeway's combadge chirped, and the voice of her assistant came through. "Admiral, you have a visitor coming in." That was odd. Haley always asked before sending someone in.
"I don't really have time," she began, and then Seven walked through the door. "Never mind." She was certain that she heard Haley chuckle before closing the communication.
"Am I interrupting something?" asked Seven.
"Nothing that can't wait. Have a seat." When Seven took the seat, Janeway had to marvel at how far her manners had come. "How are you?"
"I do not like briefing Starfleet Intelligence on the Borg. As Lieutenant Commander Paris put it, to them I am little more than 'a walking encyclopedia.'"
Starfleet, after a good deal of internal debate, had decided to offer Seven a commission on one condition: that she give a detailed briefing on the Borg. So detailed, in fact, that it would probably take several months. "Nobody made you accept that offer, Seven."
"Whether I like this or not is irrelevant." Suddenly, Janeway was afraid that Seven wasn't making so much progress after all, that maybe she was regressing. "In fact, I doubt that I will choose to join Starfleet once I have finished my current task. However, this is something I must do. It may save countless lives. Knowing that, I had no choice but to agree."
The haunted look came into Seven's eyes. It never failed that when she talked about her actions as a Borg, the look appeared. "I am not certain that I will ever forgive myself for my role in assimilating so many individuals. Logically, I know that I was a drone and therefore had no choice, but I have found that there are a many things about being human that defy logic." She paused before continuing, "I cannot find all the drones I assimilated and restore their individuality, but I may be able to save others from assimilation."
Janeway nodded slowly. "I think I understand," she said, "as much as I can without being in your shoes."
"Do you like your new job?" asked Seven, who had clearly said all she wanted to say about her own quest for atonement.
"It has its moments," she replied with a shrug. "Unlimited coffee, for one thing." Lifting the mug for effect, she said, "are you thirsty?"
"No." Seven's optical implant rose as she reprimanded her former captain. "The Doctor would not be pleased."
Janeway smiled. "I'm sure he'll get a good lecture in at my next physical. How do you like being on Earth?"
"Briefing requires the majority of my time. I do spend Sunday afternoons with my aunt."
"That's wonderful."
"I enjoy our weekly visits, and she has been far less intimidated by my implants than I had anticipated."
"I'm glad to hear it. She must be so happy to have you back. The rest of us came home after seven years. You came home after more than twenty."
She received a nod in response. When Seven didn't say anything, Janeway decided to face the truth head on. "I know some of the crew said that Starfleet promoted me because they didn't want a renegade captain."
"Mr. Paris was especially vocal in that regard."
"I'm not surprised. There is some truth in that, I'll admit. But the truth is hardly ever that simple. I didn't fight it. They offered me a promotion and I accepted." She laughed. "I think they were relieved."
"Why did you choose to accept the promotion?"
"I think the biggest reason is that I can never top Voyager. If I got another ship, I would spend a lot of time thinking about how it wasn't Voyager, how the crew wasn't my crew, and in focusing on what it wasn't, I would miss everything it was. That's not fair to the crew."
"If you recognized the likelihood of this happening, you could have made a conscious effort to prevent it."
"It would've happened anyway, Seven. Nothing will ever be Voyager, and I don't want to pretend. Besides, I'm tired."
"Now that we have returned, you should have enough time for adequate sleep."
Without meaning to, Janeway laughed. "Not that kind of tired. The last seven years took a lot out of me. I'm enjoying having a personal life again. On the weekends I visit my family. I have a niece and twin nephews, you know."
"I am glad that you mentioned your personal life."
"You are?"
"Yes. That is why I came."
Perplexed, Janeway could only wait for Seven to explain. She leaned back in her chair – she was still breaking it in – and looked at the young woman. While she waited, she reached for her coffee.
"As you know, Chakotay and I ended our relationship over a month ago." She nodded, and Seven plowed ahead. "Why have you not attempted a romantic relationship with him?"
Janeway was glad that she had just swallowed her coffee, or she would've choked. She put the mug down a little too hard and sloshed some of the drink onto her desk. "What?"
"Why have you not attempted-"
"I heard you the first time, Seven. I'm just a little…stunned."
"It is obvious that you harbor mutual affection. While on Voyager, you would not act upon this. Now, however, you are free to do so." That was true. Chakotay had neatly sidestepped the debate over letting a former Maquis captain rejoin Starfleet by expressing his desire to leave Starfleet. He'd asked for a spot on the Federation Cultural History Commission, which he was granted. The new job was fulfilling and he reported being quite happy with it.
"I hope this didn't factor in to your breakup."
Seven raised her implant, which arched over her eye in a Vulcan-esque manner. "The responsibility was mine alone."
Janeway was trying to gather her wits. "So you think that Chakotay and I should start a relationship." She could not believe she was having the conversation.
"I believe that both of you would be happier if you did." She glanced at her hands for a moment. "I also want to apologize for any pain I caused you during our relationship."
Janeway tried to make light of that particular subject. "Seven, I want you to be happy, just as I want Chakotay to be happy. You have nothing to apologize for."
She nodded her understanding and stood up. "I am due back in eight minutes, but I am glad we were able to talk."
"It's always good to see you."
"I hope you'll consider what I said."
Surprising herself, she agreed. "I will." Just before the door closed, she added, "thank you."
A half-smile graced Seven's lips, and then the door closed. "Well," Janeway sighed, picking up her coffee, "I certainly do have a lot to think about."
Seven walked back towards the conference room where she was explaining the Borg in meticulous detail. Although exhausting, each day she felt closer to regaining her humanity, as each day provided the Federation with knowledge that could protect them from the Borg. It was rewarding.
The time that had elapsed between leaving Chakotay alone at Stonehenge had soothed her emotions. She cared a great deal for him, and she hoped that in the future they could be friends. Nevertheless, she was certain that she had done the right thing, as hard as it had been.
It had not been easy to visit Admiral Janeway either, but it was crucial. Seven did not want her mentor to delay or avoid a romance with Chakotay because of her own experience. She owed a great deal to her former captain, and did not want to inadvertently stand in the way of her happiness.
Now, as she had heard several crewmates say aboard Voyager, the ball was out of her court.
A/N: After this, there's just the epilogue left. Just as well, since this story has become my albatross.
