"Ensign Lathrop," Janeway acknowledged one of the younger engineering officers.

"Captain." The short-haired brunette paused, hugging a data PADD.

Kathryn smiled. "As you were, Ensign. I was just wondering if you could tell me where I can find Lt. Torres?"

"Jeffries tub K-43." The ensign pointed. "She and Seven of Nine are realigning a gel pack."

"She and Seven? Never mind. I'm sure I'll find out." Janeway nodded, silently permitting Lathrop to depart.

While making her way to the Jeffries tub, Janeway wondered if her Chief Engineer had finally resolved the chain of command issues with the young woman the captain had rescued from the Borg.

From the beginning, B'Elanna Torres, a Klingon-Human hybrid former Maquis, had found Seven of Nine under her jurisdiction when it was realized by the Command staff that Seven's best contributions would be in the fields of warp engineering, technical support and astrogation.

Where B'Elanna was viscerally ingenius and often went with her gut instincts to maintain and even improvise and improve the ship's energy matrix, Seven was on the complete other end of the spectrum, methodical, intellectually dissecting everything. The captain knew sometimes that made Torres want to scream. In fact, Kathryn recalled ruefully several times when Torres had vented - impolitely - at the captain for some frustration Seven had caused.

She ducked into the Jeffries tube and listened for sounds which might indicate which direction she should set out to find the two women. There. She heard the liquid rumble of B'Elanna and, answering concisely, the cool clipped tones of Seven of Nine.

They were arguing. Again.

Smiling as she accepted the order of things would simply be so for a while longer, Kathryn clambered into the crawl space and on hands and knees maneuvered her way through the labyrinth.

When the captain located the two women, they were so deeply engrossed in their disagreement, she was able to observe them unnoticed.

Seven stood at the bio-gel pack access panel, right hand inside adjusting something within. B'Elanna held the cover to the panel.

"Turn the sensor up. Not down." B'Elanna rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

"The reading given is incorrect."

"How so?"

"I can feel that the temperature of the pack is too high."

"Let me look at it." B'Elanna set down the panel cover with a clang and reached to grab Seven to move her out of the way.

Actions covered by the noise, Janeway slipped down into the space. "Good evening, lieutenant. Seven. Troublesome gel pack?"

B'Elanna jumped. "Captain? Hello."

Seven, to Janeway's amusement, simply turned back to the access panel and stuffed her other hand inside, the left one with Borg mesh. Protected from the heat, she withdrew the pack and dropped it into Torres's hands.

"Ouch." Torres dropped the pack in surprise. Janeway stifled a smile. Always direct her Seven, she thought. She bit her lip. Her Seven...

"I told you it was hot, Lieutenant."

"Damn." Torres carefully picked the pack back up.

"Have we got a viral outbreak?" Janeway asked.

Seven withdrew two pieces of polycarbonite, a broken sensor. "I believe so. Only the doctor can make the accurate diagnosis. However, we require a replacement for the broken sensor."

"How did it break like that?" B'Elanna asked, taking the two pieces. "They look like they were torqued apart under stress."

Seven reached into the console, securing the now vacant junction, and then tapped a series of keys. Finally Seven snapped the access panel back in place with an audible snap.

Janeway started to pick up the overheated gel pack but Seven reached past her quickly and retrieved it in her protected left hand. "I have it, Captain."

B'Elanna, now that the immediate situation was under control, belatedly asked, "Did you need to see me about something, Captain?"

"Nothing mission critical. Is that gel pack going to be a problem?"

"I don't have a replacement but Seven rerouted around it. It can stay that way until I can get the Doc to culture a new one."

"Seven," Janeway noted. "It's not too hot for you to handle, is it?"

"I am sufficiently protected."

"Good." She put a hand on Seven's shoulder. Conspiratorily she whispered, "Cuz I want to buy you two a drink."

B'Elanna paused in gathering up her tools. Seven had a blank expression. It was quite obvious neither woman had ever expected such a gesture from their captain.

"Come on. A drink? B'Elanna, I know you'd love a Klingon ale. Seven, you should try something."

Janeway watched and knew the exact moment she had gained two drinking buddies. Torres's mouth quirked at the corners. Seven's eyes gradually shifted from gray to blue.

Well, it's a start, Janeway thought. "Let's go." The captain led the way back up the Jeffries tube ladder.

B'Elanna held Seven back with a hand on her shoulder. She whispered harshly into Seven's right ear. "Any idea what this is all about?"

The blonde former Borg shook her head. "I will ask the captain."

Janeway offered a hand to Seven and then B'Elanna as each woman extricated herself from the crawlway. Seven put the gel pack on a diagnostic PADD and set the scanner to run through the various tests. Torres released the analysis report to the Doctor with her access code. The captain stood patiently waiting until the work was complete.

When the Doctor confirmed receipt, finally the three women moved to the nearest turbolift. "Deck three," said Janeway. The lift whisked them away.

"Captain, I would like to ask you a question."

"Certainly, Seven. What is it?"

"Why are we going to have drinks?"

"Because we've all been working very hard lately."

"Then would it not be more efficient to rest rather than become inebriated?"

Torres offered, "There are many ways to relax. Although, honestly, one doesn't get to very often with the captain. No offense." She shot a quick glance at the captain to verify that her words were not taken poorly. Janeway shrugged.

"None taken. And I don't plan to become drunk, Seven. That would be... inefficient, you're right."

"Is this a special occasion, Captain?" Torres asked.

"Please, we're off duty. Kathryn." Then the captain nodded. "I'll tell you over the first toast."

The trio stepped off the turbolift onto Deck Three and walked into the mess hall. Janeway led them to a table near the forward-facing windows. "On me," she said, motioning for them to sit. "What's your pleasure?"

"I'll have that Klingon ale you mentioned," B'Elanna said, warming now to the idea, especially with the captain's smile bestowed upon her.

Seven's selection was a bit more roundabout. "Whatever you deem appropriate for a toast, Captain."

Kathryn's smile widened and she went to the replicator. Accessing her rations and the ship's beverage database, she selected a Klingon ale and two glasses of Terran plum wine.

Returning to the table, she distributed the drinks, sat down, and held her glass aloft. "To freedom in the Delta Quadrant."

"Interesting toast. Hear, hear," B'Elanna mused, then tilted her mug back and downed a long draught of the ale.

Kathryn watched Seven's reaction to the sweet fruit wine, pleased when a curious, piquant look touched the delicate features. "Like it?"

"Yes. Thank you... Kathryn."

At the use of her name, B'Elanna noticed Kathryn's smile beam forth again. All right, she thought, so this is about personal freedom. Got it. "So what's the occasion?"

"We're going to have a command meeting to release the details, but I thought both of you deserved a 'heads up'."

"Regarding what?"

Kathryn looked at Seven which, B'Elanna thought later, was odd considering the revelation:

"We have decided to allow Voyager to become a generational ship."

B'Elanna's shock was apparently nothing close to Seven's. The wine glass shattered in Seven's tightened right hand.

"For what purpose, Kathryn?" Seven questioned. The Borg's voice was clipped, B'Elanna thought. Even afraid. It made her look more closely at the normally inexpressive face for some signs of the emotions strangled beneath the surface.

"For the purpose of having children, Seven." Kathryn answered calmly. "I thought you... both..." She included B'Elanna with a glance. "would want to know. There's a lot of projects to get underway if we're going to be raising many children. So much more is needed that Naomi simply did without."

"Engineering's completely up for it, Kathryn," B'Elanna said with a smile. Kids, she thought. Would Tom want one? She was suddenly eager to ask him. "May I go?" she asked abruptly.

Janeway turned to her, cupped her hand over B'Elanna's on the table. "No telling anyone until it's officially discussed."

"Just Tom," B'Elanna explained.

Janeway hesitated and then a pat on B'Elanna's hand accompanied a nod. "All right. The meeting is tomorrow at oh-eight-hundred in the conference room."

Seven remained completely still as B'Elanna left them alone, sweeping out of the quarters with, as Neelix would describe it, "springs in her step." Her gaze returned to the captain. "Who decided?" she asked.

"Chakotay, Tuvok and I did."

Seven felt a sensation similar to when inertial dampers were offline in the shuttle erupt in her stomach. "Tuvok is already mated to a Vulcan female. You intend, therefore, to have children with Commander Chakotay?"

"No, that's not it at all, Seven. There are couples everywhere on the ship. We've been deferring requests for them to be allowed to start families for most of the last two years." She nodded in the direction B'Elanna had left. "B'Elanna and Tom, and others like them, are young, vital people. They deserve to have happiness."

"We will return to earth. You have stated this unequivocally on many occasions. Do you no longer believe this to be the case? You will 'die' out here?"

"I don't expect to die for a very long time yet, Seven."

"Then why do you want children?"

"I haven't said I want children."

"Then the Commander is pressuring you?"

"I'm not having children with Commander Chakotay either, Seven." Janeway exhaled. "Somebody has to run this ship when we're too old, or yes, when we die."

"Only if we have not found another method home before that occurs."

Janeway conceded and repeated, "Only if we have not found another method home before that occurs."

"Then I will find another way home." Seven abruptly stood. With her movement she was able to avoid Kathryn's hand outstretching for her arm, and she was out the door of the captain's quarters before the redhead could say anything more.

Kathryn bolted to her feet and ran after Seven, calling after her rapidly departing figure. "Seven! Stop! Seven!"

The former Borg was not running, but damned if she wasn't eating up multiple meters with long strides. Janeway actually did have to run to catch up to her. Slowing up alongside, Kathryn looked up into the profile of Seven's face.

"Seven, stop," Kathryn gambled, "Please?"

The young woman kept going another step. Kathryn didn't move. Seven stopped and turned, dutifully tucking her hands behind her back, which was ramrod straight. No Starfleet cadet could have done better. "Yes, Captain."

"Please, Seven, you don't understand." Janeway put her hand out, slipping it along Seven's withdrawn arms, trying to encourage the hands to come out of hiding. Such beautiful hands... She looked up into Seven's face. "I had to change Voyager's 'mission', Seven. I had to..."

"I will find us a method to return home." Seven was adamant.

"Do you want to be away from here so badly then?" Janeway swallowed. Maybe what she wanted and what Seven wanted weren't going to mesh after all.

"I cannot watch you destroy yourself." Seven shook her head. "You cannot mate with Commander Chakotay. And there is no one else worthy of you."

Janeway's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Oh, I think there is."

"Is he someone aboard this ship?" Seven sounded distinctly hostile to the thought.

The left corner of Janeway's mouth quirked up. "Yes, she is aboard this ship."

Seven, bless her brilliance, did not miss the change in pronoun. "I was unaware you ... went that way."

Kathryn laughed. The tips of Seven's ears and her throat turned red. "Oh, Seven. Please. I finally relaxed the restrictions on the whole ship for one reason, and one reason only."

Seven lifted heavenly blue eyes, filled with an expression of fragile hope, in which Kathryn willingly drowned as she finished.

"You."

Kathryn lifted her hand from Seven's left arm, cupped her chin, and caressed the starburst on Seven's right cheek with her thumb. The whole connection lowered Seven's face, as the young woman leaned into the contact, closing her eyes.

Raising to her toes, keeping her balance with her left hand against Seven's chest and her right now sliding up behind Seven's neck to the back of her head, Kathryn pulled the young woman in for a long, lingering lingual caress. She did not rush, memorizing instead every millimeter of Seven's lips, every faint crease in her soft as silk cheeks, brushing her lips over Seven's throat, nipping at the soft jawline that was slack in surprise.

When she let Seven lift her head, the blue eyes were wide, with shock and surprise.

"I imagined our children every time I looked in your eyes," Kathryn said. "There's never been anyone else who did that to me."

"Cap-Kathryn." Seven now understood why she had been invited to call the woman by her first name. "Why have you said nothing before now? Have you given up on getting home and I am a preferred second choice to spending your life alone?"

Kathryn shook her head. It amazed her that Seven could imagine herself second to anything. "No, I've just decided the protocols were too cumbersome out here. Time to relax them. Time to relax me." She brushed her hand down Seven's left arm. "And you relax me."

"But the order was to procreate."

"The Doctor can help with that, when we're ready. But I had to give it a shot. I could see, Seven, I could see after you returned from Unimatrix Zero, what you felt for Axum." Kathryn bit her lip. "I wondered... I wondered," she gathered her nerve. "If you could ever feel that way for me?"

Kathryn watched tears slip from Seven's eyes. She did not wipe at them and Kathryn's heart sank just a little. Oh please, she begged any deity that might listen, don't do this to me.

When Seven finally spoke, Kathryn held her breath. "Kathryn," - her heart skipped a beat - "I have known, since Unimatrix Zero, that I was capable of love in the past. I feared I would not find anything in the future." Seven paused. Kathryn took her hand away from Seven's arm, sure that rejection was coming. "But I faced only recently, that it has been with me all along." Kathryn lifted her gaze, wanting to see Seven's eyes, wanting to believe.

Seven cupped Janeway's cheeks as she had done earlier. "You." Seven dipped her head. "Yes, Kathryn, I do feel 'that way' for you."

Sheepishly Kathryn accepted Seven's kiss. But quickly her reservations fled; so did Seven's. The women's arms tightened around one another offsetting their balance. They fell together into the nearby wall. Breathing deeply they straightened up, surprised by the loud thud, and looked around to see if they were observed.

To their relief, they were alone.

Seven gazed into Kathryn's eyes.. There, swirling in the depths, a face. At first she thought it was her face, but it was a blonde girl, innocent blue eyes, a boy with red hair, gray eyes... generations pictured before her. And she and Kathryn would be the source of it all.

She gasped. Kathryn smiled.

Taking her hand, Kathryn led Seven to her quarters. The better place to get started on that future now rather than later.

THE END