AN: Please note that today was a two for one. If you didn't read Chapter 7, which I posted earlier, please do so before reading this chapter.
I do hope you enjoy! Please don't forget to let me know what you think!
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"I'm here to help monitor things for your study, and for some adjustments that I'm making to the Doctor's subroutines," B'Elanna said. "But—I'm also going to be making a few adjustments to your Borg implants and their functioning while the doctors work. I'm available to help in any way I can."
"She hasn't regenerated in—four days? Maybe five," Raffi said.
"I am fine," Seven insisted. Raffi had helped to dress her in the teal gown she was now wearing, and she was sitting on the table where she would undergo the procedure. The Doctor and a nurse that they'd been introduced to were already beginning to set things up. There would be other doctors—scientists working specifically with the project—that would be joining them later, but they had a few moments to get settled in before their arrival.
Raffi stood behind the table and, therefore, behind Seven, and squeezed her shoulders. She didn't tell Seven that she was standing there in case she simply toppled backward in her obvious exhaustion and temporary state of mild malfunction.
"You are absolutely fine for this procedure," Raffi assured her.
"If I had one of the portable regenerators," B'Elanna said, "we could allow you to start regenerating now. You don't need to be conscious for the procedure."
"She will be sedated," the Doctor said.
"I want to…experience this," Seven protested with as much strength as she could muster for the moment.
Raffi knew that Seven had put regeneration off for a while, but she hadn't quite expected how run down she would be. She'd explained that when she'd managed to get her to the appointment, half-appearing to be drunk or drugged. B'Elanna had luckily been there and offered the immediately explanation that they were still going to have to learn how the regulated hormones, and the constant monitoring of the chip which Seven's body would, naturally, incorporate into her systems in a probably particular way that other non-Borg would not, might affect Seven in her day-to-day life.
"Let's go ahead and get the sedation underway," the Doctor said. Seven raised a hand to him in protest, but the hand sagged a little as she found even that expenditure of effort a bit much at the moment.
"Let me help you lie down," Raffi offered.
"I do not require assistance in lying down," Seven protested. It was an empty protest. She'd needed Raffi's help in nearly everything she had done since she'd awakened from her last dream. Raffi had seen the look of fear—panic—in Seven's eyes when she'd realized that she'd overdone it and they didn't have time for her to regenerate at all before they had to leave the house. Raffi helped Seven lie back and get comfortable without drawing any more attention to her run-down state or need for help.
"We're going to go ahead and get you into position," the Doctor said. "Just relax. Everything's fine."
Raffi helped him shift Seven's body into the right position on the bed. There was a surgical case attached to the bed already, in anticipation of the procedure, and the doctor went ahead and rearranged her gown so that he could close it and she could be comfortable with it in place and her modesty still intact. Nurse Garza covered Seven's legs with a blanket after she moved the table's stirrups into place and moved Seven's legs into the correct position.
"Are you comfortable?" The Doctor asked.
Seven smiled nervously.
"As comfortable as I believe is possible, Doctor, given my current circumstances," she said.
He activated the surgical case, which automatically began to display Seven's vital signs for them to monitor. Raffi wasn't a medical professional, but she could still spot irregularities.
"Is—everything OK?" Raffi asked.
"Fine," the Doctor assured her. "Seven should rest and regenerate at home, but she'll be fine for the procedure." He brought the clear mask over to Seven. "Let's begin the sedation, shall we? I know how you feel about being sedated. However, the doctors performing the attachment procedure require that you be sedated. Any movement at all could damage the embryo during the attachment process."
"You hear that?" Raffi said, smiling at Seven when she had her attention. "You would never do anything to risk that, so you better put the mask on."
"This will allow you to remain conscious and relatively lucid," the Doctor said. "The gas is fast-working and will leave your system within thirty minutes to an hour, depending. We'll have to adjust the normal amount for your physiology."
"Because I am Borg," Seven said. She lifted her head enough to allow the Doctor to position the mask the way that he wanted it positioned, and to secure it.
"Because you are Borg," he said. "Breathe deeply, please."
B'Elanna stepped forward, and Raffi gave her enough room to attach a small wire to the implant near Seven's right ear. Raffi had seen the Doctor do something similar, and she knew that the implant allowed them pretty direct access to some of the nodes implanted directly into Seven's brain. From there, B'Elanna could access every still-connected Borg system in Seven's body electronically. When she backed away, the wire giving her a little distance, and activated her controls, Seven visibly tensed, clearly able to feel the intrusion.
"Relax," B'Elanna said. "I'm making some adjustments just to make sure that you're all set to adapt to this next, very important, role in your life."
Raffi smiled at Seven when they made eye contact.
"She means—being a mama," Raffi said.
"I am aware of her meaning," Seven said. Raffi could sense Seven's anxiety. She felt some anxiety, as well, so she didn't blame Seven for hers. As she normally did, and out of instinct more than anything else, she brushed her fingertips against Seven's forehead, brushing back her hair.
"Breathe, Baby," Raffi urged, knowing that Seven was doing her best not to inhale the gas that would make her relax even more.
"My baby will not be Borg," Seven said. "My baby will not be Borg, but I am Borg. I must regenerate. Will my baby be damaged by the regeneration?"
"There's no reason to worry," B'Elanna assured her from where she was tinkering with a handheld device that allowed her work with Seven's Borg implants the same as she might the inner-workings of a Starship. "You are all set to adapt to your pregnancy. You've got some impressive Borg features, Seven, as much as you might try to downplay them. Your womb is capable of acting as a protective barrier for the baby. You'll lower the strength on your regeneration chamber, which may mean you have to regenerate for longer periods of time and maybe a bit more often, but your womb will protect your baby from the currents. There's no reason to delay this procedure any longer—if you're ready, of course."
"Nurse—can you bring the embryos, please? And tell the doctors that we'll be ready to begin soon."
"Certainly, Doctor," Nurse Garza said cheerfully.
"You need to take some significant deep breaths for the gas to begin to work," the Doctor said, putting himself in Seven's line of vision. "Let's just review the procedure, once more, before we start—to make sure that you don't have any questions, and that nothing comes as a surprise. Shall we?"
"Can I stay here?" Raffi asked, tightening her grip on Seven's hand.
"Absolutely," the Doctor said. "You will not be in the way there. We have decided to use two embryos. This increases the chance of success. However, if both successfully reach maturity, there is very little risk involved with carrying both to term. I will handle the part of introducing the embryos, one at a time, into Seven's uterus through a catheter, which I will insert through the cervix. Doctors Sarem and T'Pral will perform the experimental portion of this procedure—the results of which will be added to their study—and they will perform the attachment."
"Does it hurt?" Raffi asked. Seven would never ask that, but Raffi wanted to know.
"The gas is not an analgesic," the Doctor said. "Rather than relieve Seven's pain, it will affect the way in which her brain records the pain that she may feel, and it will create a sort of temporary semi-paralysis that will help her to remain still during the process. Therefore, Seven will actually be able to actively participate in the patient-interest area of the research while undergoing the procedure, because she can answer that question for others. To date, participants have reported anything from no sensation at all, to a tingling feeling akin to a transporter beam, to an actual stinging sensation when the stitches are put into place."
"The stitches won't injure the babies?" Raffi asked, her pulse picking up.
"As part of the procedure," the Doctor said, "each embryo has already been encased in a protective synthetic barrier that will dissolve in Seven's uterus within the next few days. The doctors will move each embryo, as I place it, into an acceptable location. Using something akin to a slip-stitch in traditional sewing, they will attach the embryo to the uterine wall with laser stitches. As the barrier dissolves, so will the stitches. The hope, of course, is that the artificial attachment will promote the actual attachment of the embryo and, thus, the viability of the pregnancy. So far, it has been a great deal more successful than previous methods. Are we ready to begin?"
Nurse Garza rolled in a small table. On the table was a silver tray, and on the tray rested two petri dishes along with a number of instruments that reminded Raffi that, no matter how far they came in medical science, there were always some procedures that were invasive.
"Your ability to hold your breath is almost as impressive as some of your other abilities," B'Elanna said somewhat sarcastically, "but everyone needs you to breathe, Seven."
"You can relax," Nurse Garza said. "You're in good hands. All of you are."
Seven did seem to relax. Raffi touched her fingers to Seven's face.
"Look at me, Baby," Raffi offered. "I'll do it with you. Deep breath." She drew in a deep breath and Seven copied her. Immediately, Seven's eyes rolled back for a second as her body adjusted to almost immediate effect of the gas. Raffi smiled at her reassuringly when she brought her eyes back to hers. "Good—again." She inhaled deeply again, and Seven followed suit.
"I should warn you that there will likely be abdominal cramping during the procedure," the Doctor said. "Would you like an analgesic now?"
"I do not require that," Seven said calmly. Raffi believed her, and accepted her choice.
"Are those our babies?" Raffi asked, glancing over Seven's body toward the petri dishes. Seven immediately tried to raise up to see them, and Raffi was thankful that Nurse Garza was a human in complete control of her empathy. She moved the tray so that Seven could easily examine their embryos in their dishes. Raffi slipped her hand behind Seven's head to support her as she looked.
"They are embryos," the Doctor said. "Only potential parents could look at them with so much obvious affection."
Raffi laughed quietly at his observation.
"They are healthy?" Seven asked.
"Very much so," the Doctor said.
Raffi squeezed Seven's hand.
"How about—two more deep breaths? One for each of them?"
Seven looked at her. Her eyes flashed emotion that, probably, she didn't have enough energy to fully feel at the moment. She took the breaths, though, with Raffi's guidance. By the time Raffi had guided her through a couple of extra breaths for good measure, Seven's breathing had become deep, slow, and regulated on its own. The gas was doing its job.
The door hissed open and the Vulcan doctors—surgeons and research scientists—that would be doing the procedure entered. Both were wearing surgical scrubs, and their short introductions made it clear that they were interested in Seven as a patient and an object of study, but little else. She was a Borg, and this was their only opportunity to study the effects of their procedure on a Borg patient.
Raffi knew that, often, public displays of affection were frowned upon, but she didn't care. She leaned and pressed her lips to Seven's forehead.
"You're going to do great," she whispered. "I'm right here with you. It's time to become a mama, OK? Let's make a baby—two babies."
Seven smiled softly behind the mask that was keeping her sedated with a constant flow of the euphoric gas.
"We're ready to begin," one of the Vulcan doctors said. Raffi had forgotten which was which, but it mattered very little.
"I am inserting the speculum," the Doctor announced. Seven didn't stir at all, so Raffi assumed the gas was doing its job. Even her hand hung limply in Raffi's. It appeared that, perhaps, she only really had control of her face. There wasn't much to read there at the moment beyond a line between her brows. "I am inserting the catheter. It will pass through the cervix—there may be some cramping."
"It is minimal," Seven offered.
Raffi watched as the Doctor accepted things from Nurse Garza. B'Elanna still hadn't removed the wire from Seven's implant and Raffi realized that it was possible that she might also take the liberty of tampering with Seven's pain receptors if she felt such a thing were necessary.
"The catheter is in place," the Doctor said. "I am inserting the first embryo now."
Seven's eyes met Raffi's for a second before Raffi watched as the Vulcan doctors went to work. From her position, Raffi had a limited view of the viewscreen they were using—something quite complex that allowed them to see their work inside Seven's uterus—and she watched as the one performing the procedure moved the embryo and started his work.
"There is—cramping," Seven said. "But—I am relaxed."
"You don't have to worry about inadvertently moving. I may have temporarily paralyzed your muscles below Th 6 from conscious muscle control—though I lack the ability to stop unconscious movements like cramping," B'Elanna offered. "I can turn off your pain receptors, if you'd like."
"That is not necessary," Seven offered. "I would like to experience this."
"You know—I've never been quite so involved in your anatomy before, but there are really some things that would be interesting to study here…"
"Some other time," Seven said. She smiled when B'Elanna laughed quietly.
"Some other time when you're not busy getting pregnant," B'Elanna teased. "I understand. But I'm holding you to it."
"The first embryo has been successfully attached to the uterine wall," the Vulcan offered.
Raffi's heart immediately kicked into high gear, and she felt nearly light-headed. She leaned down close to Seven and squeezed her hand, even though she wasn't sure if Seven could actually squeeze hers in return, she knew that B'Elanna had left her nerves intact in so far as she could likely feel Raffi's offered comfort and support.
"You are pregnant," Raffi whispered. She brushed her lips against Seven's forehead again, careful to avoid B'Elanna's wire.
Seven smiled at her. There were tears in her eyes, and Raffi wiped away one stray one that escaped.
"I am inserting the second embryo," the Doctor said.
"There is more significant cramping," Seven offered.
"Do you want to keep your pain receptors?" B'Elanna asked.
"It is not unbearable," Seven said. "But it is significant."
"It is the uterus responding to its new, unexpected, alien inhabitants," the Doctor offered, clearly amused at the turn of phrase that he had spun.
"How do the stitches feel?" Nurse Garza asked.
"There is a burning sensation," Seven offered. "But it is not unbearable and, with the additional cramping, it's hardly noticeable."
When the Vulcan doctors finished, they half-heartedly said thanks and goodbye to Raffi and Seven. It was clear that their farewell was more about what they'd been taught were social cues and expectations than any genuine interest in connection. Raffi was almost happy to see them go, when the room became the domain of the Doctor again.
"Is everything Ok?" Raffi asked the Doctor when they'd left.
"Oh, yes. Both embryos are attached using the attachment method."
"Did you hear that? You're pregnant—twice," Raffi said to Seven.
"I believe the term for that is twins, is it not?" Seven teased. She laughed at her own joke, evidence that the euphoric gas had probably made this a lot less stressful for her than it would normally have been if she'd been aware of how much tinkering had been taking place within her body and from every direction.
"Everything looks as it should," the Doctor said. "I am removing the catheter and the speculum. We ask that you maintain your position for about a half an hour, if possible, for recovery. This gives your body the opportunity to begin to accept its new condition. You may, however, be comfortable during this time."
"Would you like a holo-image of your newly-implanted embryos?" Nurse Garza asked.
Raffi smiled at her and nodded.
"We would love that." The nurse nodded back her acceptance.
"I'll process one from the files while you're recovering," she said.
The Doctor lowered the surgical case, but he left Seven's legs in the stirrups for the time being. She didn't seem to mind—or she didn't have the control over her body to show that she minded—and he moved the blanket and her gown to protect any modesty that she may have remaining.
"I'm returning your muscle control," B'Elanna said. "Slowly. I don't want to shock you."
Immediately, Raffi could see Seven's face registering the return of her muscle control.
"The cramping is—increasing," she said. She made a face and blew out her breath, the mask fogging. "It is substantial, Doctor."
The doctor removed her mask. Raffi didn't see where it came from—if it had already been prepared, or if the nurse had passed it to him and she'd missed the exchange—but he produced a hypospray that he pressed to Seven's neck.
"This is an analgesic. I can prescribe an analgesic that is safe for the embryos, that you can produce at home," he said. "We will send home all the information that you need for the coming weeks, and I'll see you again in a week for a check-up. You should expect cramping much like what you're currently experiencing, especially as the stitches heal and the embryos go through the process of attaching permanently. If it becomes unbearable, or increases to the point that the analgesic doesn't cause it to subside, you should immediately contact me. In addition, you can expect light bleeding. If it should become heavy, however, or appear to contain blood clots, you should immediately contact me."
"Would that be miscarriage?" Raffi asked.
"It could be," the Doctor said. "However, in these situations it is not entirely uncommon for one embryo to fail while the other thrives. The faster we are able to react to the situation, the better our chances are for saving at least one of the embryos, should the body attempt to reject either of them."
"What should we do for now?" Raffi asked. "To increase our chances that that won't happen?"
"Rest," the Doctor said. "Regeneration will increase Seven's strength and strengthen her ability to adapt and to do what's necessary for her body in this situation. Keep up with your prescriptions and, Seven, above all else, they recommend that you listen to your body. In your case, I would say that means all of it. Do not hesitate to contact me if you should be concerned about anything. It is not a problem for me to dismiss a concern."
He gave them a few final instructions, especially for staying there to recover, congratulated them, and then he left the room with Nurse Garza, bidding them goodbye unless they should find that they needed him. The nurse, having stepped out for a moment, returned with a holo-image that she passed to Raffi for the both of them to study, as much as they wanted, at their leisure.
B'Elanna was the last one left in the room with them, and she finally disconnected her device from Seven's implant.
"I have tweaked everything I can think of to try to help," B'Elanna said. "You can contact me at any time—I'll respond to your calls, which is more than I can say for some of our engineers." She smiled at Seven warmly. "I'm not afraid of the Borg."
Seven smiled at her.
"And I do not fear Klingons," she offered. "Species 5008."
B'Elanna laughed, thankfully genuinely amused.
"Congratulations," she said. "To both of you. You need to stay here, like this, for at least another half an hour. I'm going to see if I can find a portable regeneration pack that you can use in the meantime. Lower your voltage when you get home. At least by 100. It'll lengthen your regeneration cycle, but you will be able to protect your babies from damage. They may not be Borg, but their mother is, and they will adapt."
They both thanked B'Elanna, and she went in search of what she'd promised to find.
"What do we do now?" Seven asked, when they were left alone.
Raffi still didn't dare to touch her like she wanted—it was all still too new to acknowledge it was real. They needed time to adjust, just like the Doctor had said they would. Raffi activated the holo-image and held it in her palm so that Seven could see it without straining her neck or exerting any energy. She leaned over so that she could nuzzle her face close against Seven's for a few moments.
"We just—let you relax and…look at our babies," Raffi said.