Author's note: I cannot say thank you enough to everyone for reading, you are all so wonderful! I'd also like to give a special shout out to my friends for doing a little beta-reading and encouraging me throughout this journey. I hope you enjoy the epilogue. At the risk of wearing out the meaning of the words, thank you again!
Warning! Contains some light smut. ;)
Epilogue
There was an uncommonly lengthy period of inactivity as the Federation starship Voyager, stranded in the Delta Quadrant over five years ago, continued its long arduous journey back home to loved ones and the sweet familiarity of the Alpha Quadrant. Largely undeterred by this harsh reality, Voyager's crew, a harmonious mix in both race and creed, by their very nature thrived on action, science and the exploration of the unknown. 'Never a dull moment' was the status quo out here in the Delta Quadrant, and it was a preferable state of existence than trying to play it safe despite the enormous dangers that came with it; the dangers they had already endured.
That's not to say they didn't appreciate a smooth sail every now and then. Their goal was to ultimately reach the Alpha Quadrant sooner than the projected time it would take and safely, with their lives intact and the ship in one piece no less. But in order to accomplish this feat, the crew knew and accepted long ago that this journey wouldn't be without its risks. Various improbable circumstances allowed for Voyager to travel a great deal of distance during the last five years, shaving off over a third from their original 70 year journey. But those five years had been far from a pleasure cruise. They faced more than their fair share of bumps, bruises, plasma burns, even death itself trying to reach home.
Nevertheless, the unexpected interval was a welcome change of pace and gave them a chance to catch their collective breath. Not a single hostile alien race or life threatening spatial anomaly appeared to rudely greet them in the vastly wild frontier during the last sixty light years they had traveled. While they passed through and catalogued the numerous star systems spanning those light years, the only bit of excitement they experienced during that time were the upgrades they had been trying to integrate with Voyager's engines and the occasional detours they took to survey uninhabited M-class planets for deuterium and other valuable resources.
With Voyager averaging a speed of Warp 7.5 and minimal stops, nearly 33 days had passed since Captain Kathryn Janeway and former Borg drone Seven of Nine shared a fateful evening of dinner and dancing together in the holodeck. Ironically enough, the original aim was to enhance Seven's understanding and experience with romance, a concept as foreign to her as individuality. When the former drone became discouraged with her experimentations following an unpleasant date with one of the members of the crew, Captain Janeway felt a staggering desire to renew the young woman's interest in romance, against her better judgment. With Janeway offering to serve as Seven's personal dating guide for the evening, what was meant to be an innocent practice date between friends turned into something much more significant than either of them were prepared for.
Slate-gray eyes glazed over and a PADD held slack in her hand, Captain Janeway peered out of the transparent aluminum windows of her Ready Room, completely absorbed in the blurred stream of stars whisking by. For what seemed like the millionth time, against her will, the memories of that evening came flooding back, replaying themselves over and over without respite. Enveloped by the warm emotions associated with those memories, her face slowly broke out into a smile and she subsequently shook her head. As lovely as those memories were, they sometimes made it difficult for her to work, especially in the solitude of her Ready Room.
Acting like a love sick teenager and feeling every bit as silly, Janeway leaned back in her chair and rubbed her forehead, sighing heavily. She glanced down at the PADD she had been reading from a few minutes ago before spacing out and tightly pursed her lips. Janeway could hear her inner captain reprimanding her for losing focus from her duties and letting her mind wander, even if it had wandered into sweet memories of dancing and kissing a certain blonde Astrometrics Officer.
Despite Voyager being on a nice hiatus from constant danger, there was no shortage of work for the auburn haired captain and her crew. Though they were cautiously optimistic in the beginning after receiving the engine schematics from the J'haelani over a month ago, on the very same day as that phenomenal date, making the modifications to Voyager's propulsion systems proved to be slightly more difficult than they originally anticipated.
Consistent with their initial findings, the overall makeup of the J'haelani's propulsion systems were compatible with that of Voyager's. What they did not account for, the more they dug into the schematics, were several unidentifiable elements that were used in the engine designs. Unfamiliar to both the crew and Voyager's vast computer database, they could only surmise that they were metal-based elements that Federation scientists had yet to discover. Lacking the necessary atomic data on these mystery elements meant that it would be impossible to replicate them, which would no doubt cause complications.
Still within communications range, Janeway attempted to reach out to the J'haelani people, going through the proper diplomatic channels to speak to the delegation she had previously worked with. Much to the Captain's chagrin, the reserved, aloof race declined to supply them with that information, citing laws similar to that of the Prime Directive. The reasoning they gave, as maddening as it was to hear, was that although they had no problem sharing their propulsion technology, the burden of identifying the missing elements was on the crew of Voyager. Having no further diplomatic recourse, Janeway respectfully withdrew her request for assistance, relying instead on her talented crew to do their best despite the missing information. Using what they could from the schematics, they worked round the clock applying tweaks here and there on Voyager's engines, raising the overall efficiency of their impulse and warp drive by twelve percent. A small success, but a success nonetheless.
As predicted, the crew ran into a barrier and were unable to implement any more of the aliens' propulsion technology without those key elements, but Captain Janeway and her officers refused to completely abandon the endeavor. After the reconfigurations were implemented and tested, Janeway ordered her senior staff, most notably Seven, B'elanna and Harry, to make it their top priority to find alternative means to compensate for the metals or metalloids they were lacking. If it were a simple matter of containment or conduits, their standard alloy configuration would have sufficed, but that would have been too easy. Nothing ever came easy, at least not to Voyager.
Being the leading authorities in the subject and shouldering most of the work as ordered, B'elanna, Seven of Nine and Harry logged many hours in the holodeck and Engineering together, performing simulation after simulation and re-configuring the antimatter and plasma relays. They worked long and hard, assisted by the crew members from Engineering and volunteers from the Science department. Janeway had even joined them on several occasions, attempting to lend a hand or a fresh pair of eyes. Having every intention of helping at first, however, Janeway would almost always gravitate towards Seven as the tall blonde worked, exchanging softly spoken words and secret fervent smiles when they thought nobody was looking. Overall, they made little headway in terms of success, but the resilient crew was not ready to give up just yet. Not when it seemed like they had all the time in the world.
More than likely sitting down for much longer than what was recommended, Janeway stretched her legs out underneath the desk and arched her back, biting her teeth down hard and groaning when she felt those back muscles stretching. A popping sensation from her spine rippled through her weary body and she sharply exhaled with relief. Re-energized and settling back into captain mode, Janeway straightened in her chair and concentrated on the PADD, committing herself to reading the rest of the Commander's daily report on the project. There wasn't anything new in the report, other than the trio's next plan of attack after hitting another dead end, but Janeway required any and all updates from Chakotay no matter how insignificant they seemed.
Finally, when there was nothing further to read, the Captain happily set the PADD down in favor of her coffee mug as a sort of reward to herself. She felt the telltale lack of weight when she lifted it up and immediately frowned, looking ruefully down into the mostly empty mug and wishing that Voyager was advanced enough to automatically refill her coffee with a mere thought.
"Computer, what's the time?" Janeway called out, finishing off what little coffee remained.
"The time is 17:36," stated the feminine voice of the computer.
Before she could really stop it, Janeway felt a wave of excitement and perked up, grinning from ear to ear. The captain within her, however, quickly reasserted her authority over the lovesick redhead. She caught her upper lip between her bottom teeth and hung her head, admonishing herself again for emotions that seemed unbecoming for a woman her age and rank. Willing a sense of calm, Janeway got to her feet and made for the replicator to get a refill of coffee. She already had five cups of coffee that day, what was one more? she reasoned with herself, there was still time after all...
Returning to her desk with her prize in hand, she scooted her computer console towards her and keyed in the necessary command authorizations to bring up all the available data on the engine refit project. When she wasn't working on daily ship logs, crew evaluations or whatever crisis they happened to be facing at the time, she dedicated most of her free time to helping her crew unravel the mystery of the missing elements that made up the alien propulsion technology. Captain Janeway was many things and every captain in Star Fleet had their specialties, but she was a scientist through and through. As frustrating as it was, this problem was of a delicious variety, being a combination of science and engineering and Janeway honestly enjoyed the challenge.
There was a considerable amount of time left before the Beta shift was over. On a normal day, or as normal as it could possibly get in the Delta Quadrant, Janeway typically worked through both the Alpha and Beta shifts, give or take a few hours before retiring to her quarters. When there were times she couldn't seem to switch off, despite the Doctor's vehement protests, she often found herself working through the late night Gamma shift as well. But today was different; it called for a strict adherence to schedule if she was to keep a certain appointment this evening. Staying mindful of the time, Janeway managed to work for another hour, keeping her mind surprisingly occupied enough for the minutes to fly by.
When the time came close to 18:30, Janeway had virtually zero difficulty switching off. Without any hint of guilt this time, she allowed a joyful smile to break through her scrupulous captain's persona as she promptly terminated her console connection to Voyager's main database. Pushing the console away as she stood, Janeway hummed the song she and Seven had danced to as she carried her empty mug to the replicator and recycled it, then proceeded to exit her Ready Room.
Commander Chakotay immediately stood from his command chair upon seeing the Captain walking out onto the Bridge, but she held up a hand and, failing to curb her emotions, smiled a little more jovially than she intended.
"At ease, Commander. I'm calling it a night," she informed him.
Chakotay looked at her in shock, wondering to himself if he had indeed heard her correctly.
"It's a little early for you isn't it? Are you feeling alright?" he asked, his infectious smile reaching his eyes and wrinkling his tribal tattoo.
With her hands characteristically on her hips, Janeway pretended to throw her first officer the equivalent of a level 10 glare and smirked.
"I'm feeling perfectly fine, thank you. I just...have an appointment."
Eyes lighting up with mischief, Chakotay dared to push his luck, although he knew it would backfire.
"Ah, got a hot date with someone?"
He knew her well enough to predict her response to his probing. As expected, Janeway's faux glare became a little more genuine this time, indicating that he may have gone too far. Shaking her head, she turned her back on him and started for the turbolift, casually waving a hand as she walked off.
"Good night, Commander," she said with an unmistakable tone of finality and disappeared behind the turbolift doors.
Sitting back down in his chair and resuming Bridge duty, Chakotay made sure to keep his laughter to himself, bringing a hand up to his mouth to hide his expression from any curious Bridge officers that may have been watching him. Most of the senior officers knew or had some idea that Captain Janeway and Seven of Nine were seeing each other ever since they caught wind of the 'practice date'. But because the two women kept their budding romance under wraps for the time being, nobody dared to bring it up out of respect. That did not, however, stop Chakotay from prodding the Captain here and there in jest, testing the limits of their friendship with his impertinence. He wholeheartedly supported them of course, and always knew that there was something special about their relationship ever since Seven came onboard Voyager. It brought him great joy to see his Captain and friend allowing herself this form of happiness when she normally denied herself out of some twisted sense of punishment for her past actions.
But it was still fun to get a rise out of Janeway about it. It wasn't in his nature to be serious all the time; he had to poke the proverbial bear whenever he saw an opportunity. Chakotay leaned back and watched the activated viewscreen as Voyager continued to travel at Warp 7, musing about what the future had in store for those women.
Janeway entered her quarters and without meaning to, her gaze automatically fell to the couch affixed underneath the windows of her living area. Letting her thoughts stray to their first date while she was on duty was one thing, but Janeway truly had to employ stronger mental barriers to keep from thinking about what happened between the two women on that couch that very next night. Blushing from embarrassment among the other feelings that began to creep through her body uninvited, Janeway forced herself to look away and walked into her bedroom, eagerly shrugging out of her uniform jacket that had suddenly become too hot to wear. She opened her closet doors and combed through the articles of civilian clothing she rarely wore, her mind intent on running through every detail of her second date with Seven now that she was no longer on duty.
As promised, Janeway and Seven shared in another lovely dinner together the following night, and in the complete solitude of Janeway's quarters. Much like the previous night, Janeway had introduced Seven to another French dish that she thoroughly enjoyed, and at the Captain's insistence, Seven even had her own glass of red wine to go with her meal. The wine was sweet and smooth, much easier to consume than Janeway's preferred choice in wine. She tried her best to nurse her alcoholic drink in the event her Borg systems were affected, but because the wine went down so easily, she discovered a little too late that she had ingested quite a bit.
When Janeway suggested that they move over to the couch after they had finished eating, Seven stood from her chair and wobbled slightly. Despite the momentary loss of motor skills however, Seven felt fine. Better than fine. They made their way to the couch and Seven gleefully sat so close to Janeway that their thighs touched.
A choked sound came from the older woman at the sudden feeling of Seven's hot thigh pressing hard against hers. Chuckling nervously, Janeway inched away from the zealous blonde, not quite ready for that level of intimacy so soon after eating. She tucked a leg underneath her and casually leaned her shoulder against the back of the couch, still holding onto her glass of wine. Disappointed and a little confused at the absence of physical contact she achieved, Seven mimicked the captain and made herself as comfortable as she could without sacrificing her penchant for poise.
The trademark crooked smile on her face, and the hoods of her eyes lowered a few millimeters, Janeway drank in the beautiful, golden haired woman sitting next to her, becoming positively intoxicated by her very presence.
"Is it safe to say this date was another success?" she asked in a tender purr, fully expecting an answer in the affirmative.
Recognizing the Captain's playful tone, Seven tipped her head at an angle and flashed Janeway a small but powerful smile that showed not only from her lips, but from her piercing blue eyes as well that made Janeway melt in her seat.
"If my understanding of the phrase is correct, I am two for three," the blonde responded.
Others might have mistaken her tone of voice as arrogant, but Janeway knew that wasn't how Seven meant to sound. The redhead let out a deep chuckle, elated at Seven's response as well as the almost humorous manner in which she answered, and she gingerly sipped her wine. Seven watched her as she did so, paying extra close attention to the other woman's dark red lips and wanting very much to reacquaint herself with them.
"Much like our previous date, however," Seven said suddenly, "I am not familiar with this type of date or the activities we are to engage in now that we are in your quarters. Is sitting on the couch together after consuming a meal typical for a couple?"
Activities. Couple. The words reverberated in the older woman's mind, the very implication of them nearly causing her to stumble over her own words as she answered.
"Yes, sitting on the couch is typical after dinner. It allows for the continuation of a good conversation while drinking a good glass of wine," Janeway lifted her glass in emphasis, "really though," she added a bit huskily, "it allows for us to enjoy each other's company longer after the meal is finished."
Janeway's response, working in tandem with that deliciously smooth voice seemed to elicit a very familiar, very personal physiological reaction in Seven. She looked down at the wine glass she held in her Borg hand, analyzing the situation and pondering what she should do next, or rather, what she wanted to do next. Seven was grateful that her mind didn't seem to be in a haze from the alcoholic content. But she did feel a trifle more bold, more determined to act on her feelings than normal. The wine glass didn't have much wine left in it, so there was really no reason she needed to bring it with her as the Captain had done. She set the wine glass down on the coffee table in front of her, resolving to take the plunge and hoping that Janeway would be willing to join her on that plunge.
"Is the concept of 'enjoying each other's company' on the couch exclusively limited to conversation and wine?" she asked, leering at the redhead and her brow raised challengingly.
Janeway frowned only for a few seconds before a look of realization washed over her features and she smirked, giving the false impression that she was averted to the idea Seven was insinuating when it was really quite the opposite. Nonchalantly, Janeway rested her temple on her free hand, attempting to resist many of the urges she was feeling. Why she was resisting at this point she wasn't really sure anymore, as her body was positively crying out for contact. But her need to take things slow seemed to be chipping away with every second of Seven's keen gaze.
"No, I suppose not," she admitted slowly, breathing hitched, "there are other things two people can be doing…"
That was all the invitation the brazen former Borg needed, whether it was deliberate or not, and it took Seven a mere nanosecond to plan out her next series of actions. Seven reached for the glass of wine Janeway was holding onto like a crucifix, setting it down on the table next to her own nearly empty glass. Dazed, unable to utter a sound, Janeway helplessly watched as Seven turned back to face her, the ice blue eyes shifting back and forth between her own. Studying, analyzing, looking for any indication that she wanted her to stop. A few moments passed between them, tense and silent. Then, Seven did something that nearly sent Janeway soaring through the bulkheads.
Unbelievably emboldened by a combination of Borg candor and liquid courage, Seven gently pushed Janeway until her back was against the back of the couch and, very slowly, climbed onto Janeway's lap. The skirt of her dress riding up as she moved, the blonde's exposed thighs brushed against the Captain's slacks with a resounding swish, until she was effectively straddling the redhead. Still too stunned to speak, Janeway felt an enormous amount of heat radiating from the blonde's body, her own body greedily absorbing that heat and reflecting it back tenfold.
"I…" Janeway tried to speak for some unknown reason, but Seven leaned in, her generous breasts pushing against hers and she felt the blonde's hands near the base of her neck gently caressing, exploring along her collarbone and upper chest. "Oh…" Janeway moaned, abandoning any and all restraint or pesky thoughts of taking it slow. Taking it slow? her inner voice exclaimed, like hell are you taking this slow, not when the most beautiful woman in the universe is settled into your damn lap!
Hearing her captain's soft moan only served to amplify and encourage Seven's physiological needs. She fully allowed her human instincts to take over in that moment and leaned in further until her full, pink lips met Janeway's.
Her hands automatically cupped Seven's face and without any hesitation, Janeway hungrily kissed back, her experience prompting her to take the lead, re-introducing every movement of her lips from the previous night. She then parted her lips and deepened the kiss, pleasantly surprising the blonde and sending electric waves through her abdomen and down to her more intimate area when Janeway slid her tongue against hers.
Their kiss wet and intensifying, wildly unchecked carnal urges building, Seven realized she couldn't seem to stay still; at some point her body had begun to move on its own, squirming just a little in the beginning, evidently in response to the tantalizing kiss. But Janeway was doing things with her tongue that drove Seven crazy. Internal temperatures rising, moisture pooling, she was fully writhing and grinding against the captain, who eagerly responded in kind causing Seven to whimper vulnerably into Janeway's mouth.
Janeway's hands fell away from Seven's face, one grasping Seven's slender waist and desperately pulling the voluptuous blonde in tighter while the other ran up and down Seven's thigh. Hips rubbing and teasing, their tongues languidly dancing in unison, it became increasingly apparent that they needed to explore all the avenues. While Seven would have absolutely no issue with progressing further despite her inexperience, a warning klaxon began to sound off somewhere in the back of Janeway's mind.
She eased away, gently breaking off the kiss, panting heavily with desire and the taste of Seven lingering sweetly on her tongue. Her eyes fluttered open, taking in the sight of the gorgeous younger woman hovering over her and breathing hard, offering herself on a silver platter.
"Kathryn?" Seven murmured inquisitively, her breath hot on Janeway's face, hips no longer moving vigorously.
Janeway said nothing and leaned her head forward, burying her face in the crook of Seven's neck and nuzzling her cheeks against the soft, pale skin. Somewhat perplexed by the redhead's actions, because it seemed to de-escalate rather than advance their coupling, the former Borg accepted the gesture nonetheless and waited patiently for Janeway to verbalize her thoughts. The lustful highs they had achieved so quickly began to subside with every passing second. She felt her auburn-haired captain angle her head, wet and warm lips skimming across her collarbone.
"I'm sorry," Janeway finally whispered, the breath on Seven's skin sending chills down her back, "I don't think I'm ready for…" she trailed off, incapable of finishing her train of thought out loud.
"I don't understand, Kathryn," Seven replied, her hands still caressing, albeit shyly, Janeway's chest, coming dangerously close to Janeway's breasts. Janeway chuckled mournfully.
"I know," she brought up a hand and rested it on the side of Seven's neck, returning the caress, "it's a little hard to explain. You're so very beautiful and I want to give you so much, show you so much," Janeway pushed her hips upward with emphasis and smiled into Seven's neck, "but I'm just...we might be moving just a little too fast and," she started to stammer, "I've never really done this before, at least not with another woman."
Hearing the sincere vulnerability in Janeway's voice, Seven stopped caressing and soothingly ran her fingers through Janeway's auburn tresses, reveling in the softness of it and realizing she had always wanted to do that. The exquisite woman underneath her moaned, enjoying the feel of Seven's fingers brushing through her hair. Janeway was a sucker for having her hair touched, even more so now that it was Seven doing it.
"Please do not be sorry, I was the one that initiated this," said Seven, reprimanding herself, "I apologize-"
"No, no darling it's alright," Janeway interrupted gently, pulling back to look at the former drone, "I'm so unbelievably lucky to even have you like this," she tenderly cupped Seven's cheek, "can you be patient with me, love?"
"I can," Seven leaned her face into Janeway's hand, nuzzling against the warm palm, "do you wish for me to leave now?"
Janeway balked and shook her head.
"Of course not! I'd still like to spend the rest of the evening with you, if that's alright?"
Her ocular implant and blonde eyebrow inching upwards, Seven inclined her head.
"Since the evening is still...young," she replied with an impossibly playful smile, proud of her usage of a human expression, "I would like that very much."
Hopelessly smitten with the golden haired goddess still nestled in her lap, Janeway wrapped an arm around her waist and gently pulled Seven's chin forward, kissing her for several long moments, infusing all the adoration and longing she felt for her in that kiss.
They eventually separated, Seven awkwardly extricating herself from the auburn-haired Captain's lap and taking up her previous spot on the sofa, smoothing out her dress and doing her best to ignore a certain wetness around her center. Sitting in close proximity, occasionally touching each other affectionately and setting off small sparks of passion, they spent the rest of the evening conversing and drinking a little more wine together. Though it wasn't as physically mind-boggling or heart pounding, it was still exceptionally pleasant to be in each other's company this way, and there was a certain appeal to postponing the physical pleasures that they would, when the time was right, explore to their fullest.
Roughly twenty minutes passed before the doors to the Captain's quarters opened again to reveal an astonishing sight. Janeway carefully stepped out into the corridor, hesitantly scanning each direction for any sign of life, uncommonly self-conscious about the way she looked. She donned a royal blue gown that sported a high slit, sensually revealing the length of her leg to the top of her thigh. Her glossy auburn hair, normally styled in a short bob, was now somewhat straightened while still maintaining its volume, falling several centimeters past her shoulders. Ankles wobbling a little, she struggled to remember how to walk in heels as it had been many years since she last wore a pair. It must've been long before she was given command of Voyager and at some formal function that didn't involve StarFleet or the Federation.
Like re-learning how to ride a bicycle, she finally got the hang of it the more she walked, thankful that there was nobody around to see her unexpectedly lose balance. If Janeway didn't have her heart set on wearing that dress, she would never have put those heels on. But it would be worth it. It was only natural that Janeway wanted to look her absolute feminine best for the woman that plagued her thoughts and haunted her soul for so long.
Janeway wasn't able to do this much for their last two dates. Not when she had a tendency to work until the last possible minute, allowing herself very little time to get ready properly. This evening would be different. She paid much more attention to the passage of time as she worked today, bound and determined to give herself enough wiggle room to primp and spruce. The thought of stunning her date into the next century, especially considering who she was trying to impress, made her body throb with excitement.
With a few minutes to spare, Janeway slowed her pace and leisurely walked the remaining amount of corridor to the holodecks. This date was long overdue for the two women, but it was honestly the Captain's fault that they hadn't been able to see much of each other in their free time. Because of the work Seven of Nine had been putting in alongside Harry and B'Elanna, and with those two being notorious workaholics, the former drone's availability was scarce for the past three weeks. All she knew during that period was work, the occasional break to consume nutritional supplements and regenerating during the night. Janeway made a mental note to sincerely apologize to Seven for assigning her to the project and letting them work so much without at least taking a day long break in between.
But tonight, with a little harmless intervention on the Captain's part, they were finally able to schedule their third date. Three whole weeks of barely catching a glimpse of each other was not cutting it at all.
Her pulse quickening, Janeway rounded the final curve of the corridor, completing the last stretch of distance to the holodecks. When she approached, the redhead was once again stopped dead in her tracks, silently offering a word of thanks to whichever deity had blessed her with such divine circumstances. Rather than some vague sense of déjà vu, she was flat out reliving a pivotal moment from the not too distant past and loving every minute of it.
A blonde bombshell with impossibly generous features from head to toe stood waiting next to the doors of Holodeck 2, facing the opposite direction from Janeway's advance. Why it was such a surprise to see this woman, wearing yet another incredible dress and absolutely killing it, Kathryn Janeway had no idea. But for all the bad luck she endured, from the very moment she and her ship had been flung out into the Delta Quadrant, this sight alone made it all worth it. She stared for what seemed like ages at Seven's exposed back, the creamy skin beckoning, begging to be caressed and kissed. Zeroing in on the features, Janeway had a clear vision of running her tongue along the dip of Seven's spine, prompting her to bring a hand up to her mouth to suppress any sort of sound that may have escaped by accident.
Borg-enhanced hearing picked up the subtle sounds that Janeway made, even though she was still a good distance away, and Seven quickly turned, giving the already stunned Captain a good full view of the bright red dress she wore. Backless and shorter in length, the dress hugged her body, accentuating all of her curves much better than any biosuit she ever wore. Her light blonde hair stood out even more against the backdrop of red. Red really was her favorite color, and she wore it unbelievably well.
For one tender moment, Seven's expression was vulnerable as soon as she caught sight of the Captain, looking ravishing in her blue gown. During her time on Voyager as a recovering former drone, Seven had really grown to admire and idolize the StarFleet captain that was responsible for her separation from the Collective. But the admiration and idolization she felt were merely symptoms of an underlying cause, and it wasn't until their practice date that she finally came to realize what it really was that she felt for this fiercely beautiful StarFleet Captain from Indiana.
Feeling a blush coming on, Janeway's gaze dropped downward and she nervously shifted her feet as Seven analyzed her, hoping she didn't disappoint the younger, more attractive woman with the effort she put in to spruce up. Anyone that had eyes would have argued that Janeway was, by no stretch of the imagination, less attractive than Seven. But she knew she was getting up there in age, and that somewhat bothered her at times like this. There was only so much primping and beautifying the older woman could do before her age became an inhibiting factor.
From the way Janeway moved, Seven easily noticed the bare leg that peeked out of the open slit of her dress and she loved what she saw, wanting more than anything to get a closer look at that leg and the rest of the smaller built woman. If her eyes and body language could communicate anything at that moment, it was that Seven was far from disappointed with Janeway's appearance. A million lightyears far. It made her think back to their first date when she first saw the Captain, recalling the images she had in her mind of this divine woman wearing a flattering dress and how flustered she became at the thought. Now here they were again, standing in the corridor outside of the holodecks, with Janeway looking almost exactly how Seven envisioned that first time. Fate was a funny thing.
Reminding herself that there was a need for certain social graces and that she couldn't continue standing there for much longer, Janeway crossed the remaining length of corridor between them, bringing herself face to face with her prize of a date.
"Hello there," she greeted in a low, sensual voice. She took Seven's Borg hand and lifted it to her lips, kissing the back of it in a loving and meaningful gesture. Her breathing hitched, Seven shivered at the feel of Janeway's lips on her skin and Borg implants. She smiled appreciatively, the gloss on her own lips shimmering in the light of the corridor.
"Hello Kathryn."
Janeway slowly dropped Seven's hand but maintained her grasp, caressing it with her thumb.
"Fancy meeting you here like this again," the redhead beamed, her bluish grey eyes shining, "it's wonderful to see you."
"And you as well. I have been looking forward to this," Seven sincerely replied, lightly squeezing Janeway's hand, mindful of how harsh the implants might feel if she applied too much force in her grip, "you are looking extremely desirable this evening."
"Oh, well," the older woman blushed at Seven's choice of words, her hand subconsciously running through her hair and briefly glancing down at herself, "thank you Seven. But I think you're giving me a run for my money in that dress."
"I would argue that they both have their merits," Seven quipped, noticeably eyeing the high slit of Kathryn's gown.
"You might be right," Janeway dipped her eyelashes, unabashedly enjoying the feel of Seven's leer over her body. The time and effort spent getting herself ready was definitely paying off. Perhaps I'll continue to get rewarded later in the evening, her lecherous inner voice mused. "Are you ready?"
"Yes."
The instinct to take the lead again motivated Kathryn to step towards the younger woman. Unsure of whether it came from a sense of tradition or her own selfish desire, she placed a hand on the small of Seven's naked back, feeling a combination of warm, silky flesh and the extra low hem of the dress. Beside herself with happiness and overwhelming passion, Kathryn gently guided an equally happy Seven inside Holodeck 2, where at last they would have their third successful date as well as many more like it in the future. Perhaps for the rest of their lives.