Chapter Thirteen

"So, Captain, wanna tell us what's going on?" B'Elanna asked. "That didn't look good at all."

"I agree." Ro Laren said. "It looked like Buffy was trying to attack you."

Kathryn looked at the faces of the three women before her and knew that she wasn't getting out of this one without an explanation, especially since it looked like Buffy was now a security risk in Laren's eyes. Sighing, she tapped her communicator. "Computer, four to beam directly to captain's quarters."

In her quarters, she directed the others to make themselves comfortable and offered them drinks. After passing out the requested beverages, she took her own seat and all was silent as she gathered her thoughts.

Finally, Captain Janeway looked up, and swept the ones before with solemn eyes, "What I am about to tell you is not to be spoken of to others unless it becomes a threat to the ship as a whole." She raised her hand, one finger upraised at Laren's reaction, waiting. When Laren reluctantly closed her lips, she continued.

"The only reason I'm disclosing this information without asking them is to avoid any misunderstandings. Despite what it seemed, she would not have hurt me. Actually," Kathryn paused a moment, a very faint flush of color barely touching her cheeks, "I may have inadvertently set her off myself."

Torres started, "Captain, you did nothing at all that could have warranted an attack! You were barely even looking at her when she turned on you. How could that have 'set her off'?!?"

Kathryn hesitated a moment, trying to find the words, when Seven commented, "She detected your arousal, did she not?"

You could have heard a pin drop after that matter-of-fact statement. Kathryn dropped her head in her hands as Laren and Torres, speechless, looked first at Seven, then the Captain, before looking at each other.

It was Torres who cautiously broke the silence, "Captain, is there something between you and Buffy we might need to know about?"

"This information does not leave this room, understand?" They nodded. Kathryn leaned her head back against the couch. and sighed. "Buffy and I were involved back in Sunnydale."

After a long moment of stunned silence, B'Elanna exclaimed in shock. "Kahless, Captain, she's got to be at least 10 years younger than you!" For once, she didn't quail at the glare Kathryn turned on her. Seven and Laren, however, remained silent and waited.

"She's very... persuasive, when she wants to be." Kathryn finally responded. "Besides, her first boyfriend was almost over two hundred years old, so I doubt she saw it the same way. The private conversation that I had with Dawn was needed to tell me something very important that impacted that relationship. Apparently, along with those other feline qualities that they received, they also ended up with a need to mate, and it just so happens that I am Buffy's mate."

When her revelation didn't garner any comments, she lifted her head to look at her officers. All three were staring at her in speechless shock, even Seven. She gave them a moment to absorb that news before she continued. "I've been putting her off for the moment, because mating with a S'Terran will introduce and activate genetic anomolies in Non-S'Terran mates, making them, in this case, me, her equal in strength and such, and I can't afford to take that time away from the ship right now."

"On the contrary, Captain." Seven disagreed. "Now would be the perfect time."

All heads swung to stare at Seven in renewed shock. She ignored the others as she focused on Kathryn. "We are currently in the safest position we have ever been in. A place where we can relax. There are no ship or even planets for more than 15 lightyears in any direction, and with the enhanced sensors, we would spot a ship long before it reached us. If you have to take time off for these changes, then now is the time."

"Seven!" B'Elanna turned to the Borg. "Do you realize what you're saying?!? You're actually telling her to take a chance on genetic changes. We don't know enough about what could happen to her if she did that."

"Actually, I do." Kathryn spoke up. "Depending on who supplies the rest of the genetic code, it gives the mate the strengths and abilities to become equal to their S'Terran mate."

They gaped at their commanding officer. Seven was the first to respond. "Captain, if you have this information, why did you not share it with the doctor or myself when we asked?"

"For two reasons. One, I didn't find out until after the meeting concluded and I had that private conversation with Dawn, and two, the S'Terrans all know, and they would tell their potential mates when it was necessary. It's a mating procedure, Seven, and that's not something that becomes general knowledge."

"You still haven't explained why Buffy attacked you." Laren reminded.

Before Kathryn could answer, the door chimed. "Hey, in there!" Seven heard Faith yell. "I can answer that."

"It is Faith." Seven informed the others. "She said that she could answer Laren's question."

"She can hear us?" B'Elanna asked, shocked yet again by these people's abilities.

"Let her in, Seven." Seven opened the door to reveal the flushed and dirty brunette. Kathryn looked at her in concern. "Faith, you look like you've been running through the woods."

"Heh, well, that's probably because I have." Faith answered. She looked around at the others. "Do you want them to hear this?"

"They might as well." Kathryn admitted. "They'll just worry at it anyway."

"Umm, okay, then." Faith visibly gathered herself, and Kathryn couldn't help but worry. She had never seen Faith out of sorts. "Well, B's gone a little nuts." She ignored the obvious reactions to that statement. "She's been reacting to you as if you two are already mated. The mating fire is burning hot in her, and it shouldn't be. We've been trying to take care of it."

"Wait a minute." B'Elanna interrupted, outraged, but not really understanding why. She immediately decided it was for the captain's sake. "Are you telling us that you've been sleeping with Buffy? I thought she was the captain's mate?"

"We've been doing what was necessary to give B the strength she needed to let KJ decide on her own." Faith told her bluntly. "B's instincts are way outta whack when it comes to KJ. Me and Willow give her what she needs to bleed off the worst of her hunger so that she can be around the Cap without pouncing."

"That's a very good analogy, Slayer, I'm impressed." Said a new voice.

Kathryn suddenly wished she'd had a whiskey and soda instead of just coffee. "What are you doing here, Q?"

"I'm here to tell you what's wrong with the luscious little blonde." Q stated magnanimously. Focused on Kathryn, he was unprepared for the fist that caught him in the jaw, sending him slamming hard into the far wall.

"Who is this asshole?" Faith asked, standing in front of her friend's mate protectively.

"It's all right, Faith." Kathryn put a calming hand on the girl's tense shoulder. "He's one of the powers that helped bring you here. He's a little obnoxious, but he won't hurt anyone, right Q?"

"Of course not, Kathy." Q said, rubbing his jaw. They could see his surprise that he'd actually been struck. "I'm insulted that you'd even think I do something to hurt you."

Kathryn's brow rose, and he chuckled before smiling charmingly. "Past encounters not withstanding. You're my son's godmother. He'd kill me if I did something to you."

"You said you got news about B?" Faith interrupted. "What did you do to her? Why's she acting like this?"

"I didn't do anything to her." Q denied. "Her little side trip to hell, and being forcibly dragged out of heaven screwed up you friend. Her evolution progressed in leaps and bounds instead of steady like yours did. That's why you are all so closely bonded, or in some cases, will be closely bonded. As for her reactions to Kathryn, here, her instincts say that they are already mates, from their previous relationship, even though her mind knows differently. That is why she can speak with you mentally, even though the others can't. That's also why she's having so much trouble with her reactions."

Q turned to Kathryn, and his face suddenly turned completely serious. "I know that you've already decided to accept the mating, and the Borg is right. Now is the perfect time. You're still safe for about another week or so. The girl needs this mating between you, and sooner rather than later. Believe me, the consequences of waiting too long won't be pretty. The longer you remain unmated, the more erratic her subconscious is going to become. Soon, those two will not be able to help her hold onto her control, especially if she scents your arousal again."

"Willow's with Buffy now, KJ." Faith informed her. "You need to stay far away from the holodeck until she can regain her control. Hell, you probably shouldn't have even come back on board. Is there any way you can, you know, make sure nobody can get in when I go back?" Suddenly, Faith fell to her knees with a low groan. "Oh, shit. One on one ain't working. I gotta get back."

"Computer, initiate emergency site to site transport to Holodeck 2 for the S'Terran currently in the captain's quarters. Authorization Janeway seven zero nine omega." Kathryn immediately ordered. Faith disappeared in a sparkle of pale blue light. "Seal Holodeck 2 and erect level 10 forcefield around deck 6 section 9, and release it at the beginning of alpha shift. Hopefully that will be enough time."

'Acknowledged.'

"Captain, do you wish for me to send a security detail?" Laren asked.

"Absolutely not." Kathryn said. "If Buffy manages to get out of the holodeck and past the forcefield, which even with her strength is unlikely, then she might do serious damage to anything or anyone that threatens her."

"I hope you are prepared to do something, one way or the other, Kathryn." Q said gravely. "Because she will need you when this is done."