A/N: Always love reviews even if they are just to say "thanks" or "you suck"! Big thanks to Swishla, Guyana Rose and Air and Water for the reviews; RachelMoonblood, Riskreader, firefun72 and Draxis Felhunter for adding my stuff to their alerts.
I think I've said before that since this is my first story, I'm very much treating it as an experiment so I'm just allowing it to evolve how it will so long as I'm still having fun with it. Which I am.
Also, I don't know if anyone knows my Beta reader, Ryuchan, but she's the best and is keeping me on track- as much as anyone can!
Chapter 19- Going For Broke
She stared out into the vast expanse of the Delta Quadrant once more after gently setting down the last of her daily reports. Cradling her latest cup of black gold in her hands like a precious child to be eternally cared for, she reflected on recent events. It had been a long five days for Kathryn Janeway. First, it was her near-disastrous date with Seven of Nine. 'Hmpff, "near-disastrous" is probably being generous.' She was thankful that when Seven 'planted one on her' her knees involuntarily locked which had somehow prevented her from collapsing into a drooling heap during the immediate moments afterwards. 'She certainly gets an 'E' for effect…' She'd been trying to find a way to ask her out again since but had not been able to find the right time or place… 'or the courage…'.
Their evening was awkward, stiff and somewhat uncomfortable. Even when they had been discussing ships business it felt more like a staff meeting than a couple of friends 'chatting over wine'. There were aspects of Seven's personality that she absolutely adored but thought they might cause difficulties in a relationship with her Captain. Seven was beautiful, stubborn and powerful. Janeway wasn't entirely sure if she would ever be able to contain her in a relationship but Janeway was also a stubborn woman which unfortunately had the side effect of often blinding her to certain truths- and there was a glaring truth that she just wasn't seeing that was driving her subconscious nuts… and possibly the replicator as well.
The next development was Chakotay's unexpected volunteering for the diplomatic mission to the Vor'Tin home world. 'Maybe his ego was a bit bruised from the beating B'Elanna gave him.' At first she wasn't going to authorize it seeing as she wasn't about to have both her second and third-in-command off the ship for an extended period of time. The truth was that the reality of life in the Delta Quadrant had often led to times where several members of the command crew, including herself, were off Voyager for several days at a time. While she strove never to break the tenants of Starfleet philosophy, Captain Kathryn Janeway was by nature a rule bender. Besides, Chakotay was too much of a headache for her to deal with when he was depressed and Lieutenant Baxter seemed to enjoy the challenge of taking over Chakotay's responsibilities. In fact, he seemed to dive into the role with a fervour that Janeway hadn't seen since Voyager left dry dock. Seven's work with the Science Department crew scheduling had probably helped ease the burden as well.
'Maybe B'Elanna, Tuvok and Seven are on to something with extending responsibility to the crew. Stand-by crew have always been highly professional, but other than emergencies or some other craziness that prevents Alpha shifters from working, they don't get to do a whole lot during their shifts. Some 'acting' First Officer time, etc. seems like just the thing to keep our lives a bit more dynamic and the crew a bit more versatile. I still have to have another talk with B'Elanna and Marla Gilmore though... Chakotay never really rotated the personnel performing back-up duties with those crewing the shift positions and it's starting to look like a poor decision- or simple laziness. Lord knows I've changed enough neural gel-packs for B'Elanna to know that one can't survive out here on title alone. I wonder if we can find a way to recognize all the work between departments that the crew does. I'll have to think a bit more on that.'
It was always inspiring for a Captain to have the crew's faith in her shine through their work. With Seven not scheduled to take the Starfleet Commission Test and Bridge Officer's Test until this week, the next highest-ranking officer on Voyager was B'Elanna then Tom, and she knew B'Elanna would never take over the First Officer's duties; she and Seven had enough on their respective plates as it was. She'd also never ask Tom to fill in for Chakotay- if he was even qualified- he loved his thruster controls just a little too much, and quite frankly, she didn't want to show up for work to a bridge where every available position was filled by Voyager's single females with Tom Paris at the centre of it all. Janeway chuckled quietly to herself; B'Elanna was right- Tom Paris can ruin just about anyone's fantasy.
Voyager had also gotten their first report back from the away team one day ago. It seems that the short, hairy people known as the Vor'Tin had some self-image issues. Their home world was dotted with cities that used tall, slim buildings as the prominent architecture. That was apparently not the 'biggest' issue however. Each away team member had been offered their own personal... 'escort' for lack of a better description, for the duration of their stay. Tuvok had politely declined and of course Neelix didn't and was likely frustrating his with endless questions on culture. He was either sweetly naive or really just in need of a bit of attention- Janeway couldn't ever be quite sure when it came to Neelix. The relative 'hairiness' of the women likely put him at a strange sort of ease. Both Security officers had also declined by saying they had their duty to focus on. Chakotay didn't fare so well. When he first declined, the Ambassador's own daughter came forward requesting to 'escort' Voyager's First Officer around their world. Tuvok's brief description of the exchange told Janeway all she needed to know about Chakotay's reluctance and discomfort regarding the matter. She was suddenly very glad she did not make the trip.
Another report yesterday had told her that the R&D Lab was ready to go. B'Elanna and Seven had worked a couple late nights crawling through Jefferies tubes checking and re-checking the power connections to get it up and running. They had their engineering replicator installed and the holographic dais was given an upgrade as well. Apparently, they were going to be beginning work this week after their Alpha shifts were over. Janeway had given them carte blanche on research and they had an allotment of resources for prototypes until they had a solid design, then they would go to her for approval after Tuvok, through Myles, signed off on the idea.
'Lieutenant Sara Myles… you've been a wasted resource on this ship serving on Gamma shift for so many years. Brave, bold, beautiful… dangerous.'
~~~"Cadet Janeway, I once knew a chemistry professor who freely admitted to me that he believed that physics was the basis of all science... We shared a good laugh about it because it is- as I'm sure you know- a common conceit that those in each science specialization will usually believe theirs is the most important. My point- and I do have one if you think I haven't figured out that doubtful quirk of your brow and disbelieving grin- is that I can admit that what I do, the physical side of being a Starfleet officer- the 'grunt'- may not be the most important and despite ancient writings to the contrary, also not the most glamourous. BUT it is one more part of us that still needs tending to for us to be whole as a person and as a Starfleet officer. When you serve on a ship, you'll only be required to go to the Doctor every other month for a quick physical check-up and none of us instructors will be there to keep you running and your reflexes sharp. Now come on, I'll take you to that old fart of a doc and we'll get your ankle checked out… don't tell him I said that, he does a mean 'disapproving' face that will make you feel like you've kicked his puppy."~~~
Janeway shook herself out of an old, unbidden, but never forgotten memory and took another drink of her coffee. Myles was another crew member to go above and beyond. She'd moved up to Alpha shift and had figuratively taken the crew by storm. She and B'Elanna had seemed to become fast friends and she had shown a level of comfort with Seven that Janeway might admit she was jealous of if she more closely examined just WHO she was jealous of. She had taken the reigns of Security and was so far doing a remarkable job. Her reports also indicated that there would be MANDATORY physical drills over the next weeks to go along with her planned training scenarios. The Doctor usually had to practically club her over the head and then jab her in the neck with a hypospray filled with sedatives to get Kathryn Janeway to stay in Sickbay for her 'annual' physical- in which he usually scolded her and prescribed an exercise regiment she wouldn't follow- but when she got the list of names and dates for the physical drills, Janeway found herself eager to spend a few early morning hours running the halls of Deck 10 with some of the lower decks crew members. 'It's a good team-building exercise after all…'
Apparently, Myles had also gotten involved with B'Elanna's 'rehab' and was teaching her some martial arts. B'Elanna Torres was taking instruction- and apparently taking it well from all the ribbing going on during the last brief Senior Staff meeting yesterday morning. Still, Janeway was just glad that the Doctor had given B'Elanna a clean bill of health and she could get back to work full-time... well her new 'full-time' which consisted of her actual hours and then an additional half-shift in the R&D lab five days a week.
Janeway was still going to have to sit Tuvok down for a little 'talk' and make him squirm for a while. Myles should never have been stuck on Gamma shift for so long despite whatever his reasoning might have been. Of course she couldn't really be mad at him either but that wouldn't prevent her from having a bit of fun at his expense. It was getting to be a bit of a tradition- or sport… perhaps habit? for her to find ways of making her Vulcan friend squirm. If there was one thing she could say was a major misconception about Vulcans, it was that they didn't have emotions or couldn't get embarrassed. While excruciatingly practical, Vulcans were some of the most emotional beings in the galaxy- the Ponn Far was evidence enough of that. Like having cracks appear in an old concrete dam, it was their Id's way of letting them know they would never be 'off the hook' regarding their emotions.
Finally acquiescing to her stomach's demand for something other than coffee, lest its latest grumble turn into a rumble, Janeway finished off her latest cup and checked the time. '2257? Damn, no wonder I'm so hungry. I heard that the Delaney's had taken over the kitchen after Neelix left. Might as well see what they've been up to and if there is anything left. Can't live on rations forever… although they are good to have as a back up.' A little food might even give her the energy to seek out Seven and ask her out again.
Somewhere deep inside her mind, figurative hands were being thrown up in frustration.
She was showered and changed into some casual clothes. She felt both refreshed and exhausted. She wouldn't be staying out long and it was unfortunate that she had to eat so late but it was probably worth it. Seven and B'Elanna had taken to Myles' instruction like the famous Captain Kirk took to first contact with an alien race's females. She'd briefly explained a bit about the idea of channelling and redirecting an opponent's force, determining intent, direction of movement and what was being expressed through the action. Then she'd shown them the 13 movements and how they might connect together. Of course it was no way even close to being proper instruction, but these ladies were unique. After each woman had demonstrated their super-humanly rapid grasp on each, Myles called up one of the holographic martial arts instructors and told him to help them find a bit of form and initiate some brief contact exercises.
'I'd bet real money that this should do it. With the outfit that Seven put on combined with what Torres is wearing… their bodies will admit to each other what they can't seem to admit to themselves. Some people might think it's too fast but spending even the small amount of time with them that I have, it's obvious that they've had a connection for a while. It's just becoming a healthier one…'
After agreeing to participate, Seven and replicated what was essentially a dark blue sports bra and short-shorts combo. When she started to strip in front of them, Myles and Torres both turned away to give the woman some privacy as they sputtered out some random comically awkward small talk. Myles got the distinct impression that Torres had been struggling with Seven's natural lack of modesty.
'Certainly not around *her*, if the flushed skin and full dilation of her pupils was an indication…'
When Seven had finished changing and said they could turn around, even Myles' breath caught in her throat. Seven was a uniquely beautiful woman, there was no denying it. Her body was toned, fit and her cybernetic implants seemed to enhance her aura of power. This was clearly not a woman to have angry at you but definitely one to have on your side. The subtle smug indicators in her 'normal' expression said she knew it too. Myles had to jab B'Elanna in the ribs to get her moving…
Myles let out a small satisfied moan as she took another bite of the Delaney's "Home Made" chicken fettuccine Alfredo. The 'chicken' was some kind of fowl that Voyager had picked up some months ago very similar to chicken and they were raising them in a sectioned off area of the Hydroponics bay. They were famous for being able to breed rapidly and thrive on small amounts of water and plant matter. It turned out that ground leola root stems seemed to be their new favourite food. The only initial setback was little Naomi Wildman wanting to name them all- which wouldn't have been a problem if Neelix hadn't come along at the time to gather two of them up for slaughter. Naomi had apparently begged him not to kill "Beaks", or "Feathers", or "Pluffy", or… it turns out with children involved, naming the animals you eat had an unexpected side effect and it took both the Captain and Sam Wildman's promise that she could name a few of the egg layers to keep the young girl from crying. The influx of fresh eggs and poultry without any significant extra energy expenditure was a welcome change- even if it meant that the occasional short straw had to be drawn to clean the coop.
'Dear Lord, I am thankful for two things: one is that there are creatures out there that appreciate the subtleties of the leola root and two- that I don't work in the Sciences.'
Internal sarcasm and the resulting idiotic grin were always lost on the audience when you were sitting alone. There were several Gamma shifters in the mess hall grabbing breakfast- including, Myles noticed, two lower decks crewmen freshly added to her 'shit list'. She glanced at the two men a few times to see if they had the 'Oh-shit-she-hangs-with-Seven!' face, but both seemed genuinely oblivious to her presence although still tense.
The only other people out of place in the room were Tom and Harry in the kitchen cleaning and trying to organize all the hanging racks of home made noodles. The Delaney sisters had conscripted 'clean up' help- they of course, were no where to be found. Myles rolled her eyes as she thought back to the night at Sandrines and how easily both men were manipulated by the infamous Delaney pouts and sly smiles.
"I've heard that a constant rolling of the eyes is bad for you- much like swooping." Myles was shaken from her thoughts at the sound of her Captain's teasing voice. 'How did I not even hear her approach?'
"Huh?" Was the only sound she was able to make in what she thought should be an appropriate response time to a remark from her Captain.
The Captain had spotted the tall redhead almost immediately upon entering the mess hall. Aside from Tom and Harry and being the only Alpha shifter in the room separated from the Gamma shifters who were scrambling to eat breakfast, she was also the only one in the room wearing a forest green t-shirt and black gym pants. Janeway noticed the casual attire but also that she looked… refreshed somehow. Like out of the shower or something. Her curiosity piqued, she grabbed a plate, scooped some of the noodles and sauce onto her plate and made her way over to the woman while doing her best to ignore Tom and Harry's antics. Once she got to the table though, it was the hint of strawberries that told her she had to sit.
Janeway smiled at the slightly flustered and confused redhead as she sat down with a small plate of the leftover pasta. "Tom and Harry. I've learned to just accept that outside of work, they're more boys than men. It saves the eyeballs a work out." She smiled as she pointed to her eye with a finger and looked back at the two excitable men hurriedly finishing their task and chatting about how much the sisters were going to appreciate their work. "I may not have the 'pulse' of the gossip on Voyager, but you don't need it with those two they talk so much. I guess the Delaneys conscripted their own help." She couldn't help but chuckle even if she was able to fight the eye roll.
Her brain finally caught up with her and Myles was able to relax at the disarming smile of the woman seated across from her. Sitting there was Captain Janeway, the textbook image of a Starfleet Captain, chuckling at Tom and Harry's antics.
"Yeah… I don't think they teach Starfleet Captains the 'doe-eyed' method of getting their crew to follow orders, do they?" Janeway was about to take a bite from her procured meal when she set her fork down and adopted a playful-yet-thoughtful look.
"It might have helped to be honest. We Captains are mostly taught how to glare until we are able to melt the paint off a wall and weaned onto a caffeine addiction. Personally, I think it's all a conspiracy with the coffee bean producers." Her pointed look broke Myles' hold on her building laugh and it burst out before she could stop it. She quickly put her hand over her mouth so she wouldn't spit on the woman across from her.
"I can understand the need to have Starfleet Captains alert... the danger of course being that you always run the risk of defecting starships to factions with better coffee."
"Blasphemy! There is no better coffee than Colombian Dark Roast." Janeway defended playfully appalled.
"I don't know Captain, if the Vor'Tin have natural coffee beans..." Myles let the sentence drift off intentionally as she smirked into her next bite of food. Janeway snickered and covered he own mouth as she took another bite of her own meal.
"Speaking of the Vor'Tin, and this stays strictly between us... though I suppose as acting Security Chief you should know..." The Captain spent the next few minutes telling Myles of the 'situation' with the away team- Chakotay's in particular. The young Lieutenant just laughed and tried to eat the rest of her food without spitting it out. She couldn't help but also savour the idea of Chakotay's discomfort. Somehow the next hour was completely lost to the two women as they ate, talked and laughed.
"…so then Tuvok says, 'your actions were not logical' and I said, 'they were perfectly logical, they just weren't rational'. You should have seen his face- I could swear he developed a tick." Janeway couldn't remember when she'd had this much fun just chatting and laughing with someone. The mess hall was nearly empty and two plates of finished food still sat in front of her and Lieutenant Sara Myles.
"I can't believe you- YOU, Captain Kathryn Janeway, the model of a Starfleet officer- went streaking through the Quad back at the Academy. Oh my God, you're why the path from the rec hall at McCoy house through the Quad is called "Auburn Run"! Geeze, between you and Torres, this ship is full of Academy legends. Anyone else here famous? And Tuvok was an instructor there! Oh, this is too much fun." Myles was practically floating in euphoria. Here she was 'shooting the shit' with Captain Janeway, laughing, eating and finding out there was just so much more to the small auburn-haired woman then she ever could have imagined. They were having a great time and she really didn't care if it ever stopped.
The Captain buried her face in her hands for the second time in six days. *groan* "They still call it that? Goodness that explains the look I got from Admiral Tucker when I went for my interview for the First Officer's job on the Seoul…"
"Don't worry Captain, I don't think many of the Cadets know why it is called that, I certainly didn't." Her Captain was blushing. 'She is really cute when she blushes… oh boy, you got it bad Myles- you got it bad. When did this even happen? …TUVOK! …eh, not like I didn't know he was pushing us together, I just didn't realize there would be such a connection so quickly…'
The old fart was craftier than she had given him credit for it seemed.
Janeway sensed that Myles was struggling internally with something as she had briefly lost her smile… and then shrugged in what looked like playful resignation. Kathryn Janeway found she wanted to see that smile again. Myles' deep green eyes, blood red hair and infectious smile were rapidly becoming a few of her favourite things to look at.
"Please Lieutenant, I have a standing policy that those few people who know of my 'Birthday-Suit-Track-and-Field' history call me Kathryn off duty."
She got her smile.
"Certainly Kathryn…" Myles looked down and then back up shyly, "…would you… I mean, if you want, I'd like you to call me…" her heart had begun to beat rapidly and her green eyes shone with hope and something else "…Sara."
Kathryn smiled as a mischievous glint shone in her grey/blue eyes. "Certainly Sara… I suppose Sara… say Sara? Sara has an inner ear infection… yep, your name works just about any way I can say it- ok, I'll stop." She really liked how the Lieutenant's name rolled off her tongue and couldn't help but throw out some alliteration to tease the young woman. The pointed smirk she was receiving in return was completely worth it.
Myles found herself still grinning as she and the Captain entered the Holodeck where Seven and B'Elanna were practicing Pushing Hands. She absently wondered why the two of them were even still there; somehow she'd lost track of the last hour and a bit. '"Somehow" nothing. You had the best 'date' you've been on in years and it wasn't even an actual date.'
Lieutenant Sara Myles and her Captain stopped in their tracks inside the Holodeck. Both women momentarily forgot to breathe.
There, in the centre of the room, were Seven and B'Elanna, engaged in what Janeway could only describe as the most sensual expression of martial arts she'd ever seen.
One would have to have been blind not to see it and although stubborn, Kathryn Janeway was not blind. The dam burst and things seemed to finally fall into place. One would think it would have upset the Captain and yet... a calm seemed to settle over her consciousness. She would not ask Seven out again. She had not even been sure why she had gone to the Holodeck. The pretense of seeing Seven seemed to have gotten lost in the desire to simply spend time with Sara. 'Sara…. Sara… why can I simply just say your name over and over and have it feel… right?'
Blue eyes were locked on brown, oblivious to the rest of the universe; their limbs seemed to move over each other like watery serpents engaged in a mating ritual as each contact was met with appropriate resistance- testing, teasing and communicating more than words ever could. Each application of force was opposed or redirected as the dance continued, their graceful steps never faltering. Energy was flowing between the two women and it only seemed to be growing. B'Elanna seemed to be trying to get inside Seven's guard and Seven would turn her away and spin behind her in an attempt to topple the smaller woman who in turn would spin and catch her wrist and being the whole process over again. They swayed back and forth as each continued to test and tease and react; hands pushing wrists; feet moving legs; hips colliding and sliding off each other as if part of a sensual martial arts tango.
Janeway turned to look at Myles, whose sparkling green eyes were locked on the scene in front of her. She had the biggest shit-eating grin on her suddenly *beautiful* face that Janeway had ever seen.
"Well it's about damn time!" was all the tall redhead said before the room broke out into laughter as the two obvious soul mates toppled over.
End Chapter 19
A/N: **The "swooping is bad" reference is from Dragon Age Origins, it's mainly in there so I can chuckle to myself. Seinfeld seems to be an influence that is showing up in nearly every chapter and Old School is just a great funny movie.**