Chakotay paced the mess hall anxiously, minutes feeling like hours as he awaited Seven's return. He was happy to see the doors opening but his hopes were dashed when only the Captain appeared. "What happened? Where's Seven?" he asked her urgently.
The Captain ran an exasperated hand over her face. "Plenty happened, nothing good, now I have to deal with it."
"Is Seven still with him?"
The Captain snorted. "No! She left rather…abruptly. I have no idea where she went. For God's sake go and find her, I can't leave it like this. I have to go make some calls." She left for her ready room without further explanation to a desperate Chakotay.
"Computer, locate Seven of Nine." He hoped she had put her comm. badge back on for coming aboard.
Thankfully she had. "Seven of Nine is in Cargo Bay 2."
He exhaled in relief and quickly made his way there. He was a bit surprised at what he found, she was just regenerating, maybe the Captain was overreacting. "Seven?" he called out cautiously. She didn't react, standing in her alcove as calm and unmoveable as ever. He argued with himself whether or not to disturb her, but knowing what was on the line he approached her and gently shook her arm. Her eyelashes fluttered open immediately and she stepped out to the familiar chorus of "Regeneration cycle incomplete."
She didn't bother with a greeting. "The Captain sent you."
"She didn't send me! Well, she asked me to come and get you but I'm here for my own reasons. What happened in there with the Admiral?"
"I have learned any attempt to converse with him would be futile."
"How do you know that?"
"He believes I will return to the Borg and put the Federation in danger." She stated as stoically as possible, her defences fully up.
He could see she wasn't telling him something and probed for more. "He said something else, something which upset you, what was it?"
She sighed and looked apprehensively down at her feet. Unable to delay any longer she replied in a wavering tone which surprised her. "He insulted you."
Chakotay was touched but still exasperated. "Seven! You can't just walk out of an important meeting just because someone insults me! You have to take the high road…"
She cut him off in order to clarify. "He said I was completely in the power of my Maquis lover who would undoubtedly lead me to rebellion."
That silenced him, he hadn't expected the remark to be that harsh and he knew she'd toned it down. His heart was silently cheering her actions but the rational part of his brain told him that he had to convince her to talk again if they wanted to be left undisturbed in the future. "Everyone's going to suspicious at first, they don't know us. We have to prove their assumptions wrong."
"I do not relish the prospect of just taking such insults…"
"That is irrelevant." He said with a teasing glint in his eye, knowing he was getting through to her.
"Unfortunately you are correct. I will return."
"Good." In recognition of the pain those remarks must have caused her, he hugged her close. "You're always very brave."
She sighed into his shoulder. "There is no point in being otherwise."
Characteristically, now that she had made her decision Seven wanted to begin her task immediately, so they left the cargo bay quicker than Chakotay had anticipated and made their way back to the meeting room, only for the Captain to call them away. "Seven of Nine and Chakotay to Transporter Room 2, please."
Intrigued they turned around and hurried there. Seven was shocked when she saw the two people that awaited them, a man and a woman. She had enough tact to stop herself calling him by his Borg designation. "Captain Picard."
Chakotay whipped his head round to her in surprise. Picard nodded to her pensively in acknowledgement. The woman beside him walked confidently up to them. "I'm Counsellor Deanna Troi; it's a pleasure to meet you."
Chakotay smiled at her and greeted her with his natural ease despite his confusion as to why they were here. "Commander Chakotay, it's nice to meet you too."
Seven stood stiffly, her arms defensively behind her back. "I am Seven of Nine, you may call me Seven."
"Thank you." Deanna replied gracefully, even she was having difficulty reading the younger woman's more subtle emotions, they were very much shielded and under the surface.
Picard finally spoke up, addressing Janeway. "Kathryn, you said you wanted me to speak to Admiral Colby?"
"Yes that's right."
"I think it would be better if all of us met him together." Deanna said softly but with unmistakable authority.
"Of course." Said Picard. "Show me the way please Kathryn."
They made a near silent procession back to the meeting room where Admiral Colby stood up in surprise at their entrance. "Jean-Luc! Deanna! I didn't know you were coming!"
"Starfleet thought these meeting could use a fresh perspective, if you would allow us Admiral?" said Picard smoothly.
"Yes, of course!" he said loudly, before addressing Picard in more hushed tones. "Listen Jean-Luc, I know you were taken by the Borg, but this woman is a whole other kettle of fish…"
"Just relax, for a moment sir."
Seven saw her moment and spoke up. "I apologise for my manner of leaving the meeting, it was deeply irrational of me." In return she got a proud smile from both Chakotay and Deanna.
"Yes well, it was perhaps wrong of me to pass judgement on your relationship. Even you have a right to privacy." Replied Colby gruffly.
Seven, Chakotay and even Captain Janeway bristled at the "even." Deanna saw the first sign of passion in Seven when her relationship was mentioned and felt pleased.
"You do not deny that the Borg still have some influence over you?" Colby asked Seven directly, not beating about the bush.
Seven's back straightened as she met his hard gaze. "I do not deny that I remain more Borg than human" her voice wavered slightly, "I was raised by the Borg, I have spent the majority of my life with the Collective, such an outcome was unavoidable, but I am now an individual and I have no desire to give that up."
"To give you some perspective Admiral, Seven was assimilated just after her sixth birthday and lived as a drone until we rescued her four years ago." Janeway remarked to further strengthen Seven's case.
"I myself can tell you how consuming it is Admiral, I admire Seven for managing to come this far." Said Picard in a measured tone.
"Come to me please, Seven of Nine." Requested Colby suddenly.
Deanna whispered advice in Seven's ear as she rose. "His daughter was assimilated while on a mission for Starfleet, forgive his bitterness."
Seven nodded as understanding washed over her and she now approached him without fear, looking at him directly but with a soft expression on her face. "Admiral if it is true that your daughter was assimilated, then I am truly sorry…"
"Don't you dare talk about her, you're a drone, it's your fault!" He waved her away angrily but she stood her ground.
"It is not my fault any more than it is hers. I was taken as she was, as all of the Collective once were. We are all a loss for someone. You would not like your daughter being accused of assimilating someone because you would not think it's her fault. Blame and revenge changes nothing and helps no one." She said that speech with such quiet assurance that her point sank into everyone.
The Admiral looked at her with tear filled eyes, seeing what his daughter could have become. Solidarity with her softened his anger and calmed his constant grief. "What would you like to do on Earth Seven?" he asked suddenly.
Seven was taken aback but responded truthfully. "Something peaceful in nature."
He smiled at her. "Good. I'm sure Starfleet will find that acceptable." He left hurriedly without another word and they began to file out. Deanna caught Chakotay's arm as he tried to follow Seven.
"You are a lucky man to have the love of someone with such a pure soul." She told him.
"I know." He replied his eyes still on Seven.
A/n: Someone told me not to make Starfleet too evil so I changed my idea, I hope I didn't go too far the other way. Did you like the TNG cameos? Please review! I have started a new C7 story, make me happy and read it too. It's called "Lost and Found". Don't worry I'll update both of them regularly.