Chapter Twenty-Eight
Seven's hands flew across the console as she analyzed the information on the screen, almost working automatically without her having to think about it. After two weeks of being away from Astrometrics, there was an overabundance of work that needed to be done, and she was having trouble determining where to start. While she could tell that Icheb had done an admirable job at keeping up on the work without her, she still needed to bring herself up to speed on all the information Voyager collected during her absence. Astrometrics wasn't the type of job one could simply "take a break" from, and now she had to figure out a way to wrap her mind around all the old informatino while staying on top of the new scans. It would take her quite some time to do so, and she figured she might as well start right now.
At first, it hadn't been Seven's intention to come down to Astrometrics. After resting for the majority of the day, she woke up in the middle of the night feeling wide awake. She considered sitting around Chakotay's quarters and reading a book or watching a movie, but both options seemed highly inefficient, especially after spending the majority of the past few days sitting around and basically doing nothing. She also didn't want to risk waking Chakotay, who needed his sleep to perform his duties as First Officer. When she woke up, he looked so relaxed asleep next to her, and it broke her heart to think about waking him up to keep her company during her dout of insomnia, although she knew he would gladly do so without a single complaint. When she looked at his face, she could see all the stress he carried as First Officer of the starship melt away as he was finally able to relax. She didn't want to wake him up and subject him to that stress, so she instead pulled on one of her bodysuits and came down to Astrometrics to sneak in a little bit of work. With any luck, she'd be back in bed before Chakotay even knew she was gone after accomplishing some work for the first time in what felt like ages.
Weeks' worth of information scrolled across the large Astrometrics screen. Thankfully, Seven's higher mental capacity, she was able to process the information much quicker than most, but it was still a lot of information to go through. She was so wrapped up in scrutinizing every small detail of the information, that she didn't hear the doors to Astrometrics slide open and closed once again, indicating that she was no longer alone.
"You know, I thought the Doctor told you you couldn't return to duty yet," Chakotay stated, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin. Wide eyed, she spun around to face him. All she needed to do was look at his expression for half a second to know that he wasn't happy with her late night adventure. He stood on the other side of the computer console with his feet planted shoulder width apart and his arms crossed over his chest. It was a stance usually reserved for reprimanding members of the crew.
"I couldn't sleep."
"So you find a way to entertain yourself. You read a book, watch a movie, relax a little. Hell, you wake me up and talk to me." His voice unintentionally rose with emotion as he tried to process what went through her mind to justify sneaking off in the middle of the night, scaring him half to death in the process. He reached behind her and turned off the screen, instantly putting an end to her late night clandestine attempt to get some work done.
"You require sleep, you have to get up to report to duty in approximately two hours," Seven pointed out bluntly, although her argument was rather useless as he was awake and wandering around the ship anyway.
"I'd rather be tired than wake up and have five years taken off my life when you're not in bed next to me and nowhere to be found."
"Well, you obviously found me, so now we can both return to bed." She really didn't see what the big deal was, Voyager was a finite space, there were only so many places she could be. Sam didn't worry when she let Naomi run around the starship, so there was no need for him to worry either.
"You're missing the point, Seven." He sounded like he was starting to get annoyed with her nonchalant attitude, but she didn't care. As a grown woman, she was free to make her own decisions. "If something happened to you, nobody knew you were here. It could have been hours until you were found, and that could have been a serious problem. I don't think you understand the severity of the situation."
"Of course I do," she snapped. If Chakotay was going to be difficult and hard headed right now, then she could return the favor. Besides, he was overreacting, nothing was going to happen to her.
"Then what could be so damn important that you put your health on the line and violate a direct order from the Captain and the Doctor?" he demanded. "If I had half a mind, I'd put a formal reprimand in your file." It was an empty threat and both of them knew it. Seven's usually clear blue eyes were stormy with anger as she squared her shoulder and looked him dead in the eye.
"You can't do that. You just told me last night that you cannot handle any disciplinary actions pertaining to me," she challenged defiantly in an attempt to put him in his place.
"You're missing the point!" His voice echoed off the high ceilings of the Astrometrics lab, making it seem far louder than it actually was. Usually he was so calm, even when angry, so Seven knew she'd definitely pushed some buttons this time, but she had no regrets. She wanted to get some work done, and that was exactly what she did. "Why are you putting your health on the line like this?"
"I came to catch up on some work," she replied.
"Work?" he scoffed, not believing he heard her correctly. "Of all the things you can risk your health on, you're going to risk it because of work. Could you be any more reckless?"
"It wasn't my intention to be reckless, it was my intention to be efficient." Now that the floodgates were open, the words just tumbled out freely and without any sign of stopping. "I spent the majority of the away mission sick and unable to help in any capacity but instead hindering any rescue attempts and being a burden to everyone else." Chakotay opened his mouth to argue against that, but she continued with her hand held up to silence him, "Please, let me speak. Then I get back to Voyager and spend a week unconscious in sickbay, so obviously I wasn't doing my job then. I wake up, and I'm told I cannot report to duty for several more days. I've never had a day off in my life, Chakotay, not since before I was assimilated, and I don't remember any of that. I cannot sit still in your quarters, and to ask me to do so is tantamount to torture." Seven knew she was being overdramatic, but she desperately needed to get her point across. There was no way she could simply sit around and do nothing all day. Most crewmen on the ship would welcome some time off, but it went against everything she believed in and was terribly inefficient. Despite her exhaustion, she simply couldn't sit around anymore or she was sure she'd lose her mind.
Seven's outburst caused Chakotay's gaze to immediately softened, and he felt his frustration slowly melt away into nothingness. While he knew she was restless, anyone with eyes could see that, he had no idea she was struggling so much. He'd been completely oblivious to something that was right under his nose, and now he felt awful. She should have known that this would have been a struggle for her.
"I had no idea," he openly admitted, his voice soft and his eyes downcast in shame. "And I'm sorry about that. I should have been more aware of how you were feeling."
"I don't blame you, I didn't tell you."
"What can I do to help you?" She opened her mouth to reply, but he cut her off. "Besides letting you return to duty." She glowered as she tried to think of an answer to his question.
"I don't know," she replied. "I want to return to duty." She knew it was a shot in the dark, but she had to at least ask. She knew she couldn't sit around and wait for the Doctor to give her the all clear to return to duty.
"In a few days," he promised, although technically it was the Doctor, not him, who would ultimately make that call. "Now, let's get back to my quarters." He slid an arm around her waist and guided her towards the door. There was a certain forcefulness behind his action, telling her that it was an order veiled as a suggestion. With a combination of desperation and pleading in her eyes, she glanced back at her beloved Astrometrics lab, wondering when she'd finally be able to return to it on a full time basis. At least she would only be gone for a few more days at the very most and had gotten a glimpse at what she'd missed; it gave her a small sense of what she needed to get done when she finally came back. She could use that information to get a little bit of work done in Chakotay's quarters while he was was on duty himself, so this little endeavor hadn't been a complete waste.
By the time Chakotay returned to his quarters with Seven, he was wide awake. He knew that there was no chance of him falling back asleep before having to return to work, so it wasn't even worth trying. Instead, he guided Seven to the couch and took a seat next to her. A confused look flashed across her face.
"You're not returning to bed?" she asked.
"I think it's more important that we talk." Her gaze fell to her hands in her lap.
"You're displeased with me." Now she had to deal with the fact that Icheb and Chakotay, the two most important men in her life, were mad at her, and she had to find a way to make amends with both of them.
"No, I'm displeased with myself," he countered, which caught her off guard. "I was completely oblivious to the fact that you were feeling frustrated. I've been asking you how you've been feeling physically, but I haven't asked you how you've been emotionally." He draped his arm along the back of the couch and ran the back of his finger along a loose strand of hair. He loved it when she wore her hair down and wished she'd do it more often; it gave her a more casual, friendly appearance. "I had no idea you were so upset. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was unsure how to bring up the subject. I just want to feel useful."
"You are useful, muñeca, but you won't be if you end up in sickbay again, which is exactly what might happen if the Doctor finds out. That would mean no more laying around on these less than comfortable couches, no more home cooked meals fresh from a replicator-"
"No more waking up to you snoring in the middle of the night," she interjected.
"I don't snore," Chakotay argued, pretending to be hurt. There was a playful tone to his voice that told her that he giving her a hard time.
"How would you know? You're asleep." She had an excellent point there. He had no idea if he snored or not; it wasn't something he ever thought about. Nobody had ever brought it up before though. "Don't worry, I find it...intriguing."
"Intriguing?" He raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"Perhaps that was the wrong word to use."
"No, it's fine, but we're digressing. I'll talk to the Captain this morning about transferring some of the data from Astrometrics here so you can catch up on some work." The suggestion immediately caused her eyes to light up with excitement at the possibility of getting some work done. Even if she wasn't allowed to return to her Astrometrics lab, she'd at least be able to get something done around here. "But you still need to rest, that's your main focus right now. I wouldn't be able to handle it if something were to happen to you." Now it was Seven's turn to inquire after Chakotay's welfare. She hadn't taken the time to think about the lasting impact the entire ordeal had had on him. She cupped his face in her hand and ran her thumb over his tanned skin.
"I apologize for causing you distress." He put his hand over hers and held it in place as he turned his head to kiss her palm softly. "It wasn't my intention."
"I don't blame you," he murmured, his lips tickling her soft skin, causing her to instinctively curl her fingers slightly. "I was just so afraid when I woke up, and you weren't there. I thought the past two days had been another dream, and you were still in sickbay." He sighed. It sounded pretty pathetic when he said it aloud, but it had been one of the thoughts that crossed his mind when he couldn't find her. Seven leaned forward and kissed him.
"I can assure you, I am not a dream," she whispered as she pulled away to see a smile plastered across his face.
"No, you certainly aren't, and I'm forever grateful for that." She smiled as well. There was something about him that made her constantly want to smile. No matter what he said and did, he always managed to make her happy, it was one of the reasons she enjoyed spending time with him. No matter what her mood, he always seemed to cheer her up.
Unable to resist, Seven ran her fingers across Chakotay's hair and slid closer to him so their thighs were pressed together. Even in the limited light, she could see streaks of silver littered across his usually jet black hair. Those streaks had always been there, but they seemed more prominent than usual tonight.
"Your hair is greying," she pointed out bluntly, as she was never one to beat around the bush.
"It's from waking up and finding you missing." Her face immediately fell, as his teasing tone was lost on her this time around.
"I had no intention of causing that."
"It's a saying." She looked confused. "Humans joke that stress causes their hair to turn grey. It's not really stress, I'm just old."
"You're not old," Seven insisted. She leaned forward to kiss him softly. "I think you're perfect." He couldn't help but smile as he kissed her again. When it came to her, he knew that that was the highest compliment she could ever give him, so he should think of it as an honor.
"I think you're perfect as well." Now it was her turn to smile. "Despite the fact that you sneak off in the middle of the night to do some work." He took her hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze that told her that he didn't bring that up to be cruel but instead as a small joke. Neither of them were tired any longer, which meant they could enjoy spending a quiet morning together until he had to leave for duty. In a way, Seven sneaking off was a blessing in disguise.
Just like clockwork, Chakotay entered Kathryn's ready room for his usual morning cup of coffee and debriefing for the day; if anything, he was predictable when it came to his morning routine, despite the fact the fact that Seven was currently staying with him. She immediately picked up how tired he looked, which was strange because she thought he was going to bed early last night after she left his quarters.
"Long night?" she teased. Sighing, he threw himself down on the couch next to her and immediately grabbed his cup of coffee. Just as he'd predicted, he didn't end up going back to sleep after the little misadventure down in Astrometrics. He had no regrets, as it was more important to clear the air with Seven, but now he was paying the price with his extreme exhaustion.
"Well, I woke up a few hours ago and haven't been back to sleep since."
Concerned, Kathryn leaned forward and asked, "Is Seven alright?"
"Oh she's fine," he assured before taking another long drink of coffee in the hopes of waking him up. "She just went down to Astrometrics to sneak in a little bit of work. The only problem was she didn't tell me, so I rolled over in bed-"
"And she was gone." He nodded. This didn't surprise Kathryn at all. In fact, she was surprised it took Seven this long to sneak off in the middle of the night. "Is she alright now?"
"We got in a little fight, but she's back in my quarters now, and we're both fine. I told her that I would talk to you about transferring some of the data from Astrometrics to my quarters for her to review. It won't be the same as reporting to duty, but it might be enough to keep her off her feet for a little while longer." Kathryn carefully thought over the request. While she wasn't a doctor, she didn't see anything wrong with this. If anything, it might do Seven some good and remove the temptation to sneak off in the middle of the night in the future.
"Fine," she relented. "But as long as you can assure me that she'll stay off her feet and continue to rest. Oh, and run it by the Doctor before you go down to Astrometrics. He'll get upset if we make this decision without him."
"Aye, Captain." In actuality, Chakotay had absolutely no idea how he could guarantee that Seven would relax, but he hoped that the ability to do some work might keep her distracted and off her feet. He drained his coffee with surprising speed and got to his feet.
"Where are you going?"
"To sickbay and to talk to Icheb about transferring some of the data from Astrometrics to my quarters before the duty shift starts." The duty shift was about to start, so he knew he was going to be late anyway. He still wanted to head over now before he got distracted by everything else that usually took up his time during the day and forgot, which could possibly result in Seven getting restless and heading down to Astrometrics on her own once again.
When Chakotay entered sickbay, the Doctor was nowhere to be seen. Just to be sure, he poked his head in his office and in the back portion of sickbay, but he appeared to be offline for the night, which meant that there hadn't been any medical emergencies during the gamma shift, which was definitely a good sign.
"Computer, activate the Emergency Medical Hologram," he ordered. The computer beeped as it complied. In the blink of an eye, the Doctor materialized in front of him.
"Please state the nature of...Commander!" he exclaimed in surprise. "Is everything alright? When I saw Seven yesterday, everything looked fine." The Doctor couldn't figure out what Chakotay was doing there, he wasn't the type of person who just stopped by to talk to him for no reason.
"Seven's fine," Chakotay assured. "The Captain wanted me to talk to you before any decision was made." Now the Doctor was confused, prompting him to continue. "Seven's feeling restless and even tried to sneak in a little bit of work in Astrometrics." The Doctor looked unamused, but he wasn't necessarily surprised; he knew how Seven was and how much she hated wasting time. It didn't surprise him at all that she was trying to sneak in a little bit of work when she thought no one was paying attention.
"Are you asking for me to medically clear her to return to duty?" he asked. "Because that isn't something I can do. She needs to rest."
"Oh I agree. She made dinner last night and was exhausted afterwards. She can't return to duty yet, but I was thinking we could transfer some of the information from Astrometrics to my quarters so she can catch up on work from there. It might be enough to keep her occupied and off her feet for a little while longer." The Doctor carefully contemplated the suggestion. While he was sure there was no way he could medically clear her to return to duty, this seemed like a reasonable request.
"As long as she is resting as much as possible. I don't want her running down to Astrometrics to talk to Icheb about every anomaly she finds."
"Trust me, that won't be an issue," Chakotay commented dryly. The pair weren't even speaking right now, but perhaps getting Seven back to work would be enough to clear the air between them and help them overcome this disagreement. "Thank you, Doctor."
"I'll stop by your quarters sometime this afternoon to check on her." He nodded as he turned to leave. He expected as much from him. In a way, the Doctor's little house calls were the one reason he wasn't running down to his quarters at every available moment because he knew someone was checking in on her wellbeing.
As he headed down to the Astrometrics lab, Chakotay realized that he had no idea what to say to Icheb, as there was no doubt in his mind that he was displeased with him as well. He knew the young man was still angry with Seven over the perceived slight, but he would have to find a way to put that to the side and help him out for her sake. Despite how he felt, he knew that Icheb would do just about anything for Seven, which was something he'd made abundantly clear in the past given his willingness to put his own life on the line for her. If he was willing to do that, then he should be willing to help out right now.
When Chakotay entered Astrometrics, Icheb was already there. This didn't surprise him. Just like Seven, the young man had a penchant for promptness, which she only reinforced when she was around to give him orders. It looked like he had just arrived, as he was turning on the consoles and getting everything set up for the day.
"Commander," he greeted with a curt nod. His tone was ice cold and told Chakotay that he didn't want anything to do with him, which was only furthered by the cold, hard stare he gave him. "You can tell the Captain that I will have the report about the nebula we are approaching ready by 1300 hours. I am afraid that that is as quickly as I can get it to her."
"I'm not here about the nebula, Icheb. I'm here about Seven." Despite the fact that he was still upset with her, Icheb's gaze immediately softened when he heard why Chakotay was there, telling him that he still had a soft spot for his mentor.
"Is she alright? Is she back in sickbay?" There was the faintest glimmer of hope in his second question that gave away the fact that he wasn't happy with her current living situation. Chakotay ignored the glimmer of hope in his eyes.
"She's fine," he assured. "She's back in my quarters."
"Oh." He looked and sounded disappointed, not because Seven was alright, which was a huge relief to him, but because she was still residing in Chakotay's quarters and not returning back to the cargobay. Not only did he think that the living arrangement was highly inappropriate for a commanding officer and a subordinate, but he was still angry that their relationship had been kept from him as long as it had been. "Then why are you here?" The question could be construed as insubordinate and disrespectful, especially given the tone, but Chakotay wasn't going to make matters worse by pointing that it. No matter how serious and professional Icheb may appear on the outside, it was important for him to remember he was dealing with a highly emotional teenage boy who felt slighted by the secret kept from him. When Chakotay thought back to his teenage years, he was just as difficult on a more regular basis. It was a wonder his father did ship him off to the furthest corner of the galaxy just to get rid of him and save him the trouble of having to deal with him.
"I want you to transfer the results of the scans from the past two weeks to my quarters for Seven to review."
"I was under the impression that she wasn't allowed to return to duty yet," Icheb challenged, once again getting dangerously close to insubordination but not quite crossing that line.
"She isn't, but she's getting restless, and I'm afraid that if she doesn't find something to keep her occupied, she's going to keep trying to return to duty before she should." Confusion flashed across Icheb's face. While he'd been able to keep up with Chakotay's logic up until now, now he wasn't sure what was going on.
"Explain."
"She snuck into Astrometrics this morning. She's fine, but she simply doesn't have the energy to perform her duty here, but I'm hoping that if she has the reports in my quarters, that will be enough to keep her busy and off her feet." Icheb had to admit that the First Officer's thinking made sense to him, even though he still didn't think very highly of him right now.
"Her ability to work will be limited," he pointed out.
"That's fine. It's better than nothing."
"I can start transferring the data shortly.'
"Thank you." Much to Icheb's chagrin, Chakotay didn't leave. Not only did he have a lot of work to do, but he was probably the last person he wanted to talk to right now.
"Is there something else you would like to discuss, because I have a lot of work to get done?"
"Actually, there is," Chakotay replied as he leaned casually against the platform that took up a large portion of Astrometrics and cross his arms over his chest. "I want to apologize for not keeping you in the loop about Seven's condition. I'm not going to make any excuses, because I don't have any. I was caught up in the moment and didn't stop to think about your feelings. If I were in your shoes, I would be furious as well."
"You're First Officer, you don't have to justify your actions to me," Icheb snapped as he kept his eyes glued to the console in front of him.
"I'm not coming to you as First Officer but as a friend. What I did was wrong, and if I could go back in time to fix it, I would."
"Does Seven feel the same way?"
"I can't speak for her, only myself, but I can tell you that she doesn't like fighting with any of her friends. Why don't you stop by to talk to her?"
"I don't think I'm ready for that yet." While Icheb could tell that Chakotay was genuine in his apology, he still wasn't ready to talk to Seven yet and try to make amends with her as well. He still felt betrayed by her actions, whether that was her intention or not. Not only did she keep her romantic relationship with the Commander from him, but she also didn't tell him that she was out of sickbay.
"That's fine. Let me know when you've finished transferring those files."
"Yes, Sir." Sensing that Icheb wanted his space, Chakotay left him to his work. He was glad they had had this conversation, although he wasn't entirely sure how much good it had done, as Icheb still didn't want to talk to Seven. With any luck, the animosity would continue to dissipate over the next few days, and the two of them would go back to how things had been.
That afternoon, Seven was on cloud nine with all the information transferred onto her PADDs from Astrometrics. The quick glimpse of the information that morning hadn't been enough for her to do anything productive. With all the information available to her now, she could be far more efficient. While it wasn't the same as actually being in Astrometrics, she knew it was going to be the best she would get for the time being, so she might as well be as productive as possible. Unfortunately, the doorbell rang, instantly dashing all hopes of productivity for the time being.
Feeling frustrated, Seven abandoned her work and tossed her PADD to the side. She figured she should take a break anyway, she'd been working for a few hours, and Chakotay had made her promise that she would relax in addition to getting some work done. She was starting to feel a little fatigued as well, but she attributed that to her early morning adventure and lack of sleep since then to compensate for it.
"Come in," she called before the visitor rang the doorbell again. She had no idea who could be visiting; Chakotay had already been by for lunch, and the Doctor left ages ago. There was nobody else she figured would want to visit her. Therefore, it caught her off guard when Aritlin entered the quarters. When she saw her guest, she immediately stood up. Wide-eyed, Aritlin looked around, taking in his surroundings. With the exception of the quarters designated to him, he hadn't been in any other quarters on Voyager and therefore had no idea what to expect. "Artilin," she greeted.
"Uhh, hi," he stammered. He caught sight of the PADDs scattered across the couch and coffee table and instantly knew he had interrupted something. "Is this a bad time?" She followed his gaze to all the PADDs she'd temporarily set to the side.
"No," she assured. "I was catching up on my work. You are not interrupting anything." Realizing it was rude to leave her guest standing, she motioned towards the chairs scattered throughout the sitting area. "Please, have a seat."
"Thank you." Aritlin scurried over to one of the empty chairs and had a seat, prompting Seven to have a seat as well. An uncomfortable silence instantly fell over both of them. She couldn't figure out why he was here. She had only seen him once, several days ago in sickbay, and she had very little interest in talking with him, not because she held any animosity towards him, but because she didn't know what to say to him.
"Is there a reason you're here?" she finally blurted out. The bluntness caught him off guard. He wasn't used to someone just saying what was on her mind, as was Seven's typical method of conversation.
"I wanted to apologize for what happened to you," he replied uncertainly. Seven felt confused. She didn't hold anything against Aritlin, and it hadn't been her intention to make him think that she did. She'd learned long ago not to hold grudges against individuals for what their species did, and based on what Chakotay told her, Aritlin was doing his best to compensate for his people's' mistakes.
"Explain," she stated as she raised her implant encrusted eyebrow. Once again, he was surprised by her bluntness, but he had been warned by several other members of the crew that she tended to speak like that and he shouldn't take it personally.
"You almost died, and it was because of me and my people."
"Did you send out the distress call that summoned us to your planet?"
"No."
"Did you steal my mobile regenerator from our shuttle?"
"No."
"Did you scrap my mobile regenerator for parts?" Aritlin felt like he was being interrogated, which wasn't how he planned on this conversation going, not that he had had much of a plan when he showed up here in the first place.
"No."
"Then I hardly see how you are to blame. You did nothing to damage me or my mobile regenerator. You were simply following the customs of your people, and I don't harbor any ill will towards you, especially given the fact that you risked your life to help us return to Voyager safely. If anything, you have proven where your true allegiances lie." Despite the fact that Seven obviously forgave him, he still couldn't shake the guilt that consumed him. Had his people not stolen the mobile regenerator from her, she wouldn't have nearly died in the first place. All of it could have easily been prevented.
"But you almost died."
"I have been more seriously damaged in the past, and I survived those without any issue. There is no need for you to apologize, as it is not your fault."
"If it weren't for my people, none of this would have ever happened to you."
"And if it weren't for the Borg, billions of beings all across the galaxy would be alive and on their home planets," Seven pointed out. "If my time on Voyager has taught me anything, it is that you cannot blame yourself for the actions of your people, the guilt will consume you. If the crew of this starship can accept me as a part of their ranks, then I can forgive you for what your people did." She paused. "I should be thanking you." Aritlin opened and closed his mouth several times as he tried to comprehend this conversation. This was an unexpected turn of events.
"I, I'm afraid I don't understand," he stammered uncertainly.
"Commander Chakotay told me that you warned them about Henan and Notaxi's deception, and that you attempted to return some of the stolen supplies. That was very admirable of you and undoubtedly a very difficult decision for you to make since you turned your back on your people and customs in the process. You risked a lot by doing that, and I would like to thank you for that. I am sure that Chakotay and the others wouldn't have gotten back to Voyager without you."
"I just did what was right."
"Which is why I don't blame you for what happened. I don't hold grudges, and very few people on Voyager do." Aritlin had started to realize that about the crew, although he figured as much given the fact that Seven was a former drone and welcome member of the crew. Despite the actions of his people, the entire crew had gone out of their way to make him feel welcome.
"Thank you." He sounded relieved that Seven didn't hold anything against him, it had been his greatest fear, as he had caused her more damage than any other member of the crew, even if it was indirectly through the actions of his people. A great weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and he felt that he was finally at peace.
Aritlin looked around the quarters, taking in all the colorful decorations that adorned the walls and the backs of the chairs. It was far more decorative than his utilitarian quarters tucked away on one of the lower decks that he shared with two other members of the crew. Unable to resist, he got up to analyze the artifacts Chakotay had collected from across the Delta Quadrant that sat on a nearby shelf. Seven felt herself grow edgy with him looking around, as she didn't want him to inadvertently damage any of the carefully curated items.
"Are these your quarters?" Artilin asked. He made sure not to touch anything, no matter how tempting it might be. He'd never seen pieces of pottery and other artifacts like this in his life and only wanted to get a closer look. The shelf held several shards of pottery, decorated with intricate black and red designs that wove around each other in ways he couldn't even begin to imagine. Next to the pottery pieces sat a strange statue of a creature he didn't recognize. It had six limbs that held it upright, three on either side of its rotund stomach, and its head tilted back revealing wide eyes and a tusk on either side of its face that curved down almost obscuring its mouth in the process.
"No, they're Commander Chakotay's," Seven replied as she got to her feet to keep a closer eye on him. Out of habit, her arms folded behind her back as she watch every move her visitor made, just to make sure he didn't damage anything. "I'm just staying here temporarily. My quarters aren't suitable for my recovery."
"He has quite a collection." He turned his attention to the large dream catcher that was approximately half a meter in diameter with a collection of large feathers dangling from leather straps.
"He is an anthropologist." With confusion on his face, Aritlin turned around to face her properly.
"Anthropologist?" He'd never heard that term before and had no idea what it meant.
"He studies various humanoid species and cultures."
"Ahhh, it makes sense that someone like that would elect to travel on a starship."
"Commander Chakotay's reasons for being on Voyager are...complicated." There was no way Seven would discuss Chakotay's reasons for joining Starfleet and eventually the Maquis with someone she just met; she doubted she would feel comfortable discussing that private matter with members of the crew who had been onboard longer than her. It wasn't her story to tell, and she wanted to respect the fact that Chakotay was a fiercely private individual. "I do not mean to be rude, but I have a lot of work to do." Aritlin jumped slightly when he realized that he had inadvertantly overstayed his welcome.
"Oh!" he exclaimed. "Of course. I'm so sorry for intruding on your recovery. I just wanted to make sure you were alright and apologize."
"There is no need to apologize. Perhaps when I am able to return to duty, you can help me in the Astrometrics lab. You probably know a lot about this sector that could help us." A smile spread across Aritlin's face.
"I would love to." He wasn't sure how much help he could be, as his people never really left their planet, but he felt compelled to do something to help Seven. Now that he knew she was alright and held no ill will towards him, he felt he could relax a little and start to create a life for himself, just like Seven had when she first arrived.
By the time Chakotay returned to his quarters, dinner had long since passed. He hated the fact that he hadn't been back in time to eat with Seven, but when he talked to her, she had assured him that she was fine on her own. Just to be sure, he had Chell deliver a meal to her from the mess hall. The Bolian had been eager to make himself feel useful when he came to Seven's recovery and readily agreed to do just about anything Chakotay asked of him. He just hoped that she ate the food and had stayed off her feet as much as possible throughout the day. With any luck, the information from Astrometrics would keep her busy for quite some time.
When he entered his quarters, Chakotay found Seven lounged across the chaise with various PADDs scattered across her lap and spilling onto the floor. Unable to resist himself, he snaked his arm around her shoulders from behind and buried his face in her hair, which hung down around her shoulders. The past few days, she hadn't put her hair up, and he hoped she kept that up when she returned to duty.
"Hello, beautiful," he murmured tenderly before kissing her cheek. Usually she hated being interrupted when she was trying to work, but there was no way she could be upset when it was Chakotay who interrupted her. "How are you feeling?"
"I feel fine. How was your day?" He released her and sat on the chair across from her.
"There was a problem down in Engineering, which is why I'm late. I'm sorry." Seven put down the PADD in her hand. Now that Chakotay was back, she wanted to spend time with him, not with her work. It was a strange phenomenon for her, she was so used to dedicating all her time to work, but it was something she felt confident she would eventually grow accustomed to. Her priorities were changing for the better.
"Don't apologize," she assured. "I was kept busy with all the work from Astrometrics that Icheb sent over."
"I can see that."
"Icheb has done an admirable job at running Astrometrics on his own. He should be commended for his work." He heard the disappointment in her voice, it was impossible for her to mask it. She still missed him and the close bond they shared.
"I spoke to him this morning, and he's still bitter about what happened."
"He is being irrational." Chakotay leaned forward with his arms draped across his knees.
"No, he's not. He's hurt, Seven, he wants to feel like he's a valued part of your life."
"Of course he is."
"Then tell him that yourself."
"I will, but not now," Seven announced as she got to her feet. "Right now I need to go." Her announcement was enough to get Chakotay on his feet as well.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"I want to meet with the Captain about something. I waited for you to return so you didn't worry if you came back to find your quarters empty."
"About what? Why doesn't she come here?"
"What the Captain and I are meeting about is irrelevant to you. I will be back shortly." She started to walk towards the door, but he quickly headed her off, putting himself between her and her exit. "Is something wrong?" she asked as she raised her eyebrow in confusion and slight frustration.
"You've had a long day, I don't know if a trip to the Captain's quarters is a good idea," he pointed out. While he had no idea how much rest she'd gotten today, he wasn't sure if it was in her best interest to go traipsing all over Voyager like this.
"The Captain's quarters are located nearby, it is no more than a one minute walk. I walked further when I went to Astrometrics this morning."
"I know." He sounded unamused when she brought up her little adventure from earlier. He was still frustrated with her total lack of empathy towards her personal health, even if he understood his reasoning behind it. "What if I walk you there?"
"I do not require a babysitter, I am more than capable of walking to the Captain's quarters on my own."
"Seven," he pleaded with desperation. She felt bad knowing that she was the cause of that desperation in his voice, but she had already made up her mind, and this was a time sensitive issue she wanted to discuss. In all honesty, it was something that she had completely forgotten about until her conversation with Chakotay early that morning, and now she needed to act on it before time ran out.
"Do you not trust me?"
"Of course I do." He rubbed her arms reassuringly. "I'm just worried about you." She kissed him softly. He returned the kiss, but it was over just as quickly as it started. She trailed her finger along his jaw softly.
"Then let me go to the Captain's quarters. I'll be back in about an hour, I promise." He sighed. He didn't want to coddle her, based on what had happened that morning, it would only cause her to act recklessly. On the other hand, she had a habit of pushing herself beyond her limits, but a walk down to Kathryn's quarters wasn't too bad.
"Fine," he relented hesitantly. "Just be careful."
"Are you worried that we'll go into Red Alert in the next five minutes?" It was always a challenge for Chakotay to tell when Seven was joking, as her tone was always so deadpan. The sparkle in her blue eyes told him that she was joking. He kissed her cheek softly, and she pulled away and left.
As she walked to the Captain's quarters, Seven couldn't help but think that she should have talked to the Captain ahead of time. It was highly improper to just show up in the Captain's quarters unannounced. She was a very busy woman, and there was no guarantee that she'd even be there or have time to talk to her. Even so, Seven knew she couldn't turn back now, not after all the trouble Chakotay gave her about coming here n the first place. She would simply have to show up and hope that the Captain wasn't too busy to see her.
With the bridge under the watchful eye of "Captain Kim", Kathryn felt confident that she should be able to retire to her quarters at a fairly early hour without any problems. Therefore, when her doorbell rang, she felt a flicker of disappointment swell up inside of her, although she knew that if it was a real emergency, whoever it was would have summoned her over the commsystem. For that reason, she felt that it couldn't be too much of an emergency and maybe someone just stopping by for a quick social call, which wasn't completely unheard of.
"Come in," she called as she crossed her quarters to greet whoever her visitor was. When the doors to her quarters opened, she was caught off guard to see Seven breeze into her quarters with her arms folded neatly behind her back in her usual stance.
"Captain," she greeted with a curt nod. It wasn't until she was in the Captain's quarters did she realize that Kathryn had shed her outer uniform tunic and grey undershirt, leaving her only in a sleeveless shirt and her slacks. It was the most informal she'd ever seen her. "Is this a bad time?"
"No, of course not," Kathryn assured. "I always have time for you. I was about to replicate myself some ice cream. What kind would you like?"
"I do not require any ice cream right now," Seven replied. The Captain ignored her as she crossed her quarters to the replicator, which readily produced her favorite: coffee ice cream.
"I didn't ask you what kind of ice cream you require, I asked you what kind of ice cream you want." Seven knew that it would be best to simply give in to what the Captain asked and join her for some ice cream. It wouldn't be the end of the world to have one small bowl of ice cream.
"Strawberry please." Kathryn looked satisfied as she replicated a second bowl. With a bowl in each hand, she returned to Seven and motioned for her to have a seat.
"Please, make yourself comfortable." Seven immediately took a seat. While she was starting to feel perfectly comfortable making herself at home in Chakotay's quarters, being in the Captain's quarters was entirely different. She knew the Senior Officers congregated here frequently here for small social gatherings, but those were interactions she didn't participate in. Maybe she should start, as they always spoke very highly of them.
Kathryn sat on the couch next to Seven and handed her the bowl of strawberry ice cream. The younger woman took a small bite. Under Naomi's encouragement, she'd had ice cream in the past, but she didn't quite understand the appeal. Usually she found it too cold for her liking, but she didn't want to be disrespectful to her hostess.
"Chakotay told me that you went on a little adventure this morning," Kathryn commented between bites of ice cream.
"I felt inefficient just sitting around Commander Chakotay's quarters all day. I didn't think it would be a problem if I went down to Astrometrics. I only wanted to catch up on the work I missed. I understand if you have to put a formal reprimand in my file." Kathryn held up her hand to get her to stop. She could hear the disappointment in her voice and knew that a reprimand of any type in Seven's file would destroy her and her desire for absolute perfection at all costs.
"I'm not going to reprimand you, I'm simply going to tell you to make sure to take some time off. Coming from someone who rarely gets any time off, let me emphasize how important it is for you to have fun and enjoy yourself. Spend some time with Chakotay."
"That is why I am here. I need your help." Intrigued, Kathryn shifted in her seat and temporarily forgot about the ice cream in her hands.
"Of course, what can I do to help you?" Her brows furrowed in curiosity and seriousness as she tried to think of what Seven could possibly need her help for. It had been quite some time since she'd come to her seeking advice; she'd been doing so well adjusting to the idiosyncrasies of humanity on her own. So well, in fact, that she managed to start a serious romantic relationship with her First Officer right under her nose.
"Lieutenant Paris informed me on our away mission that Commander Chakotay's birthday is coming up soon." Kathryn stopped to think. With everything going on recently, she'd lost track of the days. Now that she thought about it, she realized that his birthday was soon.
"It's in about a week. Why?"
"It is my understanding that in romantic relationships, it is the job of the significant other to prepare some sort of special birthday surprise. As the Borg do not celebrate birthdays, and I am new to my status as Commander Chakotay's girlfriend, I was hoping you could offer some advice." Kathryn wasn't sure how to react to Seven's request. She was caught off guard to hear her refer to herself as Chakotay's girlfriend. Of course, she knew they were in a relationship together, and she couldn't be happier for them, but it was strange to hear her refer to herself in that manner. She was more than happy to adjust to, as it meant that two of her closest crew members had finally found happiness. On the other hand, there was a sense of formality that only Seven could add to the relationship. She made it sound more like a business arrangement, not a romantic relationship.
"You've had birthday parties here on Voyager," she pointed out. "Usually Chell is the one who handles those things."
"That is irrelevant. After everything that has happened over the past few weeks, I want to plan a party for Chakotay myself, but I don't know where to start."
"So you'd like my help."
"If you're not too busy."
"Of course I'm not too busy." Kathryn sat back and crossed her legs. As she collected her thoughts, she took another bite of ice cream. She tried to think of what Chakotay would like for his birthday. Normally, he was a very private man, but she knew that if Seven planned something for him, he would automatically love it. "Perhaps you could plan a surprise party for him. Something small in the mess hall. I'm sure Chell would be more than happy to help you create a menu of his favorite foods and bake him a cake." From her time on Voyager, Seven was familiar with the notion of a surprise party. She thought that that would be the perfect way to celebrate Chakotay's birthday.
"I think a surprise party would be a sufficient way to celebrate the Commander's birthday. I am still struggling with a present for him. As it is the first major celebration in our relationship-"
"And you want it to be perfect."
"Exactly." Kathryn understood completely. She thought it was very sweet that Seven was this concerned about finding the perfect birthday present for Chakotay. He was a difficult person to shop for, something that was made more difficult by the fact that they were in the middle of the Delta Quadrant. Between the two of them, however, Kathryn felt confident that they would be able to think of something.
The following morning, Tom found himself reporting to duty in sickbay. As much as he liked the notoriety that came with having two vital roles on Voyager, it was also absolutely exhausting. He was willing to do anything to help though, and he'd somehow managed to find a way to balance both jobs with fatherhood and a social life. While that meant he hardly slept, it wasn't anything massive amounts of coffee couldn't fix. Helping in sickbay also gave him the chance to interact with crewmen he very rarely got to see. There was an undeniable prestige that came with working on the bridge, it was also very isolating. It wasn't a place people came through on a regular basis, which meant he could go days on end working with the same handful of faces. On the other hand, he was always one of the first to know what was going on, which he had no complaints about.
The door to sickbay opened, and Seven entered, catching Tom off guard. To his knowledge, she was still recovering in Chakotay's quarters and was supposed to be resting. Yet, here she stood, with her arms folded behind her back in her usual fashion, as if she was stopping by on her way to Astrometrics.
"Seven!" Tom exclaimed in surprise, causing the Doctor to immediately scramble to his feet from behind his desk and rush out to greet her.
"Seven, are you alright?" he asked as he grabbed a tricorder and opened it to scan her.
"I am undamaged," she replied. "I'm actually here to talk to Lieutenant Paris."
"Me?" Tom asked in disbelief. He'd barely spoken to Seven since they returned to Voyager, and he couldn't figure out what they had to talk about; it wasn't like they were close friends.
"Very well." The Doctor sounded disappointed that Seven wasn't there to see him. "Perhaps Lieutenant Paris could multitask and check your progress as well." He gave Tom a stern look that told him that it wasn't a suggestion but instead an order. Since Seven was here, he wanted to check her over and ensure she was recovering sufficiently, although every time he checked on her, she seemed to be progressing as could be expected.
Tom motioned for Seven to have a seat on one of the biobeds along the adjacent walls and picked up the tricorder the Doctor had just discarded and turned on the device. She sat dutifully on the biobed and allowed he to scan her, although she doubted the scan would reveal any new information.
"So what can I do for you?" he chirped as he kept his eyes locked on the tricorder, looking for any worrisome information, not that he was expecting any. For someone who had only been up and on her feet for a few days after nearly being on death's door, Tom had to admit that she looked pretty good.
"You are familiar with creating holodeck programs, correct?"
"I mean, I don't want to brag, but I've written some of the most popular programs on the holodeck." This wasn't new information to Seven. Despite her view that the holodeck was an inefficient use of time, she'd been to Chez Sandrine's several times over the years. She'd even seen his Fair Haven program. Although she didn't participate in that program like other crewmen did, she had to admit that it was a highly impressive program. Clearly, Tom was a man of many talents, including writing detailed and well-researched holoprograms.
"I was wondering if you could assist me in writing a holoprogram." The request caught Tom off guard. He knew Seven wasn't one to ask for help, she was a fiercely independent woman. He also knew that she was incredibly smart and capable of figuring out how to write a holoprogram on her own. For her to come to him told him that this was something important.
"I'd love to." He closed the tricorder and put it down on the biobed next to Seven.
"How about we meet on holodeck one at 2100 hours?" With any luck, Miral would be down for the night, and he would be able to sneak away for an hour or two to help. Seven smiled. It was strange for Tom to see her smile and know that he was the reason for her to do so. She was always so serious around him. She slid off the biobed.
"I will see you at 2100 hours then." Without bothering to ask if the tricorder scans, she gave him a curt nod and exit sickbay, leaving him wondering what in the world she needed to create a holoprogram for.
Author's Note: There are only a few chapters left (four or five at the very most), and I'm feeling incredibly bitter sweet about that. In the mean time, leave me a review.