Janeway Redux - Part 15

halfofone's picture
Submitted by halfofone on Fri, 16/12/2005 - 13:20.

Star Trek Voyager

Janeway/Seven of Nine

Part 15 - Lost but not forgotten

Fri, 16/12/2005 - 13:00

15 or R

TITLE: Janeway Redux AUTHOR: halfofone
RATING: R CODE: J/7
FEEDBACK: Constructive feedback welcome.
SUMMARY: Janeway gets remade and returns to find her old ship. She needs Voyager and the crew but can they trust her? This part opens in the same time frame as where we left part 14, five years after the events of Counterpoint in season 5.
SPOILERS: Some Season 4 and Season 5 spoilers.
ARCHIVING: If you want ... I would quite like to know where.


TPTB are Paramount/Viacom. In a perfect world I would own Star Trek but it's not and I don't. In a perfect world I would be one of them but it's not and I'm not. No infringement of copyright/trade marks or other intellectual property is intended. This story was written for fun and not profit.


Warning: This story includes same sex relationships between women. If you are offended by this or it is illegal where you live or you are underage then please read no further.

Full warnings, credits and disclaimers can be found in the contents page and chapter 1.


Part 15 Lost But Not Forgotten

Seven of Nine lay as still she could and tried to ignore the pain. She closed her eyes against the glare of the laboratory lights and with an effort of will forced herself to remember happier times. Not because she wished to distract herself from her situation, logically Seven knew that it was nearly over for her, she wanted her last thoughts to be of her family as the darkness closed about her.

She thought of Kathryn on the bridge of the Fearless, every inch the rebel leader, swaggering slightly to impress the ruffian element in the crew and then the transformation that occurred when the children appeared, sneaking onto the bridge against orders to say goodnight to their mother. The cold-eyed privateer would become a reluctant doting parent, endeavouring and failing to hide her pride in the children's independence and initiative; her veneer of anger easily punctured by the disingenuous questions and the eager demands for bedtime stories. The bridge crew, who knew their captain better than her ruthless reputation, would struggle to hide their amusement at seeing their infamous leader put in her place by the relentless logic of her small children. Woe betide any crewman who was caught smiling as Kathryn tried and failed to impose discipline on her irrepressible kids.

A savage jolt of electricity jerked Seven away from her recollections. She screamed at the pain in her head. The lab technician took no notice. He had watched the borg scream for months and if in the beginning he had felt any pity, that emotion had long since fled, overwhelmed by his prurient fascination with her memories and her body. His masters had no interest in the borg's pain; it was incidental to the matter at hand. They had accepted after several weeks that she would not respond directly to torture and since then they had concentrated their efforts on extracting what they needed directly from her borg brain. If it hurt then that was just a bonus as the boss would say with a twinkle in his malevolent eyes.

That was months ago. The technician's superiors were no longer even particularly interested in the ex-drone as a source of information. The technician was aware that they were simply keeping her alive as bait, to draw in 'that human bitch' as his boss always referred to the infamous Alliance commander.

The technician waited for the show to begin.

Seven closed her eyes again and concentrated. Trying not to give her persecutors anything, trying to force her borg mind away from any thoughts that might endanger her family. Experience had taught her it was better to let her tormentor see something he enjoyed, exploiting his obvious sexual arousal.

On the small holo-viewer in the laboratory a vague image began to form and the technician settled back with a smile of satisfaction and relaxed. He was meant to take notes of all the borg's memories, hunting for information about the Alliance but there was no need this time; he had seen this image many times before. It was one of his favourites.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"... Kathryn ... please," the helpless ex-drone sobbed with need, completely unaware of the discomfort she had complained of so bitterly, many minutes before, the twigs poking into her back through damp mouldering leaves and the slight chilly breeze rustling the forest above.

"I thought you didn't want to make love out here" teased her lover who nonetheless didn't cease her attentions.

"... a ... mis ... judgement ... do not stop ..."

Words became impossible, sensation swept away thought and awareness, leaving two women lost in love and each other. As Seven arched up against her lover gasping and shuddering in the final ecstatic loss of control, Kathryn groaned and whispered "I wish I could hold you forever Seven of Nine. I love you." For long moments they clung together.

Seven loved the aftermath of sex as much as the sex. Kathryn was always affectionate and open at these times, whispering endearments in a gravelly undertone as she tenderly stroked and kissed the ex-Borg. For these short moments, Seven knew she possessed her captain absolutely. It was at these times that Kathryn would talk to her and listen to her, the continual demands of command and the rebellion muzzled.

"Kathryn?"

"Mmm?" queried the former Starfleet captain unconcernedly. She was concentrating on Seven's belly; her fingers appreciatively tracing lazy circles over the smooth, muscled flesh and taking occasional diversions to follow the branching lines of the abdominal implant.

In the early days of their physical relationship it had disturbed Seven whenever her lover touched her Borg implants. Kathryn had given such squeamishness short-shrift.

'You touch mine, I'll touch yours' she had said wryly.

In Seven's eyes, comparison invalidated Kathryn's bargain; the captain's slight but athletic body was almost unmarked except for three smallish implants (non-functional connectivity ports) on her left hand, her thigh and in the small of her back, and a rather decorative starburst just below her left ear. These blemishes were trivial compared to the several significant, very visible implants that marred the drone's fair skin and the extensive borg machinery that lay under it. Yet over time, and following extensive and energetic proofs, the ex-Borg had been convinced that Kathryn was not revolted by her more obvious Borg features. Eventually she realised that this was just one small additional unlikelihood she had to accept as part of believing that this perfect woman really loved her. And next to that miracle nothing seemed impossible.

At this moment Kathryn seemed determined to prove that some of the borg implants were erogenous zones. Seven shivered as her lover gently leant down to kiss her on the place where an implant disappeared into her skin just above her thigh. Reluctantly Seven stilled Kathryn fingers before they slid lower. Kathryn raised her head to look at her and Seven gently pulled the smaller woman up the length of her body, to kiss the elegant mouth before releasing her. Amused blue-gray eyes quizzed the ex-drone.

Seven hesitated, uncertain about what she was going to say. She had never proposed anything similar before, however she had found that it was usually more effective with Janeway to go straight to the point.

"I wish to have a family," she stated quickly.

The hand on her belly stilled and the expressive eyes darkened a shade, the amusement fading. "What are you saying exactly?"

"I believe we should have children."

Janeway rolled away and sat up. Her voice was determinedly even.

"That's not possible."

"The biological procedures for ..."

Janeway cut in harshly. "I'm not talking about the mechanics of the process Seven. I am talking about our situation. It wouldn't be right."

"Explain."

"We are in the middle of a war, light years from humanity. It would be completely unconscionable to bring a child into this life."

Janeway clearly felt the conversation was over. She stood up and started to collect her clothing from where it lay. Seven felt her ire rising. She was not going to be dismissed like some accidentally insubordinate ensign.

"You are saying that Kraal and Makela should not have children?"

"No I'm not saying that ... "

"How so?" Seven interrupted before her lover had finished. "They have been at war all their lives. Are their children less valuable that they may be more easily risked?"

Janeway did not answer as she bent over to pick up her trousers. Regardless of the argument, Seven could not help but appreciate her lover's appearance. The former-captain stood naked in the warm sunlight: a slim athletic body, trim despite her forty three years. Everything about her was neat, graceful and perfectly proportioned, smooth skin over fine muscles which were just visible, flexing under the fair skin, as she finished retrieving her uniform from the forest floor. The redundant Borg regeneration port and a long fine white scar rising across her lower back (a reminder of her imprisonment by the Devore) recorded recent history on the otherwise unblemished and silky smooth skin of her back. She turned to face Seven and the ex-drone had to consciously avert her eyes, from the swing of soft breasts, to her lover's face. Janeway's expression was a little unsettled.

"Of course not! It is not the same," Kathryn replied. She pulled on her pants with an exasperated sigh. Seven would have been amused by the sight of the self-controlled Alliance Marshal, standing half-naked in a wood, bare shoulders set with her customary determination, except that humour was the last emotion the ex-drone was experiencing.

"In what way is their situation different from ours?"

"This is their home," Janeway exclaimed impatiently, hunting for her shirt in the bracken and then irritably shaking dead and rotten vegetation and small insects from the creases. "Their people are here and they have to forge some kind of future for themselves despite the imperfections. I'm sure Kraal would agree that it would be better if his children were not born to this war and could grow up in peace but the Parath have little choice. They have been fighting for many years and they have developed great skill in hiding their families and keeping them away from the conflict."

"And could we not also hide our children and protect them? Do we not deserve a future?" Seven inquired quietly. She sat up slowly, wrapping her arms around herself.

Taken aback by her lover's sadness, Janeway paused in her search for undergarments and answered in a more moderate voice.

"We have a choice about our future Seven, a responsibility, and in my view it would just be incredibly selfish to have a child at this time. He or she would be isolated from others of their kind, alone ... without contact with other human children. Dear God, even we are not fully human. And what if we were both killed? What would happen to our child?"

Seven could not disguise her impatience with this human-centric line of argument. It was written in her face and voice as she spoke.

"We have good friends who would care for her and protect her with their lives, perhaps better friends than she might find on Earth. She would have the companionship of other children. She would not be alone." Seven's blue eyes hardened. "Is it not true that many children in the Federation grow up within cultures that are different from their genetic inheritance? I thought the diversity of the Federation was something of which you were proud."

"I am proud of it," Janeway asserted, "but don't underestimate how hard it is for children who are isolated from their own people."

"I do not underestimate it. My parents separated me from the rest of humanity and risked my very existence to chase the Borg. For three years I knew no other beings except my parents and the drones they brought aboard for study." Seven's clear, blazing blue eyes, held her lover's gaze. "Then I lost everything," she enunciated slowly.

"Then you of all people should see why we have to be careful ... " Janeway shot back, breaking the eye-contact and prowling round the ex-drone, who was now sitting-up, propped against the ancient tree-trunk. Seven shook her head and disagreed.

"That is not my conclusion. I did resent my parent's foolish arrogance toward the Borg and their utter carelessness towards my interests; their actions were indeed selfish and reckless, Kathryn. However, I do not regret being born or being brought to this quadrant." The ex-drone rose to her feet, towering magnificently over the smaller woman. Kathryn could barely hide an appreciative smirk. Seven was not to be diverted. "Nor do I regret being forcibly separated from the Borg collective by another person who acted 'in loco parentis' and against my expressed wishes at that time," she stressed.

Janeway stopped hunting for discarded garments and faced Seven. The former captain was still at last, totally serious.

"Do you resent me ... for that?" Uncertainty gripped her voice.

"No. I love you. How can I resent you rescuing me, even if I did not realise that I needed to be rescued? If you had not done so, we would not be together now" Seven said gently. Janeway relaxed a little too soon. The ex-drone resumed her verbal assault with unwavering intensity. "But sometimes I resent your obvious belief that you are the sole arbiter of what is right for me and what is right for us. You discount my opinions and my feelings. While I was a frightened and inexperienced drone such behaviour may have been necessary. That is no longer the case."

"I am not trying to say what is best for you Seven. I am trying to be sensible. We are talking about another life."

"You are afraid of the responsibility," Seven pronounced firmly.

"I'm afraid of responsibility?" said Janeway disbelievingly, outrage lowering her voice and darkening her eyes to a stormy grey. "You must be thinking of someone else Seven."

Seven was not intimidated or deflected. Kathryn's subordinates might scurry for cover when the Janeway voice rumbled and threatened. Seven was not a subordinate.

"You may be able command a starship, a fleet and even a civilisation but in your personal life, you are afraid that you will be insufficient. I do not know why you believe yourself inadequate. I have simply observed it to be true. It was apparently necessary for you to be exiled from your companions, lose your command, then be thrown into prison, tortured and nearly lose your life before you would risk allowing yourself a partner. I do not wish to experience similar deprivation in order to overcome your prevarication about expanding our family."

"Seven I didn't mean we could never have children, just that this is not a good time ... "

"That is demonstrably untrue. As a Free Alliance marshal, you are powerful, independent and more than capable of providing for and protecting a family; as indeed am I," Seven countered relentlessly. "It is true that there is some danger inherent in our lives; unfortunately I do not foresee any future with you in which that would not be the case, unless you intend to wait until we are both so old that having children would be impracticable?"

"Wait up a little Seven, let me turn this around. You've discounted my reservations without providing any reasons as to why you want a child now."

Seven dismissed the question. "Such reasoning is irrelevant."

"How can knowing why you want children be irrelevant?"

"The argument is circular. I wish to have a child because I wish to have a child. Beyond that I do not have any special understanding of human psychology or the urge to reproduce. I do not believe there is a logical rationale. It simply ... feels right."

"You can't just dismiss the issue like that, it's a serious decision."

"Yes it is. And we have agreed that we are in an adequate material situation and that we would be able to look after a child in a satisfactory manner."

Janeway's head shot up and she started to protest, "I haven't agree..."

Seven cut in brusquely, not wishing to cover the same ground again.

"Do you have some tradition or belief that would prevent you from having a family? Or is there some other ritual consideration that determines the timeframe for such events?"

Janeway shook her head. Numbed by the barrage, she couldn't remember her initial reservations.

Seven gently took her captain's hands.

"In that case the only question that remains is do you want to have a child with me?" The ex-drone then threw her former captain off balance by saying very wistfully, "I do not expect an answer now."

Holding her lover's gaze, Janeway pondered how it was that these arguments with Seven always ended in her total defeat. She opened her mouth to speak ...

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Before the captain could answer, a sharp pain skewered Seven's skull and ripped her from her memories.

"Good afternoon Seven of Nine. Though I suppose that the time of day is irrelevant really - it's always the same in here. How many days is it now that you have been here?"

Seven didn't bother to open her eyes to look at her tormentor. Kashyk formerly of the Devore Inspectorate and currently self-employed often visited the lab. He liked to keep her up-to-date.

"182 days 14 hours and 23 minutes," she replied. Her voice was a cracked whisper, broken by many hours of pain.

"No word from your wife for... let me see... 43 days. Do you think she has abandoned you? It would make sense. She has been unable to find you and the only way she can save you is by surrendering herself and that damned ship and crew. I expect she has decided that you are not worth the exchange."

"Perhaps," Seven acknowledged quietly. Kashyk snorted.

"Then again perhaps not. We both know how stubborn Kathryn can be. Even if she does not love you enough to give herself up, she will not want to be defeated by me. She'll come. I know it."

"And then she will kill you." This time Seven opened her eyes and stared into the madness of her captor.

Kashyk laughed delightedly and gripped Seven's human hand with the pincers on his wholly Borg arm and squeezed until Seven screamed at the pressure inflicted on her already broken fingers. Kashyk didn't seem to notice. He was daydreaming aloud with a blissful expression on his still handsome face.

"She will see her family, her friends and her partner tortured until she begs me to kill them. As she looks for you, so I look for your children. Very beautiful little girls are they not? My men will enjoy them. I wonder who will find whom first?"

Seven said nothing. There was nothing here that she had not heard before and it only excited her captor if she showed emotion of any sort. He did not have her children or Kathryn and for the moment that was enough for her.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Many thousands of light years distant in her former ready room aboard the Federation Starship Voyager, Free Alliance Marshal Kathryn Janeway had completed retelling the story of her imprisonment and escape from the Devore five years earlier. Her former crew were staring at her. Chakotay couldn't hold back any longer.

"Kathryn, this is an amazing story but you have not explained to us why you need our help. What could we do for you - we are relatively small and powerless. We almost certainly know less than you about fighting the Borg or the Devore."

"I told you that Seven of Nine had been captured six months ago."

Chakotay nodded, still not seeing where this was going.

"There is a price for her release. Me...and...you. Voyager and all of her crew to be exact."

There was silence.

"Why would anyone in the Devore Imperium be interested in us?" exclaimed B'Elanna Torres.

"It's not the Devore Imperium that has her. It's the Borg or rather I should say it's an agent of the Borg."

"An agent," muttered Neelix. "The Borg don't use agents."

"The Borg have learnt that sometimes co-operation yields better outcomes than assimilation. You could say that this ship pioneered that tactic with them. The Borg remembered us and remembered working with us. When they were approached by a man who promised that he could deliver me they took a chance."

"Kashyk," said Chakotay grimly. Janeway smiled bleakly.

"You are very quick Captain."

"But I thought you had killed him..."

"No. I just mutilated him and gave him another reason to hate me. From what our intelligence services have established, I believe that part of the deal with the Borg was a new pair of arms."

"You're asking us to surrender to the Borg in exchange for Seven of Nine."

"I want you to make the deal look real. Kashyk will never release Seven even if we did give ourselves up to him. He wants the whole thing. We have to get close enough to rescue her and the only way to do that is to fly in with Voyager under a flag of surrender. We know where she is. He is holding her on a planet just inside Borg space. It's close to Devore space but it might as well be on the other side of the galaxy."

"You want to use Voyager as a trojan horse."

"Yes."

"How do you even know she is alive still?"

"He likes to send me recordings." Kathryn clenched her fists and breathed slowly. "We have verified the dates of those recordings and as of three weeks ago she was alive."

Chakotay looked his former leader in the eye. He knew that expression. Nothing was going to get in her way.

"Do I have any choice?" he asked already knowing her answer but wanting his crew to hear the words.

"No. You have no choice Captain Chakotay."

TBC


( categories: Janeway/Seven )
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/08/2006 - 00:42.

This is a wonderfully entertaining story. More action than many typical j/7 fics. The depth of plot and layering in telling is gripping. You have good character development, too. I'm really looking forward to the next chapters. Thanks for the encouragement (re: fb on fb= April 2006- still active). It's good to know you still want to write more of the story!! I definitely want to read more!!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 26/07/2006 - 01:43.

please... don't stop! more!

Submitted by Linda Haney (not verified) on Sun, 28/05/2006 - 00:48.

Please please finish the story
I really love want you are doing so far

Submitted by Jasmine (not verified) on Tue, 25/04/2006 - 04:28.

...tell me that you have continued? And another chapter will be ready before I bite off all my cuticles?

What a great job! Janeway being assililated makes her an 'equal' with Seven. (Even though I believe Seven could take Janeway in a one to one.) It also gives allowance to her changes in behavior.

A natural leader, like Janeway, would rise to the top. Considering she was the one instrumental in many prisoners being freed, many would follow her after that!

Would you do me one favor? Kill off Kashyk! I am tired of his vendetta!

Thank you, Jasmine

halfofone's picture
Submitted by halfofone on Thu, 04/05/2006 - 11:25.

Thanks for the FB. I am working on the next chapter - I have several stories and I am alternating them trying to avoid writer's block. JR will get its turn.

'Kill off Kashyk'! But he's the hero..... He'll get his turn too.

Caro.


Submitted by trek_in_tandem (not verified) on Mon, 19/12/2005 - 05:21.

Heard about this story on kmk and I'm hooked! It's sort of disturbing, this brutal violent Janeway, but I can't seem to look away. I do like how we begin to see her change as she takes command of the Fearless so that we have some explanation for how she is when she first takes Voyager at the beginning of the story. (randomly, have you read Janeway's Captain's Table novel?)

I thought the flashback style was nicely effective.

Still not sure how Seven won the argument about children. I thought Janeway's point was hard to beat! *grin* I feel like maybe we skipped some of their story between her taking command of the Fearless and living what must be a somewhat more settled life with Seven. I'd like to see how she made her way in the Alliance after taking the ship. It seems like it would have been a struggle. That not everyone would have been eager to have this stranger commanding the strongest ship in the 'Fleet, that she'd have to prove herself. And why didn't she go after Voyager? At some point, this fight became her fight. Was it just a sort of vendetta against the Devore..the rage we saw consuming her while she was locked up with Kraal early on? But they've made an alliance with the Devore against the borg, so that doesn't seem likely. I know you gave the reason of her relationship with seven and the possible consequences waiting for her in the alpha quadrant, but those don't entirely do it for me. *shrugs*

anyway, i'm enjoying it very much and i cna't wait for the next installment! Do post on KMK about it! I'd hate to miss it.

halfofone's picture
Submitted by halfofone on Mon, 19/12/2005 - 08:17.

Thanks very much for the very full feedback.

As far as the argument about children is concerned - it's not the author's argument. I guess Seven's point is that Janeway always chooses to defer her personal life in favour of some cause be it Voyager or the rebellion and not necessarily out of duty or necessity as much as fear. Also it isn't just Janeway's choice anymore.

More of the past will be revealed and as Janeway said the defeat of the Borg and the uneasy truce between the Alliance and the Devore was not simple nor easily gained. Actually the rescue of Seven isn't necessarily going to be the largest part of this story...

As far as Janeway not choosing to return to Voyager, without giving too much away, I think that that just happened over a period of time. She found herself with a new life and returning to the old didn't seem necessary or even desirable. She's moved on.

You're right that many in the Alliance would not have appreciated this sudden rising star but who says that they had a choice? This is Janeway after all.

More will be revealed though I don't seem to be selling you on much ;-)

Caro.


Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 17/12/2005 - 00:28.

A great story so far. I'm glad I popped in to read it. I'll have to bookmark the page. I'm looking forward to the next installment. So glad I saw your post on the Janeway/7 list or I would have missed all of this.

halfofone's picture
Submitted by halfofone on Sat, 17/12/2005 - 09:41.

Thank you for popping in and reading it!

Caro.