Truth in Nightmares

The computer sounded the time as she slowly and reluctantly came to. It was 0500. Time to get up and face the day. She called out to the computer to reset the alarm and began to slowly move her arms and legs trying to gently wake herself up but not having very much luck with it. Slowly, she opened an eye trying to remember all that she had to do this day and all that had happened the previous night. Her cabin was still, but she could hear Voyager’s normal hum. She always thought that she and Voyager had a certain bond and, if she listened hard enough, she might understand what the ship was saying in that hum of life.

As her mind began to focus and become sharper, she became aware of an arm limply resting about her waist. Then, she felt the light rhythm of warm breath caressing her neck. Finally, she felt a warm body pressing closely, lovingly against hers. Kathryn turned to greet this unseen person with that crooked smile that she knew made many a man and woman melt at just the sight.

“Good morning.” She rose slowly out of bed leaning over to give a gentle kiss.

“Good morning.” Chakotay smiled and pulled her down for more than just a  gentle kiss. “Did you sleep well?”

“Never better.” She moved to get out of bed.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

She turned to give him a coy look, but, as she leaned over to lay across his chest, the scene changed before her eyes. Suddenly  Seven had taken the place of Chakotay. She looked lovely. Her hair was down; she was wearing a very lovely red silk nightgown. She even had a small smile on her face. Gently, she caressed Kathryn’s cheek pulling her down to give her a gentle kiss.

Kathryn did not fight nor did she ask questions. She simply enjoyed. Seven asked her again, “Well, where are you going? Today is your day off.”

“Of course,” She settled down across Seven; both of them were looking at the ceiling. “I’d forgotten. I don’t get many of these, you know.”

“I am aware. It is difficult for us to have any quality time with each other. I value these days greatly.”

Kathryn rolled over to face Seven. She smiled that smile again. “So do I.” They kissed. It deepened. Seven began to slowly pull Kathryn’s strap down. But, Kathryn resisted for a moment. “Why such a rush? We have all day, remember?”

“I am Borg. I enjoy efficiency. It is more efficient not to waste a single moment that we have together.”

Kathryn playfully asked, “And what if I refuse? What if I don’t comply.”

“You must comply…” in the middle of her sentence, Seven began to change just as Chakotay had. Suddenly, Kathryn Janeway found herself in the arms of Q “…resistance if futile, after all.”

She pulled herself away practically leaping from her bed in one smooth motion. “Q! What the hell is going on here?”

“What ever do you mean, Kathy?”

“Why are you here? Where’s Seven? Where’s Chakotay? What is going on here?”

“Why I’m hurt. I thought you’d be happier to see me this morning considering how happy you were to see me last night.”

“What?” Kathryn slowly settled herself in one of her chairs opposite the bed. “Q, are you saying what I think you’re saying? Have you taken on the forms of Seven and Chakotay to…”

“Now wait just a second, Kathy. I’ve looked like this and no other since the time we’ve met. I really don’t know what you’re talking about looking like those two for. I mean, really, if I was going to take on any shape, it certainly wouldn’t be one of those two.”

“Then what?”

“I don’t know,” Q rose from the bed and walked over to Kathryn. He leaned down to be eye level with her. “But, I do know that last night was wonderful.” Before she could say anything, he kissed her.

Janeway sat straight up from her bed and looked around. No one was in her bed, and there was no indication that anyone but her had ever been in her bed. Everything was still and silent. She looked at the clock. It was 0300. There was no way she would be able to go back to sleep with such a horrid dream echoing in her mind, so she got dressed.

Captain Janeway entered the Mess Hall around 0400 and walked to the replicator to order some coffee. She could hear Neelix rumbling around in the back of the kitchen. “Coffee, black.” She sat down at one of the tables.

“Captain! Good morning.”

“Morning, Neelix.”

“I can turn some lights on for you if you’d like.”

“No, thank you. I’m fine.”

“You’re up awfully early. Is everything ok?”

“Yes, everything is fine. I just had a rough night.”

“You know, so did I. I had a dream that Kes had come back, and we were talking, but then it wasn’t Kes. It was a Talaxian woman that I had once had a very large crush on. Then, after a bit, she turned into Tuvok. Now, I’ve had some crazy dreams, but that one was almost too much.” Janeway chuckled a bit. “You know what the strange part is?” The Captain raised an eyebrow in response. “The conversation I was having with Tuvok in my dream actually happened about two minutes ago. He came in here, and somehow we had that exact same conversation.” He paused for a moment to sit down and gather his thoughts as Captain Janeway continued to drink her coffee. She watched him over the rim of her cup. “Come to think about it, all three conversations have actually happened before. It was as though I was reliving those events in my life again. It’s very odd. It’s like it was a warning that what I was dreaming was actually going to come true. Can you imagine that?” He chuckled. “Dreams actually coming true, but, then again, this one seems to have.” He retrieved another cup of coffee for The Captain. “So, Captain, what was your dream about?”

She stopped drinking her coffee for an instance unsure of what to say. Then, she gave a small smile and replied, “Oh, you know, a few wishful thoughts of things I would like, and a reminder of why they’re just wishes.”

“Sounds depressing.”

She shrugged it off. “Oh, not really. I don’t know, I rather enjoyed the beginning. As a matter of fact, I think I’ll see if I can make part of my dream come true. Computer, where is Commander Chakotay?”

“Commander Chakotay is in his quarters.”

“Is he asleep.”

“Affirmative.”

“Computer, where is Seven of Nine?”

“Seven of Nine is in Cargo Bay 2.”

“Is she regenerating?”

“Negative.”

Janeway handed Neelix her coffee cup. “Janeway to Seven of Nine.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Seven, can you meet me in my quarters in five minutes.”

“Yes. I am on my way.”

Janeway looked backed and smiled at a very confused Neelix who stood up and said in a confounded and quizzical tone, “Have a good morning, Captain?”

“Oh, I intend to, Mr. Neelix.”

He watched his captain walk out the door and shook his head in confusion. She always seemed to do things he didn’t understand. He decided to talk to Tom about it later on in the morning. He was sure the lieutenant would have an answer for him. Then, he went back to work fixing the crew’s morning meal.