Poetics 3



By Alibaba

J/7 a first time (slow seduction) story chock full of historical lesbian poetry!

Poems excerpted in P.3 :

Elizabeth Bishop - "It is Marvelous to Wake up together."

Rose O'Neill - "But if You Come to Me by Day."



After a few soothing swallows of water Kathryn rubbed at her face to clear the tears and confusion. She set out to find this poem and read the rest of it. Of course she really should have been asleep long ago but understanding Seven’s intentions and her emerging emotions became Kathryn’s top priority. After a few minutes of impatient waiting her search results appeared. It was by a poet named Elizabeth Bishop written in the late 1940’s. Seven’s poetic research was taking her further a field than Kathryn had ventured. The Starship Captain scanned the lines of the poem; the mixed imagery struck her as rather odd perhaps even ominous.

Picking up where Seven’s excerpt left off Kathryn forced herself to slow down and enjoy the poem itself…



From a black mesh of wires in the sky.

All over the roof rain hisses,

And below, the light falling of kisses.



The last three lines of the second stanza created several vivid images:



And we imagine dreamily

How the whole house caught in a bird-cage of lightning

Would be quite delightful rather than frightening;



Kathryn smirked at the playful end-rhymes even as she felt a chill from the repeated references to electricity, “black wires dangling” as a warning, to the lovers blissfully ignoring the dangers of the storm raging outside. The final lines of the last stanza made her breath catch and her mind race with possibilities.



/ Without surprise

The whole world might change to something quite different,

As the air changes or the lightning comes without our blinking

Change as our kisses are changing without our thinking.



Kathryn felt a specific sort of electricity coursing through her. She wondered at Seven’s Borg physiology, what would it feel like to have actual electricity controlling parts of your body? She was shocked to realize that she hadn’t really considered that before – just how differently Seven interacted with the world on a sensual level. Clearly she was physically stronger and more than gifted intellectually, but what would it be like to see through her eyes, would sound resonate differently in her ears, does rain feel the same on her implants as on her skin? Would her kisses taste sweet or metallic?

Kathryn shut down her console with a yawn and took herself to bed. As she snuggled into a comfortable position the last lines of a Rose O’Neill poem came to her:



I held you in the hollow night

And drank you in the dark!



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Kathryn's back was straight, upright, she felt sturdy to her toes and confident that she had done the right thing. The corridor from the lift to the Brig was darkened; its sharp edges gone soft and hazy. She heard noises in the distance that reminded her of the violent thunder storms of her Indiana childhood. She stepped into the harsh bright light of the Brig, barely nodding to the crewman on duty. She stopped in front of the force field, it crackled like lightning.

Her young Borg captive swung on a simple swing suspended from the tall roof of her shimmering cage. Kathryn knew something was wrong about the whole situation. Her world tilted as her eyes met those of her prisoner. 7 of 9 – Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One swung languidly back and forth; the once perfect drone was coming apart and she had a very human look of disdain on her face. Kathryn's skin felt alive as she looked up at her, Seven seemed to look through her, to the inner secret self Kathryn kept so carefully hidden. Her heart was thumping, excited, she licked her lips to speak, but was quickly interrupted.

“You will return this Borg to the collective.” Seven was suddenly standing quite close. Kathryn felt an inappropriate tingle up her spine from the commanding tone of the young woman's voice. She also heard the not quite hidden desperation and felt compelled to reassure her.

“I'm afraid I can't do that.” Kathryn said, and then with a quick gesture she dropped the force field and stepped over the barrier. Rage was clear on Seven's face.

“I will kill you!” Seven yelled, her one human eye flashing with anger.

“I don’t think you will.” Kathryn said quietly. She felt the floor rumbling and bolts of lightning lit up the brig. Seven was yelling over the din of the storm.

“…but you cannot change our nature! I do not want this life!”

The storm swirled around them pulling at Kathryn’s uniform and tangling her hair. The walls of the brig began to fall apart; cables and conduits fell in showers of sparks from the walls and ceiling. Seven crouched like a hunted animal, finally cornered and ready to defend itself.

“It’s what you are – Don’t resist it!” Kathryn called through the whirlwind. Seven lunged at her through the gathering darkness, she stumbled and Kathryn just managed to catch her. She was incredibly heavy for her size and Kathryn struggled to maneuver her to the bench. The young woman fell across her lap, leaned back in her arms and reached up to trace a finger along the Captain’s jaw.

“We – do not want – to be – what you are.” She slid her fingers behind Kathryn’s neck and pulled her closer. She felt a bolt of lightning strike her as Seven’s soft lips met her own, she shook with desire when Seven’s tongue slid into her mouth. Everywhere she felt invaded by uncontrollable desires. She pulled back for air and saw she was covered in tiny crawling nanoprobes, they seemed to pour out of Seven’s fingers on to her. Seven uttered one quiet word, “comply.”

Kathryn awoke to find herself already sitting upright, her nightshirt sticking to her and a chill shivering up her arms. She blinked and tore off her shirt, then pulled the blankets close and lay down, curling up on her side. Eyes wide open to the darkness she thought about her strange dream. Eventually she fell asleep when her shivering subsided.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Seven of Nine stepped away from her regeneration chamber filled with an enjoyable sense of anticipation. She hoped that the poem she had chosen for last nights message would make her feelings and intentions clear to her Captain. She almost smiled as she checked her console. There were no messages from Kathryn. She had a brief moment of defeat, and then she checked again. Nothing! She ran a quick diagnostic scan of the communications system. Confusion and anger held sway for a moment before she could clamp down on her feelings. She made a brief entry in her personal log and then made her way purposefully to the mess hall. She ordered her usual nutritional supplement and took it with her to Astrometrics not wanting to interact with anyone.

Her daily duties required only minor amounts of her attention, which left too much of her impressive intellect free to speculate on the possible reasons for the Captains lack of response. Perhaps the poem was not direct enough? Perhaps too direct and had offended her in some way? Perhaps Kathryn hadn't the time to respond? No, nothing exceptional had happened in the passed 10 hours. Perhaps Kathryn was nervous or embarrassed or perhaps she didn't share Seven's feelings at all! No, more likely she was not ready to admit how she was feeling. Seven's level of frustration grew as the morning progressed. When her shift was half over she noticed that she had left her glass atop one of the side consoles, she picked it up and strode over to the small recycling unit and tossed it in.

“Seven, is um – are you Ok?” Tal Celes asked her. Seven hadn't even noticed the young Bajoran report for duty! This situation was making her inefficient which was unacceptable! She stared hard at the Ensign who looked wide-eyed with fear.

“I am – well, I must leave you in charge here for the moment.”

“O-kay, sure, I mean Yes sir. I ...” Seven strode quickly out the door leaving the young woman blinking with surprise.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Kathryn reported for duty feeling like she had been trampled by a huge herd of wildebeests. She retreated to her Ready Room as soon as she could. She tried coffee – even that couldn't help. Not for the first time she wished Voyager had a ships counselor. She was accustomed to asking Tuvoks advice but not on such a personal matter and not when she was uncertain of her own feelings. Chakotay could have been a possibility if he didn't have such and obvious distrust of Seven, it seemed liked he expressed that bias at the slightest provocation. There was also the possibility that he might get jealous. After all Kathryn had rejected him. If only he knew where her thoughts had been taking her lately, he may very well stage a mutiny claiming that the Captain had been assimilated. She chuckled to herself but then her thoughts returned to her dream the night before. She could almost feel her skin creeping with nanoprobes – what was she afraid of? She lay back on the couch trying to figure out what to do. Protocols and procedures fought with her feelings and desires. She couldn't stop yawning no matter what she did.

A gentle touch on her shoulder startled her awake. Seven was leaning close and studying her face. She smiled sleepily before she could control herself, and noticed a brief softening of Seven's stoic face.

“Commander Chakotay said you were fatigued. I will return later.” Seven said. Kathryn sat up quickly and reached out to stop the young woman, her hand brushed Seven's thigh.

“No, Seven, please, here sit down.” Kathryn said still feeling groggy. Kathryn shifted over so she wasn't eye level with those lovely hips. Seven looked hesitant but soon sat stiffly next to her Captain. Kathryn saw fear and confusion in Seven's expression and without even thinking about what she was doing she reached out and took Seven's left hand between her own. She watched her own thin fingers slide and caress the implants on Seven's soft skin, her thoughts returned to the evening before when she had pondered Seven's senses. She enjoyed the cool and warm contrasts and the different textures of flesh and implants. Realizing what she was doing and that she may have crossed a line she pretended to herself that nothing had changed. She looked up into Seven's startled blue eyes and knew that everything had changed. She hoped she was strong enough to face those changes.

“What's on your mind, Seven” Kathryn asked, her voice still low and sleepy.

“I had intended to ask why you had not responded to my message, but now I am more curious as to why you are holding my hand, Kathryn?” Seven shifted her gaze from their hands to the Captains face.

“You looked confused or maybe frightened a moment ago, I suppose I wanted to help ease those feelings.” Kathryn continued to look at their hands as she spoke.

“Had I been any other member of the crew would you have acted in the same way?”

“No, I don't suppose I would.” Kathryn finally looked up and their eyes met.

“Then why hold my hand?” Seven asked while her eyes searched Kathryn's.

“Aren't we friends?” Kathryn said a little too lightly. Seven's brow furrowed.

“Indeed, are you not friends with several members of the crew?”

“Of course!” Kathryn tried to make light of the situation.

“Do you hold their hands or talk to them about poetry?” Seven placed her right hand on top of Kathryn's and let her fingertips trace the bones. Kathryn merely shook her head, Seven wondered if that was fear in her captains eyes. The two women looked down as their hands continued to move together, melding together only to slip almost apart before reconfiguring themselves. Seven finally broke the heavy silence; “Kathryn, I believe we should be more than friends.”

“I thought you might.” Kathryn looked at her almost smiling.

“Because of the poetry?” Seven asked. Kathryn nodded. “I had hoped to convince you. I am pleased that you have not pulled your hands away.” Kathryn’s look was serious.

“I have to admit that I'm quite nervous Seven, I'm not sure it would be the right thing for you, for either of us. I’ve had the strangest dreams lately, and this isn't exactly a typical situation, I mean we are lost in the Delta quadrant, which is all my fault, but then we never would have met, god that would be awful and besides that I've never fallen in love with woman before, and-”

“Kathryn, calm down.” Seven touched her Captain's cheek brushing away a single tear and the older woman stopped rambling. “We will adapt, perhaps it will take some time, but I can be patient.”

“I'm not sure I can, Seven.”