Poetics 4
Seven looked into Kathryn's blue-grey eyes and saw confusion and fear. She
noticed the flush on her cheeks and felt the heat and throb of Kathryn's rapid
pulse.
“You are frightened.” Seven stated. Kathryn's eyes searched the ready room
before returning Seven's gaze.
“Yes, I don't know why, but – well I'm feeling lots of intense emotions lately.”
Kathryn looked at her apologetically.
“As am I, Kathryn, intense – overwhelming emotions.” Seven felt her own skin
flush, and wonder bloomed in Kathryn's expression. The Captain reached up to
stroke Seven's cheek. The young woman's flesh came alive at the touch, she
gasped and a shudder of what could only be desire shook through her.
“You are so beautiful.” Kathryn said quietly. Seven swallowed nervously.
“You are beautiful, Kathryn, I am ... Borg.” She dropped her eyes. Kathryn's
hands gently lifted her chin so they could look each other in the eye.
“You were Borg, part of you will always be Borg, but believe me Seven, you are
definitely beautiful.” Kathryn said this with conviction but her expression had
changed. She looked sad and suddenly distant, on the verge of tears.
“Kathryn?” Seven again reached out to touch Kathryn's cheek just as the first
tears fell. “I have upset you.” Seven shivered at the feel of Kathryn's skin.
Kathryn shook her head and smirked sadly.
“No you haven't, you've made me happy, Seven, happier than – than I have any
right to be.”
“Kathryn, that statement is illogical. Why would you have to be worthy of an
emotion; you feel it or you do not, is that not a basic truth of humanity?”
Seven was aware that she had straightened up and inadvertently pulled away from
Kathryn's hands, so she gently grabbed them and pulled Kathryn towards her.
Kathryn's eyes were brimming with tears as she looked up at her. Seven pulled
her closer still and Kathryn was quickly enveloped in her warm embrace. Her body
was tense but her arms found their way around Seven’s waist. Seven turned to
whisper into her ear. “I would like to be a source of happiness for you,
Kathryn. I want happiness too, and joy, and desire.” Seven pulled back and
looked into Kathryn's now intensely blue eyes. “I want to experience such
emotions with you.” Seven felt Kathryn relax in her arms and took the
opportunity to kiss her. Shocked at the sensation, Seven found herself closing
her eyes to focus on the feel of Kathryn’s lips against her own, the gasp of
their breath, the half whimper from Kathryn's throat. Suddenly Kathryn's hands
were in Seven's hair pulling her closer pressing their lips ever more tightly
together. Seven followed her impulse to open her mouth and was rewarded with a
sensuous groan from Kathryn and then a gentle swipe of Kathryn's tongue near her
teeth. Seven already felt that her Borg systems were about to overload but she
returned the caress with her own tongue. An immediate rush of electricity passed
between them and Seven felt she might lose consciousness yet she wanted more;
more of Kathryn's lips, her skin and the intense emotions she created. Her hands
slid and caressed every inch of Kathryn she had access to, she could feel
Kathryn's pulse quicken and felt their bodies throbbing with precisely matched
rhythm. Kathryn violently pulled away and stood up, she stumbled a step back
from the sofa, leaving Seven bleary and bereft.
“Heavens, Seven! We have to stop. We're on duty, we – we can't go any further,
not here, not right now.” Kathryn's hair was mussed and her chest was heaving,
she looked half wild and Seven wondered if she could be any more beautiful.
Seven resumed her normal sitting position and attempted to control her
breathing.
“Kathryn, please sit down.” She smiled slightly at the irony of her making the
Captain's usual request. Kathryn slowly sat down quite surprised at her own
behaviour. She ran her fingers through her hair, certain that it was disarrayed.
“You look even lovelier.” Seven said smiling gently feeling overwhelmed with
contentment.
“You might want to fix your hair as well.” Kathryn said.
“You wish to hide the evidence of our activities.” Seven looked severe.
“Well, for now, I think it would be best, that doesn't mean I regret or-”
Kathryn was stopped short by the sight of Seven grinning and covering her mouth
with her hand to try to hide it.
“Kathryn, you are so nervous, it is ... adorable.” Seven smiled. Kathryn
blushed.
“You! Oh you're going to be trouble.” Kathryn said it with affection.
“Having been no trouble at all thus far.” Seven joked.
“No, none at all.” Kathryn half laughed, then caught her breath as Seven let
down her hair, quickly swirled it in her hands and twisted it back into place.
“Am I acceptable?” Seven asked. Kathryn could only grin and nod. “I should
return to my duties, Kathryn, may I – request your company for dinner this
evening?”
“Yes, oh – no, I already have dinner plans. I'm sorry, tomorrow?”
“Acceptable.” Seven said standing up. “I anticipate enjoying your company.”
Kathryn cleared her throat and stood up but Seven was already turning on her
heel to go.
“Seven,” She half turned and Kathryn was struck by her beauty and grace. “I'm
looking forward to it as well.” Seven nodded slightly and strode confidently out
the door.
Gathering her thoughts Kathryn paced the room and continued to smooth out her
hair. She was berating herself for her lack of control as the entry chime
bleeped. “Come.” She walked behind her desk and sat down, looking up at Tuvok's
calm gaze.
“My weekly reports are complete, Captain.” He offered her a padd.
“Thank you, Tuvok.” She replied. Her chief of security continued to scrutinize
her. “Is there something else?”
“Are you alright Captain?” He asked with the slightest pursing of his lips.
“Excellent Tuvok, why do you ask?”
“Your communicator is askew, your hair is in disarray and you are missing a
pip.”
Kathryn's hand shot to her throat, she rolled her eyes and her faced blushed
quite red. She shielded her eyes with one slender hand for a moment to muster
the courage to look up.
“Thank you for bringing that to my attention, Commander,” she said chagrined, “I
assure you I'm quite alright.” Kathryn saw a twinkle of entertainment in the
Vulcan's eyes.
“Unless you need further assistance I shall return to my duties.” Kathryn nodded
her ascent and he left. She put her head in her hands and laughed silently at
her predicament.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Before Seven stepped out of the Turbolift her nanoprobes had suppressed 97% of
the sensations brought on by her activities with Kathryn. Seven felt another
slight surge of arousal which was systematically repressed by her Borg
physiology. This situation was unacceptable. How could she pursue a relationship
with Kathryn if her own body fought off her response? Seven stopped and retraced
her steps, tapping her communicator as she did to alert Tal Celes that she would
be further delayed.
The Doctor was in his small office listening to Puccini at maximum volume so he
did not hear her arrive.
“Computer pause playback.” Seven said.
“What the – Oh, Seven Hello. What brings you to sickbay?”
“I have a request of a personal and confidential nature.” the Doctor's eyebrows
betrayed his curiousity, and a somewhat eager smile expanded across his face.
Remarkably he did not speak so Seven continued. “Lately I have been experiencing
problems with my nanoprobes,” the Doctor indicated she should move to a biobed
and she quickly complied.
“Are they malfunctioning?” he asked reaching for a tricorder.
“No, they are functioning precisely as the Borg intended, which is the problem.”
He waited for her to continue, “They inhibit my ability to experience certain
sensations, which I would very much like to experience.”
“Sensations? Could you be more specific Seven, hearing – smell?”
“Sexual sensation, arousal and so on.” Seven said quietly. The Doctor's demeanor
transformed; he looked at her with shock which became something more like
curiousity. “I require complete confidentiality Doctor.”
“Of course, Seven, of course! How could you think otherwise?” Seven regarded him
silently, “shall we start with a few diagnostics?”
“Acceptable.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kathryn sat across from her First Officer their empty dinnerware crowding the
table between them. She realized she had no idea what he was talking about, it
wasn't the first time this evening that had happened, she simply could not
focus, her mind and body kept betraying her with thoughts and sensations from
her all too brief encounter with Seven.
“Kathryn, You’re light-years away.” Chakotay smiled and she did too.
“Sorry, you're right, I haven't been very good company.” He gestured in response
to show it didn't matter.
“Want to talk about it? You know I'm always here.” He smiled his most charming
smile, but Kathryn had been immune to it for quite a long time.
“Thank you, I think I should call it a night.” Kathryn stood up and Chakotay
followed her to the door. “Dinner was lovely as always.”
“Thank you, next time it's your turn.” He said. Kathryn glanced over her
shoulder at him as she left his quarters and smiled. She was eager to send Seven
a message. The perfect lines had just come into her head.
As soon as she arrived at her quarters Kathryn sat down to search for the poem,
it was called “Words to my Friend” by Renee Vivien. On impulse she sent the
first three stanza's to Seven, with a few clues to her inner turmoil.
Understand me: I am a mediocre being,
Not good, not very bad, peaceful, a bit cunning.
I detest heavy perfume and shrill voices,
And gray is more dear to me than scarlet or ocher.
I love the dying day which grows dim by degrees,
A fire, the cloistered intimacy of a room
where the lamps, veiling their amber transparencies,
Redden the antique bronze and turn the gray stoneware blue,
My eyes drop to the carpet smoother than sand,
Indolently I evoke rivers flecked with gold
Where the clarity of the beautiful past still floats . . .
And nevertheless, I am quite guilty.
K
Seven was working at her console in Cargo Bay 2 and immediately noticed the
message from Kathryn. Her heart accelerated at the single initial. She wondered
what Kathryn was trying to tell her with this poem. Mediocre? Kathryn was many
things but certainly not mediocre. She looked up the first line of the poem – it
was not underlined or emphasized as Kathryn had sent it. It was also several
stanza's longer. Seven pondered the meaning of the underlined phrases. She
decided to respond in kind with the next three stanza's.
You see: I am at the age when a maiden gives her hand
To the man whom her weakness searches and dreads,
And I have not chosen a companion for the road,
Because you appeared at that turn in the road.
The hyacinth was bleeding on the red hills,
You were dreaming and Eros walked at your side . . .
I am woman, I have no right to beauty.
I had been condemned to masculine ugliness.
And I had the inexcusable audacity of wanting
Sisterly love fashioned with soft whiteness,
The furtive step that didn't trample the fern
And the sweet voice that comes to ally itself with evening
She reread the words she had underlined and smiled. Then she decided to add;
Understand me,
7
Kathryn changed out of her uniform and walked out of her bedroom to indulge in a
nightcap. The message icon blinked on her console. Such a quick response! She
forced herself to replicate a glass of scotch – neat, before settling down to
read. Seven had clearly recognized what she had been trying to say. She had sent
her own set of clues which were far more direct than Kathryn's had been. I have
chosen you ... Kathryn swallowed passed the growing lump in her throat and
stared lovingly at the single digit at the close of the message. She wanted
Seven so, she had for quite some time, but she still had concerns about the
crew’s response, regulations, and damnable duty. Perhaps the next section of the
poem could help explain.
They have forbidden me your hair, the look in your eyes,
It seems that your hair is long and full of odors
And it seems your eyes reveal strange longings
And grow agitated like rebellious waves.
They have pointed at me with irritated gestures,
Because my eyes searched out your tender look . . .
And seeing us go by, no one wanted to understand
That I had simply chosen you.
Consider the vile law that I transgress
And judge my love that knows nothing of evil,
As candid, as necessary and fatal
As the desire that joins lover to mistress.
K.
Seven avoided regenerating just in case Kathryn sent a response. When it arrived
containing three more stanza's highlighting her Captains fears and doubts, Seven
became agitated. Kathryn was worried about Starfleet regulations and what the
crew might think of their relationship. Seven paced back and forth formulating a
response; she was having trouble controlling her irritation, which only made her
more irritated. She stopped pacing a realized the modified nanoprobe therapy was
working; her emotions and their affiliated sensations were taking control. She
took a moment to enjoy the flush of anger warming her cheeks and became aware
that she was tightly clenching her jaw and her fists. She smiled with relief –
knowing this would soon lead to so much more. She decided to let some of her
emotions show.
Kathryn,
I know I have been agitating and rebellious, I know many people on board do not
appreciate my presence, I know that your life is ruled by Starfleet regulation;
but you are guilty of nothing evil, no transgressions. You have faced down many
demons – do not fear your own people who love, and respect you. I also know that
your 'heart' has already chosen.
They didn't read in my eyes how clearly I saw
The road where my destiny leads me,
And they have said: “Who is this damned woman
Who gnaws blindly at the flames of hell?”
Leave them to the concern of their impure morality,
and let us imagine that dawn has the blondness of honey,
That days without spite and nights without malice
Come, such as lovers whose goodness reassures. . .
We will go to see the clear stars on the mountains. . .
What matters to us, the judgment of men?
And what have we to doubt, since we are
Pure before life and since we love one another?. . .