Lunchtime

Fork midway to her mouth, Kathryn Janeway becomes aware that the mess hall has fallen silent. Not a suden silence, but one of those that start from a single point and sweep outwards like a contagion. So she turns around and freezes, the fork slipping from her fingers to fall unremarked to the floor.
 

Seven of Nine strides in from the far door where she has obviously been standing, her features schooled into that mask of casual indifference that is her trademark amongst the crew, even after all this time. But it's not the same Seven. Not at all.
 

Most noticable is her clothing: the heels and the biosuit are gone, replaced by boots with thick flat soles underneath a pair of Starfleet uniform pants, a lavender turtleneck and a blue suede jacket with black ribbed shoulders. The only visible implants now are the ones on her face, the web on her hand.But the thing that strikes Kathryn the most is Seven's hair - the long tresses usually kept so tightly controlled are gone altogether, transformed into a style that resembles Harry Kim's.
 

The young woman's movement brings her unerringly to Kathryn's side, where she kneels down and picks up the fork. "You dropped this... Captain," she says quietly.
 

Before Kathryn can think of a reply that requires her to close her mouth first, there's a deafening metallic clang that draws everyone's attention to Neelix. A pan in either hand, the Talaxian offers a shrug. "Don't mind me folks. Nothing to see here."
 

With that, the room snaps back to normal, everyone returning to their conversations as the spell of Seven's new appearance is broken. But just before Seven turns back around, Kathryn notices her favour Neelix with a small but unmistakable smile of gratitude.
 

"My appearance suprises you," the young woman states as she sits opposite her, back to the rest of the room.
 

"I think it surprised everybody," she remarks with a faint gesture of her hand.
 

"Their reaction is irrelevant," Seven counters dismissively before her voice softens. "Do /you/ find it pleasing?" The slight inflection is impossible to miss.
 

"Uh, yes." Giving herself a mental slap, Kathryn drags her brain back into gear. "Was a desire to please me the reason for this suden change in wardrobe?" she asks, uncertain of which answer she wants to hear.
 

Seven smiles again, a sight that sends tiny and unexpected shivers down her spine. "No, but it is a pleasing consequence." Then her expression darkens. "I... simply grew tired of being the Doctor's fashion doll and having my physiognomy displayed according to the vicarious aesthetic pleasures of the man upon whom the EMH holomatrix is founded."
 

As she continues, her shoulders slump slightly. "Even though I have been the agent of their survival several time since I became a member of this collective, there are still a significant number of the crew that still feel uncomfortable around me because I am of the Borg, a difference the biosuits only served to accentuate. I have reached a stage in my socialisation where this has become... uncomfortable."
 

"I had no idea you felt this way," Kathryn says appologetically, reaching over and touching Seven's metallic fingertips.
 

"No, you didn't." There is nothing harsh in Seven's voice, merely a statement of fact that none the less makes the older woman cringe inwardly.
 

"I /should/ have," Kathryn shakes her head. "You're part of my crew, part of the Voyager family." Her fingers move upwards along the alien warmth of the webbing. "And most importantly, you're my friend whom I care very deeply about. You were miserable, and I didn't do anything to help you."
 

"Please Captain, do not trouble yourself. As you can see, I have taken my own steps to remedy the situation." She stands then, but in such a way Kathryn's hand remains in contact with hers for as long as posible. "I am required in Engineering."
 

"The reactions of the others aren't irrelevant at all, are they?" Kathryn asks quietly as Seven departs.
 

"No, Kathryn, they're not," she answers with that same intimate quietness. "But I'll admit that only to you."
 

It's not until after the doors have closed behind Seven that Kathryn realises she's just been called by her fast name.