CHAPTER 8

Janeway looked at Seven, knowing her future wife was uncomfortable in large social functions.

“Mom, I think we’d prefer a small private ceremony. Just family. In fact, we can go to the Justice of the Peace ourselves; elope. No fuss at all.”

Gretchen was outraged. “Kathryn! You are a decorated Starfleet officer and the daughter of one of the most respected Admirals in Starfleet. There are some social obligations that come with that. ELOPE??? It’s out of the question!”

“Mom, really, we don’t want a big to-do. We’d prefer…”

“Kathryn?” Seven’s voice was as soft as her touch on Janeway’s arm. “It is important to them. If you are refusing a traditional wedding because of me, do not. I will adapt.”

“Are you sure, darling? This is our wedding, after all. It should be what we want.”

“Let your mother plan the wedding, Kathryn. It will be fine.”

“OK, Mom. But we’re not waiting a year for you to plan some huge affair. We want to get married as quickly as possible.”

Walking to a cabinet in the wall Gretchen said over her shoulder “Don’t worry, Kathryn. I can have it organized in a month if I have to.” She withdrew a large binder from a drawer and headed back to the table. “But two would be better.”

“What’s that?” Phoebe leaned next to Gretchen with her head cocked, trying to get a look at the large book.

“The plans for Kathryn’s wedding. I started working on them shortly after I brought her home from the hospital. Oh, and don’t feel neglected, Phoebe. I have one for you too.” Her daughters stared at her in amazement. “Now let’s get to work. We’ve only got two months, after all.”

The next day, Seven and Kathryn took a picnic lunch down to the pond. After they ate, they snuggled together on the blanket enjoying the thin warmth of the afternoon sun and some lingering kisses.

“Tell me what the wedding will be like, Kathryn. I have not had time to research the matter yet.”

“Long, boring and usually uncomfortable.”

Seven chuckled and kissed her fiancée. “I am serious, Kathryn. Tell me what a wedding is like. After all, I have no experience with them; Lieutenants Paris and Torres eloped.”

“Oh, well, if you’re serious…first of all, there’s the actual ceremony. We’ll stand in front of the Justice of the Peace and say our vows to each other and promise to love honor and cherish each other and he’ll formally marry us. Then, there’s the reception.”

“That is the social part of the wedding?”

“Yep. I’m sure that we’ll have to pose for some formal holo-images. But after that, it’s just dinner and dancing. During the dinner, there will be toasts made. After the dinner, we’ll cut the wedding cake and feed each other a piece. And then everybody dances. We’ll have to dance the first one by ourselves, and then everybody joins in.”

“We will dance together alone?”

“Yeah, the traditional first dance.”

Seven got a dreamy look on her face. “A tango…”

Kathryn looked at her askance. “A tango? Why a tango?”

“During one of our social lessons on the holodeck, the Doctor showed me a couple dancing the tango. It was the most beautiful dance I have ever seen.”

Kathryn had no idea how to dance a tango. But if a tango was what Seven wanted, then a tango was what she’d have.

“Darling, if you want to dance a tango, then we’ll dance a tango.”

“You do not mind? It is a complicated dance…”

“Don’t worry about it. I know how to dance. We can practice a bit before the wedding. It will be fine.”

“So what other traditions are there in a wedding reception?”

“Well, there’s the bouquet toss and the garters toss, but really, that’s about it.”

“Throw a bouquet and - garters?”

Janeway laughed. “It’s customary for the ‘bride’ to carry a bouquet of flowers and to use somewhat frilly elastic garters on her stockings. She tosses her bouquet and the ‘groom’ removes her garters and tosses them to the crowd. The unmarried women try to catch the bouquet and the unmarried men try to catch the garters. Whoever succeeds is reputed to be the next to marry. But if we’re going to throw garters you’ll have to wear them – there’s no room for ‘em under my dress whites.”

“You would disrobe me in front of the entire gathering?”

“Believe me; it sounds worse than it is. I promise to be discreet, darling.”

Seven smiled, “Well, if you promise…but how shall we seal that promise?”

Kathryn leaned in and kissed her deeply. “Just like that.”

“I believe I require additional reassurances…”

The afternoon proved to be far too short for their liking.

Two days later, Gretchen and Phoebe took Seven shopping for wedding apparel. Their plans were to begin in Paris and if they had no luck there, to continue on to Milan. If all else failed, New York City was in reserve. Phoebe was sure they’d find the perfect ensemble in one of the fashion capitols.

“We’ll be at the Hotel Meurice. Hopefully, we should find what we want in a couple of days. If we change locations, we’ll let you know, Kathryn. Your job while we’re gone is to get your wedding bands and a suitable engagement ring for Seven. Don’t come back here until you do.” Gretchen issued her orders.

Kathryn snapped to attention and saluted smartly. “Yes, ma’am!”  She stepped onto a transport pad and requested New York City as the others moved onto pads and requested Paris. Once in the city, Kathryn headed directly for Tiffany & Co.™, the venerable, historic jewelers. As she entered the store, she was promptly met by a senior manager and escorted into a consultation room. She had to admit, there were times when the press frenzy over Voyager’s journey home wasn’t a completely bad thing.

“What can Tiffany and Company do for you, Captain Janeway?” asked the manager over a cup of tea.

“I’m engaged, Mr. Lanscombe, to the most beautiful woman in the galaxy. I want to get her an engagement ring and our wedding bands.”

“Certainly, Captain. Let’s deal with the engagement ring first. Do you have any specific requirements?”

Kathryn thought about it for a moment. But all she could see was the beauty of Seven’s face as she had accepted her proposal.

“I hadn’t really -,” She paused as she realized she had only one requirement. “It must be perfect.”

“Captain, I had the privilege of helping your father choose your mother’s ring,” said Lanscombe after a quiet chuckle. “He said almost exactly the same thing. We made him the ring he sought; I believe we can do the same for you.”

Assistants brought in velvet trays of rings and Kathryn’s eyes were immediately drawn to one ring in particular. An oval-cut diamond of 3 carats on a 4mm platinum band whose glittering brilliance took her breath away.

“That one. That’s the one,” she whispered.

Lanscombe smiled at the look on her face. “Of course, Captain. That particular diamond is D-color and F-clarity. It is flawless. In what sized band shall we set it?” When an assistant had been dispatched with the information, Lanscombe spoke again.

“Captain, there is one particular set of wedding bands I believe will be exactly what you require. If I may?” At her nod, he summoned another assistant with a small velvet tray. On it lay two platinum bands, each 7mm wide. Around the 3mm center of each was etched an endless Celtic knot. Kathryn’s smile was incandescent.

“You are correct, Mr. Lanscombe. They are precisely what I require.”

They completed the transactions, with Kathryn agreeing to pick up the rings later that afternoon. As she left the store a thought occurred to her and she sought a nearby comm center. With a little luck, she could accomplish more than one task that day.

* * *

The next morning, Gretchen, Phoebe and Seven arrived home, much earlier than expected. Phoebe was grumbling that they hadn’t stayed longer in Paris.

“Phoebe, we could have come home last night. Seven found exactly what she was looking for in the second salon we visited. We stayed last night so you could catch up with your friends. Stop complaining,” Gretchen chided. As they pulled the hovercraft into the drive unusual music could be heard coming from the house. Phoebe parked the hovercraft, quietly trotted up the steps ahead of the others and peeked in the window. She turned to beckon Gretchen and Seven to join her, signaling them for quiet with a finger to her lips. They tiptoed to the window and looked into the living room. The sight that greeted them left them speechless.

Captain Kathryn Janeway, decorated hero of the Voyager odyssey stood in the middle of the bared living room floor clutching a throw pillow and chanting to herself “Long – long – quick – quick – long…” as the strains of Per Una Cabeza filled the room. She moved smoothly across the room, but as she attempted a quick spin, got her feet tangled and landed unceremoniously on her rear end.

“Godammit! I’ll NEVER get that pivot turn right!” she cursed and as she flung her pillow ‘partner’ across the room saw the three faces staring open-mouthed at her through the window. She scrambled to her feet as they entered the house; Phoebe roaring with laughter, Gretchen fighting a losing battle to contain her mirth and Seven smiling adoringly at her.

“‘Arthur Murray Dance Studios’? Oh, Katie, how the mighty have fallen!!” howled Phoebe looking at the instruction PADD. Janeway flushed red to the roots of her hair.

Gretchen nudged her younger daughter toward the kitchen as Seven walked over to Kathryn.

“Was that for me, Kathryn?” she asked the blushing woman.

“I…well, I said I could dance. I never said I knew how to tango. I had several free hours yesterday and I…uh…took some lessons. I was practicing. I thought I had a couple of days to get it right.”

“You took tango lessons for me?” Seven asked softly.

“Well, you said you wanted to dance a tango. So I’m learning the tango.”

Tears welled up in the ex-Borg’s eyes. “No one has ever done anything like that for me.”

Kathryn wrapped her arms around Seven’s waist and pulled her close. “Well, get used to it. THIS someone plans on spending the rest of her life doing things like that for you. Speaking of which…” Kathryn gently disengaged herself from the hug and walked into the dining room. She took a small light blue box tied with a white ribbon from a matching bag and returned to the living room where she and Seven sat on the sofa.

“Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct to Unimatrix 01, are you still sure you want to marry me?” she asked with a grin.

“Yes, Captain Janeway, I am.”

“Then this is for you.” Kathryn handed Seven the small box. Carefully, Seven removed the white bow and opened the box. Inside it was a smaller black velvet box. As Seven opened it her eyes widened.

“Oh, Kathryn, it is…perfection. Not even the Omega molecule was this beautiful.”

“Don’t argue with me about which hand it goes on, okay?” said Janeway as she took the ring from the box and slipped it on the ring finger of Seven’s Borg hand. Seven could only stare at it, transfixed.

Janeway grinned at her. “I’ll assume from your stunned expression that you approve. If you do, it’s customary to bestow a small token of thanks on the ring-giver.”

Seven wrapped her arms around Kathryn and kissed her. Not just a token kiss, but a curl-your-toes, shake-you-to-your-bones, let-slip-the-hormones, soul-searing kiss. After they finally broke apart, Kathryn wasn’t exactly sure what planet she was on. When Seven abruptly stood, grabbed her hand and headed for the kitchen shouting “Phoebe, you lose the bet!” she could only stumble along in her wake.

“Bet? What bet?”