Kathryn took a moment to grasp this new information.
“Well… he has obviously recovered from the first or he wouldn’t be here… but why? Why did you hit him?”
Seven stiffened, staring at the door into the Cathedral where the service had become muted. There were footsteps in the Chapel – audible to them both.
“It might not be him - in fact it probably isn’t’” Janeway whispered, trying to hide amusement and relief from her voice. “Shall I take a look?”
“Negative!” Seven was moving towards the other staircase pulling Admiral Janeway with her. “We will find an alternative exit.”
“But we - you - do have to talk to him at some point…”
“Negative! It is not safe!”
“Seven I will protect you. I promise.“
“Incorrect - Admiral Janeway - it is not safe for him! I do not wish to talk anymore! I do not want to listen to his reasons and he refuses to listen to mine so I will hit him again. Harder. It is not appropriate that I hit him here.”
“Oh. Quite right.” Point for the future - if we have one. “On the whole it’s best not to hit him anywhere, Seven.” Though I’ve wanted to thump him once or twice too.
Seven was examining the blue transporter pad. “A monopad, it leads to The Lantern Tower, above the Triforium. ‘A room for quiet retreat and contemplation’. We should go there and make a plan.”
There was a metallic moan and the sounds of the service getting louder.
“And what plan would that be, Seven?” Chakotay stood in the doorway, phaser in hand. He jiggled it. “Just a little precaution in case you thought to hit me again.” There was madness in his eyes. He was looking at Seven with loathing. “Why am I not surprised that you are here, Kathryn? Come to save your little Borg? But then it helped me find her, you being here, the great and wonderful Admiral Janeway, so recognisable. So famous.” He descended into the room, carefully closing the door. “Apparently you two have been causing quite a scene, care to tell me about it? Or has my wife just totally lost her mind and tried to kill you too?”
Kathryn moved between them slowly, a feeling of dread in her bones. Perhaps everything is pre-destined? In one future already culminating at this point, Seven of Nine had died in Chakotay’s arms. Not in this one. Not if I can help it.
“Are you OK, Chakotay? Do you need medical attention?” She pushed Seven back onto the transporter pad, all the while shielding her with her body.
“I’m fine!” He spat, “Go away! Leave us alone! Seven - It is not over, come home, you know it’s not over! I will change - just give me the chance!!!..”
She interrupted before Seven could speak. “Stop this Chakotay. Get a grip, man, you need help.”
He lunged towards them, ignoring her. “You come home now. I will forgive you for hitting me. I won’t tell anyone.”
Kathryn raised her hands, holding him off with the movement, compassion pouring from her face. He diverted to prowl in front of them. She could feel Seven trying to push a way through her to get at him. Her voice was loud and angry.
“It is not my home. I have left it. You will leave me alone! This subject is terminated.”
“No!” He raised the phaser, thinking to order her to accompany him, thinking he needed to shut her up, to make her understand.
Kathryn was holding firm, blocking Seven with her body, and him with her hands still open in appeasement.
“I know you, you don’t want to hurt her, Chakotay, do you? You love her.”
“Yes!” His face crumpled. “Seven I love you!”
Kathryn stepped forward, off the transporter pad, her hands still raised. A carefully timed phaser could hit two people mid-transport, but only one solid body at a time otherwise. Mine, if need be.
“I know you love her and that is why you are going to let her go.” She lowered her hand slowly towards the controls. “She’s her own woman. She has to make her own choices. Whatever they are.” He was shadowing her every move.
“I’m warning you Kathryn! Don’t stand in my way. She can speak for herself.” He aimed the phaser at her.
“What are you going to do with that, Chakotay? Shoot me? Shoot Seven?” Carefully now.
“If I have to. Now go away, Kathryn and let me settle this my own way.” Seven was tensing behind her, readying herself to spring at him. Kathryn moved to block her while demanding Chakotay’s attention.
“I won’t let you hurt her. You will have to shoot us both. I know you don’t want to do that. Now think man, think about what you are doing here… What do your spirit guides have to say? ”
“Fuck my spirit guides!”
He shuddered to a halt, shocked at his own blasphemy. Her hand hit the transport button and Seven dematerialised behind her.
Tears began to spill down his face. “You see? You see what she has done to me? I’m sorry, Seven. I’m sorry.” He implored the space where Seven had been with one hand stretching wildly, erratically as if to claw her back. Kathryn moved towards him slowly, an eye still on the phaser. For God’s sake Seven, let me handle this. Don’t come back.
Chakotay was weeping frenziedly. She touched his hand gently, sliding hers around it towards the phaser and carefully easing his head down to her shoulder with the other hand.
“You have to turn this around, my friend. Walk away. Find your path again. Let her go. She needs to go. She needs you to let her. You can do that because you love her.” A spasm jolted through him and he released the phaser into her hand allowing himself to be drawn briefly into her arms, to cry. For a few moments she comforted him until he drew in a shuddering breath and moved away, his face beginning to calm.
“It’s you isn’t it? It has always been you.” Resignation and bitterness sculpted the words.
She answered honestly, “I don’t know. I think so. I can only hope so.” His eyes filled with darkness, but he controlled it.
“Do you love her?”
“Yes.”
He looked at the phaser. Don’t make me shoot you, Chakotay. Her hand tightened in readiness. There was a long pause. He swallowed.
“Better keep that under your pillow then. You’ll need it.” It was the best he could do and she allowed him the reward of her smile, watching him straighten his shiny leather jacket and set his jaw back to a semblance of the man she knew.
“Uh- thanks. I think. What will you do? Will you be alright now?”
He put his hands in his pockets. “Oh I’ll think of something. Maybe I am long overdue a conversation with my ancestors.” Seeing the alarm in her face, he snapped, “It’s a ceremony Kathryn. Some part of me has to die, but my time on this plain is not yet over - oh I’m not going to end it all because of Seven. Anyway she is waiting for you now and probably about to instigate a cunning counter attack to knock me out again. You best go to her. Will you tell her… tell her that I’m sorry?” Just for a moment the grief welled up again, before it was marshalled into place. He looked angry.
“Yes.”
“I’m probably going to hate you for this for a long, long time.”
“I know. But… we won’t actually stop loving each other. I am still your friend. Remember that, Chakotay.”
He grunted and made his way up the steps, lumbering through the door, without looking back. She continued to watch the closed door, tension leaving her system and leaving her weak. Nothing is easy, is it? Love leaves you desperate and lonely and transfers all of its blessing onto somebody else. I know how that feels, Chakotay and I hope you find respite soon. But now Seven was waiting for her. Seven feeling God-knows-what and Kathryn was beginning to feel tired. Automatically she began to straighten her appearance, readying herself for what was to come, feeling a new nervousness beginning to take a hold of her. Blue lights swirled around her fading out the sunken little room and fading in an octagonal room with Seven of Nine at the controls of the transporter.
“How did you do that - I wasn’t even on the transporter pad!” Kathryn lowered her hand from her hair.
“I extended the pad parameters and programmed the transporter buffers to lock onto your bio-patterns.”
Kathryn looked at her stunned. But that means she knows them off by heart. My bio-patterns. It wasn’t exactly a declaration of love, but like so many times before it was a peculiar indication of the Borg’s devotion and loyalty to her. So many times when I just took that for granted. “I’m impressed. Thank you.” They were in a tiny room at the top of the lantern tower. Tall ornate windows complete with wide window seats graced two semi circular bays. There was no glass; instead forcefields protected them from the weather, though the wind was still audible buffeting the blue domed ceiling above. It was adorned with gold and silver stars. Ambient lighting and heat had activated automatically on Seven’s arrival. Kathryn, enchanted, turned to Seven, “This is like being in an ancient spaceship.”
Seven was looking at the phaser in her hand.
“I didn’t have to use it and he has gone now. He said to tell you that he is sorry.”
Seven said nothing, frozen in thought and emotion. She looked raw.
“Seven?” Kathryn’s voice was gentle as she moved towards the younger woman who stepped back quickly before she could touch her. Behind her was a small shrine with one tall candle placed before it. It was unlit. Ready for the next pilgrim. I guess you might call that me.
“Careful.” Kathryn indicated it still following the young woman. “How are you doing, Seven?”
“I have damaged him.”
“He is hurt right now, yes, but I asked about you. How are you?” She placed the phaser delicately on a shelf beneath the altar, retrieving a lighter as she did so.
“I am… adrift. Floating in space without purpose. I have hurt him and I do not know how to mend him. I am an inadequate human being.”
Kathryn smiled, her eyes tearing, “Because your first relationship failed? In that case we are all incompetent.” And love makes us all feel inadequate so very quickly. She offered a prayer to whatever Gods were listening and lit the candle.
Seven didn’t move. “But I did not experience what I thought I would, even when we were an effective unit. I will always just be a drone as I do not feel human feelings.”
Kathryn placed her hand on the Borg’s arm offering comfort. She wanted to ask about sex and about passion, but then again - maybe she didn’t want to know the answers.
“Look, let’s sit over there.” She indicated the window seat, moving Seven towards it and dumping her coat, veil and bag at one end. The Borg reluctantly allowed herself to be guided onto its purple cushioned seat, leaning lightly against a bolster, unconsciously unfastening her coat as she did so. Underneath, Kathryn could see a deep blue silk shirt tucked into figure hugging slacks.
“I’ve seen you experience many emotions, on Voyager and here today, so I am sure that this is not true, but what feelings do you mean, Seven? You were in love with him?” Seven drew in a pained breath, holding herself rigid.
“I believed I was experiencing love. It was… comfortable. Pleasant. We operated efficiently together. There were no problems. It was satisfactory to begin with, but after a time I identified a lack. I required a personal challenge to combat this complacency. It was not in evidence when I was onboard Voyager because the work and the collective were rewarding. I considered this deficiency to stem from the alien human lifestyle that I was testing and that I had not yet adapted to it. So I persevered.”
There were iron rings fixed at even intervals to the stonework beneath the windows. Kathryn examined one idly. “Did you discuss this with… your husband?”
“He was monitoring me and addressed it first. He said I was undergoing a ‘difficult stage in development’ and advised me to see a counsellor. I saw two and both had their own strategy to assist me but …they added to all the other voices inside me telling me how I should behave. Who I should be…” She stopped, combating anger and distress, her face flushing.
Kathryn placed a hand on her thigh. “Go on, talk to me, Seven.”
“There were so many voices and none of them my own. I just felt empty. I did attempt to rectify the situation, Admiral, but the more I attempted to repair my emotions, the less I could feel anything at all. For a long time the sexual connection sustained him but then he became insistent and I was not happy. I did not fit.” She paused briefly fixing Kathryn with unwavering eyes. “He loved me too.”
Kathryn stroked her arm briefly, taking her left hand. “ I know he did. The question is what do you feel now?”
“Disappointed. In myself. I think that I am unfit to be in a relationship. I do not have the required responses and this results in damage to my partner. I am rootless. Adrift. I do not belong on Earth with humans. I will hurt you too, Admiral. That cannot be permitted.”
Kathryn held her hand gently between soothing palms. “Adrift…. Rootless. I understand these feelings, Seven, even with family to come home to. You are looking for a quality which can only be found within, no matter how far you travel. For a sense of yourself - and you know this is perfectly natural… But…” She sighed, “Can I ask you about the physical side of your relationship with Chakotay?”
Seven, indignant, removed her hand carefully, placing it instead on the bolster cushion behind her. “I am an adept sexual partner. I am familiar with many pleasing techniques. Chakotay was extremely satisfied with my ability.”
And who touches you? Who gets close to you? Beyond the perfunctory?
Janeway cleared her throat, “Were you satisfied, Seven?”
“My physical release quotient stabilised at 94.1 percent. I understand that this is satisfactory, Admiral. It is significantly above average.” She lifted an eyebrow arrogantly, annoyance plain to see to the older woman.
She nodded, “An impressive figure, indeed… Do you mind if I ask you about this?”
“I do not.” She stretched her right arm along the cushion, her coat falling open to frame her remarkable silk clad body. It was a posture of supreme physical confidence. Kathryn shifted slightly, aware that she was moving into uncomfortable territory.
“Your skill as a … lover… comes from your innately generous nature. You delight in performing to the very best of your ability in all things, do you not?”
“Affirmative.”
Kathryn paused, wondering how best to phrase this. Perhaps I should just show her? She suppressed an internal giggle, turning her seriousness back to the subject at hand.
“Chakotay must have been one very fulfilled man.”
“Of course.”
“It’s just that I have this notion, Seven, of you pleasing him so much that you included your own release as part of your gift to him.” And he probably never even realised it.
“I did not pretend - if that is what you mean - I did not need to.”
“No, I know. I’m sure all your techniques are highly effective. You are, after all, very self-sufficient.”
“I am unsure as to your point, Admiral?” The irritation in Seven’s eyes was beginning to arouse her.
“I know and …perhaps that is my point.” She smiled suddenly, “Can we return to this another time?”
“Of course, although I would prefer to know now.”
Kathryn grinned at her impishly. “That would be more satisfactory to you wouldn’t it?” She jangled a metal loop playfully.
Seven took a moment to consider her former Captain, certain that the conversation had just changed direction but unsure as to where it was headed. There was a gleam in Janeway’s eye that unsettled her, yet the nervousness this produced in her solar plexus was strangely agreeable. She licked her lips and decided to proceed down this new avenue.
“And what would be satisfactory to you, Admiral?” Seven fixed the auburn woman with serious eyes.
Lust jolted Kathryn - arriving as it did in one engulfing second. She caught her breath, aware of all her sexual responses at once. Aware that Seven could just as easily read them. “Ah.” She flushed. “You’ve got me there, Seven.” She glanced up at the Borg, “Sorry.”
Seven was watching her in fascination.
Janeway cleared her throat again. “I have to know - when you kissed me - was that merely an experiment?” She drew a leg up beneath herself self-consciously.
“In which scientific field – how to kiss an admiral?”
Kathryn gasped in surprise: Seven seemed to be actually enjoying her discomfort! The Borg raised an eyebrow. “I kissed you because it was the natural conclusion to our interaction.” Something close to amusement was emanating from Seven of Nine.
Kathryn, struggling to find any meaning at all that satisfied her in this response, moved a little closer and tried again. “You see it’s just that when we kissed, I experienced so much sensation that I could have sworn we went through a temporal loop right there and then… And I was wondering if you felt something like that?”
Affection was pouring from Seven’s eyes, though she did not move.
“Negative.”
“No?” Oh.
“In my estimation it was similar to a fractal cascade.”
That could be good, right? Janeway was being played with - an entirely unfamiliar experience for her. It checked her. Made her hold back.
“Really? How so?”
“Endless sequences of harmonic equations, one leading to another - each superior to the last.” Seven cocked her head to one side observing her with sparkling, speculative eyes. The admiral pivoted up onto her knees and closed the gap between them.
“Oh.” She was breathless and tingling. “You liked it then?”
Seven was moving panther-like round to face her. “I will hurt you too Admiral Janeway and that cannot be tolerated.” Kathryn’s hands were now either side of her on the stone wall. It was cold, but all of her was hot. There was a rage burning inside her – not anger – more like a storm - an inevitable, irresistible meeting of elemental forces. Of kinetic life-giving heat.
“Well being apart hurt both of us, Seven.” She said roughly “Which could you bear more – the absence of risk - or the risk of loving?” She had never noticed before just how spectacular were the blonde eyelashes framing Seven’s eyes.
Seven was studying her lips again, breathing through her mouth, and it just added to the heat building in every part of Kathryn’s body. She did not reply.
“What do you want, Seven, right now?” They were inches apart. Blue eyes rose slowly to look through lashes at her. The pupils were dark.
“Now Admiral - since you have disregarded all my warnings - I want more.” She raised her lips to brush Kathryn’s firmly, then softly, running her fingers over the suspended body “Here…” Lips touched her neck hotly, “…in this sexless place. I want you…” They began to move along her jaw “I want to please you.” This time, Seven’s kiss was full and accompanied by warm hands on Kathryn’s hips trying to guide her over and onto her back, but the older woman refused the invitation, hanging onto the grainy wall and capturing Seven’s mouth in a kiss which urged her gently and powerfully backwards. She allowed the rhythm of the kiss to take its own course, open mouthed, slow and deep. Let Seven fill her with her tongue, sucking it in. Her knees were parting wider to straddle Seven further, applying sensuous pressure with her body, her tongue now seducing and demanding control. Kathryn moved luxuriously against her, groaning in pleasure, lost in softness and curves, in the total experience of shape and sweetness that was Seven of Nine.
She pulled back slightly, nipping gently at Seven’s lips and cupping the blonde neck with a cool hand. “So what are you feeling now, Seven?” Fingertips played on the back of the Borg’s neck while the tip of her tongue touched Seven’s delicately. She swirled around it, moving closer, harder, in a fleeting kiss before reluctantly letting the young woman respond.
Seven’s reply was breathless. “Golden ratio harmonics.” At Kathryn’s puzzled expression she added. “It is a mechanism of euphoria.” Even as Kathryn was thinking - Oh that is so sweet – they were kissing again. Urgently.
Seven cupped her breasts and squeezed them - instigating an immediate state of near hyperventilation in Kathryn - and her lips kept escaping to implement a pattern of unbearable kisses on her neck. She was melting and sinking into the Borg’s arms, into her capable thrilling hands. Moaning, she felt her shirt being pulled out of her slacks, fingers gliding over her skin and full lips on hers slowly dissolving all resistance with rhythmic pressure as Seven began lowering her to the cushion. Began to cover her with her body.
“Wait.” She husked, she was nearly all the way down. Seven paused to look at her, though her fingers carried on slowly unzipping her pants. “I just wanted to say that the minute those equations stop adding up, I want you to stop too, OK?”
The Borg flashed a smile down at her and slid both hands inside Kathryn’s slacks and underwear, gliding them over bare skin to remove the garments gracefully. To cover Kathryn with shivers.
“Agreed.” A kiss to wet her lips. Seven’s hand moving insistently down her body. Her breath and voice and mind travelling with it and ecstasy threatening to engulf her.
Lips were brushing hers gently, fingers tantalising the naked flesh of her buttocks, a hand unfastening her blouse and Kathryn Janeway suddenly remembered her quest - her longed for assignment. She caught Seven’s hand in hers, asserting herself back up onto her knees.
“You know, you are wearing far too many clothes. Here.” Removing Seven’s coat deftly, she let it fall onto the cushion beneath the young woman whose hands were once again teasing her exposed skin. She caught them.
“Uh-uh. Right now we are focusing on you, my beautiful friend. How about unbuttoning this blouse of yours?” Seven waited, watching the tender expression on Kathryn’s face as her fingers moved expertly down the silk shirt.
Leaving the garment unbuttoned, though only partially open, Kathryn felt her hands fall allowing herself the time to enjoy the sweetness flooding through her. Letting Seven see it in her face.
“Have you any idea how long I have wanted to do this? To see you like this?” Seven shook her head minimally, needing the shirt to be off her, craving full and immediate contact. There was fire in her eyes. She made to undress herself, but found gentle hands stopping her again.
“Not like that,” Kathryn’s hands slipped inside the silk blouse, across hot skin around Seven’s belly, long fingertips spreading wide upon her back to slide upwards and delicately unfasten her bra. A low voice next to her ear, “Like this.” It was followed by a kiss as her hands loosened the tight satin fabric, travelling underneath it towards her breasts which she skimmed over, passing on to work the straps down Seven’s arms, freeing them underneath her shirt and pulling the garment away from her. Seven was gasping and panicking from the eroticism.
“It would be more efficient if you removed the blouse first, Admiral.”
Kathryn grinned at her, stroking the full breasts through the silk of her shirt, her fingertips playing over the nipples. You have no idea, Seven of Nine. Licking her middle finger she applied saliva to the fine material soaking it, so that it fitted Seven’s erect nipple tightly. She ran her fingernail around the wrapped peak.
“Would it?” She didn’t expect a reply - Seven’s breath had caught on the movement of her hand.
She squeezed the peak between finger and thumb, kissing the exposed skin at Seven’s throat, letting the young woman hold her, but never ceasing her relentless attention to the nipple. Seven moaned into her mouth while the kiss and the caress deepened together.
Kathryn pushed her back up against the bolster cushion freeing Seven from her pants and underwear as she did so. Now Seven was before her, naked in all her glory, but for the flimsy shirt falling open.
“Oh my God.” Heat flooded throughout the older woman, leaving her faint.
“Admiral?”
“I think I just had a religious experience.”
Seven gasped, “Then we are in the perfect environment.”
Kathryn laughed. “Oh yes, we are.”
She moved reverently towards the young woman, encouraging her to lie down fully beneath her. Kneeling above her, Kathryn parted the blue shirt further to expose her creamy breasts to the cool air.
“You are like a dream, you are so beautiful.”
Seven’s hands impatiently stripped Kathryn of her shirt and bra and pulled her down into hot wet naked connections, writhing underneath her, pressing her breasts up to thrill the older woman with their sumptuous touch. My dream. She was sliding, biting and kissing. Burning with love - and totally losing herself again. And I thought I knew how to fly, but all I want to do is crash into the sun and burn up. Slow down, Flygirl: you are on a mission.
Kathryn took the hands and pushed them back gently up and away from her body, away from Seven. Her fingertips caressed the palm of the Borg’s left hand, encouraging it to stay against the cushion with delicate persuasive power. She smiled down at Seven, “Trust me?” Seven nodded faintly watching with a nervous indrawn breath as the older woman retrieved her black lace veil from further down the seat and trailed it up her body in one long slow electric movement. Over an implant on her thigh, across her stomach, between her breasts and then sideways to snag briefly on a nipple in a tingling purposeful trail towards her wrist. “I’m not going to hurt you, I couldn’t, Seven, but I am going to ensure that you experience my love and all the pleasure I have to give to you. Fully.” As she spoke, she wrapped the veil around Seven’s wrist and laced it through the metal ring above the cushion.
“Will you allow me to touch you, later?” Seven’s ardent tone made her smile.
“You can do anything you like with me, later, I promise.” It was almost a growl.
Seven moaned, wanting this privilege urgently, fighting the impulse to take control, to take the admiral with her strength and her skill and find her own release along the way, but Janeway was commanding her attention.
“Now, where’s your scarf, Seven?” Her voice was gentle, teasing. She had her fingers on Seven’s right wrist moving in tiny distracting circles, watching the young woman’s nipples rising in straining peaks as her right hand ran the length of the Borg’s naked thigh and stroked upwards.
“Pocket… right pocket…”
“This wrist doesn’t move, ok?” Two fingers trapped it under sensual pressure. Seven nodded and Kathryn leaned forward running her wet tongue along the Borg’s lower lip - leaving just a fraction of a kiss before she lifted herself up to run her palm down the other arching thigh. It was smooth, warm and firm and her fingers were trailing along and around it to locate the scarf in the coat pocket under Seven’s leg. She watched Seven’s breasts heaving as she pulled the white silk up between her thighs and through blonde curls, over and away from her sex which lifted off the cushion in need. I am a feather on the breath of God. I, the supplicant bound to your pleasure. She followed the scarf with her lips, but dragged the cloth tightly across Seven’s left nipple, replacing it with her tongue, with kisses, only to swiftly move up and secure the other wrist, leaving Seven exposed and panting.
“Now you’re mine.” Her voice was low. Rough. Her lips connecting behind Seven’s ear as she balanced either side of the young woman.
“I was anyway, Admiral.” Seven corrected her, still defiant even in her distraction.
Kathryn massaged the beautiful throat with deep kisses, chuckling in a low growl before moving back below Seven’s ear, which she tortured with a nip to her lobe. Her heated breath assaulted Seven’s ear.
“No… no… noooo. That won’t do, Seven.” She nibbled the lobe with the gentlest of teeth. The young woman was struggling beneath her, gasping, trying to accelerate the amount of contact between them. She kissed her throat subtly, leaving just the tiniest of bites and rose up again to gaze down at her captive.
“Say….” She curled a finger round Seven’s ankle, parting her legs further as she did so and licked a trail of kisses down inside the blonde thigh towards the scent and the wetness that made her feel feral.
“…Kathryn, Seven.” Her lips worked the softest part of the inner thigh moving fractionally inwards to lick at the juncture between thigh and sex, but Seven was too busy gasping for breath. Her tongue flicked just once across pink lips.
“Call me Kathryn.” She avoided the curls deliberately and instead kissed the soft belly languidly.
“Kathryn - Oh -” Both hands had slid up to claim Seven’s round full breasts, squeezing with building pressure which brought Seven lifting off the cushion again, pushing straining flesh into her keen hands. The scent of musk and wiry curls was below her, tantalising her, drawing her downwards. Her mouth was watering. She began a hot caress with her lower lip still holding the breasts and teasing the nipples between her fingers in irregular motions.
“Say it again.”
“Kathryn!!!”
Her tongue slipped between the satiny lips and descended towards the young woman’s vulva, but paused inside the first ridge of opening. Kathryn ran her thumbs over first one nipple and then the other, pinching them lightly, repeating the motion, eyes lifted to watch the rapture in Seven’s face adoringly. Her tongue remained still.
“Kathryn!!!”
“Mmmm.” She started pulsating into the hot velvet channel, dipping deeper, drawing back, sliding in again before withdrawing to sweep up and swirl around Seven’s swollen nub, returning to enter her again. Seven’s deep moaning and flushed face enthralled her. She drew the clitoris into her mouth and sucked. Oh yes, moan for me, Seven. Moan more. Her hands were squeezing harder while her tongue took on a faster rhythm in perfect counterpoint to their grinding. Slow and powerful hands versus feathery quick strokes, building an irresistible force to overwhelm Seven. Fast flicker. Squeeze. Seven was heaving off the cushion, vocalising her passion wordlessly into the room with fast little cries, thrashing against her restraints, juddering in a series of rhythmic jolts. Climaxing quickly. Kathryn stilled her tongue, released her hands and kissed slowly up the Borg’s beautiful body. Seven was gasping, outraged, trying to move to touch her, and achieve a longer, deeper release.
“Now… We begin again. That was just the opening chorale, my love.” Kathryn slid upwards, her hands stroking warmly, her hips pressing into wetness, her kiss long, but just short of fulfilling Seven’s need. Seven was close to tears, needing more, needing to give more and to lose herself in the giving.
“You are an inefficient sexual partner! Commander Chakotay never took this long!”
Oh my: Borg pillow talk. Kathryn laughed, a deep throaty laugh. I bet he didn’t.
“Aren’t you enjoying it, Seven?” Because I sure as hell am. “You see, in my mind, an ‘efficient sexual partner’ is not the same thing as a good lover.” She returned, still laughing, to lick unhurriedly around the blonde’s right breast, moving her thigh in between Seven’s legs and rubbing methodically, aware of her own sweet arousal in each slow thrust. Her deep moan releasing tingles to run over both of them. She felt a corresponding thigh rise up and position itself perfectly to taunt her own wet need while Seven struggled to focus on her reply. The determined effort it took the young woman to speak gave Kathryn Janeway the deepest satisfaction.
“I… am…. experiencing - oh - pleasure …however… if this carries on-…Adm--uhhh…Kathryn… I…might… suffer an… electrical overload” she was lost in fast high breathing for a moment, “in my neuro-transceivers!” Her loud moan echoed around the little room. Kathryn continued to push into her in a circular motion. Sweet thrust. Cool air. Satiate my thirst. Sweet thrust…Her voice was gravely.
“Yes you will - I can guarantee you that, Seven of Nine. That is exactly what is going to happen – and more – and you can’t do a thing about it. Not one thing. Not until I let you. Not until I release you.” And I might take all night. She sighed happily.
Seven moaned - her frustration demanding immediate action. “Do you not know that you possess me already, Kathryn?”
Kathryn paused, raising herself to look down at the impassioned young woman and answered softly. “No I didn’t, but God I do now. I want you so much. You -”
“Then finish this. It is urgent! I demand you do this now!”
Seven rose up to confront her, pulling on the scarves. Seeking to fight. She was met with the full weight of Kathryn’s body covering her, pressing into her with a kiss which this time held nothing back. The Borg fought, bucking, gasping, kissing - controlling the hand moving down her body to press deliciously between her legs, with her longing. With her need. The hand gliding insistently into her wetness. The fingers inside her. Kathryn’s mouth consuming hers and her hand pulling back only to drive her further and further on - up to a plain that really did feel like flying. The sweetness was building everywhere threatening the overload she so resisted and so longed for. She slipped the constraints of the scarves wildly, bringing her hands to run down her partner’s body and claim her in a rampant embrace.
This is what it is to love. For love was all that Kathryn could feel. She was losing herself in the hot body beneath her, in the warm lips moving with her, in the urgent thrusting movement of their hips, in the consuming fragrant wetness of Seven around her hand. Where Seven began and she ended no longer mattered. She wanted to slow the rush of sensations down, to catch them, but the momentum of being so totally at one with the woman she loved was beyond her control now. It possessed her. Seven possessed her, now clamping down on her fingers. Heat turning to water between them. Her own orgasm was building from the constant friction of Seven’s thigh between her legs, from Seven’s mouth at her throat and she was riding Seven and bliss to their ultimate shuddering, convulsing destination, voices meeting in the space above them, their bodies and spirits merging for one lingering moment in ecstasy.
She was aware of arms around her, soothing. Of spent muscles relaxing into a spent body. Of sweat and breathing. Of tears vaporised by passion and never shed, no longer needed. Seven’s fingers trailing down her spine, her breath deliciously ragged. Of kisses that claimed the moment and gave it back to her. Taste. Touch. Love.
She moved her head to look at her lover, her cheek now resting on a breast. There were tears - she knew there would be.
“OK?”
Seven nodded breathlessly.
Kathryn moved gently onto her side, turning Seven with her so that she could sit up and encourage the young woman into her arms, to stroke her and to soothe. She felt her sighing, leaning into her breasts, lips touching her chest gently. She wrapped her arms and legs around her.
Out in the city, the lights of countless homes gleamed through the night to sparkle like stars up at her. A tapestry of the cosmos: stars and homes; travellers and ports. Seven shifted in her arms curling her knees around her tighter, blue eyes studying her tenderly. She hitched a half smile and kissed her hair.
“Hey.”
Seven blinked dreamily. “Kathryn.”
“I love you, you know.”
She raised her implant wickedly.
“Understood.”
Kathryn laughed.
Seven closed her eyes, pressing her cheek against Kathryn’s chest. “I have no words for this. No point of reference.”
“You do.” She stroked her cheek. “You have me.” I’ll be your touchstone, your lantern in the dark. Lips touched her skin.
“So can we get out of here now, Seven of Nine?”
The Borg hand was running along the inside of her thigh. Raised lips touched her throat and began to suck gently, she was being propelled back against the cushion and Seven was moving gracefully into her space, rising up to gaze down at her. She watched the beautiful mouth curl into a smile and start descending towards her.
“Not yet.”
Fin.
Please note:
“I am a feather on the breath of God” is a quote from the 12th Century visionary, Hildgard Von Bingen.