Part 05

Kathryn sat perfectly still on the sofa, unaware Seven watched her every move. She sat trying to analyze ever bit of information that the nerves in her leg were sending. But despite her silence and concentration the pain never came. She wasn't hurt. For the first time she missed the human talent of calamity. She was becoming Borg. The thought devastated her like nothing ever had before. She would do anything in her power to deny the truth that was becoming clearer by the moment.

It was that shocking desperation the forced her out of her stupor and head-first into the table. She brought her own skull down into the furniture with a loud crack. When she didn't feel any pain she began attacking it with legs. She kicked with hard abandonment trying to inflect her own suffering. She craved the pain more then anything. She needed to know that a part of her was still human.

Seven came running down the steps at a rate only a drone could accomplish. She grabbed Kathryn from behind restraining the woman's arms in her enhanced grip. When that still didn't strop her struggling she used her strength to lift the woman several inches off the ground.

"What are you doing?" Seven snarled in a low voice.

"Let me down." Kathryn screamed back. Hovering in the air she quickly realized she had no leverage to kick or strain against her Borg captor.

"What's wrong with you?" Seven asked again agitated by the constant struggles of the human.

"It doesn't hurt. What have you done to me?" Kathryn screamed in a feral manner. "What is happening to me? Why doesn't hurt?" Seven, finally understanding the direction the woman had taken herself carried her up the stairs in leaping strides. Kathryn continued to struggle but was unable to extricate herself from Seven's arms. When they reached the bedroom Seven tossed her onto the bed and quickly straddled her, limiting her movements.

"Does this hurt?" Seven asked barely above a growl. Seven grabbed one of Kathryn's arms in her own Borg hand and twisted her wrist cruelly. She moved the human's appendage enough to cause serious pain but not enough to sprain or break.

"Yessss!" Kathryn bellowed in agony. Kathryn calmed down immediately and Seven removed herself from Kathryn's body. Instinctively she cradled the throbbing wrist and rolled onto her side. She rubbed it fiercely with her other hand trying to alleviate the sharp pain stabbing out into her arm.

"I don't understand." Kathryn whispered quietly.

"You do not have the strength to injure yourself." Seven replied. "I do, however."

"Why are you doing this to me? Seven you have to help me leave. Can't you see I won't be a part of this. The Borg will never have me. I'll kill myself first. You have to let me go. I don't care where. Just some planet where the Borg aren't. Please, Seven surely you can't hate me this way." Kathryn pleaded with her rising up from the bed onto her knees. Her hair was sweaty and tousled into her face. Her face had the light sheen of perspiration due to her struggles against the drone. Her breasts were heaving in labored movements. Seven couldn't deny how highly erotic she found the situation. To know she had caused Kathryn to revert into this primal state merely by their wrestling thrilled her. She wondered if Kathryn would put up a fight if she told her what she really wanted from her.

But she realized now wasn't the time. She was deeply concerned by Kathryn's earlier attempts to injure herself.

"You will adapt to life here." Seven spoke in her normal succinct fashion.

"No I won't. Don't you understand I don't belong here." Kathryn pleaded with her.

"I believe I said something very similar when I was first marooned aboard Voyager. You did not help me return to the Collective. You instructed me that I was remain aboard your vessel. And now I am telling you that you will remain here. The sooner you accept it the better. I'm growing tired of your incessant disobedience." Seven knew exactly how to push to Kathryn's buttons. Being with the Borg wasn't nearly as bad as being subjected to Seven's domination. Seven was apparently her superior, caretaker and parental guardian all rolled into one. And being forced to obey a former member of her crew was intolerable for her pride.

"Obedience?" Kathryn screamed at Seven. "Perhaps, I should show you the same respect you showed me aboard Voyager?" Seven only raised an eyebrow in response.

"Remove your underwear." Seven spoke in a commanding tone.

"What?" Kathryn screamed, shocked. Seven walked over to the night stand and removed another needle.

"Beating yourself into the table has damaged the nanoprobes in your veins. They will need to be refreshed since you are unable to make your own, as of yet." Seven finish and stood above the woman.

"No." Kathryn uttered the two letter word as if she had just spoke her own death sentence. Seven only looked at her in mild amusement.

"Very well, we'll do it your way." She spoke with a slight edge in her tone that frightened Kathryn. Seven laid the syringe down on the night stand much to Kathryn's relief. But before she could struggle against the steel claw of Seven's Borg attachment she was thrown onto her stomach. One firm hand on her lower back kept her in place as Seven lifted her nightgown and pulled down the thin fabric of her panties. This injection hurt worse then the others. She had angered Seven enough not to show her any care in this medical procedure.

When Seven had finished Kathryn immediately resettled her clothing unsure of what to do. She felt humiliated in ways she didn't know where possible. Seven treated her without regard or any respect. But what did she expect, isn't that how the Borg treat all humans? Seven moved onto the bed next to her and settled herself into the large mattress. Kathryn still crouched on the furthest corner of the bed. She wished she could go and lock herself away somewhere. She wanted to be someplace safe from the Borg, like home. Thinking of her quarters onboard Voyager made her all the more miserable. Seven reached out her hand and pulled Kathryn against her with a sudden impact.

"We will sleep now." Seven commanded. Kathryn waited for Seven to release her so she could settle onto her own side of the bed. Instead, Seven wrapped her arms around Kathryn's waist in an unbreakable hold. It became clear that Seven intended to hold Kathryn's body hostage against her own throughout the night. To avoid craning her neck at an awkward angle Kathryn was forced to rest it against Seven's full breast. Seven turned off the light next to their bed and Kathryn waited for the noises that would indicate the start of Seven's regeneration cycle. But they never came.

Kathryn kept her body rigid and stock still against the larger woman. She briefly thought back to her time on Voyager when she had first fallen in love with Seven. She would imagine them together in bed. After passionate lovemaking, they would embrace each other waiting for sleep. But in her thoughts and fantasies it hadn't been like this. She always pictured Seven resting her head against her own lap. She envisioned Seven letting the older woman teach her of human affection and the gentle touch of a lover.

Instead, she was forced against Seven like she was the one with something to learn. More then anything she hated her utter lack of control over the blonde drone. Her thoughts were fueling a new layer of fury in her mind when she felt one of Seven's hands gently caressing her back. It was her human hand Kathryn realized much to her relief. It moved in slow circles across her shoulders. Seven covered the expanse of her back in a movement Kathryn had never felt before. She exerted just enough pressure to be soothing but not too much to actually rub into the tensed muscles beneath her skin. Much to her disdain she found herself being lulled into slumber. Seven's hand moved up and into her hair gently rubbing her scalp. Kathryn found the sudden tenderness shocking compared to the usual violent nature exhibited by the other woman. She was also surprised. She couldn't fathom why Seven was relating to her in this way. Affection was the only word to describe it. And the action was unprecedented from the normally icy drone.

"Why aren't you regenerating?" Kathryn asked trying to keep herself from being relaxed by the Borg.

"Rest now." Seven spoke in a softer tone then normal. But despite her best efforts, Kathryn was calmed into sleep by the gentle action of Seven's touch.

Part 06

Kathryn awoke to find herself very much alone. That in itself didn't really surprise her. Seven was always up and out by the near cracking of dawn. Since Kathryn, had no responsibilities here she found the act of getting up to rather futile. All her days held were memories of Voyager and dreams of Earth. And she certainly didn't need to get up early to do that.

She threw some clothes on not really paying attention to what she covered her body in. The former captain couldn't help but catch a glimpse of herself in the large bedroom mirror. She seemed so small and outplace. Long gone was her Star Fleet image. And without that she really didn't know who she was. But there was a voice in her that just wouldn't let her give up. She just couldn't accept defeat.

Finally deciding that she had had enough of looking at her red dress she wandered down stairs for food. She was expecting to spend the day alone as per her usual arrangement. Sometimes Drekya would come to visit. Other times Seven would leave her guarded. But more often then not she was simply locked in. She didn't really mind though, it gave her plenty of time to plot her escape.

She was surprised to see Seven downstairs. She knew the drone should have been out by now. But she could see that Seven was hard at work hunched over her console.

"You are awake." Seven said dryly not bothering to turn from her work. Kathryn felt a stiff chill come through her body. Seeing the drone only served to remind her of all that had happened the night before. And they were far from pleasant memories.

"What are you doing here?" Kathryn asked trying not to let her voice convey her discomfort.

"Working." Seven responded in her vague emotionless voice that nearly drove Kathryn mad with frustration. She thought about finding some way to avoid Seven. But she didn't see how that would be possible. It seemed quite clear that the drone meant to spend the day at home, together.

"You are overdue for nutritional sustenance." Seven stated rudely pushing past her to retrieve a data pad on her desk. The drone returned to the console apparently leaving Kathryn to her own devices. She went into the other room to prepare herself some type of meal. She knew she could have anything she desired.

But despite the savory taste of her coffee, no type of food seemed appealing. She just couldn't shut out the subtle clicks of Seven's work in the other room. And Kathryn knew more then anything she wanted away from the drone, if only for a little while. She just couldn't fathom why the drone had decided to stay home. Thinking about it gave way to nervous pangs of anxiety that ran all throughout her body. Well, she wasn't going to let Seven cramp what little privacy she had. She marched into the other room with her mind resolved.

"Seven?" Kathryn asked feeling her sheer mental will pool around her. The drone didn't respond but Kathryn could tell she had her attention, if only a small bit of it.

"I want to visit Dreyka." She said wondering if the drone would agree with her request. Kathryn didn't normally seek out the other female's company. And Seven rarely let her out into the colony without an escort.

"Fine." Seven responded in her flat monosyllabic tones. Kathryn closed her mouth in shock. She had been expecting a strongly worded negative answer. She hadn't expected her request to be so easily granted.

"Can you get there on your own?" Seven asked noticing that Kathryn was still hovering behind her.

"Yes? Yes, I can." Kathryn said almost too quickly. She didn't want the drone to know how excited she was at the prospect of traveling through the colony all on her own. Seven only gave her a passing glance as she turned to leave.

Even though she had only been to Dreyka's home once she was certain she could find it again. Besides, the girl resided all the way on the other side of the colony and this would be a remarkable opportunity to take her surroundings in. So, without another word Kathryn eagerly left her home.

Walking out of her front door felt like being released from prison. The sun was bright and fiery red in the sky. The air was cool, clean and crisp as she took lengthy deep breaths. She took in the homes of her neighbors and realized how very similar every home was. They were nearly identical except for a few oddities here and there. She wandered down the rest of her street noticing for the first time how very busy her neighborhood seemed. She wondered if perhaps she and Seven didn't live in the central part of the colony. Several other women gave her a friendly wave and smiled as she passed them on the street. She even passed a few drones that made an attempt at being cordial.

Finally, she heard the sounds of the magnetic transport system off in the distance. She rounded a small hill and saw the colony's only form of planet-based transportation laid out in front of her. She had only been on it a few times. And each of those times she had been with an escort. She wasn't exactly sure how it was propelled but she knew it had something to do with the natural gravity force found here. It was comprised of a series of individual benches all connected together. It hovered high in the air shooting people about the planet at break-neck speeds. All though since the Borg obviously built and designed it she assumed it was perfectly safe. She walked over to one of the metal platforms not sure exactly how to board it when a car aimlessly drifted down from the air. She confidently walked over to it and sat, not surprised to find herself quickly hurled several feet into the air.

Her trip through the colony was fast and furious. She wished she knew how to make the hover car go slower. She would have loved to take in all the lush green forests, blue tipped mountains, and towering Borg technology. But without any input from her, the car dropped from the sky carefully landing a few feet from Dreyka's front door. She almost began to wonder how the car knew where she wanted to go. But then she remembered the chip in her head and the nanoprobes in her blood and decided the less she knew the better.

Dreyka's home appeared slightly different then the one she shared with Seven. It was more secluded found at a higher altitude in the mountains. She was wondering if she should really be here. But having no place better to go she carefully walked to the front door.

"Kathryn?" She heard a familiar voice call to her. She turned to see Dreyka rounding the home carrying an armful of assorted flowers.

"What are you doing here?" She asked in a friendly tone ushering Kathryn into the home.

"I'm sorry? Is this a bad time?" Kathryn asked cautiously taking in the features of the home.

"No of course. It's wonderful to see you." Dreyka replied allowing Kathryn to wander into the large living space.

"Let me just go put these in some water. I'll be right back." Dreyka said smiling. Kathryn was about to make herself comfortable on any of the vast plush pieces of furniture lying about. When she saw something that caught her eye. She turned to study Dreyka's form off in the distance and nearly couldn't believe what she was seeing. The girl was in the midst of an action so curious, so intense, and so unexpected that it nearly turned Kathryn's stomach?

Part 07

Kathryn looked on in sheer wide-eyed amazement. There playing out right in front of her was a scene she truly never thought that she would witness. Dreyka was passionately kissing a Borg drone.

The girl's arms were tightly clinging to the drone's neck. The drone was pulling the girl closer with its' mechanical appendage firmly locked around her waist. Dreyka didn't seem to notice the steely contact of the hive wrapping itself around her body. She was much too focused on the sensual movement of her lips.

"Oh, Kathryn I'm sorry. Where are my manners? Let me introduce you." Dreyka called having noticed the strangely intense manner in which Kathryn had been studying her. The girl walked back into the living room with the drone firmly in tow behind her.

"Kathryn, this is my mate Twelve of Twenty." Dreyka smiled sweetly wrapping her arm around the drone's. The former captain didn't say anything. She just looked on in complete wonder. And those words kept looping around in her mind like some sort of tortured Mobius strip. Dreyka had used the term 'mate' in reference to a drone. Kathryn was literally dumbfounded by her confusion.

"It's nice to meet you." The drone spoke to her. Kathryn studied the drone's appearance not too terribly shocked by what she saw. This drone looked similar to all the others here at the colony. The drone was tall; she had several inches of height to tower over Dreyka. Her black hair was long and wavy falling around her implants with a very familiar human beauty. She had a shiny flat metal eyepiece covering one bright green eye. Her lips were full and large. Her slim body was covered with all the same Borg appendages that had become so familiar to Kathryn. Even the slight twirling of the normally menacing Borg claw was becoming nearly commonplace to her.

Twelve turned to Dreyka obviously confused by Kathryn's silence. Dreyka only smiled in hopes that Kathryn would come of it. In all honesty, she really didn't know what had caused the former captain's utter bewilderment.

"Well, I have to get back to work." Twelve said softly turning to the human standing next to her.

"I'll see you later." She whispered kissing the human chastely on the lips before turning to leave. Kathryn still just stood there watching the two like they were some sort of exhibit in a science fair.

"Bye?" Twelve called finally leaving the home. Dreyka smiled and waved. But Kathryn just stood there waiting to wake up from her dream. Being captured and held hostage here in the colony had been a nightmare. But this strange turn of events could only be described completely impossible. Kathryn was seriously beginning to question her own sanity.

"Kathryn, what is it? Are you all right?" Dreyka asked obviously very concerned. She stepped forward lightly touching Kathryn's arm with her hand.

"What is going here?" Kathryn finally railed finding the power of her own voice.

"What do you mean?" Dreyka asked not understanding the woman's angry confusion.

"You and Twelve?Is this some sort of trick? I want to know!" Kathryn bellowed latching her hands onto Dreyka's shoulders in a tight grip.

"Kathryn I don't know what you're talking about. There is no trick here." Dreyka responded with wide eyes and a slight tremor of fear. It's not that she didn't trust Kathryn; she could just sense how angry the woman was. The girl simply didn't want to be a focal point for Kathryn's rage.

"Do you think I'm stupid? The Borg don't mate. They assimilate. Mating is irrelevant." Kathryn screamed hearing her voice echo throughout the house.

"No, Kathryn you're very intelligent. You're right. The drones in the Collective don't mate. But here in the colony they do. I thought you knew. I thought Seven had explained this." Dreyka stammered relieved when Kathryn finally released her. The woman wandered over to the nearest chair and slumped into it. For some reason this news bothered her more then anything else. The Borg were easy to hate when they were emotionless creatures that preyed on others. Somehow, the simple act of mating seemed to add rich dimensions to their otherwise sterile existence.

"I can't believe you didn't know." Dreyka commented quietly taking a seat near Kathryn. The woman looked up hating to think she could have missed something obviously so very commonplace.

"I don't understand. Why mate? It seems so very unlike the Borg." Kathryn mumbled wondering if Dreyka could explain it to her.

"Well, there are veritable assortments of reasons. The most of important of course would the Source." Dreyka commented.

"The what?" Kathryn asked confused by the casual use of a term she clearly didn't know.

"The Source? Seven never told you about it?" Dreyka asked a bit shocked. Kathryn shook her head quickly.

"It's the primary reason this colony was created." Dreyka answered a bit perplexed by Seven's apparent lack of knowledge sharing.

"Tell me, please?" Kathryn practically begged the girl. She couldn't help but chastise herself. If only she had been more aware of her surroundings these very important things wouldn't have slipped past her. She had just been so focused on getting back to Voyager she hadn't taken the time to truly study the environment she was in. Well, she decided that would go on no more. Kathryn was determined to learn everything there was to know about the Borg Colony.

"Maybe you should speak with Seven. If she hasn't told you she must have her reasons? I just think this should be between you and her. I shouldn't interfere." Dreyka mumbled worried that she had said too much already.

"Why would that matter? Dreyka please tell me? Tell me everything, I want to know." Kathryn said earnestly. Dreyka looked at the woman and wanted very much to explain every nuisance of their way of life. This was the first time Kathryn had expressed any real interest in her new home. But she just didn't want to interfere where her involvement wasn't required.

"Kathryn, as much as I would like to, I just can't. You need to speak with Seven." Dreyka replied honestly wishing that she could.

"What? Why do I have to talk to Seven about this?" Kathryn asked a bit put off by her companion's refusal to help.

"Because she is your mate. And if she hasn't told you these things, I can only assume she has her reasons." Dreyka answered trying to get the woman to see her reasoning.

"SHE'S MY WHAT???" Kathryn yelled using the very tops of her lungs. Dreyka opened her mouth wide not understanding the woman's reaction. She had assumed Kathryn and Seven had been mates aboard Voyager. And when Kathryn's unimatrix assigned her to Seven's care, she knew that their intimate relationship would continue here in the colony. What she didn't understand was Kathryn's utter shock at her casual statement. Without knowing any other course of action, Dreyka silently called to Seven using the technology firmly imbedded in her body. She only hoped the drone could calm the woman down. Because right now, it looked like Kathryn was ready to implode.

Part 08

It only took moments for Seven of Nine to join them. The drone had been expecting something like this happen. It was the first time Kathryn would be out all alone experiencing the colony for what it really was. Knowing that Kathryn had never been inside of Dreyka's home before she truly couldn't wait to find out what would happen. She knew it wouldn't be long before Kathryn spotted all the rather obvious indicators that Dreyka most certainly did not live alone.

"Seven, I'm glad to see you." Dreyka said pleasantly letting the drone into her home. She tried to maintain a semblance of calm despite her heated conversation with Kathryn.

"Come to check up on me?" Kathryn snapped wondering why her drone captor had made a sudden appearance.

"Kathryn? Is something bothering you?" Seven asked noticing the pure anger emanating off the woman. That in itself wasn't terribly odd. Kathryn had been nothing but angry since she arrived at the colony. But now it just seemed different, like it was being fueled by some other more desperate reason.

"Kathryn met Twelve." Dreyka said succinctly stopping the former captain from releasing the biting retort she had planned. Seven looked completely impassive and unaffected by the statement.

"She didn't know that we mate here at the colony." Drekya added in a softer timber trying to sum up the point of contention.

"I see." Seven replied in her normal succinct manner.

"I didn't know because you never told me!" Kathryn screamed at the drone. Dreyka seemed a bit caught off guard. She had known the two fought terribly. But she had never seen it first hand.

"What else haven't you told me Seven? What else are you hiding?" Kathryn seethed moving very close to the stoic drone.

"We will continue this conversation at home." Seven stated waiting for Kathryn to comply. The woman looked like she was going to scream. Then she looked like she was just going to haul off hit Seven. But for some reason, she relented and slowly walked out of the home. And after a quick good-bye to Dreyka, the drone followed.

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As soon as the door shut behind them Kathryn seemed explode in fury. Seven had known this would happen. The human had been all too quiet the entire journey home.

"Tell me what's going on Seven?" Kathryn yelled coming very close to striking the drone.

"Drones and humans mate here. This is really not a matter to cause you such alarm." Seven answered dryly keeping her arms firmly behind her back. Kathryn seemed to consider the statement.

"What about us?" Kathryn said softly speaking the question that had really caused her concern. She knew what Dreyka had told her. She only hoped that the girl had been wrong.

"You will have to be more specific?" Seven asked wondering how much Dreyka had told the woman.

"Am I here to mate with you?" Kathryn asked in a low hushed whisper that seemed to speak volumes of fear.

"Yes." Seven asked without emotion or inflection. The woman literally went into frenzy of rage. Being here as Seven's prisoner was bad enough. Being told she was to become Seven's mate was worse then she could ever imagine. Before she could stop herself Kathryn stalked up to the Borg ready to make her feelings known through her fists.

"Well, think again? Because there is NO way I will have allow you to touch me." Kathryn threatened practically daring Seven to lash out at her. She looked to see if her words had affected the drone in anyway. But the drone seemed to remain neutral and unemotional.

"Your consent is not required." Seven responded flatly.

It took the words several long minutes of circling her mind before Kathryn fully grasped their meaning. The woman eyes flew open in response. She literally couldn't believe that Seven had said that to her. And she really couldn't believe that Seven understood exactly what she had said. But more importantly, she didn't want to believe that Seven could actually mean it.

But one look at the icy drone told Kathryn all she needed to know. Not only did Seven mean it but it seemed like she was more then ready to demonstrate. Possessed by anger, fury, and even a little fear Kathryn stormed up the steps isolating herself away from the presence of the steely Borg.

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Seven couldn't believe that Kathryn had somehow managed to fall asleep. The woman had seemed far too angry to succumb to a restful slumber. But here she was nearly an hour later, dreaming away on their bed.

The drone loved to see the woman like this. She was so soft and tender. It was a rare pleasure to observe Kathryn when her eyes weren't screaming hate and betrayal at her. She could almost pretend things were as they should be.

Seven stopped herself from reaching out to the woman. But it was so very hard. She so wanted to bury her human hand in the lengths of her soft hair. Kathryn was an amazing specimen of one of humanities greatest beauties. Seven couldn't seem to get enough. On Voyager she cautiously studied the woman every chance she got. Truthfully, she fell in love with her mind well before her body. But now she was captivated simply by the way the woman moved. It was the intricate motions of grace fueled by muscle all on the canvas of the woman's silky cream skin the nearly hypnotized her.

Thoughtfully, Seven lightly fingered her eyepiece with her human hand. Despite it sharp metal appearance it was soft and supple under her touch. She really wasn't the mechanical monster Kathryn envisioned her to be. She was drone yes, but her heart beat with a very human need for love. It was her reawakening as a drone that had caused her feelings for Kathryn to boil. Her new vision caused her to see the woman in an infinite splendor invisible to her human eye. She had always been attracted to Kathryn. But now, she craved her. She wanted to bring the woman to her in passion, not fear. She didn't understand why Kathryn couldn't see that. They could be together in ways that were never possible before.

Silently, the drone left the room not wanting to wake the human. Kathryn had had a trying day. She supposed it would be in her best interest to rest and renew. But she couldn't stop herself from staring at the woman one last time before leaving. The drone ached for her. Seven needed Kathryn to know how much she really did care. She just had no idea how to go about it. With one last backward glance, Seven left the room determined to find a way to solve the problems between them.