Part 09

The setting laid out before her surprised Kathryn. Since her arrival, her meals had been taken alone or with Dreyka. Seven hadn't graced her with the presence of her company. But from the looks of things, all that was about to change.

The dining room table that was normally covered in data pads was now delicately set with the finest dishes. There were blue taper candles gently flickering in what Kathryn could only assume were crystal holders. And the most wonderful aromatic wave was gently wafting in from the kitchen. It all looked so perfect. For just a moment, it made her forget where she was.

But then the enhanced Borg version of Seven stomped in halting her brief escape of reality. Seven only glanced at her as she rounded the table adding a large salad bowl. Kathryn felt her stomach jump in anticipation at the spread laid out before her. All of her favorites had been blended together in one visually appetizing meal.

"You will sit." Seven commanded in her normally brusque tone. Kathryn felt her blood grow a little colder every time Seven spoke to her in that manner.

"Please?" The drone added more politely. Kathryn was taken aback at the sudden attempt at courtesy. Deciding that there was no harm in indulging her taste buds, she joined Seven at the table.

Her first bite was exquisite. Her second was even more delectable. The herbs and spices seemed to come alive on the very surface of her tongue. She had no idea a replicator could make such amazing lasagna.

"The food is to your liking?" Seven asked a bit hesitantly. Kathryn was obviously enjoying the evening so far. The drone hated to risk ruining the pleasant silence that had settled between them.

"Yes, it's delicious. The replicator in our kitchen did this?" She asked wondering if the meal wasn't from a restaurant at the nearby promenade.

"No, I prepared it myself." Seven answered pleased that she had impressed Kathryn with her skill.

"Why would you do that?" Kathryn asked suspiciously. In the long months of her captivity she had never once seen Seven do anything but work. She was beginning to think the drone didn't know how to function in any other capacity.

"Dreyka told me that it is customary to prepare a meal for someone when you wish to express feelings for them." Seven firmly stated in her normal stoic manner. Kathryn practically froze her fork in the air. She utterly couldn't believe that statement had just come from Seven's mouth.

"Are you trying to be funny?" Kathryn replied really not understanding what was going on. Had Seven done something like this for her aboard Voyager she would have assumed that she was being wooed. But here in the colony, she had no assumptions to make about this drones' behavior.

"No, humor was not my intention." Seven answered quickly. She looked around a bit nervously. Obviously she had missed something or done something wrong. Kathryn was not supposed to find their time together funny. She had hoped the human would find it friendly, charming, and maybe even a little romantic.

"Well it should be. You want to express feelings? That's quite funny coming from a Borg drone. I know full well you don't have any." Kathryn snapped eating her food with a voracious appetite. She didn't care what Seven said to her. She wasn't going to let it ruin the best meal she had had in ages.

"I do have feelings Kathryn. I'm not directly linked to the hive mind. My individuality is intact." Seven stated a bit caught off guard by Kathryn's comment. It seemed ridiculous for the former captain to have said such things at all. Kathryn had seen drones connected to the hive. They didn't speak when addressed. In fact, they didn't speak at all. But she was different from all that. She had her own thoughts and ideas. And as inconvenient as they were at times, she most certainly had feelings.

"Oh, well excuse me. Please tell me Seven what were you trying to get across?" Kathryn asked not bothering to hide the sardonic tones in her voice.

"I wish us to be friends again." Seven replied. She practically bit her tongue to stop from saying more. She couldn't help it. There was just so much she wanted from Kathryn now.

"Friends? Are you malfunctioning? I'm your hostage now, not your friend." Kathryn seethed ready to storm away at any moment.

"You are being unreasonable." Seven stated with absolute certainty.

"I'm being unreasonable???" Kathryn screamed in complete shock.

"Yes, once you separated me from the hive. I begged you to return me! But you wouldn't. YOU kept me hostage on board Voyager. You expected me to adapt. I tried my best and eventually we became friends. Or so I thought? But now you are here. And when I ask you to do the very same thing that you asked of me, you think I'm some sort of demented criminal." Seven explained using all the emotions she very much possessed.

"Seven, this is different." Kathryn stammered unwilling to connect their circumstances. "No, it is not. The only difference is that I was held on Voyager. And you are being held in a colony." Seven snapped unable to understand the complete lack of understanding in the normally logical woman seated next to her. "You can't be serious? We're talking about the Borg! There is no comparison." Kathryn snapped finally pushing away from the table. "Don't you think I felt the same way when I came to Voyager. I was trapped on a Federation vessel." Seven stated finally letting her anger pass. "This conversation is getting us no where. That steel covering your body apparently shields your heart as well. Because if you had even the tiniest shred of humanity locked within your drone exterior you would help me escape." Kathryn said turning to leave the room. As far as she was concerned, her evening with Seven was quite finished.

"Seven, this is different." Kathryn stammered unwilling to connect their circumstances.

"No, it is not. The only difference is that I was held on Voyager. And you are being held in a colony." Seven snapped unable to understand the complete lack of understanding in the normally logical woman seated next to her.

"You can't be serious? We're talking about the Borg! There is no comparison." Kathryn snapped finally pushing away from the table.

"Don't you think I felt the same way when I came to Voyager. I was trapped on a Federation vessel." Seven stated finally letting her anger pass.

"This conversation is getting us no where. That steel covering your body apparently shields your heart as well. Because if you had even the tiniest shred of humanity locked within your drone exterior you would help me escape." Kathryn said turning to leave the room. As far as she was concerned, her evening with Seven was quite finished.

"It's unthinkable to you now, but in time you will adapt. You may even grow to like your new life here." Seven stated, swiftly rounding the table to trap Kathryn near the wall.

"I'm through talking to you." Kathryn threatened not wanting to physically confront the drone. A physical fight was the last thing she wanted tonight.

"We are not finished." Seven directed moving her body closer to Kathryn's. If she moved even an inch closer Kathryn would be able to feel the wide expanses of her body armor. It was a thought that made the woman want to cower. But she was a Starfleet captain. She wasn't going to let this drone intimidate her.

"I believe it is also customary to follow such a meal with physical activity. We will do so now." Seven commanded using her driest tones. This time Kathryn couldn't stop the tremor that worked its away across her body. All too clearly she knew exactly what Seven had in mind. Squashing the scream that threatened to break free, she tried to stare down the drone. But Seven's expression remained as cold and impassive as always. Well, it didn't matter to Kathryn. No matter what it took, Kathryn Janeway was not about to let this happen. Seven may have taken her freedom. But there was simply no way in the universe that she would ever let the drone have her body as well.

Part 10

"Stay away from me." Kathryn seethed pushing against the steely frame of her blonde captor. Seven stared at the woman in front of her in open and undisguised confusion. She knew at the moment that Kathryn objected to spending any time together. But the complete panic and fear coming from the woman could only be seen as extreme overreaction to the stoic drone.

"I had no idea you had such an aversion to dancing." Seven said backing away from the woman.

"Dancing?" Kathryn asked not sure if she had even heard the drone correctly.

"Yes, dancing? I believed that it was customary to engage in dinner and then dancing. But since this obviously troubles you, I will not ask again." Seven answered backing away to let the woman have her space.

"Oh?dancing." Kathryn said filling with relief that her fears had been misplaced.

"Yes, what did you think I meant?" Seven asked aware that there had been some form of miscommunication.

"I thought?I thought?never mind." Kathryn answered quickly moving as fast as she could far away from the drone. The woman's curious manner and emotionally charged statements had piqued Seven's interest.

"Explain." Seven commanded in the tone she knew would have the most affect on Kathryn. She found the woman pacing slowly in front of the wide-open windows in the living room.

The cool night air of the mountains was wafting in creating a most pleasing temperature. Kathryn could see the flickering lights from the towering Borg technology as she looked out of the windows. And the strange thing was, she found it beautiful. It reminded her so very much of any other mountain town on Earth. When the sun went down, she could almost pretend she was home.

"Kathryn, I require an answer." Seven commanded more firmly. Visibly, the woman winced at the intrusion on her peaceful thoughts. If only Seven would leave her alone, things might actually be tolerable.

"Well, I don't want to give you one. I'm tired of speaking with you." Kathryn responded not bothering to move away from the window's ledge. Gently, a cool breeze came by unsettling her hair. Her dark pupils were wide and large as they reflected the flickering lights all around them. Kathryn almost looked serene. And in that moment, Seven didn't think she had ever seen the woman more radiant.

"What are you staring at?" Kathryn asked unnerved by the drone's silent vigil.

"I am staring at you." Seven responded with her normal blunt honesty. The human finally turned to face the drone. She was about to really lay into Seven with the full force of her rattled temper when something strange caught her eye. There on the bookshelf right behind the drone rested the most exquisite vase she had ever seen. She didn't see how it could possible belong to Seven. Everything in the drone's home was white, sterile and always kept in perfect order. This vase was loud and bold painted in bright reds and purple hues. She couldn't understand how she had missed it all this time. Nervously, Seven glanced behind not understanding what had caught Kathryn's attention.

"Seven, what is that?" Kathryn asked pointing to the vase.

"It is a vase." Seven finally answered after figuring out that nothing else behind her was in Kathryn's direct line of sight.

"I know that." Kathryn snapped moving closer for a more detailed investigation.

"Why do you have it?" She asked delicately touching the fine glass it was made from.

"It is from Ildonia, the capital city of a planet not far from here. Dreyka convinced me to buy it. She said my home needed color." Seven explained keeping both hand and mechanical implant firmly locked behind her back.

"Ildonia? Dreyka was with you?" Kathryn idled enjoying the fine craftsmanship that had gone into Seven's purchase.

"Yes, she goes there quite frequently for their unique shopping. I believe it is something that Twelve wishes she did considerable less of." Seven answered beginning to feel like they might actually be having their first civil conversation.

"Dreyka can leave the colony?" Kathryn asked virtually astounded by the little bit of news.

"Yes, of course." Seven replied not understanding the woman's reaction.

"Is she the only one? Or can other's come and go?" Kathryn asked nearing a frenzy point. Seven took a few moments to consider her answer carefully. She knew this was probably going to sound harsh any way she put it.

"No, everyone is free to come and go as they wish. They are here because they choose to be. You are the only prisoner." Seven responded.

Carefully, Kathryn put the vase back down onto its shelf. Didn't want to risk breaking it during the onslaught of anger that was about to be unleashed. She couldn't believe what Seven had just told her. There was no way she would ever believe a human would choose to stay here within this colony if they could simply leave any time they wished.

"You expect me to believe that?" Kathryn hissed rounding the drone's form to leave the room.

"It's the truth. Why would I lie about that?" Seven asked following the human as she stormed up to the bedroom.

"Why??? Because you're Borg! And that's what you do, you lie." Kathryn answered through the flaming tones of her anger.

"You are mistaken. If you'll remember correctly it was humans who lied to us. You proposed an alliance and we were lied to. Your memory is obviously flawed." Seven answered coolly watching Kathryn stalk around the bed in furious circles.

"I know you're lying Seven! No human would choose to stay here. Maybe it's the nanoprobes? Maybe that's what makes Dreyka stay here because if she were of her right mind she would choose to leave. She would flee this place!" Kathryn screamed desperately wishing she had something in her hands to throw at Seven.

"Why?" Seven asked wondering if there was in fact any logical basis for Kathryn's outrage.

"Because she's a slave here. She does whatever her unimatrix tells her. She can't even think for herself." Kathryn ranted looking again for some sort of way to escape Seven's presence.

"Have you noticed her being mistreated? Is she lacking in food? Shelter? Clothing? Does she work for extended periods of time in dangerous circumstances without appropriate rest? Is her life somehow in danger?" The drone asked completely baffled by Kathryn's view of life at the colony. Seven had traveled the galaxy as a drone. And she knew of no other place that offered the same high-stand of living as the colony.

"No, Seven that's not what I meant." Kathryn responded feeling her fury start to dissipate. These screaming matches never seemed to get her anywhere.

"That what did you mean?" Seven asked completely unaffected by the woman's latest angry tirade.

"She's mated? to a drone." Kathryn snapped finally deciding to rest on the bed with her head safely hidden behind her hands. She was glad that she couldn't see Seven. Because at the moment, because she practically could hear the circuits clicking together in her mind.

"The act of mating with a drone upsets you." Seven said finally realizing that this latest shouting had nothing to do with Dreyka and everything to do with Kathryn.

"Of course it upsets me Seven." Kathryn seethed barely able to look at the smirking drone standing across the room.

"And tonight after you dinner, you believed that I wanted to copulate." Seven stated without needing confirmation of her suspicions. The proof was written all over Kathryn Janeway's blushing body.

"You were correct. We will copulate. However, I felt that now was not the appropriate time." Seven finished quietly entering the bathroom letting the woman have a few moments to herself. Kathryn relaxed onto the bed seeing that it was time for them to sleep. They always went to bed at the same time every night, Seven insisted on it.

Reclining on her elbow Kathryn noticed that Seven had left the bathroom door open the tiniest fraction of an inch. She didn't know why the drone had done so. But the opening was just enough for her to see some added Borg enhancements to Seven's body that were normally invisible to her. There were wide area of black mesh and steel circuits running the length of her thighs, back and stomach. Kathryn found herself looking away in near horror. She felt her skin lurch and heart panic at the thought of having to mate with the steel covered drone. But despite her initial reaction, Kathryn couldn't help but wonder if a small part of her Seven had somehow managed to survive the mechanical trappings of the hive.

Part 11

The soft chirps of birds coming from outside her window finally awoke Kathryn. It didn't seem to matter how many months she lived on an actual planet, there were some things that still surprised her. On Voyager there had been no birdcalls, no falling rain, and no bright sunshine. Only the deep vacuum of space had been her constant companion.

The first thing she noticed was the feel of the soft warming pressure against her bare midriff. It surprised her that Seven of Nine was still in bed. But she supposed that even drones slept in every once in awhile.

It was an odd but not altogether unpleasant sensation. She must have slept right through the strange moment in the night when Seven had reached out to hold her. It bothered her somewhat that she hadn't awakened in an instant rage. But her body was becoming accustomed to the presence of the Borg in her bed.

If she closed her eyes she could pretend that she was in her quarters on Voyager. She could pretend that Seven was holding her after a night of long passionate consensual lovemaking. She could even imagine that in a few short minutes she would have to pull herself from her warm bed and trudge off to the bridge to attend the daily order of her ship.

But then she made the mistake of opening her eyes. And when Kathryn did, she saw the fierce shape of Seven's mechanical implant wrapped cruelly around her body. Instantly, she struggled to free herself from the mechanical grip. Seven easily released her and Kathryn scurried far from the bed.

Finally, Kathryn stopped her harried motions long enough to glance back at the bed. What she saw surprised her. Seven was staring at her with an intense quizzical look. Though Kathryn could only see one of Seven's eyes she just knew they were both trained intently on her every move. But what she found so startling was that it was obvious that Seven had been up for quite some time. And instead of leaving their bed and going off to start her work in her normal gray but efficient manner, the drone had stayed. And instead of pouring over endless streams of data, Seven had chosen to spend her valuable time doing nothing more then holding the woman in her bed.

"I should get dressed." Kathryn mumbled, quickly locking herself away in the solace of the bathroom. She needed a few moments to really wake up anyways. But more then anything she wanted some time to try and understand Seven's motives. She absolutely refused to believe that the drone actually had feelings for her. And if all aspect of emotion was removed from their time together, then she could easily keep her angry resolve.

When she exited the small room a few moments later she found their bedroom deserted. The bed was made in Seven's typical military fashion. And there was no sign of the drone. Gulping done some fresh mountain air, Kathryn wandered downstairs to find the missing Borg.

She heard the murmur of soft voices and was pleasantly surprised to see Dreyka talking quietly with Seven. Despite their earlier uncomfortable conversation she had hoped to see the young human again. She was the only friend Kathryn had in a colony of drones.

"Hello." Kathryn said announcing her presence. She was pleased to see Dreyka flash her a warm smile. At least the girl had decided not to be angry with her.

"I must go to work now. Do you require anything before I depart?" Seven asked her already heading for the door.

"I trust I can leave you on your own for the day?" Seven asked in a stern voice. And that's when Kathryn realized that once Dreyka left she would be without an escort or babysitter.

"You can always see what I'm doing Seven." Kathryn harshly replied pointing out all the many cameras tucked away in their home.

"I'm not going to lock you in anymore. I've decided it has become a futile exercise. I trust that you will behave yourself if you choose to leave the home." Seven said with a thick warning laced in her voice. And with the clicking of the electronic door, the drone was finally gone.

"Things seemed a little better between you two." Dreyka said taking a seat on the sofa. Kathryn joined her delighted to find a white bag tucked away in Dreyka's hands. The girl gave her the sack and the woman eagerly eyed the delicious pastries it held.

"I'm sorry about yesterday." Kathryn said after softly munching on her 飬air for a few moments.

"It's not a problem. I can understand your shock." Dreyka replied watching the woman become lost in her own thought.

Kathryn looked at her small form and couldn't begin to imagine what it was like for her. Kathryn had the benefits of Starfleet training. She knew a few moves that could stun even a drone. But Dreyka was totally at the Borg's mercy. Whatever awful mechanical things her mate wanted to do to her, she would have to comply. And yet the girl never showed signs of pain or discomfort. Kathryn began to wonder how she hid it so very well.

"Is it awful for you?" Kathryn asked looking at the slim girl next to her.

"What?" Dreyka asked completely confused by the sudden change in conversation.

"Being with the drone, is it terrible?" Kathryn asked worried.

"You mean the act of mating?" Dreyka asked softly not wanting to start another volatile conversation if she could somehow avoid it. Kathryn only nodded, unable to meet the girl's soft eyes.

"No, I quite like it. It's nothing terrible Kathryn. Why would you think that?" Dreyka asked. She glanced at the woman noticing the fine icy exterior that had settle on her form. Dreyka began to desperately hope that the woman's unimatrix hadn't missed anything during her intake. The colony had become quite used to taking in refugees from war torn worlds. Often, these women were victims of rapes, assaults, and all out physical beatings. The act of mating was something that they feared and dreaded. But Kathryn had showed no such signs of physical abuse when she had been brought here. And Dreyka had no idea why Kathryn was asking her such questions.

"You have to do things? with a Borg." Kathryn seethed finally looking at her.

"Yes, but I like it. I love Twelve." Dreyka replied unsure as to the best way to answer the obviously troubled woman.

"Borg and love are two words that should never go in the same thought." Kathryn snapped getting up to pace around the large living room. Dreyka simple watched her thinking it best to let Kathryn speak her mind.

"It seems so inhumane. Being forced to do that with a drone." Kathryn muttered and the girl wasn't sure if an answer was expected of her.

"Kathryn, are you afraid of Seven? Are you afraid that she'll hurt you." Dreyka asked softly not wanting to crush the fragile mood of her companion. Kathryn spun to face her with large eyes, a stiff posture, and a gaping mouth. The woman wanted to scream out in her own defense. She was the captain of a starship. Seven of Nine most certainly did not scare her.

But the two humans looked at each other and Kathryn saw no reason to engage in a grandiose display of anger. Dreyka had already seen the truth. Kathryn Janeway was terribly frightened of the drone. And Kathryn had no idea what would happen when Seven finally forced her to take the metal body into her own.

Part 12

"Kathryn, you have nothing to be afraid of. Seven wouldn't hurt you. She cares for you." Dreyka said trying to reassure the pacing woman. But the former captain only stared at her with an unveiled fear.

"You don't know what you're talking about. Seven has hurt me, many times?" Kathryn said embarrassed by her own emission. She didn't want others to know how the drone had already gotten to her. She didn't want her weakness to be public consumption.

"I know that when she left Voyager you were very hurt, but?" Dreyka began convinced that Kathryn had been talking about her emotional scars left by Seven's allegiance to the Hive.

"No, Dreyka! Seven has hurt me, physically?" Kathryn admitted finally daring to look the human in the eyes. Dreyka was shocked and then confused by the sudden revelation.

"Tell me what happened?" Dreyka asked softly, obviously very concerned.

"We have fights. We're constantly at each other's throats about one thing or another. And sometimes it gets physical. She's a drone. She's much stronger then I am." Kathryn admitted finally returning to the seat next to the girl.

"Does Seven start the fights?" The girl asked unable to believe that the drone would physically assault Kathryn without cause.

"No, I do." Kathryn said knowing that Dreyka had witnessed her anger on more then one occasion.

"How bad has it been?" The girl asked wondering about the extent of the woman's injuries. Kathryn eyed her companion relieved to see the lack of judgment in Dreyka's warm eyes.

"Mostly bruises?" Kathryn murmured finally decided to stare down at her hands.

"Have you had a broken bone or?" Dreyka began to ask wondering if there had been more serious injuries. But the former Starfleet official shook her head.

"How did you get the bruises?" Dreyka asked hating to have to pry into Seven's personal life. But it was her job to make sure things like this didn't go unattended.

"Has Seven hit or punched you? Has she kicked you?" Dreyka prodded when the woman met her questions with nothing but silence.

"No, it's been nothing like that. Normally, she's trying to restrain me. Or she's pushing me away from her. I'm the one who attacks. My temper just gets the better of me." Kathryn said feeling terribly uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"Okay, well I'm glad you said something because we have to talk about this." Dreyka said using her best professional voice. She had been unofficially assigned to help Kathryn integrate into colony life. They felt the woman was far too reticent and angry to want to adapt to her new world. But the unimatrix had asked Dreyka to be available for friendship. If she was successful in forging a bond with the older woman, then perhaps one day, she could help Kathryn with her more professional skills. And Kathryn had been with them long enough. Dreyka felt it was time to make take a more proactive role in helping Kathryn to assimilate.

"What do you mean?" Kathryn asked eyeing the girl a bit wearily.

"We need to talk about how you relate to Seven." Dreyka said knowing that her comment would be met with much resistance.

"I don't relate to Seven at all!" Kathryn snapped trying to fight her urge to pace the room.

"That's the problem. You need to start making an effort." Dreyka answered with her sternest tone. She knew the woman would respect no less.

"I need to make an effort??? Are you insane? I'm not going to do anything to get along with the Borg." Kathryn railed finally giving into her desire to cover the carpet in thick tracks of anger.

"Kathryn, I could point out that when Seven came aboard Voyager you expected her to adapt. You expected her to make an effort to integrate into StarFleet life. But I know that at the moment, you're too angry discuss such things." Dreyka said a bit softer knowing that right now, the woman wasn't interested in a logical viewpoint.

"So I'm simply going to ask you to make the smallest concession." Dreyka finished. Kathryn faced her with a leery stare. She couldn't imagine what the girl had in mind.

"I'm not expecting to suddenly like your new living circumstance. I'm not even going to ask you to give it chance. All I want from you is a lack of violence. You can scream and yell at Seven to your heart's content. But I'm going to ask you to please stop attacking her physically." Dreyka explained hoping the woman would agree to such a simple request.

"WHY? What do you care? And why should I? It's not like I can hurt Seven anyways, the Borg made sure of that." Kathryn snarled turning her back on the girl.

"That's the point Kathryn. You can't hurt Seven. So what's the point of fighting someone you can't hope to beat?" Dreyka asked thinking that both woman and drone needed a break from the tormenting anger between them.

"Is that the kind of deafest attitude that got you stranded here in the first place?" Kathryn asked with an irking quip of sarcasm.

"Kathryn just think about. It's really a very small thing to do." Dreyka said gathering her belonging to leave. She had spoken her mind and knew she had left Kathryn with much to think about.

"Dreyka?" Kathryn called out before the girl left the home. She was surprised by the softer tones in the woman's voice.

"Tell me about Ildonia?" Kathryn asked glancing at her new favorite vase held proudly on the bookshelf. She had meant to ask Dreyka about it some time ago. But the questions about Seven had put her on edge.

"It's a city on a planet not far from here. Why?" Dreyka asked wondering where Kathryn had even heard of it.

"And you've been there?" Kathryn asked unable to take her eyes from the precious piece of glass held out before her.

"Yes, it's quite lovely there. Why?" The girl asked still confused by the line of questions.

"Seven showed me the vase she got there. The artwork is exquisite." Kathryn idled.

"Well, one day when you and Seven are firmly committed to each other, I'm sure she'll take you." Dreyka said with a bright smile. She was pleased to see Kathryn show some interested in the life around them.

"Perhaps your right?" Kathryn mumbled and waived to the girl as she finally left. But as Kathryn sat there staring at the vase she had the spark of plan erupting deep within her mind. From what she had learned Ildonia wasn't a Borg colony. And she knew that if she was ever going to escape the Hive, it would be there. Now all she had to do was convince Seven to take her.