Discovery
The Holodeck doors opened and two figures exited. Both were dishevelled and sweaty, but one was smiling. The other had a staid, prim look on her face and listened as her Captain spoke, and they made their way along the corridor.
"You played a good game Seven, you're improving", she complimented.
"Thank you Captain. I am adapting in new ways"
Janeway stopped and turned to look at her protege, face suffused with warm emotion, her eyes bright.
"You are aren't you?." She shook her head in wonder at the woman in front of her. It never failed to amaze her how quickly Seven had adapted to Voyager, and how she continued to grow. It was nothing short of a miracle given that so much of her personality had been shaped by the Borg for so long. Little Annika was still in there it seemed. Somewhere. Despite Seven�s often cold pronouncements to the contrary.
"You've grown so much. Become a remarkable individual"
She beheld Seven's face, examining it in detail.
Seven stared back evenly, and the strangest of feelings washed over her. She had felt it several times recently, in Janeway's company. A deeply affecting sensation that took over her mind and body. It was almost like being drunk.
"Thank you Captain" she replied, and was surprised to find the words difficult to articulate.
Janeway's remained the same, examining, full of warmth.
"If only I could have found you earlier..." she whispered.
"If only you had found me...earlier." echoed Seven.
Unexpectedly the emotion caught in her throat. Her eyes, fixed on Janeway�s...felt moist.
There was a long pause. It stretched on. It seemed as if they would both stand here for eternity. Two statues staring into each other�s eyes.
Janeway coughed a little embarrassedly looking down, her face flushed. Red, Seven noticed the physiological reaction in her Captain.
Do something Kathryn thought Janeway, realising Seven could stand there all day if she wanted. She wasn�t sure WHY she should feel embarrassed, or why even she should blush...but she did nonetheless.
As she turned, she missed the tiny movement of Seven�s mouth. A small parting of the lips as if to say something. But it came out only as a breath.
"Well I don't know about you, but I'm gonna take a bath, people on the other end of the ship could smell me." Janeway grinned, trying to change the mood, <why? she wondered briefly> and they resumed their walking.
Seven raised an eyebrow in the curious Vulcan like attitude she had appropriated.
"Hardly Captain, the ship is 200 metres in length. However," she continued with the deadpan expression Janeway had come to recognise as Seven's dry sense of humour, "it may become the case if you improve your racketball game."
"You can talk, you could do with a bath yourself...you�re lathered in sweat," countered Janeway wondering not for the first time just how sweaty Seven actually got under the tightness of her exercise uniform.
"Immersion in water, for the purpose of cleaning oneself is inefficient" stated Seven
" Seven !" Katherine smiled amused, shaking her head. The innocence of the woman was endearing sometimes. There were, despite her recent statement, still a lot of Borg isms that she needed to undo. She still frequently thought in terms of clear cut requirement and purpose.
"A bath is more than just than just getting clean...it can be one of the most relaxing things you can do...you should try it sometime, you might really enjoy it." She gave Seven a long look.
They continued their walking along into the Turbolift where Seven paused.
Janeway requested the deck, and Seven turned back to her Captain.
"I am not sure I would appreciate such an exercise". She paused as if unsure what to say, but clearly considering something. The doors opened, and they continued along the corridor.
Janeway glanced at her in curiosity as they walked, wondering why Seven was coming this way. She hadn�t given any indication she was returning to the Cargo bay. She glanced at Seven curiously and asked,
"Why do you say that?"
Seven read the expression, explaining:
"I still find it difficult to do?nothing", she explained.
"Believe me Seven, once you discover the joy of occasionally doing nothing, you'll be glad."
Seven paused a long while. She had come this way for a purpose. What it might be eluded her. The thought crossed her mind that she might like to partake in Janeway�s bath. "Not yet" came a shadow voice inside her. But it had been the Captain, wanting to accompany Janeway to her quarters, that had influenced her direction when she knew very well she should have headed straight for the Cargo Bay. It had been an almost impulsive action. Very unlike her usual behaviour. She had found herself doing this kind of thing lately in Janeway�s company.
With that, Kathryn Janeway turned into her quarters, leaving Seven standing in the corridor.
In her quarters the Captain shook her head in amusement.
If only some of her crew could muster some of Seven's motivation for tedious jobs. And if only Seven could learn to unwind a little more. She made to run herself a bath...perhaps an extravagance after all she thought, closed her eyes heavily and sunk into chair...exhaling a long breath.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Seven watched Janeway disappear into her quarters, a small, hurtful feeling of disappointment coming to her and not knowing why. Perhaps she wanted a cabin of her own she realised. The Cargo bay had been her space for a while now, but it was...impersonal. It wasn�t always hers alone, as it had other functions...and while people tried to respect it as the only private space she had on the ship...she had started to feel impinged upon...she didn�t always want to be disturbed. She had never considered the concept of privacy and personal space before now...but it had crept into her thoughts without her realising it. She had begun to want more. It was the strangest of feelings.
Seven made her way along the corridor, annoyed at her own inefficiency. Why had she come to this deck? She knew she didn�t have a cabin here. Irritated, she walked back to the Turbolift and made to return to the Cargo Bay.
"Halt" she told the computer only half way to her destination. Thoughts assaulted her...she briefly considered seeing the Doctor, concerned that something might be wrong.
"Nothing is wrong, you�re just growing," came the quiet voice again.
"Holodeck 2" she announced, a plan already forming in her mind. She would try Janeway�s offer after all.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Her quarters. Well, a holodeck version of the quarters she would have had...if she had have been assigned any. She entered, but once inside, wasn't sure how to proceed. Protocol insisted she get clean and change her clothes after excessive physical exercise. As a Drone she had not had to worry about trivial bodily functions such as sweating. But now. She wrinkled her nose, sniffing. She could smell herself.
"Pheromones", she thought. It was not?unpleasant.
The quarters seemed foreign. She was still more comfortable with the Borg Alcove. But she was needing it less. Certainly physiologically, she barely "required" it, apart from the brief incident with the malfunctioning Vinculum, and then the recent encounter with the Borg again.
Seven moved swiftly to the adjoining bathroom, intent on quickly perfoming the act of getting clean and returning to duty, but upon entering, she was reminded again of the Captain's proposal.
The prospect of bathing was?conflicting. The idea made her feel restless. She doubted she could sit still that long?it wasn't what she was used to. She would use the Sonic shower and return to duty as quickly as possible
No. Something in her said. You could have done that in the Cargo bay. That would be giving in. Maintaining old behaviour patterns. Try something new. You must adapt. You came here for a reason.
Perhaps?perhaps a compromise - there was no bath in here anyway, she smirked to herself - a shower perhaps? The tall, cubicle like arrangement in the corner was less threatening than the idea of a bath, it was upright for a start. She was used to taking sonic showers as they were the quickest and most efficient. It hadn�t occurred to her before now to shower under water. Tentatively, she made towards it, examining it in detail.
It should prove acceptable.
With trepidation, she removed her close fitting exercise uniform, with more ease than her standard one since it was sleeveless, and stepped cautiously into the shower recess.
Seven had no body inhibitions. They were cultural taboos created from human like societies as a result of mating rituals. The Borg had no such problems. There was no privacy in the Collective, and no inhibitions and she was still in many ways, Borg as far as upbringing was concerned.
She stood for a moment, feeling the freedom of air on her skin, the slight tingling of small, fine hair. The Doctor had suggested various forms of hair removal, the most effective of which was a small handheld device that was instantaneous and produced no sensation whatsoever. She had found the concept of sprouting hair everywhere almost repulsive, when she had begun her transition from Borg to human. Borg generally didn't possess hair and the body�s ability to produce it stopped once you became a Drone. It was also necessary to remove most hair from life forms that were assimilated, due to its potential to interfere with implants, although sometimes it made little difference and was ignored.
Seven reached forward to the control panel, and found herself nervous with anticipation. Instantly a stream of tepid water shot from a nozzle above her. She jumped, stunned by the sudden contact with her skin, and almost left, annoyed, thinking it was another trivial human self indulgence. Persevere, something in her mind told her. She reached forward again and adjusted the pressure of the water and the temperature. It poured from the nozzle, down cascading over her perfectly shaped breasts, not that large after all. It was the tight fitting uniform that tended to enhance her shape, though the Borg maturation chamber had ensured her accelerated growth had been almost flawless.
The sensation was?interesting. The softness of it...the fluidity...its warmth. But she was only standing in front of a stream of water, she wasn't getting clean. She dispensed a small amount of cleansing moisturiser from a nearby recess and slowly began to smooth it over her limbs but found where she was standing simply washed it off. Seven adjusted the water output once more and tried again, this time facing away from the stream, letting it run down her back.
She closed her eyes, unconsciously.
The Sensation. The intensity of...sensation. The warmth. It seemed to reach to a place far inside her, as though to her very core. It was...relaxing.
She could feel the warmth of the water flowing over her, into her skin. She breathed in deeply, not moving, let her eyes remain closed, just allowing the sensation to become fully apparent.
This?this was?interesting.
"Mmmm", unconsciously a pleasure sound came from her closed lips.
She could feel herself?not thinking about the feelings?just experiencing them.
Seven raised her arms, again an almost subconscious movement, and opened her eyes in surprise feeling her hair still tied into its tight bun shape, but with many strands loose from the previous exertions. She would wash her hair as well. She untied it and shook it loose. This too was an unusual feeling, quite a liberating chaotic action.
Seven leant back, letting the water run through her hair, cascading down her back, her perfectly round buttocks and the backs of her legs. Another unconscious pleasure sound escaped from lips as the warm water trickled over her scalp and down over her face. Seven closed her eyes once again, running her hands over her forearms and hugging herself, savouring the pleasurable warmth of the sensations, feeling the enjoyment build inside her, quite without realising it.
In the collective she had been privy to a vast world of experiences and minds, all as one...but the collective itself had deliberately filtered the relevant information available, relegating much experience to discarded, dormant neural patterns. But these sensations were nothing like she had experienced. The frame of reference was totally different. This time she was the centre of everything. Beautiful warm water flowed over face, her closed eyes, over her shoulders, making her body tingle. Her skin was so sensitive. It was hard to fully appreciate?She couldn�t focus her mind properly, but it didn�t seem to matter?this experience was?surprising?wondrous. A whole host of descriptive phrases she had never had cause to think about, started to reveal their true meaning. Her skin was just?so soft?so sensitive. She ran her hands slowly over herself, almost in wonder , in curiosity. Seven shivered at the feeling of her finger tips brushing across the smooth wet skin of her thighs, her arms, as she once again decided to apply cleansing cream to herself. Grabbing another handful, she applied more to her body, massaging the skin, feeling the delicate sensitivity of touch on her tight stomach, her breasts. The smoothness and sensitivity of her skin was enthralling. Here and there lingered vivid reminders of implants that had been removed, but the Doctor had done his job well.
There. Again. That feeling was even more intense. It sent a shiver through her, a tingle, almost electric. Seven closed her eyes again, letting the water just fall over her tingling and touching her skin with its comforting warmth. Her hand almost unconsciously made its way back to the sensitive region it had just lightly caressed, and did so again. The combination of that and the warm water made her shiver again?all over?that electric tingle again. Seven took a deep breath again, letting the gentle touch continue. This was?pleasure?and it was not irrelevant.
Seven briefly recalled, a while ago now, inviting Harry Kim to perform sexual intercourse. Again, she had treated such a possibility as just another task to perform, just as she had with Captain Janeway�s games of Velocity, and just about everything else. The exercise would have been meaningless, she would have appreciated nothing, and probably become frustrated and unsatisfied as she did with the Captain. Seven felt she was beginning to understand pleasure as a motivating factor behind human behaviour. She could dimly remember small chunks of her childhood?enjoying things?playing?but many of those feelings were contrasted by a sharp and overwhelming painfulness. They were hard to think about?But they were finding their way to the surface more and more since the recent encounter with the Borg again?
Her fingers continued to brush over her skin, savouring the sensitivity of her whole body. Her fingers brushed against her lips, her face, in exploration, and she touched hardness. Metal. Of the Borg implant above her left eye. A feeling washed over her. Anger and sadness mixed. No. Not this hard, alien thing on her soft sensitive skin.
No. I do not wish to be Borg, she thought. No longer.
And she slid her hand over, touched the other implant. Hard, sharp intrusion in her new experience. No, she didn�t want it there. She was no longer Borg. No more. Seven clenched her eyes shut, childlike, trying to shut out the bad feelings, feeling a hot unpleasant wetness filling up in them, the sadness flowing over her like the water.
Seven filled her palm with more cream and started to massage her limbs properly, determined now she was brought back to earth, to actually clean herself the way the task was intended. She started to massage her skin properly, her arms and legs, being very thorough, and turning back to the water, rubbing it into her skin, over her thighs, between her buttocks?she massaged between her legs?and gasped. An intake of breath. Sudden. More sensitivity, like the rest of her body. The effect of massaging herself gently, her skin, her sensitive breasts, had?aroused her?physically?but now it was more than a simple physiological response. Her left hand traced its way over her stomach, over the soft ticklish skin, while curiously Seven allowed her right hand to caress between her legs, her thighs, all the while feeling a waves of warm pleasure flowing throughout her.
She moaned to herself, unexpectedly, quite loudly, as she continued to make a sensitive exploration, pushing fingers up inside herself, over and around her swollen labia , her clitoris. Everything was so sensitive, so sharp, an incredible and new experience. Even though perfectly aware of every anatomical detail of herself, Seven had never expected such intensity?such feeling. For a long time she stood under the streaming shower feeling her own overwhelming pleasure come in waves and colours like red, with her eyes closed, and nearly buckled at the knees. With her eyes still closed, she leant back against the recess, almost dozing as the water continued to rain over her stomach. She could still feel the glowing waves of pleasure throughout and felt a small smile grow on her lips, which slowly transformed into small, throaty unconscious laugh. She half dozed contented, the orgasm red pink still in her mind, sharp and soft at the same time.
A little while later.
She considered drying herself, and noticed a couple of luxuriant looking towels, green and red, hanging nearby. Clearly that was the primitive way in which one was supposed to dry oneself...she walked slowly over and chose one...the red one. Slowly, she brought the soft surface to her skin, and again the contact was...interesting...different. She closed her eyes and an image from long ago jumped into her mind.
A little girl, just out of the bath, a loving face, and a big, soft towel which was wrapped around her.
"Wooo..." her Mother rubbed the towel against her, playing with her, brought her close, protective arms that held her.
"Who�s a clean girl now?"
"Me!" came the excited child�s voice...
Seven swallowed, her eyes moist, breathing suddenly difficult, pulling the towel around herself, letting her mind wander...she didn�t want to suppress these feelings any more. Carefully, she caressed herself with the towel. Her skin was sensitive still, more so now, as if her pleasure had brought more awareness to her body. She ran the towel over herself, enjoying the softness of it...again making sure not to miss any part of herself, and quickly discovering how to dry her back, and shoulders, then massaging her long legs. She felt another shiver pass through her...almost like an after effect of her orgasm. It was warm too, but in a different way...it was something else she had never considered before...comfort.
Moments later when she had dried herself and put on a new uniform, she found her pleasure, her feelings were still undiminished, and her thoughts were not as they were when she had first come into the bathroom. It was still there. The pleasure. The warmth. She smiled faintly again to herself, though not fully aware of it. Her environment seemed sharper, yet softer?warmer?more tolerable. The thought of returning to the Alcove made her feel?cold.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Seven combed her hair and studiously fixed it back into place, realising she hadn�t washed it after all. Perhaps this method was an inefficient way of cleaning oneself?but it certainly wasn�t irrelevant.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
As Seven of Nine made her way to the Astrometrics lab, at her Captain�s request, she noticed other crewmembers, as she always did, but this time something felt a little different. The warmth that was now in her seemed to transfer to others, and they smiled at her, occasionally greeting her as she walked past. She had become used to receiving inquisitive glances from others, and had often ignored the activity altogether, unsure of exactly why she elicited the attention. But this time she noticed it a little more?and it felt?good. There was a feeling of closeness?with the people that had become her collective. If she could have the warmness and closeness together?the special feeling?perhaps she would lose some of her pain?some of the harsh difficult feelings of memory. But for now, feeling this?satisfaction was enough. As she walked, she felt a little happier?she had discovered something about herself?and it had been hers and hers alone. Individual.
As Seven entered Astrometrics, the Captain turned at her approach, obviously ready to discuss an important matter. She had that look of concern. Which suddenly changed, became an inquisitive almost maternal look.
"Seven? You�re looking radiant, something good happen?" The Captain smiled curious at Seven�s change in mood. Seven, whilst aware of the sense of warmness and satisfaction within her, was nevertheless curious as to why everyone around her seemed pleased to see her.
" I took your advice" she began.
So that�s what did it, thought Kathryn.
"What do you think" she grinned, "pretty relaxing?"
"I had a shower?" replied Seven. "It was?stimulating."
Janeway raised an eyebrow in curiosity and amusement.
"Feel good?"
"The sensations were?" Seven drew a breath and shook her head as though unable to fully articulate what she felt. "The warmth of the water on my skin?I have not experienced it for a long time?that is if I did?I cannot remember doing so?it was?enjoyable?"
Janeway grinned at Seven�s analysis of the event.
"I think the word you�re looking for is "gorgeous" actually."
Gorgeous. Seven tried saying the word, forming on her lips but felt her lips curl up in amusement. It sounded ridiculous?but funny, and was somehow appropriate for the experience.
Janeway smiled to herself as she watched the emotion in Seven start to develop more, become more rounded, and felt her heart beat faster, going out to the younger woman.
The com system beeped, and a voice piped through.
"Torres to Seven, I need your assistance for about ten minutes. Sorry Captain, I know you�re busy."
"Captain?" queried Seven.
"Go and give B�Ellana a hand, I�ll start here and be ready by the time you get back."
The ex Borg woman turned smoothly and strode off, and Janeway fancied she could see buoyancy in her step that had otherwise been absent from Seven�s mood. The Captain shook her head smiling in amusement. Seven had no doubt been receiving looks all the way to Astrometrics, as she would on the way to Engineering. And with little wonder. Seven was an attractive woman. But as she had entered the lab, the little something extra, the faint smile that had been on Seven�s face unconsciously the whole time, had no doubt helped to make her seem more approachable and friendly, and also had Kathryn wondering idly just how much Seven had enjoyed her shower.
END.