Happy Birthday Kathryn Janeway

Kathryn awoke and stretched lazily. She reached above her head to grip the bars of the new brass bedstead that she had recently replicated, and tensed all her muscles, held for a count of three and then relaxed again. She wriggled her toes against the cool satin of her new sheets and smiled to herself. If only she had that special someone to share in the sensual delights of her new king-sized bed. "Computer, lights." She said, and quickly shielded her eyes against the bright glare.

"Computer, lower the lights." She called.

The computer obliged, dimming the lights to a more comfortable level, beeping as it did so. Kathryn sat up and slid her legs out of the bed. She ran one hand through her hair as she yawned and felt around with her feet for her slippers. "Chakotay to the Captain." Chakotay's disembodied voice came through the communication system.

Kathryn grimaced. What did her first officer want at this hour? It was barely 04.30. She had arisen early so that she could take a bath before her duty began at 06.00. "Chakotay to the Captain." He repeated.

"Janeway here." She answered brusquely, grabbing her silk negligee from the chair beside the bed and pulling it on.

"Captain, I hope I didn't wake you." Chakotay said.

'Like hell you do.' Kathryn thought to herself as she crossed her quarters to the replicator.

"What is it Chakotay?" She asked, her tone indicating the level of annoyance that she felt at his intrusion into her day.

"We need you on the bridge." He replied.

Kathryn groaned. "Tell me it's an emergency." She said, leaning against the replicator and imagining the luxurious warmth of a neck deep bath that she wasn't going to experience that day.

"Coffee, black." She said and the replicator swished as it provided her morning sustenance.

"It is not an emergency, but we do need you on the bridge." Chakotay said.

Kathryn sipped the hot coffee and frowned. "I will be there as soon as I can, but I need to shower and dress, Janeway out." She said, ending the conversation and crossing to the large en suite bathroom.

Ten minutes later she walked onto the bridge, and gratefully accepted a mug full of hot coffee from Neelix. She briefly wondered why he was on the bridge at that hour, but she didn't dwell on the thought. "Captain." Chakotay said, standing and turning to face her.

"This had better be important Chakotay, I was looking forward to a bath." Kathryn grumbled as she walked down the steps to her chair.

"I am sorry Captain, but I really needed you to make the decision as to what we should do." Chakotay said, sitting in his chair as she sat in hers.

Kathryn turned a glare on him. Her first officer was becoming increasingly annoying, and she wished that she knew why he wouldn't make any decisions any more. "What is the problem?" She asked.

They had been in orbit around a planet for a few weeks effecting repairs, and several of the crew had taken shore leave there, invited by the inhabitants. The planet was a small class M planet that resembled a tropical paradise. "The entire ship has been invited to a wedding by the President of Itopima," Chakotay said, as they stared at the view screen. "It is his youngest daughter, and therefore a very large, planet wide celebration." He finished.

The planet was beautiful with clear stretches of sandy beach surrounding the landmasses and Kathryn had agreed to stay in orbit for long enough so that all the crew could enjoy shore leave of at least 7 days. "Half the crew are down there already." She said, turning to face him.

"Yes Captain I know, but they invited the *whole* crew." He said blandly.

Kathryn grimaced again. "Are you ok Captain?" Chakotay asked quietly.

He reached out and placed one hand on her arm as he spoke. Kathryn pulled her arm away. "I have indigestion, that is all." She said, trying to keep her temper.

"What about the wedding?" Chakotay asked.

Kathryn sighed. "You know as well as I do that the whole crew can't go. We need at least 12 people to stay on the ship." She said grumpily.

Chakotay smiled. "If we route all the ship's commands to the bridge only 2 people need stay behind." He said.

Kathryn stared at him. "Well Chakotay, you seem to have thought of everything. As you need volunteers and I was rather hoping to have a nice relaxing duty shift watching the planet pass by the window, I put up my hand. I really don't want to go to a wedding anyway, and as I expect most of the rest of the crew do, I will stay. So all you need to do is find one other person." She said, thinking that a peaceful day aboard ship with no one to look after was probably just what she needed.

"I already asked for volunteers. Seven said she would stay." Chakotay said.

Kathryn's heart leapt into her mouth, and she tried to remain calm. "How long would everyone need to be away for?" She asked, wondering if her voice sounded as wavery to him as it did to her.

"The wedding ceremonies here are rather long and involved, but I expect people could start to leave after 6 or 7 hours." He said, as if he was recanting the list of things to do that day.

Janeway's heart raced at the thought of being alone, totally alone, with Seven for 6 or 7 hours. "I see. Well I am sure Seven and I could muddle through until the rest of you get back." She said, trying to calm herself.

Chakotay laughed. "I am sure you will manage fine. We will need to leave shortly, that is why I had to call you so early." He said standing up.

Kathryn stood too. "I see. What time does the wedding begin?" She asked, her whole body was now reacting to her imagination.

"06.00, it will take us almost that long to shuttle everyone to the planet." Chakotay said, and Kathryn smiled.

"Well don't let me stop you." She said, and she couldn't help the broad grin that crossed her face.

The transporters were still out of commission since the last encounter with the Pakuria, who had sabotaged several ship's systems three weeks earlier, necessitating their stay at Itopima.

"Well have a nice day Kathryn, perhaps we could meet later for me to report back on the away mission." Chakotay said, misinterpreting the sparkle in her eyes as interest in him.

"Perhaps." She said, patting his arm gently and then turning away to leave him standing by the turbo lift.

Kathryn paced around her ready room, it was nearly 05.45 and there were still two shuttle loads of crewmembers to leave the ship. Tuvok, Seven and Harry Kim had transferred all the ship's controls to the bridge and Kathryn knew that two small children could run the ship for the next few hours, barring a surprise attack. The thought that the Itopimans had planned this "wedding" in order to over run the ship had crossed Kathryn's mind several times during the last half hour, but each time she had shaken off the thoughts as ludicrously paranoid. She crossed to the door to the bridge and strode through. "Mr. Kim, you had better hurry or you will miss the final shuttle." She said seeing the young ensign still at his station.

"Yes Captain, I am just leaving. You will be okay won't you?" He asked.

His concern was genuine and Kathryn's heart melted for the young man standing before her. She nodded. "Yes Harry, I will be fine. If there is an emergency Seven and I will call you immediately." She said, resting one hand on his arm.

Harry smiled, but the look of concern didn't leave his eyes. "Captain." He began.

"Harry, don't sound so grim." Kathryn said, smiling at him. Harry returned the smile and then leaned in closer. "Happy Birthday Captain." He whispered.

Kathryn was startled; she didn't know anyone knew it was her birthday. Even Chakotay had forgotten and she hadn't bothered to remind him after the fiasco of last year's surprise party. "Ensign?" She said, not really knowing how to react.

"I expect everyone else has forgotten, but I hadn't. Will you be ok, on your own with Seven, all day, on your birthday?" He whispered.

Seven was watching them closely from across the room. Kathryn nodded and patted Harry's arm. "Yes Harry, I will be fine. Thanks for thinking of me. Now you go and enjoy the wedding celebration." She said, turning to smile at Seven who was frowning at them.

Seven's lithe body rippled beneath the clinging, skin tight body suit that she wore, the shimmering purple enhanced the curves of her supple young body, and Kathryn's insides melted as the young woman strode purposefully across the bridge towards them. Kathryn turned away to hide her face, knowing that the lascivious directions of her thoughts would be written all over her face. "What were you whispering to the Captain?" Seven asked Harry as she met him at the turbo lift.

"Chakotay to Kim. Hurry up we are about to leave." The first officer's voice rang out.

Janeway smiled, he sounded eager to leave. "Nothing." Harry said, stepping into the turbo lift.

Not content with that reply Seven stepped in after him. "I will see you off." She said loudly as the doors closed behind them.

Kathryn sat in her chair and rested her chin on her hands. She already felt alone. It was a wonderful feeling, and she wondered whether Seven would be able to cope single handed for long enough for her to take her bath. The thought of the hot neck deep bath rose in her mind again, and she imagined the sheer luxury of stretching out in the tub, relaxing into the bubbles and letting the cares of the world leave her shoulders for a brief time. Then her mind took its usual turn and she imagined Seven standing before her, naked with her hair cascading down around her shoulders, then kneeling beside the tub to reach in and massage Kathryn's body into a more fully relaxed state.

Kathryn sat up suddenly, realizing that she had slumped down in the chair and probably had a goofy grin on her face. She looked around her and saw that she was still alone on the bridge. Then she stood up, patted her hair, smoothed her uniform and cleared her throat loudly. She stepped up to the tactical console and looked at the display, then she went down to the conn to check on Tom's autopilot settings. The door of the turbo lift shwooshed open and Seven stepped onto the bridge. "Well they have gone." She said, standing with her hands behind her back looking down at the Captain.

Suddenly she was naked, and then dressed again, and Kathryn turned away, certain that she was blushing. She wished that she could control her thoughts more than she seemed able to that day. "Captain?" Seven asked, and Kathryn wondered how she was going to manage for the next 6 or 7 hours, and hoped it was longer.

"Seven run a level 4 diagnostic of environmental controls on levels 11 through 15." Kathryn said, her back still turned to the former Borg drone.

"Yes Captain." Seven said, her efficiency was all-apparent as she crossed to the station normally occupied by Harry Kim.

She ran her fingers quickly over the control panel and Kathryn's heart raced as she imaged those hands running over her own naked skin. She shook her head and cleared her throat again. "Captain?" Seven asked.

Kathryn would swear she was smiling, except that she knew that Seven didn't smile. "Seven?" She replied.

The two women stood looking at each other for several hours, and then Seven looked away. "I thought you said something. I was mistaken." She said, and Kathryn started breathing again.

"Seven, I wonder. Could you hold the fort for a while?" Kathryn asked, her voice nearly catching in her throat as she spoke.

"How long is a while?" Seven asked.

She was standing with her feet apart, and her hands clasped behind her back, in a typical Seven pose and Kathryn's heart somersaulted in her chest. "Long enough for me to have a bath?" Kathryn said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Seven held her look longer this time, and everything else in the room slowly disappeared as Kathryn sank into the gaze of those beautiful blue eyes. "I am sure I can manage." Seven said eventually, and this time Kathryn was certain that there was a hint of a smile on her expressive lips.

"I will be as quick as I can." She said, tearing her gaze away from the younger woman and crossing the bridge.

"Take all the time you need Captain. And just give me a call if you want your back scrubbed." Seven said, concentrating on her console again.

"I beg your pardon Seven?" Kathryn said, turning sharply.

"I said take all the time you need I will call you if something happens." Seven repeated, looking slightly confused.

"Oh of course, yes, thank you." Kathryn said, looking away quickly.

She entered the turbo lift and the doors shwooshed closed behind her. She leaned against the wall of the lift and waited for her heart to slow down again. After several moments, she commanded the lift to take her to level 2, and then closed her eyes again. She was now certain that Seven had been smiling, and she knew that she had made a complete fool of herself, but there was no way to go back now.

Once in her quarters Kathryn turned on the faucet to fill the tub, and quickly stripped herself of her uniform. She opened the cabinet on the wall and fingered through the collection of scented bubbles that were stored there. After choosing lavender oil, her favorite scent for relaxing in, she opened the ornate glass bottle and poured a generous amount into the steaming water.

She went back into the living room and crossed to the replicator. "Coffee, black." She said, and a large china mug filled with hot coffee materialized before her eyes.

She took a few sips of the coffee, grabbed her book as she passed the shelf, and went back into the bathroom. Once she was settled into the tub, she reached for the book and opened it to the last page that she had been reading. She looked up at the clock on the wall to check the time. She didn't want Seven to be left alone for too long, and more to the point, she didn't want to leave Seven for too long.

"Captain?" Seven's disembodied voice broke through the tranquility of Kathryn's bath.

"Yes Seven?" She said, putting the book down.

She glanced up at the clock and saw that it was 10 minutes since she had sat in the tub. "I wondered if you were ok." Seven said.

Janeway frowned. "I am fine thank you." She replied, wondering why Seven had thought she might not be.

"I was just checking." Seven said, and the com went quiet.

"That bath looks inviting." Seven said, and Janeway sat up startled.

The hot water slopped over the side of the bath as Kathryn looked around her in confusion. Then she saw that Seven had activated the video communications system on the wall behind her and was watching her from behind. "Seven, do you mind?" She asked, reaching for the towel that hung on the rail beside the tub.

"Not at all Captain." Seven replied, and Janeway tried to turn to look at her without facing her.

She pulled at the towel in her hurry to cover her exposed body, and in doing so tipped her book into the tub. "Oh hell." She exclaimed as she fished the ruined text out of the water.

It dripped on the floor as she held it up by one corner. "Did I cause you to do that?" Seven asked and Kathryn dropped the book on the floor in annoyance.

"Never mind I can replicate another one." She said, wrapping the towel around herself, even though she remained in the water.

"I apologise." Seven said.

Kathryn turned to face the screen in exasperation. "Seven why did you contact me through the video communications system? You knew I was in the bath." She said, frowning.

Seven looked back at her. "Yes Captain, I knew." She said simply, and the screen went blank.

Kathryn stared at the blank screen for several more minutes, wondering just what the former Borg had meant by that comment. Her skin started to tingle, and her heart started to race as she thought about the connotations of that comment. She finally turned away and sat staring at the wall ahead of her, still clutching the wet towel to her body.

After drying herself, and dressing in her uniform, Kathryn sat at the dressing table in her bedroom. She brushed her hair and thought about Seven. Why had she activated the video communications system? Kathryn's heart raced erratically as she decided to ask outright. She left the room without drying her hair, something that she would never have ever done before, but she was more than a little distracted.

She stepped onto the bridge to find Seven busy monitoring the ship's systems. "Seven." Kathryn said, wondering how to broach the subject.

"Captain." Seven replied, turning to face her.

"Seven, why did you feel it necessary to interrupt my bath?" She finally asked.

Seven gazed at her. "I wondered if you were ok." She said simply, and Kathryn looked at her in confusion.

"Well you could simply have asked me that over the comm." She said.

They stood, several feet apart, but Kathryn could almost feel the heat radiating from Seven's body. "Yes Captain, but I wouldn't have been able to see you." Seven said.

Kathryn's mouth went dry, her heart was hammering in her chest and she wondered what Seven was thinking. "Seven." She said, not knowing what else to say.

"Captain." Seven replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Chakotay to Voyager. Captain, everything ok up there?" Chakotay's voice rang out.

Kathryn closed her eyes. She couldn't believe that her first office was once again ruining a moment in her life. "Yes Chakotay, everything is perfect up here, are you having fun?" She managed to ask.

"Yes thank you. I just wanted to double check, the ceremony proper hasn't started yet, and we are all having breakfast. I can bring you a doggie bag if you like?" Chakotay replied.

Kathryn swallowed her anger and took several deep breaths. "No thanks that is ok, you just enjoy yourself. I will call *you* if I need anything. Janeway out." She said, ending the conversation,

She turned and went to sit in her chair. Seven walked down the steps to stand beside her. "You look tense, obviously your bath was not an efficient way for you to relax." She said, looking down at the older woman.

Kathryn looked up at her, there was a new expression on Seven's face, one she hadn't seen before. "Seven?" She asked, not wanting to assume anything.

Seven dropped to one knee. "Harry told me that it is your birthday." She said, resting one hand on Kathryn's knee.

Kathryn's heart thundered around in her chest and the heat from Seven's hand radiated up her thigh to concentrate in her groin. She wanted to move, but she didn't want Seven to take her hand away. She realized that her mouth was hanging open and she closed it quickly and tried to compose her features to be more casual. "I see. Well I guess it wasn't exactly a secret." She said, her voice was hoarse and she cleared her throat quickly.

"Do you have an infection Captain? Do you need to go to sick bay?" Seven asked.

"No." Kathryn replied quickly, too quickly perhaps because there again she thought she saw the corners of Seven's mouth turn up.

"Perhaps you need to relax some more." Seven suggested, squeezing the Captain's knee slightly.

"Seven, do you have any idea what you are doing to me?" Kathryn finally managed to ask.

This time she was certain of it, Seven *was* smiling. Her eyes were sparkling, and she had an expression of wicked mischief on her face. It was a look that Kathryn had never expected to see on the former Borg's normally expressionless face. "Oh I hope I am having an electric effect on you Captain." Seven said.

Kathryn stopped breathing again, the ship went quiet, and everything else in the room disappeared in a void, as she focused in on Seven's beautiful eyes. "Because I know this is having an electric effect on me." Seven whispered.

After an eternity of gazing at each other Kathryn reached her hand out to cup Seven's chin, and she leaned in so that their lips met. "Oh Seven." She whispered as the younger woman leaned into the kiss.

Their lips caressed each other gently, and Seven reached up to put her arm on Kathryn's shoulder. Her other hand remained on the older woman's leg, but slowly shifted up her thigh, causing ripples of electricity to shoot up and down Kathryn's body. "We can't." Kathryn said, reluctantly pulling back from the embrace.

She felt as if something had been ripped away from her, and a gaping hole left in its place. Seven looked up at her, and she smiled. "Oh but we can." She said quietly.

Kathryn sat back in her chair, gasping for breath and trying to regain some semblance of order in her mind. "No, we can't, we have to, we, there isn't anyone, we are in charge of the ship." She stammered, she was longing to return to Seven's embrace.

"Just one more kiss." She whispered and leaned down again pulling Seven up to her.

Her mind went completely blank as the smooth top of Seven's tongue bumped against her lips. "No." She whispered, her body was humming and she knew that she should break the kiss, focus her thoughts and return to captaining the ship.

Seven continued probing with her tongue until Kathryn gave in with a groan and opened her lips to accept Seven's deeper kiss. She dropped to her knees to make their embrace more comfortable, and wrapped her arms around the slender body of the younger woman. "Oh Captain." Seven murmured into her hair as she nibbled the soft skin beneath Kathryn's ear.

"Seven, for god's sake, call me Kathryn." She whispered, gripping Seven's hair and pulling her head back to reveal the soft white skin of her neck.

They fell to the floor, limbs entwined, tongues battling for supremacy. Their breathing deepened and their movements became more desperate. "Seven, stop. Stop, we have to stop." Kathryn said as she felt Seven reaching up inside her uniform jacket.

She groaned as she felt a hand closing over her breast. "Oh god, stop." She hissed.

Seven pulled her head back and looked up. "Stop? Do you really want me to stop?" She asked.

Kathryn shook her head. "No, no, but we can't. Not here, not on the bridge, not now." She said, wishing that things were different.

Seven removed her hand from inside Kathryn's uniform. "Well then, let's go to your quarters. My alcove isn't built for comfort, otherwise I would invite you there." She said, sitting up.

"But the ship." Kathryn said looking around her in desperation.

She knew that this might be her only chance with the younger woman, she had been dreaming about this moment for so long that it had become almost painful. But now that she was here, that they were on the edge, the very edge, she knew that she couldn't abandon the command of her ship. Seven turned to face her. "Captain. Kathryn. Do you trust me?" She asked.

The older woman looked at her, Seven's eyes were sparkling, and her hair was falling out of its normally immaculate French pleat. Her lips were swollen with desire, and she was hyperventilating, her full breasts rising and falling rapidly. "Yes I do." Kathryn finally replied.

"Good, so let's go to your quarters, trust that I have taken steps to ensure the safety of the ship." Seven said, and stood up.

She reached down to help Kathryn to her feet, and then held her hand as they walked to the turbo lift. For the first time in nearly 7 years Kathryn felt out of control, and she was enjoying the feeling of letting someone else make the decisions. "This is what I have missed." She said, as they stepped into the lift.

"Level 2." Seven said, then pulled Kathryn into her arms and kissed her for the few moments it took to reach the second level where the Captain's quarters were located.

When they finally fell through the door into the large room Kathryn's mind was no longer on the running of the ship. She had shed her jacket in the corridor, one boot was off, and Seven was busy trying to pull her shirt over her head. "Seven please, slow down. We have to retrieve my things." She said, trying to push Seven away from her.

The younger woman was too strong, and suddenly Kathryn felt herself being lifted off her feet and carried across the room to the bed. She fell back against the cushions. "Forget the clothes, we can get those later." Seven said, reaching behind her to grip the zipper that fastened her body suit.

As she pulled the zipper down, the material of the suit relaxed, and Kathryn enjoyed the sight of Seven's wonderful body slowly being revealed. Her heavy breasts tumbled out of the tight material, and they almost seemed to be relieved to be free of the restraining cloth. Kathryn reached up to place one hand over the creamy white skin of one breast. She rubbed her palm against the hard tip, which was rapidly hardening under her caress, and enjoyed watching Seven's face as she experienced the novel sensations that Kathryn was creating in her.

When she was finally naked she stood looking down at the older woman. Kathryn lay back enjoying the view for a few moments, and then Seven smiled again. She reached behind her and pulled the pins out of her hair, shaking her head so that her hair flowed down around her shoulders. "You are just as beautiful I imagined you to be." Kathryn whispered.

"So Captain, it is time for you to get naked." Seven said, her voice was low and sensuous and she reached down to unfasten Kathryn's pants.

Kathryn helped Seven to remove her clothing, and they were soon both naked, lying beside each other on the bed, enjoying each other's bodies. "I have imagined what it would be like to be naked with you, skin on skin, for the longest time." Kathryn said, dipping her head to nibble at Seven's lip.

"The Doctor to Seven of Nine." The holographic doctor's voice intruded on their moment.

Kathryn lay back on the bed in disbelief. She stretched her arms above her head, and turned to look at Seven who was smiling back at her. "Seven to the Doctor, I have transferred the command codes to your program, you may transfer yourself to the bridge." She said, continuing to smile down at the older woman.

"Thank you." The doctor said, and Seven reached out to caress the soft skin of Kathryn's stomach, allowing her hand to drift slowly down over Kathryn's stomach.

"And Happy Birthday Captain." The doctor said before the comm. went quiet.

Kathryn look startled and Seven smiled and leaned down to kiss her breast gently. "He is sworn to secrecy, and actually it was his idea, he told me you needed to relax, and he suggested a few things for me to do to help you relax." Seven said, trailing her tongue from one breast to the other.

Kathryn arched her back in response to the sensations that Seven was creating. "He did?" She asked, her mind was not on conversation though and she didn't wait for a reply as she pushed Seven back onto the bed and lay across her to kiss her soundly.

On the bridge the Doctor, in his command uniform, stood smiling to himself as he watched the planet of Itopima drift past on the view screen. He was humming an aria from his favorite opera, and pleased that in his own way he had managed to make one of the Captain's birthday wishes come true.