A Perfect Day
 

part one: un jour a plage

The waves washed gently against a white shore of almost impossible perfection where the wide bay curved gracefully to embrace brilliant azure waters, glittering beneath the light of a single golden sun. The scene could have been drawn from some island fantasy, one that existed only in wistful imagination. But it was real, and it was paradise.

The crystal waters were reflected in the deep blue gaze of a young woman, tall, with a slender beauty unmarred, but rather punctuated, by the metallic implants that were the legacy of an unwillingly misspent youth.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Seven turned.

Captain Janeway was standing nearby, stripped down to an appealingly casual bathing costume. She tossed a towel to the sand. "Will you be swimming?"

Seven of Nine looked out to where several crewmembers were already frolicking in the water. It was shallow and calm, protected by an offshore reef over which the rougher waves broke before approaching the shore as gentle swells. Standing primly watching and covered from neck to toe, she seemed somehow out of place in their idyll.

"I do not... swim," she answered gravely. Janeway smiled.

"Then perhaps it's time you learned."

"Captain!" Tom Paris called, from the edge of the water. "Come on in, the water's great!"

"Just a moment, Mr Paris," she called back, and returned her attention to her young lover. "Join in, Seven. You never know - you might enjoy it."

Seven hesitated, acquiesced. "I lack appropriate attire."

"We can fix that." Janeway crossed the sand to where she had left her uniform and took her communicator. "Janeway to Voyager."

"Voyager here, captain," Tuvok's voice answered.

"Tuvok, could you send down a bathing costume in Seven's size, please? It's time she learned to swim."

"As you wish, captain. One moment."

Janeway imagined keying instructions for the item's replication and transport, making a bet with herself as to how long it would take him.

He was slightly more efficient than expected. A small folded object appeared on the ground before them. Seven picked it up and examined it.

"This garment has no practical purpose," she said, sounding slightly perplexed. "It will provide no protection against the elements, or against attack by marine predators."

"Just put it on, Seven."

Janeway held up a towel for her unwilling pupil to change behind, aware of the sudden interest demonstrated by the male crewmembers already in the water. She grinned as she watched Harry Kim being dunked by Paris, then looked back when Seven spoke.

"This is required for swimming, Kathryn?"

Despite herself, Janeway had to pause at the sight of Seven's appearance. Tuvok had elected to provide a costume in a deep blue that matched Seven's eyes, and looked quite stunning against the brilliant white background. The ridged bands across her stomach caught Janeway's eye, clearly visible beneath the thin fabric. The leotard design was surprisingly modest, a tribute, presumably, to Tuvok's more paternal feelings towards the young woman.

"Beautiful," she murmured, then paused. "Seven, you are waterproof, aren't you?" she asked, with some concern. Seven lifted an eyebrow.

"Liquid will not damage me, Kathryn. That would be inefficient."

Janeway smiled. "Of course, Seven. Shall we?" She took Seven's hand and led her towards the waves.

Seven flinched slightly at the first touch of the salty water. Janeway loved it. The planet was wonderfully Earth-like, in many ways, but its beaches were incredible. Many of the crew on shore leave had chosen to take part in water sports, herself included.

They waded out to where it was waist deep. B'Elanna Torres joined them, drawn to the intriguing notion of Seven learning to swim. She stood on the other side of her and joined with Janeway's encouragements for her to lower herself in the water and lean forward.

"We'll support you, Seven. Just relax," B'Elanna urged. Janeway was surprised, but pleased, aware of the history of enmity between the two women.

Metal pressed against her hand as she placed it under Seven's stomach. "Now lift your legs off the bottom," she instructed. Seven did so, nervously allowing the captain and engineer to take her weight. She was surprisingly heavy in the water.

Not so surprising, actually, Janeway realised, feeling the solid metal against her fingers. She was probably denser than the water.

B'Elanna was explaining how Seven should move her arms and kick. Naomi Wildman, swimming under her mother's careful supervision, came to join in the fun, enthusiastically demonstrating the techniques B'Elanna was trying to impart. As Seven picked up something resembling an effective stroke, the group was gradually drawn into a game Neelix was leading.

Seven, however, was disconcerted as a wave broke across them, and came up spluttering. Janeway pulled her a short distance from the others and held her up while she recovered her composure.

"Are you all right?" she asked urgently.

"I am undamaged," Seven answered carefully. "These sensations are remarkable." She flashed one of her rare smiles, glittering and beautiful in the brilliant sun as she dived toward the next wave, eager to explore this new sensation.

That night they built a bonfire. Janeway left her enthusiastic crew to their labours and wandered to where Seven and Naomi were working industriously in the gathering dusk. "What are you doing?" she asked them.

"We are building a non-functional replica of Voyager," Seven told her seriously, though her eyes were alight. "I had been unaware that humans had specific rituals relating to sand."

Janeway bit her lip to keep from laughing as Seven returned to her task of placing small black seashells they'd collected to signify windows, damp hair hanging loose about her face as she positioned each shell with geometric precision. Naomi was busily shaping the warp nacelles.

"Would you like to play, captain?" Naomi asked politely. "You could do the other nacelle."

"I'd love to, Naomi," Janeway answered agreeably, and knelt next to Seven. "What are we going to use for the lettering?"

Naomi solemnly held up a small bucket of black sand, presumably from the more fertile area beyond the sand dunes. "Tom got it for us," she explained. "This was his idea."

"And a very good one," the captain said, pleased with her helmsman, as she began mounding the damp sand into something vaguely nacelle-shaped. She hardly dared look at Seven. The look of intent concentration on her face as she began dusting the upper curve of the 'hull' to form lettering was just unbearably appealing. Peeking, she saw that Seven was even biting her lower lip slightly. It was, quite simply, too cute to be endured. Naomi was no better as she industriously neatened the shape of her own nacelle, then helpfully started adding sand to Janeway's.

The sound of a holo-imager going off made her look up, and she shot a smile at the Doctor, making a note as she did so to acquire a copy of the image for herself at some point.

Finally, the two architects were satisfied with their reproduction, although Janeway's efforts had been politely corrected, much to her amusement. Naomi ran off to find the Doctor again and ask him to take a picture of the completed sandship. Seven stood with a glow of pride in their accomplishment on her features. Janeway had to suppress the desire to hug her, contenting herself with lightly squeezing her upper arm. Her thumb traced the metal tracework on Seven's bicep, then she dropped her hand to her elbow.

The ex-Borg looked at her inquisitively. Janeway just smiled warmly and looked down at the sand-Voyager. "Think we can fly it back to the Alpha Quadrant?" she quipped.

She expected Seven to point out that it was not a functional replica, and was immeasurably delighted by Seven's response as she shot the captain a perceptibly amused look. "I believe it is inadequate in size for Voyager's crew compliment," she answered, her tone deadpan as always.

Aware that she was being tweaked, Janeway grinned. "Perhaps next we should just make a shuttle," she suggested.

Seven inclined her head. "Perhaps."

A rousing cheer from the direction of the bonfire drew their attention, and they looked to see flames licking their way up from the base of the bonfire to engulf the structure. "Hot dogs!" shouted a voice.

"Better hurry, captain!" B'Elanna called. "They don't look like they're going to last long..."

All in all, as they later agreed, it was a pretty good day.

part two: une nuit parfait

Later that night, as the bonfire settled to glowing embers, the scented darkness grew quieter, crew members scattering throughout the dunes in small groups (or in pairs) to enjoy the night. Janeway and Seven, walking slowly together inland, passed several conversational groups in the larger hollows and scattered across slopes.

Kathryn allowed her eyes to drift closed as she snuggled half-sleepily against Seven's shoulder as they walked, her arm around her lover's slender waist. "What are you thinking about?" she murmured, curious at the expression of gentle joy she could just make out by starlight.

"This moment," Seven answered succinctly. "I am... content. I enjoy the feel and smell of this night, and the memory of the day. And I am pleased that I shared these experiences with you."

"Oh," Kathryn breathed, stopping in her tracks. Seven half-turned to face her, quizzical. She tilted her head upwards and caught the blonde's lips in a delicate kiss, smiled as they separated and walked on into the shadows at the edge of the ragged forest that was bordered by the dunes. Here they stopped, and sat, Seven with her back against a tree-trunk, Kathryn nestling close in front of her, wrapped in her arms and love.

"Kathryn." Seven's lips grazed her ear as she softly spoke her name, lifting the hairs on the back of Kathryn's neck in a delighted shiver.

"What is it, Seven?" she answered, just as softly.

"I do not want this night to end."

Kathryn smiled at Seven's words, touched and delighted by their implication of Seven's contentment. "I know exactly how you feel." Her hands lightly stroked across Seven's where they rested on her stomach, sweetly delighted by the contact. Seven continued nuzzling at her ear, feather-light touches that served so far to make Kathryn intensely more aware of their closeness, no more.

The gentle attentions continued, and expanded, and Kathryn became aware, as her pulse picked up and her breathing deepened, that she was being seduced. She spared a moment's consideration for the risk of discovery by wandering crew members - and discarded the concern, leaning back into Seven's chest and letting her head fall back to Seven's shoulder, a faint sound that was almost a moan escaping her lips as Seven's attentions shifted to her neck, soft touches with lips and tongue that set her heart quickly pounding.

Seven's hands left hers and slipped inside the loose shirt Kathryn had chosen to wear tonight. The captain gasped as the intensity of Seven's touches increased, pressing back into the younger woman as Seven cupped and lightly stroked her breasts. The contrast of touches in the harsh/soft metal of one hand and the soft, warm skin of the other Kathryn still found startlingly intense. They lingered there, soaking in languid caresses until Kathryn found herself unable to remain still against her building arousal. She shifted position slightly, achingly aware of the slick heat that signified her body's craving... for Seven.

Without conscious intent, she found herself whispering her young lover's name, and felt Seven's lips curve into a smile against her neck. "Yes, Kathryn," she heard her murmur, and felt Seven's human hand leave its place and trail down across her stomach, the oh-so-light scrape of fingernails across her skin drawing out a louder groan. She was shifting steadily now, if ever so slightly, almost writhing in desperate need for Seven's touch.

"Yesss..." she hissed, as Seven's hand slipped inside her pants and began stroking her steadily, firmly, with a sense of intimacy that was almost more than the touch itself. Gradually - more slowly than she thought she could possibly stand - the knowing touch drew her towards a release of the exquisite tension that wracked her body. They were moving together now, Seven's long form wrapped around her own, soft, small cries escaping her lips with every shifting touch.

"I love you, Kathryn," Seven murmured into her ear, the sweet, low voice and the unbearably intense touch momentarily eclipsing all her other senses. Kathryn cried out as she stiffened, rode out her orgasm with Seven's touch and soft whispers still cradling her lovingly.

"Oh, my Seven," she gasped. Other words failed her. "Oh, Seven."

"I'm here, Kathryn," Seven answered quietly. "I will always be here."

part three: matin

Dawn saw them wading in the shallows, hands clasped loosely together. Neither had slept, but Kathryn felt a giddy euphoria that overrode the exhaustion of a long and energetic day.

"We shall have to return to Voyager soon," Seven observed. "I do not yet wish to do so." She paused. "However... I am becoming aware that brevity gives shore leave value. I think perhaps I would find it dull to live like this always."

Kathryn chuckled. "So would I. But it's nice now and then."

Seven turned and caught her again in her arms, kissing her deeply.

"Indeed, captain," she replied, eyes twinkling. "Now and then."