By Thirds (Part 1 of 3) 

Prologue

The doors to the Astrometrics lab whooshed open behind Seven of Nine, and in walked Ensign Harry Kim, looking uncharacteristically disheveled.

"Hi, Seven," he greeted tiredly.

"Ensign," the Borg returned in abbreviated fashion. "Welcome back," she added politely.

"Here's the navigational data we got from the Eukarids. I'm glad this mission's over," he sighed.

Seven took the data and began inputting it into the Astrometrics computer. "I was not aware this diplomatic mission was difficult."

"It wasn't....until we began the cultural exchange and then took a tour of their biotech facilities, which included an invitation to observe one of them reproducing," he said with a shudder.

"Yes. The doctor has already informed me, in great detail and with greater enthusiasm, about their reproductive techniques," Seven offered, barely resisting the too human urge to roll her eyes. "He was intrigued that such complex organisms could reproduce through a process of cellular mitosis." She paused a moment to study her companion. "Is something wrong, Ensign? You appear pale."

"It wasn't a pretty sight, Seven," Harry explained, "watching a Eukarid suddenly growing and eventually splitting into two separate life-forms. Even the captain looked a little green around the gills when we got back. She's gone to her quarters to rest. Uh, but she said you should bring her the new charts as soon as you're finished."

"I will. Perhaps you should go rest now, as well."

Harry smiled. "Good idea. See you later, Seven."

*****

"Come," Captain Janeway called in response to the chortle of her doorbell.

The door slid open to admit one tall, lanky Borg carrying a data padd.

Janeway bit back a sigh of appreciation. "Hello, Seven," she greeted warmly.

"Welcome back, Captain. Here are the new navigational charts for this sector," she added, handing her the padd.

Janeway scanned the data briefly. "I'm glad this mission is over."

"Ensign Kim evoked the same sentiment when he delivered the data."

Janeway smiled. "Poor Harry. He barely managed to keep his dinner down during our tour of the autogenesis center. But it was worth it," she added decisively. "We've got guaranteed safe passage through their sector, additional stores of cryogenic deuterium, enough data on a new species to keep the biometrics lab, not to mention the doctor, contentedly mired in research for several months to come...."

Janeway seemed prepared to say more but was brought up short by a suddenly hacking cough. Seven took a step toward the older woman immediately.

"Captain," she called, reaching out and holding her shoulder in concern. "Are you ill? Should I call the doctor?"

"No," Janeway croaked, and then clearing her throat, she continued. "I think I'm just over tired. I guess this will wait until morning," she added, placing the padd on her workstation. She studied her visitor a moment more, an impish grin broadening her lips. "I bet you'd find the physiological data fascinating. Why don't we have breakfast together in the morning? I'll fill you in on all the gory details over some eggs."

A slight smile curled the Borg's lips. And then she allowed her brow to quirk playfully. "I have already been given 'the gory details' by both the doctor and Ensign Kim, on separate occasions. I understand 'eggs' were not involved in the process. However," she added softly, "joining you for breakfast to hear your account of those events would be acceptable."

Janeway smiled back. "Good. Meet me here at 0700." She paused abruptly and then began to frown.

Seven's own brow wrinkled. "Captain?"

"Oh!" the older woman cried suddenly as she doubled over in evident pain.

"Captain!" Seven yelled, lunging forward and catching Janeway before she fell to the deck. "Computer, emergency transport! Two to beam directly to sickbay."

As soon as they had materialized, Seven was on her feet, carrying the captain to a biobed and barking out orders. "Doctor, come at once! The captain is ill!"

"What happened?" he asked tersely, as he rushed to the captain and began scanning her writhing body.

"We were in the captain's quarters discussing the Away mission when she suddenly cried out in pain and collapsed."

The hologram frowned in consternation as he put down the scanner and began palpitating the captain's abdomen.

"Oh! No!" Janeway cried out again.

"Stop it! You are hurting her!"

Just then Chakotay entered sickbay, having monitored the emergency transport. "Stand back, Seven," he ordered in gentle but firm tones. "Let the doctor conduct his examination."

He approached the biobed, the concern evident on his face.

The doctor grabbed a hypospray and pressed it into the captain's neck, instantly calming her as the pain-suppressant took effect.

Seven took a calming breath, relieved now that the captain wasn't crying out. But she couldn't step back, as Chakotay had ordered. Instead, she reached out and gently stroked the captain's hair, not caring whether the intimate caress was observed by the others present.

For the young woman's sake, Chakotay pretended not to notice. "Any ideas about what's going on, Doctor?"

"She's got some kind of growth, but it isn't viral or bacterial." He turned to a nearby console and reviewed the medical data displayed. "In fact, there are no foreign agents in her body that could be causing this kind of growth."

"Is it a tumor, then?"

"I don't think so. The tissues and cells all appear to be normal. It's simply as if she's suddenly growing."

"Growing what?" Chakotay pressed.

The doctor turned back to study the captain, lifting her shirt over a belly that had become noticeably distended. "Growing more of herself," he concluded in ominous tones.

Act I

Seven of Nine jolted awake, as if from a bad dream, and instantly felt a sharp pain in her back. She sat up slowly, reorienting herself to her surroundings. She was sitting in a chair in sickbay and had apparently slumped over an adjacent biobed and fallen asleep. Then she remembered why she was there, having insisted the night before that she should remain in sickbay to assist the doctor. Since she had been off duty anyway and evidently concerned for the captain's welfare, neither Chakotay nor the doctor had even considered objecting, for which she was grateful. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes now and focused on the nearby bed. When she took in the sight before her, she gasped in surprise.

"Easy, Seven," the doctor instructed softly as he came to her side.

"What is happening to her, Doctor?" Seven asked, trying to keep her voice low despite her alarm.

The naked form on the biobed that was once her captain had mutated into a mass twice the captain's normal size, a mass that was only vaguely humanoid given its distended shape and the cocoon-like membrane surrounding it. Through the membrane, Seven could tell that the body was curled up on its side and appeared to be developing additional appendages.

"Don't be afraid," the hologram continued, trying to calm the young woman. "I think they're going to be all right once the process is over."

"'They'?" she asked impatiently.

"Yes, they. The captain appears to be, well, reproducing."

"This is not the way humans reproduce."

"No," the doctor agreed. "But it is the way the Eukarids reproduce. I observed exactly the same stages of growth during the mission."

"But how is that possible? The captain isn't a Eukarid. She is a humanoid female, with reproductive organs that produce unfertilized ova. Humans are not autogenous."

"I'm beginning to think the Eukarids aren't strictly autogenous either. Their mode of reproduction seemed self-generating and wholly a characteristic of their cellular morphology. But I now think that something in their environment, something unique to their planet, must act as a sort of stimulus that induces this complex form of mitosis."

"Why didn't you determine that sooner?"

"There was nothing to base that observation on. Only a small contingent beamed down, and we weren't there long enough for the process to begin. In fact, none of the other members of the mission have been affected."

"Why was the captain affected?"

"She was the only female on the Away mission, and she was ovulating at the time. I suspect that's what made her susceptible to whatever catalyst triggered mitosis in her system. Her ovum provided enough reproductive matter for the process to take effect."

"We should have been warned about this danger by the Eukarids. Why didn't they say anything during the preliminary arrangements for the Away mission?"

"Chakotay contacted them for more information and asked exactly that. They hadn't even considered that other species could be affected the same way. Apparently, few of their off-world visitors have been women, and either their organic composition was too different or they were in a different phase of their personal cycles. There's no way of knowing."

"Even if the captain's body is sufficiently similar to make her susceptible, it isn't designed to undergo this process. How do you know 'they' will be 'all right' after the separation process has completed itself? And which one will be the real captain?"

"I suppose I don't know exactly. In the Eukarids, the two new life-forms are identical in every respect, including intellect, temperament, and memory engrams. They start to develop differences only has they begin having different life experiences. In the captain's case, however, I'm afraid I really don't know that both captains will be identical. Unlike the Eukarids', the human cerebrum, as you know, is functionally bifurcated with each hemisphere specializing in a particular set of higher brain functions. I can't guarantee that those functions will be duplicated in exactly the same way."

The doctor studied the young woman carefully and realized she was having trouble digesting everything he had said.

"I know you're concerned, Seven, but it may not be as bad as you're thinking. The truth is we won't know anything until they wake up. Try not to worry." At that, he returned to his office, deciding his friend needed some time to herself.

Seven blinked back her tears as she looked at the life-forms on the biobed, trying to find some familiar trace of the woman she had come to care a great deal about. She hadn't even had the chance to tell the captain that her feelings ran deeper than friendship, that she was, in fact, falling in love with the woman. And now, she didn't know if she would ever be able to do that.

Unable to face the truth of that just yet, she turned on her heel and walked out of sickbay without another word.

*****

Seven stood nervously outside the doors to sickbay. She had left the captain the previous morning to begin her duty shift and couldn't bring herself to return until a full day and a second shift had passed. Even now, she found herself hovering indecisively in the hallway, torn between her need to learn how the captain was faring and her fear of what she might find.

What little resolve she had been able to muster was suddenly gone. She turned to leave when she noticed Chakotay approaching.

"Seven, I'm glad you're here. The doctor just called me to say that the separation is complete. He's about to revive them, and I think we could use your help. They're going to be disoriented."

"They will not be the only ones feeling that way," Seven mumbled miserably.

"I know," the commander returned in comforting tones. "Whatever we find in there, it's going to take some adjustment for all of us. But we need to be strong. For her. For them," he corrected.

As intended, the reminder filled Seven with a sense of purpose for the captain's sake, helping to dampen her own fears. "I will assist you," she declared, a hint of her Borg determination resurfacing.

They entered sickbay together and immediately noticed that a second biobed was now occupied. The two bodies on the adjacent beds appeared the same in every respect. They were the captain, hair slightly dampened and brushed back, face set in peaceful repose, their naked bodies covered demurely by matching Starfleet sheets in a surprisingly flattering teal blue. Ironically, both Seven and Chakotay had the same thought and smiled to themselves at noticing something so mundane in what were otherwise dire circumstances. They approached slowly and stood at the foot of the two beds, their eyes darting from one form to the other trying to discern some difference.

The doctor entered from his office, carrying two hyposprays.

"I know they look identical," he said, "but they aren't. For one thing, their eyes are different. This captain," he said pointing to the body on the left, "has grey eyes. The other one's eyes are a bright blue."

"Anything else?" Chakotay asked concerned.

"Yes. The grey-eyed captain is showing more brain activity in the left hemisphere, whereas the blue-eyed captain appears to be right-hemisphere dominant."

"Does that mean they're going to behave differently? And will they be able to share command?" Chakotay asked worriedly. He couldn't quite bring himself to voice what truly concerned him: whether either one of these two new Kathryn Janeways would still be fit to command Voyager.

The doctor shrugged. "Let's find out," he said, pressing one hypospray into the neck of the captain he said had the blue eyes. "I'm going to revive them one at a time to minimize the confusion."

Chakotay and Seven nodded absently, silently agreeing with the doctor's plan. Then they carefully watched, breaths unconsciously held, as the captain's lids fluttered open to reveal uncharacteristically bright eyes, as blue as a summer's day.

"Welcome back," the doctor began.

"Hello, Doctor," she answered warmly. Then looking around, she noticed the others present and their serious expressions. "Why so glum, chums? You look like you've lost your best friend."

Chakotay and Seven both looked away, and the doctor coughed uncomfortably, hoping the statement wasn't as prophetic as it suddenly felt.

"Do you know who and where you are?" he asked.

"I'm Kathryn Janeway, and from the look of things," she added, glancing at the walls and instruments around her, "I'd say I'm in Voyager's sickbay."

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"I had just gotten back from a diplomatic mission and was resting in my quarters when Seven dropped by with some charts I wanted. We talked about the mission. I invited her to breakfast the next morning, and then--" She frowned, trying to remember the rest. "Then I think I got a stomach ache. Was it something I ate? Something actually more lethal than Neelix's cooking?" she quipped.

Chakotay smiled. "How do you feel?"

Janeway considered the question. "Not bad," she said with a note of surprise. "In fact, I don't think I've felt this good in a long time. Like I've been on vacation for months." She frowned. "How long have I been here?" she asked cautiously.

"Almost 48 hours."

Janeway idly took in the information but was more intent on Seven, who was uncharacteristically quiet. "So what happened to me in my quarters?" she continued.

Since she was looking at the young woman when she asked the question, Seven felt compelled to answer. "You collapsed in considerable pain, Captain, so I ordered an emergency transport and brought you here."

Janeway smiled. "Thank you," she said softly. "And Seven, since I'm obviously off duty and even out of uniform," she added whimsically, peaking briefly under her sheet to confirm her suspicion, "there's no need to be so formal. Just call me 'Kathryn'."

The permission should have relaxed the former Borg, but it seemed to make her more uncomfortable. Kathryn frowned.

"Captain--" Chakotay began.

"It's just Kathryn," she persisted, noticing it made Chakotay stiffen uncomfortably, too, and wondering why they were so insistent on using her rank.

"Kathryn," he started again, "something happened to you on your Away mission."

"So I gathered."

"Do you remember how the Eukarids reproduce?" he continued.

"How could I forget?" she replied, rolling her eyes.

"Well, it seems there may be an environmental stimulus that contributes to their reproductive process."

"What? Is it their food? Is it some sort of autogenic aphrodisiac that makes them multiply like horny amoebae?" she quipped, snorting at her own joke. "I guess that would explain why it made me sick, given that my body is so different from theirs."

"Not that different," the doctor countered cautiously.

Kathryn frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Cap--, uh, Kathryn," he corrected, "we haven't determined what exactly induces mitosis in the Eukarids, but apparently you were affected."

Kathryn looked down at herself. "Are you saying I'm undergoing the same process? That I'm cloning myself?"

"I'm saying you've already undergone that process." He stepped aside, giving Kathryn her first clear line of sight to the adjacent biobed.

"Oh my god," she called in hushed tones. "It's me."

Seven instinctively took a protective step forward at the note of alarm in Kathryn's voice, but they all remained silent, giving her a moment to digest the news.

"How is this possible?"

"We don't know exactly," Chakotay admitted. "Even the Eukarids didn't realize that other species might be affected."

"Is she....is she just like me?" Kathryn inquired with equal doses of fear and curiosity.

"We don't know yet," the doctor answered. "We decided to revive you one at a time."

"Makes sense," she nodded pensively. "Um, maybe you should wake her up now."

The doctor wondered if he should give her more time to adjust but realized that they needed both captains awake to determine what they had to contend with. He stepped over to the second biobed and pressed a hypospray into the other captain's neck.

The woman stirred and then moaned quietly, a frown wrinkling her brow. Then her lids fluttered open revealing eyes that were a cloudy grey.

"Welcome back, Kathryn," he greeted.

She frowned some more then cleared her throat. "You'd better run a diagnostic subroutine on your memory banks, Doctor. You seem to have forgotten my rank."

Kathryn snorted from the other bed, inadvertently getting the captain's attention.

When she saw her doppleganger, the grey-eyed Janeway bolted upright, clutching the sheet to herself. "What's going on here? Who the hell are you?"

Kathryn looked at the doctor. "Shall I do the honors, or will you?"

*****

Kathryn Janeway's laughing blue eyes took in the sight of her cozy quarters with relief. Then they settled on the moody woman who had trailed her inside, a woman who was at once too well known and an utter stranger. After introductions, endless questions from her other half, and a few final scans to confirm that they were at least physically fit, both captains had insisted that they needed time alone to adjust to being suddenly duplicated.

They understood intuitively that they had each undergone a change, and those changes were becoming progressively more apparent to themselves and to the three senior officers who had been present when they awoke. Kathryn felt oddly light, as though a weight had been lifted from her. The captain, on the other hand, seemed rather grave in her demeanor, definitely Starfleet through-and-through.

Even before Chakotay could raise the issue of how they would share command, Kathryn practically abdicated all responsibility, arguing that the grey-eyed captain was obviously more suited for the job. Kathryn suggested she would be satisfied functioning merely as an informal advisor, if and when she felt she could make a contribution to the functioning of the ship.

Captain Janeway, however, immediately rejected that idea. The doctor had confirmed her suspicions that her personality hadn't duplicated itself in the other Janeway, but had instead split. She argued that until they found out which potentially vital aspects of her personality she had lost to the other Janeway, her command decisions might be lacking. They therefore had to share command until something more workable could be determined. And that meant sharing the captain's quarters, at least until they could decide which one of them would get booted out and how they would divvy up possessions to which they both had legitimate claims.

"Which one of us gets the bed?" Kathryn asked.

"We'll alternate," Janeway replied crisply.

"Fine. You take it tonight. You seem like someone in desperate need of a good night's sleep."

Janeway smirked. "I never realized I was so sarcastic."

"And I never realized how dreadfully humorless I can be," Kathryn shot back in a long-suffering tone.

"Look," Janeway began with a sigh, "this is going to be hard enough without our bickering all the time. Can't we call a truce?" she asked tiredly.

Kathryn smiled at her double. "Okay, I'll be nice," she said, making her way to the replicator and ordering up two coffees. "But I'm not surprised we're mixing like oil and water," she continued. "We seem to think differently, to have different priorities, different opinions. I think I'm beginning to understand how exactly our personalities have split. There you are, all Starfleet-Yes-Sir, stiff-upper-lip, I'm-going-down-with-the-ship. And I'm over here wondering why after six years on this tub, Chakotay's the only one allowed to call me by my first name, and then only when we're off duty."

"There's a reason I always kept a distance, but I don't think I was ever distant," Janeway rejoined, sounding almost regretful. She accepted her coffee gratefully and took a sip before continuing. "Obviously we're not entirely different," she offered, motioning to her cup.

"Where it matters, we are. We can't even agree about how the crew should relate to us. How are we going to agree on command decisions?"

"Both of our temperaments stem from Captain Kathryn Janeway. Somehow our progenitor made it work, managed to strike a balance."

"Are you kidding? You could say a lot of nice things about dear old mom, but she was hardly balanced. Don't you remember all the turmoil she went through. Those late nights fretting about virtually everything, especially anything having to do with the crew. My god, especially anything involving Seven! She didn't strike a balance between our two temperaments; she arrived at her decisions by repressing me! I feel as though I've just been let out of jail!" she exclaimed, flopping down on her favorite lounger.

"So what are you suggesting? That you be allowed free rein now?" Janeway asked, as she seated herself across from Kathryn.

"Why not? You're the Starfleet captain, so be the captain. I'm the part she always wanted to be but couldn't because of her pathetic obsession with protocol. We're separate people now. Why can't the crew have you as their captain and me as their friend?"

The comment stung, largely because Captain Janeway could still remember what it was like being Kathryn Janeway, what it was like having those desires for closeness. She couldn't deny, of course, that there was a certain logic in what Kathryn was saying. But she wasn't sure she wanted to give up entirely on her own needs for companionship, or that she could stand watching this other Kathryn Janeway act as her surrogate in their social relationships with the crew. "Where does it leave me?" she asked aloud, not realizing she had done so.

Kathryn was filled with a sense of compassion for her other self. "You know what? It leaves you exactly wherever you want it to leave you. We're each individuals, governed by our own motives and desires. You can befriend the crew, too, but on whatever terms you deem appropriate. And they will simply have to get used to the idea that they now have two people in their lives called 'Kathryn Janeway'."

The captain smiled despite herself, but she nevertheless felt that things weren't going to be as simple as Kathryn insisted they would be.

*****

The following morning, when Alpha shift began at 0800 hours, two captains reported for duty. The crew had been notified of recent events over the ship-wide messaging system, but that didn't adequately prepare them for the sight of two Kathryn Janeways, dressed in identical command uniforms, strolling through the corridors and onto the bridge as if it were just any other day. Those too shocked to remember their manners, which was most of them, openly stared at the two women and began to perceive a few differences. In addition to eye color, one of the captains carried herself with remarkable aplomb and greeted each crew member with a brilliant smile that they found disarming. The other slumped a little more around the shoulders and was far more curt in her greetings.

The captains and the first officer had apparently discussed the seating arrangements prior to the morning shift, for when the captains entered, the first officer relinquished the command chair with a nod and situated himself at the starboard engineering station. He immediately appreciated the additional workspace and computer consoles it provided and decided he could adapt easily if this were to become a permanent arrangement.

The blue-eyed Janeway noticed Seven of Nine was manning the aft engineering station and graced her with a smile and an uncharacteristic wink before casually seating herself in Chakotay's vacant chair. She then wiggled a little as she fitted herself to the chair, surprised at the wide dent her bulky first officer had imprinted in it over the course of their years together.

The grey-eyed Janeway took the captain's customary seat, activated her monitors and barked out what was at once her first order and her millionth. "Report."

"Captain," Chakotay responded, "we're approaching the Cirrus star system and have already had first contact with one of their merchant ships. They're interested in trading and are awaiting our hail to begin negotiations."

"Hail the merchant vessel."

"They're responding," Harry Kim called.

"On screen." As soon as the image materialized, Janeway introduced herself. "I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager."

"Greetings, fellow traders! I'm Captain Demitrius of the Cirran vessel Solanar, and I'm afraid I may have to make a visit to my sickbay, Captain Janeway, because I do believe I'm seeing double."

"Your eyes are fine, Captain Demitrius," Kathryn chimed in with a laugh. "I'm also Kathryn Janeway, co-captain of Voyager."

"Are you part Eukarid captains?" the alien commander inquired.

"We are now," Kathryn murmured cryptically.

"I beg your pardon?"

"My colleague and I are the result of a recent visit we made to the Eukarids' planet," Janeway explained, silently annoyed by her counterpart's lack of formality.

"Ah, yes. Our government received a recent communique from the Eukarids warning us that a female off-worlder had just been affected by their planet's reproductive agents and advising us that they would be instituting new visitation protocols to avoid similar....mishaps. How are you adjusting to your new circumstances, may I ask?"

"Quite well, thank you," Janeway lied. "Have you had a chance to review the manifest we transmitted earlier, Captain?"

"Getting right down to business, eh Captain? I like that. Unfortunately, I don't see much on your trade inventory that is of particular interest to us."

"Oh?" Janeway replied with concern. "Perhaps if you sent us a list of the items you're looking for, we could come up with something more suitable," she suggested earnestly.

"Alas, it would take weeks to translate our particular needs into something you might have. But fear not, Captain, we're willing to take some of your little items in exchange for whatever you need from us."

Janeway's message light flashed on her console, indicating that she had an urgent communication from Kathryn, a strategy they had agreed upon the previous night for sharing advice covertly and making their co-captaincy more seamless. "He's getting ready to haggle us. Let me handle this." Janeway took in the message in one brief glance and dropped her chin in a subtle nod of assent to her counterpart.

Kathryn picked up the reigns in the next beat. "I'm sure you'll understand, Captain Demitrius, that our situation dictates that we use some discretion when trading with other species for the first time. Since we never know, on first contact, which vessels are honest merchant traders like yourself and which are predatory pirates, it's our custom to list only the portion of our manifest that we assume will be most attractive to those we're engaging in trade. Evidently, we miscalculated in your case and for that you have my sincerest apologies. It's a pity you can't provide us with a list of your wants, but we certainly won't waste any more of your time. Helm," she called, addressing Lt. Tom Paris, "how long will we be in Cirran space?"

"Three days, Captain," Paris answered smartly.

Kathryn returned her attention to the alien trader. "Well, it would seem you have some time before we leave this area, Captain Demitrius. Perhaps you'll be able to come up with a short list of items in that time and contact us again. Either way, it's been a pleasure," she concluded in a deceptively dulcet tone.

"I doubt that, Captain, so I'll bid you farewell now. May you have a safe journey through our space and beyond." He nodded cordially before the screen went blank.

Kathryn noticed her own message light flashing, indicating a communication from Janeway. "Are you sure? Chakotay's initial scans indicate they have stores of biogenic compounds that we could use." Kathryn tapped in her response, and Janeway read the following: "I guarantee they'll be contacting us again, probably on Day 3, when they think we'll be the most desperate to conclude a trade before we depart."

Janeway saw the logic in that and gave another quick nod of approval, satisfied that their first task as co-captains had gone well. "Steady as she goes, Lt. Paris."

"Aye, Captain."

Kathryn watched as Janeway stood and made her way to the tactical station to have a word with Tuvok. Already feeling antsy herself, she followed suit, stretching a bit before making her way to Seven's station.

"How's it going, Seven?" she asked casually.

"I have just completed additional scans of this system, Captain," Seven answered, mistaking the personal question for a professional one.

"Good, good," Kathryn replied trying to sound business like. "Uhm, anything to report?"

Seven's brow quirked at the uncharacteristic hesitation. "Nothing of note, Captain. Three M-Class planets, as Commander Chakotay's initial scans indicated, eight other uninhabited L-Class planets. No stellar phenomena worth investigating, although I do detect a thick ring of gas particles surrounding this system's sun similar to the one surrounding the Eukarid sun. If this is a property characteristic of most of the systems in this region, it would account for the lower levels of solar radiation reported by the Eukarids in the astrometrics data they gave us for this entire sector."

"Does the Cirran ring exhibit the same refractive properties?"

"Yes, Captain," Seven replied with a frown, not understanding the relevance of the question.

Kathryn leaned in close to Seven and put her hand casually on the woman's shoulder as she studied the data. "Mmm," she mused. "Sounds like the Cirrans enjoy spectacular sunsets, too, then."

Seven resisted the urge to shift away from the uninvited contact, which seemed suddenly too familiar given that she was just getting to know this Kathryn Janeway. "Yes, Captain," she replied tersely.

"I really wish you'd call me 'Kathryn'," the blue-eyed Janeway purred.

Seven's eyes widened. "Even on the bridge?"

"I don't mind," Kathryn replied lightly, but she could see that, for some reason, Seven did mind. "Well, I think I'm going to go get a cup of coffee," she announced, squeezing Seven's shoulder before releasing it. "See you later," she said flirtatiously.

The exchange had not gone unnoticed by Captain Janeway, who watched now as Kathryn made her way to the Ready Room. "Thank you, Tuvok," she said, finishing off her conversation with the security officer. She then trailed her counterpart. "You have the bridge, Chakotay," she called back just before the Ready Room doors closed behind her.

*****

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" the captain demanded, taking a seat at her desk.

Kathryn idly fingered her coffee cup and quirked a brow. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she equivocated, seating herself regally in the chair opposite Janeway.

"You were touching Seven, out there on my bridge!"

"Our bridge," Kathryn corrected. "And I simply brushed her arm."

"Who are you kidding? You were flirting with her, and it made her feel uncomfortable. You're pushing her into something she's not ready for!"

"I wouldn't push Seven into anything," Kathryn objected hotly. "However, I do intend to pursue a relationship with her, if it's any of your business."

"It is my business. Seven is a member of my crew, and I have a responsibility to protect her. You're still a captain when we're out on that bridge together. And even when you're not on the bridge. That complicates any relationship you have with a crew member."

"It's going to be strictly consensual."

"How do you know that? Seven may consent because she doesn't want to oppose a person she identifies as her captain."

"She isn't as naive as you think, Janeway. Besides, I'm aware of the effect my rank could have on her, which is precisely why I intend to let her call the shots on this one. We're going to go as slow as she wants."

"You shouldn't be 'going' at all! Not with Seven!"

"This isn't about Starfleet protocol, is it?" Kathryn accused.

"Of course it is," Janeway dissembled.

"I don't think so. You're acting a little too proprietary over our resident Borg for this to be a simple matter of rules and regulations. And while we're on the subject of who has the more legitimate claim on her, let me remind you that if it wasn't for me, Seven wouldn't even be here."

"How do you figure?" Janeway challenged.

"I'm the risk taker, Captain. I'm the one with the imagination and sense of adventure it took to fashion a plan to ally with the Borg against Species 8472 so that we could gain safe passage through Borg space. And therefore I'm the reason Seven of Nine came onboard to function as liaison between us and the hive mind."

"And which of us gets the credit for keeping her here?" Janeway countered.

"That was a little of both of us."

"That's right. As was the original plan. It took discipline and artifice. Equal parts logic and imagination. It was artful strategizing, Kathryn. That's what made our former self so formidable. And that's why you and I still have to work together, sharing the responsibilities of this captaincy. You have to maintain some distance. No matter what your feelings are. Seven isn't here just so she can make us feel less lonely!"

"No, she's not," Kathryn agreed softly. "But as you've just inadvertently admitted, it's lonely at the top. And those feelings you and I both have for Seven? You know as well as I do that we didn't want them or ask for them. They just snuck up on us. I have a chance now to act on them, for my sake and Seven's. Don't you see the way she looks at us? There's a longing there, an acute sense of loneliness. That was the first human emotion we unwittingly introduced her to when we severed her from the Collective. She may have found a way of adapting to the silence, but in its place she has a newfound desire for human companionship, a basic need to connect with someone on an emotional level. And I'm sure that the person she most wanted to share those feelings with was Captain Kathryn Janeway. The original captain. Frankly, my biggest fear is that I won't be enough for her."

"Then why pursue it?" Janeway persisted with a touch of compassion now inflecting her tone.

"I have to," Kathryn said simply. "To avoid the risk, to give up before I've even tried is too tragic a failure, especially with a reward as sweet as the possibility of winning Seven's heart."

Janeway blinked back tears and swallowed against the lump in her throat, understanding that sense of failure to her core.

Act II

A happy chaos ensued at one end of the mess hall as Seven of Nine sat at the other end quietly observing the new individual that was at the center of all that laughter: the blue-eyed Kathryn Janeway. The crew had taken to her with alacrity, as if they'd been waiting all these years to see this side of the captain.

It was ironic. The former Kathryn Janeway, with the doctor's help, had tried, time and again, to show Seven how to be more human. But it wasn't until now, watching the crew relate to this friendlier Kathryn Janeway, that she truly understood how much that mattered to her shipmates.

Two weeks had passed since the accident that had caused the captain to duplicate, and in that time, ship and crew had managed to adapt quite adequately to the shared captaincy of the two Janeways, which already boasted one success. Captain Demitrius, as Kathryn had predicted, did contact Voyager again on their final day in Cirran space. And with the combined force of Kathryn's talent for reading people and Captain Janeway's disciplined attention to detail, they had been able to outmaneuvre the alien trader, concluding an exchange that was at once fair and remarkably advantageous to Voyager.

Seven had been stationed at the aft engineering console on the bridge during most of those negotiations and on several other occasions since then. From there, she had a clear line of vision to the data console that sat between the two command chairs where the two captains sat. As a result, she was more aware than any other crew member that the shared captaincy of the two Janeways was not as seamless as it appeared. Indeed, despite their outward placidity, the two captains often bickered about command decisions and worked out their differences secretively by posting messages back and forth on the console between them. That observation made Seven more acutely aware that, even in their responsibilities as captain, the two individuals called Kathryn Janeway were, in fact, vastly different. And being aware of their differences, Seven couldn't help comparing the two women, eventually coming to the conclusion that this irreverent Kathryn Janeway she was currently observing unnerved the former Borg considerably.

"Hello, Seven."

The young woman looked up to find the now familiar grey eyes of Captain Janeway staring back at her, and as always, she found them clouded by an innate sadness that always made her heart clutch.

"Hello, Captain," she answered softly. "Would you like to sit with me?" she added politely, remembering her social lessons with the doctor.

Janeway nodded and sat down next to the Borg, silently observing her counterpart for a few moments.

Seven sensed something in that look. A subtle jealously, perhaps, tinged with what seemed like regret. "They are telling 'off-color jokes'," she explained.

Janeway smiled, perceiving the subtle disapproval in the young woman's tone.

"Do you wish to join them?" Seven asked curiously.

"No, I--I think I'd put a damper on the fun," Janeway admitted.

"Why do you say this?"

"Because it's true. They perceive me more as their captain; whereas with Kathryn, they can let their hair down, so to speak. They're more comfortable around her."

"I believe I feel more comfortable around you, Captain."

"Maybe I just seem more familiar. After all, my former self was equally reserved in her emotions. But Kathryn was always there," she added quietly.

"I often found the former captain to be exceptionally good company, even though she did not tell jokes that began with phrases like 'There once was a Borg from Nantucket'."

The captain's eyes grew wide, and she suddenly craned her neck to observe the gathering more closely. "None of the children are with them, are they?"

"No, Captain. The jokes began shortly after they all retired for the evening."

"Good," Janeway said with a sigh of relief.

Seven cocked her head curiously. "Are you concerned about the effect Kathryn is having on the crew?"

Janeway flinched internally at hearing Seven call the other woman by her given name, which seemed suddenly too intimate. She swallowed back her reaction, however, and considered Seven's question.

"Actually, I think Kathryn is probably good for the crew. She can be there for them in a way that I or even the former captain never could."

"I don't understand."

Janeway struggled a moment for a way to explain her comment to Seven. "I always felt it was more....efficient to maintain some distance from the crew, that maintaining my rank and authority in all my relationships with them would help them continue to see me as their leader, as someone they could count on to make all the necessary decisions for our welfare. For most people, there's a sense of safety in being able to cede authority over to someone who is capable of leading and protecting them. And because they acknowledge me as the person in charge of their safety, they're better able to accept my decisions in all matters. That was especially crucial when we first got stranded here, given that Starfleet and Maquis crew members were suddenly thrown together as shipmates and that we were in an area of space hostile to all of us. But underneath all the rank and protocol, I think some of the crew have needed something more from me, a friendship and closeness that I couldn't give them because of the distance I have to maintain as captain." She nodded toward her counterpart. "Kathryn can give them that now."

"What if they wish to have that closeness with you?"

Janeway smiled sadly. "Why would they? Anything I could give them by way of friendship is magnified ten times over in Kathryn."

"But she is too frivolous," Seven countered. "Captain Janeway and I were in the habit of having philosophical discussions. I cannot imagine Kathryn being interested in that."

"Well, you can still come to me for those discussions," she said with a smile. "But don't underestimate Kathryn. She has a serious side, too. And she's certainly opinionated enough to give you a good debate. Don't forget that she was involved in those conversations too, Seven, and she would miss having more of them with you. I think you should give her a chance."

Seven considered that. "I will try, but I do not think she would miss me that much with all the new friends she is making."

The captain paused a moment, becoming once again pensive. "You know, we spoke of you shortly after the accident," she continued carefully. "Kathryn argued that she was the reason you're here with us."

"That is not true!" Seven objected.

"I didn't buy her argument either," Janeway offered with a grin.

"You are the one responsible for my being here," the young woman continued.

"No, Seven," Janeway countered gently. "It was both of us." She paused, allowing Seven to digest that information.

"But it was your sense of duty and your desire to protect Voyager that led you to seek safe passage from the Borg," Seven protested. "And it was your sense of responsibility toward me that led you to keep me onboard, even against my wishes."

"But it was Kathryn's imagination that helped us come up with a solution as unique and risky as allying with the Borg, and it was her acute sense of empathy and compassion that made us reach out to you when you were feeling so lost and that further compelled us to offer you a home here when it would have been safer and more logical to leave you somewhere for the Borg to pick up later. It was also Kathryn who first began to draw you out by sharing her Da Vinci program with you. And," she added, deeply regretting what she was about to say, "I think it was a bit more Kathryn than me that came after you when the Borg Queen tried to take you back." She hung her head a bit at the admission. "I'm sorry," she said. "But when I think back to what we did, it just doesn't make sense to have put the ship and crew into that much danger to rescue one crew member." She looked up then and added forcefully, "Although I do remember hating that you were in danger. I hated it with everything that I am."

Seven considered the captain's words carefully. "I always wondered why you did come after me," she said pensively, observing Kathryn Janeway on the other side of the room. Then she returned her attention to the captain. "Perhaps, however, it was not only Kathryn who made that possible. Perhaps your own concern for me is what compelled you to acquiesce to such a risky plan, even against your better judgment," she said softly.

"Perhaps," Janeway conceded with a small smile.

*****

A week later, Seven entered the Cargo Bay accompanied by Kathryn. After responding to a few of the blue-eyed woman's recent attempts at conversation, she began to recognize one or two familiar traits, which helped her let her guard down more and accept the social invitation Kathryn had extended the day before.

"I'm glad you finally agreed to have dinner with me, Seven, and that you let me walk you home afterward," Kathryn purred.

"It was pleasant," Seven said honestly.

The older woman nodded then frowned slightly. "I was worried you wouldn't accept my offer. You've seemed so distant. I was afraid I'd done something to upset you."

"You did not, Kathryn. I simply wasn't used to the way you behave."

"I know I seem like I've changed and maybe I have, in a way, but I was always underneath the surface of the Kathryn Janeway you knew before. And some of what she shared with you stemmed from my part of her personality. You understand that, don't you?"

"I hadn't initially, but I'm beginning to. Captain Janeway explained to me that you were 'always there', and she said I should give you the opportunity to befriend me."

"She did?"

"Yes," Seven answered. "Does that surprise you?"

Kathryn's lips quirked up sardonically. "A little. We've had a few 'philosophical discussions' about the wisdom of my getting too friendly with the crew, letting them call me by my first name and so forth."

"Captain Janeway explained her reasons for thinking it prudent that a captain maintain some distance from her crew. Her motives are honorable, but....." Seven hesitated, not sure she wanted to criticize her captain in front of a woman she still considered somewhat of a stranger.

"But?" Kathryn prompted gently.

Seven took a breath. "I have seen the way the crew respond to you. It is important to them to have that closeness with you. Perhaps as important as the distance the captain needs as captain."

"Yes," Kathryn responded. "I'm so glad you see that."

"But," Seven began again.

"But?" Kathryn repeated, suddenly amused by their little game of give and take.

Seven looked her squarely in the eye before continuing, which made Kathryn sober.

"But," Seven pressed on, "I do not know if your own motives are honorable."

Kathryn swallowed hard and had the good grace to bow her head in partial admission of Seven's accusation. "I suppose they aren't as honorable. In fact," she conceded, looking up to meet the young woman's eyes, "I know that a good portion of my motives are selfish. I've been needing this closeness for a long time. But...." she paused, trying to choose her words carefully.

"But?" Seven prompted gently, resurrecting their game to reassure Kathryn.

The older woman smiled in gratitude. "But, I come by my feelings honestly, even if they aren't always honorable. My affections are real, Seven."

This time it was Seven's turn to swallow hard, wondering if she had interpreted Kathryn's deliberate inflection correctly.

"Do you remember the day you commandeered the Delta Flyer, prepared to destroy Mr. Tash's catapult and yourself in the process because you were convinced that I was conspiring against you?"

Seven nodded.

"It broke my heart seeing you so hurt and knowing that, in your own mind, I was the source of all that pain."

"You reminded me of everything we had been through together," Seven noted softly, "of all the ways you've cared for me."

"Yes. I needed some way to get through to you, some way to remind you of who I really was. This is who I really am, Seven. This is the woman I've wanted to be when I'm with you, especially that day on the Delta Flyer. I was so overjoyed when you decided to trust me again. I wanted desperately to show you how I felt. When I came to you and knelt before you," she whispered softly, "I was so close, Seven, so very close to showing you what I felt. I knew that if I just tilted my head forward a few centimeters, you'd know everything that I felt for you, everything that I still feel for you."

She stopped, trying to gauge Seven's reaction to the admission she had just made. She saw desire and affection, but also confusion and alarm, and seeing the latter, Kathryn decided not to press further at the moment. She stepped back a bit and sighed.

"It's late. I should get going. I hope you'll agree to go out with me again. I mean, as first dates go, this wasn't so bad, was it?"

Seven reconnected with Kathryn's eyes. "This was a date?" she asked, shades of excitement coloring her tone.

Kathryn smiled brilliantly. "Of course. What did you think it was?"

"I--I thought you just wanted to be friendly to me."

"Well, dating goes a lot more smoothly when you're friendly to your date," Kathryn joked. Then, sensing that Seven needed a serious response, she added, "I'm also hoping that, when you're ready and if you want it too, maybe we'll be able to become....more than friends."

Seven gasped slightly.

"When you're ready," Kathryn repeated. She approached the Borg then and kissed her chastely on the cheek. "Good night, Seven," she whispered. Then she turned and left.

Seven brought her hand up to her cheek, capturing the warmth and affection Kathryn had placed there and holding them to herself.

*****

"What do you mean you need me somewhere else this evening?" Captain Janeway asked with equal parts incredulity and ire.

"I've got a date," Kathryn explained curtly.

"A date?" Janeway asked more incredulously.

"Yup."

"With Seven?" Janeway followed up, this time with more ire.

"Yup," Kathryn answered again, barely suppressing the urge to whistle.

She and Seven had had another three dates since their first dinner together, and the relationship between them had been progressing nicely. In fact, she had decided not to initiate any more physical contact between them since that first peck on the cheek in the cargo bay, and apparently Seven had missed the contact enough that on their last date, the young woman had pulled Kathryn into an awkward embrace and had planted a kiss on the corner of Kathryn's mouth. She sensed that Seven had wanted to place the kiss directly on her lips but hadn't quite worked up enough nerve for that yet. Kathryn hoped that the more intimate surroundings of her quarters might help Seven relax enough to hit her target tonight. She hummed to herself at the thought.

"Kathryn?" Janeway called, sure she was interrupting an inappropriate reverie. "I won't be kicked out of my quarters so you can have a tryst!"

"It isn't a 'tryst'; it's a date. And when did you become such a prude anyway? You made yourself scarce for your other roommates during our Academy days."

"That's just it, Kathryn. We aren't cadets anymore; we're starship captains. And this isn't a fellow cadet you've invited over; this is a member of our crew!"

"Relax, will you? It's just dinner. You can come back by 2300 hours."

"And what am I supposed to do in the meantime?"

"Chakotay wanted to meet with one of us to go over personnel evaluations, and he said he was free tonight. Why don't you take care of that?"

"I hate going over personnel evaluations as much as you do," Janeway groused. "Anyway, you agreed to share our responsibilities, and that means sharing all the tasks."

"All right, I'll tell you what. You handle a third of the evals tonight, and I'll agree to do all the rest tomorrow with Chakotay. How's that?" she asked expectantly, hoping to strike a bargain that would get Janeway out of her hair for the evening.

"Fine!" Janeway barked. Then she stalked out.

*****

"Come in, Captain," Chakotay greeted her moments later.

"That woman is insufferable!" she said in response, as she stalked into his quarters.

The first officer suppressed a laugh but couldn't keep his dimples from deepening. "I assume you mean Kathryn Janeway," he said, unable to keep the amusement entirely out of his voice.

"Don't you start," she warned, not missing the double meaning in his comment. The only thing that spared him from becoming the surrogate target of her anger was the sure knowledge that he had more than paid his dues with Captain Kathryn Janeway: all versions of her.

"What did she do now?" he asked cautiously.

"She called roommate-privacy privileges on our cabin....for a date with Seven!"

"Maybe it's time we found other quarters for one of you."

"No kidding," she said sarcastically, as she paced back and forth.

"May I ask you something, Captain?"

"What?"

"Are you upset that she kicked you out of your quarters or that she's dating Seven?"

Janeway took a breath, not sure how much of her personal feelings she wanted to share, even with her first officer. "Both," she admitted finally. Then she felt the need to dissemble. "There are Starfleet protocols against this sort of thing, and precisely to protect vulnerable personnel from unwanted advances from their superiors. I can't think of a more perfect example than Seven for why those protocols matter. She's so naive."

Chakotay sensed that there was more to the captain's objections than just Seven's naivete, but he doubted this Janeway would be inclined to discuss those other reasons with her first officer. He decided the most judicious course was an indirect one.

"Captain," he said gently, "I've known Kathryn Janeway a long time, in all her guises. And there's no doubt in my mind that she wouldn't do anything that would intentionally hurt a member of her crew, especially when that person is someone she cares as deeply about as Seven of Nine. The Kathryn Janeway I know wouldn't toy with Seven's affections.....and she also wouldn't stand in the way of those affections if she saw that Seven had a real chance at being happy, at being cared for by someone she loves."

Janeway looked at Chakotay. "Do you think she loves Kathryn?" she asked earnestly.

He frowned considering how best to answer that question since the issue of Seven's affections was more complicated now than before the accident.

"Do you know how you got to sickbay the night you began separating?"

"Seven called for an emergency transport," she said with a nod.

"And do you know where Seven went after bringing you to sickbay?"

"No," she replied with a frown. "Where did she go?"

"Nowhere. She insisted on staying with you until her shift started the following morning." He paused a moment to allow her to digest the information. "I think," he continued carefully, "that Seven of Nine has been in love with Kathryn Janeway for a long time."

He didn't say anything more, but Janeway understood his meaning perfectly--that he knew the feelings were mutual and that now there was a Kathryn Janeway willing to act on those feelings.

Janeway took a calming breath. Then, because she didn't want to think anymore about what might be going on in her quarters, she moved on to ship's business. "So I understand we have some personnel evaluations to go over?"

"Yes, Captain. Are you up to it? " he asked with a twinkle in his eye. "If we work over dinner, we could probably get through half of them tonight.

"Oh, no! In exchange for vacating my quarters, I got my sentence reduced to a third."

The first officer chuckled. "I'll try to make it painless for you."

"Don't bite off more than you can chew, Chakotay," she quipped without breaking a smile. "So, how many people do we have in the engineering department?"

"Thirty-eight," he answered.

"That's close enough to a third," she said decisively. "You and I'll do engineering tonight. You can corner Kathryn for the rest tomorrow."

Chakotay knew that thirty-eight personnel accounted for only about a fourth of the crew complement, but he understood that pointing out the discrepancy right now would border on insubordination.

"Yes, Captain," he agreed wisely.

*****

Seven of Nine had visited the captain's quarters often, although she had seldom felt as disquieted being there as she did this evening. She knew Kathryn had invited her there because the surroundings were more intimate, but Seven was having a difficult time disassociating the place from the person she knew as her captain, both the former Kathryn Janeway and her grey-eyed successor.

"Where is Captain Janeway?" she suddenly asked her blue-eyed companion.

"She said she had some evaluations to review with Chakotay and that she'd be out most of the evening," Kathryn replied, trying to sound casual in her reconstruction of the truth. Well, she reasoned, Seven didn't really need to know that the appointment between Chakotay and the captain was one that Kathryn had arranged on her counterpart's behalf. She approached the leggy Borg, who was seated delicately on the edge of the couch with her knees and waist folded at precise right angles. Kathryn tucked herself next to Seven less geometrically and handed her a glass of wine.

"I think you'll like this. It's light and dry--" Like you, she wanted to add, but she wasn't sure Seven would get the gentle teasing.

Seven took a sip. "It is acceptable," she said distractedly, suddenly unsettled by how closely Kathryn had positioned herself.

Kathryn perceived the discomfort in Seven's demeanor and shifted away a little. "Did you have a pleasant day?" she asked, trying to fill the silences.

Seven frowned not quite understanding the relevance of the question. "It was uneventful." A moment later she remembered the doctor's lessons regarding "small talk" and followed up with what she hoped was a suitable response. "Did you have a pleasant day, Kathryn?"

"It was also uneventful. Actually, it was downright boring."

"So you and the captain did not argue today?" Seven couldn't help asking, both since she was aware that they did bicker often and because she couldn't quite get the other Janeway out of her mind.

Kathryn's eyes widened a bit. "What makes you think we argue?"

The Borg's brow quirked up. "When I am stationed on the bridge, I can see the console between the command chairs. I am aware that you and the captain use it regularly to discuss your command decisions."

Kathryn chuckled at the emphasis on discuss, which had become a polite euphemism between her and Seven for to argue endlessly. "Does anyone else know?"

"I suspect Commanders Chakotay and Tuvok are aware."

"Yes, they seldom miss anything," Kathryn agreed. "Does it bother you?"

"That you and the captain argue?"

"Yes."

"It did initially. It....it made me more aware of the differences between you. But you are clearly able to arrive at workable compromises in a manner that maintains the semblance of cohesion. That is commendable."

"Thank you, but I was asking how you felt about it personally."

"I......I am learning to appreciate the differences between you," Seven responded vaguely.

"But some differences still bother you," Kathryn guessed, nudging Seven to elaborate.

The young woman took a breath. "I believe the captain disapproves of our relationship."

Kathryn wanted to deny the suspicion, but she knew she couldn't embark on a relationship with Seven that was founded on dishonesty. "It's....more complicated than that," she finally admitted.

"You mean because in addition to her professional objections, the captain is also jealous of your relationship with me," Seven commented, surprising Kathryn with both her bluntness and her perceptiveness.

"I think that's right, although Janeway won't actually admit to having feelings for you."

Seven's head drooped a bit at the comment. "That is what makes her the captain," she said sadly.

Kathryn was surprised again by Seven's acute understanding of Captain Janeway. "I'm sorry," she said sympathetically. And then she asked the question she had been avoiding from the beginning. "Where does that leave us?"

Seven looked back up at her, making Kathryn's heart clutch as she watched tears welling up in the young woman's blue eyes and then cascading in rivulets down the smooth slopes of her cheeks.

"When I am with you, I miss the captain. And when I am with the captain, I miss you."

Kathryn's own eyes began tearing. "One of us isn't enough, is it?"

Seven took a shuddering breath. "I'm sorry," she said this time. Then she turned away slightly. "Perhaps I should leave."

"Don't go," Kathryn asked, placing her hand gently on Seven's forearm. She took a deep breath and gazed intently into the young woman's eyes. "If one of us isn't enough, then we'll just have to come up with another 'workable compromise'," she said, repeating the phrase Seven had used earlier.

"I do not see how a workable compromise can be found. I cannot date both of you?"

"You know, Seven," Kathryn began, "sometimes we have to think outside the box, use our imaginations. Trust me, I do it all the time," she said with a smile.

"As you did with the Borg," she said, a hint of pride and hopefulness coloring her comment.

Kathryn smiled brilliantly. "Yes."

Seven frowned. "Is it not unusual for humans to become romantically involved with more than one individual at a time?"

"Unusual, but not unheard off. Plus our circumstances are unique. If you'd been married to Kathryn Janeway before the separation, you'd still be married to both of us after the separation, no?"

"I assume so."

"Then why should it matter to anyone whether you have a relationship with both of us now?"

Seven considered it and couldn't think why anyone would care. "Nevertheless, it will be difficult."

"Well, sure. I mean, there will certainly be some logistical issues we'll have to contend with as a threesome that couples don't face, but I know we'll work those out."

"Logistical issues?"

"Yes, like uh....well, I can't think of an example right now, but if anyone can adapt to unusual circumstances I can't think of three better qualified people than a couple of Starfleet captains and a Borg!"

Seven smiled. "Very well, Kathryn, let us try. What do you propose?"

"Have you ever considered seducing a Starfleet captain?"

"Often," the young woman blurted in a long-suffering tone.

Kathryn burst out laughing. "Excellent," she said.

"The captain will not be a willing participant."

"Tell me about it," Kathryn agreed. "But we have the advantage."

"How so?"

"We know how she thinks. Plus, the numbers are stacked against her. It's two against one. We'll simply have to convince her, on her own terms, that this won't destroy the ship, that it would be good for you, and that it might actually help her command better."

"Do you really believe all those things, Kathryn?"

"I do, Seven. I really do."