Captain Kathryn Janeway was making a tour of the lower decks. It was not an inspection tour and she made certain that when crewmembers snapped to attention, she acknowledged their efforts with a broad smile and a word or two of encouragement. She could tell from their responses that they were a contented crew. The holiday festivities had been an overwhelming success and she was pleased that Neelix and his committee had worked a magic spell that had left the crew feeling relaxed and refreshed. Janeway had certainly felt magic in the air with Seven and wondered if she could recapture that feeling again.

Now her crew was ready once again to get on with the business of getting home. The results of everyone’s efforts proved that the crew had needed something tangible that reminded them of the Alpha Quadrant.

As she made her way towards the Bridge, Lieutenant Tuvok joined her in the corridor in the vicinity of the hydroponics bay. He had been conducting his usual security rounds. A sudden jolt caught Janeway off guard and Tuvok reached out to steady her. By the time a second jolt threw them both to the deck, Janeway’s hands were flying to her comm badge.

"Bridge!" she intoned in her best command voice.

"Chakotay here, Captain. We have just been hit by some kind of energy wave. Analyzing now."

"I’m on my way," she acknowledged. "Janeway to Torres. Lieutenant, what’s happening down there?"

Captain Janeway could feel that Voyager had dropped out of warp.

"Captain, warp engines are off-line. We have impulse power and we’re working on getting warp power back."

Captain Janeway could hear Lieutenant Torres shouting to someone on her staff to close a vent.

"Keep me informed, Lieutenant."

Both Janeway and Tuvok made their way to the Bridge, the Captain easing herself into the command chair and asking for status reports simultaneously, which came to her quickly from her bridge staff but she did not like what she was hearing. Warp engines were off-line, shields were down to 60%, long-range scanners were off -line, and no one as yet could tell her what kind of energy wave had impacted on Voyager without warning.

"I want a briefing in fifteen minutes and people, I want more information than what you have just given me," the Captain ordered.

As everyone gathered in the briefing room Lieutenant Torres and Seven of Nine were the last to arrive. Captain Janeway remained standing and as she leaned against the table with her palms flat on its surface, she looked at each one of her command staff.

"Okay people, I want answers. Mr. Kim?" she queried.

"I don’t understand it, Captain," he began. "Long-range sensors were working perfectly moments before we were hit by the wave. Now, a level 2 diagnostic on the sensor array shows that nothing is wrong with the sensors, but they’re still not working. It’s as though something or someone just turned them off."

"It’s the same with the warp drive," interjected Torres. "We’ve run every diagnostic we can and the results are the same. No warp drive but nothing is wrong with the warp engines. We have warp capability, but it’s as though somebody flipped a switch to ‘Off’. I don’t get it." B’Elanna shook her head in obvious frustration.

"Lieutenant Tuvok?" Janeway asked with some degree of exasperation.

"I must concur with what has already been said. According to my findings, there should not be a decrease in our shields, and yet, shields are down to 60%. Although they are holding at that level, another impact from the energy wave will deplete them further. I believe that this energy wave is similar to the one which impacted and ultimately destroyed the Setarian vessel. However, I cannot tell you what is causing this phenomenon. Ensign Kim and Lieutenant Torres’s assessment of a switch being turned to the ‘Off’ position is essentially an accurate one."

Chakotay spoke up for the first time and directed a question to Seven of Nine.

"What do you know about this region of space, Seven? Your last report indicated a star system. Is there any indication that the wave emanated from there?" he inquired.

"The Borg are familiar with this area of space. There is one Class M planet in the system which species 912 inhabits. However, when the Borg visited this region of space several hundred years ago, they found that although this species had potential, they were relatively unremarkable. It is doubtful that they could have generated an energy wave of this magnitude."

"And the Borg didn’t assimilate them?" asked Torres rather sarcastically.

"Assimilation did not occur because their uniqueness was not evident," Seven replied evenly.

"Lucky for them," interjected Lieutenant Paris under his breath.

Janeway shot Paris and Torres a look that conveyed her displeasure and disdain for their last remarks. Janeway was not pleased. Her ship was going nowhere fast; systems were not functioning to capacity and there did not appear to be any logical reason for the malfunctions. It was time to get some answers.

"Tuvok, you and Mr. Kim work on the shield arrays and the scanners and see what modifications need to be made to get them up to full capacity. Commander, you and Lieutenant Torres get down to Engineering and work together on the warp drive. Mr. Paris, engage the engines at full impulse on a new heading for that planet, get the coordinates from Seven. Let’s coordinate efforts and be prepared for another briefing at 1300 hours. I want to know what we’re up against. Dismissed."

Everyone filed out of the briefing room, eager to be working on whatever problem was facing them. Seven was the last to leave and as she prepared to exit, Janeway almost stopped her with a light touch to the forearm, but thought better of it. Her ship was in trouble and she needed to concentrate fully on the matters at hand.

"Captain." Seven of Nine asserted.

"Yes?" Janeway inquired without glancing in Seven’s direction.

"I … I had not anticipated that I would enjoy myself at the New Years celebration. It was…acceptable."

"I’m glad. I enjoyed myself too. Perhaps when this incident is behind us, we can get together for another racquetball match or a game of Velocity." Janeway offered, still not making any eye contact with Seven.

"Perhaps," was all that Seven allowed herself to commit to. She hurriedly left the briefing room heading for Astrometrics. She had wanted to say more to Captain Janeway but found that she was suddenly at a loss for words. It was as though whatever had impacted on the ship’s systems were impacting on her ability to speak freely with the Captain. That was something that Seven never had difficulty doing until now and it disturbed her.

The Captain found herself staring at the spot on her door where Seven had just exited. She had thought that Seven was going to mention the kiss, brief though it had been. Still, it was a bold maneuver for Janeway and she was still reeling from her actions. Kathryn found that she could still feel the touch of Seven’s lips against her own and she absently placed her forefinger against her lips. She was reminded of how powerful that brief kiss had been for her and pondered whether it had meant anything to Seven. It had been powerful enough that Janeway had been unable to sleep that night or the following night. She kept remembering how she and Seven had danced together on the promenade deck with the moonlight shining on her face and the sounds of the ocean below. She kept remembering how it felt to hold Seven in her arms.

Consequently, Janeway had thrown herself into her work finishing up all those damnable personnel and departmental reports. Chakotay had even tried to coax her out of her ready room a time or two with invitations to dinner which she graciously declined. She preferred being alone in the midst of her contemplations. She knew that she was probably over-reacting to her impulsive behavior but she still felt as though she couldn’t look Seven in the eye. Not yet anyway.

The rest of the morning was spent with everyone running every analysis that the computer could generate. Each system was put through more than one level two diagnostic and the results kept coming up the same…nothing appeared to be wrong with the systems and yet, the warp drive was still off line and the shields remained at 60%. The only good news was that the long-range scanners were back on line and functioning properly, but neither Tuvok nor Kim could discern what they had done to repair the sensor arrays. It was as though suddenly the switch was turned back on.

"Sickbay to Captain Janeway."

"Yes, Doctor, what is it?"

"I think you may want to see this for yourself. Please come down to sickbay and bring Lieutenant Torres with you as well," intoned the Doctor.

"On my way. Janeway to Torres. Meet me in Sickbay. The Doctor seems to need us both." Janeway informed her Chief of Engineering.

"Captain," began Torres. "The Commander and I are in the middle of another diagnostic simulation. Can this wait?"

"Doctor," inquired Janeway. "Is this urgent business? We have a full load of problems at the moment."

"I know. That’s why I need to see both of you. I think I may have an answer to what is causing some of the malfunctions aboard Voyager. Now, if you would ‘please’ come to sickbay, I could avoid having to repeat myself," the Doctor insisted.

"You heard the man, Lieutenant."

Janeway arrived first and was about to inquire about what the Doctor had discovered, but he simply held up his hand stopping her before she could even get a word out.

"I think we might wait for the Lieutenant," he petulantly declared.

"I’m here," said Lieutenant Torres a bit breathlessly. She seemed to have run from Engineering to arrive so quickly. "What is it, Doctor?" She too, was feeling a bit irritable since all her efforts to ‘fix the problem’ had gone awry.

"Well, I was preparing a sample from a bio-neural gel pack, something I do periodically, to check the levels of proteins and polypeptides in each pack since we can’t be too careful with those; afterall, they are irreplaceable…" he began.

"Doctor, perhaps you could give us the short version?" interrupted Captain Janeway. "We both have much to do this morning."

"Hmm, yes, well you might want to thank me for taking the long route in my investigations because I think I may have discovered what has happened to Voyager. In each gel pack I sampled, there was the slightest trace of a sporal agent found when I performed a multispectral analysis. The results were most interesting." The Doctor was beaming with self-satisfaction.

"And, what does this mean, Doctor?" inquired Captain Janeway with just a trace of exasperation in her voice.

"That the energy wave has contaminated the gel packs sufficiently, it would seem, to act on our systems whereby something would appear to be functioning when in fact, it wasn’t. There was a slight variance in the readings, which would indicate that the gel pack is suffering from what used to plague humans, something called hay fever and symptomatically, similar to the common cold. Watery, itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing. However, why it was referred to as hay fever when many patients never came in contact with hay is beyond me. The patient would still be able to function but would just feel badly for a few days. The difference in this energy wave is that it contains bioelectric spores, which can cause sensor readings to fluctuate, making it appear that something is working when in fact it isn’t and vice versa. Except that it isn’t working at 100% peak efficiency, something I know you both demand." The Doctor crossed his arms across his chest with a satisfied expression on his face.

"Are you saying that this was a bio-electrical energy wave that impacted the ship?" Janeway asked incredulously. "And is that what impacted on the Setarian vessel causing its destruction?"

"I believe so. Unfortunately for the Setarians, their vessel was not outfitted with a sophisticated shield array such as Voyager’s and they were helpless against the wave’s effects. However, that’s why I wanted Lieutenant Torres here. I would like to establish a bioelectric regeneration field to test my theory. It will need the expertise of Voyager’s Chief of Engineering to enhance the containment field in order to make the necessary adjustments in the bio-neural connections. If I’m right, and I think I am, it will be the equivalent of giving the gel-packs a healthy dose of something akin to antihistamines, which should take care of the symptoms the various systems have been experiencing," the Doctor proclaimed proudly. "It will not effect a cure, however."

"That would explain a lot of things, then." B’Elanna began. "The warp engines went off-line when the energy wave impacted, but should have been back on-line just as soon as we made the adjustments down in Engineering. Rerouting power to the secondary systems didn’t seem to solve the problem, either. But, the computer kept informing us that nothing was amiss even though the engines weren’t back on-line. There are plenty of bio-neural gel packs in engineering that probably are contaminated. And," she continued, "Every time we used internal sensors for accurate information, we were actually getting false readings because of the contamination. It’s like we’ve been rerouting ourselves in a circle all this time."

"Good work, Doctor." Janeway exclaimed. "B’Elanna, I want you to work with the Doctor and establish a containment field to run the tests. Should it be done here or in Engineering, Doctor?"

"Actually, I would like to establish the containment field here first and then initiate another one in Engineering," he replied.

"Then, I’ll leave you to take care of the this project. Keep me informed of your progress."

Since Captain Janeway found herself in the vicinity of Astrometrics she wondered about stopping to see Seven of Nine. She reached the doorway to Astrometrics and stopped, suddenly unsure of what she was doing. She found that once again she was wrestling with her thoughts.

What are you doing here, Kathryn Janeway? she found herself musing. You are fully aware of Star Fleet regulations regarding the fraternization of Captain and Crew and here you are, like a schoolgirl, lurking outside the door to Astrometrics hoping to innocently bump into Seven. Indeed!

She found that she was chastising herself when suddenly the doors to the lab opened and there stood Seven of Nine. Janeway felt her breath catch as it had that last evening when she stood at the railing of the cruise ship with Seven.

"Captain?" Seven inquired.

"Seven, I was in the area and thought if you needed assistance on the information you’re obtaining about this new system, I could help". Janeway knew this sounded lame but she had no choice but to continue. "I enjoy astrometric work – you know, I started out as a Science Officer."

"Indeed, Captain. I am aware of your Starfleet Record as a Science Officer."

"Yes, well, I just thought you might like some help."

Janeway turned to leave but not before Seven interrupted her.

"You might be interested to learn what I have found, now that I have been able to make some adjustments to the long range scanners," Seven began. "I have discovered that the planet the Borg found unremarkable is indeed remarkable."

"In what way?" Janeway asked, her curiosity piqued.

"It would seem that they have developed beyond what the Borg would have thought capable and have certain abilities which they should not. As of five hundred twenty years ago, Species 912 was little more than managing to survive in a reasonably hospitable environment. Their technology was minimal at best and they were not utilizing much of the planet’s resources. They were at a stage of development that would be similar to the Roman Empire on Earth. It would seem that they have moved past an industrial age to a more sophisticated level. They are currently at a stage where they are entering the realms of space…something they should not be able to do for at least another three hundred years."

"Are you saying that some other species has interfered with the normal development of this planet?" inquired Janeway.

"I cannot answer that question without more facts, Captain. It would appear, however, that this culture has matured faster than what would be reasonable and expected of it," answered Seven.

"How far away from our present course is the planet?"

"We are currently 1.2 light years from it."

"With these new facts, is it possible that the energy wave we encountered could have emanated from that planet?" Janeway asked in earnest. She was aware of how Seven kept maintaining eye contact with those blue eyes of hers. It was unnerving.

"Yes, Captain."

"Then I think it’s time we investigated. Janeway to Lieutenant Paris."

"Yes, Captain," answered Paris.

"Set a new course. Get the headings from Seven of Nine, I’m on my way to the bridge. Chakotay, assemble the senior staff in the briefing room."

"Shall I accompany you to the briefing, Captain?" She asked quietly.

"Please. This was a fine piece of work you’ve done, Seven. I think we may have several questions for Species 912 when we get there."

Although Seven of Nine was taller than the Captain and tended to take longer strides, she noted that Captain Janeway knew how to move efficiently through her ship. She felt a certain pleasure in watching the Captain as she headed for Deck 1.

She is such a compact woman, full of energy that is totally under her control. It is no wonder that she commands such respect from her crew as well as from commanders of alien vessels. Seven thought as she made her way towards the bridge with the Captain.

Once in the briefing room, Captain Janeway asked Seven to lead off the briefing with the information she had managed to obtain. As she spoke it gave the Captain the opportunity to watch her, to note how the implant over her left eye moved upwards whenever she seemed to think a question might be forthcoming from one of the senior staff. The Captain paid careful attention to how erect and proper Seven’s posture always seemed to be, the way she carefully placed her hands in her lap almost as though she were holding something precious. Kathryn wondered what it might be like to be caressed by those hands. Seven’s blue eyes held hers with such intensity; it was as though time had stopped for Kathryn.

"Captain?"

All eyes were upon her. Damn, she thought.

"Yes, I concur with the recommendations that we need to investigate. Mr. Paris, take us to within sensor range and hold that position. I want a full sensor sweep of this planet and I want to know as much about these beings as we can determine before they discover that we’re out here. Doctor, any other news to report about the bio-electric spores and how they are impacting on the ship’s systems?

"Actually, Lieutenant Torres and I have been able to make some progress using the bio-electric regeneration field."

B’Elanna added, "A few more tests will give us additional information and then we can proceed with getting the rest of the systems back on line at 100%. It’s slow work though, Captain, so it’s going to take some time. Also since we’ve downloaded the remainder of the Setarian vessel’s computer logs, it appears that we are dealing with the same energy wave and we don’t want to make the same mistakes that they did."

"Agreed. Keep at it. We need to be functioning at optimal levels. Tuvok, what’s the status of our shields?" Janeway asked.

"Shields remain at 60%. There does not appear to be any further degradation. Long-range sensors are operating at peak efficiency and internal sensors are within tolerable, though less than maximum, levels. Ensign Kim and I will continue our efforts."

Commander Chakotay asked, "Won’t we want to assemble an away team once we reach this planet, Captain?"

"Absolutely. I want to know more about how this race of beings could develop as quickly as it has in so short a time period."

"May I suggest, then, that I be the one to lead the team?" he inquired.

"I was thinking that it would be me, Commander. Captain’s prerogative." Janeway replied. "Any other questions? Dismissed."

"Aye aye, Captain," was the murmured response from several lips.

Janeway stood up, squared her shoulders, and was determined to present her best command posture. Everyone exited the briefing room with the Captain in tow. It was time to get her mind on the business at hand…determining what this alien civilization was doing with an energy wave that seemed to be years beyond where they were supposed to be, if Seven was correct. Janeway had little trepidation that Seven was incorrect in her findings. Her memory of all things that the Borg had encountered was unsurpassed, so it was unlike her to make an error in something that could be vital to the welfare of her ship and crew. Janeway knew that having Seven on board was invaluable as it gave them a headstart on many systems that had already been charted by the Borg.

After only a few hours of travelling through space, Voyager reached the planet in question. It appeared on the forward screen like a small jewel in space. It had two moons orbiting it, one slightly larger than the other and sensors indicated that it had two polar ice caps, one much larger due to the severe tilt of its vertical axis. The ‘northern’ hemisphere appeared to be shrouded in cloud masses, which upon sensor readings, showed them to be mostly snow clouds. It did not seem to be much of a hospitable hemisphere near the higher latitudes. The ‘southern’ hemisphere appeared to have one very large body of water, or inland sea, surrounded by an immense landmass marked with contrasting greens and reddish browns. There appeared only a limited number of artificial satellites orbiting the planet below them so it would seem that Seven’s information about them being a race ready for space was accurate.

"Not a bad looking planet, eh, Captain?" commented Lieutenant Paris.

"With the exception of the tilted axis, it could resemble Earth," agreed Captain Janeway. "Mr. Kim, what do your sensors indicate?"

"There are several large cities in the southern hemisphere, Captain. It would seem that there is evidence of an industrial civilization. The atmosphere contains oxygen, nitrogen, and arsenic, higher than normal levels of carbon monoxide and other trace chemicals. It’s breathable, Captain, but just not as clean as what we’re used to. There are smaller population centers in both hemispheres where the atmosphere is less toxic. There appears to be a fair number of mountain ranges traversing the planet, " he reported excitedly before frowning at himself for his enthusiasm. Janeway merely smiled in his direction, knowing that even after years of travelling through space, Ensign Kim occasionally acted like a recruit fresh out of the Academy.

"Sensors indicate that the satellites are primarily used for communication…similar to communication arrays," reported Lieutenant Tuvok. "There does not appear to be evidence of space stations or platforms orbiting the planet, Captain."

"Mr. Paris, put Voyager in a high orbit over this planet. If they have communication satellites, they may have visual scanning abilities and I don’t want them looking at us for the time being. I plan to lead the away team down to the planet’s surface and I think one of the less populated areas might be conducive to our looking around. Tuvok, find us a spot remote enough for transport, but near one of those population centers. Mr. Kim, join me in the transporter room. Seven of Nine, please report to transporter room one to join the away team. I don’t think our uniforms will be appropriate….I want us outfitted for an away mission where we might encounter rugged terrain so we need to dress comfortably and wear sturdy boots. Let’s get ready," Janeway instructed. "Commander Chakotay, you have the bridge. Keep a link on us at all times, Tuvok."

"Captain, I think it would be prudent for me to point out that you should have a security detachment with you on this away mission," Tuvok mentioned.

"I don’t want to call a lot of attention to ourselves, Lieutenant. I appreciate your concern, but I want this to be a low profile reconnaissance mission. Too many people in the away team will only cause unnecessary attention. If I think we have found ourselves in the middle of something we can’t handle, we’ll do an emergency beam out. Will that suffice?" she inquired.

"That will be sufficient, Captain," he responded.

The away team assembled in the transporter room. All three were wearing loose fitting tunics over heavier weave slacks and boots that went above the ankles. Each carried a small backpack that contained water, enough rations for one day, a lightweight jacket, tricorder, and wrist lamp. Each carried a phaser neatly tucked out of sight but within easy reach. Each backpack also carried items that could be used for currency purposes. There were no markings on any of the equipment or clothing to identify them as Federation or Starfleet.

"Energize", ordered the Captain and she watched the transporter room dissolve into a series of sparkles that always reminded her of bubbles underwater.

The away team materialized on the planet’s surface five kilometers from the nearest center in order to avoid the local population from discovering their transport. Immediately the team set to work using tricorders to gain additional information about their immediate vicinity including atmospheric readings, soil composition, vegetation, and the direction of the nearest center where they might find the people who inhabited this planet. Once the team completed their initial surveys, they set about on a course which would place them on the outskirts of the nearest village. Janeway contacted Chakotay to update them on their progress and inform him of their plans and to check on the status of the systems and if any more were back on line.

The day was bright and the sun warm upon their backs. Captain Janeway set an easy pace for hiking over the relatively rough terrain for there were several boulders and loose gravel underfoot which could cause twisting an ankle a real possibility. They seemed to be walking on a path that was worn clearly in some places, yet was almost obscured in others. The vegetation reminded Janeway of areas on Earth in the New Mexico/Arizona zones; there appeared to be a type of cacti like plant that boasted of long, pointed spikes that were sure to leave a painful reminder if the trio became entangled. Although none of them saw any wildlife, there was evidence that this planet had its fair share as seen by the evidence of several dung piles away from the beaten path. And, there was the cry of a strange birdlike creature that flew above them almost as though it was monitoring their progress.

Slightly less than an hour later the trio came to the top of an easy rise only to look down upon the village, their destination. Below them aliens who were remarkably humanoid in appearance were going about their daily business walking or riding in vehicles operated by some unknown power supply. They wore clothing that was not dissimilar to how the away team was dressed; perhaps the only major difference was that the women appeared to be dressed in long skirts with shawls about their shoulders despite the apparent heat of the day. The men were dressed in tunic and breeches with suspenders across the shoulders. No one appeared to be carrying any kind of weapon and none of the team found any weapons signature on tricorder.

"Mr. Kim, see if you can determine how those vehicles are being operated," ordered the Captain.

"Yes, ma’am."

He scrambled to an outcropping which gave him a closer look into the town below and therefore, a better opportunity to scan the vehicles in the area and still remain hidden by the people below. Finished, he returned to where the Captain and Seven of Nine sat on a relatively large boulder.

"Report," stated the Captain.

"My tricorder shows that the transportation devices are operated by some kind of fossil fuel, which is where the carbon-based elements in the atmosphere originate from. It’s similar to the transportation systems on Earth of the twentieth century except that this fuel does not appear to be petroleum based. It’s a fuel source that I have not seen before and it’s causing a harmful effect to the atmospheric conditions on this planet and the long-term effects may become devastating if they don’t find an alternative source. I’m not certain if this fuel has the same energy signature as the wave which impacted Voyager," Ensign Kim explained.

"All right Seven, Mr. Kim. I want us to enter this village and blend in so that we can learn as much as we can about these people. I want to learn more about their mode of transportation," began the Captain.

"You want us to spy," said Seven matter of factly.

"Well, yes, Seven, in a way that is what we’re doing. I want us to be able to return to Voyager with the information we’ve come to retrieve and I want us to find out who this race of people are and whether or not they have the potential to create the energy wave that impacted Voyager. First contact protocols are in place. Is that understood?" Captain Janeway looked questioning at both Ensign Kim and Seven of Nine. "And, Seven, try to act casual."

"Understood, Captain," Seven of Nine slowly nodded her head in assent.

As they approached the town, Janeway stole a few furtive glances in Seven’s direction. Seven was trying her best to appear ‘casual’ and Janeway had to admit, trying to hide the slightest of grins, that she knew Seven was making her best effort and falling terribly short of the mark. Seven just could not be ‘casual’ it seemed. She had not yet developed that aspect of her humanity.

Oh well, we’ll do the best we can, thought the Captain.

They entered the town and seemed to blend in with others who were intent on their own business. They ambled across what appeared to be the town square choosing to sit on a bench where they could observe many of the people coming and going. The image in Janeway’s mind was of a typical small town in the agricultural areas on Earth where people went about their daily business working on various tasks needing to be completed. Several people seemed to be shopping for they carried sacks of items that seemed to be foodstuffs to Janeway. Others were standing together in small groups, deeply engrossed in conversations which the trio could not overhear. They didn’t have to wait too long before a man who seemed to have detected their presence approached them.

"You are strangers to our village," he inquired. He had a very high forehead with a bony extrusion that began just above where his eyebrows should have been and continued towards the hairline. It protruded in such a way that it reminded Captain Janeway of a Cardassian.

"Yes, we are. My name is Kathryn Janeway. This is Seven and Harry Kim. We are simply visiting," she replied.

"Have you come from beyond the Soborian ranges?" asked the man.

"Soborian ranges?" inquired Seven of Nine.

"Yes, we have," interrupted the Captain, offering Seven a sidelong look.

"Let me apologize," the man offered. "My name is Traeber and I bid you welcome to our village. I am a representative of the Iaconian second circle council and it is my duty to welcome you formally to our quiet village. "Where are you from?"

"We’re travelers from a distant land beyond the Soborian ranges," offered the Captain.

"But your transportation…where is it?" he asked.

"We had to abandon it just outside of this village since the engine failed. We walked here and arrived just a short while ago and look forward to your hospitality," answered Ensign Kim.

"Perhaps we could send someone to fetch it, bring it here and our repair guild workers could have a look at it. Surely you will need it for future travels?" inquired Traeber.

"We have decided to find other means," offered the Captain. "Perhaps there is something that you might recommend?"

"Well, you might do well to check with Garonk. He is the head of the repair guild and will know of any vehicles that can be bartered. Do you have lodging for the night?"

"We did not think to plan that far in advance, actually. We were hoping to be just passing through," answered the Captain.

"Well, you won’t be able to secure transportation that quickly and we all know how the cold comes with nightfall. It won’t do your health well to be caught outdoors at dusk, as you must know. And the night comes quickly this time of year. Come; let us check with the guildsisters regarding lodging for you. I am quite sure that they will be glad to open their doors to you and swap tales of what adventures lie beyond the Soborian Range," he added.

Captain Janeway watched Traeber as they made their way across the square. She was reminded of her uncle; a rather tall man who walked with a swagger but who had a heart bigger than the Indiana agricultural area where Kathryn grew up. He seemed to be cut from the same cloth; with his easy going manner and he seemed only too willing to be a good host and representative of the village.

Traeber escorted them through the village to a rather large stone house surrounded by a block stone wall that rose close to four meters in height. They entered through an archway into a fairly good-sized courtyard that held a variety of trees and a small pond with a waterfall at one end. The sound of the water splashing upon the rocks was at once soothing and refreshing; there was a floral scent that seemed similar to hydrangeas and held a most pleasant fragrance. Although the air was still warm from the heat of the sun, the courtyard offered a refreshing coolness that was both revitalizing and sheltering. Traeber accompanied the three crewmembers of Voyager to the door of the guildsisters lodge, rang a bell that could be heard tolling somewhere within the walls of the great house.

After a few moments a short, rather stocky woman came to the doorway and greeted Traeber with a nod of her head. Adorning her hair were metal ringlets that seemed to catch the light, throwing off prisms of luminescence. While her forehead held no trace of any bony protuberance, her eyes were the color of copper and seemed to have a friendly expression. He explained that the three strangers were travelers from beyond the Soborian Range and were in need of lodging for the night.

She pointed a finger at Ensign Kim, remarking, "He cannot remain within these wall, Traeber. You may take him with you. The other two may be guests of this guildhouses as they need."

Janeway spoke up at once. "I don’t understand. Is this not a place for overnight lodging?"

"That it is and you would be welcome. But no man many remain within these walls overnight. Do you not have guildhouses where you come from?" inquired the woman.

"Keth, their customs must surely be different from ours. We have such limited knowledge of the ways of those who live beyond the Soborians. But, I will take Harry Kim to my own lodge for the evening. We can see about obtaining transportation from Garonk in the morning, Kathryn Janeway. You and Seven will be most comfortable here with the guildsisters and I will personally see to Harry Kim’s arrangements," Traeber acknowledged. "I will come by for you both at mid-morning."

"Mr. Kim, you will be alright?" inquired the Captain.

"Yes, Cap….yes, I will," Harry corrected himself. "This arrangement will be suitable."

"Then we will see you both tomorrow at mid-morning. Thank you for your hospitality," responded Captain Janeway.

"To your best of health, Kathryn Janeway and Seven."

And with that, he and Ensign Kim turned to leave. Although Kathryn Janeway had a brief feeling of disquiet about the entire arrangements that had suddenly been made, it made sense that if they were to carry out their mission, they needed to follow along with the customs of this alien race. And this arrangement would give she and Seven an opportunity to be together outside the confines of Voyager where they might really have an opportunity to interact.

Captain Janeway and Seven followed Keth inside the stone house. Once the door closed, it was as though the sounds from outside the walls were quickly silenced. There was a spiced aroma in the air that was most pleasing to the senses. She bid them to follow her and they wound their way down a corridor that finally opened into a great kitchen with a long wooden table in the middle, flanked by benches on either side. The table could have seated twenty or more people for its size. At one end of the kitchen was an enormous hearth where a fire blazed. At the other end of the kitchen there was a second hearth, where there were pots hanging from an iron bar, the contents of which exuded a delicious aroma of something wonderful. The great room was both warm and inviting and Keth bid them to be seated at the large table. Janeway could hear music emanating from somewhere else in the house and the low murmur of voices.

"So you are from beyond the Soborian Range," Keth began with the slightest of twinkles crinkling the corners of her eyes.

"Yes, we are. And we are most appreciative of your hospitality in allowing us lodging for the night," added Janeway.

"We must look after our own. What are you called by your people?" she inquired.

"Kathryn. Please call me Kathryn. And this is Seven."

"Seven what?"

"Seven of Nine," retorted Seven. She had been very silent up until this point and found that she could not contain herself any longer.

"Why do you not allow Mr. Kim to stay within these walls," Seven demanded to know.

"We do not allow males to remain overnight, Seven of Nine. This is a house for guildsisters. We care for our own," Keth replied. "You are Seven of Nine what?"

"I do not understand your question. Please rephrase."

"Are you the seventh of nine children from your family?" she inquired.

"Yes, she is," answered Janeway quickly.

She tried shifting the conversation away from Seven’s designation and on to matters regarding their mission. Keth kept a watchful eye on them both for the moment although it appeared that something amusing was lighting her eyes.

"Before we entered your village, we were struck by some kind of energy force which made our transportation no longer function. Can you tell us, what type of force would do that?"

"I know nothing of forces outside of the forces of nature. They are the only ones that matter to me. There are forces outside of our village, which seem to consume our natural resources. Some say they are malicious," she replied.

"And where would they originate from?" asked Janeway.

"Beyond the forests lie the greatest of cities. But the folks who dwell there have been known to be treacherous and dishonorable. They do not give back to the land and its resources but only take from it what they will. I do not believe that they live in the world with the Iaconians," Keth explained.

"Explain what you mean that they do not live in the world with the Iaconians?" asked Seven of Nine.

"What do you need to know of these things for? Are you planning to travel there because if so, you will see for yourself soon enough. Dinner is served when the bell rings three times. I’ll be showing you to your room now. Come along."

Keth abruptly dismissed them and headed towards a stairway tucked around the corner from the hearth. They climbed the stone stairs in silence and she escorted them to a room at the end of the hallway. She showed them where towels and extra blankets were kept ("You’ll be needing those come nightfall," she said) whereupon she closed the door and left Janeway and Seven staring at each other in the middle of the room.

"Was it something we said?" asked Janeway.

"It would seem so, Captain," replied Seven.

"Seven, I think if we are going to make this work, you need to call me Kathryn. It won’t do for us to have to explain my rank and I feel as though we have made some progress, although I will admit, it seems only to be a little information."

"I shall comply, Kathryn."

They looked about the room to discover that there were two narrow cots perpendicular to each other against the walls. At the foot of each cot was a table holding a lamp that when touched, gave a soft warm light to the room. In the center of the room was a table and two chairs, all made of wood which seemed at once very old but very sturdy. Indented in the far wall was what appeared to be a ventilation shaft emanating warm air. There were two windows, one on each wall and Janeway was captivated by the view from one of the windows overlooking the mountain range to the north and commented to Seven about how much it reminded her of Earth.

"I certainly hope we don’t have to go over that range in the morning to get to the city Keth spoke about. Although they are beautiful, they appear to be most inhospitable." Kathryn suggested.

"Indeed, Captain….Kathryn. I believe that our destination lies in the other direction, more to the south of here. I do not understand why it was necessary for Keth to change the subject so quickly when you were attempting to obtain information about the larger population centers," offered Seven.

"It would seem that I touched a nerve there, didn’t I?" agreed Kathryn. "Perhaps when there are more people gathered at the evening meal, we can ask additional questions and ferret out the information we need."

"Somehow I do not think that you will be successful if Keth is an example of species 912. This example of first contact seems to be failing."

"Oh, Seven, but I love the challenge of first contact opportunities. It is a Captain’s prerogative to establish the parameters of first contact situations and I remember my classes at the Academy that stressed the importance of ethical considerations with exactly this set of circumstances. Knowing very little about the alien race that you are going to be confronted with, having an opportunity to observe them without them knowing that you are an alien race to them."

"You enjoy spying, Kathryn," suggested Seven.

"Well, not exactly, Seven. I enjoy meeting new races of people and getting to know them. I enjoy the challenge that this type of first contact brings. I enjoy the opportunities….."

"I was attempting to be humorous with you, Kathryn." Seven of Nine smiled.

"I see. So, you were poking fun at me?" Kathryn inquired with a slight teasing tone in her voice. "And, you thought I would let you get away with teasing me like that?"

"You already have ‘let me get away with that’, Kathryn."

"I suppose I have. I see that you’re developing your sense of humor. It would seem that the Doctor’s social lessons have taken root. I need to contact the ship so keep an ear to the door please."

Seven obeyed and Kathryn contacted Chakotay to inform him that the away team would be spending the night on the planet. She updated him as to what little they had been able to discover and inquired about the ship’s status. She was told that progress was being made slowly and steadily and that gave her some comfort. She reiterated to him what her priorities were and what her own plans were for the following day.

"Seven, have you given additional thought to the Doctor’s tutelage regarding dating people on board Voyager?" Janeway asked with some awkwardness knowing that she had abrogated her good sense by unexpectedly changing the subject. "I know that you were less than totally satisfied with your initial attempts with dating."

"Indeed, I was not satisfied. I found that too much of my thoughts centered upon how I was to behave with the other person and it was difficult to ‘relax’, as the Doctor suggested, and enjoy myself. Is there a purpose in your inquiry?"

"I was simply curious," was Janeway’s reply. "Chakotay had informed me that your date had not gone well and I was…well, I was concerned for you at the time but was so consumed by the negotiations that I couldn’t offer my assistance. I … I wanted to help," stammered Kathryn. She sat down at the table fearing that her legs would not hold her. She had allowed herself to wander into dangerous territory succumbing to a nagging inquiry that demanded to know if Seven had truly enjoyed herself on that eventful night.

It was then that Seven was able to see painful emotions hiding within the question. It was as though a curtain had been lifted to illuminate the fact that the Captain seemed to be so alone out there in the Delta Quadrant. She had no one that she could really become close with, to be on an equal level because as Captain, she was considered by everyone to be above all that. She was The Captain, The Leader of this Collective. Seven saw a rawness of emotions that played at the corners of Kathryn’s eyes and she looked deeply into them to see that Kathryn was just as separate from her crew as Seven felt. And although Seven did not fully understand all the emotions that were present nor all the emotions that she was feeling at the moment, she instinctively knew that Kathryn felt very alone much of the time.

What is wrong with me? I can’t seem to hold her gaze for more than a moment and I’m falling all over my words, berated Kathryn. What am I doing?

"Kathryn, you do not ‘date’ anyone. Why is that?" Seven suddenly asked.

"It … it would not be prudent for me to do that … I am the Captain. I have standards to adhere to that dictate that I … I must not fraternize with my crew in that way."

"In what way?" Seven continued to hold Kathryn’s gaze.

"In a way that would suggest impropriety. As Captain, I am the one to whom others look for leadership and guidance. It’s not acceptable for me to ‘date’ crewmembers because it could be misconstrued by others."

"Misconstrued? Explain."

"Seven, we weren’t talking about me. I was asking about you and your experience dating crewmembers."

"And how would you have assisted me?"

"By offering some suggestions as to how to allow the experience to be a positive one."

"I have decided that there is no one on board Voyager with whom I may date based upon the crew manifest that was given to me. No one is adequate except…."

"Yes?" Kathryn looked directly at Seven.

"It is not relevant," Seven replied abruptly.

"Oh, but it is relevant. It is," Kathryn said sadly.

Kathryn found that she could not look Seven directly in the eyes. She looked away and the slightest of tears gathered in the corner of her eye. But it had been enough for Seven to see and she pulled the other chair closer to Kathryn and sat down opposite her. Gently, she carefully lifted her hand, the one that did not have the Borg implants, and brushed the tear away.

"Kathryn." Seven softly murmured her name.

* * * * * TO BE CONTINUED * * * * *