DISCLAIMER: Jungian consciousness yes. Fiscal ownership no. Storytelling tradition yes. Television rights no.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Glowing
By Katrina
The turbolift door opened and Seven of Nine paused just outside of it. Her eyes were actually wide in disbelief. "Lieutenant Torres?"
"I know. I know. Don't just stand there. Get in."
Seven of Nine did as she was bid. "Are you...." She looked up and down the shorter woman. Light seemed to flicker along the edge of her skin. If the turbolift had been dark, it would have been very bright in the lift anyway, "...functioning effectively?"
"I'm glowing, but okay. It's a reaction to one of Neelix's concoctions. I'm on my way home to ... uh... apply the remedy."
"Ah." Seven of Nine turned. "I shall wait to state my destination until you are at yours."
"Thank you." There was silence as the lift began it's travel again.
B'Elanna tapped her foot, practically willing the lift faster. She folded her arms and looked only at the door.
There was a sound, a high pitched noise and then a grinding peal that rang through the turbolift. The lift stopped abruptly, dumping B'Elanna on the ground.
Seven of Nine was looking down at the consternated woman when the light in the lift just as suddenly turned off.
As she had mentally predicted, the event was hardly noticeable. Except that now, the source of light was B'Elanna.
"Today just hasn't been my day," B'Elanna grumped sorely. "I should have listened to myself and stayed in bed."
"Do you often have conversations with yourself?" Seven of Nine asked in curiousity.
"It's a figure of speech. It means my intuition was flagging my attention but I ignored it."
"Ah." Seven of Nine tapped her combadge. "Seven of Nine to Engineering. Turbolift 2 is experiencing a malfunction."
"This is Engineering, Seven of Nine, we know about the turbolift. There's a bunch of things that have just conked out on us. I'm afraid you're on the short list. It might be about an hour before we can get to you. Good news though, we're not in a firefight. It's just a bit of malfunction."
"Thank you, Lieutenant Carey. Please keep us informed."
"Us?"
"Lieutenant Torres is in this lift with me."
There was a long pause. B'Elanna could guess what was going on during it. Engineers could be a real salty bunch. Finally there was a response. "I am truly sorry to hear it. And I don't recommend trying to climb out right now. We've still got some functioning lifts and they might cross paths."
"Thank you again, Lieutenant Carey."
"No problem. Enjoy your time off boss."
B'Elanna muttered to herself, "Oh I wish I could..."
Seven of Nine was silent and stayed standing.
"You know, you might as well sit down. You heard Carey. It's going to be an hour."
"It is irrelevant to me whether I sit or stand. I am... comfortable either way."
"I'll get neck strain having to look up at you."
"You planned on looking at me?"
B'Elanna didn't have an answer for that. "Look. Please. Sit down."
The ex-drone gracefully settled into a crosslegged position. "Is this satisfactory, Lieutenant Torres."
"Look. While we're in here, just... call me B'Elanna, okay."
"As you wish, B'Elanna."
Silence once again invaded the turbolift. B'Elanna closed her eyes and leaned up against the wall. "Seven, I hate to admit this and I am making a request that you don't share this with anyone, but I'm actually very tired. It's part of the symptoms."
"Was arousal also part of the symptoms?"
B'Elanna managed a wince with her eyes closed. Her shoulders slumped a bit and she cursed her Klingon honesty and Borg observation.
Just when Seven had decided that B'Elanna wasn't going to answer, the half-klingon answered, "Yes. It is."
"Is it painful?"
"My ovaries ache. My skin aches. My breasts feel like melons needing to be squeezed. So the answer would be yes. It's painful."
"I am sorry."
"Thanks."
"Is this something Tom ..."
She didn't have a chance to finish. "Tom and I broke up a couple of weeks ago, Seven."
"Oh. I... sorrow for your grief."
B'Elanna tried not to move, tried not to notice that she could see the light through her eyelids. "I'm am not grieving. Well, not about Tom anyway."
"It is a loss."
"Not a terrible one though. We parted friends. The spark just wasn't there."
Seven had nothing to say to that. The turbolift was filled with their quiet breathing. The the blonde woman said, "B'Elanna, would you care for assistance?"
"Seven..."
"I realize you only think of me as... a fellow crew person at the best of times. But, I feel," she paused. "I have felt that there was... spark, between us. If nothing else, please consider the option of laying your head in my lap, for the duration."
B'Elanna felt a flood of information cascade in her mind. Memories, words exchanged, spark. And then this soft, kind offer.
"You would do that for me."
"I find your comfort is important to me."
Klingon were not known for long decision making processes. "I accept." B'Elanna opened her eyes long enough to see the concerned gaze of Seven of Nine. They moved together, until B'Elanna's head and one of her palms rested on one of Seven's thighs. The half-Klingon closed her eyes. The side of her face felt ... irrationally... a bit better.
Then she felt Seven touch her. The Borg gently stroked B'Elanna's hair and the Klingon was suddenly aware that her hair had been hurting and now... it was soothed. She sighed into the touch. The headache that had been building slowed, paused where it was. It was still there, but that pressure... that aching pressure...
Seven changed the caress, and gently explored the side of B'Elanna's face. Everywhere she touched was a balm. B'Elanna turned and opened her eyes to look at Seven. The other woman's expression was gentle, concerned, absorbed. "Seven, how long have you needed me?"
Seven answered absently, without thinking of the consequences. "Since I've known you." Her fingertips drew soft lines along jaw and neck, down shoulder and arm.
B'Elanna clasped the roving hand in her own. "I can't do halfway, Seven. I did that with Tom."
The blonde looked down at the brunette with some amusement. "I am Borg, B'Elanna. When have you ever known me to do anything half way?"
B'Elanna spent about two braincells on that effort and gave it up as too much work. "I hurt, Seven. I need and I need you. But I can't do this if I have to give you up."
"Why would you have to give me up?"
"I've heard rumors of you and Chakotay..."
"He was an adequate lover, but not for me." Again there was that absent attention to the detail. Seven was now touching B'Elanna's face with her other hand. "Are you aware that I can see the changes in your skin as I touch you?"
"Can you?"
"Yes. It is perceptible. What did the doctor recommend to you?"
"He was going to send me a cream. And I was going to ... uh... manually," B'Elanna cleared her voice.
"Inefficient."
"Well, I wouldn't say that. I can be quite," there was a purr, "... efficient, in that area. I do enjoy myself you know."
"Do you?"
Now Seven of Nine was looking at B'Elanna in curiosity. "I know how it displeased you to have me studying you on previous occasions, but I find the thought of you..."
B'Elanna inhaled, "Yes, you do, don't you."
"I did ... almost have a chance to say it."
The Klingon chuckled. "Seven, please kiss me."
The blonde obliged by touching her lips softly to B'Elanna's. The Klingon pressed into the kiss, deepened it, until Seven was moaning softly. "You really liked that?"
"You are a much better kisser than Chakotay."
Again B'Elanna found herself chuckling. "I'm glad to hear it." Seven of Nine leaned in and they kissed again. This time, B'Elanna found herself being lifted up and drawn across Seven's lap. "I do not think you will get much rest this way, B'Elanna."
"I don't want to rest now. I do want us out of these clothes."
"Us?"
"Oh yes. I want to... feel your skin."
Seven pondered. "Chakotay ... did not find my skin appealing to look at. You may wish to close your eyes."
"He what?"
"My Borg enhancements are dermal as well as ..."
"Oh, I guessed that part. You forget, I helped during some of your surgeries. I'm just trying to figure out how many pieces I'm going to make of him before I shove him out an airlock."
B'Elanna felt a firm touch on her lips. "He is essential to the crew. You must not."
The Klingon growled. "But I really want to."
"Would you rather have me now or ponder how to kill Chakotay?"
There was a pause. "Well. When you put it that way." B'Elanna began tugging at her own shirt. She felt nimble hands help and soon the Klingon was divested of her clothing. True to form, she was glowing all over.
B'Elanna reached behind Seven of Nine and undid the autoclasp of the suit. The suit parted at the back and Seven shimmied out of it. Somehow they managed to stay touching during the whole process and then wound back up with B'Elanna in Seven's lap. The Klingon's legs were now clasped around Seven of Nine's hips. The clothes were neatly folded besides them.
The kissing resumed hungrily, with B'Elanna rubbing firmly against the amorous Borg. Seven was making delightful noises of her own and it took a minute for the Klingon to realize why. "They're sensitive. The implants. They..." She deliberately brushed one with her hands and Seven arched into her.
B'Elanna grinned wildly. "Oh. This is going to be fun."
Seven's sultry gaze had the Klingon in a tizzy. "It is already... fun."
B'Elanna felt the direction of Seven's touch change and knew where the lovely Borg was headed. "Oh. I see."
Did Seven just purr? Deft fingertips teased and dipped past soft brunette curls into wet, glowing need.
"Please, I..."
The Borg slid her hand deeper and pressed in and filled. B'Elanna groaned and growled into the next kiss, especially once Seven got started with what she intended to do.
Seven's other hand caressed points on B'Elanna's back, pressed her, circled there. Then she brought it to B'Elanna's front, played with full, beautiful breasts and belly, joined the other hand by stroking the dual clitorai. She kept up the tender, deliberate pressure until B'Elanna was literally bucking against her.
B'Elanna screamed Seven's name when the exultant bliss hit. The pleasure rushed all the way through her in shuddering waves. It went on for much longer than she would have anticipated. By the end she was resting her head against Seven's shoulder, leaning wearily into the Borg. She was still glowing. But the infernal ache had eased. Now she indeed felt more comfortable. Later, she would want more, but now she felt like she could hardly move.
"Oh Seven. I... really want to ..."
"Shh. It is alright, B'Elanna. There will be other times."
"Promise?"
"Oh yes. You are my desire."
Seven felt the smile form against her neck. "I am."
"Yes. All that I ever wanted."
B'Elanna's gaze flickered down and she found herself giggling helplessly. "Seven, your hands are glowing."
Seven of Nine kissed the top of her still bright Klingon's head. "Not as much my heart is."
The End