Interlude: One Equation
By Cirroco DeSade
Gravity…
"You really told her that?" she said with surprise evident in her voice.
"Of course." It was a standard reply, full of confidence.
"What happens if she never tries again?" Curious, worried.
"I will adapt," the answer, full of false bravado.
"You wouldn't regret never knowing…"
"If I wanted lust I could have had it by now Kathryn. I believe that at one point in time even you considered approaching me." Weary voice, stares blankly at the wall.
Cough. "You are always going to be brutally honest aren't you."
"Deception is irrelevant… and damaging." Lack of honesty had allowed to develop her feelings this far. Now she was damaged by her own self-deception.
"Well… Tell me if you need anything."
"Of course"
I never knew how much I really enjoyed her presence. Then she was gone and I realized how blind I had been. She never came to engineering anymore. If she needed something she simply sent an official request through the Captain.
I wonder if Janeway knows what happened… I mean Kathryn is like her mom and best friend rolled into one.
She began leaving the mess hall or Sandrine's the moment I entered.
At staff meetings she now arrives directly on time and leaves immediately afterwards. I can't ever catch her that way. Janeway has been discussing lots of little things with me afterwards too. I miss her critiques. Now she sits through the meetings never making eye contact with me… never telling me the flaws in my ideas anymore.
After a few weeks this has begun to drive me mad.
B'Elanna strode into "her" domain, Astrometrics, prepared to take the love the blonde had offered. She had thought long and hard. She was willing to give "everything" for the Borg's love.
As soon as the doors closed behind her she announced with a growl "DichDaq Sov SoH <You will know>… 'IH SoH <You are beautiful> … HoS jIH <I am strong>… DichDaq chargh SoH jIH <I will conquer you>." Seven seem to enjoy the Klingonese so B'Elanna had spent some time relearning a few key phrases.
B'Elanna was quite unprepared for the PADD that sailed through the air, connecting with her forehead with a thud.
Blinking at the stars in her eyes from her new place on the floor, B'Elanna saw the Borg appear, towering over her.
"Qit vIH SoH <You move slowly> 'ach 'IH SoH <But you are beautiful>" the ex-drone stated then stepped over the hybrid and out the door.
….Multiplied by two distinct masses….
"You threw a PADD at her!?" she said with an uncharacteristic squeak.
"Yes. She should have known her own heritage better… and ducked" came the calm reply.
"Seven, I can't have you two tear each other up. This is not a Klingon ship! And YOU are Human!!"
"I am Borg. I was human." She said plainly. "Kathryn I have more knowledge on different species mating practices in the universe than all federation databanks combined. I cannot escape my assimilated knowledge. Human's sexual practices are quite dull compared to most other species in the federation… even Vulcans are more lively in their couplings."
Cough. "You haven't even slept with a Human though. Don't knock it 'till you've tried it!"
"Petulance doesn't suit you Kathryn."
"Well… somebody has to defend humanity to you… especially since you ARE Human."
Sigh. "Very well Kathryn." Eyes roll.
"She threw a PADD at you?" the EMH asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, and it hurts. Can you just fix it doc?" B'Elanna growled disgusted at the situation.
"Oh. Of course." She hears the hiss of the Hypospray, and see him waving his little wand over her wound. "Why didn't you duck?"
"She's fast!" B'Elanna yelled at him. 'Nosey, lousy, bag of proton's…'
"What will you try next?" he asked with a certain amount of glee. She could just see his gossip meter spinning.
"What do you mean? She obviously wants me to stay away from her!" B'Elanna yelled then pouted.
"Lieutenant, if you think that, then you really did ignore everything your mother tried to teach you about Klingons," he said with some asperity. She really wasn't enjoying his condescending look.
"Doc, I hate to break it to you, but Seven is NOT a Klingon."
Sigh. "Nevertheless, I happen to know she became aware of her attraction for you while you two argued. She said that her body always reacted when you growled… your 'sub-vocal' growls excited her I believe is how she put it. B'Elanna, think about it… Does it make sense that she continued to fight with you all this time, continued to come back to your insults and abuse? And think about this… Have you ever heard her growl at anyone else?"
After B'Elanna left she paced through the entire ship. She spent hours wandering through lonely halls, never planning her next step, only following her feet. 'Could the Doc be right? How long has she been attracted to me? I mean she said I tormented her… She said she loved me. Damnit, why didn't she just tell me?'
As she rode another turbolift, unsure if it was going up or down she banged her head lightly against the bulkhead. 'Ha! Would you have told you? I mean really Lanna… you called her every nasty name you could think of, you ran her off every chance, you never gave her the time of day.'
She really wished the logical part of her mind wouldn't remind of these things. Her heart was fairly bursting with the ache. 'Kahless, will she ever give me a chance again? I mean, should I even try?'
Finally weary of her meandering journey, she had trekked back to her quarters. After running through the nightly routine she lay back in her bed and stared up in the dark.
"I miss you, you dumb Borg."
Personal log: Seven of Nine
It has been a week since B'Elanna made a weak attempt at a mating ritual in Astrometrics. I believe I was correct in my earlier assessment. She never loved me, even if she displayed lust for me. Why else would she torment me so? For what other reason would she give up after only one overture.
Part of me regrets that day five weeks ago in engineering. Perhaps I should never have told her, never have ended our interactions. I often miss our tempestuous exchanges.
I miss being able to dream that she may return my love.
I am still adapting. I know in time I will be able to look at her without longing. She has made it clear she cannot love me.
I believe the Human phrase would be "I should've known better."
I will continue to exist. I will adapt.
End log.
… Divided by the distance between the two masses squared…
The Human-Klingon hybrid marched through the doors with a purpose, garnering attention just by the aura surrounding her. She had the day off, and had waited patiently for this moment. She had ordered the computer to tell her the moment Seven entered the mess hall. This time she would do this in front of everyone. Seven would know she meant it.
Walking straight up to the Borg's table, she was happy to note a hint of surprise in the baby blue eyes as they rose to meet her own.
"qatha' <I chase you!>" B'Elanna growled out proudly with a shark toothed grin. Seven wanted Klingon, and she decided she would deliver.
"bIluj <You fall!>" Seven retorted, incredulous that B'Elanna would come to hurt her again.
"jIqu' <I am fierce!> jIval! <I am intelligent!> jImatlh <I am loyal!>"
"bIval <You are intelligent,> 'ach jI'oy' <but I ache>" the blonde looked down at the table for a moment then waved her arm to point to all those present. "You… Your ferocity caused this ache… I loved you anyway. You gave me the dubious name: 'The Ice Queen'." Several people who had been watching the exchange looked away in shame. Nobody present knew that Seven realized she was called an Ice Queen, and what some now realized was that it hurt her. "I still gave you my heart. All you have offered me in return is lust. ChotIch <You insult me!>"
Seven picked up her tray to leave but B'Elanna blocked her way. "No! 'IH SoH <You are beautiful,> quv bIngaS <you are honorable,> qaHo' <I admire you.> DichDaq qaQan <I will protect you.>" She paused and tilted her head. "DichDaq qatlha' <I WILL chase you!> DichDaq qajon <I will catch you.>" B'Elanna smiled at the beautiful woman in front of her. She could hear Seven's heart racing. She could smell her pheromones coming off in waves.
Seven stood there indecisive, her heart hammering and struggling to control her breathing. She couldn't respond because she was conflicted. One part of her wanted to be left alone, wanted B'Elanna to stop teasing her. Yet, another part of her had already fallen again. B'Elanna said she would chase her… things were getting more serious. She only wondered if B'Elanna was aware that that phrase was a prelude to engagement… sometimes the oath. But what if she was still was not serious? Seven didn't like this inner turmoil.
B'Elanna saw the conflict in Seven's eye. She watched her pupils dilate. So, Seven was still interested! The blonde really did love her; it wasn't some cruel experiment on the part of the Borg. She felt triumphant when Seven finally set the tray back down upon the table, and she began to hear a low rolling growl.
The Borg's enhanced hand snagged B'Elanna by the tunic. B'Elanna's mind reeled as she imagined she might receive another one of those bone-melting kisses. All too soon she realized her error as she flew through the air. She sailed face first through Neelix's buffet and straight to the floor on the other side. B'Elanna rolled up off the floor in time to see Seven pacing away towards the doors. She couldn't help but laugh before she shouted out at the Borg's receding back, "You will be mine strong one!" As the doors hissed shut she sat back down into her puddle of food and laughed deeply.
*
… Equals the force of the attraction between the two bodies.
"OW!"
"Well, hold still 'fierce' woman! I have to get the glass out of there." The Doctor rolled his eyes and smirked at his patient.
"I think I'm getting closer Doc."
"At least to Neelix's food."
"Seriously. Her pulse shot up and her eyes dilated before she tossed me across the room. And she got quiet for a minute and looked like she was fighting with herself. I've never seen her do that. I think next time she may let me in," B'Elanna declared triumphantly.
"Next time she may finally break your neck. Do you think you are going to survive this courtship?" he asked with a sarcastic grin that she didn't even notice.
"Sure! I'm a Klingon after all… well I'm half Klingon," she shook her head and inhaled deeply. "You have anymore advice Doc?"
"Yes… a suit of armor."
Personal Log: B'Elanna Torres
The Doctor gave me an idea. Yeah I know he was being sarcastic with the whole suit of armor thing, but he made me think. I need to level the playing field somewhat. So, I spent the rest of my day working on just that. I think this is it… this plan will work.
I got Chakotay to juggle my shifts a bit so I'm off at the same time as her the day after tomorrow. I'll have to work 6 days in a row next week... but Kahless if this works…
I think she's worth any amount of extra work.
I know now that she is the other half of my soul…
It's remarkable how much her admission has changed me. Sure, I fought it for a long time… I was fighting it before I even knew it existed apparently.
Yet now… now she's all I want. I need her to complete me.
It makes perfect sense.
We were meant to be together.
End Log.
Personal Log: Seven of Nine:
I am finding it harder to resist B'Elanna's advances. Yesterday she approached me in front of many of the crew in the mess hall. Whether she meant to use some of the phrases she did… I do not know. I am aware that I have a finer understanding of the Klingon language and it's traditions than her. She wasn't immersed on Kronos… she rejected her heritage as a child… I, on the other hand, have the knowledge directly from the collective… handed down from many warriors fallen to the Borg.
Does she mean what I hope she means?
Today I awoke to find a dark red rose, with its thorns removed, lying on my workstation. Accompanying it was a handwritten note… in Klingon no less…
It said, "You will be mine my love."
When I saw the last two words… 'my love'… I began to tremble. Does she mean it?
I honestly do not know what will happen the next time I encounter her. I cannot predict what I will do. I am frightened.
Perhaps I should talk to Kathryn.
End Log.
Several decks separated two women whose hearts had become irrevocably aligned.
The strength of the love that pulled them towards each other…
Was multiplied by the very depth of each woman's soul…
Divide all of this by the distance that currently separated them, which multiplied itself as if to taunt them…
The product of all this was the massive force of their attraction…
A force so great it could tear Voyager apart… if they continued to be divided.
The End