DISCLAIMER: I'm just having fun with the Star trek characters but the story is my own and can't be copied except for personal use. It may not be posted at another site without my permission. Edited SDerkins. ©2006.
WARNING: This is also a romance between two women and written for adults. Please feel free to read something else if this would offend you. Not much vulgarity except here and there. So don't say I didn't warn you.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Starfleet Academy Mystery
By Golden_ruhl
Part Twelve
The security team arrived to escort the criminal to the Starfleet Academy Security Center. As they bound his arms he kept muttering to himself, confused by the strength of the small human woman and galled because she defied him.
The Borg woman he could understand her power. She had enhancements to make her stronger and faster but that runt of a cadet? As he was escorted past B'Elanna he leaned towards her in spite of the guards' grip and snarled. "You broke my arm, bitch!"
B'Elanna's expression was full of contempt. "You know, insanity is the only thing that saved you. I would have killed you otherwise."
Jason laughed, causing others to shiver because the laughter lacked any sort of true humor, the insanity distorting it. "Like a runt bitch like you could kill me," he smirked.
B'Elanna's hand shot out, grabbing his injured arm. She applied pressure to it, watching the prisoner turn pale from the pain.
Her victim gasped from the agony and felt humiliation eat at his guts. A mere woman had bested him and nearly had him on his knees from the pain she caused him. She released his arm and allowed the security team to get a better hold of the prisoner. "I only broke your arm. It could have easily been your neck. You made the mistake of underestimating me," B'Elanna taunted in return.
Then he recalled why she had sought him out and he grinned in spite of the pain. "Well, at least I have the satisfaction of knowing you'll never see your cousin again. Alive that is," he added.
Once more her hand grabbed his broken arm, this time leaning close to the kidnapper. Jason nearly fainted from the pain as she applied pressure to the broken bone. She whispered softly just so only he could hear. "My daughter is just fine," her voice hissed and she released his arm. This time the security team pulled their prisoner out of her reach before she could injure him further. Jason looked at her in shock, thinking he had heard her wrong. But the smirk on her lips told him he had indeed heard her right. He continued to stare at her face as the transporter beam surrounded him.
Admiral Janeway gave her former engineer a look that said she had crept over the line of acceptable behavior but said nothing. Kathryn tapped her COMM badge. "Three to beam directly to the Commandant's Quarters."
They arrived at the campus assigned suite and sat down, the evening's events catching up to them. Kathryn let out a tired sigh. Tomorrow a counselor would no doubt evaluate Cadet McCormick. The Admiral believed B'Elanna hit the nail on the head. McCormick was insane and would probably be unfit to stand trial. He would be locked away where he couldn't harm anyone until he was cured. Kathryn suspected that Jason McCormick was a sociopath at the very least, undetectable until the person did something horrific. The Sociopaths usually avoided detection and were often considered charming and mild-mannered.
Well, at least he didn't get away with harming Miral. That reminded her of something. "B'Elanna, perhaps you should contact Tom. I sent word that she was found but I bet he'd appreciate a little more information and reassurances that your daughter is fine," she suggested.
"Oh hell, Tom! I completely forgot about him." B'Elanna felt guilty at not contacting him sooner. She knew he would be worried sick and deserved better from her. After all, he was a good father to Miral and their breakup had been on good terms. He didn't deserve to be kept in the dark and worried. B'Elanna asked Kathryn to arrange for someone to bring Miral to their location. She thought it best to let Tom see that his daughter was fine.
A few minutes later the door chime activated. The Admiral raised her voice, saying 'enter' to allow the door to open. The door slid open and revealed the tall Klingon cadet, K'Trina, who was holding the sleepy Miral in one arm.
B'Elanna took her child and held her in a gentle hug for several moments then sat down at the desk and opened a link to Tom.
K'Trina looked around awkwardly, wanting to know answers but knowing she had no right to demand them from the Commandant.
Janeway saw the confusion on her face and patted the seat next to her. The towering warrior felt herself overwhelmed at the privilege of joining the ranking officer. Kathryn looked up at the young Klingon indulgently, seeing someone who was much like B'Elanna, recalling when they had first met. They had the same timid aggression, eager to please yet trying to hold onto her independence.
K'Trina sat gingerly onto the leather sofa, her posture rigid. Kathryn spoke softly, telling the cadet that Miral's father had to be contacted and reassured of his daughter's safety. K'Trina tried not to listen to the conversation spoken softly. She couldn't hear what the person on the other end of the COMM link was saying but it had to be Miral's father.
"Yes, Tom, she's fine." B'Elanna said for the fifth time. "We caught the culprit here at the Academy and he's being held prisoner in the brig."
"And how about you B'Elanna? You look a little worse for wear."
B'Elanna patiently reminded him that she was fine--again. The only reason she didn't lose her temper with him was because he was still her friend but his fretting was getting irritating. She told him good-bye after promising to contact him in the morning and broke the link.
Talking to Tom for any length of time reminded her of why they divorced. He was a good and kind man; great in small doses but quickly got on her nerves. They should have remained friends rather than try for a romance. Her ambiguous feelings for Tom didn't compare to how she felt when she was with Seven.
B'Elanna had always scoffed at those who mocked Klingons, stating humans couldn't tell whether a Klingon pair was going to fight or mate. They'd laugh and say only a Klingon could tell the difference. Maybe they were more right than they knew.
The hybrid had often ignored her Klingon half; trying to keep it shoved into one corner. The method rarely worked. It often insisted that it be heard although she usually ignored that aspect of herself. B'Elanna realized that she may refuse to listen but it didn't change who she was. The immediate reaction she felt to Seven's presence might have been sexual in nature and why she felt compelled to be aggressive to the former Borg. B'Elanna confessed to herself that her Klingon half was far stronger than she had believed, recognizing her mate as all Klingons did, by scent and by the fiery reaction of her blood.
As the Captain returned to where the other three women were sitting, B'Elanna decided to join Seven, testing her theory. Sure enough, the moment she got close to the tall blonde she felt her entire awareness focusing on the woman next to her. She was missing what Kathryn was telling them, so enraptured by her physical reaction to Seven's closeness.
Their eyes met and neither could look away. At this moment, B'Elanna knew Seven had indeed 'captured' her. B'Elanna nearly laughed aloud at the idea but suddenly realized that she wanted to be chased just a little more. It wouldn't do to be so easily caught.
K'Trina watched the two stare at one another and felt her blood boil. She wished to court Lanna but this cradle-robbing lecturer was doing her best to steal her away. Her warrior blood roared, demanding she end this now.
"How dare you, petaQ? You play with her emotions knowing you will soon leave. She deserves better than you," the Klingon spat out as she stood.
The optical implant rose high. "Oh? Cadet, you are mistaken, coming to conclusions without all the facts."
"The only fact that matters is that I care for her. I challenge you," K'Trina boldly stated.
Kathryn stood also, sending the cadet a force-ten glare. "That's quite enough, cadet."
"No, that's quite alright Admiral. Perhaps it is best to deal with this now," Seven told Kathryn before turning her blue eyes to the towering female Klingon. "K'Trina, sit, please."
K'Trina looked stubborn and refused to sit in the presence of her competitor for Lanna. Seven sighed. "Very well, we shall stand. Cadet, you are looking at the investigative team in charge of finding the answers to the mysterious events surrounding so many female resignations. With the capture of McCormick, we have the right to give you a few of the details although not all of them. I am, as I appear, the former astrometric head for Voyager.
The Admiral too is as she appears. However, your room mate is not as she appears."
K'Trina's dark eyes sought out Lanna's, confused.
"May I introduce you to B'Elanna Torres, former engineer for Voyager and now holds the ranked of Captain and serving at the Utopia Planatia shipyard."
K'Trina's mouth gapped in surprised. "Captain?"
B'Elanna smiled. "Well, considering that I'm well into my 30's it can't be all that surprising."
"Wait, B'Elanna Torres? By Kahless' beard, THE B'Elanna Torres, the engineer?" All three nodded. The cadet thought she might faint. Her hero had been sharing a dorm room with her all this time and she hadn't known it. She sat down with a plop onto the couch.
The Admiral cleared her throat, seeing that the anger and challenge was forgotten. "I don't need to remind you that this investigation is far from complete and that you may not discuss details with anyone. Do you understand, Cadet K'Trina?"
The Klingon nodded, still in shock. She was dismissed and she got shakily to her feet and left the room. "I wish all of our diplomatic missions had been that easy," Kathryn muttered.
She turned to Seven of Nine. "Thank you for all you've done, Seven. You're free to return to the Institute when you're ready." The Admiral glanced at B'Elanna. "And I want to thank you as well, B'Elanna. This investigation wouldn't have succeeded so quickly without your help. I know you'll be glad to have your own face back." Kathryn grinned as B'Elanna ran her fingertips over her smooth forehead ruefully. "You had to make several sacrifices to join this investigation and I'm relieved they weren't more tragic." The Admiral brushed her hand over her goddaughter's silky hair. Yes, it could have ended so much worse. She added that B'Elanna was also free to return to her duties at the shipyards, dismissing both women.
To Be Continued