DISCLAIMER: Characters not mine. Don't want the responsibility or the lawsuits. Just for fun. (also, quote belongs to William Shakespeare)
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
To Be or Not to Be
By Karjens40
To be….
Chief Engineer B'Elanna Torres sighed in relief as she found herself once more in main engineering. She hated it when she had to work from the bridge. She always missed the soothing hum of her warp corp.
Fortunately, this particular stint on the bridge was uneventful, and Janeway for once, managed to make it through a turbulent part of the Delta Quadrant without tearing up Voyager too much. Her relief and sense of calm, however, was short lived as her eyes immediately spotted the long lanky form of Seven of Nine, standing near one of the consoles facing the hull.
Her immediate reaction was predictable. Immense irritation. It seemed that no matter where B'Elanna went these days, so went the former Borg. Then she remembered that whenever she had to be away from engineering, Seven was often called upon to fill in. B'Elanna found herself somewhat disappointed that she couldn't find any other reason to yell at Seven. Sometimes that was the highlight of her day, and well, everyone needed a hobby.
Sighing she continued her march into Engineering. She had just reached Seven's position when she suddenly thought of the Klingon romance novel she had read the night before. She had fallen asleep right after a particularly…heated…scene and now, as she looked at the blonde woman who appeared to be ignoring her, the words and images came flashing back along with the disturbingly vivid dream she had enjoyed. She felt her throat tighten up in preparation for a hearty growl but she repressed it. But she did give the grin she felt, full reign as she walked up behind the occupied Seven.
"Whatcha doin?" she asked pleasantly. Knowing Seven's enhanced hearing would normally allow her to hear B'Elanna's approach, she found herself surprised at the former drone's startled jump.
"Lieutenant," Seven said, turning to face her, the calmness of her voice belying her initial reaction.
"Seven." B'Elanna replied with an even bigger grin.
The two women were silent as they stared at each other. One nervous and curious, and the other amused, and increasingly randy.
"So, are you enjoying playing with my buttons?" B'Elanna asked innocently. She fought back a laugh at the confused look that crossed Seven's face. As obvious as a double entendre as that was, Seven still didn't catch it.
"I am attempting to realign the EPS manifolds that were damaged as a result of the spatial turbulence. I would not consider that cause for enjoyment. Furthermore, these," she gestured at the console, "do not qualify as 'buttons'.
B'Elanna couldn't hold back a small chuckle. Seven was utterly predictable. Her eyes lifted and met sober blue ones and her amusement faded instantly to be replaced by something more disturbing and intense. Ignoring the fact that they were both on duty, and that they were surrounded by other crewmen, she let her eyes roam very slowly down the long form of the enticingly dressed Astrometrics officer and then back up again. She heard herself making a noise she'd never made before; it was something between a growl, a hum and a purr. Seven heard it as well, and B'Elanna was caught by the brilliant flash that appeared briefly in her big blue eyes. Her knees nearly buckled when those blue eyes gave her body the same hot once over.
Or not to be…
"Lieutenant. If you do not require my assistance, I need to return to my duties." The face was in its normal cool expression, but the voice was raspier than B'Elanna had ever heard it. It nearly drove her wild.
"Oh, but I believe I do require your assistance, Seven," B'Elanna whispered, stepping closer to the taller woman. She was just a hair's breath away from the woman who had featured prominently in her dream the night before. Her hearts tripled their pace when she detected Seven's increased breathing.
"B'Elanna Torres, I am not unaware of your…excited condition. However this is an inappropriate time and place nor is it conducive to the completion of our duties."
"I don't hear you protesting my 'condition," B'Elanna said softly, not backing away. "Nor am I not unaware of your own." Her lips twitched in amusement as she saw the flicker of confusion, desire, and resolve in Seven's expressive eyes. Suddenly something caught her eye and she zoomed in on the pulse in Seven's neck. It was nearly pounding through the woman's skin. B'Elanna forgot everything at the sight. Where she was, what she was supposed to be doing, and who else was present. She fully intended to taste that heartbeat.
She had just moved her head forward when she felt a light shake of her shoulders. She looked up to see Seven's lips moving, but in her nearly drugged state, she couldn't make out what she was saying. Then she saw Seven gesture with her head and she turned to see Vorik standing behind her looking not the least bit ruffled at the position he found his Chief Engineer in.
He was standing with a PADD in his hand and an eyebrow raised as if waiting for something. Sighing, she turned to face the Lieutenant.
What was the question…?
B'Elanna had no idea what the Vulcan wanted, but she glanced at the PADD, then at Seven whose face was as calm as Vorik's but was marked with eyes that were burning with an intense blue flame that nearly singed B'Elanna where she stood.
Not thinking twice, she all but threw the PADD back at Vorik, and grabbed a surprisingly docile former drone by the hand.
"Handle it yourself, Vorik. I'm on a break."
The End