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Turbolift Torment
By alastria7
"Oh God," groaned Torres.
"You are displeased to see me," stated Seven of Nine in her usual tone as she watched the Chief Engineer enter the turbolift.
B'Elanna could not `escape' the situation without it appearing entirely too rude and seemed trapped with the ex-Borg, who was really not her favourite person aboard Voyager. "Just don't rile me, and we might get through this without a fight. OK?"
"I will attempt NOT to rile you, Lieutenant," offered Seven, standing very upright with her hands behind her back.
"You have to do that?"
"Do what, Lieutenant?"
"Stand like that. Do you have to stand like that?"
Seven paused for a long moment, eyeing the Lieutenant with some confusion.
"What?"
"I understand I have been requested not to rile you, but I do not understand why it is alright for you to attempt to draw me into a fight, about how I stand." The ex-Borg looked all around the ceiling of the turbolift, cheeks pinking just a little.
"You're starting…"
"You are mistaken."
"You're starting with me here, when I expressly asked you not to."
The two women fell silent, neither looking at each other.
"Lieutenant?"
"WHAT?"
"You have not stated your intentions to the computer."
"My intentions?" questioned B'Elanna, looking totally confused.
"The turbolift will not move without a verbal instruction being given to…"
"I KNOW THAT, DUMMY."
Seven waited for B'Elanna to instruct the lift.
"Well, where are you going?" asked a nearly exasperated Engineer on a short fuse.
"I fail to see how my destination will aid you in informing the computer of your own, Lieutenant."
"JUST TELL ME, alright!"
"I am going to the Mess Hall," Seven said quietly.
B'Elanna told the computer very deliberately that she wanted to go to the Mess Hall and the lift began to move. She looked out of the corner of her eye at the ex-Borg, still standing so straight, and thought she saw a slight smirk on the woman's face. She rounded on her enemy instantly. "What's so funny?"
"I was correct."
"Correct about what?"
"I considered that if I simply stood here, in silence, I would still `rile' you, and I have just proved my point, Lieutenant." B'Elanna turned away. Now it was Seven's turn to look at her turbolift companion. She also detected a smile.
"Stop it."
"Stop what?"
B'Elanna's smile widened as she looked back at the person she really enjoyed scrapping with, although she would admit that to no one, least of all Seven. "Stop knowing me so well. You're supposed to be the enemy, remember?"
"I was forgetting, Lieutenant," smiled Seven as the two women exited the now open lift and headed for the Mess Hall, together.
The End