DISCLAIMER: The Star Trek characters are the property of Paramount Studios, Inc and Viacom. The story contents are the creation and property of Djinn and are copyright (c) 2024 by Djinn. This story is Rated R.

Command Teams (Part 3)

by Djinn

 

 

13.

 

Seven was in her ready room with the door open to the bridge so people could come in and use the replicator, when she heard Sidney suddenly say loudly, "Captain on the bridge."

 

Which fucking captain?

 

She got up and walked to the door and saw Worf moving toward her. "Captain Seven of Nine." He inclined his head but there was little that was friendly in his manner.

 

Then again he was a Klingon. He had as big a resting bitch face as she did.

 

"Captain Worf. Please." She gestured for him to come up.

 

"Raffi is on break?"

 

"No, she unexpectedly got into a seminar she really wanted to take. She'll be gone overnight. She didn't tell you that? Her new suitor and all?"

 

"So she did tell you I am pursuing her?"

 

"She has honor." She walked around to her desk, sat and left him standing. "Why are you on my ship? Surely not just to visit her?"

 

"It is you I wish to speak to." He gestured to a chair at the table. "May I sit?"

 

"Are you going to be here that long?" She let her eyebrow rise and her head tilt in the combination that used to totally piss Liam off.

 

"If you wish to dispense with formalities, we shall. I know you have deep roots with our future CINC. I do not wish to find myself suddenly transferred to a moon on the other side of the quadrant."

 

"It wouldn't be this quadrant." She smiled as falsely as she could.

 

"Of course. So I thought I should ensure that you do not play your hand that high."

 

What was with the poker metaphors and the Picard people? She lifted her eyebrow again, hopefully he'd figure out she wanted him to just get to the point.

 

"I have been in a mood to reminisce about those moments aboard the ship, before we boarded the shuttle to the Enterprise-D."

 

She had no idea where he was going with this but did not like his tone. So self assured. "And...?"

 

"You were not unaffected by the call of the Borg."

 

"Yes, but since I'm also a big damn hero, I fought it off."

 

"Did you? Or was it perhaps that another queen already held dominion?"

 

She went very still.

 

"Admiral Picard was very helpful on why he thought you were able to fight it off, being so recently reassimilated by the Jurati Queen. I checked your file. Your ties to the Jurati are not noted."

 

She scoffed. "So you think I'm her spy? Also, they're Federation members."

 

"Associate members."

 

"For now." Clearly he didn't know about the tech, which was fine with her. "So this is your big plan? Run me off for undisclosed links with the Jurati?"

 

He walked to the viewscreen. "Do you know what else is not noted in the logs for that day?"

 

"Many things, I assume. It was a rather hectic day."

 

"That Commodore Shaw died."

 

"He was wounded. That's on his medical report."

 

"I heard him fall. Picard told us all the hit was fatal."

 

"Admiral Picard is many things but doctor isn't one of them."

 

"Indeed." He turned to look at her. "There were no guards or drones on the maintenance level but there were surveillance cameras. And while someone did an excellent job editing out anything after Shaw fell, I was able to retrieve the missing footage. As well as footage missing later from sickbay, during the time he was...recuperating."

 

She forgot how to breathe.

 

"Yet another member of the Jurati collective—one who clearly owes them his life? And a doctor who falsified records. It won't just be you going down, Captain."

 

She swallowed too visibly and was pissed when he clearly noted it. "A friend of mine would call this the nuclear option."

 

"I know the reference. And yes, it is."

 

"What if I just tell Raffi you did this? Threatened all of us?"

 

"She would be angry with me. But do you think she might not also find it romantic. It is, after all, something I am only using to prevent you from playing dishonorably."

 

"No, I don't think she would find you blowing up three people's lives romantic. And I have plenty of honor."

 

"Is that so? How many times did you kill a person simply because you wanted them dead? I am not a fan of the Rangers."

 

"Klingon justice being so much more palatable. What was the name of the woman you killed? The one you thought was a changeling?"

 

He froze. "I did not think Raffaela would tell you about that."

 

"She didn't. Riker has a big mouth."

 

He seemed to exhale with relief. "Do not seek to escalate this matter to Admiral Janeway and we will never have to find out how Raffaela feels about this. Or perhaps tell her and see if the idea of saving you three doesn't help her make her mind up all the more quickly—in my favor."

 

That was actually a distinct possibility. Raffi could feel both noble and treasured.

 

"Get the fuck off my ship, Captain. And don't come back without official orders without clearing it with me first."

 

"Even if your first officer invites me aboard?"

 

"Even if."

 

"You realize I can create official orders."

 

"You realize I will log those orders."

 

"Logs can, as we've seen, be changed."

 

"How are you with Borg encryption?"

 

His smile was grudgingly impressed. "Touché, Captain. I will leave you in peace."

 

"Right. Real peaceful."

 

She watched him to make sure he got onto the lift, then said, "Computer, location of Captain Worf from now until he is off the ship."

 

"Affirmative." It began droning locations as Worf got off on the transporter room deck and then beamed away.

 

"Seven to transporter room."

 

"Transporter room here."

 

"Where did Captain Worf just beam to?"

 

"Monterrey."

 

"Of course he did. Thank you. Seven out." She took a deep breath and then another. Once she felt sufficiently calm, she sat at her terminal and looked up the registrar's office, hitting the link to contact.

 

"Oh, Captain Seven of Nine." The young lieutenant on the line was clearly a fan. "How can I help you?"

 

"You look young enough to have been..." She made the face she'd learned worked with all the young officers who'd been so briefly assimilated, and he nodded. "How are you doing?"

 

"Thank you for asking, ma'am. And I'm fine. Other than..." He looked around.

 

"The nightmares?"

 

He nodded. "Do they ever go away?"

 

"Not right away. But eventually." They'd probably be replaced with new things to have nightmares about because life was an unmerciful bastard, but she'd resist telling him that.

 

"That's good to know." He leaned in. "What can I do for you?"

 

"Well, actually, I just wanted to thank you for getting my first officer into the Leadership Seminar in Monterrey. She was so sad she was only waitlisted. But then at literally the last minute she got in."

 

"We had a surprise cancellation. But that's how those intel types are. You sort of book them in with a note to have back-up names."

 

"Well, hopefully they'll get in on the next one."

 

"They'll probably prefer that. Who wants to come when your boss is the keynote speaker at dinner? How to not relax, right?"

 

She groaned and nodded. "So the keynote speaker must leave though, right? The attendees still have the night to kick back and relax."

 

"Oh, no, the keynote holds a fireside chat thing after dinner. Then they stay the night."

 

"Of course they do. Coming back late would be..." She wanted to punch the screen.

 

"So inconvenient."

 

"Just the word I was thinking, Lieutenant...?"

 

"Badgley."

 

"Lieutenant Badgley. Well, again, thank you. I'm sure this means the world to her."

 

"It was an honor to talk to you ma'am."

 

She cut the connection and forced herself to sit very still until she didn't want to break things. Then closed down her terminal, gave Mura the conn, and left out the back way. "Computer, location of Commodore Shaw."

 

"Commodore Shaw is in his office."

 

"Alone?"

 

"Affirmative."

 

She could have the transporter room send her right there, but he'd fucking kill her for being reckless. She took the time to have them send her to the main Command hub and hurried to his office, hoping he hadn't left for a meeting.

 

He hadn't. "Hey. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

 

"Worf."

 

"Ewww."

 

She laughed at his expression. "Can I lock the door and make out with you?"

 

"Hard yes to that. In fact, Computer, lock door."

 

"Door locked."

 

He walked to her and pulled her into his arms. They kissed for a long time but then he eased away and asked, "What's going on?"

 

"Can I do a sleepover tonight?"

 

"At my place?"

 

She nodded.

 

"Just you?"

 

"Oh, Raffi's at the Leadership seminar at Monterrey. They had a late cancellation and she was free. The person who cancelled was intel. Guess who the keynote speaker is for this running?"

 

"Fuck me." There was grudging respect in his eyes. But also a bit of anger too.

 

She decided telling him the rest of it would have to wait. One of them should have a good day at work.

 

"So this is tit for tat? Do we think they're hooking up?"

 

"I have no idea. And I'm relatively certain that she doesn't know he's the speaker. Well she does now because she's seen the syllabus but didn't before she left. So the way I figure it, if she calls to tell us he's there, we'll tell her we're at your place if she needs us. If she doesn't, then why bother her with our current location."

 

He frowned. "You're telling the truth about Worf being there, but you're lying about something else."

 

"What? No." Fuck. How did he always know? "I'll tell you later. I need to handle something first."

 

His eyes narrowed. "Am I going to like this."

 

"Actually I think you will." If she managed to fix things. She pulled him back to her and kissed him some more. "I love you. Have a good day. Call me when you're home."

 

"If we can play tonight, why don't we? There's a band I like. Local guys, just at a bar."

 

"Sounds good."

 

"Can you wear a lot of leather?"

 

She laughed and nodded. "Let me out."

 

"Computer, unlock door."

 

"Door is unlocked."

 

And she was off, heading for the elevator that would take her to the back end of the executive suite Kathryn was in. The back end because she wanted Kathryn's exec, the king of all things rumored and hidden.

 

And the man who had taught her the historical meaning of mutually assured destruction. Mostly by making her watch James Bond movies.

 

She walked right past the back receptionist the way she always did—the guy was terrified of her—and headed for Tom's office.

 

"Hey you," he said when she knocked on the frame of his open door. "Come in."

 

"I need your help. I know Kathryn wouldn't have appointed Worf to head of intel without vetting him. But I also know she would have tasked you to check with your various sources. I need something on him."

 

"I can't give you that."

 

"Mutually assured destruction. Or the belief that we have that. That's what I need. Just give me a few words that will let him know I have something that equals what he has on me. They can be meaningless to me. Just not to him."

 

He shook his head.

 

"Do you want to explain to B'Elanna why Liam is being drummed out?"

 

"Fuck no. But what did he do."

 

"Nothing, except get Neelixed."

 

"Ohhhh. I heard he was killed but then he was walking around so..."

 

"Heard from who?"

 

He laughed at her. "I never divulge my sources—you know that. Thank you for doing that. He's a great guy."

 

"I know."

 

"Why would Worf have it out for him?" He started to laugh. "Oh wait, is this about the thing Chakotay was talking about to Kathryn that I wasn't supposed to hear?"

 

She gave him the eyebrow.

 

"Seven of Nine, you little minx you. All right. Celestine ladders. I guarantee whatever he's got on you will pale in comparison."

 

"That means nothing."

 

"To you. Which is what you asked for and what I can give. Now get out of here. I have a meeting in a few."

 

"Thank you, Tom."

 

"Thank me by making Liam happy." He started to laugh. "Although I'm not sure he deserves this embarrassment of riches. You think you three need a fourth and fifth for bridge or nude croquet or something?"

 

"No." And she turned and left, stalking out and not stopping until she was back on the ship. She sat in the chair, closed her eyes for a moment until she could feel her ship, and took a moment to commune. Then she walked into her ready room and hit her combadge once the doors closed. "Seven to Worf."

 

"Worf here."

 

"How's Monterrey?"

 

His laughter was quickly cut off but real. "It is lovely. Shall I say hello to Raffaela when I see her?"

 

She ignored the dig. "I assume you're somewhere safe to talk?"

 

"I am. As much as one can on an open comm line."

 

"Are you familiar with the concept of mutually assured destruction?"

 

There was a long pause and then, "I am."

 

"Celestine ladders."

 

The silence was so complete she thought the connection had dropped. Then he coughed slightly and said, "Yes. That does...change things."

 

"This contest is on, and I accept that. But if you ever threaten me or mine again that way, you'll find out what an ex-Borg, ex-Ranger, ex-cage fighter trained by a Hirogen can do when she calls you out. Are we clear?"

 

"We are. How did you...find that information."

 

"I used to find lots of things in the armpits of the quadrant as the ranger you so dislike. Finding something on you here was child's play. Enjoy your evening. Oh and treat her well or I'll kill you for the fun of it. Seven out."

 

And she cut the line.

 

She got back up, walked out to her chair, and leaned back, smiling in the way Liam used to call dangerously self satisfied.

 

But she was. That had felt so fucking good.

 

14.

 

Raffi was headed for the elevator, looking to decompress before dinner—and not deal with Worf, except he came around a corner, saw her, and rushed the doors.

 

She bit back a sigh as he forced them open.

 

"Raffaela, this is a—"

 

"If you say 'surprise' to me, I will knee you in the groin so hard you will cry big baby tears." She hit the door close button before her classmates could join them. "What the hell, Worf? You engineered this and don't say you didn't."

 

"You mentioned that you were interested in the class."

 

They had talked about a lot of things that night walking around after dinner. She may have. "Okay but the person who dropped—were they one of yours?"

 

"They did not want to go in the first place and were very grateful to be given an out."

 

"So we're back to this—you might as well be faceless words on a screen." The door opened to her floor and she stormed off. Then she turned and shoved her hand against his chest since he was following right behind her. "You are not coming in. God damn it, Worf. You puppet-mastered me all through the whole Red Lady bullshit and that was okay because it was an op. But I am not an op."

 

He had the grace to look repentant. Sort of.

 

"I will see you at dinner. And for your fireside thingie. Stupid ass name. There isn't even a fire going."

 

"I will ask for one if you want it."

 

"You are really not listening."

 

"I am. What other direction should I have gone from you noting the lack of a fire?" He had the look Jae had often worn—the "I can't win" look.

 

Seven would have understood. Ironically she thought Liam would have too. So this was not due to the 'dick makes me stupid' factor it was the 'just generally clueless' factor. "Go away. Maybe, if I feel so inclined, after dinner, we can go for a walk. Maybe. Now, I'm going to go call my girlfriend and tell her you're here so she doesn't think I'm sneaking around on her and my new boyfriend."

 

His face did something weird.

 

"What was that? What expression was that exactly?"

 

"Seven of Nine knows I am here."

 

She had to stand very still so she didn't hit him. "I see. And why does she know?"

 

"Because I decided to launch an opening salvo. A quick, surprise attack."

 

"I'm guessing that didn't go well?" She rolled her eyes in what was probably a pretty good imitation of Seven.

 

"She was a more...formidable opponent than I had anticipated."

 

"No shit. She survived for years doing crap we'd get killed at."

 

"I doubt the veracity of that claim."

 

"You know what you can do with that doubt?"

 

"Take it and leave until later when perhaps you will walk with me if you feel so inclined?"

 

"Oh, you were listening. Good." She turned and headed down to her room and this time he didn't follow her.

 

Fuck. Seven was going to be so mad. She commed her on the hotel terminal so she had a big screen and smiled at what she was wearing. "Oooh, sexy."

 

"Hey. Is it a good seminar?" Seven's happiness at seeing her was unmistakable and Raffi felt the tension of the day slide off.

 

Until she thought about Worf. Fuck.

 

"It's a great class. But Worf's here—as guest speaker, not an attendee. I swear I didn't know."

 

"I know. He and I had a bit of an interaction today."

 

"He may have indicated that." She was distracted by Seven's cleavage as she shifted, so she studied her outfit. "Not that I mind but why are the girls so prominent and all this leather is happening?"

 

"Liam wants to go listen to a band. He asked me to wear leather. I feel like I'm trying too hard."

 

"Back up." She assessed. Black leather jacket, black leather tight pants, black leather boots, black low cut top. "I know I love your ranger get up, but that much leather for going out, not a good look. Also you look like you're in mourning."

 

Seven started to laugh. "Fashion is confusing."

 

"Keep the jacket and the boots. Grab my denim skirt and the button-up white shirt. Unbutton it some, but a little less boob than what you've got going on now."

 

"For real?"

 

"Yeah. That black top's just for me."

 

Seven laughed but slipped off the jacket and boots and pulled the top over her head, then began to dig through Raffi's side of the closet. "Since when?"

 

"Since now. He coming back with you?"

 

"He'll be here soon to get me but we're doing a sleepover at his place." She pulled on Raffi's favorite white shirt and the jean skirt and then pulled the jacket and boots back on. "Better?"

 

"You look so hot."

 

"I was definitely trying too hard before."

 

"You looked good in the black, mostly leather thing too. But it's a different message you were sending. More sexy assassin, less fun girlfriend." She laughed. "Wear red lipstick. That one I have that doesn't come off no matter how much you kiss."

 

"And I have put that to the test." She was staring into the screen, not looking away, but then she swallowed more visibly than normal. "I need to tell you that I was really mad at Worf. And at you because of Worf. Going to Liam's instead of staying here was my idea and—" She sighed. "I think it was payback."

 

"But you're telling me about it. So pretty inefficient payback."

 

"Because you called. If you hadn't—if you'd just been with him and left it not knowing if I was in the dark or not..." She shook her head as her eyes started to tear up—she always got pissed when she cried during a discussion.

 

Raffi reached out and touched the screen. "Babe."

 

Seven shook her head again. "Fuck." She did the looking up at the ceiling thing she did to try to stop tears. "And the way he just waltzed onto the ship."

 

"Oh, shit, no. I thought he meant he did it at Command. Big mistake. So big." She started to laugh. "Whatever he did, he seriously underestimated you."

 

"Oh, it was an epic flop, Raff. And I was so pissed off. I told him if he didn't treat you well, I'd kill him for fun."

 

"If he doesn't treat me well, I'll kill him for fun. But...nothing's going to happen tonight."

 

"You don't know that."

 

"I do actually. This is a class that I want and need. These are my cohort. I don't need him horning in and making googly eyes while I should be networking. I want to be respected, not having people think I'm sleeping with the keynote speaker. And let me just say that being 'managed' sucks. Why didn't you tell me?"

 

Seven laughed. "Yeah. How did I never mention that?"

 

"If I tell you that I like this—that it's bothering you that he's here, interested—don't get mad, okay?"

 

"Of course it bothers me. I love you. I don't want to lose you. Having Liam in the mix doesn't change that. I'm sorry that I let you feel like I wouldn't care."

 

"You didn't exactly but...things can get kind of hands off."

 

"Like with Elnor?"

 

She nodded.

 

Seven was quiet for a long beat. "We're being honest so I'll tell you that he and I are never going to be mother and son because the first relationship we forged was friendship. And we are that. I talk to him quite a bit."

 

Raffi knew she was beaming. "For real?"

 

"Yeah for real. I mean, he was on the cube with me before you took him on. I love him. He's earnest and curious and brave and his heart had to heal from being abandoned. I resonate with him the same way I do with Jack."

 

Raffi leaned back. "Here I wanted you to be a parent and you've been busy being...a big sister."

 

"Does it have to be a relative? My parents weren't exactly role models."

 

"Sister works though—it's not like you had shitty siblings, after all. Unless you count every single drone..."

 

"Let's not."

 

She laughed at Seven's expression. "Go put the lipstick on. I want to see the final product. And a little mascara. And just a hint of blush."

 

"Fine. Hold on." She disappeared into the bathroom. "Can you still hear me?"

 

"Yep."

 

"We need to work on our encryption."

 

"Excuse me?"

 

"Trust me, we do. We'll put our heads together when you get back. I'm thinking a B-hacker hybrid."

 

When did they start calling all things Borg "B"? "That's so not regulation."

 

"Yeah, well, regulation isn't getting the job done." She came back out. "So?"

 

She'd done her blush just right, her waves were sexy as hell, her eyes sparkled, and her lips...

 

"You are so beautiful. You know that, right? And the implants are working for you. So hot."

 

Seven touched the one over her eye. "It seems like a long time ago that I didn't have them." She smiled tenderly. "Long ago and far away."

 

The chime sounded and Seven said, "Come."

 

Liam walked in, looking scrumptious in jeans and a black leather jacket, saw the terminal, and hurried over, saying, "Raffi, how is our student?" He glanced at Seven, then looked at her again. "Oh my God you look good. People are going to be so jealous of me." He sat down in front of the screen. "Next time, we'll all go and I'll have two beautiful women on my arm."

 

"Or we'll have you on ours." Seven never missed a beat with him. Their repartee was almost a work of art.

 

"That works. Good class?"

 

"Yeah. Except Worf's here."

 

"Thought you liked him." He looked like he really hoped she didn't anymore.

 

"Didn't need him horning in on my learning time. I mean he was scheduled as a speaker for months—I checked when I got here. But still, my getting in was his doing."

 

"Well, the next running is after the ship is due to leave. So enjoy the machinations. But don't reward them."

 

It was actually really good advice, but she was in the mood for some repartee too. "You just don't want me to fuck him."

 

"Neither of us do," Seven said, leaning in. "Enjoy your night. However you want."

 

"Not however you want. Don't listen to her." He pouted so prettily.

 

"It was your idea that she be allowed to fuck him."

 

"It wasn't my idea. I was just pointing out that if she didn't, she might wonder. And we need wonder-free Raffi. Not, free of wonders, because you're full of those, but you know, sure of us." He leaned in and kissed the screen. "Come back to us free of Worf cooties. We miss you."

 

"I miss you too. I have just enough time to decompress before dinner. I hope Worf is a good speaker."

 

"Yeah, I don't." Liam laughed as Seven pulled him away.

 

"Good night, Raff. We love you." With a last grin, she cut the connection.

 

"I love you too," she said as she moved to the bed, set her padd alarm for a quick nap, and fell asleep thinking about how gorgeous they'd looked—and what she would wear the next time they went out.

 

##

 

The bar was packed and Liam was leaning against a pillar with Seven pulled up against him, her back to his front. They weren't drinking—not anything they'd talked about. Logistically it was just a pain without a table and would make it difficult to hold on to each other the way they were.

 

Or for her to grind against him the way she was.

 

Holy shit, this woman. Both of them, really. Seven had told him Raffi had picked the outfit and makeup.

 

Raffi had outdone herself. He knew they looked good together because people were doing double takes as they'd pass by. The fact that his hands were under her jacket and clasped beneath her breasts probably only added to the picture they were making.

 

He loved this band anyway, but listening to them with her was so much better. Or maybe it was just how hard she was making him by the way she was moving her ass against him. Fortunately the band was occasionally very loud and he could groan in her ear and make her laugh without disrupting anyone else's experience.

 

It took all his willpower to keep his hands where they were and not go lower or higher, crowd be damned. Although it was so jammed when people were trying to get to the bar that he thought he might be able to get away with it if he timed it right.

 

She leaned her head back and turned for a kiss, and not a short one. He heard several people around them groan and laughed into her mouth because fuck yeah, he'd be turned on—and super jealous—too if he were them. She was grinning as she eased away from him and went back to grinding gently.

 

He imagined Raffi in his place, holding her, him watching them from the bar, eyes never leaving theirs. Then he put Raffi in Seven's place and tried to imagine Seven at the bar but could only come up with sort of a conga line of grinding and let out a laugh.

 

"What?" she said, turning to look at him.

 

"Tell you later." He rubbed her nose with his and loved how her look changed from sensual to surprised and delighted. She wasn't used to him being whimsical and he kind of hated that. But on the other hand, imagine how many times he could give her a happy just by not being a huge dick.

 

When the band wrapped up, she turned in his arms and asked, "What was so funny?"

 

"I was imagining how we would have arranged ourselves if we'd had three instead of two. First I went with her where I was and I'd be over at the bar, watching you two like a giant pervert."

 

She laughed.

 

"But then I put Raffi in your place and tried to imagine you at the bar, but all I could see was you getting in front of her and we'd have this conga line thing with you grinding on her and her grinding on me." He grinned stupidly. "I think it was funnier in my head."

 

"No, it's good. I like that you think about all of us. Not just the woman taking such pains to make you crazy." She mock glared at him then pulled him down and kissed him, so much tongue, so much moaning—he was just fucking lost.

 

"Excuse me," a super sexy voice said in his ear. "Do you guys need a third?"

 

They both stopped kissing and looked at the really, really stunning guy staring back at them.

 

"You're very pretty," Seven said with a soft smile. "But we already have a third. And we love her."

 

"Can you I give you my number anyway?"

 

"Yes," Shaw said in the subvocal way they'd worked out during their time as a command team.

 

She laughed and pulled out her padd to write the number down on. She winked at Shaw as she stuffed the padd back in her jacket pocket then told the guy very sweetly to go away.

 

"Just in case?" she asked once he was gone.

 

"Well, we may need to interview folks for adventurous times if we lose Raffi. I'm not saying I want him for a permanent fixture."

 

"But you do Raffi?"

 

"But I do Raffi." He touched her lips. "She pick out the lipstick?"

 

"Yeah, it's hers. So are half the clothes. She basically dresses me."

 

"God damn it, why is that sexy?"

 

She pressed a little harder against him. "Because I've made you crazy. I could talk about warp coils and you'd think it was sexy."

 

"Well, that is sexy. Straight up, no lie." He pulled her back in for a kiss. "You want a drink?"

 

"No, I want to go back to your place and make love to you."

 

"I was really hoping for cheap beer and stale pretzels instead." He laughed at her expression. "Give me a grind-free minute and we can go. Although you really have me worked up."

 

"I know. But you have amazing willpower."

 

"I do, don't I? I am a god of that." He laughed. "Hey, tell me why you were so pissed off today. That oughta cool things right down."

 

"Worf was afraid I'd ruin the game by running to Kathryn and having him transferred far, far away."

 

"Valid concern. I mean you wouldn't do that, so that part wasn't valid. But if you did, Kathryn has all that guilt about Chuckles and abandoning you to the Ranger life. I bet she'd send him on a solo mission to inventory comets or something."

 

She laughed, but then her expression changed. To one that was serious in the way he'd always taken serious as her captain. "He threatened us. You, Ohk, and me. He found the missing footage."

 

"Oh, fuck. But why me?"

 

"Undisclosed ties to the Jurati. Same with me only I'm, per him, a member of her collective."

 

"Are you?"

 

"I'm not sure. I think she did save me when the queen was trying to assimilate me with all the younger crew. But Agnes has never asked anything of me. I've never felt her inside my head the way I used to the queen when I was a drone. If I am hers, it's a pretty mellow assimilation."

 

"But I'm not B, right?"

 

"I really don't think you are. But he could make the argument that since the N's were used, and they were Agnes boosted, that you're Jurati adjacent if not outright affiliated."

 

"So we have to worry about this? Do we need to tell Ohk?"

 

"No. I found something that was just as bad on him."

 

"Do tell."

 

"I can't. I mean I would if I knew what it was. Tom would only give me some words that would mean something to Worf. And they did." She began to laugh. "I owned him so fucking hard, Liam. I really was James 'T is for Take That' Kirk."

 

"Of course you were. And God love Tom Paris."

 

"Yes. He volunteered him and B'Elanna for nude croquet if we need more members."

 

"Good to know since you may have started a collective."

 

Her laugh was the cackle that popped out without her control. It probably lowered the 'so sexy I'm on fire' quotient for her a bit with any observers, but he fucking loved it. "Can we go now, Liam?"

 

"Yes. Yes we can."

 

##

 

Raffi walked with Worf after the fireside chat thing ended and she'd had time to network in the bar. The glory of tonic water with lime—no one could tell if it was a drink or not.

 

She'd thought he'd sit and glower but he'd been such an entertaining speaker both for the keynote and the more informal Q&A by the nonexistent fire, that he had a whole group clustered around him, peppering him with questions.

 

She turned back to the group she was with and just enjoyed being part of command track, having "arrived" after such a damned weird journey. The cadet she'd been would never have believed the turns her life would take.

 

As the evening began to break up, she met Worf's eyes and smiled, rising to go to the door that looked out on the beach.

 

A moment later he joined her. "A walk?"

 

"A walk."

 

They were quiet until they were out of earshot of the hotel, then she said, "I didn't realize you were such a good public speaker."

 

"It is something I have worked at."

 

"You'd never know. You seem like a natural." They hit a place where they could walk along the road or down on the beach. "You like beaches?"

 

"I am agnostic, but anyplace with you would be a superior experience."

 

"Ooh, Worf." She grinned and slipped off her sandals so she could walk barefoot in the sand. "That was downright romantic." She glanced at him, saw a shy little smile.

 

It was adorable.

 

"I was once humbled—even shamed—by a public speaking incident."

 

"You?"

 

"I was invited by the Celestines to speak of my experience as the first Klingon in Starfleet. I was arrogant back then and believed I could deliver an interesting speech without researching the audience, what they would expect."

 

"Oh, Worf. They're brutal if they hate you. They hated you?"

 

He nodded.

 

"Enough to throw things?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Rotten fruit?"

 

"Oh, no. For they, unlike myself, did take the time to research what a Klingon might most dislike having thrown at him."

 

"You mean...?"

 

"Tribbles. So. Many. Tribbles." He took a deep breath. "It was unexpected and they overwhelmed me. I looked at the crowd and saw only open mouths and uplifted hands, all holding those horrible beasts. To my side also. So, I decided to escape via the catwalk. Using their ladders."

 

"They have hollow bones like birds. Did their ladders even hold—"

 

"No, they did not. I broke three before I found one that seemed to be strong enough for my bulk. I was halfway to the top when it broke and I was dumped back to the stage, falling into a pile of tribbles. I could not move without touching one. I...I believe I disassociated for a moment. Then someone came and helped me off the stage." He met her eyes. "But not without a great many Celestines capturing this on video. I have spent my life rooting out copies and destroying them. But someone has one. My greatest shame and it is known still."

 

She was trying to look sympathetic but she just started to laugh.

 

"It is why I now do my research before a speech. Practice for all eventualities."

 

"Like tribbles?" She started laughing harder. "I'm so sorry."

 

He began to laugh too. "There have not been any tribbles since."

 

"Now I understand your reaction on Daystrom Station to the attack tribbles."

 

"Truly a nightmare." He put his arm around her in a very smooth movement. "I share this moment with you, Raffaela, knowing you will not share it further."

 

"I won't. It's a very funny visual. Unless I think of how disoriented you might have been—I've been there. Looking like a fool on some drug and people think you're just reacting but there's a lot more going on inside you than just a little reaction."

 

"Precisely. I was not expecting to be a failure, but one cannot please every audience even with appropriate research. But to have such a creature thrown in such numbers."

 

"And then to have slapstick humor be the next part."

 

"They were laughing very hard at me. Some of the videos are quite shaky and you can hear the howls of amusement."

 

She started to laugh again. "Wow, this must have haunted you. This was years ago?"

 

"Decades at this point. I was...recently reminded of this shame."

 

"Ah that video that still exists?"

 

"I will find it. And I will destroy it as I have all the others."

 

"My money's on you."

 

They walked to the waters edge, sat in the sand just beyond where the waves crept up.

 

"Did you talk to Seven of Nine?" he asked.

 

"I did. It was a really good talk. She...she told me something she's been holding back, only I don't know why she held it back. I guess she thought it might upset me but knowing it only made me really happy." She reached down and took his hand. "I don't think she would have told me if you weren't here—if I weren't here with you. So you're making things better just by being a perceived threat."

 

"I do not like the addition of perceived. I hope I am a threat. Are you here with me, Raffaela?" He turned to her, searching her eyes. Then he leaned in and kissed her.

 

She let him, as much because the moment was sweet and gentle as that she wanted to know what kissing a Klingon was like. It was a gentle kiss, nothing rough—she imagined it was the first step in some complicated Klingon wooing ritual that would end with her needing a regenerator and having bite marks.

 

If they got that far.

 

She wasn't ruling it out based on this kiss, but she did ease away as she felt him reach for her. "Not tonight. I don't want to go back in there with sand all over me. These are my peers."

 

"I understand." He looked out to sea for a long time. "Although—was the kiss displeasing? Is that why you want to stop?"

 

"Didn't say that." She bumped her shoulder against his. "You're still in the running."

 

"I am relieved to hear that."

 

"Thought you might be." She played with the sand, grabbing a handful and letting it slide out in a steady stream.

 

"I can see why Captain Seven is someone you would want. Her attractiveness and charisma are undeniable. And her intelligence. But I must admit that I do not understand your attraction to Liam Shaw. I was not impressed."

 

"Why? Because he left himself open and got shot?"

 

"Well, partially."

 

She laughed. "He's funny. And he's kind. Kids adore him. Evie adores him."

 

"That is an unfair advantage."

 

"Well, you could babysit with me. If she reacts like a tribble would, though, you are so screwed."

 

"That is my fear."

 

"I think she'd like you."

 

"Is he romantic? Gifts of flowers and chocolates."

 

"No," she said with a laugh. No one could call that mortal combat meets an orgy bouquet he sent romantic. Hilarious, yes. Perfect for the moment, yes. But romantic, no. "Seven isn't really either though. I think you might be more sentimental even if you hide it in bluster."

 

"I do not bluster. I glower convincingly and intimidate with my words."

 

"Like I said."

 

"Is he skilled in bed?"

 

She knew her smile was way too wide. "I wish I could tell you no but yeah. He really is."

 

He let out an aggrieved-sounding sigh.

 

"Worf, whatever happens, you enhance my life. You have a part in it. You're my friend. I know you want to be more. And maybe you will be. Or maybe not, but whatever happens, I do not want to lose you."

 

"I do not want to lose you either. Even if you go with the lesser option and choose them."

 

"There he is." She laughed again and rested her head on his shoulder. "How did the Celestines find that many tribbles?"

 

"I have never known. And never inquired. I just wanted the memory to go away."

 

"Totally understandable, big guy."

 

##

 

Seven followed Liam into his apartment and pushed him up against the wall, kissing him the way she'd wanted to in the bar. She helped him shrug out of his jacket, then realized he wanted to turn her and let him.

 

As he pulled off her jacket, he murmured, "Can I show you what I wanted to be doing to you when you were grinding on me?"

 

"You can."

 

"There were several options."

 

"I'm game."

 

"Okay, so the most tame was this one. Grind like you were."

 

She began to move and could feel him coming to life as she did. He began to kiss her neck and she moaned because she loved this. Then he began to roam with his hands, but kept them over the shirt.

 

"People would be watching us, Seven. And they'd think, 'My God, that's a beautiful woman.' And then they'd wonder how I got so lucky but we'll skip right over that part."

 

She laughed. "You looked really hot tonight. That guy who gave us his number was looking more at you than me."

 

"I know. It was awesome."

 

"I always assumed you didn't go both ways."

 

"Well, I don't. But if Raffi leaves us and we want to play, I'd do it for you."

 

"Would you kiss him? Touch him? Or just watch him touch me?"

 

"I don't know honestly. I can surprise myself. And he was very good looking."

 

"Yeah he was. But let's just try to keep Raffi."

 

"Oh agreed. Okay, you ready for fantasy number two?"

 

"I am."

 

He jerked her back, was getting a little rough with the shirt so she said, "This is Raffi's favorite shirt. No ripping."

 

"Fine." He began to pull up the skirt—also really roughly.

 

"And her skirt."

 

"Is anything on you yours?" He was laughing.

 

"The underwear, the jacket and the boots."

 

"Thank you." He eased the skirt up, then yanked her underwear aside and slid his fingers up into her, forcing her to bend into him. "Everyone would see me do this to you."

 

She was breathing hard as he moved his hand so he was brushing against her just right, but then, just as she was getting close, he eased away.

 

"Fantasy three?" he asked.

 

"Fuck you, Liam."

 

He laughed. "Keeping you on the edge is fun." He began to undo the skirt and pushed it off her. "Step out of it and imagine everyone is watching you as you do it."

 

She tried to put herself back in the bar as she felt his lips on her neck again, his hands playing around her clit but not close enough to let her come. She tried to shift so he'd hit it but he just laughed and moved to the shirt, unbuttoning it and helping her out of it. "I love this shirt. Gonna take it off her next hopefully."

 

"It looks really good on her."

 

"Being devoid of it looks really good on you." He was pulling her back, undoing the bra and playing with her breasts, then pushing the panties off. "Step out of them and be totally mine."

 

She did what he said and he pulled her back against him, playing around her clit again, every now and then going in to build her up just to hold her there.

 

"God damn it, Liam."

 

"Hansen, hold it together." He started pushing her toward the kitchen. "I'd move you this way, to one of the tables, and I'd nicely ask the people sitting there to get the fuck away and they would. They'd move so they could see me do this though."

 

He bent her over the kitchen table, undid his pants and was inside her. "I'm going to fuck you a little. Then maybe, if you're very good, I'll let you come. Does that sound good?"

 

"Yes." She pushed back, trying to get off on her own, and he eased out. "Liam."

 

"Bad girl."

 

"Please?"

 

"Sweet girl." He pulled her up and kissed her neck. Then leaned her over the table again and adjusted her to his liking, then pushed in.

 

He was moving slowly, and she knew it was because he didn't want to come, and he had his hand buried in her hair and with the other he held her in place.

 

Until he finally slipped it around and began to play in earnest. She was so far gone it took no time for her to just about go but then he pulled away again.

 

"No."

 

"Oh, yeah. I'm a patient man, as you well know, Seven. And you're not a patient woman. And someday I'll tie you down and I'll do this until you're ready to burst. But I think tonight is not that night." And then he let her go all the way, not stopping touching her as she bucked and cried out more loudly than usual.

 

She collapsed on the table panting as he finished inside her, then lay over her, kissing her, asking, "Are you okay, Sev?"

 

"I am." She realized she was trembling. "Holy shit, Liam."

 

"Yeah, well you were the one who started it. Grinding on me that way. Did you really think you wouldn't be just a little bit punished." He drew away and eased her up, pulling her in for a hug. "Seriously are you okay?"

 

"I am. I love you." She pulled him to her, kissed him as he kept her standing because her legs had started to shake. "Would you really tie me up and do that? Longer than you just did?"

 

"If you want me to."

 

"Not right now obviously. But yes. I do." Her breathing and heart rate were leveling out and she hugged him hard. So hard he said, "Babe, too much."

 

"Sorry." She laughed. "Although not. Do we have a regenerator here?"

 

"What do you think?"

 

She laughed. Captain Safety not having a regenerator seemed unlikely. "I withdraw the question. It was ridiculous."

 

"Yes it was."

 

"You have all your clothes on and I don't."

 

"You want me to re-dress you?"

 

"No, I want to go to bed and snuggle." She pulled him back as he started to back away. "Is it bad to tell you that I used to fantasize about you taking me over your—now my—desk that way?"

 

"Me too. I'd have you give me the morning report as I fucked you." He laughed and kissed her in a little nip of a kiss. "Nice to know we were on the same page."

 

"What if we'd told each other?"

 

"I don't think we ever would have. We were so busy fighting. Possibly because we wanted to fuck so bad and didn't know it would have been a pretty appealing alternative."

 

"Well we know it now. I don't want to fight with you. I just want to love you."

 

"I just want to love you too."

 

 

15

 

Shaw lay on the bed in Seven's quarters, sweat drying on his forehead, Raffi curled up seemingly boneless half on him, half on Seven. It felt really good to have her home.

 

They had gone out of their way to show her that.

 

"Welcome back to me," she said with a laugh. "I'm going to go to training every week."

 

"Eventually, it would get old." He shifted her a little since her elbow was digging into him.

 

"Pffff." She patted him and slid a little more off him, so she was using the bed as bed, rather than them. "So there was a big announcement today on the shuttle back. CINC Janeway."

 

"Worf's worst nightmare," Seven said with a wicked smirk.

 

"Not if he finds a certain video. I take it you have it?" She frowned when Seven looked at her with clear confusion. "No video?" She turned to him. "You?"

 

"I have no clue what you're talking about."

 

Raffi frowned. "You used something against him, Sev."

 

"I used two words. That meant a lot to him."

 

"What were they?" Raffi sounded like maybe she knew, and Liam gave Seven the look that said to play it carefully.

 

"I don't think I should say. Should keep it between Worf and me."

 

Raffi turned quickly to glare at Liam. "Do you know?"

 

"I know she said something to him. I do not know what it was."

 

"Janeway to Seven" came from the combadge that he was pretty sure was buried under all their clothes, hastily discarded near the bed.

 

"Shit. Be very quiet, guys." She got up and pulled on his sweatshirt as she searched for the combadge.

 

"It's audio only, hon'."

 

She glared at Raffi and he had to bury his face in her arm to hide his laughter. Then he whispered in her ear, "Someone's nervous around our new CINC. Don't know why."

 

Raffi mouthed back, "She's so weird sometimes."

 

"Yes," he mouthed back.

 

"Stop it. I'm answering." She found her combadge and hit it. "Seven here."

 

"I need to talk to you. My office—the new one. Five minutes?"

 

"Ten would be better."

 

"That's unlike you, Seven. How many people are listening in?"

 

"People? What people? I'll be there in five."

 

"Excellent. But just because you're one of mine, I'll give you ten after all. Please no bed hair." With a laugh she said, "Janeway out."

 

Seven ran into the bathroom and then yelled, "Where is my hair clip?"

 

"That's my hair clip and it's in the second drawer. They're all in there." She rolled her eyes at Liam. "They're always in there. They have not moved."

 

He laughed softly and checked the clock. Eight thirty. "The new CINC works late. I guess that means Tom does too. Sucks to be him."

 

"Like a captain keeps regular hours?"

 

"Yeah but it was my ship. I was the one doing the annoying paging."

 

Seven hurried out and pulled on her uniform, her hair nicely twisted up, the old-school regulation—he hoped Janeway wasn't bringing that back. He liked the freer look. And long hair wasn't that much of a hazard since everyone with it wore a hair tie around their wrist or stuffed one in their pocket in case of a need to put it back.

 

She sat on the bed and pulled her boots on. "How do I look?"

 

"Excellent," he said with a wink.

 

"I don't know what this is about. Don't stop, you two. I mean if you have anything left." She grinned at them both then skedaddled.

 

Raffi moved over so he could get away from the edge. "When are you going to requisition us a bigger bed?"

 

"When you make up your mind."

 

"Nice incentive. Way to carrot the situation."

 

He laughed and rolled to his stomach. "My back is itching so bad."

 

She rolled so she was on her side and began to scratch. Seven never did it hard enough but Raffi's technique was perfection.

 

"So you and Worf...?"

 

"Kissed. Once."

 

"That's it? For real?"

 

"I was at a class I really wanted to be at, with people I really wanted to get to know. That was not the time for him, you know?"

 

"I do." He patted his neck. "Do the hair thing."

 

She ran her fingers from the nape of his neck up through where his hair was still thick—God he loved that feeling. "Worf gets why I want to be with Seven, but my attraction to you perplexes him. He wanted to know if you were good in bed."

 

"Am I?"

 

"Yeah. You are." She whapped the side of his head gently. "And you know it."

 

He laughed. "Haven't you ever been with someone who thought they were but really weren't?"

 

"Oh, that's so sad. Does anyone ever tell them?"

 

"Seven probably does." He looked over at her. "I bet Worf's like that. All talk, no action. Do you plan to find out?"

 

"Don't know yet."

 

He channeled his inner Seven and rolled his eyes.

 

Raffi just laughed. "So did you two have fun last night?"

 

"The band was great."

 

"Wasn't really talking about the band."

 

He turned so he was facing her. "I didn't realize how responsive she is to edging."

 

"Yeah, she loves it."

 

"Do you?"

 

"Maybe for a bit but then..." She looked away.

 

"You can tell me anything. I won't judge." He gently scratched her back the way she liked.

 

"Edging is nice for a little bit but do it for too long and it feels like chasing a high. I've worked too hard to not chase one to get that urge during sex."

 

"I hadn't thought of it that way."

 

"Do you like it?"

 

"Not really."

 

She seemed to be waiting for more.

 

"Oh, there's not trauma or anything. I just get kind of frustrated if I think we're doing a thing and then we're not and then we are and then we're not."

 

She laughed. "Note to self."

 

"But Seven ground on me all night at the bar—there were no seats left and I was leaning against a column and she was leaning against me—and that I liked. Not for every day but..."

 

"That makes sense. That was the thing you two were doing. It wasn't like she'd gone down on you in the bathroom then didn't finish and teased you the rest of the evening."

 

"Exactly." He switched to making silly patterns on her arm. "Have you ever been to those cabins in Sausalito?"

 

"The BDSM ones? With the little pictographs on how each piece of furniture or device works? You just plug in your genitalia layout and it tells you how to use them."

 

He laughed because those pictographs had delighted him. "You have been there."

 

She laughed and nodded.

 

"With Seven?"

 

"No." She practically sneered the answer at him. "Seven? For real? That doesn't seem like her."

 

"Last night I may have mentioned I'd like to tie her up and really edge her right and she was up for it. I thought of those cabins. Might be fun for all of us?"

 

Her whole expression changed.

 

"Or not." He gently stroked her cheek. "I figured you for a dom."

 

"Yeah, if I play, that's the role I like. But...I think those kind of games require a lot of trust."

 

"And you don't trust me?"

 

"It's not you. I had a girlfriend before Seven. We were even more on and off because I was a fucking mess. And so was she. We went to that place and at first it was fun because some of the devices are pretty much user controlled, right? Those were fun and we could use them in tandem. But the ones that were for bondage—I couldn't...give her what she needed. I didn't trust myself to get her there. I didn't trust her to let me. It broke us up."

 

"So that's a no to BDSM."

 

"If you want to do it with her, you can. Or I'd do it with you if I do choose you guys. Because if I choose you, then I'm all in. God help me."

 

"Which of us are you afraid of?"

 

"Her? Me? Her and me together. Her and you together? All of us together? None of the above."

 

"That was very helpful, thank you. Although wait, was I on the list? Just me."

 

"No. I can see why she trusts you. You only scare me because of how much she loves you. Of how you two are already talking about restraints and I didn't even know she'd be into them."

 

"I don't think she was hiding that fact. I'm not sure she ever considered restraints other than using them as a Ranger—I assume she did, right? I pretty much fantasize that she did." He laughed at her expression. "I can go either way. I prefer dom but given the right incentive..."

 

"Like brown leather worn by her?"

 

"Oh, God yeah. Anyway, given what I was doing to her last night, it may have just sounded nice."

 

She nodded and suddenly turned and faced away from him. But then she said, "Spoon me."

 

He did and waited, because it seemed like she had something to say. Finally she whispered, "Worf is the safer option."

 

"Pretty amazing thing to say about a Klingon. But maybe that's because you love him like a friend and there's chemistry enough to fuck him, but you're not in love with him." He tightened his hold. "Just for the record. I want you to be in love with me." He nuzzled her neck. "Dizzingly, happily in love. Nothing safe about it."

 

"If you say live a little, I'll elbow you hard." She sighed. "A person like me. I live too much. I need safety."

 

"And I get that. I get that so damn much. But in love—in love I want to be just the slightest bit crazy, Raff. Or what's the point? I'm too old to settle for safe. I'd rather be on my own—that's the safest thing of all."

 

"I was on my own for so long. So was Seven. I mean truly alone."

 

"I know. Which is why you made sense maybe?"

 

"There's another reason." She pressed back against him and he wrapped his leg around hers. "I'd spent so long knowing I was right about the Romulans but labeled crazy. And then it was out. I wasn't clean and sober, but I was fucking right. And she'd been chasing Bjayzl—do you know who that is?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"And finally killed her. I remember serving with someone who could never do anything fun because they were going to grad school in their off hours. When they finally graduated, they were so depressed. Even though they'd longed to get done and have their life back. That's where we were, I think. We'd been chasing these things and suddenly, the things were caught. Over. And that left us with ourselves to deal with. Better to turn to each other. Even if I wasn't even honest with her about my addiction at first."

 

He kissed the back of her neck but didn't say anything, not wanting to break her train of thought.

 

"It's easier to be sober with Worf, Liam." The words hung between them and he didn't know what to do, but she grabbed his hand, holding on tightly. "Please don't tell her I said that. Ever. I can't tell her that because she'll think she'll lose. I can't tell Worf that because he'll think he'll win. But you understand. Sometimes people like us have to live in the middle ground. Where it's hard to be okay every single day. Where we don't even talk about that it's not okay, just push through to the next day, when maybe it will be."

 

"Yes. I am well acquainted with that middle ground." He exhaled, was dismayed to hear how ragged the sound was.

 

He tried to turn away but she rolled over quickly, grabbed him, holding his hands. "Your left hand is trembling."

 

"I know." His voice broke oddly. "It does that from time to time."

 

"It did it when you died."

 

"I remember. Raffi, am I making this worse for you? Am I making it harder to push through?"

 

She wrapped her leg over his hip, pulled him to her and kissed him, a sweet but thorough kiss, loving and strong—at odds with the story she was telling about herself.

 

He admired the fuck out of her. He wished she understood just how much.

 

She eased away and smiled. "It's nice having a kindred spirit around. Someone who understands. People like Seven—they've been through hell but they come through the flames. Every single time. They never walk around them, no matter how many times they've been burned." She reached down, began to play in a way he really loved. "You and I are broken."

 

"I don't feel broken right this moment." He moved her so he could enter her, and they didn't look away from each other as he moved, as she matched his movements, their breath in sync, slow and even, then faster, then going.

 

She buried her head against him, breathing hard as she came down, as he did too, still inside her. "I don't feel broken right now either," she murmured as he eased out of her and pulled her half on top of him. "I feel safe."

 

She checked his left hand, which was no longer trembling. "And so do you."

 

"Yeah. For the first time in a really long time, I do. And you're part of that."

 

"Maybe you are a little bit romantic."

 

"Who the fuck said I wasn't? Big turd liar."

 

She laughed, her belly moving against him, and he giggled, pleased that he'd cracked her up, which only made her laugh harder.

 

"I'm super romantic, Raff. Stick around and find out."

 

##

 

Seven found herself a little agog at the luxury that was the CINCs waiting room. So much fancy wood and fabrics.

 

Tom was leaving as she found a seat, and he sat with her for a moment. "The highest of highs for our Kathryn, Seven. And not bad for you, just a few years in. I never had a ship."

 

She shot him a grateful smile. "You hitched your star to her."

 

"Yeah, well, I'd still be in Starfleet prison if I hadn't so..."

 

"Do you know what she wants?"

 

"It's about the Jurati."

 

Fucking Worf with his fucking threats. "Is there a video to go with those two words you gave me?"

 

"Yes, but I saw it years ago. He'll think there's a new copy out, but really he's hunted them all down. And there were a lot."

 

"That's actually impressive."

 

"Well, you want that from your head of intel." He winked at her and stood. "Bey's waiting for me."

 

"I'll be fine." Unless Kathryn was going to take the ship away because she was Borg again. God damn it.

 

"Captain Seven? You can go in." The lieutenant commander working the desk smiled at her.

 

She didn't have to ask where. Kathryn stood holding double doors open with a look of unrepentant glee. "Can you believe they put me here, Seven?" She frowned and said, "Commander Peterson, you do not have to stay late to impress me."

 

"It's my husband's poker night," he said with a laugh. "Please let me stay."

 

"By all means. You have my condolences." She shook her head. "What is it with this place and poker?"

 

Seven lifted an eyebrow. "I'm glad it's not just me who finds that confusing."

 

"Chakotay used to get a game up on the Delta Flyer." She grinned. "We can talk about him without it being a problem, right?"

 

"We can."

 

"Are you and your two solid? He wants me to invite you to dinner but I know how these things can be when they're new. And Musiker and I have history."

 

"Best wait."

 

"I will." She indicated Seven should take a chair at the immense conference table and sat across from her. "So, the Jurati."

 

"I don't know what you've heard."

 

Kathryn frowned.

 

"But it's not that bad. Whatever Worf might have said—"

 

"Seven, what does Worf have to do with any of this. Did you have to take antitox before you came? Is that why you needed more time?"

 

"No. I'm sorry. What about the Jurati?"

 

"I need to know what they're like."

 

"And you're asking me because...?"

 

"I hope you do better at being captain than you're doing at this. Because you were there when she was created." She leaned back. "Given that the Jurati held our border during the real Borg attack, that they are giving us tech that will make an amazing difference, the Federation is moving up their transition to full membership. I have a role in that. But I need to understand them—how they differ from the regular Borg."

 

"Uh, I don't know. Other than what I witnessed on the Stargazer."

 

"You didn't visit her ship?"

 

"No." She looked down.

 

"What aren't you telling me?"

 

"There are multitudes of things I am not telling you. How many years were we apart? How many things might I have to tell you? You're going to have to be more specific."

 

"Wow."

 

Seven got up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows. The view was staggeringly beautiful even at night. "I didn't want to see her ship. Not after she..."

 

"So it's true. And Worf didn't tell me. Jean-Luc did. But he was a little light on the details. I did go to him first for information but he's hopeless on touchy feely shit. All he could tell me was Agnes still called him 'Mister.' He suggested you would know her and her collective better and told me why." She walked over. "I do understand why that information isn't in your file. Why you wouldn't want it to be. From what he said, you were fully human for a time."

 

"Yes."

 

"Did you enjoy it?"

 

"Yes." The word came out almost as a sob, but she was in no danger of crying.

 

"Picard might also have indicated some surprise when I mentioned Shaw was working on the tech transfer project. Apparently, he thought he was dead."

 

"Shaw was wounded."

 

"Yes, I read the report."

 

She refused to look at Kathryn.

 

"Normally I'd expect nanoprobes that dated back to our time in the Delta Quadrant to be of little use in a Lazarus project. But given you had a refresh only a few years ago..."

 

Seven stared resolutely out.

 

"I'm not angry, Seven. Why won't you talk to me? I assume this is why you're now experimenting with multiples when before it was just your first officer."

 

"Just taking after you. With the first officer part."

 

"If I had with him, I might have saved all of us a world of pain." She sighed. Then she walked to her desk, grabbed a padd, and walked back as Seven watched her reflected in the windows. "The Jurati Queen specifically requested that you and Musiker be at the ceremony. B'Elanna wants Shaw there. I'll have good seats for you. Tell them to behave."

 

Seven bit back a smile.

 

"And then there's this. Do I want to know?" She handed the padd to Seven.

 

There were lines of code—an amalgamation of Borg and what she thought was Agnes's work. A note that said only "To keep him out." And then a link to a video.

 

She hit play before she realized what it was. She and Kathryn watched it, leaning against each other as they laughed so hard they cried.

 

"What the hell was that?" Kathryn asked, wiping her eyes.

 

"Terrorism by tribble. Those are Celestines." And the ladders. The video Worf thought she had, which she now did, courtesy of Agnes.

 

"And the code?"

 

"Encryption. How much should I be concerned that Starfleet Intelligence has unusually high access to our logs and surveillance data? I worry that they are going through a back door others could exploit."

 

Kathryn tapped the padd. "So you want to give the Jurati a key to the front door instead?"

 

"I'm pretty sure they already have that." She frowned. "We're taking their tech. Any of which could be loaded with malicious code."

 

"True." She shrugged. "Run it by Musiker. She's paranoid as shit and a skilled hacker. If she likes it, then go for it." Her look changed to mischievous. "Now, play that again, would you?"

 

It was even funnier on rewatch.

 

Seven took the padd back and hovered her hand over the erase button. "What's more important, Kathryn? Leverage or honor?"

 

"Leverage."

 

"Agreed." She pulled her finger away and sent the file to a folder she kept in a weird place, behind her own version of Borg encryption. A place Raffi had once tried to get into and failed.

 

Then she erased it off the padd. Raffi didn't need to see her boyfriend—or whatever he was—making a fool of himself.

 

"You want to grab a drink at the O Club, Seven? I go down there alone and people will glom on and suck up. They've been doing it for weeks."

 

"Sure."

 

Kathryn took her arm and they walked out to the reception area. "Peterson, I'll be in the O Club if you need me. Then I'm heading home."

 

"Yes, Admiral."

 

"Have a good night," Seven said with a smile.

 

Kathryn didn't let go of her as they walked down the corridors that would take them to the O Club on the opposite side of the building, but just as high up, with a lovely view as well.

 

She marched them in but at a very slow pace, as if she wanted everyone to see them. A server met them halfway to the bar. "Your usual, Admiral Janeway?"

 

"Yes, thank you. And a bourbon for my friend. The good stuff. Neat." She looked around the room, seemed to be assessing tables and then murmured, "That's Commander Lessing at the table by the window, the one who's suddenly sweating a lot. He was a lieutenant commander in the CINC's office at the time we came back. Thought he was some kind of Borg expert. He was one of the main ones who argued against your admittance. Funny how he stalled out at commander once I got fleet ops."

 

"Kathryn..."

 

"Now the fun starts." She walked directly to the table and before they even got close, Lessing and his companion, another commander were up and saying. "Admiral Janeway, please."

 

"Gentleman, you are too kind. Lessing, you remember Seven of Nine, don't you? My protege, the new captain of the Enterprise. Why, she outranks you now. What a world we live in."

 

"Yes, ma'am." He couldn't meet either of their eyes.

 

"Well, thank you for the table."

 

"We were just leaving."

 

"Good."

 

Another server ran over and cleaned the table off before they sat.

 

"Mmmm, they say power corrupts, Seven." Kathryn's voice was nearly a purr. "I say it makes things right." She took her wine from the first server and once Seven had her glass, held it out. "To us."

 

"To us."

 

16.

 

Raffi woke curled into Liam. She reached back for Seven but she wasn't there. She opened her eyes and saw Seven curled up on the couch with a throw over her. "God damn it," she murmured, not wanting to wake Seven up.

 

Then she put her hand over Liam's mouth and elbowed him—not entirely gently—awake.

 

"What the fuck?" could barely be heard from underneath her hand. She moved his head so he was looking at Seven. "Oh, shit."

 

She let him go and said as quietly as she could but with as much menace as she could put in, "Requisition us a bigger bed."

 

"When you make up your fucking mind, Musiker." He seemed to be studying Seven. "Do we think she's really asleep?"

 

"She doesn't generally drool when she's awake."

 

He looked again and smiled. "She's fucking adorable."

 

"Yes, she is."

 

He rolled to face her, his voice getting even lower as he said, "Okay, before she wakes up, I was thinking about what you said before I fell asleep. The broken part. And I have a postulation."

 

"Just what I live for. Liam postulations before I've had my coffee."

 

"No, hear me out. Because I think at the crux of this might be the idea that a threesome isn't something you were ever really considering, right?"

 

She nodded.

 

"Well, me neither. Except of course when I fantasized about a Hansen/Musiker sandwich of which I was temporarily a part. But a permanent fixture? That seemed a pretty weird option for someone who—and I know this will shock you—is not all that good at a relationship with one person."

 

She laughed softly. "You?"

 

"I know." He leaned in to kiss her. "It's just a crime I can't make it work. But I have to say, this thing you and Seven and I have. It's easier for me than most of my attempts at coupling up. And that's confusing."

 

"It really is."

 

"Ergo my postulation. You ready for it?"

 

"No. But I don't think I can stop you." She rose up to make sure Seven was still drooling. She was and had added softly snoring to the mix. "Okay, go."

 

"You said we were broken. And I think you're right. We're maybe less than a whole person so when we try to couple up, it's a mess. Because there's not enough of us."

 

She really couldn't argue with that so she motioned for him to go on.

 

"So I came up with this analogy. You're like the software of our little engine, the operating system, but you're wonky as fuck. I'm like the hardware—" He had to stop because she'd reached down. "Partial hardware."

 

She laughed and let go. "I want the blood to stay in your brain so we'll keep it partial."

 

His grin was very silly. "Thanks. Because I want to finish my thought. I'm the boring parts of the engine, the parts that keep things grounded and working but I'm not all there either. But pair you and me, and somehow the parts of you that are wonky and the parts of me that are not all there don't matter. We mesh. But we lack something."

 

He pointed back to Seven. "Our power source. Who is currently in sleep mode and in danger of short circuiting from drool, but still, we go nowhere without her. Even if we mesh, we're not really an engine without that burst to get us going."

 

"But get all three parts synced up and..."

 

He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Who knows what the fuck we could be?" He leaned back and studied her. "I know it's an imperfect analogy, but I wanted you to have something to counter your 'search for safety' option."

 

"Thank you. I will think about that. I actually sort of love the idea." She reached out and stroked his cheek, then traced his lips until she worked down to his chin. With a grip that she tightened and he said, "Uh...?"

 

"We are not waiting until I make up our mind for a new bed because our captain is sleeping on her goddamn couch because she is too soft hearted to wake us and we're in the middle of a bed that is too fucking small. This is not going to happen again, Liam. Get us a fucking bigger bed or you're exiled from us." She let him go.

 

She expected an argument. Or at least a little bitching. Instead he pulled her back and kissed her, then said, "See, you really are the operating system. I'll get right on it, ma'am." He grabbed her hand and pulled it down. "Also, no more partial."

 

"Me manhandling you turned you on?"

 

"I'm a complicated man."

 

She slid her hand into his boxers. "I don't want to wake her up because she only snores when she's really tired. So if you make too much noise, I'm leaving you with blue balls. Got it, Shaw?"

 

He nodded.

 

She had to put her hand over his mouth at the end, and then he returned the favor for her when he fingered her into bliss, but they did not wake Seven up.

 

##

 

Seven woke to find she was in the bed and someone was in the shower. Raffi was at the desk so it must be Liam.

 

Raffi looked over from the terminal and smiled, "Good morning, sleepy head. You want coffee?"

 

"Yes, please." As Raffi went to the replicator, she asked, "How did I end up in bed?"

 

"Liam moved you. Very romance novel cover other than that it was him bitching at me and you were drooling."

 

She laughed. "Next time, I'll wake you guys up. But I got in really late and you looked so sweet."

 

"There won't be a next time," she said with such threat, Seven was alarmed. "Whoa, I don't mean I've chosen—or thrown him out of our sex club—I mean he's going to get us a bigger bed right damn now."

 

She smiled. She loved this Raffi. "Thanks." She sat up and took the coffee from her. "I had the best time with Kathryn last night at the O Club. We caught up and for the first time I felt like we were friends again. And she kept introducing me to people." Some of them people who like Lessing, hadn't been fans. Others clearly friends of hers that she wanted Seven to know too.

 

Raffi grinned. "I know you've missed her."

 

"I really have. She was so many things to me—all wrapped up in one body."

 

"I know."

 

The shower stopped and she heard Liam puttering around. Then he said, "Hey, they got my billet officially changed to the ship. I'm no longer trespassing."

 

"What room do you want?"

 

He came out with just a towel on. "I was thinking about that. I don't want to fuck up your ability to host large delegations all together, so most of the guest quarters are out. But given the rank, some visitors might expect more from me than standard quarters."

 

"Agreed. I was thinking of having the quartermaster redo Latella's room. Outfit it like this only since it's bigger, put a conference table in for you to work at. I know how you like your data tables."

 

"Yeah, that's where I landed too. And I have to go down to see Quartermaster Stratford anyway to get us a big ass bed or Raffi won't let me back in to play."

 

"Way to snitch, Shaw."

 

He stuck his tongue out at her and she rolled her eyes.

 

Seven laughed, loving the playful way they were being around each other. "Oh, they're upping the timetable for Jurati full membership. Raffi, Agnes wants you and I there. And B'Elanna wants you there, Liam. Kathryn is giving us good seats together. She said you two have to behave."

 

"Us?" Raffi scoffed. "Like we wouldn't."

 

"Yeah." Liam came over and leaned down to kiss Seven. "Sorry we stole the bed."

 

"If I'd really wanted the bed, do you think I'm above pulling you out so you land on the floor and taking your place?"

 

"Actually no. Next time just crawl on top of me. That'll get it done in a much softer way."

 

"I was in the mood for sleep, not sex."

 

"Priorities, darling." He glanced at the clock. "Shit, I have a meeting this morning so I can't stay on the ship to work. I'm gonna hit up Stratford before I beam down."

 

"Thank you." She closed her eyes and enjoyed the coffee to the sound of Raffi keying something in and him working on his hair. Or so she surmised by the frequent sounds of hair product being sprayed and blow dryer.

 

Jesus, he spent more time in there than they did together. At one point, Raffi muttered, "What is he doing exactly?"

 

"No idea. Men are weird about their hair when it starts going."

 

"Yes. Yes, they are. He'd be just as sexy if he shaved the top."

 

"Are you saying that because you've always had a teensy crush on Picard?"

 

"And Benjamin Sisko." Raffi laughed. "But also I think he would look hot that way. As long as he keeps the beard."

 

"Oh yeah, we break up with him if he shaves that off."

 

"For sure."

 

Shaw came out, looking like he always did. Seven exchanged a look with Raffi who grinned.

 

"What?" He looked from one to the other of them.

 

"You're a sexy beast, Liam." Raffi turned back to her screen.

 

"Yes. We were discussing you."

 

He sort of puffed up. "Well, I don't mind that. Okay this is me braving the quartermaster for you two."

 

"For us three," Raffi said, and Seven smiled, wondering if Raffi knew how happy it made her to hear her say that so easily. She knew nothing was decided, but this felt pretty damn cozy for her to really be someone who might not want to stay.

 

She had a feeling Liam had worked some of the magic he had when he dropped his asshole shields and really just let someone in. She was never going to ask either of them what they talked about when they were alone, because that was between them. But whatever it was, it was definitely improving things for all of them.

 

##

 

Shaw cruised down the corridor to the Quartermaster's area. As usual someone had rolled down a broken chair and left it outside the door. "Fuck me," he said as he rolled it in with him. "Fucking losers."

 

"Amen," Kimmi said as she got up and kicked-rolled the thing to join a bunch of others. "You know, these really are well made. I don't get what people do to break them."

 

"Me either."

 

She turned and pulled him into a firm hug. "Damn, it's good to see you."

 

"Well, you're going to be seeing more of me. I'm being assigned here as part of an engineering project. I don't want to take one of Seven's guest rooms." He saw Kimmi take in the way he referred to her—God knew she'd listened to him rant about Hansen enough times. Good for her to hear him be not such a little bitch.

 

"You want me to reconfigure Latella's, don't you?"

 

"Yes. With one of the data tables you got me for the ready room." He put his hands together and closed his eyes like a good supplicant. "Please?"

 

"Fine."

 

"And uh, there's one more thing. Captain Seven needs a bigger bed."

 

"Oh really? Why is that?" She was laughing at him and he wasn't sure why.

 

He was about to say it was a Borg thing but then everyone who'd been assimilated could get an oversized bed. "Well—"

 

"Liam, do not lie to me."

 

He studied her, unsure where to go.

 

"Who turned me on to the band Dragonslayer?"

 

"I did." Fuck.

 

"And who just played at Caruso's?"

 

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. "Dragonslayer?"

 

"Oh, like you don't know. I was there, Liam. As were you and the captain. And I'm pretty sure she's with our first officer. And not the type to cheat. Yet you two were together."

 

He closed his eyes.

 

"So my guess is you three know everyone is doing God knows what to everyone else. And please don't tell me." She was definitely laughing at him. "I guess we won't be playing video games for a while if you're going to be on the ship with them—and this very big bed you think I'm going to get for you."

 

"Kimmi, pleeeeeeease?"

 

She motioned for him to follow her and they cruised the stacks of property turn in and spare equipment. A very tall, very wide mattress was leaned up against the wall, wrapped in the kind of covering that meant it had been cleaned and disinfected for new use. "It's a shame that we can't patent things we make for Starfleet, because it was my idea to have the extra tall mattresses for beings like Latella also be wider on the sides so if, say, a bunch of Deltans came on board, you'd just have to do a quarter turn and bingo, you have an extra wide bed that's the right length."

 

"You are a goddess."

 

"Don't I know it. You want it installed now? We're going to have to modify the existing frame but it's a fast fix."

 

"Let me check." He walked down the aisle to get a little privacy and hit his combadge. "Shaw to Musiker."

 

"Raffi here."

 

"They can do it now. Can one of you go down and get everything off the bed and the shelves?" Not that Seven kept as many things on her shelf as he had. But still, the covers and all.

 

"Yep. I'm on it. You work fast, Liam."

 

"Which in most situations is a good." He waited for her laugh, was not disappointed. "Don't tell Sev. It can be a surprise for her? I'll be back up after lunch to bring my stuff up to guest quarters until they finish reconfiguring Latella's." Thank God he travelled light when he was deployed off Earth and hadn't had time to get his massive collection of "everything he'd ever loved" out of storage.

 

"It'll be a great surprise. Tell the quartermaster to give me twenty minutes."

 

"Will do. Shaw out." He walked back to Kimmi. "Twenty minutes and you can go."

 

"Got it." She stopped him as he turned. "I heard you were hurt really bad during that Frontier Day shit."

 

"I was. It was touch and go." If by that you mean't dead as a dormouse. "But I'm fine now."

 

"Good. Because I'd hate this world if you weren't in it."

 

"How did you handle it?"

 

She got a weird smile. "We figured out pretty quickly that anyone who wasn't young was okay. So we just stunned the hell out of the ones who turned, put them in the stasis chamber we use for dangerous cargo, slapped up one of the fields people use to hide life signs, and waited it out."

 

"Stunned them with what exactly?" Some posts required the individual to be issued a phaser. Supply was not one of them.

 

"Put your hackles down, Commodore. Keeping current model phasers would be a breach of regulations. Clearly those are stored in the armory."

 

"What aren't you saying?"

 

She laughed. "Incoming goes two different places. But property turn in is all here, baby."

 

"Whoa. You mean...?"

 

"They recently upgraded a lot of the weaponry. So the old stuff got turned in. It was due to go out with the next PTI pick up. And obviously it's in special containers so not just anyone could get in and help themselves. But I know the codes."

 

"This is why we're friends."

 

"I think it's more that we tried to date and realized we sucked together but loved all the same things. Also I'm better at most games than you."

 

"Heresy I say!" He boomed that at her and she cracked up.

 

"Listen, Mister Threesome. You better behave yourself. I know your secrets."

 

"You're keeping the threesome part under your hat, right? I don't care about my other secrets. But that one could hurt two other people."

 

"Oh, my God. Liam Shaw, are you in love? For real?" She looked so touched he didn't debate it with her. "I love that for you."

 

His padd chimed, the warning that he had ten minutes until a meeting was to begin. "I have to go. Thank you, Kimmi."

 

"It'll be great having you on the ship again. I may even have some unused bedding for you."

 

Shit. He hadn't even thought about how their old stuff wouldn't fit. "There are no sufficient superlatives for you, Stratford. See you 'round the Titan."

 

"Enterprise."

 

"Whatever."

 

##

 

Raffi was reading material for a virtual course when Seven strode past her to the lift. She glanced over and said, "I just need to get something from our quarters."

 

God, she loved how open Seven was being about it being their quarters, not just hers. But no, the bed was supposed to be a surprise.

 

"Mura, you have the conn." Raffi joined Seven in the lift just before the doors closed. "I'll get it."

 

Seven gave her the look that meant she was being weird and/or annoying. Or possibly both. "I've got it."

 

"No, really, I've got it." She smiled in a way she hoped was not crazy because she really didn't want Seven to see the new bed until Liam got back.

 

"You're being so weird. Deck five."

 

The lift doors opened and Raffi got in front of her. "Let's find whatever it is in my quarters."

 

"Why are you being so weird?"

 

"Because I made a promise. What do you need?"

 

"To be honest, a bathroom."

 

"Well, then definitely use my quarters. Why stink up the communal ones?" In fact that was a great use for their personal ones if they weren't going to use them much. Every now and then a person just wanted some privacy.

 

"What promise..." Her look changed. "Ohhhh."

 

"I said nothing. Nothing!"

 

Seven pushed her into her quarters and had her up against the wall once the door closed. "You said nothing." Then she kissed her and Raffi put her arms around her and held on for dear life because as kisses went, this was a great one.

 

When they finally eased away from each other, she said, "What was that for, Sev?"

 

"For protecting your promise." She was staring intently. "I love you so much."

 

"I haven't made up my mind yet, Sev." But even to her that sounded a little weak.

 

"I know. I still love you." Her expression changed. "But I really need—"

 

"Leaving."

 

##

 

Seven was in her ready room at shift change when she heard the chime to the back door go off and said, "Come."

 

Liam entered, his smile so happy she knew he had to have been moving his stuff in. "I'm in guest quarters ten until Latella's is ready. But I can move if you need me to."

 

"How about to the bunkbeds you gave Riker and Picard?"

 

He cracked up and she cackled. "Liam, I honestly don't think we're going to be overrun with guests while in spacedock."

 

"Good point."

 

"So I tried to get in our quarters but Raffi diverted me. Any idea why?"

 

He shrugged and seemed to be trying to look super innocent.

 

She heard footsteps coming up the stairs and Raffi said, "Ready to go?"

 

"Where exactly?" She turned to look at her. "I thought I might just work late."

 

"No," Raffi said and Liam echoed her.

 

"Have you seen it yet?" Seven asked Liam.

 

"Have I seen what yet?" Completely straight faced and no sign of a lie in his voice. Damn he was good.

 

She rolled her eyes and closed down her terminal. "Why do I think you both want us to go to our quarters?"

 

"Because you're super smart," Raffi said, taking her arm and hurrying her along to the back lift.

 

She stood between them in the lift, enjoying how that felt, how much affection aside from anything sexual she had for them. They got to the quarters and Raffi palmed them open.

 

"Holy shit," Seven said. The bed was enormous and while the bedding was regulation, she wasn't sure all the throw pillows were.

 

"Good job with the quartermaster, Liam." Raffi gave him a kiss on the cheek.

 

"Good job with the bedding. Where'd you get the pillows?"

 

"Stratford thought we might need them. She's really cute."

 

"Very straight, though," Seven said and they both looked at her. "What? I may have made some initial overtures when I first reported to the ship."

 

"You couldn't tell she was straight?" Raffi just rolled her eyes.

 

Liam laughed. "She and I dated a long, long time ago. Decided being friends was the much better option. I may disappear from time to time to go play video games with her." He looked over at Raffi. "Can I run things right now?"

 

Seven glared at him. "Why are you asking her?"

 

"Because I'm more macho than you are." She turned to Liam and nodded.

 

He began to undress them, kissing them every so often until they were both naked. Then he pulled the desk chair to where he'd have a great view of the bed and sat. "For a while, I just want to watch you two go. In our very big, very awesome bed."

 

"That you procured for us," she said with a smile as she took Raffi's hand and pulled her onto the bed. "Oh my God, it's so much more comfortable than the old one."

 

"It really, really is."

 

"Do I want to know how you got this for us?"

 

"Nope. Enough bed appreciation. Kiss."

 

She rolled her eyes, which made Raffi crack up, then she pulled her close, kissing her gently at first, then more deeply.

 

Liam moaned.

 

"Sit up," she whispered to Raffi, and got behind her, kissing her neck. "Spread your legs for him."

 

Raffi had her head thrown back as Seven reached around, playing carefully, her eyes locked with Liam's. "She's so beautiful."

 

"God, yes."

 

"And so responsive." She murmured to Raffi, "Love you so much," but kept going, kept her climbing.

 

Liam looked like he was going to come out of his skin but he sat, mouth open slightly, eyes dilated as he looked from her to Raffi and back again.

 

And then Raffi was going, calling out and Seven held out her hand to him and said, "Enough watching. Strip and get over here." Then she touched Raffi where she was most sensitive and made her moan. "Now who's more macho, huh?"

 

"You are. You're the most macho." Raffi laughed as Seven was pulled away from her by Liam.

 

"This bed is bigger than it looked when it was leaning on the wall." He arranged her so she was facing Raffi, on her hands and knees and entered her slowly as Raffi watched, her smile gorgeous and sensual. "This is our woman, Raffi." He pulled Seven up so he could kiss her neck, could play with her breasts. "So fucking lovely."

 

Raffi crawled over, began to lick her clit as he slowly moved in and out of her. "Hold her still," she said, and Liam put one arm under her breasts as Raffi increased the attack, as Liam slowed even more.

 

She came violently for them, milking Liam as she did it and he groaned loudly as he came inside her. "I love this bed so much," she said as Raffi moved aside so he could lower her down, ease out and collapse beside her.

 

"I am a provider," he said with a laugh. "Da man."

 

"You're a man, that's for sure." Raffi's smile for him was so cute, so full of sass and ease.

 

Seven closed her eyes and just drank in what she had before they put the bed to more use. Liam and Raffi were arguing about whether they should eat in bed or not so she said, "Nothing with crumbs or greasy or sticky. Anything else yes."

 

"That leaves nothing," Liam said.

 

"Maybe jerky." Raffi laughed as she reached over Seven to pull Liam to her for a kiss.

 

"Or Swiss cheese," Liam said.

 

"The meal of champions. Thanks, Sev."

 

"You two are fussier than I am. We've never eaten in bed. Quit trying to make me the enemy." She stretched out on the bed and began to run her hands down her body. "Besides does anyone really want to eat right this minute?"

 

"See, this is why she's the captain." Liam kissed her gently.

 

"This is the book I'm writing, Liam. How is it so far."

 

"Fucking great."

 

 

17.

 

 

Shaw lay on his side, laughing when he realized he was in no danger of falling off their ginormous bed. Damn, he'd done good.

 

But he was super hungry. They'd been busy breaking it in, but the night was young and he was in the mood to do something. "Let's go out. Starfleet food is all we'll get for long stretches once we leave spacedock. Let's eat someplace fun."

 

"Only if we shower," Seven said, sounding grumpy that she was going to have to leave the bed and the lovely soft covers.

 

Her ability to nest was sort of a revelation. But should it be? She'd been a drone in the collective. That was the ultimate nest, right?

 

"Come on, babe. I want food."

 

"I'm game." Raffi was already out of the bed and into the bathroom, getting the shower going so he pushed Seven to get her moving until she got out of bed.

 

They took turns in the shower because showering together had so far turned into something other than a mission to get clean. He went first because he spent the most time getting ready. He knew they thought that was funny.

 

He gave zero fucks. Actually he was just grateful they were low maintenance enough that he could have all the time he wanted.

 

As they were pulling on clothes, Raffi's padd went off. She grabbed it and grinned. "Gabe."

 

"Hey, Mom. I hate to ask this, but Pel is working, and I've just been called in."

 

"You know you're eventually going to have to get another emergency babysitter, right?"

 

He laughed. "Right. But Evie wants her Gammy. And also Unca-Lee if he's available." He whispered the last part.

 

"I don't think he is."

 

"I am," Shaw murmured. He glanced at Seven and she shrugged.

 

"But I might have another friend she'll like."

 

He could practically see Seven deflate as she went back into the bathroom and shut the door. He understood. Things had been so nice. And God love her she tended to take things at face value sometimes.

 

Raffi loved them. They loved Raffi. The idea that Raffi would leave them anyway—it was just hard to wrap your head around if you weren't also broken. And terrified of being hurt. Which Seven wasn't. She really did walk through the fire every time, never around it.

 

Raffi cut the connection and met his eyes. "I need to do this before I'm in too deep."

 

"I hope getting along with Evie is a go/no go for you."

 

She made an almost forlorn face. "Liam, I have to do this." She gestured to the bathroom. "I know she's upset. She loves to slide into the moment as if the moment is all there is. But it's not. I'm sorry I can't just let it breathe."

 

"Call Worf. I'll be quiet while you do. But if he can't go, then take us."

 

"Is that fair to Evie? Keep bringing her Unca-Lee when maybe he won't be in the picture. That's confusing."

 

"And showing up with a fucking Klingon isn't?"

 

Rather than arguing with him the way Seven would have, she walked away from him and punched in a code.

 

"Raffaela. I have missed you." Worf's satisfaction at seeing her oozed out of the padd, and Liam wanted to grab it and throw it down the recycler.

 

"I have to babysit. I want you to come if you're free. Are you free?"

 

"I will make myself free."

 

Damn. That was the way you said it too. Maximum courtliness points.

 

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

 

"Where are you?" she asked.

 

"In my office. I have civilian clothes here, however."

 

No doubt a whole bunch of them for undercover "I'm so cool because I'm the spymaster of Starfleet" ops. Fuck him. That was impressing nobody.

 

"I'll meet you at the main entrance in ten?"

 

"I will be there."

 

She stashed the padd and turned to him. "Take Seven somewhere fun."

 

"I think what I choose to do with her is pretty much my business. And hers. You're busy." He knew his voice was beyond pissy. But Jesus.

 

"Don't be that way. You get me."

 

"I do. But that doesn't mean this feels great. Or even moderately not sucky. But sure. Go take a Klingon babysitting. I can guarantee it's not going to be a rousing success."

 

"Family's important." Her voice actually broke and he turned and studied her. "It's crucial." She got closer. "It's not like Seven was warm and fuzzy with Evie before you came along."

 

"I think we've established you may not be fully catching how Seven does or does not interact with your children."

 

"Elnor, yes. The others? Give me a break, Liam. Evie just wants you because you're the new guy. I'm going to see what she thinks of a different new one. Maybe bright and shiny and goddamned novel is all she wants because she's a kid. Fuck you." And she turned on her heel, grabbed her jacket, and left.

 

A moment later, Seven came out. "So we lose because I wasn't all over Evie?"

 

"Don't focus on that part. I made her mad and she was striking out."

 

"Yeah at me, not you."

 

"Hurting you is a shot at me." He pulled her in. "I know this is counterintuitive, but if she's panicking, if she's reaching out for Worf, that might mean she's really, really loving what she has with us and—"

 

"Yeah, that's so comforting."

 

"Let me finish. And it scares the shit out of her." He tilted her chin up so she had to look at him. "It really scares the shit out of her. We're fine. She'll stay or she won't, but she would not have had me get a bed if she wasn't into this way more than she'd ever admit. At this point, Sev, it's up to her." He started to laugh, a little evilly. "And maybe Evie."

 

"I'm still mad at her. Which I know is stupid because I understand she's made no choice yet. It just...it just felt so good and I don't understand why she's running." She held up her hand as he started to say something. "No, no more words. Let's eat. In fact, I think, you need to take me to that Brazilian steakhouse that just opened. She's been wanting to go."

 

"You don't want to wait till she's back?"

 

"No. I want to be petty. It'll help me not be later, when she comes home."

 

"Sadly I understood that. And that place looks amazing. Let's go."

 

##

 

Raffi paced at the main entrance to Starfleet, just outside the security check-in.

 

God damn it—why did she feel so horrible? She had the right to figure out what she wanted. A big bed and feeling safe with Seven and Liam didn't translate to a decision.

 

"Raffaela." Worf was holding a stuffed animal. It appeared to be a rhino. "These are impressive animals. It is my hope Evie will like it."

 

Evie was more into big cats but she decided not to tell Worf that. Instead she grinned and said, "That's so sweet. Ready?"

 

"I am." He said it as if he was going into battle, and she laughed as they walked to the main transporter station—the one personnel used for coming from and going to home and other unofficial travel—and they were quickly in Gabe's neighborhood with a quick walk to his house.

 

Gabe opened the door with a grin but then seemed to take in that there was a Klingon in front of him and gulped. "Uh, Mom?"

 

"This is Worf. He's my friend."

 

"Unca-Lee!" Evie came catapulting out of the living room but stopped short when she saw Worf. "Gammy, Unca-Lee!"

 

"Not right now."

 

"No. Unca-Lee." Evie walked over to Worf, put her hands on her hips, and glared up at him.

 

"I regret I am unfamiliar with that command. If you could tell me what you want with further clarity."

 

Gabe laughed. "I'll let you explain to him. I'm going to be late if I stay." He gave her a quick kiss and whispered, "What the hell are you doing? I thought you were with Seven and maybe Liam?"

 

"Goodbye." She ushered Worf in and closed the door.

 

"Un. Ca. Lee." Evie was over glaring apparently. Now she was absolutely stone faced.

 

Raffi knelt down. "Unca-Lee is off world." Not technically a lie providing he was still on the ship. "Tonight Gammy's good friend Worf is here."

 

"I have brought you a gift." He crouched down and handed her the toy. "Are you familiar with Rhinoceros?"

 

Evie nodded. "You look like one. Or a turtle."

 

"Evie."

 

"It is all right, Raffaela. She is not mistaken. I am a Klingon, Evie. Although I grew up on Earth so I am used to it here too."

 

Evie studied the rhino. "Soft."

 

"Yes, it is suitable for a Human child."

 

She reached over and knocked on his forehead. "Not soft."

 

"Evie!"

 

But he laughed and leaned in. "For protection. When bullies hit me, I can withstand their blows."

 

Evie made a noise that sounded impressed.

 

"You want to go down to the Wharf, baby? Have fish and chips with Gammy and Worf?"

 

She thought about it. It was what Raffi loved about her granddaughter—every choice was considered. "Yes."

 

She got her coat out of the closet and had to argue over whether Evie needed it—she would be so glad when this phase was over—and then Worf picked her up.

 

Evie began to touch other parts of his head and neck. She was about to tell her to stop when Worf said softly, "It is all right. I am new and strange and at least she is honest in her curiosity."

 

She decided if he was fine with it, she was too.

 

They ate at a family friendly place with a playground inside. Evie made friends with a little boy who liked her rhino and ran off to play.

 

"I am honored you asked me to accompany you on this."

 

"Yes, very significant duty." She grinned at him.

 

"I believe it is. If she had squealed like a tribble..."

 

"Fortunately for you she didn't."

 

"Was I perhaps missing the true significance of Unca-Lee? Was she referring to Commodore Shaw?"

 

"Yep."

 

"I see."

 

She did not want to travel this road so she turned back to watch Evie and said, "For whatever it's worth, that video you said you were going to hunt down, I don't think my team has it."

 

"Your team?"

 

"My other team. My command team, Worf. Come on."

 

He shifted in a way that seemed the opposite of his usual zen. "Commodore Shaw is not on your command team. I saw the announcement in the personnel news. That he has been assigned to the ship."

 

"Special project."

 

"Yes, I'm sure that is how Seven of Nine refers to you three."

 

She fixed him with her stare of annoyance. Which usually worked on him but not this time. "It's for real a special project."

 

"If you say so."

 

"This." She waved her hand between them in a circular pattern. "This is not attractive."

 

"They have an advantage now by proximity."

 

"Boo hoo." She folded her arms over her chest. "And I left them on the ship and invited you instead. So much for proximity. Take the win, you big baby."

 

He grumbled and watched Evie for a while, but then said, "You were referring to the video."

 

"Seven doesn't have it."

 

"I find that dubious."

 

"Are you calling me a liar?"

 

He sighed super loudly. "I am calling her one. I imagine she does have the video and that there is no special project. I can, of course, do some digging."

 

She studied him. Thought about the padd Seven had given her, filled with Jurati code that would for sure keep anyone out of the system if they didn't know how it worked. Agnes had given it to them but Seven had hedged as to why. And even though Worf was clearly digging around in the system, Raffi wasn't sure deploying something the rest of the fleet couldn't break was a good idea.

 

What if in an emergency it was important that they be able to hack the ship? She could imagine a lot of scenarios where that might be the case.

 

"Is this the silent treatment?"

 

"No, I'm thinking about something else. But fine, let's get back to what you said. Is digging around in our logs and system in your jurisdiction, Worf? If Seven were to lodge a formal complaint, would it come to anything?"

 

"Yes, because the CINC is her friend."

 

"Pretend she wasn't. Pretend it was just your actions versus her complaint."

 

"That is not the case and I am not good at pretending."

 

She laughed. "So that's a yes, it would come to something. Moreover, you wouldn't be digging around if this thing with us wasn't happening."

 

He conceded with a nod.

 

"You need to stop."

 

"I will stop when I think it is appropriate."

 

"Worf, Seven doesn't need this shit."

 

"Then she should surrender the field."

 

"Wow." She was about to say more when Evie ran up holding a stuffed lion. Not the cleanest one either. "What have you got?"

 

"I traded." She turned and waved at her playmate, who was being jacketed up with equal success—or lack thereof—as she'd had with Evie. He was holding the rhinoceros.

 

"Evie, no." She started to get up as Evie ran back to the playground, but Worf pulled her down. "It is fine. Alexander never liked my gifts either when he was a child."

 

She looked at him in confusion. "Alexander...?"

 

"My son."

 

"You have a son?"

 

"Yes. I rarely see him. Our relationship is a challenging one."

 

"Well, I know how that goes. Where is he?"

 

"I do not know."

 

"Excuse me?" Even at her worst, she'd known where Gabe was. Seven had been in the back of beyond and still in touch with Icheb. Liam was babysitting cousins. "Is family not important?"

 

"Family is very important. It's just that Alexander has rarely wanted me to be part of his inner circle. As I said, we are challenged to get along. But I am proud of him."

 

"Yeah? What's he doing right now that makes you proud?"

 

"He is on an exploratory vessel. Mixed crew. It is affiliated with the D'alama Foundation. I do not know their current location though. It has been some time since his last missive." His voice was a mixture of pride and regret.

 

"Oh, so it's not that you don't know where he is in theory, just precisely. And D'alama does good work."

 

"Yes. He is very altruistic. His mother was that way also." He met her eyes. "I do keep track of him. But my role is best fulfilled at a distance."

 

"I'm sorry."

 

"It is how it is. This many years in, it will not change."

 

She touched his hand. "People can change right up to the moment they die. If they want to."

 

"I do not think either of us want to." He smiled tightly. "May we speak of more pleasant things."

 

She nodded.

 

"Is Evie half Vulcan?"

 

"Romulan." She saw his surprise. "I think she's beautiful."

 

"She is a lovely child." He could have been speaking of a piece of art. So distant. But then his expression warmed. "She has your eyes."

 

"She does." She put her arm around his shoulders. "Do you want to go? Get ice cream maybe?"

 

"Whatever you like." His voice was off.

 

"What?"

 

"There is a distance between us that was not there the other day. I feel as if should I attempt to kiss you now, it would be most unwelcome."

 

"Well, yeah, because my granddaughter's here."

 

"I do not think that is the reason." He sighed. "You being in love with Seven of Nine was a given. But now I wonder if you are not also in love with Shaw."

 

"I'm not not in love with him."

 

He sighed. "Do not use humor to deflect. Or try to confuse me."

 

"I'm sorry." She leaned her head against his shoulder. "You're my very, very, very good friend Worf."

 

"Those words stab."

 

"I'm always here for you."

 

"If this is about Alexander, I can reach out to him. Introduce you."

 

"It's not about Alexander. Your relationship with him is your own to manage." She took his hand and squeezed. "If I'm honest, and I think I should be, I'm at the point with Seven and Liam that if I had to be on the ship and not be with them..."

 

It would kill her. It would goddamn kill her.

 

And that thought made her feel so stinkin' warm inside. Because she finally knew what she wanted. "I'm sorry, Worf. But the competition is over. I choose them."

 

"I can get Evie a lion next time."

 

"That's not the problem, I just—" She had to stop because Evie was running back, straight to Worf and she said, "Can you help get her down?" She pointed at a girl sitting on the top of a slide frozen in what looked like fear.

 

"I can. I am a great warrior and the very, very, very good friend of your grandmother."

 

"Gammy's going away on a big ship."

 

He met Raffi's eyes then turned back to Evie. "Well, I am not. So if you need something when your grandmother is on her big ship, you must call me. I will give you and your parents my code."

 

"Okay, but come on!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the slide, where he very carefully rescued the child who was stuck. Where were the goddamned parents? He looked like he was thinking the same thing but then he was pulled again by Evie, this time to the swings to push her.

 

She could tell he was melting under the power of Evie charm.

 

He met her eyes across the playground and she gave him the sweetest smile she could. She loved him so goddamned much.

 

Just not the way he wanted.

 

##

 

Shaw could tell the minute they walked up to the host stand that he and Seven were not getting a table. The man confirmed it with a haughtier air than Shaw liked but what was he going to do about it? "I'm sorry, Sev," he said, planting a kiss on her forehead.

 

"It's all right," she murmured. "No pettiness goes unpunished, I guess."

 

As they turned to leave, they nearly ran into Janeway and Chakotay, who were right behind them and must have heard everything.

 

"Ah," the host said, suddenly all warmth. "Admiral Janeway. Such a pleasure to have you here."

 

He hadn't mentioned Chakotay, so clearly it was her CINC glory he was sucking up to.

 

"Hold up, Shaw," Janeway said, turning a blazing smile on the host. "Paulo, is our table for two or four?"

 

"It will accommodate four, ma'am."

 

"Then why not have my very good friends here join us. You know they saved us all during the Frontier Day fiasco, right?"

 

"I thought that was Admiral Picard."

 

Shaw tried to stop himself from growling and failed. Chakotay was the only one who heard him and laughed. He looked over at him and got a look of commiseration that could only come from long-term interaction with the Jean-Luc-ness of it all. He would have to get to the bottom of this. Maybe he and Chuckles could find some common ground that didn't start with "Seven" and end with "of Nine."

 

"We can, of course, make a place for your guests." Paulo sent an employee scurrying.

 

As they waited, Janeway said, "You can even sit on the same side of the table and hold hands or play footsie or whatever it is you two do when Raffi isn't with you."

 

"Pretty much the same thing we do when she is." He met her gaze and didn't look away.

 

"Oh, I like you, Liam Shaw. You have balls."

 

"Last I checked, yes."

 

"Your table is ready, ma'am."

 

And then they were following the host's assistant to a table by the windows with a view of a pretty courtyard. "Enjoy your meal."

 

"I'm sorry, Seven. I didn't give you much chance to weasel out of this." Janeway looked at Chakotay. "Or you. But it's time you two worked things out."

 

"Only not too much," Shaw said.

 

"Right. Not too much." She winked at him and he found himself falling under the Janeway spell. Damn it all.

 

Chakotay smiled at Seven. "Truce?"

 

She held up her hands and shrug-nodded.

 

"Sev, you're not overwhelming anyone with your energy."

 

She sighed very theatrically but did say, "Truce," in a gentle way.

 

"Ooh," he said pointing at the menu. "Blue ribeye."

 

She grinned at him and shut the menu. "That was easy."

 

Janeway also shut her menu. "I love that. Chakotay doesn't. Vegetarian for him."

 

"Yet you brought him to a steakhouse. Wow, that's what love is once the thrill is gone, Sev."

 

Seven cackled, but Janeway and Chakotay both glared at him.

 

"They appear to not enjoy us, Liam." She took his hand under the table and squeezed gently. "However can we make it up to them?"

 

"Tell me you forgive me." Chakotay actually sounded sincere. "I know we can't undo what's done, but I wish I'd done things differently."

 

"Amen to that," he muttered.

 

"Stop," Seven said with a gentle laugh. "He's being sincere." She held up their linked hands. "Obviously we're with the people we're supposed to be with now. Let's just start over, you and I."

 

"I'd like that."

 

Everyone was smiling and happy until Janeway asked, "So does that mean Raffi is a person you're supposed to be with or not? I'm having trouble keeping up."

 

Seven sighed and muttered, "Join the club," while Shaw shook his head and said, "Wrong day. Don't ask. Please."

 

"You're all too old for this nonsense."

 

"Hard agree." Seven smiled at the server coming up. "Fortunately food will distract us."

 

"And drink," he said—only not bourbon because that could make Seven surlier than she was already.

 

"Malbec?" Chakotay asked with a grin.

 

"What else do you have in mind? I hate to be pigeon holed."

 

"They have a Cabernet that's supposed to be divine."

 

"I'm game. But will it go with your veggies?"

 

"Shut up, Shaw." He rolled his eyes and ordered the wine.

 

"I was actually serious," Janeway said once the server had taken their meal orders and left. "Are you two a couple now or is Raffi still in the picture but just off solving yet another mystery we didn't know needed to be solved?"

 

"She's babysitting her granddaughter," he said to stop Seven from possibly saying something worse.

 

"Sweet."

 

"With the tribble victim." That was something else. He wasn't sure it was worse. He wasn't even sure what it meant.

 

"Oh." She chuckled almost involuntarily. "I'm not sure I follow why she would be."

 

"They're...friends." Seven practically spit the word out.

 

"Hansen, let's not air laundry that is not yet laundered right this second, 'kay?"

 

She glared at him but nodded. "We're working through some things."

 

He smiled. "It'll be fine."

 

"Or not."

 

"Or not." He smiled even bigger. "So, you two. Can I even call you Kathryn?"

 

"We're eating together, Liam. I believe you can."

 

"I don't know, Kathryn. I'd pay good money to have him call you ma'am all night." Chakotay winked at him.

 

He winked back even in an even more exaggerated manner and Chakotay cracked up.

 

Goddamn it. This dinner was going to be fun and everything.

 

He put his arm around Seven and kissed her cheek, then whispered in her ear, "You okay?"

 

She met his eyes and nodded, her smile lovely and he knew she'd let this thing with Raffi go.

 

At least for the next few hours.

 

##

 

Seven leaned into Liam, his arm around her, as they said goodbye to Kathryn and Chakotay. The dinner had been nice—a new start.

 

Was that what this was? The beginning of her and Liam with Raffi perpetually on the verge of a fucking choice?

 

She knew she should be patient, should try to relax, but she wanted to move forward. The three of them. Not sit in this goddamned emotional stasis forever.

 

She couldn't even continue being petty and suggest they go to Liam's apartment because he'd moved everything out. Then again he had guest quarters.

 

But their new big bed was comfortable no matter how many were in it.

 

Was tonight the night Raffi tried Worf on for size in his bed?

 

Fuck she hated this.

 

"Let's go home," she said finally. "Our quarters."

 

He pulled her to him. "I love you."

 

"I love you too."

 

"Just give her time, babe. I really do think we're making progress."

 

"I know you do. But you haven't watched her leave twice already."

 

His face fell. "True." He pulled her hands up to his lips, kissed them in a way that made her laugh. "Am I going to be enough?"

 

"Yes. Am I? I know you're falling for her."

 

"I am. So hard it's shocking. But yes, you are. Whatever happens, my beautiful Seven of Nine, we are solid."

 

She felt something inside her settle at that. Raffi would make her choice eventually. Being pissy wouldn't make her want to choose them. So she'd have to get over this. She loved to tell Raffi to let shit breathe; now she'd have to.

 

They walked for a while, then beamed up to the ship, holding hands as they walked down the corridor to their quarters.

 

Raffi was waiting in the doorway, the door bumping against her. "I may have set an alert for when you got back."

 

"Why aren't you with Worf?"

 

"Because Worf is my very, very, very good friend. But he's not you two."

 

"You mean?"

 

She nodded and Seven let out a girlish squeal she wasn't aware she was even capable of and nearly tackled her as she hugged her. She heard Liam laughing behind her and held her hand out, felt him hold on as she pulled them both inside the quarters so that the door could shut as they got closer to their lovely, comfortable, magnificent bed.

 

"Is he mad? Are we in danger?" Liam asked, ever the pragmatist.

 

"He isn't. He understands." Raffi smiled up at him and Seven knew they were communing in their own way, and that was fine. Just as long as Raffi was here with them.

 

She turned to Seven. "I'm sorry I hurt you making you wait."

 

"I'm not good at waiting. That didn't help things."

 

"What she said," Liam said with a laugh. "The worst at waiting."

 

"So true." Raffi reached out, touched them both on their cheeks, her eyes incredibly soft. "I really want to throw you two onto the bed and have my way with you, but we just ate so much ice cream."

 

"Sadly I am with you on that. We had a huge surprise dinner with the CINC and Chuckles."

 

"You know someday I'm going to slip up and call him that." Raffi glared at him, then at her when she laughed at the thought. "Did you guys go to that Brazilian place?"

 

Seven looked down. "You know me too well."

 

"Also, you'd need the CINC to get into that place. The wait for a table is counted in months not hours."

 

He glared at Seven. "You failed to mention that."

 

"I didn't know."

 

"Was it good?"

 

"Yes, we are for sure going back—with you." Liam pressed her hand into his cheek.

 

"Well, if we're not going to fuck—and for the record I concur. I'm stuffed. Let's go to Ten Forward," Seven said. "Just be together. Let the crew get used to this."

 

"That a great idea, hon'. But who sits with who—let's get that solved before we look like a clown car at a booth."

 

"Let's keep changing it up. Really confuse them." Liam looked like a naughty little boy.

 

Raffi laughed. "You're such an idiot. But you're our idiot, so..." She looked at peace and amused and all the things Seven loved most about her. "Oh and big yes to those cabins."

 

Liam grinned very weirdly.

 

"What cabins?"

 

"You'll find out." Raffi laughed at her expression.

 

"But—"

 

"Baby, let it breathe." She was laughing so hard when she said it, and Liam was chuckling too.

 

"Yeah, yeah, very funny. Fuck you, both." She headed for the door and then turned to look at them. "You're lucky I love you."

 

"That we are, Sev," Liam said, already following her and holding out his hand to Raffi.

 

She took it. "That we are."

 

FIN

 

Return to Picard page