Archive of Our Own ^beta

"So, as you can see, Seven-"

The young ex-Borg blinked rapidly, her beloved Captain vanishing in front of her own eyes. 

She checked her inner chronometer 1556 hours and 44 seconds. 

Seven called out. "Captain?"

An unexpected girly shriek slipped her, a head suddenly peeking out of Janeway's uniform.

To her shock, the voice of her Captain spoke from the creature that faintly resembled a lizard of some kind and was entirely unappealing to her. "How many times do I need to tell you, it's okay if you just call me Kathryn while we're off-duty or alone.

"I know this must be a lot to take in now but there's something I hadn't gotten around to telling you yet, mainly because I had been as foolish as to think that I'd be somehow spared from having to go through this transformation again.

"Guess that was mere wishful thinking. Running away from your problems doesn't automatically make them disappear.

"On stardate 49373.4, Lieutenant Paris and I shared an... experience... on an alien planet that had the unfortunate consequence of irreversibly altering our DNA. 

"While we still appear like our original human selves 364 days of the year, 365 in odd years, every time May 16 comes around and the clock strikes 1556 hours and 44 seconds, we transform back into our utterly hideous, hyperevolved state..."

Seven instantly felt horrible for her initial response, so much more so when her clearly upset lover muttered. "Guess this is it. I had a great time with you, Seven. Back to being single, it is.

"Who would seriously want to be with a freak who transforms into this once a year. The irony of it being so close to my birthday too. 

"Sorry for leading you on and for unnecessarily keeping you around me longer while I'm in this funk, Seven. 

"You should report back to Cargo Bay 2..."

Kathryn gave off the most adorable squeal, Seven having lifted her up, stating firmly. "I will not be going anywhere, Katie.

"As your mate, I wish to always be by your side to support you, help you through difficult times and I can tell that this situation is incredibly uncomfortable for you, that you are hurting.

"You were wrong, however. Rather than utterly hideous, I find your new appearance endearing. 

"Unless you wish to break up with me, terminate our affiliation, you are not single, as I still see myself as your mate.

"We are in this together. According to what you told me, the events that occurred two years ago were beyond your control. 

"It is unfortunate that even the Doctor appears to have been unable to find a proper cure but I can not deny that I just might feel a little gratified at the prospect to be able to see and experience you in this form once a year.

"I apologize for that entirely selfish, out-of-place sentiment.

"I should not be gaining any pleasure, whatsoever, at your expense..."

Her heart melted, her beloved had started nuzzling her, clearly wanting to provide comfort.

Kathryn reassured. "It's alright, Seven. Honestly, I can't tell you how incredibly relieved and overjoyed I am by your reaction.

"I'd been so afraid to lose you, that you'd make a run for it, the moment you'd see me in my second form, so much more so after that shriek you gave off there, right after I'd transformed..."

Seven said in shockingly gentle, yes, even angelic tones. "You will never lose me, Kathryn Janeway. 

"We have been through hell and back together, quite literally, only a few weeks ago. 

"If I tell you that I love you, unconditionally, I mean it. 

"Nothing could ever shock me to a point of it resulting in me ending our relationship.

"As long as you want me, I will be there, in good times and bad."

Seven started to uncharacteristically giggle, the long feelers on her beloved's face tickling her own. 

Kathryn cooed. "You're too precious, my darling.

"My, what you said there sounded much like a marriage proposal. 

"I can't believe I lived to see the day where I got serenaded by a Borg."

She shamelessly placed a kiss on her beloved's forehead, the love she felt for the starship captain allowing her to see the woman who held her heart, not an alien creature. "It would be a great honor to get married to you, Kathryn.

"I, for one, am ready." 

Her heart ached, her beloved had started sniffling. "Oh, Seven.

"Wouldn't I know you as well as I do, I'd be convinced that you'd been pulling my leg, making fun but you were being sincere, weren't you?

"My mother once told me to marry the one who loves and stands by me while I'm at my worst. It's easy to love someone at their best but it takes true character and unconditional love to do so at their worst.

"Before I chicken out and retreat back into that shell of mine, I happily accept.

"There's nothing I'd rather do than to get married to you, be able to officially call you mine, my wife."

Seven's nanoprobes were singing, her heart seeming to expand in her chest. 

She said possessively. "Mine! You are all mine, Kathryn Janeway.

"I suggest we 'tie the knot' four days from now. 

"It would be the perfect date and occasion.

"Unless you are not agreeable getting married on your birthday, Kathryn."

Kathryn gasped, exclaiming. "No, that's actually perfect, Seven.

"I'd long since suspected that you're a romantic at heart but it's hereby been confirmed.

"Why wait when you both know that it's right and you're ready?"

Seven stared at the, in her opinion, utterly adorable mock-lizard on her arms with complete heart eyes, cooing. "Indeed, my precious.

"Is there anything specific you require, by the way?"

Kathryn told her sheepishly. "Since we'd been in water on that planet, could you, perhaps, run me a bath?

"I could also go for a cup of coffee."

Seven snorted. "You wish to consume 'coffee, black' while in your second form? 

"You indeed are Captain Kathryn Janeway, not merely an imposter pretending to be my mate."

Her cheeks flushed, Kathryn whispered, sounding very flustered. "Seven, could you, please, stop talking about mating?

"Back then, on that planet, unspeakable things that I deeply regret and am ashamed for happened.

"Those who it concerned, at the time agreed to never talk about it again.

"But we're about to get married and I don't want to keep any secrets from you. 

"After that first transformation, Tom and I weren't anywhere near as lucid as we have been the following times. 

"Actually, we weren't lucid, at all. Our human side had been fully repressed and we were acting like one would expect animals in heat to do.

"Gods, Seven, this truly is one hell of a mess I've dragged you in there. 

"I'm so sorry. What must you think of me now and with Tom out of all people. 

"It almost feels like incest to me, seeing as how he's like a little brother to me."

Seven had run that bath, carefully placing the lizard captain in the tub.

Unable to keep her curiosity at bay, she prodded gently. "What happened to your offspring?"

Kathryn squeaked. "Seven!

"Chakotay deemed it best to leave them behind in the swamp on that planet where they found me and Tom.

"I would've done the same, had I been in his stead."

Seven felt strangely disappointed, telling the older woman. "That does sound like the logical course of action in the given situation.

"I am going to prepare your coffee for you then I am going to join you."

Kathryn called out. "Don't be too long, please, Seven."

While she was preparing her beloved's drug of choice, her traitorous cortical node was assaulting her with images it had created of possible lizard babies.

'Kathryn must never learn of this.', the young woman thought grimly. 

She had returned to the bathroom, placing the small mug down on the rim of the tub. 

Kathryn guffawed at the sight of the ex-Borg efficiently undressing from that obtuse catsuit, joining her in the tub. 

Seven asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "Is it not acceptable for me to join you during your 'soak', Kathryn?"

Her Captain, after taking a hearty swig of coffee, said. "Oh, no, it's very acceptable, darling and this coffee is wonderful! 

"Just how did you get it to taste that good?"

Seven was immensely pleased by the older woman's response to her coffee, stating nonchalantly. "I 'ditched' the replicator, knowing it to be insufficient and prepared the 'real deal' with the aid of your coffee maker."

Kathryn sighed. "Oh, Seven! 

"That sure feels nostalgic. So it truly is that divine home blend of yours. Not only bad things came out of the time we were in the fangs of Annorax." 

She pecked a scaly cheek that despite the transformation bore a noticeable scar, tenderly, breathing. "Indeed, Katie."

After their soak, Seven had dressed her fiancée in a miniature version of her uniform, including pips and comm badge, to the ex-Borg's delight.

She asked. "What do you wish to do now, Katie? 

"With the way you have dressed, one could think you were planning to socialize."

Seven experienced a not entirely unfamiliar vile notion induced by the prospect of other people getting to see her beloved in her second form. 

She instantly chided herself. 'You are acting irrationally, Seven of Nine. Why would you experience jealousy now? 

'Even if other individuals get to see her in this most precious form, she is all mine, my wife or is it husband?'

She suppressed the urge to ask that irrelevant question, her mate informed her. "I thought, perhaps, we could pay Tom and B'Elanna a visit, see how they're coping with the situation."

Seven asked. "Lieutenant Torres was aware of the situation, her mate's altered DNA?"

Kathryn confirmed. "She is, yes. Again, Seven, I'm so-"

Seven told her beloved. "Do not apologize, Kathryn. I understand your initial apprehension.

"It is not too dissimilar to how I struggled due to my Borgness, was afraid to let you see all my scars and implants."

Kathryn sighed. "You were able to do so early on already, though, Seven."

She said genuinely. "Your situation differs greatly from my own, Kathryn.

"Unlike me, your second nature is merely visible once a year."

They had spend a few hours reminiscing with Tom and B'Elanna. 

Seven had gained great pleasure having Kathryn alternating between sitting on her shoulder and lap while they had been doing so.

The other couple had congratulated them on their engagement, their approval of their decision, putting both women at ease. 

They had arrived back at the captain's quarters and were lying in bed, cuddled into each other. 

Kathryn had asked whether it would be acceptable for her to use sleep as a means of regeneration to which she had reassured her that she would not need to perform another regeneration cycle for, at least, 24 hours.

Seven had already been convinced that the older woman had fallen asleep.

That's until she suddenly said. "By the way, in case you want to see the little ones. Before we left that planet back then, B'Elanna installed a camera at the swamp, allowing us to observe them."

The ex-Borg felt highly alert, asking. "Would it be acceptable for us to go watch them now, Kathryn?

"It is alright if you are too tired or do not wish to do so..."

Kathryn admitted, sounding uncharacteristically shy. "I typically do so on this day and since I haven't done so yet today, let's do so now."

Seven had sat down behind Janeway's work console, the older woman still in her lizard form again sitting on her shoulder. 

Kathryn told her. "The camera footage can be accessed through a secure channel."

Seven was deeply touched that her lover trusted her enough to share the classified access information with her. 

Both women gasped simultaneously at the sight of an impressive assembly of lizards who were clearly living their best lives down on that alien planet.

Kathryn chuckled. "Oh, my. Guess it's safe to say I'm a grandma now, heck, by the looks of it, possibly even a great-grandma already.

"I have you know that, according to Chakotay's observations, two years ago there had merely been three little ones.

"Now look at all of them."

Seven remarked, left brow quirked. "A remarkable Collective.

"I wonder whether their number is reflective of their great-grandmother's ambitions regarding our Collective."

Kathryn spluttered, rasping out. "I think getting married sounds perfect, for the time being.

"How would we reproduce, anyway?"

Seven stated matter-of-factly. "Nanoprobes."

Her lover cautioned. "You would be okay having children with me, even with the risk of me passing this genetic disposition on to them?"

Seven instantly declared. "I would. Due to the nature of the situation, I deem it highly unlikely for that to occur but despite the low probability, I would be okay with it." 

Kathryn had been back to her usual self again the next morning and Seven had felt reminded of a story she had once read to her young friend, Naomi Wildman.

The deeply enamored couple had gotten married three days later, on Kathryn's 39th birthday under the cheers of their Voyager Collective. 

Both had fallen impossibly deeper in love at the sight of her spouse in her respective outfit.

Janeway had looked truly fetching in her dress uniform and Seven had stunned everyone in the dream of a dress.

This moment sure would go down in the ship's history, much like that time on a nameless alien planet.

Without anyone's knowing, in a swamp on that same planet, a female lizard with an impronounceable name, told her newly hatched great-grandchildren a truly fantastic tale, according to which, they stemmed from hairy bipedals who covered themselves in strange garments and talked in the strangest tongue, no clicking, whatsoever.

The little ones were unconvinced, musing their great-grandma had taken her mud bath a little too seriously this morning, severely impairing her cranial functions.

The end