> Day three, Early morning
"Drink this," Seven said as she handed B'Elanna a glass with some yellowish liquid in it.
"With breakfast?" B'Elanna asked confused since both of them hadn't yet replicated their choice for the day.
Seven hesitated for a moment. "Before. It has a somewhat bitter taste. While it does not taste repulsive, it does not taste good enough to drink with a meal."
"What is it?" B'Elanna asked as she brought the glass to her lips.
"Poison."
To B'Elanna's credit, she only paused for a moment before emptying the glass in three big gulps. "Bah, gross. It sure tastes like poison. So how long do I have before I keel over dead?"
"The poison normally reaches full effect about one hour after consumption," Seven informed as she started to replicate her food.
B'Elanna gave her an exaggerated happy grin. "Great, that means I have time for my last meal before I die. How about you make me some pancakes as a goodbye gesture."
"B'Elanna, if I were to make you pancakes there would be a big chance that you would truly die," Seven informed seriously.
"That bad?" B'Elanna wondered as she saw that Seven replicated herself also a glass of yellowish mystery liquid.
Seven sat down at the folding table. "Let me put it this way. When I was with Kathryn and we happened to get hungry, she was the one that replicated the food."
B'Elanna cringed. She knew just how bad Kathryn was at preparing food. Somehow she had even managed to burn food once that come from the replicator. "That bad? But you are great with machines. And just to be nice I'm even letting out the joke of you as a machine being able to talk to them."
"I 'am' able to talk to them," Seven reminded as she extended her assimilation tubes for a moment. "However the problem is that just like me, the replicator does not know how food is supposed to taste. All the replicator does is replicate the substance as programmed. And since I am able to navigate through data menus I am able to replicate the basics. It is with combinations that I have a problem."
"Ah, B'Elanna said in understanding. "So you know how to replicate the pancakes. Where it goes wrong is in the combination of added stuff like syrup or butter. That explains why you still drink those nutrient supplements. They are programmed in the computer as one complete program; nothing for you to change."
"True," Seven agreed as she waited for B'Elanna to replicate her own food. "And the fact that I actually like them. They taste nice and fill me up more than normal food."
"Yeah, but with normal food part of the fun is the eating," B'Elanna said, pointing the utensils she had just replicated at the blonde. "The fact that you taste it is sometimes more what's it about, than needing the nutrients."
"I am quite happy with the taste of my supplements," Seven informed.
B'Elanna put her plate on the table before sitting down, making Seven frown in confusion because she had put it down in front of the blonde.
"Try it," B'Elanna suggested as she reached for Seven's drink and took a sip, only as she was already sipping realizing that she had done so without asking if it was alright. Since Seven merely looked at her confused, B'Elanna decided to just move on instead of trying to apologize for it. "The clue is in the name, Seven. It's called supplements for a reason. It's actually supposed to be used with real food, to add to it, to make sure you get enough of all you need. But it shouldn't really replace all food. Hmm, it does actually taste pretty good." She nodded to Seven's glass with yellowish mystery substance. "So what is that stuff you had me drink before?"
"It is poison," Seven repeated. "And it normally starts to work within one hour. It is supposed to last for forty hours, but you cannot overdose on it, other than the fact that drinking more than ten glasses of it in one day will cause diarrhea. So I would suggest that we take it each morning with breakfast."
"And I would willingly drink poison because," B'Elanna prompted.
Seven drained her own glass of the stuff, also clearly not really liking the taste. "Because it is an insect repellant. It works by being absorbed by the body and then passing through the skin with normal perspiration. As our visitor this morning proved, the sonic fence is basically useless. So its only purpose right now is to keep the insects out. However, insects are needed in an eco-system. We are basically slowly killing the nature inside the sonic fence if we do not allow insects in for pollination and cleaning up old debris."
B'Elanna nodded her head. "I like the idea. More so since it basically means that we are taking our protection with us. That means we can explore the area a bit further, or at least have a nice stroll under the trees." She nodded to Seven's now empty glass. "Can we add some sweeteners to that without neutralizing it? Because you were right, it is drinkable, but if I'm going to have that each morning for the rest of the time we are here, I think I would start gagging on it in two or three days."
"I will look into it," Seven said as she hesitantly cut one of the pancakes.
B'Elanna chuckled. "You will look into it to see if it's possible, but I'll be the one to do it, Miss 'I can't get a replicator to give me good food'. And talking about that, you might want to try some syrup on them. Pancakes are kinda dry without something on them; they are designed that way. It's assumed that you put something on them."
She drained the glass with supplements. "This is actually pretty good. I think that once we are back on Voyager I'll start using that as breakfast. It's fast and clean. Thought it doesn't really fill as I expected it would."
Seven took a bite of her by now covered pancakes. Her eyes went wide in pleasant surprise. After a second, and more eager, bite she explained, "That is because it is designed not to. A lot of food, like this also, makes you feel full at that moment, and then slowly you get more hungry. The nutrient supplements are designed to not fill you up like that, but instead satisfy the hunger feeling and keep it at that level over a longer time. Often people eaten new food because their body says that it is hungry, and not because the body actually needs it. The nutrient supplements are designed to prevent this. You should notice it. You may not feel full, but you also should not crave more food."
B'Elanna concentrated on herself for a moment as she looked at how Seven was devouring the pancakes. "You are right, I don't feel hungry anymore. But, I don't know. As I said, on Voyager that's a good thing with breakfast. But being full can be part of the experience. It gives you a sated feeling. It satisfies you. The nutrient supplements don't. It just stops the hunger."
"True," Seven had to agree right before a small burp worked itself free.
"Easy there, Sev," B'Elanna said amused as she saw how the blonde covered her mouth in surprise. "I'm not gonna take it away again. I thought you said you had food with Kathryn."
"I have," Seven said, slowing down a bit with eating. "However, I have a feeling that Kathryn has, just like the rest of the ship, a certain image of me. Though with Kathryn it is obviously more positive. Still, Kathryn prefers to offer me foods that you could call more dignified."
"Ah, actually, that's just the stuff she likes," B'Elanna disagreed, knowing what Seven was talking about. After having been in a relationship with her, B'Elanna knew only too well what kinds of food Kathryn liked. "You got to remember that Kathryn grew up on a farm. Though no longer an active one, Gretchen, Kathryn's mother, still lived the country live, with what people like to call country cooking. Which translates to sturdy and healthy food." Suddenly the Klingon grinned wickedly. "Ooh, I'm going to be nasty."
"You are?" Seven asked before eating the last of the pancakes. She looked at the plate, feeling the interesting mix of her body telling her that it had eaten enough food, and at the same time telling her that it wanted more.
"Yep," B'Elanna said happily. "I'm going to corrupt you. I'm going to introduce you to all kinds of evil food, like pancakes, ice-cream, pastries. Stuff like that. And then Kathryn will have to suffer through you wanting that to eat instead of the food she likes to eat."
"You truly are mean sometimes," Seven accused, before admitting, "I like it. That is the one thing I did notice. Kathryn yields to the Captain too often. She is hesitant to try things, worrying that the crew might find out that she too is a woman that sometimes just wants to play."
She looked at the plate once more. "It is interesting. My stomach is telling me that it is full, yet my mind is telling me that I want more pancakes."
"Go with what your stomach tells you," B'Elanna suggested. "The thought that you want more is quickly forgotten when you go do different things."
"And what are we going to do today?" Seven wondered.
B'Elanna shrugged. "Well, I'm gonna start with making a seat. Maybe a table too. After that, no clue." Then she remembered something. "Oh, I was wondering last night when I was trying to fall asleep. We are here to mine that rare dilithium. Could we go mine some of that so that we at least have some of it when Voyager shows up? We might have to leave it behind, but maybe we don't and then it would be nice if we at least had some."
Seven thought about it for a moment. "I did do a scan for the dilithium when I made a scan from the area after we landed. It did not show up then. The problem is that the dilithium is hard to find as it is. We were supposed to scan from it from the shuttle while flying over the land. Then we would have a direct ninety degree vertical angle. But now that we are landed the crystals are harder to find since we do not have a proper scanning angle."
"But I didn't hear you say no," B'Elanna noted.
"Because I know you would not accept a direct no?" Seven countered.
"Well, true," B'Elanna was forced to admit. "Unless there truly is no other option. But we haven't yet reached the stage where I can believe your word over my natural nature to want to know things, right?"
"I believe we will never reach such a state," Seven pointed out. "Thanks to your explanations I now understand more about the mentality of wanting to see things for one self. And you have that mentality. It is not something to be annoyed at or upset about; it is simply you. But I do think that one day we can reach a state where you will be able to 'take my word for it' if I tell you that something is too dangerous for you to try."
"I like that compromise," B'Elanna approved after a moment of hesitation. "So what is the option that didn't make you say 'no' straight up?"
Seven nodded in the direction of some of the storage crates. "Because we still have the transporter we could use, and the industrial tricorder that is normally used during mining to pinpoint deposits."
"Beaming is extremely limited," B'Elanna reminded. "That was one of the reasons why we were supposed to use the shuttle. Because of the time differences we couldn't launch the relay satellites that are normally placed in orbit to make sure you can transport all over the planet."
"True," Seven agreed. "We can only beam as far as our sensors reach; both are limited not by their power, but by the rounding of the planet. We cannot beam to a place that the beams cannot reach. Still that gives us a two thousand kilometer radius to work in. On most planets, even this one, I am certain that normal dilithium can be found in that radius. The problem is that we are not looking for normal dilithium. And that we have to scan down. If there is too much of a horizontal angle to it the rare dilithium will not show up on the scan. So the only option I see is that we divide this two thousand kilometer radius into a grid and beam to each spot, then do a tricorder scan there, and if we find nothing we beam to the next spot. It is not as much the scanning, when we are in the spot we can do that with tricorder. It is getting to the spots."
B'Elanna nodded in understanding before asking, "How far apart have the points of scanning have to be?"
Seven hesitated for a moment before stating, "I estimate that it would have to be two hundred meters at most, preferably one hundred."
B'Elanna nodded slowly. "You are right; that basically is a no. A two thousand kilometer radius is something like millions of square kilometers. Add to that doing a scan every two hundred meters. It's crazy."
"A two thousand kilometer radius equals over 12.5 million square kilometers," Seven felt that she had to inform. "Or in other words, we would have over 314,000,000 potential scanning points if we scanned each 200 meters. Again, it would be an option if we were looking for regular dilithium. However we have to keep in mind that we are looking for a rare kind of dilithium. Rare, as in not found everywhere."
"In other words, even if we did all of those scans, there is still a big chance that we don't find anything at all simply because there might be none of that dilithium in the area around us," B'Elanna said in understanding. "Alright, I am willing to call that a no."
She pointed to the glass that had held the drink Seven had given her that was supposed to keep bugs away. "So, we can take down the sonic fence now?"
Seven hesitated. "I would suggest only switching it off. We have seen the biggest predator here, and that the sonic fence has no effect on it. However, there might be other predators. Predators that are not the top predator, but that might still be tempted to attack us."
"Good point," B'Elanna agreed. "We could switch it on at night during those times that we had our sleep and are moving around the shuttle while it's still dark out. But, I had enough sitting around. I'm itching to take a long walk around the area and now that I don't have to worry about being eaten by bugs I'm going to do just that."
"It would be unwise for you to go out alone," Seven noted. "Even if armed. You might have an accident."
B'Elanna looked at her. "No needs for the arguments, Sev. I was going to ask you to come along."
Seven opened her mouth, but then thought better of it. Instead she just dipped her head.
B'Elanna grinned. "That will take you some time to get used to, right? That the stupid hothead actually asks you to come along."
A small smile twitched over Seven's lips. "I never thought that you were stupid, nor did I ever call you such."
B'Elanna laughed. "No, just hotheaded, right?"
"Hotheaded, thickheaded, even squareheaded," Seven admitted.
"Squareheaded?" B'Elanna asked amused.
"Nowadays it is seen as somewhat of an insult for Engineers," Seven admitted. "However it was mostly used in the Terran-Raan five year war. There it was used to reference the fact that people with a 'square head' could not fit a standard helmet. In other words, uncommon soldiers should not be forced into standard rolls. Instead you should use their abilities to be different. Hence squarehead."
"Funny how some of those references start, isn't it.... Blondie?"
"It is," Seven agreed.
~~~
> Kathryn filler.
Kathryn took a slow sip from her drink as she looked over the glass at her tablemate who was mirroring her actions. "So there aren’t many of your species left?" Kathryn asked after they both had put their glass down.
Onarsa shook her head. "No, we are a dying species. In all, there are maybe three-hundred of us left. Not even enough to keep the species alive."
Kathryn pursed her lips and apparently Onarsa had guessed what she was thinking about.
"Our grandparents thought of that option," Onarsa admitted. "Yeah, we could keep the species alive if all of us that are left would come together and live and make lots of babies. But what's the use? We don't have a true home anymore. We have no rich history we need to keep alive... other than the stories of our destruction. So what's the use? They opted to just live their lives. Do what they want, go where they want. The only nod in the direction of keeping the species alive is a yearly gathering. A big party you could call it. All Draenei alive try to be there. We have fun, but the underlying thought is really for young Draenei to meet and hook up, hopefully keep our species alive for one more generation."
"Oh, and did you find someone interesting at that yearly party?" Kathryn asked. "After all, you don't mind going to bed with a... business partner... for a deal even if that person is in a relationship. So it's not that hard to think that you would also not think of your own partner." Kathryn heard her own words and cringed mentally before adding somewhat lamely, "No disrespect meant."
Onarsa shrugged. "It is not my job to guard someone else's dedication. It's not me that should say 'no' of someone wants to jump me and happens to have a partner. It would however be my job to do so if 'I' had a partner, which I don't." She thought for a moment before adding, "But even then I think that I could only be in a relationship with someone that accepts that I'm a business person. And that sometimes sex is the best currency. I wouldn't just jump into bed with everyone, but if it would bring me a deal I would. And any partner of mine should accept that or else we would not be partners long."
Kathryn chuckled. "Ah, good, that means that I don't have to worry about there ever being something between us; because I could never be in such a relationship."
The Draenei frowned. "Interesting. I would think that you as a Captain of a ship would understand only too well."
"What do you mean?" Kathryn asked.
"I may only have a runner ship," Onarsa said, "But I have a crew, and I know other captains. Even the sleazy ones care for their crews. If for nothing more than that they know that only by doing that the crew will care for them. Well, alright, there are some exceptions, but in general that's the case."
"I do care," Kathryn assured, "Sometimes more than should." This last was not a statement she would have made to many people, but she had a feeling that a fallow captain would understand what she meant.
Onarsa nodded. "So tell me, if you care for your crew, are you willing to die for them?"
"Yes," Kathryn said, kinda surprised by the suddenly serious twist to what had until now had been just an extension of the flirting they had been doing.
"So, you would be willing to die for them, but you wouldn't sleep with someone to save them?" Onarsa persisted.
"Ah," Kathryn said in understanding. "That, I actually did. I pretended to like people, played them, made them do stuff for me so that the ship would survive."
Onarsa spread her hands a little. "And with me, deals I make bring me money, I pay the crew, they feed their families. My crew may only count fifteen people, but all in all I put food in the mouth of almost a hundred people." Then she shrugged. "I have the option of getting out of this business, or not. I decided not to because I like the living. And if I am in this job, I see no reason why I should resent it. I embrace all aspects of it. I love the thrill of making a good deal. I even enjoy arguing with traders like Brann. And if I have to screw someone to make a deal, I prefer to enjoy it instead of being disgusted by it. Enjoying it is a lot more fun. And as a nice bonus, if I enjoy it and it shows in my actions, then the people I'm screwing tent to be more generous in their dealings with me."
"Interesting standpoint," Kathryn had to agree. "Not something I would do, but I can see your point. If I slept with someone, I considered it a last resort, the proverbial do or die. Even if I was the one that started it, I knew that if I didn't there was a very small chance of my people living to see another month. But yeah, I guess you got a point. If you have to do it, then better get some pleasure out of it yourself."
Onarsa lifted her glass in salute.
Kathryn did the same and both took another sip. As they put their glasses back down she once more took in the exotic beauty across from her. She looked young. But Kathryn noticed something about her eyes, besides the fact that they were so light gray that they almost seemed white. She put that one down to the fact that her blue/gray skin was such a dark shade, which of course resulted in light eyes looking even lighter. No, what she noticed was that there was a calculative wisdom there. A look not many young people had. Not even Seven, who could remember the horrors she had to do as a Borg drone.
Finally Kathryn decided to simply ask, "I'm curious, would you mind telling me how old you are?" She decided to make something of a joke out of it before adding, "I don't want to be breaking any laws by talking to an underage person or something."
"Why, do you have a thing for young women?" Onarsa laughed.
Kathryn couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, I do have to admit that the ones I have been with tended to be a bit younger than me. Seven, the friend I told you about,"
"The one you share the bed with," Onarsa added.
"Right, her. She is actually seventeen years younger than me. And my other friend before that,"
"The one you had a romantic relationship with," Onarsa added.
"Yes," Kathryn agreed. Normally she didn't like it is people reminded her of stuff she said. Mostly because it clearly came across that they were trying to remind her of that fact. She didn't like it, because she damn well could remember by herself. But with this woman, Kathryn got a feeling that she was adding the details not as much to remind her that Kathryn had said it, but to show that the dark woman had been listening and paying attention. "She is fourteen years younger than me. Come to think of it, my first woman, the third and final woman I ever been with if you are keeping count, she was ten years younger than me. But that's over ten years ago."
Onarsa smiled again and Kathryn wondered, 'Why the hell am I telling her this? I never tell people personal stuff like this. Only B'Elanna knows that she was my second woman.'
"Only three lovers?" Onarsa purred, almost making it sound like a 'tisk tisk' sound.
"Three women," Kathryn corrected, but decided not to start talking about the men in her life.
Onarsa nodded her head a little as if she just saw the light. "Ah, yes, I heard about that strange thing. Women liking women, and men as well. They are rumored to even sleep with men."
Kathryn frowned before she saw her own version of the light. "You are messing with me."
"Maybe," Onarsa admitted. "Actually, I know man/woman relationships. It is how I came into this universe after all. It's just that I'm a woman only kind of girl. Oh, I screw a guy if I really have to to make a deal. But believe me, before I do, it would basically have to be demanded as payment. So I know all about it, because I have done it. But then I sure made sure to make it fast. The men I have been with didn't seem to mind. They seemed to prefer my... how did one call it... directness of just wanting to get to the point and screw. Five minutes of opening my legs, fifteen minutes of being nude in total, and at the same time thinking of what I need to repair on my ship or where I need to go, and I got some nice contracts out of it."
She shrugged to indicate how little it bothered her to have to do deals like that, and in the same time showing Kathryn just how little the experiences had meant to her. "There are harder ways to get contracts. But I honestly just can't see how a woman would sleep with a man willingly and even like it."
"It has its benefits," Kathryn assured. "But I think what helps with me, us, the place I come from, is that all of us get taught from the moment that we realize that there is a difference in genders that there is no right or wrong gender. We learn to look at people's characters."
She lifted a hand to stop Onarsa from talking. "Oh, don't get me wrong, we still have preferences. We have women that like only women, and women that only like men, and men that only like men or only women. But the point is that that we don't encourage for a person to make a choice and have that be for life. And as such, most of us can be seen as bisexual."
Kathryn made a hand gesture to indicate herself. "I consider myself the perfect example. If I had to choose only one gender I could ever sleep with, it would definitely be men. Which also explains why there have only ever been three women, including any one night stand and such. And yet, as that same statement indicates, there have been women. I may prefer one, but that doesn't mean I dislike the other."
Then she shrugged. "Most of us have tried both sexes in life, if for nothing more than to see if they might like it. In fact, you could argue that this is the one thing that is pushed on us. Since it's so empathized that both sexes are fine, you end up with the majority of people being about fifty/fifty in their preferences. We kinda learn by exposure that being bisexual is normal and should be encouraged. So with us, if you are someone that is only interested in one gender and tell people that, that the thought of being with the other sex makes you nauseous, people will look at you funny."
"Interesting," Onarsa said thoughtfully. "It just never worked for me. Don't like to be touched by men, don't like what they look like, and don't like how they have sex."
"And yet you have slept with them," Kathryn pointed out.
Onarsa shrugged. "I may not like it, but then I also don't like cleaning. Yet I have to clean my quarters at some point. And in my profession I sometimes have to sleep with guys, close my eyes, grunt a bit, say 'oh, yeah', and then get a nice contract out of it that keeps me and my crew in rations for a month. Luckily if it has to happen it tends to happen in offices and I just smile at them and lean myself seductively over the desk so that they can screw me from behind."
Kathryn nodded in understanding. "Which means they don't see you face while they do it and this your moan was because you like it, and in reality your face would have shown that your moan was out of boredom."
Onarsa laughed her agreements, before adding, "I do like to do the stripteases for them though. I don't mind men looking at me, just mind them touching me. I have a couple of friends that I always treat to that little gift when we meat for business. Simply because they don't ask for it, don't expect it, sure hope for it I guess, and are very fair in their dealings with me. Those two guys, now them I really enjoy to be with in one room."
"As long as they sit on their hands," Kathryn repeated."
Onarsa chuckled. "oh, I never said that they had to sit on their hands; just that those hands shouldn't be touching me. Trust me, the fact that they have to use their hands instead of just sitting there looking at me, is a measurement of my abilities to provide stripteases that would be considered class acts in paid resorts."
"So how old are you?" Kathryn persisted, now even more curious since the woman was talking like she had a lifetime of experience. A long lifetime.
"Tell you what, I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours," Onarsa teased. "How old are you?"
"Um, I'm forty-four," Kathryn said after a moment of hesitation. "And the years we use are comparable with the years used here on this starbase. Just fifteen days shorter. So in years here I'm a bit younger."
Onarsa sucked in a deep breath, making it somewhat sound like a 'oeh' sound. "Maybe I'd better leave. If people see me with such a young woman they might think that I'm taking advantage of your innocence."
Kathryn burst out laughing. "I may be a lot of things, but innocent I'm not. So how old are you?"
Onarsa gave her a smile. "Well, before I tell you that, let me explain that we Draenei are different than most species. Most species, in fact, all species I encountered other than us, have an internal biological clock that makes them age, with me so far?"
"Sure," Kathryn said amused. "Why do you think I don't mind one bit having a friend that's seventeen years younger than me that wants to share the bed with me." She mimicked the 'oeh' sound Onarsa had made. "She is so... young. Nice and firm in all the right places." She indicated the corners of her eyes. "But with me, wrinkles start to show. My body may still be fit, but I know that I'm on the downhill. It can only get worse from now on."
"Well, we Draenei don't have that biological clock that way," Onarsa explained. "Our biological clock makes sure that we grow up and become adults. But once we are this," she indicated her body with a wave of her hand, "that clock decided that it did its job and becomes inactive. We don't age like others do. I will look like this today, tomorrow and in fifty years."
"You are an immortal?" Kathryn asked surprised. "Then how come that there are so few of you left?"
Onarsa shook her head. "Not immortal. We merely don't age body wise once we are adults. But that doesn't mean we can't die. I can get hurt, I can get killed. Stab me in my heart and I'm dead within a minute or two. Destroy my ship and I will explode with it. We just don't have an end date build in, so to speak. With your species, I'm sure you can tell me and average age where people die of old age."
"A hundred and ten years," Kathryn informed.
"We don't die of old age, but that's it." Onarsa explained. "A few of us reached to be twenty-five thousand years old. They still remembered living in caves and wondering if some of those animals they captured to eat could be kept around so that they were there when needed instead of having to go hunt for them. So we 'can' get extremely old. But it's a lottery of sorts. Each day there is a chance I get into a fight, or my ship blows up, or, or, or. So there is a bigger chance that I die before that average age of yours than there is of me becoming ten thousand years old. Well, not me literally. Because I was actually pretty lucky in my life. I managed to reach 316."
"You are over seven times as old as me?" Kathryn asked amazed.
"So it would seem," Onarsa said amused. "There have been a few times in my life where I was very close to its end, but I managed to survive. Once I was even pronounced dead, only to suddenly start breathing again a few minutes later when my body decided it still had a bit of life in it. I always felt that our way of not aging was a blessing of our goddess as a compensation for killing the rest off. You know; have more time to spread the word. Still, I call it a blessing. I have seen so many people that go through their life worrying about getting old, worrying about getting closer to being old and frail, or no longer as beautiful as they once were. No longer be strong. Knowing that they will have to leave tasks they love doing to younger people. We Draenei don't have that. We live. Tomorrow could be my last day, or I could still be alive in twenty millennia."
Kathryn frowned. "Um, what do you mean that your goddess killed off your people?"
"Ah," Onarsa said, "That's right; I didn't answer why there are only a few of us left. It's simple really. Once we Draenei had a home, a planet just for us. There were several million of us. But four thousand years ago the goddess that had created us found us lacking and destroyed almost all of our species. But the problem is, if you kill everyone, there is nobody left to tell it to other people. So she moved... these days people would call it teleported... ten-thousand Draenei to a different planet and then killed everyone that was still on our homeworld."
"Ten-thousand, and only three-hundred left now?" Kathryn wondered. She didn't bother going into the idea of a goddess destroying everyone on a planet. It had probably been an asteroid impact on an extinction level. And the few people that were 'teleported' were simply a group that had been far enough away from the impact to survive. Oh, she didn't doubt that there were beings in the universe that would have the power to do so. Hell, a Q was on first name basis with her. But still, in her experience, supernatural things had a natural explanation in ninety-nine percent of the time.
"That was four thousand years ago," Onarsa reminded. "As I said, we can still die. There are only six people left that claim to have experienced being taken from our homeworld. Yes, I said claimed. I saw the look in your eyes, and you aren’t the first. Most people that hear this assume some disaster and that's it. Even our people being taken from the planet is easily explained. 'Oh, some benevolent spacefaring species came across our planet mere moments after the disaster and then teleported the survivors to their ship and placed them somewhere else'."
She shrugged. "And with only six people left from that time, even I can see the idea what others have. 'Oh, they are just making that up to have some interesting history'. With most of us being born after that time, and some like me being born way later, why should we believe that any more than... say for instance... I don't know... you telling me that you aren’t from this quadrant of space at all but from, maybe, the Alpha Quadrant. I mean, who would believe that?"
"Um, we actually do come from the Alpha Quadrant," Kathryn pointed out.
"Of course," Onarsa said in a 'sure I believe everything' tone.
Kathryn opened her moth to reply, but then closed it and narrowed her eyes. "You are messing with me; you already heard that."
"I did," Onarsa agreed with a smile. "But it does get my point across. Stories are easy to tell and hard to believe if you aren’t one of the people that lived it. As for you, after we parted ways yesterday, I looked you up. You said where you came from and how you got here to assure the base owners that you are not aligned with any of the groups here. Which, ironically enough, cause problems because they had a hard time finding a spot where you could dock because none of the factions wanted 'those strangers' close to them."
Kathryn smirked. "I looked you up as well, I have to admit. You have quite a name as a runner. People that hire you will get their cargo delivered. You always delivered, no matter what you have to do to make sure it does."
"I try," Onarsa smiled.
"You are also considered neutral," Kathryn continued. "Your species is considered to not be aligned with any faction."
"Because there are so few of us left," Onarsa explained. "Too few to bother with, but just enough to provide trans-faction services. Just because you hate the other guy, doesn't mean that you don't want what the other guys has. So either you kill him and take it, or you buy it from a third person that the first person doesn't mind selling to."
"But what I couldn't really find is just what you transport," Kathryn noted. "People are more than ready to admit that you did a great service for them, but if asked, 'and just what was it that she transported', they just say 'this and that' and suddenly have other things to do."
Onarsa shrugged. "I never ran outlawed stuff, if that's what you are getting at." Then she grinned. "But I freely admit that I am good at working inside confines. Running Boa hides is legal for the Shattered Hand faction, but punishable by death for the PETA faction. But on the flip side, PETA pays good money for Outland grain, while Shattered Hand won't let it into their territory. Sufficing to say, I go over each contract with a magnifying glass. It's those kind of runs that I specialize in; the ones that are legal at point A, but not at point C, while point B just wants you to not bring the problem to them."
Kathryn nodded. "So in other words, you live by the law of the faction that suits you best at that moment."
Onarsa shrugged again. "I don't have many scruples about what I transport, but I sure have scruples about living tomorrow too. And on that note, care for another drink?"
"Oh, yes, lets," Kathryn agreed.
~~~
> Day three, morning.
B'Elanna had to admit that she was quite a happy person. The insect repellant that Seven had given her was working a treat. They had shut off the sonic fence and insects were now buzzing all around the shuttle. Yet, not a single one of them came within a meter or so from her.
She reached for her drink and frowned. "This we need to work on though."
Seven looked up from where she was sitting, reading yet again a PADD. By now, B'Elanna knew that Seven was trying to tease as much information as she could out of the strange data the scans had given them. Anything to find some kind of explanation for who had created this planet, or made it into a giant playground, or... Hell, it could just as well be a giant tree museum.
"Work on what?" Seven asked.
B'Elanna indicated her drink with a nod. "We might be bug proof now, but our drinks aren’t. That's the second drink already with bugs floating in it."
Seven lifted an eyebrow. "You are Klingon; I thought you liked living food. Beatles, worms, they are seen as a delicacy on Qo'noS."
B'Elanna growled. "If you give me a solution right now, I might forget you said that."
"I must admit that I rather like the fact that you look to me for solutions instead of thinking about it yourself," Seven confessed. "But surely the solution is obvious." Then she added graciously, "Maybe too obvious and that is why you did not see it?"
B'Elanna put down her tool and turned to face the blonde. Interesting, only a few days ago that remark would have pissed her off. Now, after having done some talking about other stuff, some talking that hinted at the person under the shell that Seven portrayed for people to see, the comment didn't piss her off, but rather made her curious. She grinned. "My mind is focused on making this bench. Tell you what, you tell me the solution, and I'll reward you with a nice ice cream for dessert with dinner, hmm?"
Seven smiled. "That is an acceptable bribery. Very well, would you agree that the sonic fence did an excellent job at keeping the insects away from us?"
"Sure," B'Elanna affirmed. "What, you suggesting we switch it back on just to keep bugs away from our drinks?"
Seven shook her head a little. "No. What I am suggesting is that we simply take the head of one of those poles and put it on the table that the drink, or food, is standing on. The poles have a radius setting for a reason. It only works in a radius of a meter if set to that, but the point is that it forms a sphere then rather than a line to a next pole."
B'Elanna smacked herself against her head with a hand. "Duh and a width of two meters across is more than enough to cover a table and even the people sitting at it. Alright, for that you even get a second helping of ice cream."
Seven merely smiled as she realized how much fun interacting with B'Elanna could be if they were nice to each other. Nice and meaning it, that is. Not the forced being civil that they had done more recently in favor of Kathryn. "How is the bench coming along?"
B'Elanna turned back to her project. Obviously Seven could see how far along the build was, so B'Elanna interpreted it correctly to how easy or hard it was. "Not bad actually. The framework is almost done. After that I'll weld some plates on top and that should be pretty much it."
"It will need a covering," Seven reminded. "It is stainless steel. If you leave it out in direct sunlight in this location on the planet, I can assure you that within an hour the very last thing you would like to do is sit on it. Though you could probably use it as an impromptu outside cooking surface."
"Good point," B'Elanna agreed with a chuckle. "And it will give some padding so that we can sit on it for longer than five minutes without our asses hurting. I was thinking of having the replicator replicate some grade three packing foam. Should be just the right mix between firm enough to actually function as a cushion, and soft enough to actually function as a cushion." She faltered a bit as she heard her own words. "Um, if you know what I mean."
"I do," Seven assured. "A good choice. The replicator can create the foam as vacuum-packed rolls, compressing its bulk by six-hundred percent. So one piece will be more than capable of covering the bench. And I assume you will use double sided tape to keep the foam in place?"
B'Elanna shook her head. "I was more thinking spray-on Raykor glue. That stuff keeps anything in place and we don't have to deal with a cushion that is only attached in certain places."
"Good point," Seven conceded. "But, I notice that the bench not much longer than this supply crate. Was it not the intention to make it wider so that we would have more room to sit?"
B'Elanna scratched her chin. "Yeah, well. This is a first try as it is. I didn't want to make it too big to prevent structural weaknesses. I figured, we can still use the crate if we want to or make a second bench." What B'Elanna didn't say was that there had been only one thought on her mind when deciding on the width of the bench; just how nice it had felt to have Seven sit body to body with her.
"I am sure we will fit," Seven stated with a smile. The 'old' B'Elanna would have once again been pissed at the tone. How it almost sounded like Seven was graciously forgiving an error. However, the 'new' B'Elanna had heard the much more important part. That Seven had just stated what her choice would be. The blonde also wanted to sit beside her, and not on some other bench or crate.
"What plans do you have for the rest of the day?" Seven asked after a moment of silence. "Somehow I do not see you relaxing in your hammock again. At least not the entire day."
B'Elanna considered the bench's structural part complete and set down on the tubes that the stainless-steel plates would be welded to. "True, but I will still do that later on, when it's getting close to the evening. Why don't you put a hammock up yourself by the way?"
Seven hesitated for a moment before admitting, "The swinging motion would make my internal gyroscope adapt. It would compensate for the swinging and I would no longer feel the sensation. However, when I would get out of the hammock I would think that the world is swinging for the time that it would take my gyroscope to adapt again."
B'Elanna rolled her eyes. "Sev, it's not mandatory to swing you know?" As she used the short version of Seven's name, B'Elanna wondered just when she had started to do that. She couldn't remember, but in some situations it just fit. And more importantly, Seven had never corrected her on the use. "You can also just lie in it and enjoy the nice weather."
"I can do that lying on the ground, Seven noted.
B'Elanna shook her head. "Not the same thing. On the ground you are subject to bugs annoying the hell out of you... alright, so that won't be a problem for us. But the ground saps your body temperature. Sure, it is nice for a few minutes, but don't believe the stories you might have heard, you don't want to fall asleep lying on the ground. At least not without some isolation. And, let's not forget, the ground is damn hard. A hammock is a lot more fun." She stood up and held a hand out to Seven. "Come on."
Seven got up from the supply crate and took the hand. Willingly, if completely confused, allowing herself to be led to the tree side of the shuttle.
It took B'Elanna a few steps to realize what she had done. 'Oh, Kahless on a stick, I'm freaking holding hands with Seven. Now what? I can't let go, she would notice it. But, I also can't keep doing that, even if it feels so nice. No, no I didn't just think that.'
As they reached the hammock, B'Elanna finally saw her escape. "Lie down, she managed to say casually. She assumed Seven to let go of her hand, but that didn't happen. She felt her hand be lifted a bit and saw Seven glance at their hands. Only then, once Seven was sure that B'Elanna knew only too well what they had just done, did she finally let go.
Seven gingerly sat down on the moving surface.
"Lie down," B'Elanna repeated, and slowly Seven did so.
"Now tell me that doesn't feel nice," B'Elanna urged after a few minutes. She had seen how the hesitant blonde had relaxed more and more until her body had stopped fighting the secure hold of the fabric hammock.
"It feels interesting," Seven allowed.
B'Elanna chuckled and sat down on the ground with her back against the tree that Seven normally used as a backrest if she had her storage box seat there. "You are just afraid that I'll tell you 'I told you so'. Anyway, you asked me before what I was planning to do today. Well, are you up for a little walk? Now that bugs won't eat us alive, I would like to explore around the shuttle a bit more. Maybe we will find a nice little lake to swim in. I tell you, I'm glad that we have a working shower, but it would be great to have something you can sit in to relax."
"If there was such a place, it would show up on the scans," Seven reminded.
B'Elanna crossed her arms and huffed dramatically. "Spoilsport."
"You could of course make an outdoor bathtub," Seven suggested. "We have a working tunnel drill. You, we, could make a hole that is deep enough and then another ring around it so that we can sit."
"That would be a bit muddy," B'Elanna chuckled.
"Not if you spray the created step shaped hole with Elementium foam," Seven pointed out. "You could easily replicate these cans. They are still in the replicator because it is an excellent 'hot fix' substance."
"Sev, there is a reason why Starfleet never uses the stuff," B'Elanna sighed. "Yeah, it works as advertised, but you got to keep in mind that it's a Ferengi product. There is more small print on those cans than large print. And one small inconvenience is that within a few weeks it falls apart into its base components."
"According to you, we will be back on Voyager within four weeks," Seven reminded. "And Elementium foam is used as a standard engineering emergency tool in Ferengi ships because as long as it does not fall apart it is fully covering, and almost as hard as duranium, once hardened. More than enough to 'hot fix' a damaged hull and then reach a starbase for the real repairs."
"Hmm, you got a point there," B'Elanna admitted, her mind filled with lounging in a nice bath during the hottest hours of the day. Finally she got up. "But for now, how about we go exploring? The best part is, the transporter is still working, so we can walk as far as we want and then just beam back."
To her surprise, Seven shook her head. "No."
"No," A confused Klingon asked.
"No," Seven repeated before saying with a small smile, "Because as you would say, I am comfy; I do not want to get up."
B'Elanna laughed and offered her hand. "Get up, you. That's my hammock; you get your own."
Seven took the hand and let herself be helped to her feet. Since she hadn't been swinging, her gyroscope didn't need time to compensate, but she knew that this possibility had been the reason why B'Elanna had offered her a hand. After a moment she felt the grip loosening as B'Elanna started to let go. In an extremely rare move for her, Seven for once didn't think. As the hand slipped away, she tightened her hold.
They looked at each other for a moment. Unlike Seven, B'Elanna was actually thinking a lot. Well, they were friends, right? And friends could hold hands. There was nothing wrong with that. She looked at Seven as she thought about some casual comment to make. But as she saw those blue eyes looking back, she realized that a comment was actually the last thing that was needed now. Either comment. They were entering a dangerous area. Where any gesture, any move, any comment, not only could, but even would, steer what was building between them. A comment could destroy their building friendship. A Comment could move them closer to being just good friends. And a comment could lead to... more. B'Elanna was still not sure what she truly wanted.
Until a few months ago she hated Seven. Until a few weeks ago she didn't like her. And until a few days ago she was still telling herself that well, it wasn't like she hated the woman, but she sure saw no reason to interact with her. She really didn't want to have anything to do with the blonde since they already spend enough time together because of work. But ever since they had landed she had gotten to know Seven. Forced to talk or be bored. Only to find that she liked the talking and liked the person she was talking to. Liked her more and more in fact. So much that she was pretty sure that the word 'liking' wasn't good enough anymore. She wasn't sure what word would be right instead. But she was most definitely sure that right now the last thing she wanted to do was destroy an option by doing something as stupid as very deliberately pulling a hand away.
So, instead she, both of them, decided to just let things lead where they went and simply do what felt right. And right now, holding on to that hand felt right. They walked to the shuttle door. In mere moments they would let go to start doing stuff, like preparing the items they would take along. But that was alright. Because the most important thing had already happened. They had not talked, they had not done any grand or stupid gestures, they had not burned any bridges.
Instead all they had done was hold hands. Nothing more, but most importantly, also nothing less.
~~~
> Day three, early evening.
B'Elanna groaned. "These nights are going to kill me."
It was early evening. Late enough to be totally dark out, but yet so early that it would be about five more hours before they would even start thinking of going to bed. The limited room in the shuttle gave them three places to be at for a prolonged time. In the cockpit, sitting on very comfy seats and looking out at nothing, At the foldaway table and chairs that they did use for eating and doing other things, like the occasional card game. But mostly they had gotten used to spend the evenings sitting or lying on their beds. At least there they could change position if they got bored or got a sore bum from sitting.
At the moment, B'Elanna was sitting with her back against the wall of the wet room and her legs in front of her on the bed, while Seven was sitting on the edge of her bed with no back support at all. B'Elanna was sure that her back would protest in about fifteen minutes if she tried that, but Seven seemed to not have that problem so who was she to comment on it?
"Why do you not read something?" Seven asked, lifting her own PADD a bit to show what she was doing.
B'Elanna frowned. "Aren’t you tired yet of looking at that data?"
Seven gave her a look that B'Elanna would have described as a smirk if it had been any bigger. But that was the thing with Seven, she acted cold and restrained in normal activities, and her facial expressions reflected that. What B'Elanna now thought of as Seven's smile would be described as a twitching of mouth corners on many other face. But surprisingly enough, B'Elanna had decided that she didn't mind the reserved reactions. Because it did make the few times that Seven did fully laugh or did give a full smile, all the more special.
"Since I know what data you mean, I can answer that question with yes," Seven informed. "It is because of this that I stopped looking at the data and started reading something else."
"Ah," B'Elanna said, glad to hear that there might be something interesting to talk about. "Since it doesn't hold your attention anymore, what's the verdict on the data? Found something new?"
"No," Seven said shortly. After a few seconds she elaborated, "All possibilities we came up with still stand. And unfortunately, so does my believe that we will not leave this planet ever again. Mind you, I would love to be proven wrong on this, I do sincerely hope that you are right and we will be rescued. I would, in short, love to be proven wrong."
"Oh," B'Elanna said somewhat deflated. Then she braved, "I know you a bit better now, so I'm not going to ask you if you would miss anyone. I know you couldn’t care less for most, but there is a small group for who you care all the more. But I do wonder, how do you think you would deal with truly being stuck here? You are always doing something, you are always like, 'casual time is irrelevant'. I have found here that you are capable of relaxing, but I am sure it would bore you stiff soon. So, what would you do?"
"Besides 'screwing' with you like bunnies?" Seven teased.
"Um, yeah," B'Elanna said with a slight blush. "You gonna keep teasing me with the fact that I happen to admit that I think you are hot?"
"You admitted more than that," Seven reminded. "You also admitted that you would not mind having sex with me if it was not for the small detail that you only want to have sex with someone you interact with more if you are in a relationship with that person. Plus the small fact that you fantasized about me while you masturbated."
"Kahless girl, you are ruthless," B'Elanna exclaimed.
Seven smiled. "Yes, but only because we are alone and I know that you can take it. You appreciate it more than if I were to not comment on it at all. You would then also probably believe incorrect that I would not be open to the suggestion."
"Um," Was all that B'Elanna managed to say.
Seven came to her rescue by indicating her PADD once more. "As to answer your question, I believe I would keep busy by exploring things that need physical skill besides intellectual skill. For instance, as I just said, I am not reading the same data again. What I am reading, is a novel that Kathryn suggested to me once. She suggested it because it was a classic Human tale of the good facing the bad and winning. I did not like it much then, but the scenery we are in now made me think about it again."
Before B'Elanna could ask what the story was, Seven reached over to the other bed and handed her the PADD.
"Robin Hood?" B'Elanna asked in disbelief after a moment. "You are right, I so can't see you enjoying this story. So why are you reading it now?"
Because there were several versions of the story," Seven informed. "This one is quite long. However, the reason it is long is that the author is also explaining the scenery and events in great detail. The reason I am reading it is to take in all the information that has to do with the preferred ranged weapon of that time; the longbow. Before you point it out, I know that there are also dedicated texts that deal with the issue. But I wanted to read about the weapon in context. To see what it was worth to people besides the obvious fact that it was a killing device."
B'Elanna nodded slowly. "You were talking about exploring physical things. So I guess that you are interested in more than just reading about it?"
"I am," Seven agreed. "However, I discovered by now that a longbow is a lot more than just a stick with a string on it. It requires certain woods, which are harvested in only certain times of the year, only to be then dried over a long time. While I am sure I could make a longbow from these trees here, I sincerely doubt that it would be much good other than potential decoration."
"Then why don't you replicate one?" B'Elanna suggested. "Well, not a longbow of course; that won't fit in the replicator. But you could replicate the parts of a compound bow and then just build it together."
"A compound bow?" Seven repeated.
B'Elanna saved the spot in the story that Seven had been reading and then used the PADD to access the computer. After a moment, she handed it back. "Here, that is a compound bow. All parts should fit in the replicator. Come to think of it, it's more advanced, so I would say that it suits you better."
Seven looked at the rotating 3D image for a moment before reading the text below it. "Interesting, sixty percent more power, strings that do not stretch and lengthen over time, pulleys that reduce the strength needed to pull the string back, plus an aiming system."
"The arrows would have to be made in two parts, but I'm willing to bet that there are already arrow patterns in the main computer. I doubt we are the first people ever to think of replicating bow and arrows."
"There are," Seven agreed after a moment of searching. "As you say, made out of two parts that are screwed into each other in the middle. No fastenings required."
"Well, there you go, try that," B'Elanna offered.
Seven gave her a small smile. "Thank you, I think I will."
B'Elanna grinned. "No problem. It will after all be my pleasure to see you
practice and make a fool of yourself."
"You are most kind," Seven merely said as she looked at the image some more. Then seeing that she didn't really have anything else to do, she got up and headed to the replicator. Putting it together would at least take up quite some time so that she could go to bed afterwards.
As she was sitting at the table, looking at the drawing on how to fit the parts together, B'Elanna came over from the replicator and also put a bundle of parts on the table.
"What is that?" Seven wondered. One of the parts looked a lot like a rifle bud.
B'Elanna grinned. "Well, I figured that seeing you train will be funny as hell, but also very boring after some time. It would be a lot more fun if we did it together." Then a thought came to her and she added somewhat lamely, "If you wouldn't mind that of course."
"I do not," Seven assured. "I like doing things with you. I would really like it if we could practice together."
"Um, good," B'Elanna said, trying very hard not to hear a double meaning in the words. But then she saw a ghost of a smile. "Bitch. It's not nice teasing the horny Klingon."
"Then I will refrain from it tonight," Seven graciously allowed with a dip of her head. "Maybe you should take a long shower tomorrow morning, or a second tonight."
It was interesting. At the same time, B'Elanna had a lot, and absolutely nothing, to say to that. But before she finally managed to find some words, she was kept silent by a warm hand on top of hers.
"We agreed that even in a best case scenario we would be here for four weeks," Seven reminded. "This is only day three. Do you really think you can go weeks without relieving some tension? It is going to happen, B'Elanna. I am merely letting you know that I understand that and that the last thing I want for you is to try and hide in secrecy that you need to take care of bodily urges."
"It's just weird, Sev," B'Elanna admitted.
"It is not for me," Seven countered. "It is a bodily urge. The difference between you and I is that I have Borg implants that can control my hormones and you do not. You do not have a problem with me knowing that you need to use the bathroom. In fact, when we are outside and you go in, you actually tell me that you are going to the bathroom. That too is a bodily urge. You have to do that, and you are not ashamed of it. Do also not be ashamed of your other bodily urges and take care of them." She gave the Klingon a small smile. "Besides, it is in my own benefit."
"It is?" B'Elanna asked confused.
"Yes," Seven assured. "We are getting along quite well. I do not want to be faced with you being extremely irrational, frustrated, and volatile simply because you are horny to the extreme. I prefer a relaxed B'Elanna Torres."
B'Elanna chuckled. "Alright, fair enough. Now drop it. I'll keep in mind what you said and that is all I'm saying about it now."
"Very well," Seven agreed. Then she nodded to the bundle. "I ask again, what is that? The parts do not look like those of my bow."
"That's because they aren’t," B'Elanna said, glad for the change in subject. "You, my dear, are one meter-eighty of dignified composure. A composite bow fits you to a T. But I'm the volatile half Klingon. I need something more, um, brutal, I guess. And here it is; a crossbow."
Seven looked at the drawing on the PADD B'Elanna had just given her. "It looks a lot like a phaser rifle with a bow horizontal on its end."
"Pretty much," B'Elanna agreed. "Or more to the point, they found that a good form for aiming and shooting and later rifles used that same layout as well, minus the bow of course. The benefit is that unlike your bow, you don't have to keep holding the string back. So they could fit a long stronger string. Flipside is that it's actually hard to load and some of the models from history had extra tools, winches, you had to put on it just to pull the string back."
"Then why use it at all, if a bow is faster and I would guess has a further reach because the bow is bigger," Seven wondered.
"Because it takes years of training to be good with a bow," B'Elanna informed. "Well, you with your implants will probably manage it within a few weeks. But this," She picked up the PADD and looked along its edge like she was looking along a rifle. "This is a lot simpler. Just get a peasant from the field, show him how to load it and where to aim the pointy bit and you are set." She put the PADD down and picked up a stick. "These are called bolts. They are the ammo for the crossbow. Besides the nice detail that mine fit, just, in the replicator, you see that while it is shorter, that it is quite some thicker than your arrows?"
Seven nodded. "I do. More stopping power at a shorter distance?" She guessed.
B'Elanna put the bolt back down. "Right. In the race between sharp pointy bits and armor plates to stop them, there was a stage where the armor could actually stop normal arrows. But if the bugger was close enough, one of these babies would go right through the armor."
"You are right; more fitting for a Klingon," Seven agreed.
B'Elanna just gave her a grin and they started to build.
~~~