!!!Please Read. Extra disclaimer!!!
Two points about this chapter. First the ugly death of a mere hours old baby is talked about. Not in great detail, but it may still be disturbing. Second, in this chapter the word 'rape' is used. Not to indicate that someone physically raped someone, but to indicate that this person is not proud of what they did. After all, don't we also talk about 'raping the land' to indicate gross misuse?
The league of extraordinary ladies.
By H.W.
Chapter 4
"That's right, I never introduced myself; my apologies. My name is Rogin Deziaki Adaliac; Rogin for short."
Janeway decided to take the conversation back from there and quickly introduced the other people in the room before continuing. "If you don't mind, I would like to find out what your limits of 'charming,' as you call it, are. To do so I would like to set up a session with Tuvok and the Doctor. Tuvok's species has telepathic abilities and are known for their strong and organized mental state."
"And of course the Doctor will be there to test, try and see, if I'm actually trying to charm Tuvok and I'm not just putting up a nice show to give you a false sense of security," Rogin said with a smile.
"Of course," Janeway freely admitted. "Now, if you don't mind me asking, the leader of the day rulers told me some stories about the demonic night rulers, I would like to get your point of view."
"What did he tell you? That we slaughtered every day ruler we could find just for the fun of it?"
"Basically, yes," Janeway said with a shrug. "Let me start with an easy one. He, and some overly boring play I attended, told me that the last of the night rulers still around... you so it seems... has been going around killing people for the last four hundred years."
"And now you want to know if I really did do that?"
"I said that I was starting of with an easy question," Janeway reminded. "That question is my next one. No, my question now is, just how old are you? Are you really more than four hundred years old?"
Rogin smiled before saying in a sweet voice, "Now Captain Janeway, you as a woman should really know that it's impolite to ask a woman how old she is. So forgive me for not telling you exactly how old I am, but that instead I merely confirm that I was indeed already alive when we fought off the aliens who wanted to take over our planet."
"Which explains why you can tolerate sunlight," The doctor spoke up. "You were one of the night rulers that were cured by the day rulers. Um... you might want to know that I discovered that the cure that the day rulers used merely cured the individuals, but not the species. If you were to have a child this child would once again not be able to stand direct sunlight."
"So I found out," Rogin said with clear bitterness in her voice. "My daughter was born at night, and four hours later she died in my arms when the sunlight hit her."
Janeway remembered what she had been told about the disease; how sunlight would basically boil the skin away. She shut her eyes for a moment when just the idea a newly born child dying in her mother's arms like that hit her square in the chest. "I am sincerely sorry for your loss."
"It's been four hundred years now; you would think that it would stop hurting after so long," Rogin said while quickly wiping away some tears. "But that nicely brings me to your next question. Yes, I have killed day rulers."
Now Rogin snarled before adding, "I went back to the clinic that had cured me and had assured me that from then on all my children would be safe as well. I killed all those bastards; every last one of them."
"While I can't condone it, I can understand you killing them in a rage over losing your child," Janeway said, deliberately not asking just how many people had been at the clinic. Especially not since Rogin had so clearly stated the 'every last one of them.' "What I'm more interested in is if the other stories are true; did you kill innocent people simply for the fun of it?"
"Captain Janeway... Kathryn," Rogin corrected, remembering that Janeway had introduced herself as Captain Kathryn Janeway. "You have no idea just how difficult of a question that is."
"I don't see the difficulty. It's a simple answer; yes or no?"
"It really depends on what you consider 'fun,'" Rogin said with a sigh. "Before I answer that question fully, you answer me this question. I know that the day rulers called me a night ruler, but did they also use the name the common people normally used?"
"I didn't hear a different name, but then again I had to play nice to the government people so I wasn't really around 'common people'."
"In that case, let me enlighten you. The more commonly used, but not politically correct name, that the day rulers gave us was 'blood suckers'. The reason they hunted us was because we would feed of them. We... I... need blood, Kathryn. Even if I eat and drink other food I need to drink blood to survive."
"Now I can at least understand why they hunted you and were afraid of you," Janeway said after a long moment of silence. She started to realize that by taking Rogin on board she had opened a can of worms that she didn't even know existed.
"No, they hunted us because they didn't understand us, and never took the effort to understand us. See, we don't need the hunt, we don't need the power over victims... like the day rulers always insisted we do. The only thing we needed was the blood. If we... well, I really should stop talking about we, shouldn't I? If I get blood then all is fine, but if I don't get it, it becomes a craving. If the day rulers don't get what they call normal food, they go hungry and eventually they would literally kill just to get food. If I don't get enough blood then eventually the craving becomes too big and I won't be able to control myself while feeding; drinking too much of their blood and killing them. It really is the exact same thing, just that my kind of food is not what most would call normal. But if I get blood regularly then control doesn't even become an issue. As I said, it comes down to what you consider for fun. Normally when I feed I left the people alive, but yes, there had been occasions where I was so underfed that I lost control and drank until the person I was feeding from was dead."
"Do you have any idea what knowing this particular part of her will do to some of the crew?" B'Elanna asked.
"You mean vampire stories?" Janeway asked before looking at Rogin and explaining for her benefit. "Humans, that's my species, for centuries had stories about people called vampires that could not tolerate sunlight, that were much stronger than Humans, and drank the blood of their victims to survive. One of the things that made it creepy was not just the fact that they would kill you, but the fact that if they bit you and actually didn't kill you then you would turn into a vampire yourself. You would for ever be doomed to live in the night and do the very thing that scared you so much before."
"I can assure you, people don't turn into night rulers that way; people can't turn into night rulers in any way other than being born as one."
"So you say," B'Elanna said. "But did you ever stick around to see what happened to your victims?"
"B'Elanna, first of all, if it really was that easy to get more night rulers, do you really think the day rulers could have defeated us? All we would have had to do was bite some of them and our numbers would have been brought back up while theirs would be down. It simply doesn't work like that. Second, I told you that I already lived when the aliens tried to take over our planet; well I actually have been alive for a little longer than that. There was a time once where the night and day rulers weren't as completely hostile. True, we still fought each other, but it wasn't as ruthless as after we defeated the aliens. There was a time then that I fell in love with this beautiful person; a day ruler. During our relationship she let me feed off her several times when I didn't find enough blood to still my hunger. She did this because she knew that by doing so I could control my hunger and wouldn't bring the day ruler hunting parties to our home."
"Point being?" B'Elanna asked annoyed. She really wanted to be pissed at Rogin, but she couldn't really bring herself to do it, and that was the part that annoyed her.
"Point being, that I lived with her for sixty years. I fed of her about ten times during those years, she never turned into a night ruler, and she eventually died of a combination old age and stubbornness."
"Stubbornness?" B'Elanna asked.
"Yes. Seeing that I wasn't aging as she was, she wanted to prove that she too was still young; she never stopped riding the Bullaks at the farm and one day she was thrown and died. She never believed me when I told her not to worry, to me she was still as young and beautiful as the first day I met her, which was true. To me the soul of a lover is important; not the firmness of her skin."
"I have to admit that I don't really know what to do with you," Janeway said when B'Elanna didn't react. "On the one hand you seem to me like a person that I would welcome gladly onto my ship; someone that I would like to offer a position in my crew. But on the other hand I find myself troubled about how easily you seem to talk about killing. I'm not even talking about the people at that clinic. I'm talking about people that died while you fed on them. Or the fact that you never denied that you did indeed kill as many people as the day rulers said you did."
"Kathryn, do you really want a number? Somehow I have a feeling that you don't. What do you want from me, remorse? Am I sorry that people died while I fed from them? Sure, it was never my intentions then to take lives. But really does it make much of a difference? With the exception of a few people, the number of which I can count on one hand, people never gave me permission to feed on them. I violated every single one of them. Over the years I have violated more people than you are probably imagining right now. Really, where is the difference? If I had told you that I had raped people, you would be putting me in jail right now, or throw me off this ship. Well I did; I raped people. My whole existence is nothing more than one rape after another. The only difference is in location. I didn't touch their genitals, but I sank my teeth into their necks, and every time I did I violated another person."
Rogin shook her head as if replying to an unasked question. "You just told me that you don't hold it against me that I killed the people at the clinic; why not? Do you really think that everyone at the clinic was guilty of lying to me? What about the nurses I killed that day, don't they count? Or what about the patients that were at the clinic? They were nothing more than innocent day rulers that had the bad luck to get sick or hurt on the wrong time of the wrong day. So why are you asking me these questions? You aren't going to let me loose on this ship, all you will do is kick me off as soon as you are sure that we are far enough away that you can keep my promise of me never going back home."
"And just maybe you know nothing about us," Janeway countered. "To me there is a difference between what you did and rape. You were surviving. It was you or them, not you and your lust and the hell with them. The clinic, do you really think that I hadn't realized that there had to be innocent people there? Of course I did. The point was that I can see a good reason for you doing what you did. You were angry; furious. You were hurt by day rulers and now you were going to hurt them back. As I said, I don't condone it, but I do understand it. Tell me honestly, if we were to give you the blood you need to survive, would you have to feed off someone ever again?"
"Wh... you would... surely you wouldn't."
"Actually, unlike what you seem to think, we would. It really isn't that much of a problem. We have a technology that doesn't exist on your planet. We can make food... of any kind... out of a base product by having machines we call replicators rearrange molecules into the desired product. Granted, we have regulations that would normally prevent crew members from getting things like real blood or real flesh or things like that. But all it takes is a command override."
"We have been replicating blood for transfusions and operations for almost one hundred years now in the Federation," The Doctor spoke up. "With much success I might add. Because it is replicated blood we are sure that it's free of diseases and anything that really shouldn't be in blood. Though depending on how you prefer to drink it I would suggest changing the color so that it looks like a normal drink. Again, no problem."
"You have to understand where we come from," Janeway continued where the Doctor left off. "The Federation exists out of more than one hundred species, and we deal with many more. If you want to have such a group of different species work well with each other you have to understand and accept differences. B'Elanna here is a half Klingon. Klingons aren't part of the Federation but their Empire borders our space. Because of that we have had dealings with them for over four hundred years now. We have been at war several times, and right now we are allies. One of the rules in the Federation is that you are not allowed to eat living animals. The Klingons have several dishes that exist out of live animals. But that doesn't mean that the Federation doesn't deal with them, it merely means that they have other customs than us. But you know what? The best Federation ambassadors in our history have been the ones that sat down at that Klingon table and ate those live animals while joking around with the Klingons."
"If I decipher that correctly, you are telling me that you will give me the blood I need, if in return I do something for you. What is it that you want? Just know that I don't lower myself to begging, if you want to have me do petty things you find someone else for it."
Janeway once again gave a small smirk. This time she pointed to the woman standing behind Rogin. "Zanitear said almost exactly the same thing when she joined us, she just used nicer words. Here is the deal; every one on this ship does a certain job for us. In return for that we give them a place to stay; to call home. Food, clothing, friends if they want. Zanitear is the latest addition to our ship. While she is not part of the crew, she did agree to join security and thus do a job for us. We would expect something like that from you. You get a place to call home. You get food... of both the kinds that you need... and in exchange you do a job for us. Eight hours every day, five days out of seven with the two shifting days off, and on top of that twenty days off per year to pick at your own choosing."
Janeway was quiet for a moment before adding, "But let me be honest with you; that's what it says in the books. In reality we are understaffed on this ship. That means that normally people work more than that, and have less time off. B'Elanna clocked fifty five hours last week, I clocked sixty-one."
"But the point is," Rogin said in understanding, "That I would get the same deal as the others. I would not be used and abused because you control the stuff that is needed to still my addiction."
"I don't want to call it an addiction," Janeway disagreed, mostly to show Rogin that she understood her problem. "An addiction you can get rid of with help, but if you stop getting blood you will eventually die. On the planet, the day rulers were going to kill you by starving you to death; I now understand what they meant. Don't worry; to us the blood you need is a food you need. Even if you did something that would land you in the brig we wouldn't withhold you what you need to live. But if you don't mind I would like to go with the doctor's idea of changing the color, maybe the name as well. Something like calling it a food supplement. While I'm sure that the crew will understand your problem, there is no need to make them uncomfortable. In fact, we will consider this part of you medical file, which means that you and you alone will decide if you will tell anyone else just what exactly your food supplements really are."
Janeway let her eyes drift to B'Elanna and then to Zani before adding, "I'm sure that I don't have to point out to you that this information isn't to leave this room? Good."
"I have to admit that I'm amazed that you are actually willing to give me a chance, but if you are willing to give it, I'm willing to take it. What kind of job do you have in mind for me?"
"I don't know," Janeway said. "I don't know what you can do and with what you are comfortable. My preferred way of dealing with this is to have you work in each department for some time so that you can get a taste for it and not just a quick one day introduction, and then you can tell me what you liked the best and we will see if there is actually room in that department, or if you are better suited to work somewhere else."
"Sounds good to me," Rogin said with a smile.
***
B'Elanna walked up to the door and was just about to announce her presence when the door slipped open. She had to smile at that. Seven and Zani sure were putting action to their statement of B'Elanna being welcome at all times; apparently they had even told the computer to open the quarter's door for her.
"Hi, B'Elanna," Zani said as she looked up from a PADD she had been reading. She was lying on her belly and took the opportunity to stretch.
"Hi," B'Elanna quickly looked around the room before asking, "Aren't Seven and the little mouse here?"
"No. The little mouse is in the holodeck with Naomi. A little test Sam, Annika and I are doing. They can go to the holodeck alone, but they know that the computer won't accept certain commands, and more importantly, that we will get a message telling us what program they ran."
"Which still basically leaves them free to do whatever they want in the holodeck," B'Elanna noted as she sat down beside Zani.
"That's the point. We are giving them trust, and they know that we will do so as long as they act in ways that earns that trust. It's basically the same as the little mouse's room. We leave that to her, but she knows that we expect it to be clean. It is, and she knows that because of that we continue to leave the room to her alone. As for Annika, she is still in Astrometrics. She has this tendency to want to get projects she is working on finished."
"Oh you must just love that."
"Actually, we reached a compromise. She can stay late if she wants, but I expect her to be here for dinner, and if she stayed late that means no more work or reading PADDs after dinner."
"Talking about reading, what you reading?" B'Elanna asked.
"Regulation exceptions," Zani answered as she moved from a lying position to a sitting one beside B'Elanna.
"Is Tuvok still pushing those PADDs with rules down your throat?"
"He is, but that's not why I'm reading this. I'm actually reading this because I find it quite entertaining. You see, these aren't just simply the rules. These are exceptions on exceptions on exceptions. It's funny to see how a rule or law is introduced, and then some time later they see that the law is actually causing problems instead of solving them. But they don't want to get rid of the law because they are afraid that if they do that things will get even worse. So they introduce an exception, and then realize that stuff can now happen because of it, so they introduce something else and because of that a third thing can happen. There is one law in here that was created with the creation of the Federation and has been changed around once in about every five years since then. Yes, no, yes if, no except, yes however, no despite."
"And you find that entertaining?"
"Sure, it's just like one of those suspense stories; you never know what's going to happen." Zani playfully offered the PADD to B'Elanna, knowing that the Klingon wouldn't take it, which she didn't. "So, did you come by to just hang or is there another reason?"
"Why would there be another reason?" B'Elanna asked.
"Because you are fiddling with your uniform jacket, which you normally never do."
B'Elanna sighed. "Actually, I needed someone to talk to."
"Well, I'm someone. Talk."
"It's that damn woman."
"Rogin?" Zani guessed.
"Yes her."
"Why? What's the problem?"
"She is trying to see me. I meet her by accident in the mess hall, only to learn that she first asked the computer where I was."
"And just how do you know that?"
"That depends, are you off duty now?" B'Elanna asked, narrowing her eyes a little. But when Zani was about to answer, B'Elanna waved her off. "I accessed the computer. Seems that she has asked the computer where I was fifty times in the last ten days."
"Good."
"Good?" B'Elanna asked confused.
"Yes, it shows that she is interested enough in you to want to meet you, but not obsessed enough to want to know your every move. Without looking it up, I'm willing to bet that the five times a day on average that she asked where you were are, centered on her break times or when she gets off duty."
"Well, if you put it like that, five times a day doesn't sound too bad," B'Elanna was forced to admit. She knew that there were days that she asked the computer more often than that where someone was, just that it had never happened ten days in a row. "I'm just... I don't know if I like the fact that she is following me like that. What does she want?"
"You?"
"Me, what?"
"You asked what Rogin might want, my answer was that maybe she wants you."
"Yeah right, after what she did to me, get real."
"Did it ever cross your mind that she might actually like you? You have to keep in mind that she was in a situation where she had to deal with unknown factors. She couldn't afford to not use you when she had the chance. You know I love Annika; I liked her from the first time she spoke to me on my home planet. But let me tell you, if I had been placed in a situation back then where I had to use that person I liked, I would have done so right away."
"Are you telling me that you would use Seven as Rogin has used me?"
"Now? No. Back then? Sure. In fact, you can say that I used Annika in the beginning as well. I wanted her; I made love to that sexy woman that went by the name of Seven because I wanted her physically. I honestly told her that the first time we slept together, we didn't make love; we had sex. It is from that point that I moved on to actually loving her. It's from that point on that I went from wanting to have sex with Seven, to loving Annika. Maybe, just maybe Rogin wants a chance with you. What is so bad about giving her that chance?"
"I... She... Damn."
"Is it that whole vampire stuff? Since the meeting I read up on some of those stories and I agree that the similarities are amazing."
B'Elanna shook her head. "No, strangely enough that doesn't bother me at all... now that I know that she can't turn me into a vampire by biting me. Now it comes down to relatively, so to speak. Yeah she could kill me, but so can everyone else in the universe that can hold and fire a phaser."
"So, what then? Don't you like the way she looks? Go on; tell me that you don't want her."
"That's not the point either. It's... maybe... who's to say that she won't control me again? Someone that has the ability to lift up a phaser still doesn't have the ability to make me do things like she can. I may trust others not to hurt me, but who is to say that I can trust her to not control me?"
"She said that she couldn't do that anymore, not without you knowing it at least."
"And I should just trust her word for that?"
"Would you take Annika, or Seven as you still prefer to call her, to bed?" Zani suddenly asked, but before B'Elanna could answer, Zani continued. "Sure you would, even though she could turn you into a mindless drone in mere seconds. You know for a fact that this Seven has turned people into drones, yet you trust her not to do it to you. Rogin can make people do things, and yes, she has done it to you. But you should see that separately. She used someone, not the person she wants to get to know now. Give her a chance, B'Elanna."
Zani grinned before adding, "Even if it doesn't work out, you could have some fun along the way. When was the last time you got laid?"
"Kahless, I'm so going to pretend I didn't hear that question."
"In that case, let me ask it again. When was the last time you got laid? I'm not even talking about having made love; I'm talking about having sex with anyone but yourself."
"Alright already. It's been two years, there, are you happy now?"
"Two years?" Zani asked with a grin. "That means that you were on Voyager. Was it someone from the crew?"
"Zani..."
"Come on, Annika and I are open with you with information. I can promise you that whatever you tell us inside these quarters stays in the quarters."
"Fine, yes he was."
"Paris?"
"Tom? What gives you that idea?"
"The way he is always flirting with you."
"I'm sure that he would love to share the bed with me, but no, we are friends, and I would like to keep it that way. I know that Tom isn't the kind of guy that can simply let go. Once he slept with me he would expect that it can happen more often."
"So, who was it? Come on, you can tell me; you know I'll find out anyway once I set my mind to figuring it out."
"Oh, alright already," B'Elanna relented. "but as you promised, this won't leave these quarters. Nobody knows except for him and one more person. I think that even Seven will be completely surprised when you tell her. It was Harry."
"Harry?" Zani asked indeed surprised. "You certainly managed to keep that secret. A part of my job, a part that Tuvok encourages I might add, is to know all the rumors on the ship, but I have never heard any hint at all about there being more between you and Harry than friendship."
"That's because Harry isn't the kind of guy to boast, even if the woman he is sleeping with doesn't want a relationship."
"Isn't he in a steady relationship with crewman..."
"Yes. Which is the reason why it has been two years since the last time I had sex. When she and Harry got involved he told her about me because he didn't want to have any secrets. The three of us sat down to talk and make it clear to her that she didn't have to worry about me. I consider her a friend now, not as close as Harry, but certainly a friend."
"So how did you and Harry end up sleeping together?" Zani asked. Partly because she wanted to know more about B'Elanna, but also because she simply loved to hear juicy stories.
"Well, basically, we got plastered. A little more than four years ago we were on an away mission and were drinking some stuff the people there were drinking down like water. Seemed that it had a different effect on us than it did on them. We woke up the next day, naked, and in a position that made it very clear that we did indeed do more than just sleep. Harry being Harry was going on about how it was a good thing that neither of us remembered anything. But I figured that if I slept with him, I sure as hell wanted to remember it. So I... you know. I actually had sex with his several times that day."
"And just what is several times?" Zani asked amused.
"Um, four times?"
Now Zani laughed. "Damn, you sure are a nympho, aren't you?"
B'Elanna grinned a little sheepishly. "Not really. Mind you, I like it, but I'm not addicted. No, it's just that I assumed that it was a one time thing so I wanted to make sure that I had something to remember."
"Seeing that the away mission was four years ago, but you slept with him the last time two years ago, I assume that it turned out to be a little bit more than a one time thing though?"
"It did," B'Elanna agreed. "Over those two years, I had sex with him nine times."
"You had sex with him nine times, or were there nine periods where you had sex more than once?"
"Let's just say that there have been nine star dates where he and I had sex, and lets just leave out exact numbers. It was more like we decided to do something as friends, as we even do to this day. Just pick a day and have some fun on the holodeck, just that now his girlfriend joins us and it really is just a bit of harmless fun. But back then it started out that way, and on eight occasions other than that first day it happen to become more. We started out celebrating a birthday, we ended up having sex on a nice holodeck meadow."
"I knew it," Zani grinned. "You are someone that saves it up. Someone that says that she can go without, but once you get laid, you make up for lost time. So, is he any good? He doesn't strike me as the mindless 'sex is just motions' kind of guy."
"He isn't," B'Elanna agreed. "He is actually damn good. He is the kind of guy that gets his pleasure out of giving pleasure."
B'Elanna frowned for a moment while thinking back. "Come to think of it, I think I actually came more than he did. He is much more than just penetration, if you know what I mean. Oh, he loves penetration, but since he knew that he would get that from me as long as what he was doing felt good, he always took his time for a good buildup; making me come at least once before we reached the intercourse stage. He loves going down and take his time. Kahless he is so damn good at that."
Suddenly B'Elanna slapped Zani on the shoulder. "Great. Thank you very much for making me remember that. Now I want it."
"You are very welcome," Zani grinned. "And this brings me nicely back to what brought you here. I know that you like men and women, but do you have a clear preference?"
"No, not really. The weird thing is, if I'm with a man I also prefer men, and if I'm with a woman I prefer women. If I was the cheating kind, which I'm most definitely not, I would only cheat with someone that is the same gender as the person I'm in a relationship with. Which is kinda strange, I guess. After all, you would assume that I would miss what my present partner can't give me, but no, I don't."
"Then I would suggest that you stop sulking about what Rogin did and instead give her a chance. Maybe you will be very, very, lucky and will actually get laid on a regular basis."
"Zani..."
"Look, fact is, only one of four things can happen. First, you realize that you don't like her for real, which means that you can truly put her out of your head. Second, you end up being friends, just friends. Third, you end up being friends that share a bed from time to time. Fourth, you actually fall in love and have an all round great relationship."
"It isn't that easy," B'Elanna objected.
"Sure it is. You just have to get over yourself. Come on, B'Elanna." Zani sighed, knowing that it was time to fight dirty so that the Klingon would finally break through her own damn stubbornness. "Seven gave you another chance and look what it brought you. What you did to Seven over the years was a lot worse than what Rogin did to you, yet Seven forgave you. Don't you think that Rogin also deserves a second chance? Besides, right now she is interested in you; do you really want to wait, again, until it is too late for you to get the woman you want?"
"It really doesn't bother you at all that I'm interested in Seven does it?" B'Elanna asked, not reacting to what Zani had said, but knowing that the woman was right.
Zani shrugged. "Why should it? I know that you, and Annika, are both women that would rather slit their wrists than cheat. When Annika wants to move on, I know that she will first talk to me, and not go behind my back. And seeing how much I like Annika, I can't really hold it against you that you do the same thing I do; like Annika."
B'Elanna was so fascinated by Zani's simple explanation that she totally missed Zani's choice of words. When Annika wants to move on; not if.
"Maybe you are right," B'Elanna finally relented after a moment of silence. "But how can I suddenly show an interest in her; I have been busy avoiding her until now."
Zani rolled her eyes and sighed. "Gee you people are sooo roundabout. Computer, open a channel."
After a peep of compliance from the computer, Zani spoke up before B'Elanna could object. "Zanitear to Rogin."
"Rogin here," Came the slightly confused voice that B'Elanna still loved to hear.
"Rogin, I just told someone to get her head out of her ass and actually react to the interest you are showing in her. Would you be interested in coming over and have a friendly get-together?"
"And just who is this person?" Rogin asked her voice clearly full of interest.
"B'Elanna."
"Really? And... and is she actually going to stay when I come over?"
Zani was about to answer, but B'Elanna beat her to it.
"Yes, I'll be here for some time yet. Zanitear actually invited me over for dinner. I... I would actually like it if you could join us, Zanitear, Seven, and me for dinner. I would kinda like... maybe... maybe we started off on the wrong foot and I would kinda like to make a new start."
"I would really like that as well," Rogin answered in a sensual voice. "I'll be right over, if that's alright?"
"That's fine," Zani assured. "In fact, could you do me a favor and go by Astrometrics and pick up Seven?"
"Of course. Rogin out."
"So I'm cooking, am I?" Zani asked amused.
"You bet you are, you are the one that contacted her without me knowing what to say; you cook."
"I see," Zani said before continuing in a voice as if she had just gotten an idea. "Say, B'Elanna, why don't you stay for dinner? In fact, why don't I cook a little extra and you can ask Rogin if she wants come as well."
"My, Zani, what wonderful ideas you have. I would be delighted to."
They laughed for a moment before B'Elanna leaned her head against Zani's shoulder and put her arm around the other shoulder. "You know something? I actually really like you. Thank you for pushing me into being your friend."
"I'm also glad that you like me. And I'm also glad that I like you. I would have been polite to you simply because of Seven, but I'm really glad that I can honestly call you a good friend of mine."
They were quiet for a moment before Zani finally sighed. Well, since we are expecting a guest, let me go change into my evening suit."
"Hey, Zani, how do you actually like the clothing the doctor made for you?"
"Eh, they're alright. I would prefer being naked at all times, but I know you people all have a modesty hang up. The clothing he made for me doesn't bother me though, and I can actually wear them an entire day without it driving me crazy."
Zani got up and started to move to the bedroom. "Excuse me, I'll be right back, you can read the regulations report I was reading if you want." That last was accompanied by a toothy grin.
"No thanks," B'Elanna said as she turned around to look at Zani. "Hey, you know something, that suit you are wearing has a great plus."
"Really, and that is?"
"By covering your behind like that it shows off just what a great ass you have. Seven must be one lucky woman."
"Oh, believe me, she is very lucky, gets lucky a lot too. Be nice to Rogin, B'Elanna, and just maybe you'll soon be just as lucky."
***
"Excuse me, but didn't we have this conversation not too long ago?"
"We did, only concerning another person," Tuvok agreed. "And my reasoning is the same as that time as well."
"But why? You managed until now with the people you have, and you now have Zanitear, why do you now also want Rogin for security?"
"Nothing more than opportunity, I assure you, Captain." It just so happens that in a very short time two people joined the ship that are very well suited for security and also want to work there. The only other real option for personnel for security was when the Equinox crew joined, but all of them were immediately divided to the other departments because they had Federation knowledge and didn't need any training."
"But why do you want her for security?"
"Captain, surely you are not asking me why I want someone to work in security when that person is capable of physically overpowering everyone on the ship, and basically immune to phaser fire, has night vision so good that she can see perfectly with nothing more than the light of the stars, and the ability to make people do something as simple as putting down a phaser by nothing more than suggesting it in the right tone of voice?"
"I understand that, Tuvok. But aren't you afraid something might go wrong? That, say, on some away mission her... cravings... will get too strong for her and she will actually attack the very people she is supposed to protect?"
"I asked her, and Rogin assured me that if she fills up completely on her need for blood, then it is actually over a month before the cravings even start, and about another month before the cravings reach a point where she might not be able to control herself. And even then, there are other options. She can feed on an animal, or another away team member might actually allow her to feed so that the craving can be kept under control. Not the best of solutions, I agree, since it would weaken the other member, but still a solution. Keep in mind that she may be on this ship now, but she has been surviving out in the wilderness for centuries. Another reason for her to be part of security, as a matter of fact; we would be getting a wilderness survival expert at the same time. Truly, all in all, I believe that the possibilities for complications are negligible."
"If you say so," Janeway said, not really convinced but willing to trust Tuvok's judgment. "Alright, if you want her, you have her. I'll assign her to security. But Tuvok, with that I consider your department fully staffed. You can still call on others if you need extra people, or to have people on standby if Zanitear and Rogin are off duty, but I want to see them perform Alpha shift security duty."
Janeway knew that for wider coverage it would be smarter to put the two women on different shifts, but she figured that if the was going to have a full time security team that they would be better off on Alpha shift. The reason being that Alpha shift was more than just a name of a shift. Alpha shift was the shift all the senior crew was on as well, it was the shift that would be called to duty at all times of the day if something happened. If she was going to have a fulltime security team, then she wanted that team to be present and accounted for if the alpha shift might need them.
"Of course, Captain. Alpha shift was what I was thinking of as well."
***
"So how are things between you and the stubborn one?" Zani asked as she and Rogin enjoyed a half hour break between training exercises.
"Great... but you know that."
"I know," Zani agreed. "From what B'Elanna told us it sounds you and she are deeply in lust."
Rogin smirked at the last word. "You could say that."
"But is it enough for you?"
"Surprisingly enough, yes," Rogin answered. Normally she would have told Zani that it was none of her business, but Rogin knew only too well that if it wasn't for Zani she and B'Elanna might still be running circles around each other.
"In fact, it's more than I had hoped for. B'Elanna and I are more than just in lust. We have become friends. I enjoy my time with her; she makes me laugh. I feel comfortable around her. And not to forget, she doesn't freak out about my... special needs. In fact, she sometimes brings me a glass; doesn't think twice about it."
"What's with the biting?"
"Damn, she really doesn't keep anything private, does she?"
"Actually, she does." Zani shrugged before explaining. "Skin that is repaired with a dermal regenerator always has a slightly different color for some hours. Most people on this ship wouldn't notice, but I see the difference so clearly as if you had marked her with a set of crosshairs. It's not that hard to imagine where the marks are coming from. Besides, you might want to know that B'Elanna and us have some kind of agreement going. We answer her questions and she answers ours, honest answers from both sides. So what's with the biting?"
"Look, I'm not really sure if I should be talking to you about this."
"It's your choice to make, of course. For me, it's in my nature. We felines have learned that if you don't hold things back you also can't accidentally have something slip out. Which is why I'm so extremely open with my friends, and closed to people we don't know. I try to fit in here a little for Seven's sake, and talk more to people I'm not close to than I normally would do, but on my Homeworld we speak so little to strangers that it is actually considered an honor if a feline you don't know talks to you."
"You say that you are open with friends, so tell me, are we friends?"
Zani shrugged again. "You know, you are a bit of a mystery to me. Normally I know things about people I meet within minutes. Can I trust this person, will I like them? But I'm not so sure about you. Maybe it's because you are of a species I have never met before, but that never mattered before. Either way, I do have a feeling that whatever we will be, we will go all the way. Either we end up being the best of friends, or we will and up being the worst of enemies. Seeing that we are going to work in security together and there will be situations where we will have to cover each other's back, I would prefer that we move to being friends."
"Hmm. Can I also be your friend without talking about B'Elanna and me?"
"If you want to be a spoilsport, sure."
Rogin grinned at the answer. "Ah, now I get it, you just want to hear the juicy stuff."
Zani didn't answer with words, but did grin as well.
"Alright, it's not that deep, dark, of a secret anyway. It's a reflex. Sometimes when B'Elanna and I make love we are in positions where my mouth is right at her neck. Sometimes when I orgasm I bite down instead of grunt, moan, or scream."
"I'm surprised that she doesn't move her neck when she knows your close."
Now it was Rogin's turn to shrug. "She says that she actually considers it a compliment..." Rogin frowned. "The first time it happened and she said that, that she considered it a compliment, she suddenly started laughing and said that she now understood Seven... she never explained what she meant."
Zani lifted a hand and extended her claws. "This is what she means. Did B'Elanna tell you that she and Seven are only friends for a relatively short time, that they actually were fighting all the time before that?"
"You mean even more than they fight now, right? Yes, she told me."
Zani waved the hand dismissively. "Ignore the fighting they do now; that's just fore the fun of it. But before it was for real. It had a mean edge, comments were meant to hurt, not to be funny. Anyway, that turnaround had been slowly happening over months, but the huge step of them admitting to each other that they wanted to be friends, that happened because Seven was bleeding and B'Elanna healed her. They started talking about the wounds because B'Elanna thought I was mistreating Seven. That is until Seven told her that the scratches on her back were a compliment because they meant that she was 'that' good at making love to me that I lost control over my claws. And that's why B'Elanna was laughing. Back then she didn't understand how being hurt could be a compliment, and now she herself is a person that finds being hurt a compliment."
Rogin smiled at that. "I think we both can be glad to have found people that understand that we don't do it on purpose. Normally I couldn't think about hurting B'Elanna. In fact, I never do. It's just that her neck is right there and I bite down on it like someone else would bite on their fist to stop themselves from being too loud."
"Just that you happen to have a few teeth in your mouth that are designed by nature to pierce skin. Do you also feed when you bite her?"
"Nooo," Rogin said as if shocked by the mere suggestion. "I don't need to feed like that anymore, remember? But even before, I never mixed pleasure with feeding. There have been night rulers that did. Eventually it always grew to an addiction for them. Not knowing if they were craving the food or the pleasure, just knowing that they needed some. It was individuals like that that really gave us our bad name."
"Well, I... I hear Tuvok coming back. Guess it's time to go play some more. Come on; let's get this over with so that we can talk some more in our quarters."
**
You wanted to see me Ensign?" Janeway asked while looking up at the woman standing in front of her desk.
"Yes, Captain," Ensign Yiane said slightly nervous.
She preferred to stay away from the people in charge; she didn't want to be known. All she wanted, all she ever wanted from the moment she joined Starfleet, was what Starfleet offered everyone; a place to sleep and food to eat. Both of which were things she didn't have on Bajor. Never in her life had she expected to end up in the Delta Quadrant. Not that she was in a hurry to get home; far from it. No, it was simply that on such a relatively small ship like Voyager she was bound to be noticed. Which was the sole reason she had actually risen to the rank of Ensign to begin with. However, it was exactly that 'a place to sleep' that had brought her to the Captain.
"Well, what did you want to see me about?"
"Um, Captain, I... well, to come right to the point, I, um, would kinda like to ask to be moved to, um, new quarters."
Janeway frowned, not at all expecting that question. "Personnel housing is the job of the first officer, you know that. You should be talking to Chakotay, not me."
"Yeah, but... he..."
"He... what?"
"He is the one that put her with me to begin with."
"I see," Janeway leaned back and crossed her arms, remembering that Chakotay had told her that he had housed Rogin together with Yiane.
"So, it really isn't as much that you want other quarters, but more that you want Rogin out of your quarters. Look, I know that you had those quarters to yourself for the last seven years, but they are still meant for two people and you know only too well that space is very limited on this ship. In fact, those quarters was one of only a few left where there is only one person living in them."
"That's not the point. I know that even if I get different quarters I'll probably get to share them," Yiane was quick to say. "It's just that... I don't know... maybe it's better if I go, Captain."
"And maybe it is better if you tell me what the problem is now instead of me having to deal with a bigger problem later on. What is your objection with Rogin? You two don't get along?"
"No, yes, no... she is alright, I mean. She, during the day I actually like talking to her. I... she... she is fun to be round then. But... never mind, you won't believe me anyway."
Janeway pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Look, clearly there is some problem. Just tell me what it is and let me decide if I believe you. Besides, solving problems isn't always about whom you believe."
"Alright. It's at night... by the prophets this will sound so stupid... but sometimes I feel like... well... like I'm in the room with a predator."
"Predator?" Janeway asked, actually having a good idea where Yiane's worries might be coming from.
"Yeah... like... the lights are out, but I can feel her watching me. Sometimes I feel as if she is just waiting for me to go to sleep so that she can..."
"So that she can... what?"
"I don't know... do something."
"Do something?" Janeway repeated.
"I told you that you wouldn't believe me," Yiane said frustrated. "I don't know what it is. But... I get this feeling... I just can't describe it... but how... how would you describe the feeling you got when the Hirogen captured us? It's kinda like that, but... more... primal... basic."
"Rogin is still adapting. Her species was used to actually being active at night. Might it simply be a case of her not being able to sleep when you go to bed and her simply being awake?"
"No. It's... it's different. I... I haven't been alone every night since I joined Starfleet, if you know what I mean," Yiane said, lowering her eyes. She hated having to tell the Captain private matters, but if that was what it took, so be it. "There have been times where I could sleep and the person I was with couldn't. It... well, never was a problem. I can sleep through my partner getting out of bed and moving around, getting back in bed... all of it. But with her... she is in her own bed, but still."
"Well, in Starfleet we really don't have the option of choosing our roommate," Janeway said. But she knew that there was a chance that Yiane might not be the last person to have a problem with sharing quarters with Rogin. Janeway really wasn't looking forward to shipping Rogin from quarters to quarters. Besides the fact that it would interrupt ships' business, it also would be damaging to Rogin's mental state. First Janeway had taken her away from the only home she had ever known, and now the people in the new home would show her that they aren't comfortable with her.
Then she realized that if rumors were correct there was actually a person that didn't have any problems with sleeping in the same room as Rogin. "Tell you what, let me think about it for a couple of hours and I'll let you know by shift's end what my decisions is."
"Yes, Captain," Yiane said happily. She had actually gotten more cooperation than she had expected. She had assumed that her problem would have just been brushed off as nonsense.
**
"You wanted to see me, Captain?"
"I did. Please sit down, B'Elanna." Janeway waited until B'Elanna was sitting in the chair in front of the desk before she continued. "I have a small problem with Rogin, and I'm hoping that you can help me."
B'Elanna frowned at the question "Um, with all due respect, Captain. I don't see how I could help you if Rogin is causing problems."
Janeway smiled. "I didn't say that Rogin is causing problems; I said I have a problem with her. But before I go any further I want you to know that to hopefully solve my problem I have to ask you some personal questions. I hope that you understand that I'm not trying to intrude on your private life."
"Very well," B'Elanna said, totally confused.
"Rumor has it that you and Rogin are in a relationship."
"A relationship of sorts, yes," B'Elanna agreed, not seeing any harm in the question. As Janeway had said, rumors had been flying anyway.
"Tell me, do you and Rogin sleep together?" Seeing how B'Elanna bristled at the question, Janeway lifted her hand to stop B'Elanna from saying whatever she was about to say. "I do mean sleeping as in resting for the night."
"Rogin sometimes sleeps over, yes."
"Did you ever feel uncomfortable with her sleeping in the same room as you?"
"I can't say I did," B'Elanna said. "Captain, if this is about Rogin's..."
"I just had a talk with Ensign Yiane. She told me that she doesn't feel comfortable with Rogin sleeping in the same room as her."
"That bitch just wants her quarters to herself again. I'll..."
"I'm going to pretend very hard that I just didn't hear you say that," Janeway said with an icy tone in her voice. "And I would strongly suggest that you lose that attitude."
"Sorry, Captain," B'Elanna mumbled deflated. "I'm just surprised that someone would complain about Rogin."
"Says the woman that spent a week hiding from the same Rogin."
"That's different; I had a reason to be upset with her."
"Be that as it may," Janeway said, thinking that it was time to get to the point. "I really don't think that Yiane is making stuff up just to get her quarters back. In fact, she came in here and asked that she herself could be moved to different quarters, even though she has lived there for seven years. She described to me that sometimes she felt as if she was sharing quarters with a predator, and I think that that is the problem. Rogin species evolved from a parasitic species; a predator of sorts."
"If that is enough for Yiane to feel uncomfortable with Rogin then she should also feel uncomfortable with me," B'Elanna objected. "It is well known that the Klingon ancestors hunted down their food. Hell, a lot of Klingon food still exists out of living things."
"Did you sleep with Yiane? And I once again mean the sleeping sleep?"
"No I didn't."
"Then how do you know that she doesn't have this problem with you as well? Yiane told me that during the day she doesn't have a problem with Rogin. In fact, she likes her. Which, I guess, is the reason she took a whole month before she came to see me. The point is that I now have two options. Either I keep passing Rogin around until I find someone that doesn't have the problem Yiane has, or I give Rogin a set of quarters for herself."
Finally B'Elanna started to understand Janeway's problem. "Neither of which would improve perception of being welcome on Voyager. Either she basically gets told that people don't want to be around her, or she feels like she is being excluded from the rest."
"Right," Janeway agreed. "Which is why I was hoping that you would help me out. Seeing that you and Rogin are so close, I was hoping that you would be willing to share quarters with her."
B'Elanna sighed at the proposal. "Captain, I like Rogin a lot; I really do. But we are no where near the moving in together stage."
"But are you anywhere near the stage where you and she could be sharing a set of quarters with two bedrooms?"
B'Elanna was about to answer but quickly closed her mouth and actually though about it for a minute. Finally she nodded her head a little. "Yeah, I think I could do that, if Rogin is willing of course. But my quarters are only meant for one person."
"I know," Janeway agreed. "I was actually thinking of offering you and Rogin V.I.P. quarters one. As you know, Zanitear, Shanzia, and lately Seven, are living in V.I.P. quarters two."
B'Elanna's eyes got a little wider at the suggestion. "I... I must admit that I hadn't expected that. Don't get me wrong, I would love to move there, but why the V.I.P. quarters, and not some two person quarters?"
"Because all the two person quarters are already taken. I would have to move two people out of the quarters so that you can move in; which means I would have to find room for them. In fact, Yiane was one of only three people that live in double quarters alone. I know that as a Starfleet Captain I shouldn't care about the fact that they lived in those quarters for so long, but as a person I do. Those people have lived there for years now; it's home to them, and suddenly I would be moving them to quarters half the size. It's an option, yes, but I would prefer it this way. We haven't really been using the V.I.P. quarters anyway, and even if you and Rogin take up the quarters, there are still V.I.P. quarters three and four left for any guests we might have. We haven't yet used more than two sets of quarters at a time anyway."
Janeway smirked before adding, "Of course, I have to admit that I don't mind it at all that my two permanent security people just happen to live directly across from the V.I.P. quarters where guests normally stay."
"Guests that have shown to not always have Voyager's best interest at heart," B'Elanna agreed. "Guests that you can't guard because you don't want to give the wrong impression. After all, the Federation is known for it's mentality to assume good... but be prepared. But if those guards just happen to live right across the corridor..."
"My thoughts exactly. Now, you just said yourself that you and Rogin weren't ready to move in together in quarters with only one bedroom. I wish you and Rogin nothing but the best, but just for the sake of argument let's say that you and Rogin don't get along if you spend more time together. If I move you both to V.I.P. quarters one, and things don't work out between you two I can move you back to your old quarters and simply leave Rogin in the V.I.P. quarters."
B'Elanna nodded her head in understanding. "This wouldn't give her the impression that you are singling her out because you are simply leaving her in the quarters she was living in anyway."
"Right," Janeway agreed.
B'Elanna frowned. "Um, you do realize that I'm not up to deceiving Rogin like that, right?"
Janeway shook her head a little. "I'm not looking for you to deceive Rogin. In fact, I assume that you will tell her what I just told you. What I am hoping for though, is for you to give it a positive twist. If she hears this from me it will sound like nothing more than trying to find a solution for a problem, which it is for me. But if she hears it from you it will sound like a great opportunity, which it is for crew members. It least I'm hoping that you will show real enthusiasm about becoming her roommate in the V.I.P. quarters. That you will be thrilled about the space they offer, about having a bathtub instead of merely a shower, about having a walk-in storage room instead of the standard cabinet."
"I see," B'Elanna said, now smiling. "Yeah, I think I can 'fake' being enthusiastic about moving to the V.I.P. quarters."
Then the smile slipped. "But what if things don't work out? I always liked my quarters because I can feel the 'hum' of the warp engine. I don't have that in the V.I.P. quarters, but the fact that they are V.I.P. quarters compensates for that. But I would miss that hum if I had to move out of V.I.P. and into some other quarters."
"I can understand that. But it's not something you have to worry about. Since those quarters are freeing up now, I would have no problem assigning someone that moved there to new quarters down the line since they haven't lived there that long. Let's say that for the next... year... you have the option to move back to your old quarters. If we haven't arrived back home by that time, I'll ask you then to make you final choice. I think that a year will be enough time. If your are still living in the V.I.P. quarters then, I think it's safe to say that you and Rogin get along just fine."
"At least fine enough to continue to be roommates," B'Elanna agreed. "You said that you expect me to talk to Rogin about this, do you also want me to be the one to actually tell her?"
"Sure. In fact, why don't you take her to go see the quarters when your shift ends? I consider them your and Rogin's quarters as of now."
"If Rogin agrees."
"B'Elanna, I might want to keep the wishes of my crew in mind, but I don't think that there is much choice left about where Rogin stays. If Rogin doesn't want to be your roommate then I would appreciate it if you could still bring the idea in such a way that she will want to be living in the V.I.P. quarters."
"I... Yes captain. I'm sure that she will love them."
"Glad to hear it," Janeway said with a smile.
*************