Fallen Star
Disclaimers: Voyager and Xena belong to Paramount and Universal respectively. I'm not making money out of this - just having some fun with the characterrs. This story contains love between women so if that offends you or it's illegal where you live, go read something else (or move). There's also angst and some violence.
Feedback: is welcome at [email protected]
SPOILER WARNING: You might want to skip this if you haven’t seen the Xena finale.
I’m dedicating this one to Jean for being the best beta reader – couldn’t have done this without you, thanks. :) I'd also like to thank Sonja for the ever so pretty graphic.
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Part 2
Xena returned from her journey the next day and the four of us spent some time at a nearby river. It was an unusual experience. Of all the adventures I dreamt up as a child in Potadeia, I never imagined that I'd one day fall in love with the Warrior Princess, and shortly thereafter, take two aliens fishing. For that is what they were - aliens, people from the heavens. They guarded their secrets very closely at first, and we did not pry. B'Elanna eventually told us the whole story, one beyond our wildest imaginings, which I will not set down on paper, for no one would ever believe it.
It was an uneventful day, but a happy one. I noticed that Seven was like a child in many ways, it was most evident when she caught her first fish - apparently there are no fish in the sky. We then made a meal of her catch, which was at least as long as Xena's sword in length, and afterwards, B'Elanna and Seven decided to take a walk. When they returned, they looked happier and more at ease with each other. I'd seen the strain in their friendship on the first night and was glad that they'd taken the time to bond.
*********
Seven hated moments like these. She was unsure of how to behave, whether she was acting in the proper manner - and when she was unsure, she tended to fall back on her Borg mannerisms. Most of the time, it really didn't help the situation - it tended to aggravate people more.
She and B'Elanna were walking aimlessly in silence - they'd agreed to talk the night before, and at the time, it had seemed like a good idea. So now they had to talk. About what? - they didn't know, and both women were unsure of how to start the conversation.
Eventually, the Lieutenant spoke up. "Ya know, you don't have to be so tense, Seven. I'm not going to bite your head off."
"You could not bite my head off. My neck is reinforced with duranium."
"Oh."
Silence descended again. The only sound to be heard was their footsteps, crunching audibly into the forest floor.
"So why are you so tense?"
"I do not enjoy 'socializing'."
"Neither do I." B'Elanna agreed. "So lets just say what we have to and get it over with okay?"
"Acceptable."
B'Elanna scowled at her Borg response, and Seven smiled.
The half Klingon stopped walking. "You should smile more... it makes you look less Borg."
"You do not like the Borg part of me." Seven noted, frowning. "It is what gets in the way when we try to establish a friendship."
"Yeah, I guess so..." B'Elanna ran a frustrated hand through her hair. Her brow furrowed as she thought about it. "Actually, no. It isn't that..."
"Why do you dislike me then?"
"I don't dislike you- " she began.
"You do."
"Bullshit- "
"Denial is unproductive, Lieutenant."
"Kahless, Seven!" B'Elanna exclaimed, "Why do you have to be so aggravating?"
Seven smirked.
B'Elanna stared at her, then burst out laughing. "Damn it, you're so... so..."
Seven quirked an eyebrow. "So...?"
The half Klingon paused, looking for an answer, then gave up. "I don't know."
"Annoying?" Seven supplied.
"No, that it isn't... although, I do have to agree - you are extremely annoying at times."
They entered a clearing and B'Elanna sat down on a log. Seven hesitated, then sat down beside her companion.
B'Elanna looked a little startled. "I thought you preferred to stand."
"I do."
"But you sat down anyway so that you wouldn't annoy me, huh?"
"Yes." Seven replied.
"Uh... thanks." A little awkwardly, "I appreciate it."
"Antagonistic behavior is inefficient, I will try to annoy you less Lieutenant."
"No." B'Elanna objected, "I want you to be yourself. Don't try to mold yourself into what other people want, Seven."
"Even if I am annoying?"
"Yes." A grin, "Besides, I wouldn't have anyone to fight with... I'd be bored out of my mind."
"I see." Seven stood, "However, we must concentrate on returning to Voyager. We will cease our quarreling for the duration of this mission."
"Okay." B'Elanna shrugged, "Shouldn't be too hard... right?"
Seven merely stared at her, not even bothering to raise an eyebrow. The half Klingon stared back, then grinned, showing a row of pointy white teeth. The corners of Seven's mouth turned upwards slightly and B'Elanna found herself captivated by those amazing lips - she had a sudden desire to see Seven smile. Her eyes finally left Seven's lips and traveled upwards - only to meet a pair of amused blue eyes staring back at her intently. She looked away quickly, blushing, then peeked back at her companion. Seven was smiling at her, and she felt her hearts share a strange twinge. Oh Kahless, this was not good.
The walk back to camp was a quiet one; both women were very thoughtful. Seven glanced at B'Elanna who was busy studying leaves on the ground - she had not looked at Seven once since their little exchange on the log. Seven had easily detected the signs of arousal in B'Elanna, desire was nothing new - she'd seen it often in looks directed at her by other crewmembers. But what confused her was her own body's reaction to it. Her heart had started to beat faster, and she'd felt hot and flustered all of a sudden. So why was she feeling this way now? Why B'Elanna? She was curious as to what would happen should she follow up on these feelings, but Seven didn't want to destroy the fragile friendship they'd painstakingly built. She'd just have to wait and see what happened.
*******
"Lieutenant." Seven hesitantly reached out her hand and shook B'Elanna gently. It was the middle of the night and everyone was asleep.
A mumble.
"Lieutenant, wake up..."
"What is it Seven?" B'Elanna said her voice still rough from sleep. She sat up. "And call me B'Elanna."
Seven nodded, "B'Elanna, I require your assistance... I..." Seven hesitated, blushing, "I... need to..." She trailed off, unsure of herself.
"Go to the toilet?" A guess.
Seven nodded again. B'Elanna frowned, she knew that Seven had to regenerate all the time, but didn't know that Seven's body depended on it so heavily.
"You've never had to pee before?"
"I did prior to my time with the Borg... but I am unsure how to now." She squirmed a little.
B'Elanna grinned to ease her companion's embarrassment, and stood up. "Well, lets go teach you before you have an accident."
"Borg do not have 'accidents.'" Was the cool reply, and B'Elanna could have sworn that Seven almost poked out her tongue.
They moved off away from the camp, and Seven hid behind suitable shrubbery while B'Elanna leaned against a tree and looked the other way.
"B'Elanna?"
"Yeah?"
"My biosuit is in the way." Seven stepped out from behind the bush. "I require your assistance in removing it."
B'Elanna gulped as she reached up to the nape of Seven's neck and tugged on the tiny zipper there. It unzipped smoothly, allowing B'Elanna to catch a tantalizing glimpse of the unmarred, alabaster back, before Seven disappeared behind the bush again.
Soon they were back at the camp, snuggled down in Xena's spare furs that she'd allowed them to use.
"This is going to be a problem isn't it?" B'Elanna asked.
Seven turned over to look at her. "What is?"
"You not being able to regenerate." A pause. "How long can you last without it?"
The borg's brow furrowed thoughtfully. "Normally, I would be required to regenerate within another 96 hours, I could... prolong that time to a week if I eat and rest regularly."
Warning bells rang in B'Elanna's head. "And what happens after that?"
"My cortical node would shut down my implants consecutively and divert energy to itself as I cannot function without it. Eventually, I will die." Seven said calmly.
"Kahless, Seven! How can you be so calm about this?" B'Elanna exploded, then toned down her voice as she remembered their slumbering companions. "How long do we have to contact Voyager before..." she swallowed convulsively, "Before you die?"
"Three weeks at the most." There was a hint of fear in her eyes, though she struggled to keep it hidden. B'Elanna realized, then, that Seven's cool, arrogant exterior was only a facade to hide her inner turmoil.
"We'll get to Voyager before then, Seven, I promise you."
The two women fell silent, lost in their own thoughts, as they waited for dawn. Neither expected to fall asleep again after their talk, but the first rays of sunshine found them holding hands, fast asleep. They had dozed off to the soft sounds of each other's breathing.
On the other side of the campfire, Xena shifted in her bedroll. The warrior could awaken at the slightest noise and had heard the entire exchange. Her keen mind was already trying to find a way to help B'Elanna and Seven. She was out of her depth though, two strangers fallen from the sky, one who would die within a month if they didn't somehow get back... it was too much. What could she possibly do to help? Xena sighed and snuggled closer to her bard, grateful for the warm comfort of Gabrielle's sleeping form. Right now all she could do was help bring these two women together.