Janeway heard a buzz to her left, twisted and fired, hitting the target squarely and sending it flying towards her opponent.

:::Full impact. Final round to Janeway. Winner, Janeway.:::

Janeway set the gun down and picked up a towel, using it to wipe the sweat from the back of her neck. "That’s it, Seven. We’re not playing another round. You wanna tell me what’s wrong?"

"Captain? I do not understand---"

"Oh don’t give me that Borg perplexity, Seven. I’m not buying it this time. You and I have been playing Velocity for how long now? You can’t really expect me to believe I won three games in a row without your letting me. Let’s hear it." She waited for Seven to baldly state her intentions, as she usually did. Standing there, arms folded, towel draped around her neck, Janeway absently wondered if maybe B’Elanna had done something in Engineering that affected Astrometrics.

Considering the recent separation of Tom and B’Elanna and Tom’s subsequent interest in Seven, she would not be surprised. By reason of necessity, both she and her crew had become very good at keeping their personal lives separate from their professional ones, but even she had to admit that sometimes it wasn’t easy. It would be simple enough for B’Elanna to stir up trouble for Seven in Astrometrics under the guise of ship’s business. She was roused from her musings by Seven’s comment, which had nothing to do with trouble in Astrometrics.

"I wish to have sex with Tom."

Momentarily speechless, Janeway cleared her throat and found her voice. "Join me in my quarters, Seven. Now."

* * *

Seated on her couch, a glass of wine in her hand (she definitely needed something stronger than coffee for this), Janeway took a drink, trying to come up with a suitable opening for what was bound to be a very strange conversation. She opted for the obvious, given that Seven was still standing by the door.

"Come and sit down." Seven opened her mouth to object, but Janeway cut her off, holding a hand up, then pointing firmly to the couch. "Sit." Seven walked to the couch and sat, the eyebrow beneath the implant arching in acquiescence.

Janeway took another sip of the wine, allowing a moment to savor its oak overtones, and tried again to begin. "Seven, I know you and Tom have been seeing each other for a number of weeks, but I’m not sure if sex would be a wise step at this juncture in your relationship---"

Seven spoke over her words. "---because you think Tom is ‘on the rebound’ and could be using me to fill an emptiness in his life. Because you believe he is still in love with B’Elanna and has no intention of making a commitment to me. Because you think he will take what he wants from me without consideration for my feelings and…discard… me when he is through."

Janeway sighed. Speaking with Seven, no matter the subject, was always an exercise in directness. She wasn’t sure if she welcomed it this time, but she was determined to get through it.

"Actually, I believe it could be a combination of all of those things. I just don’t want to see you get hurt."

"I will not ‘get hurt,’ Captain. All the things I mentioned are criticisms of Tom, and you agreed with them. You are wrong. Besides, did you not hear my original statement on the Velocity court? I said I wish to have sex with Tom."

All right, my dear drone, you want to play this game? "All right then. Forgive me my oversight. You wish to have sex with Tom. Why?"

Seven felt her eyelids open and close in an involuntary response she recognized as a ‘blink,’ but thought she was otherwise able to prevent further outward sign that the question was anything less than exactly what she was expecting. Unfortunately, she discovered to her dismay that her palms had become damp. She resisted an uncomfortably human impulse to rub them along her thighs, though she did settle them there to wick away some of the moisture.

"Captain, may I please have a glass of wine?"

Janeway arched her eyebrow at the request, but rose to the replicator to fulfill it. She returned to the couch with a second glass. Seven accepted it and took a tentative sip, as Janeway again sat on the couch beside her.

Janeway allowed her little query to dangle out there, prepared to watch Seven get quietly drunk before she would ask again. As it turned out, she didn’t have to wait that long. Seven placed her wineglass on the coffee table, leaned back against the couch and folded her hands primly into her lap.

"Tom Paris makes me…happy. I believe he sincerely cares about me and wants to make an honest commitment with me. When he made what he thought was his farewell message on board the Delta Flyer, he made it to me. He said he…missed… me."

Janeway couldn’t quite believe it. Seven had deftly avoided the question, a distinct first for her. In fact, to Janeway’s ears, it sounded more like the woman was trying to convince herself of Tom’s love, rather than explain to anyone else why she wanted to have sex with him. Janeway wisely refrained from saying these things, deciding instead to rephrase her question. She could not understand why Seven – who had initiated this conversation – was now so reluctant to have it.

"But why now, Seven? What made you decide now was the time?"

Once again out of character, Seven reached for her glass and took another sip of wine. "Tom and I have had six dates. The crew is talking about us, sometimes when they know I am within hearing range. The database claims that sex between a couple can occur anytime between the first and the sixth date. I am…late. And I am---"

"Wait a minute, Seven! There is something in the database that actually says sex can occur between the first and sixth dates?" She absolutely refused to believe that.

Seven faltered. "No---no, Captain, it is merely what I have extrapolated, based on what I read in the database and the progression of my dates with Tom."

This was of some relief to Janeway. At least the damn database was not that specific about the way things should go, but it didn’t much help the situation at hand. Another question came to mind, one all the more obvious because she hadn’t thought to ask it sooner.

"And Tom? Has he expressed a desire to have sex with you?" Dear God, even though she knew this was the way Seven preferred to have a conversation (or at least the way she usually preferred it), it still had to be one of the most outrageous questions a captain had ever asked a subordinate.

"I do not know. We have not discussed it."

Well that just did it. Janeway threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "Seven, what the hell is going on here? You have never evaded a conversation so thoroughly as you are evading this one, and you’re the one who started it!" She paused and took a breath, gaining some control over her volume. "Sex is a two-way street. You can’t simply make a decision to have sex with someone without consulting that someone. There is clearly something else going on here and – put that down! I do not want to have to carry you to Sickbay for a dose of detox before we finish this…this whatever it is we’re having. Now tell me exactly what is on your mind."

Seven obediently put the glass down and turned her full gaze upon her captain. "I am…inadequate…to the task of sexual intercourse. I seek your advice and your expertise."

It was only Janeway’s years of command-level discipline that kept her jaw from hitting the floor. She had certainly asked for it, but it didn’t leave her any less flabbergasted. Seeking a second’s diversion to gather her wits, she took a deep swallow of wine and managed to choke out, "What are you saying?"

"I am saying I am a virgin. I am saying I require your assistance in divesting me of my virginal state and instructing me in the finer points of copulation so that I may be a better lover to Tom."

The room began to tilt dangerously. Janeway instinctively threw one arm out against the couch to firm up her equilibrium. She knew Seven’s logic was hopelessly skewed, yet she had to ask. "Why me?"

Having arrived at her intended topic, Seven’s answers had become more straightforward. "The database stated it is ideal for a woman to…lose her virginity…to someone she cares about and respects, someone who cares about and respects her in return. Aside from Tom, you are the only one who feels this way about me."

While that might not be entirely true, Janeway could see a semblance of logic in her answer. However, it did beg another question. "Doesn’t the database also suggest the persons in question be attracted to one another?" She meant this question to tease, but Seven’s answer effectively evaporated that tactic.

"Yes." Vivid blue eyes bore into hers.

"But, Seven, I’m not attract---" The unfinished lie hung in the silence that began to crowd into the space between the two women. Seven reached out and touched her fingertips to Janeway’s cheek, who responded by reaching out and brushing her thumb across the star-like implant by Seven’s right ear. When Seven gasped at this contact, Janeway abruptly pulled her hand back and threw herself off the couch. She stood with her back to Seven, arms folded protectively across her chest.

Silence prevailed, broken finally by the dull alto voice behind her.

"You find this activity inappropriate." It was a statement, not a question – thank God – because if it had been a question, Janeway was not sure how she might have answered. As it was, she could not think of a word to say, even when Seven prompted.

"Captain?"

Yes oh yes this was certainly a most inappropriate activity but…but…when it came right down to it, how would this be any more inappropriate than the thousand other inappropriate activities any of them had so far engaged in during Voyager’s sojourn in the Delta Quadrant? She was Seven’s mentor, after all, and although it had been awhile, she did know a thing or two about making love to a man.

And to a woman.

Janeway pivoted and bent to Seven, cupping the younger woman’s chin in her hand and meeting her eyes. "Call me Kathryn for the duration," she said softly, adding, "won’t you please?" She inclined her head to touch her lips to the warm, full pair that had parted for her in breathy anticipation.

End.