Star Trek Voyager: The Gift

Star Trek Voyager: The Gift 29. The Merits of Protectiveness

“I’m still not happy with the idea of you going Seven…” Chakotay muttered emphatically under his breath, gripping her arm worriedly as they stood in the Valjean’s tiny transporter room.

Seven’s gaze was level and uncompromising as she replied, “My going to the station is not an idea Chakotay, I must go.”

Chakotay thought he heard a chuckle from where Dalton stood with B’Elanna, who would control the transport over to his own vessel before the group disembarked for the station on one of his shuttles. He didn’t see any humour in this situation at all and seeing Seven’s determination made him defensive. “Couldn’t you just teach Tuvok how to trick the station’s sensors?” he asked sharply before lowering his voice to a harsh whisper so as to avoid Dalton’s earshot, “For Spirits’ sake, if Dalton’s been able to do it before then surely…”

A frown of exasperation creased Seven’s features as she shrugged off his restraining hand, “I do not doubt Mr Tuvok’s capacity to learn my methods, but it would still take more time than we currently possess for me to instruct him. I can do the task within five minutes.” Her face relaxed slightly as she watched a reluctant acceptance begin to cross over his face. “Besides, I doubt you wish to be any more reliant on Mr Dalton than we already are.” She pointed out for good measure.

Chakotay sighed irritably as he ran a hand through his hair, “Alright, fine, but don’t do anything rash for the sake of efficiency…”

“Don’t worry Chakotay, I’ve never been much into efficiency myself.” Dalton called over loudly, “Although your Borg might just be able to convert me.” He added with a wink at Seven, who nodded uneasily even as she unconsciously took a step back towards Chakotay.

“We must depart now if we are to complete the arrangements before the disguised Valjean is scheduled to dock at the station.” Tuvok interrupted calmly, his logic dictating that it was time to bring the conversation back to the task at hand.

Dalton stepped obligingly onto the transporter pad, rubbing his hands together impatiently. “The Vulcan is right of course.” He conceded gruffly, deciding to stop teasing the Maquis and his Borg girl, for now at least. “Chop, chop!” he said sarcastically as a way of ushering his new ward over.

Seven had barely shot Chakotay a bemused glace before he answered her unspoken question, “Just a saying hon.” He murmured knowingly, “Go on.” He added as she paused. With that encouragement she stepped onto the transporter pad with a calm ease, not even flinching in anticipation as she beamed away with Tuvok at her side. Chakotay however, continued to look pensive, something Seska noticed with disquiet from where she stood with B’Elanna.

The Bajoran couldn’t help but put her two cents in, leaving the console to slink over to Chakotay’s side. “You don’t have to be so overprotective of her you know.” She told him softly, “I’m sure as a Borg she can take care of herself.”

Chakotay sighed distractedly, “I know, I just…” He stopped, frowning at her, when had Seska ever shown much concern for Seven? “Seven’s not a Borg anymore, I’ve told you that.”

Seska backed off, her expression appeasing as she reassuringly rubbed his arm, “I know, but…” She pursed her lips, “Look, I know she was your father’s pet project…” She froze as she felt him stiffen, then bravely continued, “You’re proud of how far you’ve managed to rehabilitate her, I realise that, but that doesn’t mean that you’re responsible for her.” Her tone was convincing as she said quietly, “There’s been some talk among the crew, they resent how you tend to coddle her, she rarely leaves the ship, gets to pick and choose what she does…”

“Seven obeys my orders just like everyone else!” Chakotay cut in defensively, “I just let her use her skills, that’s all. As for never leaving the ship, you know that if the Cardassians, or even the Federation, saw her then…”

“I’m not saying we throw her to the wolves Chakotay.” Seska countered firmly, “I’m just saying back off, you need to protect the entire crew, not just her.”

Chakotay found himself mulling over her words despite himself, Seska certainly did have the ability to get under his skin at the most inconvenient of times. Did the crew really believe he favoured Seven over them? He hated to put anyone in danger, but he supposed that in all honesty he did consider Seven different from the others, he’d known her for her whole free life after all and she’d stood by him. Maybe that was what bothered him, that she’d followed him into this, joining the Maquis wouldn’t have entered her pragmatic mind if he hadn’t done so first, his guilt over that was a constant. Was it so bad to be protective of a girl, yes she was still a young girl, who he’d seen at her most naïve and vulnerable and who he didn’t want to see sliding back? He exhaled heavily as he answered his own question, no, it wasn’t wrong, but he needed to show his crew that all of their lives mattered just as much as the life of his childhood friend. Maybe Seven was right to get exasperated with him, he was always singling her out…“Am I really that overprotective of Seven B’Elanna?” he asked his engineer in exasperation.

B’Elanna shrugged noncommittally, not wanting to be drawn into this particular argument. “Maybe, but I don’t think Seven minds, most of the time anyway.” Seska shot a glare at the half-Klingon over Chakotay’s shoulder, but B’Elanna, while not Seven’s biggest fan, didn’t like how Seska tended to manipulate Chakotay either, just smirked back at her in reply.

“The main sensor control unit is in that far corner.” Dalton instructed Seven and Tuvok as the three of them walked together through Terok Din’s bustling main thoroughfare, the Promenade Deck. The Cardassians were so accustomed to Dalton’s various comings and goings that none of them had given the two “Vulcans” he was escorting a second glance. Dressed in traditional Vulcan garb Dalton had somehow managed to rustle up from somewhere, which consisted not only of a floor length dress but also of an opulent, thick cloak with a low hanging hood, Seven blended in easily among the multi-species crowd, her implants invisible to those who gave her the usual cursory glances. Most thought her to be the typical Vulcan wife or daughter, cool and composed.

“It is logical to suppose that Security will notice non-crewmembers accessing the station’s systems.” Tuvok warned doubtfully as he scanned the room.

Dalton shook his head, laughing brusquely as he pointed out an overflowing clothing stall standing near the sensor unit. “Nah, they’re not that observant. For all they’ll know, we’re doing a little shopping before we leave.”

Seven was sure she saw contempt and not a little disgust cross Tuvok’s face as he took in Dalton’s words and studied the security officers drifting around, at best they were slack and gossipy, at worst they were completely intoxicated. He had become impassive again however before she could comment and someone on the open deck above caught her eye, one Cardassian was certainly asserting his power, barking orders even while a scantily clad female member of Species 9653 was draped around him. “Who is that?”

Dalton briefly followed her gaze, but quickly looked away from the Cardassian nervously. “That particular lout is Gul Ishek, Commander of this station. Extreme violence isn’t his only vice; he’s a boon for every supplier of women in the quadrant, as well as very intoxicating substance known to him.” He paused to pull Seven’s hood tighter over her head, “I don’t think Chakotay would approve of your curiosity Seven, he pays a soldier’s yearly wage to have the most exotic women possible and you’re certainly unique.”

“Do not concern yourself, I do not intend to draw his attention in any way.” Seven assured him as she reached the sensor unit, removing her gloves and handing them to Tuvok distractedly as she focused on reading the data at superhuman speed. Having decided what needed to be done, she gave Tuvok the signal. He stood in front of her as she plunged her assimilation tubules into the console and withdrew them again within seconds. “The Valjean will not be detected now.” She confirmed with a small sigh of relief.

Dalton stared at her in shocked awe for a moment before reverting to his sardonic persona. “If you ever get bored helping those rebels, I’d take you as a smuggler any day…”His sentence cut off with a breathless yelp.

“You’re not going to be a smuggler when I’m finished with you!” An angry Andorian voice hissed in his ear, “Hand over the latinum you owe me and I might let your latest victims go…”

A/n: PLEASE REVIEW! :D I’m not sure about this chapter. I know that in canon Seska was B’Elanna’s best friend of sorts, but just because I’ve kept her with Chakotay for now for dramatic purposes doesn’t mean that B’Elanna needs to be stuck with her too does it? lol.