A REALLY IMPORTANT NOTE BEFORE THE REGULAR NOTE: Kudos for a reader who pointed out a technical mistake on my part. You know who you are and thanks for the tip. I hope that this time it'll be more "factually correct," as it should be, because I'd like to be a stickler for facts. Star Trek: Voyager Borg Alive #4: Revenge by Douglas Lee ci596@torfree.net (K/7) [NC-17] NOTE: By now, you should know that I'm in favour of a Harry and Seven relationship so I won't bother you by repeating it needlessly. I really admire Jeri Ryan as an actress. I know that she'll probably never agree to "act" anything in this but let the record show that I will always support her decisions when it comes her ethics. This is the fourth of a series of Harry and Seven stories, centering around the emergence of Seven's humanity while Harry is witnessing it from a personal and intimate point of view. Constructive comments are welcome. -The Carp's Tail WARNING: The following story has m/f sex, which some people may find vulgar or offensive, therefore reader's discretion is advised. DISCLAIMER: Sarcastic remarks about the "real" ownership of Star Trek and its associated property would be inserted here but that would defeat the purpose of a "nice" disclaimer. Anyway, Paramount and Viacom own the Star Trek stuff but chances are that they don't have the guts to go through a legal battle to own the megabytes of fan fiction we write. Well. . .maybe they do. . . No copyright and/or trademark infringement intended. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- >"Why don't you sit down?" >>"I prefer to stand." >"This could take a while; you would be more comfortable." >"Comfort is irrelevant; we're here to work." >>"Okay. . ." Harry Kim and Seven of Nine, "Revulsion" =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Captain Kathryn Janeway turned to her senior staff, a concerned look on her face. Her officers were silent and they waited for her to speak. Commander Chakotay started to say something but stopped. "What's our status, B'Elanna?" The captain asked. "The transporters are offline but I think we can get them back on in about an hour," the young engineer said. "If you ask me, I think the transporter beam ignited the plasma cloud and the energy discharge followed the beam back to the ship." "How extensive was the damage?" "Decks six and seven have lost life support all together and they have been evacuated. We are limited to warp five for 36 hours and the main deflector is on and off. Captain, we need to find a spacedock or something if we're going to get Voyager running at a reasonable level." "That will be difficult to find," Chakotay observed. Janeway sighed and threw her hands up in the air. "All right. B'Elanna, do as much as you can with what we have. Harry, I want you to keep an eye for any passing ships because if there are ships around, they were built somewhere and that means a spacedock. Chakotay, remind me that the next time we find a plasma cloud, we don't ever touch it. Dismissed." The officers left the conference room and only Kathryn stood by herself. She contemplated the situation with a feeling of helplessness. Voyager had been plagued with poor luck in its four years in the Delta Quadrant. Even though there were the good times, the smallest incident would turn the happiness into depression. She wished that things would turn out a bit better after this. The Bridge staff took their positions while Chakotay stood on the edge of the command pit. The first officer sympathized with Janeway's recent pessimistic outlook on things. He looked around the Bridge and noticed some of the consoles were blackened because of the explosions that disabled them. Harry's operations post was one of the stations hit and he was left to the smaller interface behind the command chairs. Kim didn't complain about it but Chakotay knew that the ensign wasn't too comfortable right now. He, like the captain, hoped that their luck was on the rise soon. "Commander, I'm detecting two small ships on an intercept course," the ensign reported. "They should be in range within thirty minutes." "Open a channel," Chakotay said and Kim nodded. "This is Commander Chakotay of the Federation starship Voyager to the two ships on an intercept course with us. We require some assistance. Please respond." Moments later, an olive-skinned humanoid dressed in full military uniform appeared on the main viewer. "I am Captain G'palin Khryn of the Qirin cruiser Oir. How can we be of service to you, Commander?" "We experienced a plasma explosion which has caused major damage to several important sectors of our ship. We are looking for a place to make repairs -- a spacedock, if possible." "Please standby," the Qirin captain held his hand, "I must refer to my government for authorization." While the screen was blank, Chakotay alerted Captain Janeway of the possibility. She acknowledged the call and asked him to continue without her on the Bridge. Khryn reappeared on the main viewer. "You are fortunate, Commander. The Qirin government has allowed your vessel to make its repairs at our homeworld. In exchange, we ask that you maintain formation with our ships and you do not energize any weapons in our space. You are also not to exceed warp six." "We'll do as you ask, Captain, but be advised that we are limited to warp five." "Very well, I understand. Our homeworld isn't far from here so the journey should not take long. Khryn out." "Tom, match course with the Qirin ships, warp five," the first officer turned to Lieutenant Paris. "Aye, sir." "It looks like our luck has changed for the better already." When Voyager descended into its orbit around Qirii, Captain Khryn told them that the spacedock was near the southern polar region. "Sensor interference would be significant," Tuvok noted. "Our defensive systems' capabilities would be reduced." "Yes, but it means that our enemies would not be able to detect it unless they were in our solar system at which time they would have been destroyed before they could report any developments in our fleet," the Qirin captain replied. "Do not be concerned for your vessel's safety. We are willing to defend you, if necessary." "That's very generous of you, Captain," Janeway said as a Qirin officer spoke to Khryn. "Captain, my government requests that you welcome a delegation to your ship in order to meet with our leaders." "We'd be delighted to have guests." "Excellent. Foreign Minister T'Qalon will arrive momentarily with two of his aides. I am to return to patrol duty, therefore I cannot remain here any longer. I wish you luck and speed in your repairs." Khryn disappeared from the main viewer as Voyager slowly made its way to the Qirin spacedock. Janeway smiled as she realized that their repair facility would be compatible with her ship. Tom Paris made his final course corrections as the docking beams were put into place. Captain Janeway and Chakotay stood in the repaired transporter room as Minister T'Qalon and two others materialized on the pad. "Minister T'Qalon? I am Captain Kathryn Janeway and this is my first officer, Commander Chakotay," she greeted the Qirin. "On behalf of the Qirin monarchy, I welcome you to our planet," the minister nodded as his delegation stepped off the transporter pad. "Thank you. Now, if you will follow me, I'll take you on a tour of our ship." "A personally guided tour? It sounds interesting. Please, lead the way, Captain." When the Qirin left the transporter room and Janeway was about to follow, Chakotay stopped her for a word. "I don't know about this, Kathryn," he said quietly. "Something makes me feel suspicious about him. He doesn't strike me as an honest person." "Chakotay! He's our guest and our benefactor." "Still. I think we should exercise caution with him." "I'll take that under advisement," she nodded as she went after the Qirin delegation. ". . .Interesting," T'Qalon mused. "You say your crew is made up of two peoples? But you look alike and I see no difference at all." "The distinction is not really in what we look like but of a more political point of view," Janeway explained. "Our Federation negotiated a cease fire with one of our neighbours, the Cardassians, and created a demilitarized zone. This cease fire included the exchange of several outer worlds that were occupied by either the Federation or Cardassian colonists. The only problem was that there were Cardassian colonists on the Federation side of the border --" "--and Federation colonists on the Cardassian side of the border." "That's right. Since most of the Federation colonists had already planted their roots on the Cardassian planets, they refused to leave their homes and most of them became 'freedom fighters' for their land. They were called the Maquis." "You say, 'they _were_ the Maquis,' meaning they don't exist any longer?" One of the Qirin aides asked. "We recently learned that the Maquis were either captured or destroyed by the Cardassians. As far as we know, the only Maquis that are left are now part of our crew." "Fascinating. On Qirii, we have some, shall we say, 'rebellious' factions who actively terrorize our cities and disrupt the world order. They are anarchists and barbarians who will stop at nothing to destroy and subvert the government," T'Qalon said. "They don't have a name like your Maquis but they act in the same way." "I wouldn't call the Maquis barbarians," Janeway said as they walked into another corridor. "In any event, I would still like to see your planet." "You should be advised, Captain, that if the rebels discover your presence on Qirii, they may be inclined to attack for their paranoia would tell them that you were mercenaries, hired to put them down." "We are not at all interested in the internal politics of your world, Minister. I hope that they will see that and leave us alone." "I'll do my best to ensure your safety while you visit Qirii but there are moments when the rebels manage to do the impossible." "Thank you. . .and here is the Astrometrics Lab, which has been a highly useful part of our ship. We were able to save several years of travel because of the advanced interstellar mapping system here." Janeway, T'Qalon and his aides walked into the large cartographic lab where Harry was making repairs. The captain introduced him to the Qirin delegation. "It's an honour, Minister," the ensign said, their hands shaking. "Harry, where's Seven?" Kathryn asked. "Uh, she's stepped out for a minute, Captain. She'll be back." "Seven? That's a strange name," T'Qalon observed. "She was a Borg--" "Borg? Here? On your ship?" "Yes, Seven was once with the Borg collective." "Isn't that dangerous? To have a Borg living with your crew?" "Seven isn't dangerous. . .most of the time," Harry quipped, drawing a glance from the captain; he shrugged his shoulders. "Besides, without her help, we couldn't have upgraded the Astrometrics Lab to what it is today. She's very intelligent and even more efficient." T'Qalon didn't appear to take the information too well, despite the compliments Kim paid the half-Borg. He seemed to be thinking for a few moments and then he spoke to one of his aides. Janeway and Harry kept their distance, respecting their privacy as the Qirin minister continued to speak quietly. "Please, shall we continue with our tour?" T'Qalon asked Kathryn. "Right this way," she replied, leading the delegation out. A few hours later, a small party of Starfleet officers beamed down to the planet. Harry was with the group and, with a little influence from him, Seven was there as well. Captain Janeway was already on the surface and she charged the officers with proper conduct. The group nodded and dispersed into the palace grounds. Harry and Seven walked into one of the smaller courtyards. Although she wasn't so sure, the half-Borg had the notion that they were being followed. Kim saw her become more watchful and he stopped. "Seven?" "We are being followed," she said quietly. He tried to look around discreetly but his vision wasn't as acute as hers and he failed to see what she was talking about. Still, Harry trusted her and they continued to walk carefully and slowly. The two entered a lower part of the courtyard, covered by the shadow of the palace looming overhead. Their heels made distinct footsteps on the stone street and Seven turned her head slightly to focus her hearing on a third pair of footsteps. "Our pursuer is within ten metres of our position, Ensign," Seven remarked as she paused, listening again. "He is not alone." They picked up their pace, intending to return to the sunlit front of the palace. He put his arm around her back to encourage her speed and they turned a corner, they found themselves face to face with an armed Qirin. The couple backed away, wary of the rifle the Qirin aimed at them. "Ensign," she said and Harry turned around to see an energy pistol pointed at both of them. "Kim to Voya--" Kim started before he felt an impact on his chest. "The emperor is unavailabe, sire," the young guard told T'Qalon; Janeway noticed that the Qirin guard felt awkward and unsure of himself. "Very well, alert his Majesty that his guests will return in one hour," the minister told the guard. "Yes, sire." "It seems that our emperor is busy right now, as you can imagine," T'Qalon turned the captain. "Of course." "Voyager to Captain Janeway," Chakotay called. "Excuse me, Minister," Kathryn nodded and took a few steps away to ensure her privacy. "Go ahead, Chakotay." "Captain, we just received a partial transmission from Harry. It seems he tried to contact us but all we heard were energy discharges, possibly weapons' fire." "I saw him this afternoon. Seven was with him." "It's possible that she's in danger as well." "Have you tried a sensor sweep for them?" "We've located their communicators but not Harry or Seven. The sensors aren't able to track them either. It looks like whatever or whoever attacked them also managed to mask their bio-signatures." "Continue the search, Commander. They have to be somewhere." "Aye, Captain. Voyager out." Janeway returned to T'Qalon who was talking with another Qirin. Strangely enough, the minister's friend appeared to be trying to keep a low profile. Kathryn tried to get a better look at the other Qirin but she was too far away to see anything meaningful. Soon, the minister was alone and she began to walk towards him. "Minister?" No answer. Either T'Qalon was ignoring her or she was out of his hearing range. She repeated her call. Still no answer. When she reached him at last, she hailed him again. "Ah, yes. Is there a problem, Captain?" "Yes, it seems that two of my people have gone missing," Kathryn told him, watching his reaction carefully. "I was just informed of that myself. Captain, I suspect that one of the anarchist factions has taken your crew members out of paranoia. Captain, I warned you about those anarchists," he said severely. "You were advised to stay within the palace grounds. "I did and I assure you that my crew doesn't take advice lightly." "Then it would seem that one of the rebel groups has broken our perimeter defences. If they were this devious in breaching our palace, then I cannot begin to imagine what they might do to your people." "Perhaps I can negotiate with the faction leaders." "You cannot 'bargain' with those radicals. They are ruthless and are only concerned with themselves. We know this." "Let me try, Minister. They aren't going to listen to you because you've shut them out from any opportunity for peaceful talks. I think I can get through to them because they don't know us but they have my people. They know that I have much to lose and they have much to gain, which would be favourable to them," Janeway said. "I strongly advise against this, Captain. Those miscreants will surely kill your people. That is the way they are. You should leave while you still can, with the remainder of your crew." "I understand your concern, Minister, but I'm not leaving them. I'm going to try to negotiate with the Qirin factions." "That is your prerogative, of course." T'Qalon waved to a nearby aide and spoke to her discreetly. The captain nodded and ordered the rest of the planetside crew to return to the ship. Perhaps their good luck wasn't so good after all. . . Harry woke up with a headache pounding his forehead. He looked around and saw that he was on the floor of a small, poorly lit room. He rolled onto his side and sat up. His communicator was gone but at least his hands were free. Suddenly, a hidden door opened and someone was pushed inside the room with him before it closed. Quickly getting to his feet, Kim examined the door. It was seamless and there weren't any fingerholds or gaps in the portal. Tentatively, he made his way to the lithe form on the floor and on closer inspection, Kim realized it was Seven. She was breathing slowly but at least she was alive. "Seven. . ." He whispered. "Seven, are you all right?" "I am. . .undamaged," the half-Borg replied just as quietly. "The last I remember was being attacked by Qirin." "Same here. It looks like we've become someone's guests." "Bridge to Captain Janeway," Tuvok said, "I am receiving a signal from the surface. It is someone who calls himself P'Kalir and he claims to be the leader of the Qirin resistance. Shall I relay it to your ready room?" "No, I'm on my way to the Bridge." She got up from her desk and returned to the command deck. A beat later and P'Kalir appeared on the main viewer. "Captain Janeway, I presume?" P'Kalir's voice was calm. "Yes." "Then you are the person I should be speaking with. Excellent." "I'm willing to negotiate the release of my people, P'Kalir." The Qirin looked confused and it was reflected on Kathryn. "You misunderstand me. We did not attack your landing party. I am offering our assistance to find your people, who were captured by the tyrannical government of our planet." Despite her strength, Seven was roughly taken to chair. She was strapped in and she was held firm to the surface. She looked left and right, her defensiveness taking over her thoughts. A light shined in her face and Seven turned her head to partially block out the light. She heard a small group in deep conversation and she demanded to be released. The group broke up and one of them examined her carefully. This was a Qirin. She was poorly dressed but there was an attitude of smug pride and arrogance. Seven's hands were clenched into fists and she struggled against her restraints violently. "She's a Borg," the Qirin woman noted. "It seems that these foreigners have managed to claim one of them for their own." "I like her already!" Another Qirin, a man, declared as he glared at Seven with an evil grin. The male Qirin walked haphazardly towards the half-Borg and put his calloused hand on Seven's face. She turned her head away from the Qirin but she didn't know for sure why she did that. All what Seven knew was that she didn't enjoy the Qirin's touch and her reaction was considered by humans to be normal. . . "Leave her alone, Rildarr. She and the other foreigner aren't to be harmed. That's what he said." "She's a feisty one!" The man laughed, ignoring the other Qirin's advice. "I didn't know Borg even cared about this! Even better!" The Qirin man reached down and held Seven's chin up. His breath, although irrelevant to her, had the smell of rotting organic matter. The man laughed heartily before he tried to kiss Seven. The half-Borg fought as best as she could in her situation and she managed to push him away from her with her head. The man laughed again and hungrily lunged for her again. She let out a cry of anger as she felt his hands roaming all over her body; on her face, her arms, her breasts and her legs. Seven pushed him away again and this time managed to kick him in his crotch. The man roared in pain and he crumpled to the floor. The others picked him up and left the room. The half-Borg hung her head on her shoulders. She wished to be let go but there didn't seem to be any way out of this. Moments later, a Qirin followed by two armed guards entered the room. The leader seemed to be a higher ranking one than the others as he wore a more brilliantly coloured uniform. He handed one of his subordinates his pistol and stood in front of her. "This is one of the outsiders," the Qirin told the guard. "She will mark the new age of our empire. . . Tell me, what would you think if she was, shall we say, 'handled?'" The guard laughed. Seven glared at the high ranking Qirin with defiance. "I have already informed one of your kind of the consequences of your actions," she said. "You may have heard of him. He is now unconscious. You shall join him." "Brave words, Borg," the Qirin laughed. "Brave words. . ." One of the guards put his rifle down and picked up Seven's left hand, the one with her Borg exoskeleton. He seemed to be interested in it, both in carnal and curious ways. She clenched her left hand into a tight fist, causing the guard to laugh and point our her resistance. He toyed with her hand before he stiffened and his eyes glazed over. The other Qirin stared in disbelief as Seven's assimilation probes split the guard's skin and a fleet of nanoprobes invaded his blood. The guard let out a cry of agony as he felt the Borg implants move underneath his skin and he staggered towards the others, pleading for help. The other Qirin guard fearfully stepped backwards and scrambled for his rifle. The Borg implants sprouted out of the first guard as his olive skin turned grey. "Help. . .me!" The assimilated guard pleaded again. The other guard stood blankly at the sight but the leader wasn't fazed. He took his pistol and shot the first guard several times before he felt assured that his subordinate was dead. "Very clever, Borg," he said. "No matter. I was about to kill him myself anyway. . . I heard something else about your kind. There is this phrase you keep repeating every time you take a species, yes? What is it? 'Resistance is futile?'" Seven simply stared at him. "I thought so! Hah! Well, Borg, resist _this_!" Seven struggled against her restraints even more violently as she felt this Qirin begin to touch her body. She fought with all her might. Her human mind felt fear -- fear that her efforts wouldn't be enough to stop her assault. The cold, unblinking mentality of the Borg collective filled her thoughts as she felt her breasts being held by the Qirin man. Seven heard the nearby guard laugh and she saw him put his rifle down again and join his leader. Her mind drew back again, as if severing the link between her mind and her body as she was assaulted. In her mind, Annika Hansen screamed in painful agony before she slipped away. Harry felt a small rumbling in his stomach. It was hard to guess but he estimated that it had been about a day since he and Seven were attacked. Seven had been taken away in the morning and time seemed to drag on forever until she was tossed back into the cell. He went over to her. He heard a strange sound coming from her -- strange in that he never heard her make that sound before. It sounded like. . . like a whimper. It appeared that Seven had been. . .crying. "Seven? Seven, what's wrong?" Kim asked. She was silent. Her actions, although superficially appearing to be mechanical, were brushed with a shattered sense of humanity. "They. . .attacked me," she said, her usual strong voice beginning to crack. Harry didn't know what to say. He knew that Seven was becoming more and more human but he wasn't expecting an outpouring of emotions. He wondered what could have happened to her because whatever it was, it was enough to break her spirit -- her offbeat but lively behaviour. "I'm sorry," he said gently. "He touched my body and kissed me. A guard appeared to find amusing and joined this Qirin continued in his sexual activity. Another guard tried to experiment with my Borg implants, attempting to determine their purpose, while they continued in their assault. He inadvertently became assimilated before he was killed by the others." He got what he deserved, Harry thought. "They threatened to kill me if I didn't retain this as a secret," Seven carefully held her exoskeletal hand with her human hand. The ensign's anger began to well up as he felt her voice pouring out with human emotion. It was bad enough that her half-Borg nature was being exploited but the other side, her human side, was violated just as much. He realized that, if Seven was still fully Borg, she would have seen this kind of rape as irrelevant and placed no more value on it than salvaging a destroyed drone. But now, since her humanity was emerging, she had become sensitive to the organic integrity of her being. Also, their new intimate relationship was based on their mutual consent and he had been the only person on Voyager she allowed into her infant personal life. She had been attacked on a personal level and it had a profound effect on her. Harry wanted to comfort her, to reassure her that things would be all right. He gathered Seven into his arms and held her close to him. She was very quiet, her head resting on his chest and his chin resting gently on her soft hair. He felt her pain, even though he knew that he was incapable of fully understanding it. It didn't matter to him. He made a silent vow that he would make them pay for what they did to her. "Are you telling me that the Qirin government is responsible for kidnapping my people?" Janeway asked incredulously. "Yes," P'Kalir replied solemnly. "The planetary government has been corrupt for generations as the ministers pass their positions to their children, thereby eliminating the democratic process as it used to be." "How can we be certain that you are telling the truth?" Tuvok asked. "You could creating this elaborate story in order to defame the government." "I can't prove to you that I'm telling the truth. Even if I did have the proof, I'm sure that Emperor T'Qalon has told you not to trust us or anything we say." Kathryn looked at her Vulcan officer with suspicion. "Did you say 'Emperor' T'Qalon?" She asked. "Yes. The House of T'Qalon has been in power for the past three hundred years," the Qirin said. "You seem confused. . . the tyrant must have told you that he was a minister and not the emperor." "You could say that, yes." "A lie. He has lied to you now and he has lied to ever since your ship completed its first orbit around Qirii. The T'Qalon dynasty has been marked with Machiavellian monarchs and ruthless dictatorship." "T'Qalon has referred to your people as being ruthless." "It's _his_ ruthlessness that we are against. My people are not as the emperor would tell you. It's true that we're against the government but we are _not_ anti-government in the anarchist meaning." "I'm beginning to see your side of things, P'Kalir." "I assure you, Captain, it's more than just 'our side of the story.' It's the truth." In the night, Harry was unable to sleep. He was still angry and it was festering inside him. His arms held Seven while she slept. He had a difficult time assuring her that it was safe for her to sleep but he was thankful for the trust that he built with her, and she did sleep. It wasn't the same as regenerating in a Borg alcove but Harry told her that it would be okay. He looked at her again and her face was relaxed, as far as relaxation goes for her. There was a definite feeling of protection for her, the part of his love for her that was clearer than anything else in their relationship. He bent down and gently kissed her on the forehead. The attractive half-Borg's eyes opened instantly as soon as he sat up again. "I'm sorry," Kim said quietly. "I didn't mean to wake you." "Your apology is unnecessary," Seven replied. "I'm still unaccustomed to this form of dormancy, therefore I remained partially alert." "A light sleeper." "That is an appropriate term." "Are you all right?" He asked after a lengthy pause. "I'm still experiencing. . .side effects. . . from the event I recounted to you. I'm. . .experiencing an emotion which I cannot fully explain. This isn't pleasant at all." "What are you feeling, Seven?" "I'm. . .afraid," she said as all of her voice's strength vanished with the last word. Kim felt even more resolved to exact revenge for his friend. Her pride and dignity were stripped away with that single moment she was in the chair. "You intend to punish the one who injured me?" He didn't answer. Although he was angry, she was right about him. Seven sat beside him and her hand picked up one of his clenched fists. She knew that this was a physical representation of anger and, from her studies in the Starfleet medical database, a human's anger had a potential destructive force that had even larger repercussions. "Your energy should not be expended in this way," she said softly. "We should attempt to escape from our incarceration." "I'm going to blast that. . .that son of a bitch into space dust!" "I don't believe the Qirin is of canine descent." "I'll make him pay for hurting you! He'll know what revenge means once his face meets my fist!" Harry said angrily. "Irrelevant. You cannot undo what has been done, Ensign. Our efforts would be put into better use if we focused them into determining our escape." "Seven! I can't let him get away with what he did to you!" "Why are you so intent on this concept of revenge?" "Why? Why?! Because I love you, Seven! I love you and no one, NO ONE is going to hurt you without getting their ass kicked! You're everything to me now and when that bastard hurt you, he hurt me too! That's why I'm angry and that's why I'm going to hunt him down like the dog he is!" His voice was raised with each successive declaration. "Anger is irrelevant," the young woman said, "but I cannot allow you to injure yourself by continuing in this manner." "Seven, I--" Seven brought him closer and kissed him on the lips, effectively stifling out the rest of his words. At first, Kim resisted her with the same level of anger he had against the Qirin who assaulted her but as the kiss continued for a while longer, his anger came to a halt. His muscular tension, which had been stored up for about a day, quietly dissipated. He began to respond to her, his tongue reaching out and touching hers. Seven saw that he was starting to stand down from his stressful state and when she was confident that his anger levels had dropped enough, she ended their kiss. Harry looked at her, took a deep breath and then hugged her. "You know that I wouldn't let anyone hurt you," he said, "and if anyone did, I'd come after them and make them pay." "Irrelevant," the beautiful half-Borg replied. Kim hugged her tightly, pausing to kiss her briefly on her head. He felt somewhat drained, having all of his energy that was reserved for his revenge now disappear. Seven returned his protective embrace and when they had separated, she reached for the seam of her jumpsuit and began to pull it off her body. Harry's hands stopped her and he looked at her seriously. "Are you sure you want to do that?" He asked. "I mean, most women become reclusive after an experience like that." "I'm not like most women," she replied as the rest of her bodysuit came off. "I am Seven of Nine." He reached for her and kissed her again. His hands were careful in touching her body, keeping a decorum of sensitivity. Seven's hands quickly removed the top of his uniform and the turtleneck underneath it. Harry's fingers touched the side of her face, tracing an invisible line from her hair, down her cheek and along her jawline. She waited for him to finish undressing and moments later, their nude bodies regained their contact. He held her body at her back while her arms rested on his shoulders. He kissed her warm breasts, breathing in the sweet scent of her body while her hands slid down his back. His tongue left a moist trail as he drew a thick line on her skin. Seven shifted her body even closer to his, positioning herself with his member. Harry felt the tip of his flesh near the wet entrance to her body and after a few moments of simply holding back, he pushed himself inside. He groaned out as he felt his member slide effortlessly in and as soon as his entire length was absorbed into her vagina, the beautiful half-Borg began her motions. Her long legs wrapped around his body and she slowly rocked back and forth on him, fully aware of the pleasure she was giving him. Captain Janeway finished her conversation with P'Kalir, convinced that he was telling the truth and that T'Qalon was playing her for a fool. The Qirin resistance leader advised her that it would be prudent for her to continue pretending that the Qirin emperor was still a lowly minister. In addition, P'Kalir agreed to "surrender" himself to the Qirin government as the only way for him to get close enough to the tyrant. With luck, they would be able to find out where Harry and Seven were being kept. "Captain," Chakotay said as Kathryn finalized her plans, "I advise against you going to the surface. It's too dangerous, especially if T'Qalon found out that you and P'Kalir were working together." "He would be even more suspicious if I didn't go, Chakotay," she replied. "The only way that he'll stay convinced that we're on friendly terms is if I beam down to the surface. If T'Qalon sees you instead, he might have second thoughts about this whole thing." "Captain. . ." "My mind is made up, Commander. I'm going down to the surface with P'Kalir. Just keep the ship holding together while I'm out. Keep an eye out for Harry and Seven, in case they manage to escape while we keep T'Qalon occupied." "Aye, Captain." Seven felt one hand caressing her smooth leg and the other hand supporting her at her back. The heat from their bodies being together made them start to sweat. Kim hugged her tightly again as their lips met again with strength. He worked himself deeper into the moist warmth of her body and he was rewarded with his nerves exploding all over his skin. Her thighs tightened around his member as she slowly laid down on the floor and he laid on top of her. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she looked into his eyes. She saw a determination in his pupils that was ferocity mixed in love. He rolled her over and she sat on him, fully impaling herself with his member. Seven rolled her hips with him and their hands locked each other into a tight grip. Her body moved methodically as he felt his flesh slide in and out of her. She lowered her body towards him and she let out a small moan as his mouth closed on a nipple and he began to suck on it. Harry's tongue flicked on her fleshy bud and circled around it on her areola. He soon switched over to her other breast and made great licks on her breast. Their hands let go of each other and he held her body at her hips while she used his shoulders to support her while she rode him. He kissed her left hand, both careful and careless of the Borg structure that was part of her arm. His breath came in staggered gulps of air while hers was as calm, if not somewhat deeper. He grunted with every push he made and she closed her eyes as his hands slid up her body and up to her face. He made a quick appraisal of what he saw and he smiled. Kim kissed her deeply and before long, Harry felt a tightening in his flesh. Seven's thighs also tightened around his submerged member and as soon as he orgasmed, her body shuddered slightly as she climaxed. "We fight back tomorrow," he said quietly as they held each other in their arms before settling down together. Janeway and Tuvok materialized in the Qirin palace's rotunda. Off to the side was T'Qalon who welcomed them warmly. "I hear you have good news for us," T'Qalon said. "P'Kalir is in your custody?" "Yes but before we get to him, I'd like to discuss getting our people back. You know, Harry and Seven who were captured recently," the captain replied as a group of palace guards marched in formation past them. "Ah, yes. An unfortunate circumstance but that it what you get with those terrorists. I hear that they do unthinkable things to their prisoners." "I'm sure they do. . ." In the morning, Harry and Seven resumed their respective clothes and he was planning to attack the guard that he expected would come to take Seven away. He stood against the wall where the door was and she sat down on the floor across from the portal. They looked at each other and silently agreed to move on with their attempt. He waited and waited and as he was about to give up, the door swung open. Seven watched her friend clench a fist and as soon as he saw a face, Harry launched his punch. There was a soft cracking sound as the ensign realized he had broken the Qirin's jawbone. Seven got up quickly from the floor and expertly applied a Vulcan nerve pinch on the guard. Taking the Qirin's pistol, the ensign and the half-Borg stepped out of their cell. Harry fired several shots as three more guards fell to the floor. He picked up a rifle and handed it to her. She looked at him questioningly. "These people mean business, Seven," Kim said. "Besides, I'd feel a lot better if you had one of these in your hands." "Very well," the attractive young woman replied as she accepted the weapon from him. The two hurried down the corridor until they came to a junction. A pair of guards noticed them and fired first, not missing by much. Harry charged toward the Qirin, his pistol blazing in his hand. One of the guards took a direct hit and fell to the floor instantly while the other had a less severe, but still crippling blow. The Qirin guard tried to get his weapon from the floor but Harry stepped on it and pointed his weapon at the guard. Seven soon came up behind Harry and she watched the injured Qirin look up at the grim ensign. "He was there," Seven said as she pointed her rifle at the guard. "He was there when I was attacked." Kim nodded and tightened his grip on his weapon. The guard's hand shook in fear as if he was begging for mercy. The half-Borg didn't flinch as a finger squeezed on the trigger. Harry stood in front of the dead guard, not sure what had happened. Seven placed her hand on him and spoke softly to him. He nodded as they picked up the pace again and headed outside. "Very interesting," T'Qalon laughed heartily. "Rest assured, Captain, I will help you find your missing people but now, I want P'Kalir." Before Janeway could reply, a proud, clear voice echoed in the hall and footsteps marched towards their position. "You shall have him!" The Qirin resistance leader said as he tore off his palace guard's clothing and ran up the steps with an energy pistol pointed at the startled T'Qalon. "Treachery!" The emperor declared as guards appeared in the room and quickly subdued P'Kalir. "And you! I should've known that you are collaborating with these traitors!" The captain and Tuvok turned and saw Qirin guards pointing their rifles at them. "I hope this is some mistake," Kathryn said. "The only mistake is to go against the House of T'Qalon!" He laughed menacingly. "Guards! Kill these -- what is that?" Before T'Qalon could finish his order, he heard an exchange of weapons' fire and howls of agony. There were footsteps approaching them and skirmishes between the palace guards and the new attackers. "Resistance is futile!" Janeway heard a strong feminine voice declare as she heard another guard fall. Moments later, Harry and Seven stood on the edge of the rotunda. "Harry! Seven!" The captain exclaimed before she elbowed the guard beside her while Tuvok pinched the nerve of the guard beside him. Both the ensign and the half-Borg fired their weapons repeatedly and P'Kalir threw a haymaker at his guard. When the dust had settled, Tuvok had a small wound on his arm, his copper-green blood staining his uniform but he was more concerned with the captain as she held her hand to stem the bleeding from her forehead. Harry wasn't any better off as he had fallen to one knee and his breathing staggered. Seven seemed to be the one with the least amount of injury. She surveyed the damaged room and when her eyes met T'Qalon, Kim heard her gasp. He looked at his friend and she nodded at him. This was the one who assaulted her. With increased rage, Harry staggered his way to the dazed Qirin emperor and aimed his weapon at him. "Harry, stand down!" Captain Janeway ordered as she saw what the ensign was about to do. "Harry!" "Seven told me what you did to her," Kim said grimly, ignoring the captain's orders. "Ensign Kim!" Tuvok called. "You remember her, right?" He asked rhetorically. "You remember what happened to her and what _you_ did?" "Ensign Kim, I order you to stand down!" Janeway repeated. "Wouldn't you like to know why I'm doing this for her? I'll tell you why: I love her and _you_ wouldn't know the meaning of that." Harry turned his head and saw Seven standing silently beside him. He turned the other way and saw both the captain and Tuvok. In front of him, T'Qalon was shaking. Harry's finger brushed against the trigger of his weapon and both Janeway and Tuvok held their breath. The Qirin closed his eyes tightly, expecting death. Instead, the emperor felt a sharp sting on the side of his face and as he fell to the floor, T'Qalon saw Seven's hand finish its arc as she struck him with her powerful left arm. She glared at the fallen emperor. The next minute was filled with silence. Harry watched Seven start for the unconscious Qirin but he put his hands on her shoulders and stopped her. From Kathryn's point of view, Kim whispered something in the half-Borg's ear. Whatever it was, Seven relaxed and they quietly stepped away from T'Qalon and rejoined their shipmates and P'Kalir. "What did you say to her?" P'Kalir asked. "Irrelevant," Seven replied quietly. "I'm glad you didn't fire the shot, Harry," Kathryn said as a group of the Qirin resistance appeared to surround T'Qalon. "I don't think I could live with myself if I did, Captain," Harry replied. "For all intensive purposes, it was Seven's revenge."