sintar12

"ZGIF, zero gravity is fun." Kathryn’s lips tickled Seven’s abdomen as she repeated the algorithm. Seven wiggled in protest.

"You are making the nerve endings of my stomach tingle. Cease that activity." Kathryn looked up and grinned.

"Oh my, I didn’t realize you were ticklish! Finally a Borg weakness I can exploit!" Her grin became broader as she began to wiggle her fingers where her lips had been. In return Seven flipped her spouse and began to offer the same treatment back.

"You have made a tactical error, Kathryn. In order to exploit a weakness of mine you have to be just a little bit stronger and of course not suffer from the same problem."

"Stop. Stop. Uncle… uncle," Kathryn tried to roll violently from side to side to escape Seven’s tickle torture.

Seven’s hands stilled. "Uncle?" She cocked her head in question.

After she was able to breath normally again Janeway replied. "I have no idea, Seven. It is a term of surrender that we used as kids."

Seven nodded in acceptance of the explanation. "When I awoke you were reciting algorithms. Why?"

Kathryn blushed a little as she placed her hand back on Seven’s belly. "Just giving the girls a little science lesson. Well, I assume they are girls since neither one of us is male." She cocked an eyebrow at Seven.

"Yes, they are girls. But I do not believe that their auditory nerves are quite ready for Starfleet Academy level science."

"Well, start as you intend to continue is my motto so get used to it."

Seven smiled but then her face turned serious. "I am apprehensive about the tasks ahead of us. There is so much I need to learn."

"Every parent feels that way, darling. Think of poor Samantha. We were only just out in the delta quadrant for a few months. We had trouble keeping alive and fed, never mind caring for an infant. When Seska and company dropped us off on that planet I never thought that we would get out alive. I was so worried about Naomi’s little life, so new. But we pulled together as a family and took care of her and each other. I know it will be the same for our girls."

Seven sat up and looked at her love in awe. "When I hear of that time the crew always talks about how confidant you were. Acting more like it was just a stop off while they waited for the ship to come back. They said you clearly had a plan right along."

The lovely body sitting up next to her distracted Kathryn. Her hands reach out and began to stroke Seven’s shoulders and upper chest; her teasing fingers stopped half way down each breast and retreated. "Ummm acting is the key phrase of that story, dear. But lets not talk about that now."

Soon they were not talking about anything at all as the teasing became loving and lasted in to late morning.

"Kathryn, you logged us off duty until 0800 did you not?"

"Umm," replied the sated and sleepy Captain.

"As it is now 0100 hundred, do you think you should contact the bridge?"

"Umm…oh damn. Yes, I guess that would be a good idea." Janeway grabbed her communicator from the bedside table.

"Captain to the bridge."

"Bridge here, Captain." The sound of her first officer came over the com. She could almost see the grin on his face as he waited for her to explain her absence. Not willing to allow that kind of familiarity Janeway thought fast.

"Commander Chakotay what time was I scheduled to be on the bridge?"

His face became quizzical wondering where this was leading.

"0800, Captain."

"And am I there?"

He started to get nervous smile wiped completely off his face.

"No,"

"Commander, what time is it now?"

"0100 hundred."

"And at what time did I suspend Starfleet crew safety protocol on this ship?"

Chakotay went a little pale. "You have not to my knowledge ma’am."

"I didn’t think I had. What is the protocol for a missing Captain please?"

Chakotay was practically standing at attention at this point. Seven on the other hand was shaking her head with a disapproving smile on her face.

"When the Captain is more then 30 minutes without communication on her duty shift the first officer must inform the chief security officer. That officer will follow up with a discrete investigation. If the captain is not located a full search of the ship will ensue."

"Thank you, commander. At what time did you inform commander Tuvok of my absence?"

"I did not."

"I see that must be why I have not heard from him. In 48 Hours this ship will no longer be under the protection of Admiral Tovin and his crew. We will again be in open and possibly hostile space. We cannot afford to be lax. Janeway out."

Seven shook her head as she began to make the bed. "That was cruel, Captain."

Janeway looked at her seriously. "While I did not plan this test darling, it was a test worth having. Our marriage should not interfere with the protocols for the ship. There are reasons for them and even though I would have been embarrassed if it had been Tuvok not you waking me up, it should have been!"

"Yes Kathryn, and the reprimand also is a nice cover job for your delay to the bridge." Seven’s eyes were twinkling as her implant rose above them.

"Yes dear, I have said it before and I will say it again…. It is good to be the captain." The two women quickly showered and headed for the bridge.

**********

Shortly after her arrival on the bridge Janeway assembled the senior staff in the conference room.

"There are several things I want to cover today. First I have spoken with admiral Tovin and he has several requests. In order to protect his technology we will not be permitted to use our sensors for the first hour after exiting his ship. He has promised that he will fully scan the area and we will not be in any danger. Tovin has further requested that we travel to specific co-ordinance that he will program into Voyager’s computer and power down the warp core."

Janeway noticed Tuvok looking mildly alarmed and nodded for him to speak. "We seem to be taking much on trust. Has the admiral stated a reason for our designated location and the powering down of the core?"

The Captain smiled, "I do trust them Tuvok and as of yet have seen no reason not to. The admiral has stated that if we do what he suggests we will gain even more distance. He did also state that it is not something we must do, but hopes we will. If all is going well when we are under our own power I will be inclined to follow his suggestion."

Heads nodded around the table in agreement.

"As we have only 48 hours left does anyone have any requests or needs? B’Elanna?"

The engineer smiled. "We are ship shape and ready to go. She wasn’t this good when she left Mars."

"Neelix?"

"We are fully provisioned and have maximum replicator use."

"Anyone else?"

When there was no response Janeway smiled. "Well I have a couple of more things to go over. It seems while the togetherness requirement for Seven and I has ended, the residual effects of the bonding require that we continue to spend our time in each other’s company."

"While it is no longer fatal, being apart causes agitation. Admiral Tovin informs me that this is common on Sintar. So Seven and I will be going back to the Astrometrics at night and bridge by day rotation." Janeway looked over at Seven. After her wife gave her an almost imperceptible nod the captain continued.

"Seven and I also have some rather amazing news. It seems that the Sintarian fruit is even stronger then we ever believed. Yesterday the Doctor informed us that we are expecting."

The room was quiet until Harry spoke up. "Expecting what, Captain?"

Janeway was speechless. It took so much for her to say what she had it was beyond her to continue. She put her hand up to the bridge of her nose as she started to continue. Then from the other end of the table she heard Seven speak up.

"Twins, ensign Kim. The Captain and I are expecting twins."

If possible the silence was even louder then before. Janeway noticed the eyes of her senior staff looking back and forth between the two women at waist level. The Captain cleared her throat. Once she had everyone’s attention back at eye level she coyly pointed at Seven. The swift movement of all eyes shifting to the former drone’s flat Abdomen caused Janeway’s lips to twitch as she held back a smile.

Tom looked back at the captain with his eyebrows raised. "The apple really?"

Janeway nodded. "While we are overjoyed with the news, it was not expected."

To be continued

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