Star Trek Voyager: Consequences

Star Trek Voyager: Consequences 3. Reprisals

“So Annika, how have your first three months on Earth treating you?” Irene Hansen put her hand over her eyes to block out the August sun of California and get a proper look at hr niece’s expression while they sat eating lunch on the terrace of a central San Francisco café.

Seven shifted the parasol above them to provide more shade, Irene smiling at her thoughtfulness. “It is proceeding much as I had anticipated; my new place of employment is proving…” She paused, trying to think of a truth word which wouldn’t worry her aunt, “…productive.” She finished, not a lie but it would have been a serious stretch to call correcting old star charts and cataloguing them interesting or enjoyable. She changed the topic smoothly, “Is retirement fulfilling your expectations?”

Irene beamed in confirmation. “Oh exceeding them dear! The house is lovely, within a ten minute walk of the beach, not that the Baltic coast is a sunbathers paradise like here but it’s very scenic and the village is so nice and tranquil, I haven’t missed Stockholm at all.”

“It sounds like a very pleasant environment…” Seven replied wistfully. Catching her aunt’s concerned look, she explained, “It’s not that I’m unhappy here Aunt Irene…” Her expression became sheepish, “…it’s just so very…crowded and…” She stopped, unable to articulate the feelings of unease and difference that gripped her sometimes when she walked these streets.

Irene smiled with gentle sympathy and gave her hand a quick squeeze. “Well you can come and stay with me whenever you want, for a break or any reason at all… I can get a little lonely with your cousins spread out through the quadrant.”

Seven was surprised at the gratitude which flowed through her at the suggestion, she was glad she’d given her father’s sister a chance, in truth she’d been the only person on this planet, maybe even in her life to welcome her so immediately with open arms. “I’d like that very much Aunt Irene, thank you.”

Irene waved her thanks away, “If I can’t have my only niece in my home then what good is it? Still, you don’t have to limit your travel to seeing me, you’ve got the whole world to see and you haven’t left this city’s boundaries yet!”

“Well, I’ll perhaps wait until I’m more settled. Can you recommend somewhere in particular?”

Irene laughed. “Oh Annika, everywhere has its boasts! Didn’t anywhere pique your interest while you were on Voyager?”

Relaxed now, Seven didn’t need to pause to consider. “I’d like to go to South America. Commander Chakotay says parts of it are very like Ledosia, I told you about that didn’t I?” Irene nodded, pleased and intrigued by how her niece’s eyes had suddenly lit up, her stoic face bright with life. “And I believe the architecture of the ancient ruins there would make an interesting study…”

Irene lifted her cup of herbal tea to her lips, silvery blonde eyebrows raised ever so slightly. “A man with knowledge of the South American jungle? He sounds interesting…and adventurous…”

Seven gulped hurriedly, realising she had perhaps sounded too interested she lifted her own cup to hide her light blush. “The…the Doctor also told me that Italy is wonderful, for music and opera in particular…”

“Yes…” Irene said slowly, wondering for a second whether to let the previous more interesting subject drop, before deciding to let Annika dictate. “My daughter-in law Lotta, Jakob’s wife, she’s an amateur opera singer and she loves Italy…” Seven allowed herself a small sigh of relief as her aunt happily moved to easier topics.

Some hours after Seven and Irene had parted ways Chakotay made his way up to Kathryn’s apartment in an exceptionally good mood, apparently from what Kathryn had said she also had good news but he doubted very much that it could beat his. As he rang her doorbell he looked out of the corridor’s window which looked straight out onto the garden of Starfleet Headquarters where Kathryn now worked. Privately he hoped that if they moved in together this apartment would be the one given up, it was little too close to Starfleet in his opinion to offer much of a retreat, his own by the bay was much more relaxed, if less well appointed… His thoughts were interrupted by Kathryn arrival at the door in an apron, a beaming, and triumphant smile on her face but all he could do was smirk slightly, hadn’t she learned that it wasn’t just the replicator on Voyager that hated her but every cooking tool in existence? “Hi!” she greeted him enthusiastically with a kiss and let him step inside.