Chapter 54
The reign of One of Many, née Annika Hansen; Queen of Borg.
Year o1, Month 09, Day 25, Hour 12, Minute 04.
"As much as we have borrowed from how Starfleet works, I am glad that we did not copy it all blindly," Seven said as she looked at the view screen that was showing a brownish planet at the moment.
"Oh yeah," B'Elanna agreed. She and Seven were standing on the bridge of Unimatrix 01 and were looking at the planet that was the latest addition to the Borg Collective. "A species that doesn't have warp capability, that doesn't have a stable world government for at least twenty years, that's destroying the planet they're living on... Starfleet wouldn't have come within a light-year of this planet simply because it doesn't meet first contact criteria. It would've let countless people die because criteria weren't met."
"They would never have seen the paradox," Pagsha said, having not even bothered to sit in the First Officer chair, knowing that she would give it up again anyway as soon as Seven and B'Elanna left the bridge and she would follow. "Starfleet would have demanded that there had to be warp capability, but the planet would have destroyed itself before even being able to reach that point."
B'Elanna pointed at the viewscreen. "There goes the first atmosphere scrubber. I look forward to coming back here in ten years and seeing the planet again in the green color it's supposed to have. Of course, about two thirds of all the cities on the planet have to be destroyed just to make place for nature again. But I think with the uninhabited planet we're offering them for settlement, and the people that are joining us, there will be only four billion people left on the planet when all is said and done."
"True," Seven agreed. "I especially like the part of the people that decide to enter into Borg service. Over two billion people at the moment, with over one million still signing on, per hour."
"The extra drones are really the only thing we get in return for our help," Pagsha agreed before asking, "So, have we entered the area of charity now?"
Seven looked at her for a moment before admitting that the question was a valid one. "It is tempting, but I finally do realize that no matter how big the Borg Collective is, even we cannot fix all. I agreed to this because they do bring something special to the Collective. Their ability to hold their breath for three hours should not be underestimated. They will make excellent repair drones. While we have specific drones that excel in certain environments, we have very few drones that are capable of working in more than one environment without specialized equipment. For instance, many reptilian species can breathe in water, but very few of those can also breathe air. While the reptilian species that can breathe air, can rarely also breathe in water. And even if they can breathe in both environments, they cannot also breathe helium. This species takes breathing out of the equation for three hours. As long as there is a location they can return to where there is air it does not matter what environment they were in during those three hours. Even with the Borg modifications, not a single species in the Collective can go without breathing for three hours without the body suffering permanent damage, or even death. No species until now that is."
"True," B'Elanna agreed. "And let's not forget the added bonus; finding Geisha Obi was already worth having them join the Collective all by itself. I think it was the first time ever I heard the Hive say that someone was a perfect candidate. I for one am simply glad that we found a suitable person to be President of Unimatrix Zero." Suddenly B'Elanna started to laugh.
"Will you ever stop laughing about that?" Seven asked with fake annoyance. Truth be told, she also found it very funny but it was even more fun to pretend to be annoyed at her lover.
"You mean if I ever stop finding it funny how Shaa and Grakil almost fainted when they found out that their little plaything was going to be President of Unimatrix Zero? Someone that is on an Individualist decision making level so high up in the chain of command that she only has to answer to us two? No, I don't think I'll stop finding that funny any time soon. Just the look on their face when suddenly the Queen of Borg was standing in their quarters asking if she could talk to their little plaything... I almost peed myself."
"That is how they call her; it only seemed fitting to do the same while I was in their home."
"Nonsense," B'Elanna happily disagreed. "Just because they say it, doesn't mean that they'll accept others calling Geisha a plaything. You simply did that because you have a wicked sense of humor and knew how they'd react to finding out that the Borg Queen knew personally that they had taken one of the new drones in as their little plaything."
"I think that they do not yet fully understand the complexity that is the Hive," Seven said, relenting her played objection. "They are relatively new drones themselves; their species only joined the Collective four months ago. I do not think that they have yet moved to the deeper levels of the Hive while regenerating. For new drones like them the new system of still being an individual voice while regenerating is very pleasing. Why would they go to the levels where drones are emotionless and the only talking is about things that the Hive considers relevant?"
"You like going there though," B'Elanna pointed out.
"There are benefits, but it takes some time before people start to appreciate those benefits. There are still new people going to those levels, but they are people that are part of the Collective for some time by then, and know the new way enough to want to see what the old way is all about."
"The important part is that they go there though," B'Elanna pointed out. "They may take a couple of months before they go there, but when all is said and done it's not like that part of the Hive is bleeding dry. There is a delay, but with the extra new drones we now see more voices there than there were before we started to change things. The Hive is still fully in tact, and all drones in both systems are happy about it."
"Indeed," Seven agreed. "I personally like to go there for two reasons. First to show those drones that I care about them as well. Second, because there I become just one of many voices for a while. There I am not the Queen that makes the decisions; there I am just a little part of the majority of votes that decides on things. Surprisingly enough I find that very relaxing; to just be one of many."
"So, what do you think of the fact that Geisha is indeed pretty much Shaa and Grakil's plaything; basically just there for them to have fun with?" Pagsha asked.
"I think that it is a favorable situation," Seven said thoughtfully. "It is unplanned, but most encouraging. One should also not forget that while they are having fun with her, Geisha is having fun as well. She is not forced to do anything she does not want to. I also think that it is more than just fun. The 'fun,' also known as sex, is more of an excuse. If it truly was only about the sex, Geisha and her son would not be spending most of their time in Shaa and Grakil's quarters. They like each other's company, and the name 'plaything' is merely a tool to make clear to all of them what the dynamics in the group is. Let us not forget; Shaa and Grakil already went through their specie's process of making Geisha and her son official family members. Not something done lightly, and most definitely not something done for someone that is a mere living sex toy."
"That's true," Pagsha agreed, knowing that it was not a step Shaa and Grakil's species took lightly, and that it involved quite some rituals they had to fulfill.
"I believe that Geisha will benefit a great deal from the relationship," Seven continued. "This will aid in keeping Geisha grounded. Even though being president of Unimatrix Zero is a position that is on Individualist basis only second to the Royal family, it still varies much from what we do. We only set a general course; we think, approve or disapprove. But with the exception of some specific things that have caught our interest, and because of that are monitored on a more personal level, we do not micromanage in any way. Geisha will have to micromanage, at least up to a certain level. Yes, she too will give general commands to the people that work directly under her, and then those people will have to work out the details. But there will always be things she has to keep an eye on herself."
B'Elanna nodded her agreement. "Yeah, even if there's nothing else she has to keep a close eye on, merely following the strict guidelines we gave her of how we envision the growth of Unimatrix Zero demands keeping a lot of details in mind. It's a good thing that she truly excels at keeping small details in mind while making broad plans."
"She will have to make very important decisions on a daily basis, if not even on an hourly basis," Seven continued. "It will be good for her that at home she can let go and not have to make any more choices. Save for the one if she still wants to continue to abide by the rules off the Alpha female. It will enable her to truly 'switch off' at home. It will be her way to relax. I enjoy joining the deeper levels of the Hive from time to time because there I am just one of many voices, and Geisha will enjoy that when she comes home, her time for decision-making is over for that day. "
"That's actually a good point," B'Elanna agreed. "But you know what I also like about this situation? The fact that her family doesn't live in Unimatrix Zero. Remember, that was one of our worries; that the person we put in charge of Unimatrix Zero would eventually start to live their entire life there, with the exception of the mandatory four hours a day that has to be spent in 'the real world.' But now the time in the real world is not something that has to be suffered through because it's a rule. No, now the time in the real world is something looked forward to because it's where her home is. It's the place where her family is waiting for her, the place where her son is waiting for her, the place where her lovers are waiting for her."
"Hmm, you know what I like?" Pagsha asked. "That relationships guidelines is also something that you didn't copy from Starfleet. Here even the highest level of command, the Borg Queen, knows that Geisha gave herself fully to her lovers, and wants to be seen as their property, just not treated as such. The Borg Queen knows that one of her subjects is seen, though not treated, as property by two other subjects. And yet the Queen even encourages this relationship and considers it a good thing. In Starfleet, in the Federation as a whole for that matter, everyone would act outraged and say that such an unhealthy relationship should be stopped. The same with Katzi and me."
Pagsha quickly looked at her lover who was standing a little to the side. "They would say that I'm dominated in my relationship and that it would be better for me if I was taken out of the relationship. It would take a meeting with a telepathic councilor before people would truly believe that I'm happy with my relationship. And even there people might still say that I'm merely in denial."
"Well, to be fair," B'Elanna said thoughtfully, "We have one major advantage that neither Starfleet nor the Federation has. Something even Seven and I considered a terrible thing less than two years ago; the Borg neural link. We can say that this relationship is a good thing because we know for a fact that Shaa, Grakil, and Geisha are very happy with the situation. And even if we hadn't done that extra scan because Geisha is taking up the position of President, we still didn't have to worry. Because, yes, just how happy they are would've been filtered out as irrelevant information, but if someone is unhappy with their life then this is automatically flagged as relevant but private information. Then that information is automatically sent to a councilor and the person will be sitting in a councilor's office, often even before they admitted to themselves that there are problems."
B'Elanna waved a hand between Pagsha and Katzi to indicate the both of them. "The same with you. Ignoring what Seven and I personally know from your relationship with Katzi because of our close friendship, the scan has never once noted a day that you were unhappy with your life. Therefore, since it's a part of your life, your relationship must be going alright and that in turn means that we've no business telling you what you should or should not do... as long as you don't bother other people."
"True, so?" Pagsha asked, wondering why B'Elanna was pointing out what the Ghdibrian already knew.
"So the Federation doesn't have that. Since it's simply impossible for them to send every person in the Federation to a counselor once a year, let alone once every three days like a scan is done here, they have to have rules that cover it. They have to have a rule which stated that it's illegal to have a sentient person be considered your property. They need that to make sure that people don't beat their property into telling everyone that they love being with their owner. We on the other hand get an assurance once every three days, at most, that Geisha wants to be where she is. And even if there was some kind of doubt, we could adjust the scan, like it was done this one time because of her new position. If there was any doubt if this relationship is good for her, we could actually choose to literally feel for ourselves how wonderful and happy she feels when one of her lovers tells her that they want her, now. Truly, where the Federation needs to make sure that people are not mistreated and are hiding it, we have to make sure that we don't intrude into relationships too much even though we can do so easily. Seeing how things are going recently, I think that we've found a good balance in this."
"I guess that's true," Pagsha agreed. "If you look at it that way I guess that they would indeed have to create a lot of rules just to cover the 'better safe than sorry' angle."
Having received her answer, Pagsha decided that a change in subject was in order. "Well, to bring up a different point, now that the cubes are arriving to take these new drones to different places in the Collective, and negotiations are at a point where we can bring in some Ministers to continue them, what's next?"
"Good question. At the moment we have nothing that requires my personal presence. Where would you like to go?" Seven asked.
"Me?" Pagsha asked surprised.
"Why not? Until now all the travels of Unimatrix 01 has been because I had to be at a specific location for negotiations, or if it was a place that B'Elanna or I wanted to visit. You may be a First Officer by rank, but I do not think that there is a single person in the Collective that does not know how big your contribution is to my reign as Queen. You are the person that B'Elanna and I bounce ideas off, the person that does not hesitate to ask if something is truly needed or if it is not a case of 'we are doing it because we can', the person that I learned a lot from of how to interact with others. That is not even counting the fact that a very big part of our changes have started with suggestions or questions from you. I think that it is time you too should be able to pick our destination from time to time. And Pagsha, it is not a crime to pick a destination you would like to visit simply because you want to see it with your own eyes; it is what B'Elanna and I do often enough."
"Well, if you put it like that... I would really love to go back to Zamona," Pagsha said hesitantly.
"Zamona it is," Seven agreed with a nod, making it clear that she approved the choice. She looked at Captain Wolkav before adding, "Captain, please start the journey as soon as we are ready here; normal cruise speed."
"Yes, my Queen."
~~~~~~~~~~{}~~~~~~~~~~
Once they had left the bridge and entered the corridor that would lead them to the Royal quarters, Seven asked, "Why Zamona?"
Now Pagsha smiled. "Because last time I was there I didn't see much of it. We beamed directly to the meeting with the Queen, and from there directly to where Katzi was. I want to go back there for so many reasons. For my Mate to show me around and show me the places where she loved to spend time. I also want those people there that didn't join the Borg to see my Mate and ask her what she does now. I want to see their faces when Katzi tells them that she's a Royal Guard. Not just any Royal Guard that is trusted with the safety of the Zamonan Queen. No; a Royal Guard that is trusted with the safety of the Borg Queen, the ruler over almost 15,000 species. And of course, not to forget, I want every person there to see that this Royal Guard has a plate attached to her arm that says 'Pagsha's property'."
B'Elanna laughed. "As good a reason as any if you ask me. They entered the Royal quarters and despite knowing better, B'Elanna quickly checked if Vasha and Zizirk were there. She had known that they wouldn't be there though. It was Alpha shift; which meant that Zizirk would be on the holodeck with Vasha to fulfill the normal daily schedule.
They sat down on the two couches in the living room before B'Elanna continued. "I think I'd really love to go back there as well. Regent Dasia and her Mate Gici became pretty good friends of Seven and me during our first visit to the planet. Unfortunately we saw only Dasia and not Gici last time, and only then for just as long as you saw her. I think that unless things change there, Zamona will always have a special place in my heart. It's the place where Seven and I felt totally accepted for the first time; even more than on Voyager. It's also the place where we realized that we were truly in love. I think... I'd like to visit that place more than just this one time. What about you, Seven?"
"I do like how relatively isolated things are there," Seven said thoughtfully. "If you are in a village you feel as if that part is the only part of civilization on Zamona. Plus, they have a Monarchy where the Royalty is respected and people want to take up as little time as possible of their Queen. I think that they would also not 'freak out' if a different Queen happens to be on the planet. Maybe we can even ask Queen Erda if we can build a cabin on Zamona to have a vacation home there so that we can simply go there without a lot of preparations having to be made for the visit every time."
"I like the idea," B'Elanna agreed with a grin. "Unlike the people that work for us, we don't have a set amount of days off. In fact, you could argue that we didn't have a day off until now. We went to places where we would like to go, but we still did things there for the Borg. It would be nice if there was a place where we could go to if we have a day or two off."
"If you want to do that and not stay within a few light-years of Zamona the entire time, we are talking transwarp here," Pagsha pointed out. "Others don't get to use transwarp just to go on vacation."
She hesitated for a moment before correcting herself. "Well, that's not true. When they go on a vacation they do travel on ships that travel at transwarp. But they don't get a ship that is standing by and waiting for them to say 'go'. They have to look at schedules, see when they rendezvous with a ship or starbase where they can get off to get another ship, and therefore can only plan their vacation to start on the day of that rendezvous."
"True," Seven agreed. "However, there is a difference. The people that serve on Unimatrix 01 are stationed here. This is where they knew they would serve; this is their place of operation. Even if we travel ten thousand light years from where we are now, they will still be at their place of operation. The place of operation for B'Elanna and me is the entire territory of Borg space. We use transwarp all the time to travel to places where we need to be; it is part of our existence. The other people on this ship are able to plan vacations. They can even plan vacations that are off the ship. They can plan a vacation today for four months in the future. As you said, they just have to keep the scheduled rendezvous with other Borg ships in mind because we keep those up no matter where we are. However, we ourselves will not be able to plan a vacation up front because we never know what will need our attention at what time. So, if we do find ourselves in a situation where we are suddenly not required to be in a specific place, I believe that we should be able to use the opportunity."
B'Elanna nodded. "I think you are right. But to be fair, I also think that there should be a limit. Not only because of the fact that we're using Unimatrix 01 as our personal transport, but also because of time. If despite transwarp we still have to travel five days just to get somewhere, than we're totally wasting our time."
"That is a very valid point," Seven agreed. "We have to find a balance, a point where we would not go to a certain place for a vacation because it is too far away at that moment. Do you have a suggestion?"
"Well," B'Elanna said thoughtfully before she started to run numbers through her head. "Because Unimatrix 01 has 23 of the biggest warp cores in Borg space, and an obscene amount of transwarp coils tied in to those cores, Unimatrix 01 is actually the fastest Borg ship that exists at the moment... with the exception of cube X31. We have a top speed of warp 22 and can actually cover 8,000 light-years in 5 hours if we need to. But over warp 20 the strain on the resources gets so high that we can really only run warp 22 in case of an emergency."
"So traveling over warp 20 just so that you can go on a vacation is something that is out of the question?" Pagsha asked.
"Right," B'Elanna agreed. "The Borg shouldn't have to harvest vast amounts of resources just so that we can have some time off. I think... warp 19. At that level the pull on the resources isn't much different than traveling at normal warp; the main difference being that navigating at transwarp is not as easy as at warp. Transwarp is good for straight 'point A to point B travel, normal warp is better for when you actually have to steer the ship. At warp 19 we travel 1,000 light-years per day. I say, let's make that our border. If a place is within 1,000 light-years it's fair game for a vacation. If it's further away than it's a no-go."
"That sounds reasonable," Seven said after thinking about it for a moment. "And if we want to visit a place that is further away, we plan it so that we can also do something else there that is related to our positions as leaders of the Borg."
"Zamona is more than 1,000 light-years away," Pagsha pointed out.
"And we agreed to go there before we came up with this new system," Seven countered. "Therefore I believe that we can start the new system after this trip."
"Seven, talking about new," B'Elanna spoke up. "Now might be as good a time as any to make the suggestion."
"Suggestion?" Pagsha asked.
"You are correct, my Mate," Seven agreed before focusing back on Pagsha. "B'Elanna and I have been talking about several things and there is one thing that we want to offer you, Pagsha, and one thing that we would like to offer to the both of you. We feel that the last should be suggested in private because it has to do with our family. The first point is official, but seeing the nature of the second point I hope you do not mind that we also bring up the first point in this setting."
"Um, sure," Pagsha said, clearly confused.
"Pagsha," Seven started, "As you know, until now we had you serve on the Senior Staff because we wanted you to act as something of a bridge between them and us. In the beginning this was a very effective tool because it gave the Senior Staff and us time to find a proper way of interacting. Their mind scan might have shown us how much they can be trusted as Senior Staff members, but it would not show us if they do not speak up at meetings because I, the Queen, said something that contradicts what they believe. But now we have moved on. The Senior Staff interacts easily with B'Elanna and me. They have become people that do not hesitate to give their opinion, and we value that opinion."
Seven hesitated for a moment before saying that what all of them knew was the truth. "It is no longer needed for you to be a part of the Senior Staff. We believe that the time has come to give the title of First Officer to Unimatrix 01 to the person that has been your replacement in that position for almost a full year now. Besides all else it is only fair to him. He is the First Officer of Unimatrix 01 in all but name at the moment. We would like to offer you a new to be created rank and title that reflects what you have been doing from your first day as Individualist drone; we want to offer you the rank of Royal Advisor."
"Um, is that a promotion or demotion?" Pagsha joked. Truth be told, she had always liked the fact that she was the First Officer of Unimatrix 01, even if it was only by title lately.
"Let me put it this way," B'Elanna spoke up. "How many First Officers are there in the Collective now?" Before Pagsha could answer, B'Elanna continued. "And how many Royal Guards?"
"Four," Pagsha said with a smile, seeing where B'Elanna was going. "And there's only one President to Unimatrix Zero, and only one Royal Advisor. So basically I keep doing what I have been doing, also keep my rank of First Officer, just that now my title reflects the work I have been doing and that I'm no longer 'the' First Officer on Unimatrix 01?"
"Indeed."
"Then I accept. Thank you."
"No, thank you," Seven countered. "Both B'Elanna and I sometimes get lost in the possibilities that could be. What we could do simply because we can. You have been our rational mind for over a year now. Thank you for challenging us and not simply going along with us. Thank you for daring to say 'there is no reason to do that'. Thank you, my friend."
Pagsha had no idea how to react to that.
So, B'Elanna decided to break the silence that had formed. "Alright, with that covered, I guess it's time to bring up the second thing we wanted to discuss. Pagsha, when we selected you as a drone that would be our assistant, we already knew that chances were pretty big that we would become friends. But we had no idea just how fast and easy we would become those friends. Then you showed up, Katzi."
B'Elanna grinned before deliberately reminding, "The woman that once touched Seven's ass and made me see red. Who would've thought that you would become a Royal Guard? Who would've thought that this woman I punched for touching my Mate would end up becoming one of our best friends? Someone I literally trust with my life every day? Seven and I thought that when you and Pagsha got involved that we'd see less of the both of you; instead we saw more of you."
"Our jobs kinda require that," Katzi pointed out. "Not that I'm complaining, mind you."
"Your jobs don't require that you spend almost every free minute with us, yet you spend more time with us than you do in your own quarters," B'Elanna disagreed.
"You want us to stay out of your hair more?" Pagsha asked, thinking that this was what her friends were leading up to. After all, it was not easy to tell a friend that you want to see them less.
"Not at all," Seven disagreed. "B'Elanna and I like your company, and we miss you if you are not with us. No matter how pleasant the evening was, it feels wrong to us when in the end you walk out of that door to go to your own quarters. It is as if we get told that you do not belong here. But B'Elanna and I feel that you do belong here, and that we made a grave error in not addressing this earlier. B'Elanna, Vasha, and I, are a family unit. While technically you are not part of this family unit, we nevertheless feel that you are. You spend all your time here, you help in raising our daughter; you were even present when she was born. You literally know our daughter from the first second of her life, and Vasha sees as much of you as she does of us. She knows that you are not her physical parents; you know only too well that despite her young age she knows the difference. Yet, what is it she calls you two?"
"She calls me Mag, and she calls Pagsha Jilon," Katzi answered.
"Which both mean mother in our native languages," Pagsha added with a smile.
"Indeed," Seven agreed. "In the beginning we did not pay too much attention to that. We were more amazed at the fact that not only could Vasha talk at such an incredible young age, but she could even talk coherently. After that it was simply how she called you. Looking back, we do not think that this was just a coincidence. From the beginning, as soon as she could talk, Vasha called B'Elanna Mamma, and me Momma. Yet the two of you she addresses with the more formal 'mother.' Vasha sees you as a part of the family, and we think she is right. You are more to us than mere friends; you are family. Because of that we want to offer you to officially become part of that family."
Seeing the shocked look on their friend's faces, B'Elanna continued where her Mate had left off. "We want to ask you if you'd be interested in moving into the Royal Quarters. We could have a second master bedroom created beside Seven and my bedroom so that you still have your own bedroom and also a place to go to if you want to be alone for a while. But that's really beside the point at the moment. Bottom line is; we see you as our family and we'd like for you to live in the family quarters."
B'Elanna too fell silent and she and her Mate waited while their friends looked at each other. It was clear that they were talking over their own private Borg link.
"We would love to," Pagsha said a moment later. Though it was clear that she and Katzi had talked about their answer, she still looked at her Mate for her too to voice her agreement. "Um, wouldn't we?"
"We would," Katzi agreed before looking back at her friends. "Maybe we should have had this talk sometime ago, because Pagsha and I have talked several times already about how much time we do spend in your quarters. We came to the conclusion that we liked spending so much time here because this place feels like home to us. Our quarters do feel nice and we like it there, but they don't really feel like home to us. Something is missing, or better said, some things are missing; a few people we really like a lot. So yes, we would love to take you up on your offer. We would love to call this place home; to not have to leave the place that feels like home to return to a place that our home in name only."
Katzi saw how her friends smiled when they heard her admit that the Royal Quarters had felt like home to them. But, Katzi was a Zamonan; fierce independence was part of her nature, so it prompted her to make a counter-suggestion.
"I really want to call this place my home, so we will take you up on your offer even if you don't agree with my next suggestion, but I still feel that I should suggest it. I would actually suggest that we don't get rid of the quarters that Pagsha and I are living in at the moment. You suggested that we could go to our yet to be created bedroom if we want to be alone for a while, or you to yours. But that would then mean that this person that wants to be alone for a while would be basically trapped in the bedroom. Who knows, maybe there will come a time where one of us, or one of the couples, wants to be alone for a couple of days. We could use our old quarters as something of a refuge; a place to go to if we want some rest from the life in the Royal quarters. Don't get me wrong, I don't think that I need some kind of escape plan or something, but,"
"But you're right," B'Elanna interrupted. "When you move in here you do give up quite a bit of freedom. Especially if you keep in mind that we also have a child and a nanny here."
She grinned before adding with a wink, "Right now in your own quarters you can sit in the living room and suddenly tell Pagsha to strip for you."
Then she continued more serious. "You'll be giving up freedoms like that by moving in because here that's not an option unless Zizirk has retired for the evening and Vasha is in her room. And even then, since Seven and I are there, it would not be a private show for you. You're giving up freedom, and I can assure you that there will be times that you'll miss that freedom. There are days that Seven and I just want a day or two alone to us, but we can't because of the choices we made. We wanted to raise our daughter, and not grow her like a vegetable in a maturation chamber. It's a choice that we're very glad we made it like we did; Vasha fills us with joy every day. But unlike us you don't have to give up that freedom. You can keep your other quarters and escape for a day or two."
Pagsha smiled. "You do realize though, don't you?"
"Realize what?" B'Elanna asked confused.
"If Katzi and I move in here, you have two extra people here. People that can take care of your child, who your child likes enough to call them 'mother'. From now on you can also take that day in those quarters to be alone for a while."
"We could at that," B'Elanna agreed with a grin. Suddenly the idea of their friends becoming part of the family had gotten an extra bonus that neither she nor Seven had thought of.
"A different set of quarters as the ones you live in at the moment are needed though," Seven pointed out. "Pagsha agreed to take the new position of Royal Advisor. That means that she, and by extension you Katzi, have to move out of the First Officer quarters since that part of this deck is reserved for the Senior Staff, and therefore those First Officer quarters will belong to the new First Officer of Unimatrix 01. Also, even if you were not moving into the Royal Quarters, I do believe that your position as Royal Advisor mandates that you get a set of quarters that is located at least just as close to the Royal Quarters as the First Officer's quarters are now. To speak proverbially; so that the Royal Advisor is only a shout away from the Royal family. Since these quarters have yet to be created, we could decorate them in such a way that it appeals to all four of us. These quarters could then be that escape location should any one, or two, of us need some time alone."
"You said that the new quarters should be close to these quarters. Could we make it so that these new quarters have an exit to the corridor, and a second exit that leads to the Royal Quarters?" Katzi asked. "That way those quarters could be used as truly separate quarters if any of us needs a few days. For instance, if I would like to have Pagsha to myself for a few days so that I can have my way with her at any moment of the day that I would like. At the same time, a direct door to the Royal Quarters would still make those quarters kinda a part of the Royal Quarters and we would still be at home. Even if one of us needs to go there for a few hours to be alone."
Seven thought about that for a moment and it was clear to the others she was envisioning their quarters, the holodeck up one side of their quarters, what was going to be the Royal wing in the future, at the second side, and the corridor and the quarters of the Royal guards and Senior Staff at the third side. Finally she spoke up again while pointing at one of the walls.
"That is possible if the quarters were added in that direction. Because the side corridor moves alongside in that direction we could easily have one exit to that corridor. Then we could make a direct connection from living room to living room by creating a door in that wall. That would even make it possible to have a third exit in the new quarters that leads to the holodeck. However, if those quarters will be designed as an 'escape' possibility for all of us, it means that grooves have to be made in the ceiling and a regeneration unit placed above it so that I, if I were to use those quarters, could regenerate consciously there."
"Of course," Pagsha agreed.
"So, when are you going to move in?" B'Elanna asked, getting to the heart of the matter. "The Royal Advisor quarters don't need to be ready for that. At least, I don't think that any of us will need that little escape in the first week or two after you move in."
"Do we even have to move in?" Pagsha asked in turn. "I would say that we already did. We have slept here before, I'm sure we can do so again now. Unless you want to make some kind of ceremony out of it, I would say that all we really need to do is to move our personal possessions once our bedroom is finished. I assume that our bedroom will have a walk-in closet that's just as big as the one that you have; more than enough room to store our possessions?"
"Consider it a design must. Your bedroom will mirror ours in size as well as closet room," Seven assured. "We are inviting you into our family. That means that in here you are equal to us; you should not have to stay in a place that makes it clear that it is second place to a 'master bedroom.'"
Then she addressed a different part of what Pagsha had said. "You have slept here before, in B'Elanna and my bed when we happened to have indulged in our special interest of watching and being watched at night, and we saw no reason why you should get dressed only to walk to your quarters and undress there again. You have, however not yet stayed here the night simply to sleep. You have not yet crawled into our bed with the full intent that you will sleep there."
"But," B'Elanna grinned, "Since we were smart enough to get a big bed right from the start so that we have room to move, four people can sleep comfortably in our bed. I'm sure that we can manage for a day or two until we've had that extra bedroom created and decorated."
"So our moving in here exists simply out of us not leaving tonight?" Katzi asked? "I don't know, it sounds a bit anti-climatic."
"What else would you suggest?" Seven asked. "Obviously where you live will also be officially changed. Even though the new quarters will become the Royal Advisor's quarters, we will make it very clear to the Hive that you two now also live in the Royal Quarters. I have a feeling that the Hive will love it that their Queen gets along with one of her guards so well that she considers that guard part of the family."
"Oh, I agree, but that's not what I'm getting at," Katzi assured before adding with a grin, "I was more thinking of a little party. We all like the watch and being watched thing, I say we start out living together by indulging until we can't see straight anymore. But here's the fun part. People that live together should share. So, Pagsha and I go and get our sex toys and then we share. Pagsha and I watch while you two make love using our toys, and then you two watch while Pagsha and I make love using your toys."
"Oh, I like that idea," B'Elanna said happily. "Making love to Seven until I can't move anymore. But fair is fair. We take turns watching and being watched."
"Of course," Katzi happily agreed. "That will give Pagsha and me time to calm down, and get turned on again by seeing you and Seven make love."
"I do sense the ulterior motive of you wanting to get your hands on our toys," Seven pointed out. "Especially the Zamonan one."
Katzi winked before admitting, "Call me weird, but no matter how much watching you two turns me on like crazy, I simply don't get tempted to do more than watch; Pagsha is all the woman I need. But you do have some great toys that I would love to use."
"You can use them, if you clean them," Seven said. "And the same for us with your toys of course. I do not think that I have to point out how important good maintenance of our Zamonan toy is to us."
"Deal," Katzi agreed.
"In fact," B'Elanna spoke up. "Have you tried our suggestion yet? About using a model that enables you to feel what it's like to be inside your Mate?"
"Not yet," Katzi admitted.
"Perfect. You really have to try that. Tonight you can use ours. As incredible as the holographic one felt, the real one feels even better. It's our second favorite toy now."
Katzi nodded. "Alright, tonight is as good a time as any to try." Then she frowned. "We never did see you use that after that time on the holodeck."
"That is because nowadays we do not deliberately plan times where we make love where you can see it," Seven explained. "We normally use 'the sensitive one', as we call that toy only when we plan to use it before we start making love. As B'Elanna just said, the real one feels better then the holographic one. I think that it has to do with the fact that the parts that connect are actually real technology then. So we never bother to create a copy of it on the holodeck. Trust me, as much as you both like to feel something inside you, you will love it."
"So we're having a sex party tonight?" Pagsha clarified.
"You mind, my Mate?" Katzi asked.
"Nope," Pagsha happily assured. "In fact, I look forward to you fucking me again and again tonight." She blushed and lowered her eyes before admitting shyly. "I would really love for you to take me hard and on all fours with the Zamonan toy when we use it the first time. I... after Seven did that to B'Elanna last month I fantasized about you doing that to me. Fantasized several times."
"Ah," Katzi said in understanding. "That explains why you asked me several times the last month to make love to you. Normally I'm the one to decide when we make love; as you like it. You should have told me, I would have obliged before tonight."
Pagsha shook her head. "I like my fantasies. Don't worry, after a few weeks I always tell them to you. But I first want to keep them to myself, fantasize, make me hot, before telling them to you and having them fulfilled for me."
"Well, alright, as long as I get to fulfill them eventually. I love those times; you can never get enough then," Katzi said happily before looking back at her friends. "It seems that you are in for a treat today. You never were present when I fulfilled one of my Mate's fantasies. I'll bet you that she'll be the one that comes the most today, not that I mind making her come."
B'Elanna looked at Seven with a grin. "That sounded like a challenge to me."
"I agree." Seven looked back at her friends before adding, "We will see who will last longer. The two of you, or the two of us."
Pagsha merely shook her head. But privately she was looking forward to it, and was hoping that she and Katzi would go first.
They talked a few minutes more about the benefits of living together in regards to their love for seeing other people having sex. But not much later the discussion moved on, moved to other aspects of living together. Moved to B'Elanna and Katzi arguing, in fun, about just which weapon was more important and needed to get the most prominent place on the wall in the quarters. Then the conversation moved on again to little details, like that some programs needed to be added to the replicator because some of them preferred certain foods to taste just that little bit different.
As she sat there listening, and certainly also contributing, to the discussion, Pagsha realized that this was them. All four of them liked to make love, and the subject was so open to talk about between them as it was to talk about what kind of clothing they preferred. So sex was actually a common subject of discussion between them, even if just for a few minutes, or as a reference, or joke.
But Pagsha realized, that was simply them indulging and talking about something they really loved to do. But the more important part was that it was just a subject, just something to do. This, sitting around the coffee table talking, laughing, having fun. Just like so many times before. This was them. This was family. This was 'her' family.
"What's the matter?" Katzi asked when she saw tears roll down her lover's face. She came closer and softly brushed them away before taking Pagsha in a hug. No matter what, a hug was always a good first step.
"Happy tears," Pagsha assured. "As you know, I never had much of a family life. I was just being fed and taught things that would be beneficial to my future husband. And now. Here I am, sitting with my family." She smiled. "And on top of that I even have a daughter now."
Seven moved over to her and hugged her as well. She placed a kiss on the Ghdibrian's cheek. "That you do, mother to my daughter. That you do. Welcome to the family."
Katzi looked at B'Elanna and lifted her eyebrows. The two of them were the tough ones, the warriors, the ones that didn't do the mushy stuff... in public.
B'Elanna shrugged. She got up and moved around the coffee table as well. Suddenly she grinned and threw herself onto the heap of people that was her family while exclaiming, "Group hug!"
Continued...