Checkers

by

sHaYcH

Disclaimer: The characters and backstory of Star Trek: Voyager belong to Paramount Pictures, I'm just borrowing them.

Oh, Gee, yet Another one of THOSE stories!  Yup, a little woman to woman touchy-feely here  ; ). If this isn't your bottle of brew, please find another brand to enjoy : ). Thank you.

Comments are welcome at shaych3@yahoo.com

Flames are for fires, not notes to bards. : )

"Queen me." Captain Kathryn Janeway smiled as she lowered her red checker into place on the opposite edge of the game board. She shifted on her bed slightly, hiding a wince at how numb her left side was growing as she watched her opponent.

"Captain, I am not qualified to make you the ruler of all you survey." Seven of Nine, former Borg drone intoned solemnly. Janeway chuckled sardonically.

"No, I don't suppose you are. But that's all right Seven, because I wasn't talking about becoming a ruler, I was playing the game. In checkers, when your opponent reaches your side of the board, their playing piece is 'crowned' by one that you have 'captured'."

Seven considered the captain's explaination for several minutes. Finally, she asked, "Why?"

Kathryn opened her mouth to respond, and found that she couldn't. "I -- I don't really know. I guess it's a part of the game that I've taken for granted. My mother taught both me and my sister to play years and years ago -- her attempt to keep us from killing each other I suppose." The lines around the captain's eyes deepened as she smiled, remembering sunny Indiana afternoons in the Janeway family kitchen, her sister Phoebe and her mother sitting at the table, trading off at checkers.

Seven, perched cross-legged on the end of the captain's bed, cocked her head to the side. "A family tradition? Ah, I believe I understand. Commander Chakotay has said that it is difficult to 'spit' in the face of tradition and I must concur in this instance. Therefore," Seven reached for one of the many red markers she had piled by her left knee, "I 'Queen' you."

"Thank you, you're so kind." Janeway said dryly, eyes twinkling. Checkers had been her idea. An off-duty foray into 'fun' for the younger woman. Not the kind of fun that the captain knew that Seven was learning in the capable company of young Naomi Wildman, but the interaction with adults that was so important in the everyday lives of her crew. Of course, she also had to admit that she didn't mind the fact that it put her in direct contact with the most fascinating, beautiful, articulate, beautiful... well, she got to spend a lot of very personal time with Seven.

Seven took her time on her turn, studiously examining the board, noting where each of her and the captain's remaining markers were. This was the first game that they had actually played, after the captain had briefly described the rules. It was not difficult. However, each time Seven thought she'd cornered the captain, the older woman had surprised Seven by turning the tables. The move that got her 'crowned', for instance, particularly fascinated the former drone. Janeway had hopped from her side of the board nearly all the way to Seven's, collecting three of the Borg's markers in the process.

Seven's pride was driving her to try and top that feat, to take four of the captain's markers, as well as gaining a 'crown'. She looked from the board up to the captain, who was seemingly more interested in Seven's rate of respiration than in the game board. Except Seven knew that her breathing was not that fascinating. It only took a few moments to draw the conclusion that something else about her chest area captured the good captain's full attention. The Borg considered. Not too long ago she had undergone "dating" lessons under the tutalege of the ship's Emergency Medical Hologram, and although the lessons had gone completely awry and she had determined that there were no suitable candidates for mating aboard Voyager, something inside of Seven of Nine cried out for -- love.

It dawned on Seven that Captain Janeway was exhibiting the classic signs of attraction, and had been for some time. This allowed her to recognize her own attraction for the starship captain. Quickly, she made her move, sliding a black chip up three squares. Then she sat back to watch the captain.

Janeway looked at the board, noting each marker, but not really caring because out of the corner of her eye, she could see Seven of Nine's nipples begin to harden under the dark blue bio-suit she'd chosen to wear that day. Cursing inwardly, Kathryn recklessly moved a piece, not caring where it ended up.

Seven, observing the captain's reactions, said nothing, only picked up one of her own pieces and hopped it across the board. Once -- twice -- three times -- and over a fourth piece to land on Janeway's side. Seven smiled brilliantly and caught the captain's eyes with her own. "Queen me," she said simply, then put her hands in her lap.

Kathryn swallowed and pulled herself out of the ocean of blue that was her opponents eyes. "Yes, ma'am," she said tartly, then reached out for one of the black chips that she'd won. A memory struck as her fingers closed around the replicated plastic.

She was 23, on holiday on Risa, the pleasure planet, and she'd met a fabulous young woman by the name of Lorelei. Lorelei had taken the young Janeway on a whirlwind trip of Risa's best offerings, dazzling Kathryn to no end with her knowledge and charisma. Then one day it had rained, keeping the two women inside for a few hours. To pass the time, they replicated a game of checkers -- the only game both knew and liked. After an hour of playing, Kathryn had finally managed to get one of her pieces on Lorelei's side of the board. As she said "Queen me", the beautiful woman across from her had surged over the table, taken Kathryn's face in her hands and kissed her like the future didn't matter.

As Kathryn's memory took over, Seven watched, fascinated at the captain's reactions. Her eyes fluttered shut, her lips pursed slightly and her fingers went slack, dropping the black chip to the bed, forgotten. The older woman began to pant slightly and Seven could see goosebumps rise on the captain's neck. She felt her own pulse rise in response, as well as a rush of heat that seared from the pit of her stomach outward. The ex-Borg continued to watch, fascinated, yet apprehensive.

In her mind, Janeway was just opening her mouth to admit Lorelei's demanding tongue. She moaned and reached for the woman. Suddenly, she was there, soft, warm and alive, moving under her hands and lips, mouth seeking hers frantically. Chips slipped from the board to the floor as Seven and Kathryn moved to their knees, eyes closed, mouths locked together. Seven brought her hands up to cup Kathryn's face, and the captain's eyes flew open at the cool-warm touch of metal on her cheek.

Kathryn broke away, gasping. "Seven -- I --"

Seven put her finger on the captain's lips and shook her head. "Do not try to disclaim your actions, Captain. I know you were not thinking of me."

"Then why...?" Kathryn asked, befuddled.

"Because I wanted to," was the simple answer. "I still want to, but now I have a better understanding of the Doctor's lessons."

"Oh?" Kathryn's eyebrows shot up in query. She knew about the ill-fated lessons and the subsequant bet that had been made over them. Tom Paris was still on her shit list because of it, and the EMH wasn't smelling rosy, either.

"It is preferred to be as desired by your partner as you desire them," Seven said in response.

Kathryn flushed. The truth bubbled inside of her, spurred on by the fire of Seven's kiss, but she held back, floundering, trying to somehow regain some shred of her "captain's mask", and with it, control.

Seven stood, locked her hands behind her back and smiled sadly. "Thank you for a -- lovely -- evening Captain, but I believe it is time for me to go." The former Borg spun on her perfect four inch heels and strode out of the room and out of the captain's quarters.

"Well Katie, you made a right perfect mess of that one!" Janeway snorted to herself after Seven was gone.

fin

10/23/99