Title: Bitter

Author: The Goddess of Despair

Code: J/7

Spoilers: Set three years after Endgame.

The communiqué had come as something as a surprise to Seven, she hadn’t heard anything from Captain Kathryn Janeway in three years. In fact since Voyager’s triumphant return to federation space three and a half years ago she hadn’t spoken to any of the crew, least of all the “great love of her life” with whom she had shared a grand romance, which had lasted a total of two weeks after reaching Earth.

The communiqué was an invitation to the Captain’s promotion ceremony, she briefly considered deleting it. After all, did she really want to face her old crew mate’s wrath again. The fallout from when her now deeply regretted relationship with Chakotay had become public knowledge still made her wince. Being called a traitor to Janeway were one of the milder things she had been accused of, and that had been from Harry Kim, ships all around good guy.

‘Please come.’ The letter said. Seven’s fingers drummed against her desk. Would it be so bad? Naomi Wildman might be there, and Seven was pretty certain that she at least didn’t hate her. The Doctor would be, maybe there was a chance mend bridges so to speak. Torres would be there. Her mind baulked at that, their last meeting had been the stuff of legend; if Chakotay hadn’t summoned security they probably would have killed each other. She wasn’t going, the former Borg had made up her mind.

But the Captain wants you to be there, her inner voice piped up. She probably got together with Chakotay, and wants to rub it in your face, another, more cynical voice offered. Does it matter if she does? She wants you to be there, the other more annoying voice replied. When did you ever deny her anyway? Besides it’ll get you away from Brahms and her five thousand protocols for a week.

Seven sighed to her self and sent her acceptance, knowing she had just made a huge mistake.

The transport to Earth was extremely uneventful, much to Seven’s annoyance. To say that she was nervous about the affair would have been the understatement of the year. Janeway hadn’t even spoken to her since the admiral had departed on her fateful mission. Hell, the Captain wouldn’t even stay in the room as her, and it had hurt. It had made Seven wonder why the elder Janeway had even bothered to try and warn her about her fate, and not shove her out of the nearest airlock, for daring to take away something that was hers. Because she’s not like that, the annoying voice chimed in. Who? Janeway? No one holds a grudge like the Captain. No one. The other one replied cynically.

Unsurprisingly nobody had showed up to greet the former Borg upon her arrival to earth, she did however, spot a couple of former crewmembers from the lower decks on their way to the hotel that she was staying at, apparently Janeway had invited the whole of Voyager’s crew to the ceremony. Well at least that explained why she’d been sent an invite, she thought to her self. Keeping her distance, and using her enhanced hearing she was able to catch up on the activities of some of her former crewmates.

Harry was now a full lieutenant, and was likely to receive another promotion very shortly. Paris and Torres were still together, which was a miracle in it’s self, considered Seven. Both had resigned from Starfleet and had gotten work with independent companies, Tom as a holo novel writer and Torres as an engineering consultant. The former crewmen speculated as to whether or not the “Borg bimbo” would be at the ceremony, at this point Seven was struggling to restrain her self from jumping them both from behind.

After what seemed an extremely long time to Seven, she had finally reached the hotel. Having no other arrangements, Seven spent the rest of the evening in her room going over various reports from the propulsion group, yet another pointless protocol by godamn Brahms. Then finally arguing with the irritating, over rated tarcosian slime demon over sub space. Which had lasted a total of ten minutes, and had resulted in the egotistical witch terminating the link, but not before threatening to kick Seven of the team. I’d like to see her try it, thought Seven moodily.

The door chimed, jolting Seven out of her murderous thoughts concerning a certain leader of the warp propulsion theory group. Seven frowned, she wasn’t accustomed to visitors, no one wanted to be around her and that suited her just fine. Then who at two o’ clock in the morning-?

Torres. Who else could it be? Seven grinned; the last time the two had met she hadn’t been ready for the confrontation. This time…Seven’s grin grew wider. Come on let’s hear it Klingon. Let’s hear how I single handedly destroyed one of the greatest love stories since Romeo and Juliet. The former Borg sprang to her feet, and stormed to the door pissed off Borg face in place.

The door slid open, as well as her mouth, ready to let free a barrage of insults. She froze.

“Hello Seven.” Greeted Captain Janeway.

The former Borg’s eyes bulged, her mouth opening and closing with no sound coming out, making her resemble a terrain goldfish.

Janeway’s smile grew a little perplexed, “um, I know it’s late, but I wanted to see you before the ceremony.” She paused as if she was searching for the right words. “ I think it’s time that we talked. Can I come in?”

Having managed to regain some control of her mouth, Seven nodded wordlessly and stepped aside granting her former captain entrance. There were very few times in her life that Seven had felt absolute terror, being taken by and from the Borg, her experiences at unimatrix one, and now. She’d been dreading this moment the moment she had stepped on that blasted transport ship.

The Captain wasn’t here to shout at her, oh no. She would use her just so voice, the voice that made Seven feel as though she was two centimetres tall. The Captain would tell Seven how hurt she’d been by her actions, ask her why she’d done it and what had Janeway ever done to her? Was this the betrayal she’d been planning all along? Seven had hoped to avoid her former mentor at all costs; her plan was to sit at the very back of the ceremony, and maybe even leave before the reception took place. It was cowardly, but it was better than this feeling of absolute dread in the pit of her stomach.

With trepidation she joined the Captain on the couch, and waited. It seemed to Seven that Janeway wanted to draw this out. She kept looking around the room and taking everything in. Seven could hear nothing but the blood pumping through her veins.

“You’ve changed.” An observation, not an accusation. At least not yet anyway.

Okay she wanted small talk first. That was fine; Seven did after all deserve it. “Yes, The Doctor is a genius when it comes to medicine, his tailoring skills leave much to be desired however.” Seven replied, referring to the biosuits that had been ditched within two days of reaching Earth.

Janeway grinned lopsidedly, “no that’s not what I meant but you are looking positively scruffy these days, it wouldn’t hurt you to tuck your shirt in, you know.” She teased. “No, I meant some things changed about you. You seem edgier, angrier, somehow.”

Janeway had changed as well