Tegan Chronicles STV Style 4:

Canis Major 11

It was two days later when Tegan gasped lightly, her hand grabbing her lower abdomen.

"Are you ok Dr. Kiser?" Seven pushed the holo-doctor aside as she stepped around him.

"I'm fine." Tegan dropped her hand and stood straighter.

"You look pale." The doctor moved toward her with his tricorder probe held up in the air between them.

"You can put that away Doctor, it was merely a gas pain."

"Uh huh." He lifted his photonic brow. "And just how long have you been experiencing these 'gas' pains?"

"It was one pain, singular." She held up a finger.

"Doctor, if you are done with me…" Seven drew his attention.

"Actually your optical implant needs adjusted."

Having already retrieved what she had gone to sickbay for Tegan retreated towards the door. "Have fun you two."

"If you experience any more 'gas pains' please come back and see me."

"Of course Doctor."

Kathryn flipped her hair behind her ear with her fingers. She had only given into Tegan's request to play when the other woman told her she could beat her with one arm tied behind her back. Kathryn had told her it would be a little hard since she currently only had one arm. Tegan told Kathryn she was splitting straws and if she didn't do something soon she was going to go completely insane. "Come on, you're letting me win."

"No, I'm not." Tegan adamantly denied the accusation as she wiped at her sweat beaded brow.

"You're right. You're too competitive for that." Tegan, like Seven, had never given Kathryn an edge just because she was the Captain. It was something she appreciated about both women. If B'Elanna had been the Velocity type, she doubted B'Elanna would have either. She saw Tegan grimace. "Are you alright?"

She breathed deeply and nodded. "Muscle cramp."

"Maybe you should see the doctor?"

"I'm fine, besides we have the holodeck for the next fifteen minutes, and I still plan on beating you."

"Good luck with that." Kathryn laughed as she readied herself for the next game. She was already leading one game to none and it had almost been a runaway which should have caused her more concern.

Kathryn had just sat down in the Captain's chair at the start her shift the following morning when the distinct sound of a dog barking came over the com system. She looked at Chakotay, "Is that Maverick?"

He thought he asked some stupid questions. "Do you want me to check it out?"

"Yes." She nodded and looked back at Harry. "Shut that noise up Mr. Kim."

"Aye Captain."

"Computer, locate Dr. Kiser." Chakotay requested as he headed for the turboshaft.

"Dr. Kiser is in her quarters." Came the monotone female's voice in response.

"Tuvok, you're with me." He canted his head toward the exit.

She pushed to her feet ignoring the stillness in the air. "Where are you?"

"Delicious." A voice oozed around her.

"Not you." She spat at the nameless thing and raised her voice. "Where are you?" She would continue to yell until she was too hoarse to carry on, he showed up, or she was yanked back into the land of the conscious. "Where are you? Show yourself? I want some answers."

"You aren't supposed to be here." The deep voice boomed vibrating the earth beneath her feet as the sky darkened to a sickening black with streaks of green in the boiling clouds.

"You gave me these gifts and then you don't tell me how to control them." She accused.

"If Irene would have left well enough alone you would have learned how to control them over the time it took for them to fully develop."

"Take them back. I don't want them. I never asked for them." She cursed into the wind that howled around her, whipping her hair up into a firestorm of vibrant red on her head.

"Most people don't ask for gifts." He chuckled mirthlessly at her audacity. "I can't take them back. I won't take them back."

"Then show me how to control them."

"My, you are demanding aren't you?"

"Please." She didn't want to beg, but she would if she had to.

"Put your hand on the tree."

She turned and placed her palm against the trunk of the willow tree. Invisible tendrils shot out lashing at her, sliding up her arm through her shoulder and shooting up and down her spine, branching out into her head. White hot heat slithered along her spine engulfing each and every nerve fiber until she could no longer stand. As she crumpled to the ground the darkness swallowed her whole.

"She didn't do this on purpose Captain." The EMH looked at her as if she had grown a second head. "You can't will your appendix to rupture."

"No but she was having pain last night when we were playing Velocity and she complained of gas pains when she was in here at the end of alpha shift yesterday." She paused for half a second before needlessly pointing out, "Pain from an appendicitis isn't mild."

"I don't know what to tell you Captain, except that she did not do this on purpose." Though he couldn't be sure he didn't think anyone could endure that kind of pain if there was any chance at intervention.

"Still she did say she wanted to die." Kathryn looked down at the pale form on the biobed.

"Under controlled conditions if a medically induced coma didn't do the trick." He reminded her, though he didn't know why he was defending the hardheaded human. "You did allow Lieutenant Torres to die under similar circumstances in order to return to the barge of the dead."

The EMH pressed a hypospray into Tegan's neck and depressed the dispense button on it.

Tegan groaned and opened her eyes. "What happened?"

Kathryn was glad she didn't come to with her normal 'I'm fine' declaration. It still didn't appease her anger which was currently being driven by her concern. "You mean to tell me you don't know?"

Tegan closed her eyes for a second trying to figure out just what had happened before opening them again. "I remember waking up with severe abdominal pain this morning and knocking my combadge on the floor when I tried to call the Doctor."

"If Maverick hadn't stepped on your combadge and alerted us to your condition you could have died."

She looked over at the EMH knowing cooler heads prevailed.

"Your appendix ruptured. You really were in bad shape when they found you."

"You think I did that on purpose?" Tegan sat up and groaned as she reached to support her lower abdomen.

"Didn't you?"

"Doctor would you excuse us a minute?" Tegan waited for him to deactivate his program. "If you think I'm going to be that easy to get rid of, think again. I told you I wasn't suicidal."

"But last night…" Kathryn's tone dropped an octave.

"I honestly thought it was a pulled muscle or a cramped one. We were playing really hard."

"True." Kathryn conceded. They always gave it their all on the velocity court. "So did you find what you were looking for?"

"I don't know, but I think so."

"I hope so." She squeezed her hand quickly before letting go. "Stop doing stuff like that, that's an order."

"Aye sir." She grinned.

"And from now on Maverick stays with you." Kathryn had already discussed it with Tuvok and he agreed. "He isn't cut out to be a full time security dog."

Tegan looked around the room and frowned. "Speaking of?"

"Seven is walking him." She didn't give Tegan a change to ask if it had been a voluntary task before she announced, "I need to return to the bridge. I'm glad you're ok."

Tegan waited for the doors to sickbay to close before speaking to the empty room. "Computer please activate the EMH."

Tegan was sitting in the mess hall finishing up dinner with B'Elanna when Seven walked up. It had been two weeks since her appendix had ruptured and she had been going to the mess hall for lunch and dinner for the last ten days. She had also been patrolling the halls regularly with Maverick who was still following her orders without pause but wouldn't listen to anyone else. Part of it was to keep her sanity, she couldn't stay in Kathryn's quarters or her own a minute longer without needing to be institutionalized.

"Join us." Tegan pointed at the empty chair beside B'Elanna with a fork full of Leola root.

Seven pulled the chair out and lowered herself into it. Beside her B'Elanna growled low in her chest, a small rumble meant for only Maverick's ears.

Maverick stood up and looked at her.

She did it again and he snarled at her but wagged his tail. When she did it again he growled back loudly.

"Hey!" Tegan looked down at him concerned. He had been growling a lot in the last week and if she thought about it, they had always been eating dinner in the mess hall when it happened. "Stop that."

He looked at her and sat down quietly.

B'Elanna growled carrying it out until he jumped to his feet and started barking.

"Maverick!"

He stopped and looked at Tegan.

"B'Elanna." Seven's tone warned.

"What?" She grinned.

"You are goading him."

Tegan looked up at her with an exasperated look. "You? You've been inciting him on all week haven't you?"

Her grin grew as she shrugged with one shoulder.

Tegan wanted to ask her to let her go back to her normal duties but now wasn't the time or the place. She pushed her empty plate back.

"Do you want more?"

Tegan pulled the napkin from her lap and wiped her lips as she glanced down at Kathryn's plate. "I'm full. You?"

"I'm done." Kathryn watched her stand and clear the table. "Are you going to perform at the Nightingale tomorrow night?"

Tegan turned after the dishes recycled, a large candid smile consuming her features. "I am. Are you going to stop in?"

"If I can." She really wanted to.

"Seven would like that." Tegan bent over and wrapped her arms around the still seated Kathryn from behind.

"Would she now?"

"Uh huh." Tegan mumbled into her ear.

"And you?" Kathryn grinned.

"I'd love it. You know, if your duties as captain allow it."

Kathryn managed to get away and stepped into the holodeck just as Tom announced Seven who stepped onto the stage wearing a skin tight sleeveless emerald green gown that flared at the knee and puddled lightly on the floor. Kathryn was momentarily mesmerized and thought she looked like a mermaid, a beautiful mermaid with the voice of a siren. She knew Seven was a beautiful young woman, and not just on the inside but she often forgot just how physically stunning she could be. She blinked as she realized Seven's implants were missing. Suddenly she felt a sickness build in the pit of her stomach as she realized Seven had programed the holodeck to place the illusion there. She frowned inwardly. For all of Seven's outward appearance of confidence she was self-conscious under it all. She wondered why she hadn't noticed before.

She allowed her mind to focus back on the melodious lyrics that were effortlessly floating past Seven's ruby lips rather than berate herself for the things she had forgotten to help Seven with over the past few years. She made a mental note to talk with her later and at least see if she was happy. She quickly realized she didn't have to ask Seven about her happiness as she saw the twinkle of sheer delight in her eyes. She followed Seven's gaze to see an equally lovesick look adorning the face of her Chief Engineer. She couldn't help but smile herself as she wondered if that was how she looked at Tegan.

When Seven finished the song she moved her eyes to Kathryn and a small smile spread over her lips. That smile was all Kathryn needed to know she had done the right thing in severing Seven from the collective and in coming that night. It was the smile of a small child who just spotted a proud parent in the crowd. Although outside of the chain of command Kathryn looked at Seven as more of a friend and she hoped she felt the same about her.

When Tegan stepped on stage Kathryn's brain froze and she really hoped her mouth was still closed as she took in the dark blue evening gown with flared sleeves, the way it hugged her body until it fell to the floor at her hips. Tegan didn't try to hide her prosthetic arm which was still in its normal state and Kathryn smiled lightly when her eyes had returned to it. Even as she felt the warmness coalescing at the apex of her sex, she silently hoped Tegan's plans for after the performance had something to do with them both being free of their clothes. She blinked and pulled on her command mask as she caught the seductive look being sent her way as the lyrics to 'Lady in Red' finally connected in her head.

Tegan's naked body bounced on the mattress seconds after she was pushed roughly back on it. She smirked wickedly. "You know I did have a ruptured appendix two weeks ago."

"Sorry." Kathryn murmured as she climbed on top of her.

"Don't be." Tegan relished the feel of Kathryn's heat as she lifted her thigh to meet her center before flipping their positions. "I'm not."

"Come." Janeway looked up from behind the desk in her ready room where she had been reviewing reports. She fought the urge to smile as a uniformed Tegan stepped through the doors with Maverick in a heel position at her side. "How may I help you?"

"I want to go back to work." She didn't mince words.

"The doctor hasn't released you."

Tegan stepped forward and handed the PADD in her hand to Kathryn. "I just came from seeing him and he says I'm fit for duty."

Kathryn lifted her eyes from the PADD.

Tegan watched her eyes travel her body as she tried to come up with a response. "It's been two weeks as of yesterday. I'm fi—" She stopped herself just in time. "I'm better. I'm able to block the empathic stuff and physically…"

Kathryn allowed herself to blush lightly as Tegan's tone brought back memories of the night before. She quickly slammed her command mask back into place and nodded. "Fine, tomorrow morning you may report to duty as normal."

"Thank you Captain." Tegan beamed without restraint. "Off the record?"

"Go ahead."

"Dinner, holodeck two, 1900 hours?"

"And if I had declined your request?"

"I would have had to follow up dinner with something a little more strenuous than last night's activities to prove I was fit for duty." She tried not to blush.

"Maybe I should reconsider." Kathryn grinned not sure she could handle or even imagine anything more strenuous or pleasurable than what they had done the night before.

A/N: Thanks guys for all the feedback and for your patience as I finished writing this chapter. It may be a little while before I start posting TC5 which is very much in progress already. But with other responsibilities and Thanksgiving here in the US this month. I'll try and start posting it before Christmas, but I don't want to leave too much hanging when I do start posting it since Christmas is also just around the corner. As always your feedback keeps me going, and I can't thank you enough for it.

Per request I have decided I will post the other L&O:SVU/X-Files crossover story very soon... as in between now and when I post TC5 to help tide some of you over. I know it isn't TC, or Voy for those of you who are only reading this because of those reasons.

See you during the next story!