Disclaimer: Paramount owns the Star Trek Universe. I own my story. I just took the characters just play for fun, not for profit.
Warning: Some sexual reference. Mostly silly stuff.
Seven's Lessons
Copyright by Jan Monroe 1998
Eating in the mess hall was not one of Seven's favorite activities. It was made bearable by the presents of Ensign Kim, but today he had been called away.
"Mind if I sit with you?" Lt. Lena Williams, ships services chief, asked.
"Ensign Kim will not be returning." was Seven's only answer. Harry had to report to the Captian about his report on the mining mission that he had returned from last week.
Lena gingerly maneuvered into the seat, at seven months pregnant, getting in and out of chairs was becoming a problem. Erma Bombeck, a 20th century humorist, called it "Chairitis" and Lena had it. Every chair on the ship felt like it was too low of too high and she always needed help to stand. She dreaded the next ten weeks, as she got even bigger. Seven watch Lena carefully, apparently having great difficulty understanding what was happening, then Lena abdomen made highly unusual movements.
"Why did your abdomen move?" Seven asked, both curious and unsure.
"It was just one of the babies doing a somersault. Both babies are very active at this time of day." Lena smiled slightly, "I think that they are trying to play hover ball in there."
"Babies?"
"Seven, how far have you progressed in your human reproduction studies?" Lena asked.
"I have studied the texts." Seven stated.
"Then you need a practical explanation. I am pregnant. There are currently two developing fetuses in my uterus. If family history runs true to form, they will be not be identical but will be of the same sex, this has been a pattern for four generations. My due date is in approximately ten weeks but family history again said that six weeks is more realistic. The babies right now are moving their arms, legs and bodies, developing muscles that they will need after birth. That's what you just saw."
"Does it hurt?" Seven asked, not understanding why this women would happily sit, talk and sip apple juice just after her abdomen had deflected over 5 centimeters.
"No, and as long as they don't impact my bladder, stomach or diaphragm, I don't have any physical reaction." Lena answered honestly. Then she had an idea. "Seven would you like to feel the babies?"
Seven's curiosity took over, "How?"
Lena reached over and picked up Seven's hand and laid it on the area where the babies were easiest to feel. One of the babies kicked against Seven's hand and she snatched her hand away. "There are living being in there . . . "
Lena laughed, "What did you think we were talking about. Babies move both before and after birth."
"Do they require touching after they are born?" Seven asked, still very confused about the "practical explanation" of pregnancy.
"Yes," Lena was now becoming concerned. "They won't be here for at least a few more weeks but they require holding, bathing, dressing, changing, rocking and comforting. Do you want to hold them after they are born?"
"I have no experience with small children. I could hurt them." She stated. She sounded disappointed.
"With all the holodeck programs we currently have in the ship's library, I'm sure that we could find one that teaches basic child care. You can practice on a holographic baby and then you will know how to hold a real baby when the babies are born." Lena suggested. Having children on board caused their own problems but the idea that a crew member would want to handle the children, maybe even babysit them, and not be able to was slightly depressing but easily fixed.
"I believe that would be a good use of the educational facilities of the holodeck. When may we start this instruction?" Seven answered.
It amazed Lena that a simple yes would take so long. "Why don't we check for about an hour of free holodeck time. We will need likely two or three sections for you to become comfortable with handling the babies. We won't worry about the actual care at first." Lena stated as she mentally outlining Seven's newest 'instructional' program. "Should we inform Tuvok of this new interest of yours?"
"I will add it to my morning report. When may I schedule the program?"
Holodeck one was free for two hours the next evening. Seven reserved the time and Lena Williams spent three hours going through the holo program library, trying to find the right program. She wanted a realistic baby but not a child care instructor. Most of the educational programs did not allow the instructor to be removed. This became so frustrating that she finally called Tom Paris to help.
"You want the use the program with out the instructor? Why?" Tom asked, he had been asked by many different people to help with their holodeck programs but this was the first time that anyone asked for this particular adjustment.
"I'm teaching Seven how to hold babies. She expressed an interest and I couldn't let a potential babysitter go with out first trying to educate her." Lena half joked, she knew that Seven need to experience the babies.
"What do I get for this?" Tom asked.
"What do you want?" Lena asked.
"Could you lower the priority for the completion of my quarters?" The barter system was alive and working daily on Voyager.
"I can but why? Don't you want to have your own space back?" Lena was slightly confused by this request. She knew that he had moved into B'Elanna's after the flood but this request made it sound like he wanted to extend his stay.
"I'm very happy at B'Elanna's. If my quarters are done too quickly, she won't get a chance to appreciate what a great room mate I am." Tom answered, avoiding the real reason, living together like this was helping him show B'Elanna that marriage could work.
"Are you thinking marriage?" Lena asked.
"How can you even think such a thing?" Tom asked, slightly putout that she could see right thru him.
"Do you know that you have the same look in your eyes right now as every guy who asked one of my sisters to marry them had. It's a loved-scared-hopeful-'am I craze' kind of look. You're wearing it on your face. Personally, I think that you would make a great pair. What's the problem?"
"She is a little nervous about making a commitment." Tom answered. "She knows that I love her but the abandonment fear is still there."
"She won't get over that anytime soon. You can only show her that you will be there when she needs you. Also, try not to get hurt too often. She may see you getting hurt and trying to die as a form of abandonment." Lena suggested, in her full "Big Sister Solves all problems" mode.
They talked about fears and relationships for a full hour before Tom did the programing that she had asked for. He talents made pulling only the baby out of the complete program seem so easy. He took less than ten minutes to do the programing that Lena had worked on for two hours.
A hour of listening to Tom talk about his problems and the lowered priority on the completion of his quarters was a fair trade. He bought some more time with B'Elanna on a informal bases and Lena got the program she needed for Seven.
~~
On Lena's computer the next morning was a note from Tuvok that stated that he wanted reports on Seven's progress related to interacting with children. She knew that Tuvok would want a report. Tuvok was a person that believed that all ship's operations should be documented. He also specified that the Doctor receive a copy for Seven's medical file.
This little project had ballooned to be much larger than she had planned.
The lessons went extremely well.
To: Chief Medical Officer
Lt. Commander Tuvok
From: Lt. Lena Williams
RE: Seven's lessons, baby holding, lesson 1
I sat the parameters of the programs for a ten pound infant, approximately two month old with a calm nature.
Seven was scared of handling the baby too roughly and went too far to the other side of gentle. She was too loose and almost dropped the baby when it moved. She gradually relaxed and seemed to enjoying the child slight weight in her arms. She learned the classic positions of two armed frontal hold and the baby laying on the adults' chest with it head on the adult shoulder. She mastered these positions quickly.
She progressed from simply holding to rocking the baby. She had a natural rhythm that calmed the baby. She appeared to enjoy the experience.
We then progressed on to how to pat and rub the child's back with appropriate pressure. She stated that the use of pressure should be no more than sixteen pounds per square inch. She stated "Light but firm pressure calmed the infant."
Signed: Lt. Lena Williams.
To: Chief Medical Officer
Lt. Commander Tuvok
From: Lt. Lena Williams
RE: Seven's lessons, baby holding, lesson 2
Lesson 2 was much more emotional than the first lesson. The second lesson was how to play with the baby.
Seven excelled in the area of singing to the baby and lulling it to sleep. The holo-infant was almost continuously touching Seven's face. This made Seven very uncomfortable in the beginning but she soon became accustom to the sensations.
While Seven was singing "Hush little baby," she suddenly stopped and stated "my mother used to sing that song when I was a child." She than paced the holodeck with the infant in her arms and told of her life with her parents before the assimilation. Not the Borg attack but of the everyday life including favorite meals and how her father used to seat in his chair with her on his lap and read her mythology.
I have asked Neelix to include one of her favorite dishes, prepared according to my recipe, on the menu in the near future. I hope that she will start to enjoy eating as a pleasurable task rather than a chore.
We discussed the emotions that she had recalled so that she could better understand the experience. Seven described the feeling and I helped her name the emotions. She expressed feeling safe, happy, and excited.
We also discussed the emotional involved with caring for an infant.
Signed: Lt. Lena Williams.
The lessons were to have taken four days but the month that everyone but Seven spent in stasis interrupted that schedule. They finished the last lesson the day after Seven was released from sickbay. Lena was slightly miffed about the stasis, she went in seven months pregnant and she came out seven months pregnant. What good is a month on a calendar if it didn't count for the due date.
To: Chief Medical Officer Lt. Commander Tuvok
From: Lt. Lena Williams
RE: Seven's lessons, baby holding, lesson 3
This lesson was delayed due to the nebula and the crews being placed in stasis.
The parameters for the third lesson, the infant to be smaller, 6 pounds, which would be approximately the size of a newborn. It was also programed to be louder and more active.
Seven is comfortable with the baby and didn't panic when the baby did any of the topical baby behaviors including hair pulling, spitting up and leaking diapers.
We discussed emotions related to her most experience of isolation while the rest of the crew was in stasis. She appears comfortable with discussing complex emotions with me.
Signed: Lt. Lena Williams.
~~~
Towards the end of the last baby holding lesson Seven made a request that would make both of their lives very interesting for next several months.
"Have I completed the baby holding course of study?"
"Yes. You still have a lot to learn about taking care of babies but you can learn all that later." Lena told her.
"I wish to expand our course of study." Seven stated.
"What course of study do you wish to follow?"
"I want to learn how to touch adults." Seven stated.
"How do you want to touch adults and who do you want to touch?" Lena asked, hoping that Seven was talking about casual contact, nothing more serous.
"I wish to touch Ensign Kim as I have seen Lt. Torres and Lt. Paris touch."
Lena now knew that she had a big problem. Seven wants Harry but doesn't know how to get him. She doesn't know what all of Tom and B'Elanna's touching leads to in private and she likely wasn't emotionally ready for that type of contact. Lena suddenly felt like she did when her little sister asked advice just before going out on her first date. The immortal question 'why me?' was running through her mind.
"Can I think about this program and get back to you." Lena asked.
"Will this course of study be more difficult than the baby holding?"
"I don't know. I need to look for some information in the computer library so that I will know what to teach you and how to do it. If I can find the information that I need, then we will have to talk to Harry about it. We'll need his help at some point." Lena again started mentally outlining the things they would need. "If you are really interested, how about you meet me in the mess hall tomorrow after your shift in astrometrics and I might have a start point for us."
"I will meet you at 1900 tomorrow." Seven declared.
~~
Lena knew she was in over her head. She was the oldest girl of 10 kids, a huge family by federation standards. She knows babies. Well, little sister, the psychologist, always said if you don't know, do research, some one must have written something about what you are facing. Lena had some reservations about that. A former Borg who wanted to learn how to make the moves onto a Starfleet ensign had to be new even to the huge federation library.
Lena's first stop was to make an appointment to see the Captian about this new program of Sevens. It could have some potentially harmful consequences and Lena thought that some one in authority should have the final approval.
She did find a medical psychology program that could be modified to help Seven. It was designed to reteach lost skills to adults who had brain injuries originally designed in the mid 23rd century. The skills in the program included socially acceptable topics of conversation, how to hug a child and finally, the step by step guide to sex. Lena had no intentions of teaching the last lessons, after all some activities should not be just part of a lessons program.
The program had a checklist to help determine which activities need relearning. Although Lena was not very close to Seven, she could answer most of the questions. She would need the Doc help to complete the checklist. She sent it and a short message about what Seven had requested to the Doctor. In the morning the checklist was on her terminal completed. This made customizing the program much simpler than Lena had ever dreamed of. Her next hurtle was at 1100 in the Captian ready room.
~~
Lena rang the announcer, and heard "enter" from the other side of the door.
"What can I do for you?" The Captian asked. She was didn't know why Lt. Williams wanted to see her. Ships services usually reported to Tuvok.
"Captian, Seven has requested that I help her learn interpersonal skills. I have found a program that I believe will help her but I feel that this is not my decision to make." Lena handed the Captian the padd with the program on it.
"Why ask me? Seven is old enough to make her own decisions." The Captian asked as she rapidly read thought the topics listed in the program. She raised an eyebrow when she got to the parts that Seven was interested in, cuddling, hugging with no sexual intent and hugging with sexual intent. The topics after that were not included on the padd. "This is some program. Why did she ask you to teach these things? Tuvok has been extremely close to her and she has never asked to learn about this from him."
"We were eating dinner together and discussing the arrival of my new babies. She was interested in the babies but was frightened that she might hurt them. I suggested that we go the holodeck and that she could practice on a holographic baby, just to learn how to hold it. This is just an escalation of that innocent exchange. Seven can now hold a baby and sing it to sleep, but she wants more. She actually asked me to teach her how to touch Ensign Kim like Lt. Paris and Torres do each other. You can see why I thought that this was not my place to do it without basically--parental consent." Lena suddenly let out a poof of air, then took a deep breath. "Sorry, one of them got me in the diaphragm." She tried to explain.
"What did you tell her?" The Captian asked; now understanding the full importance of Seven's request and Lena dilemma.
"I set up a meeting with her at 1900 today to discuss what we could and couldn't do. I also pointed out that we would have to include other people in this, specifically Mr. Kim."
"I want Tuvok and the Doctor to review the program. If they approve, you may work with her under their supervision." The Captian stated. "Now, when do you go on maternity leave?"
"It starts in four weeks. I've been shifting responsibility to my replacement for the last few months. Crawling through jefferies tubes lost it appeal about the same time as morning, noon and night sickness set in."
The Captian laughed and then called for Tuvok. She quickly explained Seven's request and Lena program to fulfill the request. Tuvok took the padd for review with the promise that he would make is assessment before 1600.
As Tuvok raise to leave, Lena held out her hand. "I have a small problems. Please help me to my feet."
He reached down and helped Williams out of the chair. "I recall that T'Pel had great difficulties with mobility during her last few months of pregnancy." He got a distance look in his eyes, as if his mind was actually in the past.
"Thank you." She said as she left the room.
~~
His response can within a hour. He called her to meet him for lunch at 1300. He was very concerned about how Lena intended to carry out the program. It was created for medical personnel in a controlled setting. Lena was not medical personnel and Voyager was not a controlled setting.
"I plan to keep the program as quiet as possible. I was planning to include essential personnel, Mr. Kim, the Doctor, Naomi Wildman, Ensign Wildman, the Captian, Chakotay and my husband, Keith. I believe that will be enough people to help carry out the program with out disrupting the ship or making Seven too uncomfortable with the process. It will be difficult enough without outsiders knowing and commenting." Williams explained.
"What is your roll in this program?" Tuvok asked.
"Big sister." Williams answered. "I've seen four little sisters thought their teen years when they were learning most of this, hopefully this program won't be any more difficult than those years were."
"I believe that you are underestimating the scope of this project." Tuvok stated, having actively fathered both sons and a daughter thru those turbulent years of growth and increased hormonal activity. Although his children were more logical and controlled than the human teens that he had meet, even Vulcan teens go through a time of discovery and change. He had observed that human emotional growth was a long, usually painful process that disrupted the lives of those around the learner.
"Murphy law--everything takes twice as long and cost twice as much as originally estimated. I know. When I went home between graduation and my first assignment, my mother conned me into becoming the local mom. I spent most of my time there translating reports from scientific jargon into standard for policy makers. My little sisters were both sixteen and making plans to enter the academy. I was twenty and had two teens dumped on me. I was going to be in the same city so I was responsible for them. I became the local "mom." Every teenage family member; sisters, cousins, second cousins, aunt and uncle; on earth who was away from home landed on my door step with broken hearts. I was the wise old lady of 20. They all lived." Lena told him.
"How many teenage family members were on earth at the time?
"Somewhere between ten and twelve each of the four years that I was stationed in San Francisco. Huge family." Lena dismissed.
Tuvok had reviewed Williams records and found many references to her large family. The records also showed that over one hundred members of the clan were in Starfleet. He was satisfied with Williams experienced with guiding the emotional growth of others. After removing the trays from the table Tuvok returned to the help her to her feet.
"You may work with the program that you have presented. If you need to make any changes notify me. Also, I want a weekly report about her progress." Tuvok pronounced.
~~
Lena then went to see the Doctor. His only comment was, "I filled out the form that you need for your program. Seven needs a stable person through out this process. I believe that you are stable enough to handle what ever difficulties arise. Proceed with the program. Have you had any problems with back aches recently?"
"Of course I have. That's part of being this pregnant. Remember, I also have the waddles and Chairitis," Williams answered.
"'CHAIRITIS,' That term is not in my database."
"It was a joke. The inability of hugely pregnant women to seat or stand with out assistance of others." Williams explained.
"That is actually a well documented condition of altered balance and redistributed weight . . . "
Lena could tell that the doctor was just winding up for a very long explanation. She tried to stop him, "Doctor, are you willing to participate in the program for Seven."
"How may I help?" The Doctor was suddenly diverted from his long clinical explanation of Chairitis.
"Several of the lessons require her to initiate contact and respond appropriately from the touches of other. You represent safety to Seven."
"I would be delighted, do you wish me to take over the program?" The Doctor asked with his usual enthusiasm.
"Doc, I'll handle the emotional grown for now. She really needs a non-threatening, neutral person to discuss how all this feels. This is a job that requires experience with teen age girls." Lena explained
"Well, call me if you have any difficulties." The doctor sounded disappointed.
"Doc, my experience with my sister and other relatives has taught me one thing. Every one goes through the emotional growth at different rates and with different reactions. Unfortunately, with emotional growth, it was almost everything is considered normal. The parameters that you have to work with are so broad that you might not be able to understand what could lead to problems. This is more of an art then a science."
Lena did not get out of sickbay without being scanned, 'just to make sure everything was with in accepted parameters.'
~~
Lena didn't have a chance to speak with Harry before meeting Seven in the mess hall.
Seven and Harry were waiting in the mess hall when Lena arrived at 1850. She hadn't even sat down when Seven started the meeting.
"When do we begin?" Seven asked.
Lena took a deep breath and started explaining the days activities. The Captian, Tuvok and the Doctor had all approved the program as outlined on the padd. Seven took the padd and quickly read thru the table of contents.
"Why did you ask the Captian for permission?" Seven asked, looking up from the padd.
"She is in charge of the ship. She wants to know everything that happens on this ship one way or another." Lena hedged, pointing out the parental connection would likely make Seven more nervous and less trusting.
"Why am I here?" Harry finally asked, not understanding what the plan was or his part in it.
"Seven has expressed a desire to learn about touching. The program I found requires people to help her that she is comfortable with." Lena started, "We will need your help to do the program along with a few others. Who would you rather she learned snuggling from, You or Ensign Baytart?"
"Do you have to ask?" Harry asked sarcastically.
"I didn't think so." Lena replied. "I'll forward you a copy of the program later."
"When do we start?" Seven asked again.
"Right now." Lena answered and started the first lesson; "Causal touch: touch to express a point. This is similar to how Captian Janeway will touch officers on the bridge, partiality Tom."
"Why does she touch Tom so much?" Seven asked.
"I think that she both enjoys touching people and he is setting in front of her. He's an easy target that responds well to her touches." Lena suggested. She didn't point out that Janeway was using an old teacher trick to calm nervous or unruly students on Tom.
The lesson went well, even the discussion afterwards about how did if feel and what emotions were involved. Lena had a feeling that not all the lessons were going to be so easy or the discussions so open.
~~~
The Captian smiled, a report of Seven's progress from Lt. Williams. The reports were usually entertaining if not totally forthcoming. She tended to treat the emotional discussion after the lessons as privileged information and only discussed it when Seven had made similar remarks in public. According to the Doctor, the reports that went into Sevens psychological records were extremely detailed, including transcripts. Williams' reasoning was when they returned to Federation space, Seven would be studied extensively so a detailed record would help answer the developmental question rather than cross examining Seven to try and get her memories of the events. She hoped the records would take the heat off Seven later.
They went thru as many as four lesson a week and once worked on one lesson for two weeks. Williams was letting Seven set the pace of instruction. The first lessons were difficult due the very newness of the activities. The later lessons have been coming much quicker.
This weeks activities included hand holding in public and familial kissing.
"Lesson 14 and 15 . . . Ensign Kim was uneasy about holding Seven's hand in public. He was concerned about the possible gossip. He eventually relented and the lesson was completed. The gossip has actually worked to our advantage since the crew is now starting to accept Seven as being more human than Borg.
Seven's emotional reactions were typical. She was surprised that a simple touch could evoke so many different and contradictory responses.
The familiar kissing lesson was easier. The Doctor, Chakotay and Naomi Wildman participated. Seven classified the kisses as being 'simple jesters that seemed to convey affection effectively.' She can now initiate the simple familiar kiss with those involved with her program.
The next lessons will be kissing a person that you are attracted to.
I don't believe that Seven or Ensign Kim will have difficulties with this lesson. However, the emotional fallout may be more than Seven anticipates.
She is starting to understand why she has witnessed so much public displays of affection."
~~~
Several weeks later
Tom and Harry had planned to meet in holodeck one to go rock climbing. Harry had never showed.
"Computer, Where is Ensign Kim?" Tom asked
"Ensign Kim is currently in Sick bay." The computer answered.
Tom headed to sickbay. *What happened to Harry? He was fine at the end of shift.* As he was going down the corridor his comm badge chirped.
"EMH to Lt. Paris."
He tapped his badge, "Paris here,"
"I need your assistance in Sickbay." Tom could hear loud dramatic sobbing in the background.
"On my way." Tom answered. He was in his grey workout clothes but he was technically off duty so he knew that he would not be in trouble for it. He remembered just last week, when he showed up to help in sickbay in his pajamas. It was a good thing that B'Elanna had not been wearing to the tops.
The scene that greeted him in sickbay was slightly surreal. Harry was up on a biobed looking like he had been in a fight, but he was holding on to Seven's arm as if he was restraining her. Ensign Walters, the mining expert, was standing in the far corner crying and Lt. Ivanivich was on a biobed across the room from Harry. Usually all the patients were grouped together to make care faster. There was also a security officer standing at the door.
"Mr. Paris, see to Ensign Kim and Seven." The Chief Medical Officer ordered.
Tom grabbed a medical tricorder and ran a scan of Harry. "Harry, you have two broken bones in your right hand, some bruising on your right side but nothing serous."
He then turned his attention to Seven, "Seven, you're fine."
Tom picked up a Osteoregenerator and started to fix the bones in Harry's hand. "Why are you holding on to Seven like that?" he asked Harry.
"She is upset with Ensign Walters. I just want to make sure that nothing more happens." As Harry spoke, Seven made an half-hearted attempt to break Harry's grip on her arm, but said nothing. The three of them were so involved with each other that when the door open they did not notice Tuvok had came in. They stopped just inside the door, listening to Harry and Tom talk.
"I know how I usually end up here with broken bones but how did you get here?" Tom asked.
"Where do I start?" Harry pondered.
"The beginning is usual place." Tom answered sarcastically.
"This afternoon or when I think that everything started?"
"The beginning. How did all this get started?"
"Remember about two month ago when I was on the away mission and you were flooded . . . Oh, by the way, Williams in ship services said that your quarters were finished two weeks ago but you haven't moved back in. Are you ever planning on moving out of B'Elanna's?"
"I'll move out as soon as she kicks me out. I am very happy with my current living situation even if I do have to be neater with my stuff." Tom answered, "Quit stalling, and start talking."
"The away mission was routine but Ensign Walters keep brushing up against me and flirting. She would only do it when Ivanivich was present. I told her to stop it or Seven was going to be angry and neither of us wanted to upset a former Borg." Seven raised an eyebrow at his comment about her possessive. She was still unsure about being human but she did know that Ensign Kim belonged to her. She saw nothing unusual about this, after all she was only mimicking Lt. Torris behaviors about Lt. Paris.
"She keeps doing it even after we got back from the ship. I think that she was trying to make Ivanivich jealous but she only managed to make Seven mad at me." Harry paused.
"Seven, how did you learn of Walters' activities?" Tom asked.
"Ensign Hickman informed me. She felt that I should know about this situation." Seven stated.
"Did she tell you that Harry's point of view might be very different from what she saw?" Tom asked
"No. Truth is Truth." Seven stated, shocking Harry.
"Seven, take the capital "T" off truth. It's a tricky subject. It has as many sides as people that are involved. Everyone has a version depending how they see events. Don't assume that the version that you heard about is the whole truth or even the whole story." Tom admonished. "Also gossip is not a reliable source of information. Most gossip has bites and pieces of truth, it not the whole truth."
"I did not do any bodily damage to anyone based on this information. I confronted Walters and informed her that she was to desist her activities or face the consequences." Seven informed him.
"When did this happen?" Tom asked.
"Yesterday at 1412." Seven answered.
"Harry, why don't your restart your story." Tom suggested.
"Seven came to my quarters last night and demanded to know what was going on with Walters and if I wanted to end our association. I told her the whole story and she seemed to calm down. We worked on her assignment for about an hour. She left, I took a cold shower and went to bed."
"Assignment?"
"Snuggling with an appropriate partner." Seven answered.
"Why?" Tom asked, not quite understanding where this was going.
"Lt. Williams devised an instructional program for me to learn the basics of human physical contact." Seven answered.
"Interesting, we'll get back to that later. Harry keep talking, all this background is nice but how did you end up in sickbay?"
"I was eating dinner was Seven, telling her about rock climbing and Ivanivich can up behind me and literally pulled me out of my chair. He said I had to control Seven."
"Were those his exact words?" Tom asked, knowing that many of the crew still used disparaging terms for Seven.
"No, he said, 'pet Borg.' I was about 15 centimeters off the floor and Seven ordered Ivanivich to put me down. I struggled trying to get down and over balanced him. We both fell and he hit his head on the corner of the table. He was knocked out and bleeding. He also fell onto my hand and broke the bones. I never throw a punch." Harry told him.
"Why Walters here?"
"She has just came in to the mess hall when we fell and she started to yell that I had killed him. We brought her here so that she could see that he was just knocked out not dead."
Tom just stood there, then tried to summarize what he had just heard. "Okay, Walters was using Harry to make Ivanivich jealous. She succeeded but also made Seven jealous. Seven threatened Walters, she runs to Ivanivich and tells him. He confronts Harry. He starts the beginnings of a fist fight but he fell, hurt both himself and Harry. Is that accuracy?"
"That about covers it." Harry said.
"This sounds like a high school love triangle. How did you get involved with this anyway."
"I was just flying the shuttle and helping with the mining equipment. I was the unwilling victim in all this." Harry stated firmly.
"I have to ask, Seven, why are you taking instruction on physical contact?" Tom asked.
"Lt. Williams was discussing pregnancy with me when one of the babies kicked. She picked up my hand and placed it on her stomach so that I could fell the child's activity. I become fascinated by the child's movements. Lt. Williams stated that I needed to learn how to hold the babies before they are born. She consulted Tuvok and he approved of the program." Seven stated. This had been the longest speech that Tom had ever heard Seven make not related to astrometrics.
"What were some of you assignments?" Tom asked.
"We practiced on the holodeck. We have made distinctions between familiarly, casual, incidental, and sexual contact. I can now make start casual contact with others such as holding hands or feeling the babies. I can identify the difference in the type of touching that is exhibited by the crew members to each other." Seven told him proudly.
At this point the Tuvok came forward. "That was a very professionally run interview Mr. Paris." Tuvok complimented Tom.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to take your job." Tom joked, hoping that no one suggested that he might have a talent for security. Although B'Elanna had joked that his habit or taking the blows to protecting others made him either suicidal or a frustrated security officer.
"You can not." Tuvok stated bluntly. He turned to Kim and Seven, "Who witnessed this altercation in the mess hall?"
Harry answered, "Neelix, Chakotay, and some others, I don't remember all of them."
"Those will do for a start." Tuvok then turned, and approached Ensign Walters. During his interview with her she became so hysterical that the Doctor sedated her.
Tuvok returned to stand by the Captian. "She confirms Ensign Kim's description of events. Ensign Kim and Seven, no action will be taken against you. Mr. Kim, in the future, remember that Miss Walters activities were Sexual harassment. Ignoring the situation only allowed it to become out of control"
"Tuvok, I have been very busy the last two months. Work and Seven have really taken up most of my time and energy. I'll admit that I was pretty oblivious to what she was doing until three days ago when B'Elanna asked me what was going on." Harry admitted. Seven's lessons had taken more of his time and energy then he thought that they would but he was enjoying watching Seven bloom emotionally. He still had his hand on Seven's arm.
"Tom, can I leave?"
Seven turned from her position next to Harry and slide her arms around him in a hug. Harry smiled but stilled looked at Tom.
"Sure, but no rock climbing tonight. Give your hand at least 5 days before you use it to support your weight." Tom answered.
Harry and Seven left without further comment.
~~~
To: Captian Janeway
From: Lt. Lena Williams
RE: Seven's lessons, Supplemental lesson
This weeks lessons have been interrupted by the Walters' incident. Seven was extremely upset by Walters activities. We spent several of our sessions this week discussing the complex emotions she has for Harry Kim.
Those that she could readily identify were affection, and possessiveness. The emotions that she had the most problems expressing were the contradictory emotions. She expressed feeling both extremely safe but scared of everything that she feels in his presence.
She has promised to talk to me or the doctor before acting on gossip again.
She and Harry are still working on snuggling, Harry had stated that they had moved onto light petting during snuggling. She initiated this next step. Although this lesson is not until later, I believe that she is comfortable with the pace they are setting and she ultimately has control of contact.
Signed: Lt. Lena Williams
~~~
To: Captian Janeway
From: Lt. Lena Williams
RE: Seven's lessons, Supplemental lesson 2, Artemis
Seven has expressed fear of the unknown related to the possible speedy return of Voyager to the Alpha quadrant.
Her fear is related both to change and of the unknown. She has became more comfortable on Voyager and considers it home. The "loss connected-ness" of the crew members has given Seven a scaffolding for development. She feared that a quick return to earth would eliminate this basic structure in her life. She defined "loss connected-ness" as the sense that everyone is working towards a goal and they will help each other as needed.
She was also worried that the she would become the object of study without rights. I have tried to help her with this fear by having her write an letter stating that if she was ever unable to made decisions for her self, she believes that one of three crew members would act in her best interest. I also had the doctor write a statement that Seven was mature enough and competent to write such a document. She named Captian K. Janeway, Lt. Cm. Tuvok, Ensign H. Kim as potential guardians.
This document has given her some security. We both know that it offers limited protection. However, it does give several people rights to advocate for her. Considering the state of her relationship with Harry, I can not see him letting her go without a fight, even if the fight is with Star Fleet Command.
These are very deep seated fears that unfortunately that will require several years of counseling with trained councillors to totally eliminate. However, they are now under control.
These fears have stalled the touching program. She was too worried and upset to continue the program without dealing with these fears first. I hope to have the program back with in the week.
Lt. Lena Williams
~~~
Ships Services had taken pity on Lena and let her come to a staff meeting. The babies were two weeks over due and Lena was going stir crazy waiting.
Lena labor had lasted all of twenty minutes. Harry had beamed her to sickbay just in time for the first one to appear. Nicholas Christopher had arrived first, before the Doc and Tom could even get Lena prepared for deliver. Peter Thomas followed his brother five minutes later. They were both in a hurry to be born. They were health and fully developed. The Doc was concerned about their development due to the time that we spent in stasis.
Tom had joked that if they lived in the 20th century, those kids would have been born in the automobile on the way to the hospital.
Harry had serous rivals for Seven's time and attention after that day. She fell in love Nick and Pete on sight. They had her heart within seconds of her holding them. Learning how to give a bath was suddenly much more interesting than practicing heavy petting with Harry.
The other person the loss their hearts to the new arrivals was Tom Paris. He had limited experience with newborns but he thought that it was a survival tactic. The were the first babies that he had ever seen, let alone helped deliver, just seconds old. Tom was a amazed and slightly humbled when Williams named one Peter Thomas, the Thomas was after him.
~~~
Williams final report on Seven touching lessons arrived three months after they started. It was both informative and vague.
To: Captian Janeway
From: Lt. Lena Williams
RE: Seven's lessons, completion
Seven has complete her course of study outlined in the original program. She is much more comfortable about touching and also interacting with people in general. He emotional growth has been remarkable. She is now less likely to dismissively state that something is "Irrelevant" with out first gather more information. This has also helped her interaction with other crew members, before she was seen by many to be too judgmental.
She is less likely to dismiss others ideas. I am not sure if this is an aftermath of the touching program or if it is due to our many hours of discussions about how people act, how different people approach problems and the inconsistency of the human condition.
Although she had completed the program, I have encouraged her to continue our discussions. Tuvok is her father figure on Voyager but there are some things that a daughter does not want talk about with 'Dad.'
She is emotionally ready to fulfill her goal to "touch Ensign Kim as she had seen Lt. Torres and Paris touch" at any time that she wishes to take that step. She now knows the basic of human touch and has an emotional support system to help her deal with any problems that might arise.
Signed: Lt. Lena Williams.
The Captian was tempted to call in Williams to discuss the result of the program but knew that she wouldn't get much more than was in the weekly reports.
Seven's lessons had caused several changes that were extremely beneficial. After reviewing Lt. Williams' progress with Seven, the Doctor, Tuvok and Chakotay started to refer crew members to her that needed counseling.
Fate, it seemed had found Vo