Chapter 1 - The Gift

    "Get him out of there, Lieutenant! Beam him directly to sick bay, we can't afford to lose him!" the Captain ordered quickly as she watched the massive plasma storm grow.

     "The plasma storm is scattering the targeting sensors, I can't get a lock on him! Let me try filtering the frequency band.." Lieutenant Torres replied from the Ops station where she and Harry were working frantically to get a lock on the Doctor. The Doctor had beamed down to the planet to collect samples of the soil which held large amounts of unusual organisms. After only about twenty minutes however, a large plasma storm spontaneously erupted over half of the lower continent before Voyager had a chance to beam him out. Harry and B'Elanna worked together efficiently and soon had a lock. "Got him!" She exclaimed with a victorious note.

     "Good work, B'Elanna, Harry. Analyze the sensor logs, try to find why the sensors didn't detect the plasma storm before it erupted," Kathryn ordered as she sat back down in the captain's chair.

     "Aye, Captain."

     "Doctor to Lieutenant Torres"

     "Torres here, go ahead, Doc."

     "Lieutenant, could you come down to sick bay please? My mobile emitter was damaged during transport. Could you please come down and take a look at it?" the Doctor asked. B'Elanna heard a tinge of despair in his voice.

     "On my way."

*********

     “Can you fix it, Lieutenant?" the Doctor asked anxiously, staring at the mangled lump of metal and silicon in the Engineers hand. Unfortunately, he knew the answer to his question before she sighed and said "I'm sorry, Doc, but it's completely fused, there's nothing I can do." As she looked up, B'Elanna sadly frowned at the extreme grief she saw in the Doctors deep green eyes.

     He looked as if he had just been sentenced to death, which in a way, he had. Without his mobile emitter the Doctor was limited to areas of the ship that had holoemitters, namely the sickbay and the holodecks. He would no longer be able to go on away missions, respond to emergencies, or even attend staff meetings. His personal life was over.

*********

     "Hello Doctor," Seven said as she entered sickbay.

     "Seven, is anything wrong?" the Doctor asked tenderly.

     "I am not damaged, Doctor. You are. I wish to help you." Seven answered in her usual "down-to- business" manner, but her eyes revealed her concern for the Doctor.

     "Unless you can repair my mobile emitter, or build a new one, there is really nothing that you can help me with. I knew eventually my emitter would be damaged beyond repair, and that day has come, so, if you'll leave me now, I have work to do." the Doctor answered curtly.

     Without a word Seven turned and walked out of sick bay. Puzzled, the doctor paused for a minute, trying to decide what just happened, then shrugged, and resumed his duties.

*********

     “Captain, may I speak with you privately?" Seven asked as she entered the bridge ten minutes before her shift was about to begin.

     "Of course, Seven, in my ready room," the Captain replied. Once the doors had closed behind her, Seven started to speak.

     "Captain, I require the use of the Cybernetics Lab and some of the raw materials stored in Cargo bay two," Seven stated bluntly.

     "May I ask why, Seven?" Kathryn asked patiently.

     "I intend to build an android body for the Doctor," Seven replied evenly. Kathryn looked at her in surprise, as Seven continued, "I also require the help of Lt. Torres to integrate the doctor’s program into the body."

     Captain Janeway mulled over this for a few moments, and answered "I would like to grant your request, Seven, but we need those materials to repair Voyager."

     Seven felt her heart sink, bowed her head and stared at her feet, "Captain, please, I must do this!" she whispered, with a tone as close to pleading as the Captain had heard Seven use. She abruptly changed her mind, knowing that this was a request she could not deny.

     "Permission granted, as long as it does not interfere with your duties, or Lt. Torres's. Is that understood?"

     "Yes, Captain. Thank you."

     "You are welcome Seven."

     "I wish to surprise the doctor, captain, please keep this a secret?" Seven asked in a very un-borg tone.

     "Alright," Kathryn smiled.

     Nothing more needing to be said, she turned and took her station as her shift began.

*********

     Over the next 2 months, between her shifts and regeneration cycles, she carefully crafted each piece of the doctor’s new body to her perfect specifications. From the laser scalpel she installed in his right index finger, to the 10 micron scanners in his synthetic eyes, she created the perfect body that any mere human doctor would envy.

     His new body would have the strength of 100 men, but would have the finesse of, well, a surgeon. It could withstand 500 times the atmospheric pressure of earth. To satisfy his medical profession, she built a hypospray with 20 refillable storage tanks into his right middle finger, and a tricorder into his left palm. Along with the 10 micron scanners in the body's eyes, they could also switch from the normal range of optical wavelengths, to the infrared and ultraviolet spectrums.

     His new body was completely functional, and perfectly emulated a normal human body, albeit with some enhancements. It was powered by a biological matter converter, allowing him to eat and drink like any other being, although since it was designed by Seven, there weren't any waste products.

     For defensive purposes, she incorporated a Borg personal shield generator with a 10 nanosecond frequency adapter in his torso, which would protect him from almost every personal weapon known to the Borg, and a small, but powerful, phaser in his right palm.

     She spent over 500 hours working on his new body with a fervor and attention to detail that astounded the captain, and made her wonder about Seven's true feelings toward their socially awkward doctor.

     Finally the body was completed, and only one thing was missing. Someone to use it.

********

     "Seven?" B'Elanna called as she walked through the doors to the Cybernetics Lab.

     "I require your help, Lieutenant. I am over here," Seven replied.

     Seven was standing near a large stasis chamber. She pressed a sequence of buttons and the glass partition lifted letting out the gases beneath it. "Will you help me complete this?"

     When the glass partition lifted, and B'Elanna saw what appeared to be the doctor laying inert on a diagnostic bench, B'Elanna spun toward Seven and stammered "What in the galaxy is this?!?"

     "I have been working on this body for 2 months. Long ago, when I realized that the doctor's mobile emitter would one day be rendered inactive, I created the plans for this android body. When his emitter was destroyed two months ago I began to work on this," Seven gestured to the body for the doctor, "It is now fully functional, but I cannot transfer the doctor to this body without your help."

     Completely stunned, all that B'Elanna could do was nod her head in agreement.

     “I have loaded all of the schematics for this body into this data pad," Seven instructed, handing B'Elanna the PADD.

*********

     Seven and B'Elanna worked for eight straight hours, bench testing every single pathway of the positronic brain, and every circuit and optic connection in the body's frame. Only then were they finally satisfied that the body was as perfect as it was going to get, and that the body was completely compatible with the doctor's systems. Finally, at just past 1100 hours, they were ready to transfer the doctor into the body.

     "Lieutenant, are the holoemitters activated?"

     "Yes, Seven," B'Elanna replied.

     "Seven-of-Nine to the Doctor."

     "Go ahead, Seven."

     "Doctor, would you please transfer yourself to the Cybernetics Lab? Sufficient holoemitters have been installed to support you. I require your assistance," Seven requested calmly.

     "Just a moment, let me put these samples in a stasis field.... There, done," Within seconds the Doctor's form appeared in front of Seven and B'Elanna. "What can I help you with, Seven?"

     "You are in error, Doctor, it is not what you can do for me, but rather what I can do for you," Seven answered cryptically.

     The Doctor frowned and confusion clouded his features, "I'm sorry, but I don't understand."

     Seven gestured towards one of the large stasis chambers in the Cybernetics Lab, "This is why I called you here." Seven entered a command and the partition lifted. The look on the Doctor's face was priceless. First he looked at Seven, then at B'Elanna, then to the android body, then back at Seven and again at the android body. "I built this for you, Doctor. B'Elanna and I just completed it. The only thing that it is missing is you." She poked a finger at his chest to emphasize her point. "The neural net in this body is based on Borg technology, and is advanced enough to support you, many times over."

     The Doctor just stood there stunned, unable to say a word.

     "M-m-m-my own physical body?? You mean that I wouldn't be confined to the sick bay anymore? I could go anywhere I wanted, do anything I wish to do?" He stammered.

     "That is correct" Seven replied, with just a bit of smugness in her tone.

     “This is fantastic Seven! It is the one thing that I thought I would never get to do again... It is truly the most thoughtful and loving gift anyone could ever give me. Thank you Seven!" His eyes gleamed with delight, and his body language spoke volumes of emotions.

     To her embarrassment Seven blushed, a light pink that spread over her entire face, which quickly faded with an adjustment to her blood pressure.

     "I determined it was something that you required, it will help you to function more efficiently," She quickly said, attempting to cover her embarrassment.

     There was a long, almost awkward pause, then B'Elanna spoke up "So what are we waiting for? Let's get started!"

*********

     The entire process of transferring the doctor into the positronic brain took almost 8 hours to complete. After connecting the brain to the ship's main computer via an opto-electronic data cable, Seven and B'Elanna ran one final diagnostic test to ensure that there wouldn't be any problems with the transfer.

     As the test was running, the doctor paced back and forth and eagerly asked so many questions that B'Elanna finally had to ask him to return to the sickbay. He stayed there for about 45 minutes, and then he transferred back into the Cybernetics Lab and quietly sat across the room, being careful to avoid attracting B'Elanna's attention.

     After the test completed, with no errors or abnormalities found, Seven announced that they were ready to transfer him into his new body.

     "We have to deactivate your program in order to transfer it into your new body. We will be adding some new subroutines that will allow you to use the body's systems immediately, you shouldn't have much learning to do." B'Elanna announced.

     The Doctor let out a small sigh, "If I must!". He deactivated himself, his holographic projection vanishing into thin air, leaving behind no trace that he had ever been in the room.

     "B'Elanna, please monitor the status of the transfer. I will regulate the data flow and integrate the new subroutines." Seven requested, stationing herself in front of a bank of computer screens. "Computer, run program Seven-Gamma-5, transfer main control to cybernetics console 3. Transfer secondary control to cybernetics console 8."

     "Initiating data stream.." Seven announced. The computer replied "Transferring base interface and communications subroutines... Completed. Transferring personality and memory data.......... Completed. Transferring entire medical database... Estimated time to complete this task: 5 Hours, 43 Minutes, 2 Seconds".

     Exactly 5 Hours, 43 Minutes, and 2 seconds later the computer announced "Transfer of Emergency Medical Hologram to Cybernetic Unit 001 Completed," At the sound of the computer, B'Elanna jerked awake from where she was dozing, and after clearing her head, turned to Seven.

     "Are you ready?"

     "Yes. Computer, activate Cybernetic Unit 001"

Chapter 2 - Adjusting Well

     At first, he couldn’t see, hear, or feel anything. Just as he was starting to panic, he heard a faint whisper “Doctor, can you hear me?” Seven! he thought. He tried speaking, but nothing happened. He searched though the new subroutines that Seven had integrated, found the ones that controlled the voice generator, and activated it.

     “Seven?” he tested. “I can barely hear you.”

     “Doctor, access subsystem 5793, adjust field 382 to a satisfactory level,” replied Seven.

     He increased the level, and his hearing returned to normal. “That’s better. Now, what can we do about my vision?”

     “It will take a short period of time for the subsystems to integrate with you. Your vision should come online in a few seconds” B’Elanna answered.

     Sure enough, his cybernetic eyes initialized, starting at a low power level which slowly increased until it was at normal power. He discovered that he adjust the brightness, color depth, and even the color spectrum of his new eyes. With a bit of tinkering, he also found that he could zoom in on an object to almost a cellular level.

     Over the next few minutes, he began to feel the various parts of his body, both internal and external. As a hologram he had a rather dull sense of feeling over most of his body, only his hands had a sharp sense of touch. But as an android, he was amazed at the extreme precision he felt over his entire external “skin”. He could feel the air brush over his entire body as it was circulated throughout the room. He could sense Seven leaning over him, and could feel B’Elanna removing the opto-electronic data cable from his brain’s jack. The slight heat generated by the room’s lighting was as easily felt as if he had been sitting in front of a fire.

     Even though he couldn’t yet move his head to see them, he could hear Seven and B’Elanna’s breathing, and could even detect the slight thump thump thump of their hearts beating. How odd, he thought, Seven’s pulse and breathing are above normal.. I’d almost say she’s excited. In his own excitement over his new body however, he quickly forgot the abnormality.

     He couldn’t yet move a servo, but with each minute he had more control over his body. It was an interesting feeling, learning how to do the most basic things again. He approached the body with a medical view, testing it’s various systems as they came online, comparing them to their biological equivalents. In every case, they were equal to, or far better than “living” organs.

     He felt his servo systems kick in, and raised his right arm to test it.

     Seven noticed that he could move. “Good, you are integrating well with the body. At this rate you should have full control in 10 minutes.”

*********

     By the end of the day Seven and B’Elanna had the doctor up and running laps around the deck to test his systems.

     He started out by walking around the deck, but when there weren’t any adverse effects, he started jogging. Each lap he increased his speed until he was moving at 32 kilometers per hour.

     “I’ve never felt so good!” He cried, zipping past them and barely avoiding the walls and other obstacles.

     “SLOW DOWN!” B’Elanna shouted after him. He immediately stopped, and trotted back to them.

“Sorry” he said sheepishly, “this body is just fantastic. I could never have done this as a hologram!”

     “Your arms should provide similar results. Please follow us to cargo bay two to test them.” Seven stated, as she turned and headed towards the turbo lift.

*********

     As they entered cargo bay two, which contained the ships raw materials, Seven pointed to some crates that contained lead plates, “Those crates weigh 3.5 tons, you are capable of lifting approximately 7.4 metric tons. Please lift one of those crates, Doctor”

     The doctor, looking a bit uncertain, walked over to one of the crates, got a good grip on it, and then lifted it as if there were nothing in it but feathers. It’s apparent light weight surprised him, and he used too much force, throwing it 20 feet into the air. Seven and B’Elanna ran for cover as the doctor ran for the crate. He caught it on it’s way down, without putting one dent in the deck plates, or in his own body.

     “I believe that is an adequate test of your capabilities for today.” Seven remarked stoically, but with a twinkling of humor in her eyes.

     All of the sudden the doctor got dizzy, and felt this gnawing pain in his torso, about where his stomach would be. “Seven, I think something is wrong, I feel an empty, gnawing pain in my lower torso…”

     Seven came over, took a tricorder out of her pocket, and scanned him. “You are functioning perfectly, you are merely hungry”

     “Hungry? How can I be hungry? I’m a machine!”

     “You may be a machine, but you are powered by a biological matter converter, so you must eat and drink to function. To recharge your systems, you must eat, just as we do. Let us proceed to the mess hall.”

*********

     When they reached the mess hall, Neelix greeted them “Seven, B’Elanna! How are…” He stopped cold when he saw the Doctor. “D-o-ctor?” he stammered. “How’s this possible?” he quickly looked over the doctor, looking for the mobile emitter.

     “Hello Mr. Neelix, what do you think of my new body?” the Doctor grinningly replied

     “New body? What are you talking about?”

     “After the Doctor’s mobile emitter was destroyed, I built this android body for him. We finished transferring him into it this evening. You are the first person besides Lieutenant B’Elanna and I to see him using it,” Seven explained

     “Seven also gave me an appetite, so you should be seeing me around here a lot more lately. I will finally be able to see what the other crewmen have been complaining about” teased the Doctor with a grin. “So what’s on the menu for today?”

     “Ah, you are in for a treat Doctor!” Neelix exclaimed, “I’ve just finished making my famous Nelregian spice soup! Wars have been fought over the recipe for this delicacy!”

     “You’ve convinced me, I’ll take a bowl of that Mr. Neelix”

     Neelix brought the bowl of spice soup to the Doctor, who’s stomach was growling quite audibly now. Wanting to fill the empty void in his stomach, the Doctor carefully put a spoonful of the steaming soup into his mouth, and swished it around before swallowing.

     “Remarkable! I’ve always wondered what it would be like to eat…. It’s quite pleasurable, there is an amazing variety of tastes and textures!” He continued to eat with great gusto, savoring each mouthful. As he ate, his stomach quieted down, and he could feel fresh power flow through every system in his body. “Seven, how often should I have to eat?”

     “You only need to eat one large meal per week, but you may eat as often as you wish. The matter converter which powers you will store any extra power in a battery. You can survive off of this battery for 3 months when it is fully charged.”

     Nodding happily, he continued to eat his soup, and to drink the fruit juice that Neelix had given him with it.

*********

     After the Doctor had finished eating, Seven asked “I believe that the Captain would like to see how you are adapting to your body, shall we proceed to the bridge?”

     The Doctor sighed and said “I’m just getting used to this body, but I suppose you are right. Lead the way,” he made a sweeping bow towards the mess hall doors.

     The Doctor meekly followed Seven and B’Elanna to the turbolift.

     “Bridge,” Seven commanded.

     As the turbolift sped towards the bridge, the doctor started getting nervous, which led to a new sensation. Sweaty palms, something that he hadn’t even known his body could do. As he hurriedly wiped his palms on his uniform, he wondered, Why should I be nervous, I’ve known these people for six and a half years! He shook himself, and as the turbolift doors opened, stood tall and strode proudly onto the bridge.

*********

     Harry Kim saw Seven, and then B’Elanna Torres walk by. He was about to turn his attention back to his computer console when he sensed a third person enter the bridge. He turned his head around to see who it was, and to his surprise the Doctor came into view! He let out a small yell, which alerted the rest of the bridge, and dropped the PADD he was working on. It hit the floor with a loud CLUNK, but Harry paid it no attention.

     The entire bridge crew, except for the Captain, stared in shock as the supposedly holographic doctor walked onto a bridge that was not equipped with holoemitters. The Captain had a very wide grin on her face, and strode up to the Doctor.

     “Everyone, I would like to introduce you to our newly improved Doctor! For the past 2 months, Seven has been working on a something very special for the Doctor. An android body. And as you can see, she did a superb job!” announced Captain Janeway.

     “The Doc has a body?”

     “What the…”

     “Android?!?”

     “Congratulations Doctor!”

     After all of the crew members had congratulated the Doctor on his new body, the Captain beckoned the Doctor and Seven into her ready room.

*********

     “Are you adapting well to the body? Have you encountered any problems yet?” The Captain asked as she strode over to her couch.

     “He is progressing admirably, Captain.” Seven said flatly, but the Captain could see a proud curl on her lips.

     “Aside from a severe case of the munchies, this body has been outstanding! Seven did an excellent job designing and constructing it.” He flashed her a grin, and, to her irritation, she blushed in response.

     “It passed every single test we threw at it, it should adequately meet his needs” She stated.

     He turned to her with a shocked expression on his face “Adequately?!? This body is more then I ever could have hoped for, and I owe that all to you Seven. I am forever in your debt.”

     There was a short pause, and then the Captain announced “Doctor, I think that it would be a good idea if you had a name now. We can’t exactly call you the ‘Emergency Medical Hologram’ anymore, now can we? I know you’ve been thinking about it for a long time, have you decided on anything?”

     "No, Captain, I have not," the Doctor conceded. “I will soon.”

     Janeway nodded her head once in agreement, then snapped her fingers as she recalled something      “Also, you need quarters now, don’t you? Now that you have a body, you’re going to have to keep your clothes and personal belongings somewhere. Computer, what is the closest free crew quarters to the Sickbay?”

     “Crew Quarters 516” The computer responded.

     Looking at a deck layout of Voyager, the Captain said “516 is only 20 meters from Sickbay. How does that sounds?”

     The Doctor looked a little uneasy as he said “Quarters? I never thought of that. You are right though, I guess I will need some. 516 was it? Sounds good to me.”

     “Good. Computer, crew quarters 516 are now occupied by the Doctor” Janeway commanded.

     “Acknowledged”

Chapter 3 - The Name Game

     As the Doctor left the captains ready room, he felt a heavy hand upon his heart. A name? Who was he to give himself a name? Humans have it easy, he though, they are named at birth! How can someone choose a name for himself?!? It is something far to important to be self-proclaimed, how arrogant that would be….

     Nevertheless, as they days went by he did his best to find an adequate name for himself. He researched every record, file, and database on the subject. He reviewed the name of every single person on the ship, trying thousands of different combinations, but none of them were him!

     The Captain inquired every other day if he had decided on a name, which caused him to fret and worry more about it. After her seventh query, he thought She just doesn’t understand, a name is not something you just make up it’s something that is given to you! But I have no mother, or father to bestow a name upon me… so I must choose someone else to help me. But who? There is only one person on this vessel that I trust enough to ask… but would she do it?

*********

     “Would you please meet me in Sickbay at 1930 hours?" the Doctor queried walking up beside Seven.

     “I will comply” Seven stated plainly.

     When Seven arrived at Sickbay, the Doctor ushered her in, “Please, have a seat in my office, Seven. I have something very important that I must ask of you.”

     He sat down next to her, “Of all the people on this ship, I feel that you are my closest friend. You and I have many things in common. We both have had to adjust to this ship and it’s crew, and in doing so develop into individuals. We've both had to exceed our ‘programming’. You are the one person on this ship that I have any strong feelings for. And while I respect everyone in the crew for the challenges they have faced and battles they have won, they all pale in comparison to you. I respect you more then any other person I have ever met, because of your strength, boldness, and determination to better yourself. I felt all of this while I was still a hologram. Then you made my body, and by doing so gave me a gift without comparison, a gift that I can, could, never repay.”

     With each word Seven felt her heart move farther up her throat, and a confusion of joy, pride, loneliness, and compassion flooded her heart and mind. All of these emotions were new to her, as a Borg drone she had never felt any of them, or anything at all for that matter. The complete chaos of emotion left her utterly speechless. She had never expected him to say these things, yet as he did she found that she felt many of the same things for him. She was not sure where this was leading, and even though there was no where else in the world she would rather be, she almost dreaded hearing his question, afraid of what he might say, yet still anxious to find out just what he was to ask of her.

     The Doctor took a deep breath, he reached out and tenderly took her hand, "I would be greatly honored if you would chose my name. I do not trust any other being in this universe more than I trust you, Seven. I know that you will not disappoint me. Will you, please, give me a name?” He looked into her eyes, those deep blue eyes that could swallow a person whole, and waited for her response.

     Seven was speechless. She had no idea how to answer him. Choose a name for him? I am not suited for this, Seven started to panic, what if I should fail him?!? He puts so much trust in me. I am afraid. I cannot.

     "Doctor," Seven said flatly after she regained control of her emotions, ready to refuse, until she looked into his emotion filled eyes, and then she realized that she could not reject this request. As she let out a small sigh, she surrendered "Even though I do not feel as if I am the best person suited for this task, I will do as you ask. I will give you a name. It will take some time to discover a name worthy of you. I hope that I never disappoint you.”

     "Thank you, Seven," the Doctor said, his eyes conveying volumes of emotion that he could not put into words. Seven smiled softly and stood up.

     "I...must...regenerate," Seven replied, gently pulling her hand from the Doctor's as she walked out of the sick bay doors. She needed time to think.

*********

     Once again, the Captain was astonished by the intense single-mindedness Seven displayed as she was searching for the Doctor’s name. Every single crewman that the Captain spoke to reported being interrogated by Seven. Apparently she was trying to absorb as much information about names, and their meanings, as she could. Seven continued this behavior until she had interviewed every single person on board Voyager, including little Naomi Wildman.

     B’Elanna reported that Seven’s personal computer access had increased by a factor of 4. The access logs showed that she had downloaded every single piece of literature written by humans for the past 400 years. Apparently she was researching each possible name combination that had been used in that time period.

     After 3 weeks of this intense researching, her computer access suddenly returned to normal. She no longer interrogated the crew, and, oddly enough, she seemed happy. Several of the bridge crew swore that they saw her smiling as she went about her duties, and Tom Paris claims to have heard her singing in astrometrics! The entire crew was buzzing with rumors concerning her new behavior, but she seemed to be unaware anything unusual was happening.

*********

     A few days later, while giving one of his famous sermons in the church at Fair Haven, the doctor looked out over the congregation. He caught a glimpse of a ravishing woman in a stunning dress, and his synthetic heart did a flip flop when he realized it was none other than Seven-of-Nine. Seven was wearing a full period gown, something that should have looked ridiculous on her, but only made her look even more elegant than usual. After the sermon was finished Seven walked up to the Doctor gracefully.

     “Seven! How do you fare on this fine day?” He greeted her, bowing almost to the floor.

     “I fare well indeed, Sir,” Seven replied with a noble Irish accent making the doctor smile raptly.

     There was a long pause and Seven suddenly turned shy and awkward. As she looked at the ground she quietly announced “I have chosen your name…”

     “Really?” He queried eagerly, “Please, tell me what you have chosen?”

     "This crowd makes me uneasy. May we leave?" Seven asked, her voice was steady yet her eyes were full of pleading.

     "Of course. I know this beautiful spot on the eastern shore of the loch. It's quiet and is rarely visited," The doctor said, eager to find out the name she had given him.

************

     "Here we are," the Doctor said as they reached the grassy shore of the loch. "Loch Ness is so beautiful this time of the year."

     The Doctor laid a blanket down on the grass and took a seat. "Have a seat, Seven," The Doctor said stretching out his hand. Seven seated herself gracefully across from the Doctor.

     “Please Seven, what is the name that you chose for me?” He seemed ready to cry, he was so anxious to have his name.

     Seven looked out over the loch, and focused on the distant horizon, “Before I tell you, you should know that I too trust you more then I trust any other person. If it had been someone else who had asked me to choose their name, I never would have accepted the responsibility.” She took a deep breath, and her voice dropped in volume, “When I am around you, I feel safe, I feel happy. I think that you are one of the most remarkable people I have ever had the privilege of knowing, and that if I should disappoint you with the name I have chosen, It….” Her voice broke, and she looked over into the Doctor’s eyes, her own eyes covered with a film of tears. “It would be as if I had failed myself, not only you. I do not know if I could live with that…”

     The Doctor moved to sit in front of her, blocking her view of the loch. He took both of her hands in his, and solemnly said “There is nothing that you could do that would disappoint me, dear, Seven. I knew what I was asking of you when I asked you to choose my name. I never wished to make you feel like this, but you are the only person that I trust and…” he too, took a deep breath, and thought It’s now or never… “ love enough to give this responsibility”. He heard her breathing increase, and felt her body shiver as he laid bare his heart to her, and hoped it was a good sign.

     “Do you mean that?” she asked in a very small, very un-borg like voice.

     He put gently took her chin, and moved her face so that it was facing his. “From the depths of my soul, I meant every word of it.” He swore.

     With those words, tears started to slide down her cheeks, and she said in a husky voice “I was so afraid that you didn’t feel the same way I did… you have no idea how much you mean to me….”

     “Please, give me my name Seven. I cannot wait any longer! I must know what you chose…” The Doctor pleaded, knowing that anything she named him would be perfect, no matter what it was.

     She cleared her throat, dried her eyes, and, after a small hesitation, announced in a love filled voice “The name I have chosen for you, is Richard Quest. It means Mighty Journey, which is something you have definitely had.” She searched his face for a reaction, and almost cried out with joy when she saw the wide grin on his face.

     So many emotions ran through his mind and heart at the sound of his new name, that he was overwhelmed. He had never thought that receiving a name would make him feel so many things. “Richard Quest” He rolled the words around in his mouth, testing it. As he heard himself utter his new name, he knew in his heart that he was Dr. Richard Quest.

     "Thank you, Seven," the now Dr. Richard Quest said as he gazed deeply into Sevens clear blue eyes. At that he leaned in slowly and tenderly kissed her full on the lips and tasted her sweet breath..

     When Richard’s lips touched hers, it felt as though every nerve in her body were on fire, as if she were just now experiencing life as it was meant to be. She committed the moment to memory, hoping to never forget their first, sweet kiss. "You are most welcome, Richard," Seven replied smiling softly as she fingered his jaw.

     Tears now came to Richard's eyes. She had used his name. It sounded so beautiful, so full of life, and of love. He let one tear drop before he stood up. "Walk with me."

     "I will comply," Seven said softly as she took his stretched out hand. The two walked for about two minutes before the Doctor stopped and laid down the blanket once more.

     Answering her questioning gaze, he asked "Have you ever seen a sunset, Seven?"

     "No, I have not, Richard."

     "Well, you will tonight. "

************

     It did not take long for the rest of the crew to see that something had happened between the Doctor and Seven.

     The very next morning at 0800 hour, at the beginning of her usual shift, Seven and the Doctor walked out of the turbolift. They seemed to stand awfully close to each other, and Tuvok was the first to see why. They were holding hands. He merely arched his left eyebrow in question.

     It took about 5 seconds for the rest of the bridge crew to notice. Everyone stopped what they were doing, with the exception of Tuvok, and stared at them.

     The Doctor cleared his throat, “Captain, I have an announcement to make that I believe the entire crew should hear.”

     “And what would that be Doctor?”

     “I now have a name.” Once again, Harry dropped the PADD he was holding, and it hit the floor with a loud CLUNK. All around the room were murmurs of surprise and shock.

     “It’s about time! Would you like to make the announcement, or would you feel more comfortable if I did the honor?” Janeway asked, with a hint of satisfaction to her voice.

     “I believe I can handle it.”

     “Harry, open a ship-wide channel. Doctor, anytime you’re ready” Janeway announced.

     “My fellow crewmates, this is your Doctor speaking. I know that for the past six and a half years I have procrastinated picking a name for myself. Now for two months I have had a physical body. It is no longer appropriate, I believe, to be addressed just as “Doctor”. As long as I was a hologram, I considered myself just a program, really not worthy of having a name. But now, thanks for my beloved Seven, I am no longer a hologram. I am a complete person. I need a name. I tried to come up with one myself, but I could not. A name, I decided, was not something that could be self-appointed, but is something that can only be given to a person by someone who loves him or her. Therefore I could not choose my own name. I asked Seven to give me one.” He paused, and turned to look into Seven’s eyes, “And she did so. I am no longer just the Doctor. No, I am Dr. Richard Quest!”

     The entire crew burst into applause, and Seven beamed, as Richard Quest stood up tall and accepted their congratulations with a proud smile.

************

     For the next few weeks Seven noticed that Richard seemed to be preoccupied with something. However, everytime she tried to address the problem, he shrugged it off with a grin, and just said “Everything’s fine!”.

     What Richard didn’t want Seven to know, was that he was planning a surprise for her. Before he could unveil it however, he needed something that only the Captain had the authority to give.

     “Captain, can I speak with you for a moment?” He addressed her through his comm badge.

     “Certainly, I’m in the mess hall if you’d care to join me,” Janeway casually replied.

     Once he arrived in the mess hall, he scanned the room looking for the Captain. She was sitting in a corner, watching the stars streak by outside the window. He walked over to her table and took a seat.

     He initiated the conversation, “Captain, how are you doing today?”

     “Fine Dr. Quest, just fine. And you?” She replied

     “Aside from an empty stomach, I’m doing pretty good.” He turned around and caught Neelix’s eye, who promptly hurried over to their table.

     “What can I get for you Doctor?”

     “You wouldn’t happen to have anymore of that delicious spice soup, would you?”

     “I just made up a pot of it this morning! Let me ladle you out a bowl,” With his usual energetic nature, he hurried off to fill Richard’s order.

     Just as a somewhat awkward silence filled the air around their table, Janeway prodded “You wished to speak with me?”

     “Um. Yes. I’ve been thinking lately that Seven needs to get out of that cargo bay. Don’t you think it’s a rather poor excuse of a home?”

     With a surprised look on her face, she answered “Well, now that I think of it, I certainly wouldn’t want to live there. Has Seven been complaining?”

     Just then Neelix scurried back, carrying a tray of steaming spice soup, and a tall glass of fruit juice, “Enjoy!” he exclaimed as he set it down in front of Dr. Quest.

     After thanking Neelix and taking a big spoonful, he replied “No, she hasn’t, but I can tell she doesn’t care for it very much. She doesn’t like to spend time there, and I think she’s a little jealous that I have my own quarters.” He spoke the last part in a quiet voice, almost as if he were fearing Seven would overhear him.

     Kathryn tapped her index finger on the table as she thought. “It seems to me that there’s a free set of quarters on Deck 6… Number 635 I think. I’ll assign those to her. But what are we going to do about her regeneration alcove? It’s too big to fit in the room, and she can’t do without it yet.”

     “Don’t worry about that, I’ve spent the last 2 weeks studying the technology, and I think that with B’Elanna’s help I can come up with something…”

Chapter 4 – From One Lone Note….

     Over the next few months, the entire crew watched as Seven and Richard’s relationship grow. They were certainly the oddest couple the crew had seen, but in some ways their relationship made perfect sense. One was part machine, one was nothing but machine. Both had to go beyond their original limitations to become individuals. Both had to learn to trust and finally love another being.

     The seed of their relationship grew slowly, they ate meals together, sitting close, and usually eating the same things. When they were both off duty, they spent hours exploring each others personalities, discovering the nuances that made them unique. Richard, for his part, spent a great deal of time working at her Borg armor, trying to get her to open up to him more. The years of oneness with the Borg created large mental barriers that he and she worked for weeks to break down. Seven was amazed at the depth of his personality, he was interested in a great deal of things completely non-related to the medical profession. Singing, she found out, was one of his favorite pastimes.

     His interest and enthusiasm in singing sparked a weekly habit. Every Friday from 1600 hours to 2000 hours they would reserve a holodeck, run the Concert Hall program, and sing together. As time went by, they both had memorized and perfectly duplicated over 500 duets, and often entire groups of crewmen would sit in the upper tiers of the concert hall just to listen to them. They sang all of the different genres, but they were most fond of 18th to 21st century Love songs.

************

     Once, after their weekly performance, Richard pulled Seven to side of the stage after their last song, and said “There were quite a few crewman out there tonight, weren’t there?”

     “Approximately 40% of Voyager’s crew was here!” She happily replied. Over the past few months Seven had cultivated quite a joy for music, and loved to sing whenever she could. The crewmen vied for a position in Astrometrics, just so that they could listen to her perfect voice (compliments of her Borg voice modulator).

     “For the past few months, I’ve been toying with an idea. What do you think of holding a real concert for the entire crew?” He asked.

     “A.. concert?” She appeared to be disturbed by the idea.

     “Yes, a real, official concert! We’ve basically been holding them for the past few months, we might as well have one for the entire crew.. It would boost moral, bring you more out of your shell,” he poked her in the middle to emphasize his point, “ and besides, we both love to sing, it’ll be fun!”

     His obvious enthusiasm warmed her to the idea, and she slowly nodded, “I will comply…” She slowly answered with a small smile on her lips.

************

     As they planned for the concert in the mess hall one day, Neelix approached their table and said with a grin “So I hear you are going to have a concert, uh?”

     With a sigh, Richard responded “Yes Mr. Neelix, we are.”

     “Are you open to any… suggestions??”

     Seven flashed Richard a look of annoyance, and even know Richard didn’t really care about Neelix’s suggestions, he knew that the fastest way to get rid of him was to just sit back and listen. “What are your ‘suggestions’, Mr. Neelix?” He asked with a small grimace.

     Neelix grinned and then sat himself down next to Richard. “Well, I was thinking, since the whole crew is going to be together for your concert, why don’t we hold a morale building party afterwards?” He looked at their faces with eagerness.

     “A party? That is not an efficient use of the crew’s time.” Seven coolly replied.

     “And a concert is?” Neelix smirked.

     Seven scowled at him, stopped resisting, and turned her attention back to Richard. She quickly forgot about Neelix as Richard gave her a warm smile, and squeezed her hand softly.

     “That actually sounds like a good suggestion Mr. Neelix. What exactly did you have in mind?” queried Richard.

     “Oh nothing too extravagant. Good food, I’ve been dying to try a few recipes... Good drinks, I’ve got a stash of Yarran beer, Talaxian Fireflower nectar, and I even have a few liters of Romulan Ale! Great association…. A simple party!”

     “Romulan Ale?!? Do you have any idea how that affects the human body? The alcohol content level is almost TOXIC! No, I don’t want that at the party, it’s far to dangerous. Besides what it does to the body, what if there’s an emergency during the party and the whole crew is incapacitated?” Richard exclaimed.

     “Ok, ok, ok, so we won’t have the ale, calm down Doctor!” Neelix pleaded, “Just let me take care of the party, you won’t have to worry about anything!”

     “You’d better not make me regret this Mr. Neelix!”

     Neelix cringed sarcastically, then grinned.

************

     “Seven,” Kathryn greeted with a nod as she stepped onto the turbolift.

     “Captain,” Seven answered in her normal Borg fashion, with a slight tilt of her head and a small cock of her eyebrow.

     “Soo…. Do you have your costume picked out for the concert?” Kathryn asked trying to make idle conversation, yet knowing what Seven’s answer would be.

     Seven looked at Kathryn’s face and noticed that she had a mischievous glint in her eyes, and, knowing that something was about to happen, a small groan escaped her full lips.

      “I do not require a costume. My uniform will be adequate attire,” Seven answered insistently, and with just a pinch of desperation.

     Seven could see Captain Janeway’s eyes light up, “Oh, no Seven! You must have a costume! The crew will expect it,” she let out a small laugh, “For goodness sakes, most of the crew will be wearing costumes! This is a formal occasion and you are the main attraction! You must wear at least a dress.” Kathryn exclaimed with a very amused expression on her face. “Resistance is futile!”

     Seven resigned herself to the inevitable, let out a small sigh, and replied “While I do not see the need for such exterior adornment, I will comply.” Suddenly she looked puzzled, “Captain.. I do not know what would be appropriate to wear. I am not experienced with clothing.”

     Kathryn grinned, “Well, I am no seamstress, but I know where I can find someone who is,” Kathryn said as she patted Seven on the back and stepped off of the turbolift, “Don’t worry, you’ll be the belle of the ball.” She said as the turbolift doors closed, leaving Seven alone.

     A seriously puzzled expression came across her face as she contemplated the saying, “Belle of the ball”. Finally she gave up trying to decipher the message, and whispered “I do not understand.”

***************

     Back in her ready room Captain Kathryn Janeway started going through the personnel files with a silly grin on her face.

     “Computer, bring up Voyager personnel files. Access the Hobby and Interest sections. List the names of all personnel who have experience in fashion design and/or clothes making.” She commanded the computer.

     “Processing...Search Completed. Two crew members match the specified criteria.”

     Her grin suddenly disappeared. Only two, she thought, maybe I shouldn’t have promised Seven I’d get her a dress… Anxiously, she called to the computer, “Display the results”

     On her desk computer, two names appeared along with summary information: Ensign Wenchell J. Andrews - Hobbies/Interests: jewelry fashion and design, reading, acting. Lt. Comm. Faith E. Parker - Hobbies/Interests: performing arts, poetry, singing, reading, writing, quilting, knitting, clothing design and clothier.

     “I believe I’ve found our costume designer,” Kathryn murmured with a slight smile.

***************

     “You wished to speak with me, Captain?” Lieutenant Commander Faith Parker asked as she stepped into the Captains ready room.

     “Yes, Lieutenant Commander, have a seat,” Kathryn gestured towards one of the chairs, “As you no doubt have heard by now, a concert is being held in about two weeks. Both Richard and Seven need costumes, but I would hazard to think Seven would need more help then our Doctor does. Her wardrobe consists only of her uniforms, all of which are of the exact same style, and therefore completely inadequate for this occasion. I noticed in your personnel file that you have an interest in fashion design and seamstressry.” Kathryn leaned closer to her, “Would you be willing to design a costume for Seven? Please understand that this is not an order, and you are under no obligation to do it, but it would mean a lot to me if you would…”

     Never even thinking of refusing the request, Faith grinned and said “Why, yes, Captain, I’d be happy too. No one has asked me to do that in a long time, and I miss it. It’ll be my pleasure!”

     “Very well then, since I asked this of you, I’m going to give you the rest of the day off to get started. Seven is down in Astrometrics if you would like to talk to her,” Kathryn hinted.

     “Thank you, Captain,” Faith replied, still grinning. “I’ll get straight to work.”

*****************

     Faith headed straight to Astrometrics, as promised, after she stopped by her quarters to pick up her old fashioned measuring tape and color chart. As a true seamstress, she never relied upon modern technology for measurements. She had to see the person for herself to really get an idea of what would “fit” her or him best. It wasn’t just a matter of cold measurements but also about body shape, skin color, eye color, the way the person carries themselves. Fashion was about the whole person. She was so excited that she zipped through the corridors, and almost collided with several crewman on her way to Astrometrics.

     As she walked into the science room, she froze solid when she got a full body view of Seven, who was standing at a console performing her daily tasks. Seven turned a few moments after she heard the door open, discovered that Faith was staring at her, and merely stared back.

     aith’s eyes took in every part of her body, automatically comparing hundreds of different fabrics and designs to the form she had to work with. She could only think of a few that would do Seven justice.

     Finally, with a huge grin, she placed her hands on her hips and announced “Now THIS, I can work with!”

     “I do not understand, Lt. Commander Parker. What is the meaning of this?” Seven replied with a quizzical, and slightly defensive, look on her face.

     “Come here, Seven, I need to take your measurements.”

     Seven’s eyes widened in alarm, and she replied “You need to do WHAT?”

     “How else am I supposed to make a costume for you if I can’t measure you? Get over here!” Faith commanded, taking control of the situation.

     Seven slowly walked over, watching for any hint of attack. “A costume?”

     “Yes, yes, a costume.” Faith absentmindedly replied, giving a slight wave of her hand, as her mind was buzzing with possibilities.

     “Clarify your intentions,” Seven coolly requested, “Now.”

     “I’m going to design a concert gown for you...yes, a gown, that would be best I think. Full, flowing, plush, possibly velvet, Ah yes, that would look heavenly on you. “ Seven seemed to relax a little, and let Faith command her, “Let me look at your eyes..... ooo, blue, yes… I can do worlds with that,” Faith spent about fifteen minutes taking Seven’s measurements, and looking her up and down time and again. Seven was confused, and slightly uncomfortable, but it was an… interesting… experience. “Yes, I can definitely work with this. I should have your gown designed by the end of the week, Seven, that will give me plenty of time to make any last minute changes if need be. I’ll talk with you soon.” At that Faith stepped out of Astrometrics leaving behind a completely bewildered ex-Borg.

******************

     As promised, two weeks later Faith completed the dress and called Seven to her quarters.

     When the door announced a visitor, Faith called out “Come!”, the doors opened, and Seven came in wearing her usual uniform.

     Ugh, Faith thought, what a waste of material… she gave herself a mental shake and turned her attentions to the dress as she ran her hand over the smooth royal blue velvet fabric one more time to get out the invisible wrinkles.

     The way Faith had her body situated, the dress was completely blocked from view, so Seven stood just inside of the doorway patiently.

     “Are you ready to see your new gown?” Faith’s excitement flooded into her words, and her voice almost shook as she fought to contain it.

     Seven gave her an efficient nod, as her eyes moved about the room, looking for the dress.

     “TA DA!” Faith exclaimed as she quickly moved from in front of the gown. Faith looked at Seven expectantly, waiting for her reaction. “So how do you like it?” She prodded.

     As Seven took in the gorgeous gown, her knees got weak, and as she tried to say something, her jaw worked, but no sound came out. A single tear rolled down her perfect skin, as she struggled to control herself.

     Success filled Faith’s eyes as she realized Seven was speechless. “I’ll take that as a yes!” She slightly gloated.

     With tear filmed eyes, Seven finally managed to whisper “Thank you,” as she gracefully walked over to the mannequin the dress was on. Tentatively she reached out a hand and gently stroked the fabric. “Thank you Commander Parker” She said in a soft voice, her eyes absorbing the rich blue color.

     “Would you like to put it on?” Faith eagerly asked.

     Seven tore her eyes from the gown, looked Faith in the eyes, and nodded her head firmly, almost enthusiastically. Faith reached behind the mannequin, unzipped the dress, gently pulled it off the mannequin, and draped it over Seven’s arm. “You can use the other room to change.” She offered.

     When Seven returned, Faith’s jaw dropped to the floor. “My oh my oh my. I do believe I’ve outdone myself this time….” She spent the next 10 minutes checking every inch of the gown, tugging at it this way and that to get a better fit.

     “Well, it looks great on you! The royal blue is definitely the right color for you, it really brings out your eyes.” Seven gave her an unsteady smile, unsure of how to reply. “Well, you better get back into uniform. I’ll just hem the skirt and have it to you the night of the concert. I’ve also taken the liberty of replicating some gloves, and shoes to go with it. And of course you simply must wear some jewelry.. “ she snapped her fingers, “I’ve got just the thing!” She went off, and Seven heard some drawers opening and closing, then she returned with the most stunning diamond and sapphire necklace that Seven had ever seen in her hands, “Yes! This will go perfectly with that dress. My grandmother gave this to me when I joined Starfleet, I’ve always loved it, but have never had quite the right dress to wear it with.”

     “May I try it on?”

     “Of course! Here, let me get the clasp for you.” Seven bent down so that Faith could put the brilliant necklace around her neck. “Come over here, there’s a mirror”

     When Seven saw herself in the mirror, she almost didn’t recognize herself. The flood of emotions that ran through her left her faintly dizzy, and she was afraid she would faint for a minute. “It’s all so beautiful, thank you very much Faith.”

     Touched by the way Seven called her by her first name, Lt. Comm. Parker had to pause for a moment while she regained control of her heart.

     “It was my pleasure Seven! I should thank you, I’ve never had the opportunity to design something this nice before, I’m glad I lived up to your expectations” Seven gave her a small smile, thinking that Faith had just made a joke. Before she had come to Faith’s quarters and seen the dress, she had not had any expectations. “And just wait till Samantha Wildman styles your hair, and the Delaney sisters give you one of their famous makeovers, then you really won’t believe your eyes! As soon as I make these alterations, everything will be ready for the concert! No more fashion worries.” Faith smiled.

     “Thank you, Commander.”

      “You’re most welcome, Seven.”

*********************

     “I can’t do it, Richard! I can’t!”

     “Yes, you can, Seven. You’ll be fine. I promise,” Richard said wiping away the tears falling from Seven's human eye. He held her there for a while until her breathing slowed to normal.

     “But....”

     “No, buts, just breath... You have to stop crying before Faith, Samantha Wildman, and the Delany’s get here, otherwise we won’t be able to perform tonight,” Richard tried. That just made Seven cry harder. By the time the "makeover" quartet had arrived Seven had cried herself to sleep.

     The door chime rang.

     “Come” Richard called.

     When the quartet walked through the door the sight before them was heartwarming. Richard was sitting on the floor with a childlike Seven sitting on his lap, with her arms around his neck, and her head on his shoulder, sound asleep. He was rocking her slightly as he smoothed her hair. As the door shut behind the “artists” Richard gently kissed Seven’s eyes, “Wake up, sleepy head,” he prodded.

     Seven moaned and opened her eyes.

     “What?” Seven whined with a childish tone.

     “Faith, Samantha, and the Delany’s are here. It’s time to get ready,” Richard whispered in her ear.

     “Oh,” Seven said, immediately borgifying. “I am ready.”

***************

     “Beautiful.”

     “Gorgeous.”

     “Honey, you look like Cinderella,” Faith said with her slightly southern accent.

     “Okay, you can come out now," Megan called out to Richard who was in the next room waiting for Seven to get ready.

     When Richard saw Seven his mouth dropped to the floor. Her flawless skin seemed to glow, her blue velvet dress and white satin gloves were radiant, alive with their own imbued beauty. Megan had done her makeup in subtle blues and greys, which highlighted her blue eyes, and made them sparkle, just as if she held two minature suns captive. A frosted soft rose lipstick was painted on her full lips, and a soft blush dusted her cheeks, giving her a romantic glow. Samantha and Jenny had curled Seven’s hair in to little ringlets, most of which she had pulled up and secured it with a few pins letting the ringlets fall over then strategically placing small white and blue flowers in her hair. A few of the ringlets fell near her face giving her a look of pure innocence. The diamond and sapphire necklace sparkeled in the light, matching Seven’s eyes in their intensity.

     Seven was as captivated by Richard, as he was with her. When he entered the room, she let out a soft sigh and lightly covered her mouth with her right hand. Faith was standing near Seven, and could just barely hear her murmur, "My oh my oh my oh my...". Tom had helped Richard pick out a suitable tuxedo for their performance. The jacket and pants were jet black, they seemed to absorb the light that fell upon them. The trousers had black satin stripes down each side, and he had replicated some Armani shoes from the late 20th century. He wore a formal white dress shirt with ruffles down the center, and diamond studs in the button holes. The jacket ended at the waist, and had tails that ended just above the knee. Richard wore white dress gloves, a black scarf instead of a tie and a scarlet and gold sash crossed his chest. The lapel opposite the sash housed a fresh red rose and the doctor also held one in his hand which, when he was able to move again, walked up to Seven and handed it to her. When Richard looked down at Seven’s hands he noticed a very large diamond ring on her left ring finger. Before Richard could even voice his query Megan answered.

     “We researched the song abit, and found out that the two singing the song are engaged, and that it is sung either during or after the engagement party, so we thought this would give it more reality.

     Richard looked up and smiled at the quartet. “You all did an amazing job, thank you.”

     “Well, we should probably get going,” Faith said as she took Seven’s arm and went for Richards. However, before she could get a firm hold the Richard shot a look of rememberance around the room and then scurried off to the bedroom again.

     “You for get started. I’ll catch up with you. I almost forgot something,” He said as he opened and closed the door quickly.

     “Alright,” Faith said shrugging her shoulders.

*****************

     Richard caught up with the five women just as they were about to enter the turbolift.

     “Did you find what you wanted, Richard?” Seven asked quietly.

     “Yes,” he answered taking her hand in his.

     “What did you forget that was so important?” Faith asked looking at the beaming Doctor.

     “I’ll tell you later,” Richard replied.

     “Okay, be that way,” Faith feigned hurt as she watched Seven stare off into oblivion.

     Suddenly, Richard noticed something that only his accute android senses could detect.

     “Seven, you have to breath. That means you take air in and let it out,” Richard said turning to Seven and taking her face in his hands.

     “I can’t.”

     “Why?”

     “I’ll vomit.” In unison Samantha, Jenny, Faith, and Megan all stepped back, and were nearly pushing out the walls of the turbo lift.

     “Ohhh,” Richard acknowledged. “Here,” he said placing his hand agianst her neck and used his built in hypospray to administer an anti-nausea spray. “This will take care of the nausea.”

     After a moment of silence and no vomiting Richard continued, “Feeling better?”

     “Yes, Richard, thank you,” Seven said rubbing her abdomen as the turbolift came to a halt

     The doors stayed shut and Richard tapped his commbadge which was in his pocket, “Quest to Commander Tuvok”.

     “Go ahead, Doctor,” Tuvok answered.

     “Two to beam backstage, Commander. Goodbye, and thank you ladies.” at that the duet felt the tingle of the transporter beams and within seconds were backstage in a replica of the Paris Opera house in 1850’s Paris, France.

*********************

     “Now, without further ado, one of our star attractions tonight, and might I point out the last, Annika Hansen better known to us as Seven-of-Nine, and Dr. Richard Quest singing Take Me As I Am from the 20th century brodway musical, Jekyll & Hyde,” With those final words Tom began to clap as he exited stage right, and the curtains opened to show a dejected looking Doctor staring out a window at an imagined sunset. Then the music began.

(Richard)

.....Sometimes I see past the horizon,
Sure of my way, where I am going,
But where’s the prize I have my eyes on?
Where? There is just no knowing.....

     The doctor paused and turned toward Seven who now stood only inches behind him; her hand placed comfortingly on his shoulder. He took her hands in his and stared down at them

.....And when despair tears me in two.....

     The doctor looked up and into Seven’s sparkling eyes.

.....Who can I turn to but you?
You know who I am,
Take me as I am.....

     There was a short pause. Seven took one of her hand’s from Richards and placed it on his cheek as he began to look away she forced his focus back on her.

(Seven)

.....Look in my eyes,
Who do you see there?
Someone you know, or just a stranger?
If you are wise,
You will see me there.
Love, is the only danger

Love, meaning me
Love, meaning you,
We’ll make that one dream come true.
You know who I am,
Take me as I am.....

     As the music escalated they embraced each other.

(Both)

.....Though fate won’t always do what we desire
Still we can set the world on fire.....

     Seven hit the last note in that verse perfectly and the crowd applauded wildly, though neither Seven nor Richard heard for being too wrapped up in the moment.

(Richard)

.....Give me your hand,
Give me your heart,
Swear to me we’ll never part.....

(Seven)

......We’ll never part.....

(Richard)

.....You know who I am.....

(Seven)

.....You know who I am.....

(Richard)

.....This who I------am.....

(Seven)

.....This is who I am.....

(Both)

.....Take me as I am.....

     As the song ended Seven and Richard embraced again and as the last few notes hit they kissed tenderly, and then the curtain closed.

     The audience went wild. Kathryn was weeping outrightly and yelling Bravo!!!, Chakotay was standing up Applauding so hard he nearly knocked himself into Kathryn’s lap. Tom and B’Elanna were backstage, whooping and jumping... It was a sight.

*******************

     An hour and a half later, after all the ‘Congratulations’ and ‘Well dones’ to all who participated, but especially to Richard and Seven, the entire crew was gathered in the mess hall. Some people had glasses of champagne while others were drinking Neelix’s Fire Flower Nectar, and many were eating, however Seven and Richard had managed to sneak off to the observation deck for at least a little while.

     “Seven, I love you,” Richard began. Seven knew this, but it was the first time he had ever told her in that fashion. He had always told here in a reflectatory way before, so Seven did not respond right away.

     “I love you, too,” She said after a moments pause.

     Seven felt Richard take one of his arms from around her waist, but did not look to see why. She just kept on staring out at the majestic beauty of the stars surrounding them.

     “Will you marry me?” Richard asked holding an open box with a ring in her line of view.

     Seven breathed in deeply, never feeling more content that she felt in his arms at this very moment, she sighed turned to face him as she put his arms around his neck, and said, “Yes, Richard, I will marry you.’

     Richard kissed her tenderly before he removed the ring from it’s box and placed in on her finger, before again tasting her sweet breath.

Ever Onward...

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