by Suz suzvoy@tesco.net
Disclaimer - Oh Mighty Paramount.
Part six of the Delta Quadrant 90210 series.
*
Seven of Nine was confused.
She disliked the sensation immensely. It did not seem to matter that the feeling was both illogical and inefficient - it was still true.
On many occasions in the past she had gone to Captain Janeway for advice; on many occasions in the past Captain Janeway had thrust advice on her whether she asked for it or not. And despite her own frustrations, the Captains advice had almost always been ultimately useful.
For this particular subject...she would not go to the Captain. Considering her 'history' with Commander Chakotay (something she had heard at great detail from Mr Neelix) it might not be considered appropriate.
Only one member of the crew had taken the time to teach her about relationships. She had assimilated all the relevant data then, but now she required more.
She would seek him out.
Unsurprisingly he was in sickbay, correlating what appeared to be data from several bioscans. Also unsurprisingly, he was singing.
Seven had first discovered the Doctor's interest in music - particularly opera - when he had been tutoring her in the subject of romance. At the moment he was part way through an Aria she did not recognise.
"Doctor."
Immediately his singing stopped and he turned to face her, grinning. "Seven! Good to see you."
She nodded. "What was the Aria you were singing?"
He shrugged, as if trying to seem modest when she knew he was anything but.
"Just a little something I came up with."
"You composed it yourself?"
"Yes."
"Most impressive, Doctor. The use of the differing notes is quite efficient."
"Why thank you," he stated, his grin growing even broader.
"Perhaps it has something to do with the mechanics of-"
"Is there something you needed?" he asked quickly, smile fading by a small fraction.
"Yes. I require your advice."
"I'd be happy to help Seven. What topic do you need advice on?"
She found herself hesitating. "Relationships."
As soon as the word was spoken he rose his eyebrows before saying "Excuse me," and turning around to log off from his console. That task completed he turned his attention solely back to Seven. "Relationships with whom?"
Again, she hesitated. This was ridiculous behaviour. He was the Doctor. "Commander Chakotay."
The Doctor's face froze and for a moment Seven was concerned that his programme may have crashed. "Doctor?"
He moved again, turning around and fiddling with medical instruments from the med-tray. "Uh...what kind of...relationship?"
Seven frowned, wondering why he had suddenly become fidgety. He was a hologram. But she answered his question. "I am uncertain. I am...confused...by my reaction to him."
He turned back to face her but was still fiddling with a hypospray. He smiled, a little too much. "How so?"
Standing calmly with her hands behind her back, she told him the details of her last conversation with the Commander. He nodded a few times - perhaps in understanding - and by the time she had finished he had stopped fiddling with the hypospray and placed it back on the med-tray.
"Well?" she asked, her story complete.
"Well what?" he responded.
"What would you advise? And why do I find myself saying things that I do not plan to say?"
The Doctor began pacing. "Seven...relationships are very complicated, and as you're so new to them I don't know if it's right for me to quickly clarify the kind of relationship you have or...may want to have with Commander Chakotay." Stopping, he looked at her. "But I will say this: as much as you may not like it, you are very inexperienced in the field of romance, and as such I would urge you to be cautious. However, if you truly believe that you can develop a beneficial relationship with him, then...well the choice is yours."
She considered his words. "That is not particularly helpful."
The Doctor smiled. "Probably not. But I can't make the decision for you, Seven. It's part of what makes relationships so complicated. Timing is everything."
Nodding, she concluded that this conversation had come to an end. "Thank you for your advice, Doctor. You have given me much to think about."
"Happy to help, Seven."
Raising her eyebrows at him, she then turned and walked towards the exit.
"Seven."
She paused and looked back. "Yes?"
This time it was he who hesitated. "You told me yourself...I mean you know how Commander Chakotay feels or felt for the Captain..."
"Yes." She was all too aware of those facts.
"Be careful, won't you? It wouldn't do at all if my student got hurt. What the crew think of my teaching skills?"
Something resembling a smile appeared on her lips. "Do not concern yourself Doctor. I will endeavour to make sure that your reputation is unimpaired."
"Thank you," he responded, smiling a little.
"And Doctor..."
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
"You're welcome, Seven. You're welcome."
~FINIS