Homecoming - Christie Golden [13]
[36] “And how is that worse than any other kind of father-in-law?” challenged B’Elanna, coming out of the bathroom adjusting her dress uniform. “Hey, Starfleet, you’re pretty good with her. Too bad you won’t be around to baby-sit anymore.”
Kim smiled, feeling a rush of affection for both of these people. The terms he and B’Elanna had used, which had once marked their differences, had become pet names between two dear friends.
“Don’t worry, Maquis,” he said. “I hope to visit you guys often.”
“Door’s always open, Harry.” He rose and took his daughter from Harry’s arms, then turned to B’Elanna. “Showtime,” he said.
“Seven, what are you doing here?” said the Doctor, adjusting his dress uniform. “I thought that you and Chakotay would already be. at the party.”
“Commander Chakotay will be anxious for some time alone with his Maquis friends. I will not be attending,” she said stiffly. “I have come to complete the cataloguing I began earlier.” As if she were the head of sickbay and not he, Seven slipped easily into the Doctor’s chair.
“What about your aunt? Surely she’ll be there tonight.”
“I received a transmission from her. She is unwell and also will be unable to attend.” Seven’s fingers were flying over the controls, but now they paused in their frantic motions. “She has extended an invitation for me to stay with her once I am ... settled in.”
“Seven,” the Doctor said gently, “please tell me you [37] are going to accept.” Seven did not answer. “She’s the only family you have!”
“Voyager was my family,” she blurted before she could retract the statement. A blush colored her cheeks. “And now my family is dispersed. There is no purpose to my attending tonight, and these catalogues—”
“Are what we call busywork and are almost completely superfluous,” the Doctor said firmly. “And there is actually quite a vital purpose to your attending tonight.”
Surprised, she looked up at him. “What?”
“Have you never thought that I don’t have any family, either?” he said. “Oh, I’m certain I’ll soon be hugely sought-after in the medical community, with my vast store of knowledge and experience. But tonight, it’s all about friends and family. I won’t have anyone to talk to at the banquet.”
He extended an arm. “I would be honored if you would grant me the favor of your company this evening, Miss Seven of Nine.”
For a long, long moment, he thought she would refuse. He expected her to refuse, actually. But finally, an uncertain smile curved her full lips, and that smile reached her eyes.
“I will require a change of uniform,” she said.
Kim materialized in an enormous hall. Rags representing every Federation member planet hung from the high, arched ceiling. Windows that ran almost the entire length of the walls opened to the San Francisco sky, and the muted hues of twilight vied with artificial lighting for the right to illuminate this vast chamber. Soft [38] music played in the background, and more tables than Kim had ever seen in one place stretched the length of this great hall.
Kim gaped openly for a moment. He had never seen this room before; it was reserved for high ceremony. He supposed that Starfleet had, after the cursory briefings, come to the realization that Voyager rated such kudos. Quickly, though, he forgot about the opulence of the room and began scanning the crowd, looking for those whose faces he had kept in his mind for seven years.
So many people! Out of the corner of his eye, he saw big, jolly Chell squeal happily as he rushed to embrace two blue Bolians. Little Naomi, standing close beside a beaming Samantha Wildman, formally stuck her hand out to a towering Ktarian male, who gently accepted it. Vorik stood politely conversing with three Vulcans. They appeared to be strangers, but, knowing Vulcans, Kim was willing to bet they were his family.
Captain Janeway was hugging two women at the same time. One was an older woman who looked a lot like her, and the other was a little younger than she. They had to be her mother and sister.
Over there